Kents most notable characteristics are his loyalty and bluntness Essay Example

Kents most notable characteristics are his loyalty and bluntness Essay The character of King Lears Kent is a formidable one. Whether it is the extent of his service to the King, the harshness and imagination with which he fights to defend the King or his character progression throughout the play. His most notable characteristics are definitely his incessant loyalty and his use of blunt language when his respectful interjections are ignored. It is his loyalty that motivates him and his bluntness that lands him in trouble. He speaks up to the King and warns him about his hideous rashness in the treatment of Cordelia and is blunt and to the point What wouldst thou do, old man? Act 1 Scene 1; but only uses this language when he is not being taken into consideration. We normally hear Kent referring to the King in a respectful and loyal manner my lord and my leige. His bluntness and forwardness towards the King leads to his banishment, which Kent accepts but not without a final word of advice See better Lear, and let me still remain the true blank of thine eye. Act 1 Scene 1 We will write a custom essay sample on Kents most notable characteristics are his loyalty and bluntness specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Kents most notable characteristics are his loyalty and bluntness specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Kents most notable characteristics are his loyalty and bluntness specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We notice that his advice and speeches are justified by the subsequent events of the play. His reference towards the Kings daughters prior to leaving the court is a sign of what is still to come . the gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid, that justly thinkst and hast most rightly said;(to Cordelia) And your large speeches may your deeds approve, that good effects may spring from words of love. (To Goneril Regan) Act 1 Scene 1 The extent of his loyalty is shown when he assumes the disguise as Caius and presents himself to the King, in order to remain close to him. If but as well I other accents borrow that can my speech diffuse, my good intent May carry through itself to that full issue for which I razed my likeness. Now, banishment Kent, if thou canst serve where thou dost stand condemned So may it come thy master whom thou lovst shall find thee full of labours. He offers his services to the King, and relates how he thinks a servant, counsel or aid should serve the King, which is the same way he had served the King in the past I can keep honest counsel, ride, run, mar a curious tale in telling it and deliver a plain message bluntly. That which ordinary men are fit for I am qualified in, and the best of me is diligence. Act 1 Scene 4 This is ironic though as the same reasons Lear banished Kent are the same reasons he is employing Caius! He proves his loyalty by defending Lear against Oswald, he trips him. Lear begins to trust Caius and gives him a letter to be delivered to Regan. Kent pledges his loyalty and obedience; I will not sleep, my lord, till I have delivered your letter. When Lear arrives at Gloucesters castle and is confronted with Oswald, we see the light heartedness and imagery used to portray the emotions and situation within the play; this was Shakespeares way of interjecting a bit of Comic Relief into this stressful play. Again we see the modesty of Kents character and loyalty towards the King when he bluntly insults Regan, Cornwall and Edgar in Act 2 Scene 2 I have seen better faces in my time than stands on any shoulder that I see before me at this instant. His speech once again leads him to trouble and he ends up in the stocks. Kent keeps us informed on the plot development of the play and on Cordelias movements and plans. He is very concerned about the King out in the storm, the Kings comfort and well-being are of utmost importance to him. Gracious my lord, hard by here is a hovel:.. Kent tries to reason with Lear when he starts to compare himself to Poor Tom (Edgar), he tries to assist him; he hath no daughters, sir. (Act 3 Scene 4) When Kent meets Gloucester, he informs him of Lears state of mind and shows his concern for the well-being of the King; Here sir, but trouble him not; his wits are gone. He never stops protecting the King and assisting him. As the play progresses we notice that the role of Kent slowly reduces, initially he has great speeches and is ready to endure all, but only till his master needs him! Its like he loses all his purpose in life with the death of King Lear, and fades away; I have a journey, sir, shortly to go; My master calls me, I must not say no. He follows Lear even in death. Loyal to the end!

Social Consequences of Tourism

Social Consequences of Tourism Executive Summary Tourism has a number of social benefits to the host communities. From one end, it assembles people of different cultural affiliations together. The act of sharing and learning from each other’s culture fosters cultural understanding. This understanding is an incredible ingredient towards embracing the spirit of multiculturalism.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Social Consequences of Tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, when cultural inferiority and superiority complexes exist between the host communities and the visiting people, embracement of multiculturalism suffers a great deal. The perceptions of the host people about tourism also play pivotal roles in determining the social impacts of tourism. When tourism serves to introduce some lifestyles that are not acceptable within the ethical and moral domains of the host communities, they may perceive it as a means of deter iorating their cultural beliefs and norms. Therefore, rather than tourism serving to highlight and reinforce the need for global cultural integration, it serves to produce cultural conflicts. The paper notes that some of the things that cause the cultural conflicts are only undue indulgences by some specific persons but not the entire society from which the tourists come. Unfortunately, chances exist where the host communities may tend to over generalize the behaviors of an individual tourist to use them to define the entire society from which she or he comes. This leads to stereotyping, which is another social impact of tourism. The paper also argues that tourism has the social impacts of creating public awareness of the host communities’ cultural artifacts coupled with their needs to the international community. More often than not, such awareness has the implication of attracting the attention of the global community to the societal needs. Introduction Across the globe, to urism constitutes an industry that is growing rapidly. It affects communities both socially and economically. This means that it is a source of livelihood to many people living within tourism destinations. However, even with these advantages, tourism creates a perceived fear among the residents of the tourism destinations who associate with the perception of its capacity to erode the cultures of the indigenous people. Opposed to these negative social impacts, â€Å"as with any economic activity, tourism can have negative impacts on communities† (Surabaya, Tee, and Somme 57). Thus, it is critical for measures and steps taken to be taken to minimize all these negative impacts so that tourism can act to benefit the communities living within the locations of the tourism destinations. As an economic sector, tourism is peculiar in comparison with all other economic sectors. In the first instance, unlike many sectors, tourism remains a subtle industry whose employees remain not repl aced by technology. Consequently, tourism will continue to act a major source of employment. It â€Å"aids in the conservation of natural spaces, avoids the migration of the local population, and improves the economic and socio-cultural level of the local population† (Haley 4).Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Tourism plays pivotal roles as a major employer in changing social interactions of people. Additionally, tourism facilitates â€Å"the commercialization of the local products, interchange of ideas, costumes and the sensitization of the tourist, and local population for protection of the environment† (Haley 4). From the perspective this fundamental argument, this paper focuses on highlighting the various social impacts of tourism. However, since time constraint hinders one from scrutinizing all the impacts in a single paper, the researc h paper only considers the social impacts of tourism. Methodology This research utilizes secondary data and information to analyze the social impacts of tourism. The research generates data and information from a variety of secondary sources including libraries, journals, and internet resources. After an in depth analysis of the social impacts of tourism as reflected in these secondary sources, the research will draw inferences from them. However, it is crucial to reveal that such an approach introduces a major drawback especially on issues such as the reliability of the secondary sources as general reflections of social impacts of tourism. Nevertheless, the paper mitigates this limitation by drawing the sources utilized in the literature review from a variety of studies based on largely disbursed geographical regions across the globe. Aims and Objectives The main objectives of this research are to Introspect the social impacts of tourism Deploy the social impacts introspected in ( i) above to prescribe some approaches that may be used to minimize and mitigate the negative impacts Based on these objectives, the main aim of the research is to lay down theoretical constructs on how tourism can act to influence societies living in tourism destinations positively. By shedding light on the negative and positive impacts of tourism, the point of argument here is that it becomes possible to capitalize on specific policies to enhance the realization of optimal benefits from the positive impacts while minimizing the negative impacts. Literature Review Residents’ Perception of Tourism An enormous body of knowledge, which scrutinizes the impacts of tourism on societies living within tourism destinations, depicts tourism as having both positive and negative social impacts. On the negative side, Deer, Jag, and Fred argue, â€Å"most jobs for local people in the tourist industry require the locals to work as servants, house maids, waiters, gardeners, and other menia l works that may give people a sense of inferiority† (66).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Social Consequences of Tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Consequently, tourism may make people perceive themselves as inferior in comparison to those touring their historical areas of residence. The danger in this kind of perception is that local people possess high risks of their cultures mixing with those of the tourists. Therefore, their cultural artifacts are likely to disappear or fade. While this argument may remain valid in some situations, it is also arguable that cultures of people may also act as sources of tourism attraction. Consequently, while tourism may serve to dissolve indigenous people’s cultures, it may also act as a mechanism of reinforcing them because, if indigenous people’s cultures attract tourists, it is likely that the tourists would tend to associate themselves wit h such cultures for them to have an ample experience on the cultures. Deer, Jag, and Fred agree with line of argument by claiming, â€Å"Tourists come from other societies with different values and lifestyles, and because they have come to seek pleasure, they may spend large amounts of money besides behaving in ways that they would not accept at home† (68). This implies that the fantasy associated with tourism may act to justify some otherwise morally unacceptable social indulgences. In this line of argument, Haley asserts, â€Å"visitor’s behavior can have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of the host community including crowding and congestion, drugs and alcohol problems, and prostitution and increased crime levels†(5). When some of the unethical behaviors evidencing themselves within societies because of tourism end up being justified, the moral norms that tie the host communities together must disintegrate. Thus, the society becomes fragmented. In addition, societies may develop a perception that tourism is one of the mechanisms of taking away what is traditionally rightfully theirs. For instance, in most cases, some people normally move from their places of residence to pave ways for construction of tourists’ recreational centers, restaurants, and amusement parks among other things. This case has the implication of making tourism â€Å"infringe on human rights† (Haley 6). Where tourists may engage in morally unacceptable indulgences within their societies of origin, their interaction with local people within the tourism destinations may create the wrong impression about the social, moral, and ethical constructions of the societies from which particular tourist comes. In one end, this may have the implication of stereotyping some people of a given originality. On the other end, where a given society living within tourism attraction centers perceives itself as inferior in comparison to the visiting people, chance s are that it may end up embracing certain unethical indulgences, which may not even be acceptable by the visitors’ cultural, moral, and ethical norms. In this context, Deer, Jag, and Fred argue, â€Å"local people seeing the tourist example may want to live and behave the same way† (67).Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This step is a great impediment to social norms of the indigenous people living within tourism attraction destinations. By impairing the social norms of the residents of tourists’ destinations, tourism creates differing perceptions about the tourists among the locals. For instance, Haley argues that aspects that are akin to the perception of tourism among the local people living within north America results to poor and inappropriate hosts’ attitudes. According to him, tourism truncates into â€Å"increased noise, litter, traffic, crime, over-crowding, and tourism-induced price increases† (5). In particular, price hiking that is induced by the perception that tourists have a lot of money to spend impairs the buying power of the local people living within the localities where the tourism attraction centers are located. Nevertheless, the same perception leads to prioritization of certain developments within the tourism destination centers, which have the overall im pact of bettering the mobility of the local people. A good example of this is the immense investment by the governments towards the development of infrastructures including roads and recreational facilities in areas of tourist attraction. The myriads of social impacts of tourism based on the perceptions of people about economic activities are ideally theoretical in nature. Quoting Ape et al. work on ‘Developing and Testing a Tourism Impact Scale’, which was published in the journal Travel Research in 1998, Haley supports this line of argument. He asserts, â€Å"While the research conducted has made a significant step towards a better understanding of the relationship between positive and negative perceptions of tourism and support for specific tourism-related policies, historically, most of the research on the topic of residents perceptions has been theoretical in nature† (Haley 6). To resolve the criticism of understanding of social impacts of tourism based on t he constructed perception of people about the industry, the theory of social exchange is relevant. Surabaya, Tee, and Somme have done a research on the capacity of social exchange theory to explain the social impacts of tourism. Their research claims, â€Å"It is not simply the existence of an exchange that is important, but the nature and value of the exchange that influences attitudes and perceptions† (Surabaya, Tee, and Somme 59). This implies that people who are likely to hold a positive perception of the social impact of tourism are the ones who have been employed by the industry. However, for this to happen, such people need to have had a positive employment experience with the industry. Otherwise, their perceptions would end up being negative. Thus, it is arguable that the discussed social impact of tourism based on the perception of the locals is akin to experience that people have with the tourism industry within their areas of residence. Tourism and Stereotyping Tou rism brings together people of differing nationalities, race, and gender coupled with people segregated based on other demographic differences. More often than not, conception of differences among people in a negative way based on nationality, gender, and race among other social and demographic differences merely entangle oversimplification of perceptions of people involved. In fact, association of one group with some certain characteristics that are inferior or negative is not based on facts but rather on misconceptions and prejudices. These misconceptions and prejudices about a particular group of people lead to their stereotyping. More interactively, and from the perspective of socio-psychology, stereotyping entangles â€Å"the pictures that people have in their heads about other groups† (Major et al. 34). When the interactions of tourists with the indigenous people within the localities of tourism destinations serve to amplify the differences between the tourists and the locals, the preconceived negative perceptions of the indigenous people against the tourists’ of particular origin are confirmed. For instance, when an indigenous person living within a tourist attraction destination encounters an individual of a certain nationality who is violent, the person may spread the news that all people belonging to the same nationality as the tourist are all violent. This kind of generalization hinders diversity besides leading to stigmatization and discrimination. Although these are examples of negative stereotypes, positive stereotypes associated with tourists of a given originality may also be harmful since they truncate into limitation of the attitudes of people towards a group of people. Bearing in mind the arguments raised here, is becomes imperative to posit that, depending on the nature of social and cultural differences between the indigenous people and the tourists, tourism may act to either boost the spirit of multiculturalism or destroy it even further when two groups of people of different nationalities come together. Concepts of stereotyping are anchored on three fundamental aspects. These are traits, concepts, and antecedents. Antecedents involve feelings of being rejected or accepted at an individual level. In the interaction process of tourists and the local people, such feelings influence the local people’s behaviors and attitudes towards tourists and vice versa. On the other hand, concepts entail a â€Å"person’s beliefs regarding the stereotype that out-group members hold about his or her own group† (Voyager and Main 917). This implies that people who are stereotyped presume that the version of beliefs held against their intergroup are justifiable from the basis of impressions held by other people as opposed to out-group stereotypes. This aspect of stereotyping is significant in the social interactions of people possessing conspicuous differences. Arguably, tourism presents such kind of s ocial interaction. Indeed, the traits of stereotypes are contextual components, behavioral components, and cognitive components. Such components play incredible roles in defining social relationships between tourists and the host communities. Tourism and Multiculturalism For the creation of an environment that would foster multiculturalism, it is desirable that the parties coming together respect the cultural norms of each other. Unfortunately, â€Å"†¦out of ignorance or carelessness, tourists may fail to respect local customs and moral values† (Deer, Jag, and Fred 67). The repercussion is the emergence of cultural conflicts. This means that one of the groups of people would be seeing the other as having some cultural traits, which are inferior in comparison to the cultural norms of the group from where one comes. This hinders the integration of the indigenous people’s and the tourists’ cultures. The implication is hindering multiculturalism. In the same l ine of thought, Gawker Visitor Information posits, â€Å"there are some concerns that tourism development may lead to destinations losing their cultural identity by catering for the perceived needs of tourists – particularly from international markets† (2). Therefore, a cultural battle exists between tourists and the indigenous people due to the need to protect the cultural artifacts of the indigenous people and the need to fulfill the cultural desires of the international tourist in the attempt to entice them to come back. Where tourism is the only source of income in societies that are caught up in the mayhem of cultural conflicts, the battle has the highest probabilities of favoring the tourists. Put differently, the cultures of the indigenous people would be superimposed by those of the tourists. Consequently, the fertile environments for fostering multiculturalism cease to exist. Where the indigenous people are culturally inflexible, the overall impact is hostilit y. The local people acerbate this hostility towards the tourists in the attempt to maintain cultural status quo. The argument here is that, in case the interaction process of tourists and the local people produces threats to the cultures of both parties, it becomes incredibly difficult for either party to embrace the differences between them. Therefore, creating the spirit of multiculturalism becomes difficult. Amid the raised concerns that cultural conflicts between tourists and the host communities establish an environment that is prohibitive of cultural integration and hence multiculturalism, there is a scholarly evidence that tourism is an essential tool for propagating cultural understanding. For instance, Surabaya, Tee, and Somme argue, â€Å"tourism is an interface for cultural exchange, facilitating the interaction between communities and visitors (domestic and international)† (59). Opposed to the raised arguments, where the grounds for visiting a particular destinati on are pegged on the reasons for coming to an understanding and experiencing a certain group of people’s cultures, cultural conflicts may not exist because there is no point that the tourists would attempt to seek attention for their cultural beliefs and affiliations from the host communities. Rather, the intention of visits is to experience cultural beliefs and affiliations of the host communities. In this dimension, Surabaya, Tee, and Somme assert, â€Å"People want to interact with other cultures, learn about traditions, and even confront themselves with new perspectives on life and society† (59). Directly congruent with this view, it sounds plausible to infer that the tourism industry is driven by experience. Hence, host communities’ culture constitutes unique experiences. Tourism as a Tool for Creating Social Awareness The cultural artifacts of different people are unique. When tourists visit to experience these artifacts of local people, awareness of both the existence and value for the cultural artifacts of the host community is created. This way, tourism helps in the integration of the host communities’ beliefs and norms with those of the wider global community. It also helps in raising the caliber of awareness of the host communities’ social needs. For instance, through tourism, awareness is created for the inadequacy of community services such as healthcare and or continued persistence of cultural beliefs that impede the development of societies such as seeking access to education, gender equality, and other things that are given amicable consideration by the developed societies. Based on the experience concerning the ways of life of particular groups of people, donor agencies are able to design programs to address the challenges that face people in ways that the programs are going to be welcomed without undue friction. Still in the realm of awareness, Haley argues that tourism helps to create awareness for the need to â€Å"promote conservation of wildlife and natural resources such as rain forests, as these are now regarded as tourism assets† (12). However, even though the awareness of the needs to conserve the natural environment is created coupled with the society embracing the efforts, tourism also acts to destroy it. Surabaya, Tee, and Somme exemplify how tourism may serve to destroy natural ecosystems amid the intensive awareness by the host communities on the significance of their conservation. They argue, â€Å"Tourism poses a threat to a regions natural and cultural resources such as water supply, beaches, coral reefs, and heritage sites through overuse† (Surabaya, Tee, and Somme 63). This negative impact is even more amplified by considering how tourism results to more waste release to the environment, more noise, and littering among other things. Conclusion Therefore, based on the expositions made in the paper about tourism, it suffices to declare the industry as one that has a lot of influence socially and economically. Socially, tourism influences host communities both positively and negatively. In this research paper, it has been argued that some of the social impacts of tourism are erosion and or fostering the cultures of the indigenous people. It may lead to stereotyping besides serving as a tool for creating awareness. The capacity of tourism to result to reinforcement of the cultural beliefs of the locals or to erode them depends on the perceptions that the locals have on tourisms and the reasons as to why people visit a particular destination. From this paradigm, the paper argues that, in case people tour certain tourism attraction centers with the chief intention of learning and experiencing the cultures of the indigenous people, chances of cultural conflicts are minimal since tourists would not bring in their cultural beliefs and affiliations in the interaction process. Furthermore, the paper argued that where tourists engage in some b ehaviors, which are not morally acceptable by the host communities, tourism might have the social impacts of inducing stereotypes. This acts as immense impediments to the integration of the persons brought together by tourism. In overall, the paper maintains that tourism has more positive social impacts than negative impacts. Therefore, tourism acts to benefit the host communities both socially and economically. Deer, Margaret, Leo Jag, and Liz Fred. â€Å"Rethinking social impacts of tourism research: A new research agenda.† Tourism Management 33.1(2012): 64-73. Print. Gawker Visitor Information. The Social and Cultural Impacts of Tourism, 2011. Web. Haley, Arthur. The Social Impacts of Tourism: A Case Study of Bath, UK. Surrey: University of Surrey, UK, 2004. Print. Major, Boniface et al. â€Å"Coping with negative stereotypes about intellectual performance: The role of psychological disengagement.† Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 24.3(1998): 34-50. Print . Surabaya, Elijah, Veronica Tee, and Stephaney Somme. â€Å"Understanding Residents’ support for tourism development in the central region of Ghana.† Journal of Travel Research 41.3(2002): 57-67. Print. Voyager, Douglas, and James Main. â€Å"How Do Individuals Expect to Be Viewed by Members of Lower Status Groups? Content and Implications of Meta-Stereotypes.† Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 75.4(1998): 917-937. Print.

Causes of Teenage Suicide

Causes of Teenage Suicide Essay Teenage suicide is one of the major problems in our society nowadays. Parents struggle to hold their children from a rash venture, but they have no idea that every child is an individual with overwhelming feelings, emotions, and thoughts. While there are plenty of argumentative and expository articles on the Internet with explanation and instruction concerning prevention of teen suicide, parents should find a way with their children, be calm and let their children understand that they can trust their parents. Outline1 Introduction: What is teen suicide?2 What are the causes and effects?3 Conclusion Introduction: What is teen suicide? The majority of people does not really know why teens end up falling back on suicide attempts. They know only the information presented by the media. According to mass media, suicide attempts are common among those teens who suffer depression, violence, abuse, any form of bullying and anxiety. However, if people turned to social sciences such as psychology, sociology or anthropology, they would understand that this problem lies deeper than they thought. Teen suicide has different meanings in different societies. People in our society usually think about suicide as the way to escape problems or as the only solution of all the problems that teens face in their adolescent years. But in other societies, as for example in Micronesia, the youth treats the suicide just the same as smoking or another way to express themselves. According to Gladwell, in Micronesia, teenagers like to experiment with the death just as our youngsters with smoking. Boys and girls in that areas think about suicide as some kind of game. They hang themselves or put their heads in a noose just to entertain themselves. Therefore, there is a risk that they will die from anoxaemia, just as our teens would die from lung cancer and other diseases. What are the causes and effects? From the point of view of anthropology, the youth of the First Nations and other indigenous peoples decide to commit suicide not only because of the depression or stress but because of drink or drug abuse, caused by the cultural and societal collapse. These people are no longer able to control their lives because of the immigrants and governmental laws. It decreases the sense of human worth and life in general and increases the rate of teen suicide. When it comes to sociology, the scientists are certain that the origins of the teen suicide among the First Nations youth are traced back to times when the government tried to assimilate indigenous people to Canadian and European ones. The government established facilities that were oriented on integration and assimilation of Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal people. Such a policy has changed and embittered lives of thousands of people causing irreparable harm for the next generations. It has created a sense of inferiority and deprivation of rights among the youth. Such a cultural collapse has evaluated the importance of lives for the indigenous people nowadays and increase the rate of teen suicide. Psychologists, as representatives of one of the social sciences, have their own explanation and understanding of the suicide.   The psychological state of the individual is the most important aspect when it comes to suicide. One of the causes why the Indigenous people choose death can be the fact that they are not able to satisfy their needs when it comes to accommodation, fitting in society and cultural respect. Moreover, they   don’t feel safe and secure in the environment they are living. The lack of understanding, love, relationships, and sense of belonging leads to an emotionally unstable state. Negative thoughts are overwhelming, the feeling of grief and uselessness prevails causing people to think that they lost their identity and death is the only solution. READ: LInk between homeless and psychological disorders EssayIn his book, M. Gladwell stated that the suicide is committed under the influence of the contagious effect. In some countries, the suicide has become the way of showing your identity and individuality. Gladwell claims that as soon as the media started the publication of suicide stories, the suicide rate has rapidly increased. The research has shown that those under the action of contagious effect, died in the same way as the people by whose death they had been influenced. As Gladwell states, the publication of the suicide story where the victim died in car crash resulted in a growing number of such accidents. Conclusion As a conclusion, it is necessary to admit that teenage suicide is an irretrievable loss for families, friends, colleagues, colleges, and schools. The effects that close people suffer after such losses include depression, the feeling of regret and grief. They are no longer able to live lives to the fullest. To prevent such a loss, parents should always be kind to their children and treat them as individuals. Love, respect, care, understanding, and trust are the most important constituents of the upbringing of your child. Provide your children with the right insight of the world and point out the important values in life in order to set them on the right track.

The Role of Computers in Childhood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Role of Computers in Childhood - Essay Example The possible negative impacts of computer on each component discussed also have been stated. A general recommendation for the optimization of the impact of computer on each factor has also been added. The essay has been concluded by stating the steps required in further research in the field and it also puts forward the suggestions so as the maximise the boons of computers on childhood while minimising the banes. Every realms of every day routine are increasingly getting affected by the innovations of computer technology. The interaction between the man and the machine, the role of automated commands in facilitating and regulating the professional and personal routines of the day, all has since last few decades turned to be an inevitable reality. Let it be the field of education, science or communication, computers is becoming an integral factor in facilitating the easiness of approach to any utility. The macro and micro level of utilities of computers and its applications has in a broader level made life easier. The equity and improvisation in the access to knowledge as provided by the use of computers have made many of the opportunities of the modern world more sociable. Commerce, Banking, Politics, Media, Industry, Education and the list of facilitated fields in the world by the ever improvising innovation involving computers and its applications are envisaged to increase in the days to c ome. The role of computers and related technology on today’s children and childhood has had interesting developments in the recent years. The parental society of today while envisaging the hilarious impact that computers are going to have over the world in the future, are encouraging the access of the children of today to computers and its numerous applications. The society in that context is of the general view that for children to involve in this new and different world socially, economically, and politically they must acquire a

Apple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Apple - Essay Example The case study of Apple Incorporation talked about by Baltzan and Phillips elucidates the general inventiveness by Apple Incorporation and Steve Jobs through information systems management. The case gives details on information systems management in four segments relating to Apple making the most on novel developments; getting the most out of the iPod and in the future and iPhone bring about the accomplishment of Apple (Baltzan & Phillips, 2009). Previous to the establishment of iTunes and the iPod, the Corporation had dropped out of competition. Novel organizations for instance Napster had capitalized on the novel development of making use of computers to create audio CD’s. Subsequent to discovering its position, Apple and Sound Scan created iTunes with the use of ISM systems. Apple has acquired the potency to take over ISM systems by integrating skill, business and amusement into a solitary class.Present study has signified that Apple is the peak supplier for portable MP3 Players. From 2001, Apple has traded six billion songs from the time when they initiated (O’Bien, 2005). The structure of organization of apple with its international presence and diverse domains in the industry of electronics would necessitate a method of information dissemination, which permits accessibility of accurate information to the necessary persons and at the appropriate time to guarantee that the business choices embarked on by them are constant and accompanied with apposite accessibility of information. The key objective has at all times been to be the leader of innovation. The equivalent value expands even to the mode in which they deal with their interior communication which platforms their dominance. According to this conception the majority of the developments, which are virtualized, as the organization deems that virtualization is the aspect, which will offer the

The Effects of Jazz and Classical Music on Musicians Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Jazz and Classical Music on Musicians Essay A thesis presented on the history of jazz as compared to classical music and the effects on musicians, beginning with the birth of jazz, and covering the twentieth century. Berliner (1994) impresses upon the idea that jazz music is more important to a musician’s development and an individual’s mental health than classical music. It is this author’s opinion that Jazz is superior over classical music because jazz music is often soft, smooth, and reflective. In addition, the world of jazz has some wonderful artists who can both play and write jazz music so extraordinary that it will make music lovers melt like ice as the stress washes away. Jazz allows people to close their eyes, relax, mediate, and dream about their loved ones. It is the best for mediation purposes because it provides people with softness, calm, soul, and fantasy. The freedom found in jazz represents the freedom inside of all Americans. Jazz itself is a success story told through its own invention. True jazz musicians play the music that they do as a necessity to themselves. Their music is their diary, and their diary is more pure than words can tell. Jazz is Americas great contribution to the arts. It is thrilling, exhilarating, and thought-provoking music that stirs emotions of all kinds. Jazz is in the mind, heart, and in the soul. Its influence extends worldwide, and touches all related forms of music. It is an enriching art form that deserves a special place in our vibrant culture. III In the world of jazz, young performers must master a repertoire of chord progressions, off-beats, and harmonies so that they can count on them as structures around which and through which they might weave more magical variations. Jazz players use chord changes as a means of giving shape to melodic improvisation. Classical players merely read lead sheets or book arrangements and use strict chord symbols in a much more static way. â€Å"Classical music is simple for its rhythmic pattern and simplistic chords while jazz’ chords are complex† Cook (p. 17). Many may argue that classical music is a more integral part of development, but a talented classical composer will in fact draw on stylistic elements of jazz to enrich the classical tradition of symphonic music. Classical composers have consistently been making use of two elements of jazz over the years which are syncopation and harmony characterized by blue notes. â€Å"Indeed, even apparently knowledgeable classical musicians often sound confused and unsure about the essence of jazz music.† Carr (p. 174). Some of the most accomplished musicians of our time have devoted themselves to a life-long study of jazz music, and few classical musicians have been able to master jazz. Jazz music ran parallel to the development of the twentieth century classical style music. Those musicians that learn both types of music are not locked into one type of discipline, and will have more musical experiences. â€Å"We are the musical melting pot achieving a vision of merging cultures that fulfilled the image that America had of its own social destiny.† Gioia (P. 395). As a result of this concept, jazz composers began to attend symphony concerts, and subsequently jazz and classical styles began to overlap to a degree; which resulted in an art form now referred to as jazz fusion. Some would argue that jazz music is too different from classical due to being unceremonious, gritty, or too improvisational. Between 1920 and 1950 jazz and classical music together made the most successful contributions to music. â€Å"One genre essentially has the ability to learn something from the other, and can create an even more captivating sound.† Ratliff (p. 23) Many could dispute over the fact that a newcomer to jazz might feel bewildered by its proliferation of styles and differing approaches to music-making. â€Å"Indeed, harmonies are more dissonant, phrases more irregular, accents sharper, and tempos are more varied, but that is what makes it so beautiful. Its casual nature is evidenced by the inoffensiveness of wrong notes being plated, by singers taking breath sometimes without relation to lyrics, and musicians being introduced right in the middle of a performance† Ratliff (p. 72). Classical music on the other hand can occasionally trigger a thorough exploration of self and mind. It may cause a person to look at their failures in life. A sudden realization of self can be extreme or painful. Not everyone enjoys classical music. In the UK, classical music is used to drive groups of youths away from places they congregate in. Jazz music is a beautiful improvisational art making itself up as it goes along just like the country that gave it birth, and with each tap of the foot, jazz musicians reaffirm their connection to the earth. Jazz waxes and wanes between tension and repose. It challenges the musician with unpredictability and then rewarding the listener with predictable rhythms. â€Å"Jazz rewards individual expression but demands selfless collaboration.† Ward (p. 1). Listening to jazz is not just a satisfying and rewarding experience; studies show that it is actually good for a musician’s health. Listening to jazz or playing jazz melodies can relieve chronic pain and migraines, reduce blood pressure, accelerate post-stroke recovery, improve memory, boost immunity and induce relaxation. 2 Jazz music helps distract people. It gives individuals a sense of control and also releases endorphins into their bodies that alleviate pain. There is a very contextual debate that classical music is superior due to the fact it can release dopamine during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music. It conveys very well what the composer puts into it, and although classical music does activate pleasure and reward-related regions of the brain creating a high, playing highly pitched stimulating music for long periods is not healthy because it leads to cortisol and noradrenalin secretion without the concomitant fight or flight action. Long term overdose with those hormones is well documented to create many health problems, from depression to sexual dysfunction. The current market share of Jazz in America is mere 3 percent, but jazz is still regarded as a very powerful music which is in the blood and feeling of the American people more than any other style of music. It can be made the basis of serious symphonic works of lasting value in the hands of a talented composer. â€Å"Jazz music has always been and forever will be fundamental in the development of future musicians† Cook (p. 65). Glossary Bebop: the style of jazz developed by young players in the early 40s, particularly Parker, Gillespie, Kenny Clarke, Charlie Christian and Bud Powell. Small groups were favored, and simple standard tunes or just their chord progressions were used as springboards for rapid, many-noted improvisations using long, irregular, syncopated phrasing. Improv was based on chordal harmony rather than the tune. The ‘higher intervals’ of the chords (9th, 11th and 13th) were emphasized in improv and in piano chord voicings, and alterations were used more freely than before, especially the augmented 11th. The ground beat was moved from the bass drum to the ride cymbal and the string bass, and the rhythmic feel is more flowing and subtle than before. Instrumental virtuosity was stressed, while tone quality became more restrained, less obviously ‘expressive’. The style cast a very long shadow and many of today’s players 60 years later could be fairly described as bebop. Blues: (1) A form normally consisting of 12 bars, staying in one key and moving to IV at bar 5. (2) A melodic style, with typical associated harmonies, using certain ‘blues scales’, riffs and grace notes. (3) A musical genre, ancestral to jazz and part of it. (4) A feeling that is said to inform all of jazz. Boogie (boogie-woogie): a style of piano playing very popular in the thirties. Blues, with continuous repeated eighth note patterns in the left hand and exciting but often stereotyped blues riffs and figures in the right hand. Cadence: A key-establishing chord progression, generally following the circle of fifths. A turnaround is one example of a cadence. Sometimes a whole section of a tune can be an extended cadence. In understanding the harmonic structure of a tune, it’s important to see which chords are connected to which others in cadences. Free Jazz: a style of the early and middle sixties, involving ‘free’ playing and a vehement affect. It was originally associated with black cultural nationalism. Sometimes two drummers and/or two bass players were used. Some free jazz was profound, and some not very good. Some who played it later denounced it, but the style became an ingredient in future styles and still has many proponents despite its lack of general popularity. Groove: an infectious feeling of rightness in the rhythm, of being perfectly centered. This is a difficult term to define. A Medium Groove is a tempo of, say, 112, with a slinky or funky feeling. Improvisation (improv): the process of spontaneously creating fresh melodies over the continuously repeating cycle of chord changes of a tune. The improviser may depend on the contours of the original tune, or solely on the possibilities of the chords’ harmonies, or (like Ornette Coleman) on a basis of pure melody. The ‘improv’ also refers to the improvisational section of the tune, as opposed to the head. Inner voice: a melodic line, no matter how fragmentary, lying between the bass and the melody. Interlude: an additional section in a tune, especially one between one person’s solo and another’s. The Dizzy Gillespie standard A Night In Tunisia has a famous interlude. Jazz Standard: A well-known tune by a jazz musician. See Standard. Latin: (1) Afro-Cuban, Brazilian or other South American-derived. There are many special terms used in Latin music and I haven’t tried to include them here. (2) Played with equal eighth notes as opposed to swung (see swing def. 2). Also ‘straight-8†². The feel of bossa novas and sambas. Pattern: a pre-planned melodic figure, repeated at different pitch levels. Something played automatically by the fingers without much thought. Reliance on patterns is the hallmark of a weak player. REFERENCES: Berliner, Thinking in Jazz, University of Chicago, 1994 Carr, Ian, Jazz the Essential Companion, Prentice Hall Press, 1987 Cook, Richard, The Penguin Guide to Jazz, Penguin Books, 2004 Gioia, Ted, The History of Jazz, Oxford University Press, 1997 Ward, Geoffrey, Jazz a History of America’s Music, Random House, 2000 5

The Renaissance and Humanism Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Pape

The Renaissance and Humanism You may wonder about, "The Renaissance" and its relationship to another term, "humanism" which fits into the same time period. If you check the dictionary, you will find that both terms can be used in a broad sense or more specifically. Humanism refers generally to a "devotion to the humanities: literary culture." (My definitions come from Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary). According to that definition we should all be humanists. The other general meaning is the one that disturbs the fundamentalists who attack secular humanism: "a doctrine, attitude, or way of life centered on human interests or values; especially a philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and stresses an individual's dignity and worth and capacity for self-realization through reason." This definition places human beings at the center of the universe, capable of finding their way by human reason without the help of a supernatural God. It comes under attack from two sides--on one hand by those who defend religious values, on the other by some members of the scientific community who see humans as a kind of accident in a world without purpose. Humanism can also refer to a specific happening in history: "the revival of classical letters, individualistic and critical spirit, and emphasis on secular concerns characteristic of the Renaissance." The phrase "characteristic of the Renaissance" shows how ambivalent is the relationship between the two terms, humanism and Renaissance. In other words, which term is the broader, encompassing the other? We associate both with the revival or rebirth of Greco-Roman civilization. Both have been broadened to include more than that. The more specific meaning of the Renaissa... ...oser to Erasmus' position. Perhaps Mennonites have tended to teach grace and live by works. Grierson suggests that Spenser's Fairie Queene comes closest to the spirit of Luther because of its emphasis on grace whereas Milton's Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained reminds us of Erasmas--of the responsibility of humankind to make "a new earth" (26). In conclusion, I believe that each generation must examine the conflict (real or imagined) between the "desire for amusement" and religion, for the answers are neither simple nor abstract. Each "renaissance" period requires a reworking of our responses. Works Cited Abrams, M. H., ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol I. 5th Ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1986. Grierson, Herbert. Cross-Currents in 17th Century English Literature: The World, he Flesh, and the Spirit. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1958.

Making Sustainable Large-Scale Change Possible: The Ontario Experience Essay

Whoever said that the only constant thing in the world is change is indeed a sage. That person could have acknowledged the statement based on personal experiences. Everything in the world changes from time to time- persons, government and even the climate. Changes are staple events in the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Changes often come as surprises. On organizational level, change could come as a way of intervention which may bring forth negative or positive consequences. The world today is filled with movements of people clamouring for change. The daily news in the television flash with headlines on citizens calling on their governments for reform; students protesting on the streets to demand democracy; environmentalists and animal-rights advocates asking for ban on chemicals; and so on. Practically, people yearn for change in their personal lives, work, laws, and in the government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The education sector in some countries goes for change, too. In Ontario, Canada an overhaul in the public education system took place to address the problems plaguing the system.   Levin (2007) summarized the change as a strategy which serves as â€Å"an example of large-scale change in education that is respectful of educators, fair to students and communities and based on the best available knowledge† (p. 323).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The education system in Ontario, Canada suffered from setbacks since early 1990s due to government measures imposed (Levin, 2007).   There were reductions in staffing levels and increased in teachers’ workloads. Consequently, these yielded labour strikes, dissatisfaction and low-morale among the teachers. Levin reported that during the late 1990s, a change in the government system took place which adversely affected the education system. Local school districts were reduced to half, school principals were taken out of the teachers’ union and significant amount of funding was cut. Teachers took the brunt of these changes as the government then was deemed as critical of public teachers and schools.   Levin cited that the people were unhappy and dissatisfied with the public education system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Canada’s 2003 election changed the educational atmosphere as it became the rallying cry of the Liberal Party, which won the election. Levin pointed out that the new government crafted new strategies (dubbed as the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy and the Student Success Strategy) in late 2003 to solve the problem of public education.   These have two main goals: to improve elementary school literacy and numeracy outcomes and increase high school graduation rates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now on its almost fifth year of implementation, the strategies proved effective. The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat of the of Ontario’s Ministry of Education reported the following accomplishments through its 2006 Project Report, Making It Happen:   improved overall provincial rate of 64% for reading, writing and mathematics in Grade; about 17,000 schools improved by five or more percent in their Grade 6 reading scores; over 2000 schools got better reading scores among Grade 3 students; while 900 schools did better on both the Grades 3 and 6 reading scores.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat reported in 2007 that the number of schools with very low performance dropped by three-fourths. Graduation rates rose by fiver percent, from 68% to 73% in school year 2005-2006. Levin wrote that there have been an obvious level of energy and enthusiasm and the number of teachers leaving the profession or opting for early retirement was reduced. Insight from Basic System Approach on the Ontario Case   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ontario experience is one example of how a system works. From the previous lesson, Owens (2004) explained the interrelatedness of subsystems and the multiple causations. The problems of education in Ontario in the 1990s directly hit the teachers. These problems caused serious effects on the quality of education. In turn, the students were affected as they struggled with difficulties on subject areas such as reading and mathematics. Since Ontario is a highly-diversified province, students who are children of immigrants were also knocked down by the problems within the system.   One can see, as Owens emphasized, that the multiple causation of problems and solutions directly affect the whole system. My personal analysis is: as a system, the problem of one minute part ripples through the whole system, contributing to its downfall once left unguarded.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ontario problem back then was caused by a change in the political leadership and system. Decisions imposed upon the teachers from the authorities led to successive breakdowns in the public educational system. Ultimately, Levin said that most parents lost their confidence in public education and resorted to private enrolment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reading through Levin’s article, I could say that the principles behind the continuing success of the Ontario public education system are consistent with our lessons and previous reading. Ontario is a success story; a model which is worth emulating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nevertheless, one may wonder: is the Ontario experience transferable? Can it be duplicated to other provinces within Canada and to other countries as well?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I should say that the Ontario experience is unique; for every situation is different from the rest. Many factors contribute to its situation such as the political, economic, cultural, and social atmospheres.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But, despite of the given unique conditions, the strategies can be also applied to smaller systems on a case-to-case basis. Strategy such as reducing classroom size and student mentoring are very pragmatic. Likewise, the principles of participation, consultation and evaluation are quite universal which for me, makes the Ontario project can be reproduced or duplicated to other schools provided that the socio-political and the cultural aspects are integrated. I believe good practices are worth following and must be contextualized to ensure its effectiveness. It must also be sustained. Lessons Learned from the Ontario Experience   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ontario example is a case which highlights the necessity of change. It demonstrates the power of change to generate positive results which impact the whole system.   There are significant lessons which we can pick from the article. Personally, I gained from reading Levin’s work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first lesson that struck me is the complexity of the educational system. Education is really indispensable to a country that it takes a government policy to influence the whole system. A government’s decision or ruling on the educational system either build or ruin a country. Countries count on their education department for productive, patriotic and loving citizens; good citizens are profitable to a country. I also realized that a government initiative is very powerful as it demands implementation and obedience from its constituents as compared with a grass-root level or city-level proposals. Political influence and leadership make the implementation of projects or programs more smoothly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I also appreciate the consultation aspect of the Ontario project. I learned that consultation has benefits. Consultation is a venue where the voices of the concerned parties are heard. By this, there is representation. The suggestions of the parents and teachers are heard. As I ponder through the case, it came to me that consultation is one factor which makes a school system successful.   After all, parents and students are the clients of a school. Their voices must also be tapped for the proper implementation of school projects. Consulting the parents on their children’s concerns and inquiring them on issues are part of our profession as teachers or educators.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another particular lesson is the relevance of partnership. Levin discussed that the Ministry of Education forged partnerships with different local school boards for the implementation of the two strategies. The educational system has many stakeholders and they must be acknowledged and won over.   Through partnership, relationships are formed, allowing for a better working environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The reading taught me also that test and accountability matters. Like what the Ontario example demonstrated, tests are very important to measure the success of educational policy. Tests also work as gauges which measure the success of students. I was impressed by the fact the Ontario’s Ministry of Education directed its provincial and district offices to report on the public the progress indicators of the students.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is no such thing as a complete or perfect program, as what I have reflected from the article. The Ontario experience is not without flaws. Levin wrote that the teachers feel overwhelmed by the tasks. There are challenges for every change or new programs to be implemented. There are always detractors and encouragers within a system. A program can be accepted or scorned. Either way, it is an inescapable reality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In relation to change, it does not happen in an instant. It is not an overnight function. A change in the system may mean years of implementation. Time can only aid and sharpen its implementation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lastly, to recognize the skills and the capabilities of the teachers is one winning factor in education. The Ontario problem commenced because of the government’s bias against the public school teachers (Levin, 2007).   Teachers are major stakeholders in the educational system; thus, there’s a need for acknowledgment and incentives. Teachers are important assets; therefore, they must be treated as invaluable human resource to the system. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The strategies adopted by the Ontario Ministry of Education proved to be successful. Sustainable, large-scale projects can be a tough challenge but if all the systems are in agreement to it and proper delegation of work is done, it can become a pleasurable job and a welcomed change. Ontario has set an example; my conviction follows: impossible ideas can be realized if the stakeholders within the system are united. Bibliography Levin, B. (2007). Sustainable large-scale renewal. Journal of Educational Change, 8, 323-336. Owens, R. G. (2004). Organizational behavior in education: Adaptive leadership and School Reform. Boston MA: Allyn & Pearson, p. 19-21. Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat. (2007). Making it happen. Toronto: Ontario Ministry of Education. Retrieved April 11, 2008, from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/makeithappen.pdf. p. 14

Mr Taha Uppal

Strategies towards betterment for team management The research will be based on the following questions: How can we eliminate the harmful factors of staff management I. E performance appraisal? How can the employee's play an important part for the organizational success? What are the feedbacks usually received by the employer? 1. 1 INTRODUCTION TO MARKS AND SPENCER: Marks and Spencer also popularly known as M is British based clothing and food retailer headquartered in the city of Westminster, London, United Kingdom.It has more than 700 outlets located all over the United Kingdom while 300+ stores are coated all over the world. Most of them are located in the European countries, like Hungary, Greece, Czech Republic and Romania etc. Marks & Spencer is also trying to expand in the Asian markets with quite a few stores opening in India and China recently. Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer founded M in the year 1884 in a city of England, Leeds.According to BBC news, Marks and Spencer is d oing better in their food department as compared to their general merchandise as the turnover is split in 54% and 46% respectively. Marks and Spencer aims to provide a very high quality DOD to their customers, that is why, it is one of the most successful food retailers in the United Kingdom. The well known brands, which sell their products with the brand name M are Autograph, Indigo collection, Classic collection, Collection and lastly blue harbor. 1. INTRODUCTION TO PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: Performance appraisal or performance review is an analysis of an employee's work habits undertaken at a fixed point in time to determine the degree to which stated objectives and expectations have been reached. Performance appraisal or review is very beneficial and important for the evaluation of the staff and of course for the effective management. Appraisals are of great help regarding organization's employee and also play a vital role in improving organizational performances.Formal performance appraisals are conducted every year normally in the last half of the year to review how the organization is performing and what strategies should be undertaken to improve the organizations performance. It is a straight line process for example the staff is appraised by their managers, the managers are appraised by the directors, and the directors are appraised by the Coo's who are generally appraised by the founder or the chairman of the company. 2. 1 TYPES OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: The different types of performance appraisals are formal annual performance appraisals, handwriting analysis, skill or Job related tests, informal one to one review discussions, probationary reviews, survey of opinion of others who have been dealing with the staff, counseling meetings, observation on the Job and assessment centers including observed group exercises and test presentations. 1. 2. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PROCESS: Performance appraisal is a process which takes place quarterly or yearly and is the process of interaction between the employees and their managers. In this process the performance of the employee is assessed, with the manager telling or describing the employees their weaknesses and strengths and also identifying the opportunities that how can the employee improve their performance within the organization. Performance appraisal is the least liked responsibility any manager has to perform.The first step which comes in performance appraisal is review preparation. In this process the manager makes the objectives that the organization wants to meet in the future. An analysis of the employees is then taken out because employees or individuals must know what the organization is expecting from them and how they can work to achieve the objectives stated by the firm. Step two in performance appraisal is the assessment. This step is all about giving the timely feedback as it has proved to be very beneficial for the organization.For instance if an employee works well to achieve an objective, the positive feedback should be given to them as soon as possible rather than waiting for weeks to let them know as it might have a negative effect on their confidence as well as performance level. Step three is reviewing communication. This is all about reviewing the past and the current performance of the employee and if the performance is not up to the mark the manager should politely explain them that what should be done to improve their performance. Step four in the process is appropriate setting.Make sure that the atmosphere where the manager is going to deliver the appraisal is very friendly and welcoming. No threats should be given to the employee as this might De-motivate them and as a result they may not be able to perform 100%. Step five in the process is delivering, for instance it Leary explains the appraisal in simple language as the usage of the code words or difficult words might make it difficult for them (staff or employee) to understand it pr operly and they may have confusion which might proved to be harmful for the employee and also for the organization.The final step in this process is encouragement. At the end of the process the manager's responsibility is to encourage the employee and boost their confidence by adding words like we have faith in you or we trust your abilities or you are capable. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 0 INTRODUCTION In this chapter the past and the current strategies of Marks & Spencer will be discussed and in the end of this chapter we will also give a brief explanation about how employer can improve their Performance appraisal (PA) process.There will also be discussions on the employees and the manager roles that how can they contribute for a better service and reputation of the organization. First of all we will talk about the staff management strategies of Marks & Spencer for instance, how they benefited from those strategies, what were the drawbacks of those strategies and what did Mark s & Spencer did to solve those issues or problems arising by implementing those strategies.Performance appraisal helps in evaluating the employee's performance as it gives a clear light on how an employee can improve their performance and skills. However, performance appraisal in depth will be discussed this chapter. 2. 1 THE EVOLUTION OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: Sometime near World War 1, (WAD Scott) has the credit to present the world with what performance appraisal is. However, performance appraisal was known by the mid asses and became very popular in the organization or companies.McGregor (1957) also played a vital role in discussing about performance appraisal in sass's and ass's. It's a process by which the individual tries to look in the future with some valuable assumptions and to plan what should be done in the future to meet their goals. Performance appraisal helps in goal setting. In the year 1970, this process of performance appraisal became more widespread and many of th e firms started using this process in order to gain success however, by practicing this process a large number of legal cases were brought.In the years sass's and sass's the process of performance appraisal became very popular and according to Williams (1998) it improved the performance up to a certain extent and also generated motivation which is very useful for an organization. According to Fletcher (2008), performance appraisal is conducted differently in the Western and the Asian cultures however; both of these cultures use this process and are benefiting from it despite the fact that around 90% or more staff doesn't like this process. 2. 2 WHY IS PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SO NECESSARY?Questions like why performance appraisal is used in companies when it did not exist in the past and the companies were still doing great? Why is it so important to use performance appraisal? Can't an organization run efficiently and effectively without the performance appraisal system? Weiss and Buckl ey (1998) tried to give an answer for this by stating that performance appraisal is very useful because it gives an idea to the employees how can they improve their performance and also this process helps in rising their commitment towards their organization.There is great importance of performance appraisal within the firm. The organization whether small or big, private or government or any other type of firm should be exempt from having a formal performance appraisal (PA) program. PA process has benefits like improved immunization within the firm, addressing the problem and tries to resolve them through this process of PA and gives the employee confidence and boosts their morale.However, while planning performance appraisal process the employer should bear in mind that it is a slow and time consuming process and there might be some obstacles during the process which for some time may make this process even slower than expected. We can see the companies who have introduced this pro cess of performance appraisal are the ones who do the most business in their respected fields such as Ezra, Louis Button, Marks & Spencer, Gucci, Hugo Boss etc.When employees know that they are an important part of an organization and all their suggestions or ideas are valuable they even work harder so that they can get promotions or there may be an increase in their salaries and this can only be done by performance appraisal process. PA process not only identifies the training needs within an organization or firm but also identifies the hidden talent which may have a very positive effect on the firm's reputation.For instance if the staff is highly trained they are in a better position to deal with all their customers which plays a very positive role towards the success of an organization. . 3 PURPOSE OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: The most effective purpose to use performance appraisal is to improve the performance of the employees who are working for an organization. There are two most important purposes for which the performance appraisal is used one of which is maintenance of organization control and secondly to measure the efficiency with which the company's human resources are being used. Cummings 1973) however, there are other purposes of performance appraisal as well for instance it helps in improving the morale of the employees working for the organization, more importantly also identifying when does the staff or employees need training, communication improvements, counseling and setting targets which the organization aims to meet (Britton and Gold 2003-04). As discussed above performance appraisal is used to determine the strengths and weaknesses off the employees and providing them with the best training in order for them to give their best at work.However, by conducting the performance appraisal process both the organizations and the employees have advantages for example McGregor (1972) in his paper ‘An uneasy look at performance appraisal' stated that performance appraisal meets the needs of OTOH the employees and the organization however, the difference is it meets three needs in total one for which is organization and the other two for the employees or the individual. Bowels and Coats (1993) conducted a survey which was sent to 250 West midland companies in the year 1992, where the organization were asked the question on the effectiveness of performance appraisal in the organization.However, in the results they found out that the performance appraisal plays an effective role to improve the communication skills of the employees and also improves the communication between the employees and the employer which has many benefits costly in favor of the organization. On the other hand it was very useful for when and how the training is needed for a number of employees to improve their skills. However, around 90% of the employees did not favor the performance appraisal process and commented it has certainly no use and is time was ting.Many organizations want to become the best in productivity or simply want to produce more and quality products so in order to achieve all of these objectives organizations choose and introduce performance appraisal process within the organization as this is the most successful way of achieving goals such as higher productivity or lean reduction. This process of performance appraisal gives a clear direction that where the organization is heading towards or what are the goals the organization or the firm.As discussed before, it not only measures a firm's employee's performance but also gives a clear picture of an organization's performance. The example to illustrate this is performance appraisal measures the work done by the employees and also the organization on a weekly or quarterly basis. An organization can have all the information of their employees and their productivity by using this process. Another useful purpose of performance appraisal is that it gives a clear picture to the employees that where do they stand and what are they supposed to do in order to improve their skills and position within the organization.This way the organization can have a full advantage of their work force because if their employees need training, they train them and as a result the work force becomes very useful and experienced which in the long run is very beneficial for the organization as well as the employees. 2. 4 BEHAVIOR MAINTENANCE MODEL (CUMMINGS AND SWABS): The IBM model which was presented by Cummings and Swabs attempts to show owe the employees are motivated and opt to perform well within the organization.In their model they tried to explain the IBM model in four different steps. The first step in this model is goal aspirations which lead to goal attainment. When the goal attainment is achieved by the employee it gives them a sense of Job satisfaction and they become more focused on their Job and try to work even more hard. However, when the employee is satis fied with their Job they become automatically motivated towards their work which is very effective for the organization. 2. A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL IN MARKS AND SPENCER: performance appraisal give Marks & Spencer all the required information about their employees as it helps M&S to help improve their skills through training and making sure that they are capable enough for the Job they are being trained for. As most of the big companies or retailers conduct performance appraisal once or twice every year, Marks & Spencer is also one of the British companies known for conducting performance appraisal twice every year.In this process the employees get feedback from their managers about their performance and if the performance of the employees is not up to the mark they are suggested with different strategies to adopt n order to improve their performance as it is believed that the employees play the most important part in an organization's success and thus are the mo st important and effective assets of any organization like Marks & Spencer. The performance records are encouraged to use by the employees as it plays an important factor in setting up the personal objectives that support their continued development.Whenever an appraisal system is carried out at Marks & Spencer (normally takes every 12 months to conduct an appraisal) discussions are being made about the current progress of the company as well as the employees and a lot of new ideas are narrated about how to improve the concerned areas within the organization. These meetings are always done by the managers who work in M regarding their employees and are kept confidential. If any of the employees or workers at M do not perform well they are given more training and make sure that they understand how the organization works and operates.Rewards are given to the employees who prove that they are working best and the organization is benefiting from their efforts which are being put in. For instance in Marks and Spencer if the sales exceed the expected number or are higher than expected all the employees are given a bonus and also receive a bonus gift voucher of 20% which in fact plays a vital role in staff motivation. Also according to the research on motivation conducted by Frederic Taylor money is the only motivator and the only reason due to which the employees work hard to achieve their and the organization's objectives they work for.According to Taylor â€Å"If the workers were paved per item made, they would want to make more and work harder. † Marks and Spencer uses Tailor's theory by providing their employees or staff with handsome salaries as they think to keep the staff motivated paying them with bonuses and retreating them with some discount cards would be beneficial for the organization and as the staff will put in their efforts to make M a success by providing their customers a better service and by creating a friendly atmosphere in the stores whi ch obviously every customer likes.On the other hand, M also uses Herbage's two factor theory by paying them with handsome salaries but more important to note according to Herbage's theory is that M make their employees feel special and important in the business as the upper management ask for suggestion from all the employees and also providing them with the best working environment to motivate hem.As seen in the table below Marks and Spencer has got the highest reputation in the recent years as compared to their rivals such as Sad, tests, Morison, Ginsburg and Waitress and that's only done with the fair and proper selection of the employees for the Jobs through interviews and as well as the tests. By going through the process M&S makes sure that the right candidate is selected for the Job and the organization can benefit from them. 2. STRATEGIES THAT MARKS AND SPENCER USED IN THE PAST: Marks and Spencer in the past have tried a lot of strategies to improve their staff performance. The strategy which Marks and Spencer used in the past was to sell its products on discounted prices or higher sales which at one point gave rise to the sales but on the other hand when people realized the clothes designs are the same and not changing their sales fell dramatically. M&S did not emphasize on innovation but they tried to grab shopper's attention by advertising and give them great deals and high discounts on their products.Another strategy that M favored was expansion overseas as the top management thought it's the biggest opportunity to expand abroad because in that way M&S will see a rise in their sales. The main focus f M&S was to target the European markets specially Germany because in the recent years the population of Germany increased from 65 million to 80 million and also is the biggest exporter after USA with a lot of potential and industrial strength.However, firstly M&S planned to expand in Germany in the asses but later dropped this strategy because the prope rty costs were too high at that time but the main reason to drop this strategy was the recession of the German economy in asses. However in the late in asses the market position of Germany looked attractive and impressive which therefore forced M&S to expand in to the German market. Marks and Spencer also played a vital role regarding waste as an estimate states that the waste all over the United Kingdom is around 400 tones which comes from different parts of the industry such as construction, households or discharged packaging.The waste that comes out is not recycled properly and the result is landfill sites which takes many years to decompose and is also very harmful for the human health. However, the strategy that Marks and Spencer put emphasis on is that in the recent years 2010-2011 they have tried to achieve a recycle rate around 90% and also they have tried and achieved the reduction in waste by around 20%. Marks and Spencer in the year 2006-7 had 133 million clothes hangers and instead of throwing or recycling them the company used around 80% of the hangers again. 2. . 1 OPPORTUNITIES FOR IN THE GERMAN MARKET: M&S focused on expanding in the German market because the GAP of Germany is about three times higher than the United Kingdom with a staggering El 5000 billion. German consumer has a 50% higher expenditure than the Auk's market also 22% higher than France which is the second biggest market in the Europe. Inflation rate is under 2% in the Germany which attracted the Marks and Spencer management the cost to expand in the German market with expectation of higher sales which M was lacking in the United Kingdom.According to the research conducted by the well known news channels CNN and BBC M had examined the customers need in Germany for instance what exactly did the customer want and catered accordingly. 2. 7 MARKS & SPENCER CURRENT STRATEGIES: The current aim of M is to become the world's most sustainable brand by the year 201 5 and for that they are following a plan called plan A. The plan A consist about many things about how to make world a better place to live with a few things which ops the list in plan A are cut carbon emissions, reduce waste and importance on health and well being.As the world is getting more educated day by day which means people are aware of what should be done to make this planet a better place to live in and also become very conscious about environmental and also for the natural issues. This is the reason for which M&S launched plan A in the year 2010. The primary focus in this plan is to change the climate and also reducing the waste. 2. 8 EVALUATION: As discussed in this chapter that Performance appraisal is very useful for any type of organization but there are always some exceptions.For example, if the managers fail to grade their staff according to their performance there are quite high chances that the company or the organization could land in hot water. So it is very important that the manager s should not grade their employees on personal assessment but should only grade them according to their performance which would only help the firm to achieve success in the future. CHAPTER 3- METHODOLOGY 3. 0 INTRODUCTION: Methodology is a set of practice to regain information about something. In other rods it is a choice about what data and information to gather.The information that will be obtained will also be used in the outcome and also be compared to the literature review In order to have an appropriate evaluation. One should keep in mind some factors when developing a successful methodology. I tried to contact the Marks and Spence's business and management analyst but it was too difficult to have a decent reply from them. Developing a methodology is not at all an easy task and requires different types of techniques and hard work in order to gather some useful information. 3. 1 TYPES OF DATA COLLECTION:

The Concept of Learning and Change

The Concept of Learning and Change Free Online Research Papers Learning is a vital tool for implementing change; as a point of interest, learning is the very element that creates the change in most all living beings. Effective learning is how people grow, develop, or change mentally. According to the text, Learning and Memory: Basic Principles, Processes, and Procedures (4th ed.), (Terry, 2009), learning is the acquisition of knowledge or encoding of knowledge or behavior. The text also defines learning as relatively permanent changes in behavior, or behavioral repertoire, which occurs as a result of experiences (Terry, 2009). Learning includes a number of styles such as visual, which is learning from seeing, auditory, which is learning from listening, and kinesthetic or tactile, which is learning by touching, doing, or moving. According to Terry, (2009) as a person learns he, or she will become more competent, more confident, or more committed as a result of his, or her learning. Ultimaely, for many, learning offers the opportunity of not only attaining knowledge but learning also allows a person’s attitude to grow, or develop. Learning is the tool that affords individuals the opportunity and competence to tackle new challenges. According to the text, learning offers the potential for changes in behavior, which can be revealed clearly when conditions incite the display of this newly acquired knowledge (Terry, 2009). Difference Between Learning and Performance When distinguishing between learning and performance, it may be important to remember that learning is a knowledge that is recorded in a person’s mind, and that learning fosters what a person can do. Performance, on the other hand, reveals how well a person can do what he, or she has learned. Learning is designed to develop the skills or knowledge that under girds long-lasting understandings (University of Missouri St. Louis, n. d.). Learning usually demonstrates a comprehensiveness of application or knowledge of a skill; performance, on the other hand, assesses long-lasting understandings of a skill (UMSL, n. d.). Ultimately, only those who develop a desired level of understanding will be able to perform successfully. Comparison and Contrast of Conceptual Approaches to the Study of Learning Learning has four basic approaches: social learning, non-associative learning, classical conditioning, and operant conditioning, (also known as instrumental learning). Classical conditioning is the method of learning that is the result of learning that certain factors or elements go together. Operant conditioning is yet another type of learning. Most learning is the result of operant conditioning. Behaviors produce events through this method of learning (Kodat, 2002). Simply put, operant conditioning learning can be either a rewarding or negative experience. Non-associative learning, which is the most basic form of learning, is often called single event learning. With this method of learning a person will learn that some occurrences are irrelevant and unrelated. Next is social learning, although more prevalent in animals that may be the most similar to human beings, this type of learning is the result of being in social groups (Kodat, 2002). No matter the learning approach there will most likely be behavioral changes. Conclusion As mentioned previously, learning is defined as the experience or act of acquiring skills or knowledge through instructions or studies. Learning has also been defined as a modification of behavioral tendencies through experiences (Kodat, 2002). Learning has even been described as permenant. However, in order for individuals to tackle or demonstrate their newly acquired knowledge there must be a different or new plan of action designed at achieving a desired goal; therefore, a change must occur. Simply put, before changes can be implemented some learning must occur. Meaning that it may be extremely difficult for an individual to try to fulfill a task when he, or she has not learned how to perform the task. No matter the definition of learning, the overall concept of learning involves assisting people through the learning process. Basically, learning is whatever can be done to make learning happen. When it comes to learning there may be extreme differences in how a person processes the information he, or she is trying to learn (Terry, 2009); thankfully, diverse learning styles do indeed exist. No matter the approach or learning style both learning avenues provide features that cater to various types of learners. Ultimately because of the various approaches and learning styles, students are afforded amazing accomplishments from their learning experiences. 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Political Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Political Paper - Essay Example Justices Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer, each being highly respected members of the Supreme Court, have their own distinct views in regards to judicial responsibility and the overall role of the Supreme Court itself. Two justices, while each having the same position of power, bring to the federal bench distinct backgrounds, as well as educations. Such distinctions that shape the ways in which both men look at the greater role of the Court itself. Both of these gentleman, while possessing respective levels of great judicial power, are in their own right distinctive in approach. Leaving to be considered not only the ways in which they view their position in the legal system, but also how they observe the history of the organization since the time of its fruition and its subsequent involvement in the present state of legal affairs and greater discussion occurring in multiple facets of the country. In an interview conducted at The Federalist Society, Justices' Breyer and Scalia are provided with an environment to engage in healthy discussion having to do with their individual interpretations of both laws, as well as the intent behind them. An issue which Justice Scalia addresses is the notion of a "living constitution". One which would grow with society and form itself to the resulting advancement, in such a way that it would be keeping it from breaking and crumbling all together. Breyer says, while avoiding the classification of 'living' in regards to the constitution, the document "adapts to the circumstance in order to keep the values the same," (Breyer/Scalia, 12/05/06). After which, Justice Scalia responds with a concurrence that, while he too would believe that the constitution should adapt to new occurrences, he would still not give it the term "living" as part of its classification. While it is not the responsibility of the Supreme Court to interfere with democracy, it is it's responsibility to keep in mind the notion of not going too far in its interpretations and approaches. As for his view on democracy, in part, Scalia says that, "The majority rules," Adding that, "If you don't believe in that, you don't believe in democracy," (Breyer/Scalia, 12/05/06). Justice Scalia then details his view that the Bill of Rights acts in such a manner, that it imposes limitations on the notion of majority rule, which are in return placed by those in the court system. "Whenever the judges go beyond the meaning understood by the society that voted for those limitations, whenever it goes beyond that original meaning, it is in effect adding to those subjects that are driven off the democratic stage," (Breyer/Scalia, 12/05/06). Breyer's argument of preserving the democratic process is one which many have agreed upon. As is the case with Presidential elections, like Justice Scalia says, the majority does hold a ruling authority and that is in fact part of the democratic process. To have a court that is comprised of entirely different approaches to things, is quite healthy and good, according to Justice Breyer. "It's just my burden to prove its better than anything else," (Breyer/Scalia, 12/05/06). Scalia places the question forward, for greater discussion and debate, as to whether a lawyer is better qualified to understand the issues at hand, in

No Topic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

No Topic - Assignment Example The idea behind this sentence means the simple fact that the more we try to develop our society and humanity at large; we are indirectly destroying the future. It was only few years back when we started globally developing ourselves in order to grow. Generally it has been seen that the ways of the humanity actually harms the balance of the nature and impact the environment. Since time immemorial humankind protected itself against nature, now nature must be safeguarded against mankind. Nature is the most important aspect of atmosphere, protecting it should be our foremost responsibility. Specifically risk are the "worldwide house" the Antarctic, sea couches, tropical timberlands, with numerous species debilitated by the insatiable development of interest for new inputs, while earths climate is overburdened with the buildups development deserts. Thus, it was during the 1980s that the ascent of a worldwide environmental cognizance was communicated by numerous voices, all regretting the dangers to the worlds biosphere and the offence to the eras to come. The group obligation to protect the "regular legacy of humanity" was conjured, and "Tending to the Earth" turned into a basic which disturbed spirits worldwide. Regard for the uprightness of nature, autonomously of its esteem for people, and in addition a legitimate respect for the privileges of mankind requested that the global nature should be secured. There have been numerous examples used by the author which shows how efficiently we have been destroying the nature in an irreparable way. All these were given with the sole motive to make us understand that we human beings are gradually destroying the nature and the misbalancing the universe with this act of ours. The in return will try and defend itself in a very ruthless ways. Ways which cannot be sustained by mankind. Until and unless we try and stop ourselves, we will have to face the nature’s fury at some point in future when