Legal, Social, and Economic Environments of Business Essay

There are several categories that a small business can fall into. Within these businesses there are legal, social and economic environments that effect how the business is run and whether the business is a success or failure. From the cost to run to how the tax return is filed; all three have their advantages and disadvantages. All three also can produce a lucrative income for the right person or people. It is imperative to the business for the owner(s) to choose which path is the best way to go while taking in consideration the pros and cons of each type. Legal, Social, and Economic Environments of Business The idea of a three pronged cord came to me when I noticed how many cords have burned up on my appliances. The third prong on the cord would distribute the current better. My goal is to manufacture and sell my product. Small businesses are what formed our country. From the forming of our governments to starting computer companies in our garages business decisions had to be made. There are three main organizations of small businesses: Sole Proprietor, Partnership, and Corporation.  When opening a business the owner or owners need to know how each organization operates and which would be the best for them. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, but every business falls into one category or another. Business Organizations Sole Proprietor: A sole proprietor is a single individual who makes all the decisions in the business. There is no one to run to and ask â€Å"What do you think about this? † It is the most simple of the three types because there are almost no legal requirements. As a sole proprietor there is more freedom to do what the individual wants which makes it much easier to run. Also, the individual can get a tax benefit and there is a lower cost to start (Tavassoli, 2013. Slide 9) Almost anyone can have a small business as a sole proprietor. Although saving some money on the start up and from tax exemptions are a plus, there are some things one has to take into consideration. One is the limited resources because there is no one else around to bounce ideas off of and most people don’t have the business sense to run their own company from the start, unless they’ve had previous experience and knowledge in that field (Tavassoli, 2013. Another is the difficulty of borrowing money. Most banks or investors are hesitant to lend funds to one person because their financial resources are limited. Finally, all the liability of the business is put directly on the individual (Tavassoli, 2013. Slide 9). Whatever happens in the business is solely on the owner and there usually isn’t anyone to fall back on for help. Partnership: The second type of business is a partnership. There is more room for growth in this type of business because now we have an added talent or experience (Tavassoli, 2013). You automatically have someone to get insight on ideas and bring more ideas to the table. There is a better opportunity to borrow money. Now instead of one persons income and assets there are two. Someone is more likely to help finance a partnership than an individual person (Tavassoli, 2013, Slide 10). In addition, the business return flows into the individual/joint return. Just as a sole proprietor, a partnership has unlimited liability. The only difference is now there is more than one person involved so burden is split. In a partnership the owners are responsible for all the debt and expenses of the business (Ebert & Griffin, 2005). Something else to consider is the difficulty to sell a business owned by a partnership. Why is it difficult? Consent is always needed from the other partner. No decision can be legally made without the other partner agreeing. Corporation: The third decision is a Corporation. Companies like Apple, Ford, and Microsoft all fall into corporations. One good thing about a corporation is the stockholders of a corporation have limited liability which means they are only liable for the amount they invested (Tavassoli, 2013. Slide 11) When there are law suits or debts only the corporation loses money. Lenders and investors are most like to provide funding for a legitimate corporation before others. Another thing is there is a better chance to find talent and pool ideas. The opportunity to create more jobs is another plus for being a corporation. With the good comes the bad. In a corporation there are multiple stockholders that have to be answered to when it comes to business decisions (Tavassoli, 2013. ) Theses owners will have their own opinions on how things should be done and which ideas to be taken into action. A corporation can be easily taken over if it is agreed upon by the majority of the owners. The financial reporting requirements are more extensive. Finally, at the corporate level businesses are double taxes not only as a corporation but on the paid dividends to its stockholders (Ebert & Griffin, 2005). After careful consideration I feel a limited partnership is the best choice for my business. A Limited Partnership would allow us to obtain financing in the future, rather than trying to get financing on my own as a sole proprietor. Also, the amount of liability is reduced because we are only liable for the amount of our individual investments. This allows my partner not to have to take an active role in the partnership. A limited partnership agreement is not required but will be put in place to protect each partner (CEC, 2010).

The Golden Lily Chapter 14

â€Å"OH, LORD,† I SAID. â€Å"What's wrong?† asked Brayden. â€Å"Is everything okay?† â€Å"Hard to say.† I put the phone back in my purse. â€Å"I hate to do this, but I have to go take care of something outside. I'll be back as quickly as I can.† â€Å"Do you want me to go with you?† I hesitated. â€Å"No, it's okay.† I had no idea what to expect out there. It was best if Brayden wasn't subjected to it. â€Å"I'll hurry.† â€Å"Sydney, wait.† Brayden caught hold of my arm. â€Å"This†¦ this is the song you requested, isn't it?† The one we'd been dancing to had just ended, and a new one was on – or, well, an old one. It was about thirty years old. I sighed. â€Å"Yes. It is. I'll be fast, I promise.† The temperature outside was pleasant, warm but not oppressively so. We were allegedly due for a rare bit of rain. As I walked toward the parking lot, some of Wolfe's lessons came back to me. Check your surroundings. Watch for people lurking near cars. Stay in the light. Make sure to – â€Å"Adrian!† All reasonable thoughts vanished from my head. Adrian was lying on my car. I ran over to Latte as fast as the dress would allow me. â€Å"What are you doing?† I demanded. â€Å"Get off of there!† I automatically checked for dents and scratches. Adding insult to injury, Adrian was actually smoking as he lay on the hood and stared up at the sky. Clouds were moving in, but a half-moon could occasionally be seen. â€Å"Relax, Sage. I won't leave a scratch. Really, this is surprisingly comfortable for a family car. I would've expected – † He turned his head toward me and froze. I had never seen him so still – or so quiet. His shock was so thorough and intense that he actually dropped his cigarette. â€Å"Ahh,† I cried, springing forward, lest the burning cigarette damage the car. It landed harmlessly on the asphalt, and I quickly stamped it out. â€Å"For the last time, will you get off of there?† Adrian slowly sat up, eyes wide. He slid off the hood and didn't seem to leave any marks. Obviously, I'd have to check it later. â€Å"Sage,† he said. â€Å"What are you wearing?† I sighed and stared down at the dress. â€Å"I know. It's red. Don't start. I'm tired of hearing about it.† â€Å"Funny,† he said. â€Å"I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at it.† Those words drew me up short, and a rush of heat went through me. What did he mean? Was I so outlandish-looking that he couldn't stop staring at the crazy spectacle? Surely†¦ surely he wasn't implying that I was pretty†¦ I promptly got back on track, reminding myself that I needed to think about the guy inside, not out here. â€Å"Adrian, I'm on a date. Why are you here? On my car?† â€Å"Sorry to interrupt, Sage. I wouldn't have been on your car if they'd let me into the dance,† he said. A little of his earlier awe had faded, and he relaxed into a more typical Adrian pose, leaning back against Latte. At least he was standing and less likely to do damage. â€Å"Yeah. They generally frown on letting twenty-something guys into high school events. What did you want?† â€Å"To talk to you.† I waited for him to elaborate, but the only response I received was a brief flash of lightning above. It was Saturday, and I'd been around campus all day, during which he could've easily called. He'd known the dance was tonight. Then, inhaling the smell of alcohol that hung in the air around him, I knew nothing he did should really surprise me tonight. â€Å"Why couldn't it have been tomorrow?† I asked. â€Å"Did you really have to come here tonight and – † I frowned and looked around. â€Å"How did you even get here?† â€Å"I took the bus,† he said, almost proudly. â€Å"A lot easier getting here than to Carlton.† Carlton College was where he took art classes, and without his own transportation, he'd come to rely heavily on mass transit – something he'd never done before in his life. I'd been hoping Sonya or Dimitri had dropped him off – meaning they'd pick him up again. But of course that wouldn't happen. Neither one of them would have brought a drunken Adrian here. â€Å"So I guess I have to take you home then,† I said. â€Å"Hey, I got myself here. I'll get myself home.† He started to take out a cigarette, and I gave him a stern headshake. â€Å"Don't,† I said sharply. With a shrug, he put the pack away. â€Å"And I have to take you home. It's going to storm soon. I'm not going to make you walk in the rain.† Another flash of lightning emphasized my words, and a faint breeze stirred the fabric of my dress. â€Å"Hey,† he said, â€Å"I don't want to be an incon – â€Å" â€Å"Sydney?† Brayden came striding across the parking lot. â€Å"Everything okay?† No, not really. â€Å"I'm going to have to leave for a little bit,† I said. â€Å"I have to give my brother a ride home. Will you be okay waiting? It shouldn't be that long.† I felt bad even suggesting it. Brayden didn't really know anyone at my school. â€Å"Maybe you could find Trey?† â€Å"Sure,† said Brayden uncertainly. â€Å"Or I can come with you.† â€Å"No,† I said quickly, not wanting him and drunken Adrian in the car. â€Å"Just go back and have fun.† â€Å"Nice toga,† Adrian told Brayden. â€Å"It's a chiton,† said Brayden. â€Å"It's Greek.† â€Å"Right. I forgot that was tonight's theme.† Adrian gave Brayden an appraising look, glanced over at me, and then turned back to Brayden. â€Å"So. What do you think of our girl's ensemble tonight? Pretty amazing, huh? Like Cinderella. Or maybe a Greek Cinderella.† â€Å"There's really not much about it that's truly Greek,† said Brayden. I winced. I knew he didn't mean to be insensitive, but his words stung a little. â€Å"The dress is historically inaccurate. I mean it's a very nice dress, but the jewelry's anachronistic, and the fabric's nothing that ancient Greek women would have had. Certainly not that color either.† â€Å"What about those other Greek women?† asked Adrian. â€Å"The flashy smart ones.† His forehead wrinkled, as though it were taking every ounce of his brain to come up with the word he wanted. And, to my astonishment, he did. â€Å"The hetaerae.† I honestly hadn't believed he'd retained anything from our conversation in San Diego. I tried not to smile. â€Å"The hetaerae?† Brayden was even more astonished than I was. He gave me a scrutinizing look. â€Å"Yes†¦ yes. I suppose – if such materials were hypothetically possible in that era – that this is something you'd expect to see find on a hetaera instead of the average Greek matron.† â€Å"And they were prostitutes, right?† asked Adrian. â€Å"These hetaerae?† â€Å"Some were,† agreed Brayden. â€Å"Not all. I think the usual term is courtesan.† Adrian was completely deadpan. â€Å"So. You're saying my sister's dressed like a prostitute.† Brayden eyed my dress. â€Å"Well, yes, if we're still speaking in hypothetical – â€Å" â€Å"You know what?† I interrupted. â€Å"We need to go. It's going to rain any minute now. I'll take Adrian home and meet you back here, okay?† I refused to let Adrian continue to play whatever game he had going to torment Brayden – and, by extension, me. â€Å"I'll text you when I'm on my way back.† â€Å"Sure,† said Brayden, not looking very sure at all. He left, and I started to get into the car until I noticed Adrian trying – and failing – to open the passenger side door. With a sigh, I walked over and opened it for him. â€Å"You're drunker than I thought,† I said. â€Å"And I thought you were pretty drunk.† He managed to get his body into the seat, and I returned to my own side just as raindrops splashed on my windshield. â€Å"Too drunk for Jailbait to feel,† he said. â€Å"The bond's numb. She can have an Adrian-free night.† â€Å"That was very thoughtful of you,† I said. â€Å"Though I'm guessing that's not the real reason you were hitting the bottle. Or why you came here. As far as I can tell, all you've accomplished is to mess with Brayden.† â€Å"He called you a prostitute.† â€Å"He did not! You baited him into that.† Adrian ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the window, watching the rapidly unfolding storm outside. â€Å"Doesn't matter. I've decided I don't like him.† â€Å"Because he's too smart?† I said. I remembered Jill and Eddie's earlier comments. â€Å"And unmemorable?† â€Å"Nah. I just think you can do better.† â€Å"How?† Adrian had no answer, and I had to ignore him for a bit as my attention shifted to the road. Storms, while infrequent, could come up fast and furious in Palm Springs. Flash floods weren't uncommon, and the rain was now pouring down in sheets, making visibility difficult. Fortunately, Adrian didn't live that far away. That was a double blessing because, when we were a couple blocks from his apartment, he said: â€Å"I don't feel so well.† â€Å"No,† I moaned. â€Å"Please, please do not get sick in my car. We're almost there.† A minute or so later, I pulled up at the curb outside his building. â€Å"Out. Now.† He obeyed, and I followed with an umbrella for myself. Glancing over at me as we walked to the building, he asked, â€Å"We live in a desert, and you keep an umbrella in your car?† â€Å"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?† He dropped his keys, and I picked them up, figuring I'd have an easier time unlocking the door. I flipped on the nearest light switch – and nothing happened. We stood there for a moment, together in the darkness, neither of us moving. â€Å"I have candles in the kitchen,† said Adrian, finally taking a few staggering steps in that direction. â€Å"I'll light some.† â€Å"No,† I ordered, having visions of the entire building going down in flames. â€Å"Lie on the couch. Or throw up in the bathroom. I'll take care of the candles.† He opted for the couch, apparently not as sick as he'd feared. Meanwhile, I found the candles – atrocious air freshening ones that smelled like fake pine. Still, they cast light, and I brought a lit one over to him, along with a glass of water. â€Å"Here. Drink this.† He took the glass and managed to sit up long enough to get a few sips. Then, he handed the glass back and collapsed against the couch, draping one arm over his eyes. I pulled up a nearby chair and sat down. The pine candles cast fragile, flickering light between us. â€Å"Thanks, Sage.† â€Å"Are you going to be okay if I leave?† I asked. â€Å"I'm sure the power will be on by morning.† He didn't answer my question. Instead, he said, â€Å"You know, I don't just drink to get drunk. I mean, that's part of it, yeah. A big part of it. But sometimes, alcohol's all that keeps me clearheaded.† â€Å"That doesn't make sense. Here,† I prompted, handing the water back to him. As I did, I cast a quick look at my cell phone's clock, anxious about Brayden. â€Å"Drink some more.† Adrian complied and then continued speaking, arm back over his eyes. â€Å"Do you know what it's like to feel like something's eating away at your mind?† I'd been about to tell him I needed to leave, but his words left me cold. I remembered Jill saying something similar when she was telling me about him and spirit. â€Å"No,† I said honestly. â€Å"I don't know what it's like†¦ but to me, well, it's pretty much one of the most terrifying things I can imagine. My mind, it†¦ it's who I am. I think I'd rather suffer any other injury in the world than have my mind tampered with.† I couldn't leave Adrian right now. I just couldn't. I texted to Brayden: Going to be a little longer than I thought. â€Å"It is terrifying,† said Adrian. â€Å"And weird, for lack of a better word. And part of you knows†¦ well, part of you knows something's not right. That your thinking's not right. But what do you about that? All we can go on is what we think, how we see the world. If you can't trust your own mind, what can you trust? What other people tell you?† â€Å"I don't know,† I said, for lack of a better answer. His words struck me as I thought how much of my life had been guided by the edicts of others. â€Å"Rose once told me about this poem she'd read. There was this line, ‘If your eyes weren't open, you wouldn't know the difference between dreaming and waking.' You know what I'm afraid of? That someday, even with my eyes open, I still won't know.† â€Å"Oh, Adrian, no.† I felt my heart breaking and sat down on the floor near the couch. â€Å"That won't happen.† He sighed. â€Å"At least with the alcohol†¦ it quiets the spirit and then I know if things seem weird, it's probably because I'm drunk. It's not a great reason, but it's a reason, you know? At least you actually have a reason instead of not trusting yourself.† Brayden texted back: How much longer? Irritated, I answered back: Fifteen minutes. I looked back up at Adrian. His face was still covered, though the candlelight did a fair job of illuminating the clean lines of his profile. â€Å"Is that†¦ is that why you drank tonight? Is spirit bothering you? I mean†¦ you seemed to be doing so well the other day†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He exhaled deeply. â€Å"No. Spirit's okay†¦ in as much as it ever is. I actually got drunk tonight because†¦ well, it was the only way I could bring myself to talk to you.† â€Å"We talk all the time.† â€Å"I need to know something, Sage.† He uncovered his face to look at me, and I suddenly realized how close I was sitting. For a moment, I almost didn't pay attention to his words. The flickering dance of shadow and light gave his already good looks a haunting beauty. â€Å"Did you get Lissa to talk to my dad?† â€Å"What? Oh. That. Hang on one second.† Picking up my cell phone, I texted Brayden again: Better make that thirty minutes. â€Å"I know someone got her to do it,† Adrian continued. â€Å"I mean, Lissa likes me, but she's got a lot going on. She wouldn't have just thought one day, ‘Oh, hey. I should call Nathan Ivashkov and tell him how awesome his son is.' You got her to do it.† â€Å"I've actually never talked to her,† I said. I didn't regret my actions at all but felt weird at being called out on them. â€Å"But I, uh, may have asked Sonya and Dimitri to talk to her on your behalf.† â€Å"And then she talked to my old man.† â€Å"Something like that.† â€Å"I knew it,† he said. I couldn't gauge his tone, if it was upset or relieved. â€Å"I knew someone had to have prompted her, and somehow I knew it was you. No one else would have done it for me. Not sure what Lissa told him, but man, she must have really won him over. He was crazy impressed. He's sending me money for a car. And upping my allowance back to reasonable levels.† â€Å"That's a good thing,† I said. â€Å"Isn't it?† My phone flashed with another text from Brayden. The dance will nearly be over by then. â€Å"But why?† Adrian asked. He sat down on the floor beside me. There was an almost distraught look to him. He leaned closer to me and then seemed shocked as he realized what he was doing. He leaned back a little – but only a little. â€Å"Why would you do that? Why would you do that for me?† Before I could answer, another text came in. Will you even be back in time? I couldn't help be annoyed that he wasn't more understanding. Without thinking, I typed back: Maybe you should just leave now. I'll call you tomorrow. Sorry. I flipped the phone over so I wouldn't see any other messages. I looked back at Adrian, who was watching me intently. â€Å"I did it because he wasn't fair to you. Because you deserve credit for what you've done. Because he needs to realize you aren't the person he's always thought you were. He needs to see you for who you really are, not for all the ideas and preconceptions he's built up around you.† The power in Adrian's gaze was so strong that I kept talking. I was nervous about meeting that stare in silence. Also, part of me was afraid that if I pondered my own words too hard, I'd discover they were just as much about my own father and me as Adrian and his. â€Å"It should have been enough for you to tell him who you are – to show him who you are – but he wouldn't listen. I don't like the idea of using others to do things we can do ourselves, but this seemed like the only option.† â€Å"Well,† Adrian said at last. â€Å"I guess it worked. Thank you.† â€Å"Did he tell you how to get in touch with your mother?† â€Å"No. His pride in me apparently didn't go that far.† â€Å"I can probably find out where she is,† I said. â€Å"Or†¦ or Dimitri could, I'm sure. Like you said before, they must let letters in.† He almost smiled. â€Å"There you go again. Why? Why do you keep helping me?† There were a million answers on my lips, everything from It's the right thing to do to I don't know. Instead, I said, â€Å"Because I want to.† This time, I got a true smile from him, but there was something dark and introspective about it. He shifted closer to me again. â€Å"Because you feel bad for this crazy guy?† â€Å"You aren't going to go crazy,† I said firmly. â€Å"You're stronger than you think. The next time you feel that way, find something to focus on, to remind you of who you are.† â€Å"Like what? Got some magic object in mind?† â€Å"Doesn't have to be magic,† I said. I racked my brain. â€Å"Here.† I unfastened the golden cross necklace. â€Å"This has always been good for me. Maybe it'll help you.† I set it in his hand, but he caught hold of mine before I could pull back. â€Å"What is it?† he asked. He looked more closely. â€Å"Wait†¦ I've seen this. You wear this all the time.† â€Å"I bought it a long time ago, in Germany.† He was still holding my hand as he studied the cross. â€Å"No frills. No flourishes. No secret etched symbols.† â€Å"That's why I like it,† I told him. â€Å"It doesn't need embellishment. A lot of the old Alchemist beliefs focused on purity and simplicity. That's what this is. Maybe it'll help you have clarity of mind.† He had been staring at the cross, but now he lifted his gaze to meet mine. Some emotion I couldn't quite read played over his features. It was almost like he'd just discovered something, something troubling to him. He took a deep breath and, his hand still holding mine, pulled me toward him. His green eyes were dark in the candlelight but somehow just as enthralling. His fingers tightened on mine, and I felt warmth spread throughout me. â€Å"Sage – â€Å" The power suddenly came back on, flooding the room with light. Apparently, with no concern for electrical bills, he'd left all the lights on when he went out earlier. The spell was broken, and both of us winced at the sudden brightness. Adrian sprang back from me, leaving the cross in my hand. â€Å"Don't you have a dance or a curfew or something?† he asked abruptly, not looking at me. â€Å"I don't want to keep you. Hell, I shouldn't have bothered you at all. Sorry. I assume that was Aiden texting you?† â€Å"Brayden,† I said, standing up. â€Å"And it's okay. He left, and I'm just going to go back to Amberwood now.† â€Å"Sorry,† he repeated, moving toward the door with me. â€Å"Sorry I ruined your night.† â€Å"This?† I nearly laughed, thinking of all the crazy things I contended with in my life. â€Å"No. It'd take a lot more to ruin my night than this.† I started to take a few steps and then paused. â€Å"Adrian?† He finally looked directly at me, once again nearly knocking me over with his gaze. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Next time†¦ next time you want to talk to me about something – anything – you don't have to drink to work up the courage. Just tell me.† â€Å"Easier said than done.† â€Å"Not really.† I tried for the door again, and this time, he stopped me, resting a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"Sage?† I turned. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Do you know why I don't like him? Brayden?† I was so astonished he'd gotten the name right that I couldn't voice any answers, though several came to mind. â€Å"Because of what he said.† â€Å"What part?† Seeing as Brayden had said many things, in great detail, it wasn't entirely clear which Adrian was referring to. â€Å"‘Historically inaccurate.†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Adrian gestured at me with his other hand, the one not on my shoulder. â€Å"Who the hell looks at you and says ‘historically inaccurate'?† â€Å"Well,† I said. â€Å"Technically it is.† â€Å"He shouldn't have said that.† I shifted, knowing I should move away†¦ but I didn't. â€Å"Look, it's just his way.† â€Å"He shouldn't have said that,† repeated Adrian, eerily serious. He leaned his face toward mine. â€Å"I don't care if he's not the emotional type or the complimentary type or what. No one can look at you in this dress, in all that fire and gold, and start talking about anachronisms. If I were him, I would have said, ‘You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen walking this earth.'† My breath caught, both at the words and the way he said them. I felt strange inside. I didn't know what to think, except that I needed to get out of there, away from Adrian, away from what I didn't understand. I broke from him and was surprised to find myself shaking. â€Å"You're still drunk,† I said, putting my hand on the door knob. He tilted his head to the side, still watching me in that same, disconcerting way. â€Å"Some things are true, drunk or sober. You should know that. You deal in facts all the time.† â€Å"Yeah, but this isn't – † I couldn't argue with him looking at me like that. â€Å"I have to go. Wait†¦ you didn't take the cross.† I held it out to him. He shook his head. â€Å"Keep it. I think I've got something else to help center my life.† The Golden Lily: A Bloodlines Novel

“authority”, “responsibility” and Essay

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Avatar - Assignment Example Likewise, folk tales are most conducive to short moral or humorous tales. But for epic battles and profound victories, the format of the legend is the most similar. Avatar’s celebration of heroism makes it equal to the tradition of legendary tales. And there is plenty of elements and events in the film that support claims of its legendary status. For instance, in legions of renown, we usually have a forthright protagonist confronted by an evil villain whom he successfully quells. This is exactly how the story of Avatar unfolds. Here the morally upright is Jake and his sympathizers irrespective of whether they assume a human or Na’vi physical form. The chief antagonist is played by Quaritch, whose obsession with acquisition of material wealth makes him lose his humanity. This sets up a legendary battle between the twines of morality and decadence. As is always the case in traditions of legend, it is the morally righteous who emerge victorious. At the center of legendary stories are one heroic figure that epitomizes moral virtue and human values. Jake is that heroic figure in Avatar. Despite being born human and being equipped to think like human, through his avatar he is able to empathize with a biologically distant race. Though he is not a Na’vi in substance, he merges into one with them in spirit. His successful integration into Na’vi society is indeed the stuff legends are made of. Ironically, this improbable transition was made possible by Jake’s deep sense of humanity. His sense of righteousness allows him to put considerations of justice and fairness above material gratifications. In stories of legend, valor is a recurrent feature. There is plenty of that in display in the film. Jake’s courage is exemplary, for he puts his life on the line several times so as to save his adopted race. Avatar is also congruent with the format of the legend due to its mythical quality. The heroism and

The Great Fire of London 1666 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Great Fire of London 1666 - Research Paper Example There are a number of factors that came into play and that worked together to turn a small, simple fire into the greatest conflagration in the history of England. Samuel Pepys, the famous diarist of Stuart England, experienced the Great Fire first-hand, and was instrumental in the successful efforts to halt the inferno. Pepyss diary entry of September 2, 1666, states that one of the household maid-servants, on her arrival at the Pepys household that morning, told of a great fire that was at that moment raging in the city. The entry further relates what Pepys himself found when he went personally to investigate the situation in his duty as Clerk to the Royal Navy. Much of what is known about the Great Fire comes from Pepyss own account and subsequent investigations undertaken after the event. The fire itself was ignited in the premises of Thomas Farynor (or Farriner), the Kings Baker (perhaps an appropriate name for a baker or one who works with flour, taken from the old French word for flour, farine). It is believed that cinders or sparks were ejected from one of the bakers ovens earlier in the evening, at about 10:00pm, and started a small fire in the bakery. In the investigation Farynor swore that this fire had been extinguished. This may in fact have been the fire that Lord Mayor Bludworth was thinking of when he described the Great Fire as being so small that â€Å"a woman might piss it out†, perhaps unaware of the magnitude of the actual conflagration that had by then taken hold. In any event, the bakers home was an inferno by 1:00am, and the Great Fire grew from there. The fire spread from Farynors residence in Pudding Lane east towards the Tower of London, south towards the Barbican, west towards Temple Bar and north toward the Thames River and London Bridge. Pushed forward by strong easterly winds, it progressed

Curating a Weekend Film Festival Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Curating a Weekend Film Festival - Essay Example Man Aran Date of Release: October 18th 1934 Director: Robert Flaherty Starring: Michael Dillane, Colman King, Maggie Dirrane 4. Moana Date of Release: January 7th 1966 Director: Robert Flaherty Starring: Fa'agase Su'a-Filo, Ta'avale 5. White Shadows in the South Seas Date of Release: November 10th 1958 Director: W.S. Dyke Starring; Irvon Thalberg Catalogue/Program Essay These films have been chosen due to their belonging to the docu-fiction genre, as well as their setting on beaches. Robert Flaherty’s name conjures up an array of complex debates with regard to films and documentaries, ethics, how others are represented, the director’s role, argument, ideology, gendered imagery, collaboration, ethnography, non-preconception, community, fantasy, voice, idealized or realistic cinematography, racialized bodies, and deep immersion in one the beach field (Usai, 2008). Flaherty worked or directed only 10 fiction films in his entire career. Nanook of the North, which was releas ed in 1922, the Louisiana Story, released in 1948, and Man of Aran, released in 1934 are the popularly analyzed and recognized of his films. This, in part, is caused by the fact that these are the films that were dissected and filmed by his widow and collaborator Frances Flaherty, in the mid to late 50s, which she founded following his death at the Film Seminars held for Robert Flaherty (Christopher, 2009). She did this in order to advance his thoughts on artisanal filmmaking that he used as a way of exploration. Moana, which was released in 1926, was rarely screened because of theatrical legalities of copyright that he faced from paramount. Famous Players Lasky, a Hollywood studio that was later merged with paramount Studios and was directed in Samoa, financed the film for production (Christopher, 2009). The film occupies an obscured and awkward position in the legacy left by Flaherty. It is neither a well thought out narrative of silent film neither is it a documentary exemplar. I t is what documentary scholars have long considered as among the very first in the genre of docu-fiction. The response by Famous Players Lansky, which was lukewarm, to Moana took the Flaherty’s towards views that were anti-Hollywood, especially following the holding back of exhibition and marketing by the studio after its debut in NYC (Christopher, 2009). Following his departure from MGM production of the film White Shadows of the South Seas, he went on to exhort that doing business with Hollywood was like sailing in a boat with a glass bottom over a sewer. Famous Players Lansky, in the mid 20s, looked towards the lucrative nature of overseas markets. Walter Wagner, a producer at the studio, imported realist methods of filmmaking that connected profit motives with the increase of world knowledge through foreign film-shoots (Rugg & Sedwick, 2009). He advocated for natural drama, which is a film that constructs stories through focusing on native actors, family, and animals in t heir natural habitats. Ernest Schoesdack and Merian Cooper were incorporated into the studio and taken to Thailand for the production of Chang in 1926. Stark Love in 1927 was about N. Carolina’s mountain people, Redskin in 1929 dealt with the Navajo people, and the Vanishing Redskin In 1926 dealt with the Monument Valley. Within this context of larger markets and studios, Lasky approached Flaherty for the production of another Nanook of the North, for which he was given a blank production check (Rugg & Sedwick, 2009). Polynesian cultural imagination and fantasy as a paradise that was pastoral and uncontaminated countered industrialization and urbanization’s realities and infused it into the post WWII popular culture (Obrist &

Conflict resolution Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Conflict resolution - Case Study Example Environmentalists and executives of a company accused of polluting a stream meet to resolve their differences at a university-run mediation center in the Southeast. All of these examples are part of a new way of dealing with conflict. These new approaches to conflict are usually referred to by the general term "conflict resolution." Something whose roots can be traced to four (sometimes separate, sometimes intertwining) movements, all of which began in the mid-1960s and early 1970s: (1) new developments in organizational relations; (2) the introduction of the "problem-solving workshop" in international relations; (3) a redirection of religious figures from activist work in peace-related endeavors to an emphasis upon "peacemaking"; and (4) the criticism of lawyers and the court system by the general public that resulted in what is known as alternative dispute resolution (ADR). These four movements, which comprise the major divisions in the new field of conflict resolution, are all part of a more encompassing phenomenon in recent American history--the realization that the bureaucratization of the modern world has resulted in extreme depersonalization. This realization resulted in the questioning of legitimate authority characteristic of the 1960s and early 1970s in America. Thus, the emergence of the field of conflict resolution must be seen in the context of the larger framework of social and cultural change in American society. In the United States, as in all industrialized societies, legitimacy is based on authority embodied in the legal system, bureaucratic administration, and centralization. Indeed, we live in a society characterized by the rationalization of law, centralization and concentration within industry, and the subsequent extension of state intervention to previously private human actions. Like the civil rights movement, the women's liberation movement, the anti-Vietnam War movement, and the questioning of every major institutional order in the 1960s, conflict resolution was born in a time of questioning whether traditional legal authority served the needs of people or supported a status quo that reinforced social and political inequality. The 1960s ushered in a time of change and conflict. It was perceived by an active and vocal, if not large, part of the population that change was good, and the conflict that often produced the change was also a positive thing and not something to be avoided. Each of the four movements in conflict resolution, in their own unique way, represents a challenge to traditional authority, a part of this new way of looking at change and conflict. In the area of organizational relations this took the form of a questioning of top-down, centralized decision making and the role conflict played in organizations. In international relations, the "power paradigm" (the view that there are severe limitations to political reform because human beings are power-seeking creatures by nature and must be controlled by strong government action) was challenged via the notion that human beings seek to fulfill their basic needs rather than always seeking power and material interests. In certain religious organizations this took the form of an emphasis upon the religious community's ability to

Operations Managerment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Operations Managerment - Coursework Example Therefore, this necessitates the need to achieve the expected quality of products. In the endeavor to achieve the desired standards of goods and services, the operations activity that ensures the delivery of the quality is the quality control and inspection. Over the years, industries continue struggling with establishing the methodologies of monitoring their operations to ensure they achieve quality in their production process. Thus, the issue of quality control and inspection arises as a factor of major concern in the process of managing the operations of the industries. Further, it is an important issue of consideration factoring that the products from the operations process affect the lives of the users in varied extensive ways. Therefore, the industries need to establish the desired procedures of managing their operations accordingly for the success of the elemental factor of quality in the goods and services they facilitate to the customers. Beckmerhagen, I. A., Berg, H. P., Karapetrovic, S. V., & Willborn, W. O. (2014). On the effectiveness of quality management system audits.  The TQM Magazine,  16(1), 14-25. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/227575054?accountid=458 Garland, S. W., Lees, B., & Stevenson, J. C. (2007). Dxa longitudinal quality control: A comparison of inbuilt quality assurance, visual inspection, multi-rule shewhart charts and cusum analysis.  Osteoporosis International,  7(3), 231-7. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01622294 Owings, G. W., Carson, J. D., & Hay, R. K. (2009). Using accounting faculty for quality control inspections.  Ohio CPA Journal,48(2), 10. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/214827456?accountid=458 Reyes, J. E. (2012). Quality control inspection program counterstone of a high-performance project organization.Organization, Technology & Management in Construction,  4(1) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1317621975?accountid=458 Tuominen, V. (2012).

Using technology within and across social encounters Essay

Using technology within and across social encounters - Essay Example Just like any other aspects of communication, mobile SMS is an evolving feature of the mobile phone technology where there is development of the wireless application protocol which is an open standard to all and it uses wireless communication. This creates the links between internets and it makes it possible to exchange text messages between internet applications and the mobile phones. Various mobile phones have also incorporated the use of the bleu tooth making it easier to interchange any electronic files of any kind between proximate mobile communication devices. With all these innovations SMS has still remained the most popular feature of the mobile phones that is frequently used by the mobile phone user but to some greater extent technological affordances have rendered the SMS massing very different from the environment from which the ordinary conversation was developed and used. In the social relation in which the SMS tend to be linked, research shows that SMS is focused on the issues that are specialized and restricted to a specific form of linguistic expression that is evolved in the context of the system affordances that most users have become costumed to. In essence text massages should be taken as a single entity when looking at the approaches from the perspective of their role in the social relationship. The study that is conducted by the Laursen is perhaps the only analysis that to date acknowledges that text messages are exchanged between the users of the technology and that some text massages tend to occasion responses in the form of the reply texts from their recipient even if the text does not make reply conditionally relevant. Text messages are made up of half-duplets units that do not operate the same way as the units of utterances in the communications meaning that SMS users engage in a synchronous communication which is

Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Healthcare - Essay Example We must understand the total package, by understanding their belief, culture. It is necessary to tap into their mental, emotional and physical need. Part of being a One Stop shopping medical facility and to include all of the right individuals from different field and title that is going to work all under the same umbrella to meet the patient care. Therefore, we would be engaging the help of a social worker to make those visits that would be necessary within the patient’s habitat. A community liaison is the key to providing continuing support, that will be providing a sense of accountability. Researchers have proven that when there is a reward at the end of any goal that helps keep the person focused and the goal more attainable. We have established an incentive program, where we would reward the patient for milestones attained, by writing a blurb in our newsletter detailing their journey and how they have done it to give others hope. The patient education would begin upon admission and continue for the duration of the program. It will flow over to the provider’s office and through the community, we believe that an educated patient will be less resistant and easier to help reach their goals. We offer many different options that the patients can take advantage of like group counseling or one on one therapy. In all this cultural factors will be considered to avoid conflicts with the

Passwords adopted Essay Example for Free

Passwords adopted Essay In the use of password authentication systems, users are the biggest enemy. According to the second discussion article by Johnson, S, he realized that he needed a password strategy after forgetting his password three times thereby being forced to go through a process of creating a new password. To overcome this problem of forgetting passwords, he resorts to using uncomplicated passwords. The average password user rarely makes an attempt to remember a well constituted password. A well constituted password should be complex enough to prevent what are known as dictionary attacks i. e. passwords constituting letters that make up words that are easy to guess or deduce. Passwords are not foolproof as it is and poor passwords make the whole security measure weaker. Thus, poor password practices always undermine system security. Password reuse is another form of password abuse. Users usually adopt the same passwords or variations of the same password because they are easier to remember. Similarly, users will normally opt to use simple passwords on occasions where the repercussions of intrusion are relatively mild e. g. hat are generated for them. First, these passwords are often temporary and users are given specific instructions to immediately change the password to something different than what was generated. Secondly, people may want to reuse their password they could just change the generated password into something they commonly use for an unimportant website. To help ease the problems that arise in creation and remembering of passwords, password managers are used. A password manager is software that assists users to organize their passwords in a retrievable manner. A typical password manager has a database or files that store encrypted password data. Many password managers also work as form fillers whereby they fill the user and password data automatically into the forms. Unfortunately, many users keep a written record of their passwords. Users who are subjected to complex passwords generated by password managers either change them frequently or end up writing them down. This is itself creates another problem because some users write down their passwords on sticky notes etc. while others keep their passwords as text files n their computers or mobile device, where the passwords can be easily lost or stolen. Recommendations. Educating users on password security is effective. However, this should not deter efforts made at looking into security measures beyond passwords. An example is some companies that have branched into biometrics to increase security. Biometrics is the science and technology of measuring and analyzing human biological data. In the context of information technology and more specifically security measures, biometrics refers to technologies that measure and analyze human body characteristics. These characteristics include fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns and hand measurements etc. These characteristics are unique to individual human beings and can thus be used for authentication purposes. Biometric authentication is becoming increasingly common in corporate and public security systems, consumer electronics and point of sale (POS) applications. In addition to security, convenience has been another attractive aspect in Biometrics. Biometric devices, such as retina iris scanners, consist of a scanning device, software that converts the scanned information into a digital format and finally compares the resultant match points with those stored in a database containing biometric data for comparison. Another recommendation is the implementation of a layered strategy. It could start out with one password to gain general access, then as the risk rises, the user should be required to provide combinations of something in their knowledge and which is a secret. It could be a smart card, a secure ID token, etc For systems that are limited to the use of keyboard based passwords, the following measures would greatly assist in strengthening the passwords adopted: 1. Avoid letters from familiar phrases. 2. Combine the use of uppercase and lowercase letters in the password. 3. Avoid abbreviations of common phrases or acronyms. 4. Use punctuation in the password. 5. Use a password of at least six characters. 6. Avoid common literary names. 7. Mix up two or more separate words. 8. Create an acronym from an uncommon phrase. 9. Avoid passwords that contain your login ID. 10. Use numbers in the password. 11. Use homonyms or deliberate misspellings.

Eminem Essay Example for Free

Eminem Essay Eminem was married in his 20’s this was predictable because he had a stable girlfriend and was engaged therefore this led to marriage. The marriage stage in Eminem’s life was the good moments; it was like his life was on track finally. Eminem and Kim had a child together called Hailey. She was a bridesmaid at their wedding. This had a big effect on Eminem’s life because Hailey is his number one person. He loves her to pieces, he talks a lot about her in his music, and he expresses his upbringing to the world. This shows how the marriage and having a child affected him physically because now his expressing the good vibes in his music, it’s something that he is happy about. This affected him intellectually because his daughter is constantly on his mind hence why he made a song about her. His song ‘’Hailies Song’’ expresses a lot of his life and how much she has an effect on him, he seems to think that he is wasting his time throughout his life and he feels like the world is on his shoulders. His daughter gives him that little wakeup call that tells him that his life isn’t all that bad because he loves seeing her grow up. This shows how important Kim and Hailie are to him. Unfortunately he gets divorced with Kim and obviously this wasn’t predictable but it hurts him to think about the divorce and he actually feels like he wants to give up. This has an effect on his development because this could affect his future, when he meets someone new he is going to have doubts and be overprotective with his daughter and weary about who is getting himself involved with. He tried to make it work with Kim but it wasn’t as easy as he thought. Moving Homes Eminem was moving homes nearly every 3 months due to his home life being un stable with his mum, they never had a lot of money therefore he was forced to leave school in year 9. He had to start providing for his daughter and also his mum, he had to get a job and make his music his dream. He did it, he talks about it all in his songs; this shows the effect on his development because although he had no help from anyone else he made it, he had the confidence to get out there and make his dream. This must have been extremely hard for him because his mum was an alcoholic, they lived in a trailer. He used to get bullied in school due to not having the things that everyone had due to the lack of income. He had to build his bridge and get over the bad things and try moving himself onto the good things. It’s like he was forced to give up his education because of how important it was for him to start proving himself. This affected him physically because everyone can see the way he is growing up in this bad way; this could have affected his confidence leading him to feel embarrassed, this situation affected him intellectually because his mind was partly damaged because he wasn’t sure how to get out of the situation he was in this lead to confusion. Confusion affects a person emotionally because they are aggravated about what to do, people become restless. Eminem’s social life would have been affected by this because he was being judged and looked down on because no one liked him, he found it hard to get close to people and trust people this would have affected his relationship with people his own age. He never had the things that everyone else had, he never had a nice car and nice clothes unlike the others therefore he couldn’t compare to them. This is a predictable life stage because Eminem and his Mum never had much money; his mum was unable to pay rent therefore the time that she could stay at a house or trailer was limited. She was a drug taker therefore she could have had drug dealers after her for money. By putting Eminem’s upbringing into perspective moving house is predictable because it is band to happen. It’s impossible for a single parent who is on drugs and an alcoholic to not only bring up a child but to manage their low income, afford food and also pay for drugs within such a limited income span. Drugs and alcohol was clearly more important to his mum hence why she couldn’t pay her rent. Where this ituation was on going once Eminem had moved houses a few times he probably got used to the routine of moving house and because isolated or separated from old friends. It was a situation that he had no way of adapting to because he was never settled. Eminem getting scouted – Eminem got himself into a show at the Olympics, this is where he got scouted by Dre, Dre got him signed and helped him to make the success of his life. This had an impact on him because he is finally l iving his dream; the good has finally come out of all the bad things and the struggle that he has been through. He can now afford to provide for him, his mum and his daughter. He must have had enough of providing for his mum and he left home, it hurt him to leave home so much that he thought he would express it to the world. He expresses his life in his music, that’s why everyone loves him because his truthful. His music is deep; when Eminem moved out he made a song called ‘Cleaning out my closet’ He explains to his mum that he didn’t mean to hurt her, he couldn’t deal with all the commotion and emotion. He explains that people can trigger him but they’ll never figure him out. The reason for this is because his been through so much that no one will never understand the full reasons, they can have their opinion but they don’t know the truth. This has an effect on his life because people used to doubt him and thing that he was stupid do to him living in a trailer. They were fake people, they never understood him. He didn’t want to hurt his mum but he needed to leave. This had an effect on his development because he had to get his own house, bring up his daughter and escape from the misery that he was stuck in with his mum. This also gives him freedom to be able to cope without all of the stress loaded on top of him. To conclude all this up, Eminem started off leaving school and moving every 3 months due to his life being unstable because of his mum was on a low income. This lead for him to leave school and get a job to provide for him and his mum, he left school and got scouted at the Olympics by Dre, this is how he got his job. He got his life on track; he had a child and then moved out away from the stress. He had confidence in his self when no one else did. He is where he wanted to be, he was determined to win it and he did. This affected him physically because he can now afford to provide for himself and his daughter, he’s dress sense is more fashionable because he can afford to pay for these nice things. It would have affected him intellectually because his thoughts have changed; the tables in his life have turned because he is living his dream. Therefore the way he thinks will become more positive due to things falling into place and becoming more real. It would have affected him emotionally but in a good way, he is proud to know that he put in the effort himself, he was determined to win it and he was successful. You need to go through some bad to get the good; He didn’t have to be insecure about anything because he achieved what he wanted. When it comes too socially, his dream would affect him in a positive way because he had fans; thousands of people want to meet him. His fans are crazy for him, this built him a relationship with others because although the years that he has wasted and the tears that he has tasted nothing can take it from him. People have begun to love him for whom he is. This life situation was unpredictable because no one ever expected for Eminem to turn out the way he has, he went through such a bad stage as a child that he lost hope in everything. Until he tried something new; he started to go to shows and this is where he was found. He never knew that he would get scouted and became famous it was all a dream to him that came true.

Cyrus the Great: Leadership

Cyrus the Great: Leadership Introduction The word Cyrus is derived from Ancient Greek. This word comes from Old Persian originally from Kurosh meaning to bestow care or the Sun. In the Bible, he is known as simply Koresh. In the Quran, he is known as Zol-qarnain (Arabic: Ø °Ãƒâ„¢Ã‹â€ ÃƒËœÃƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ÃƒËœÃ‚ ±Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒâ„¢Ã…  Ãƒâ„¢Ã¢â‚¬  ). Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Archaemenian dynasty and the Persian Empire. Cyrus military victories eventually put him in possession of the largest empire in the world at that time. Also we can say that he was an extraordinarily humane ruler for that time. Surely he has achieved his greatness not by words but by hard and difficult choices, actions, and sacrifices. His strategy towards the people of his empire was one of lenience and understanding, as reflected in his agreement of the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple in 538 BC. Biography Cyrus the Great was born in about 590 BC, in the province of Persis (nowadays called Fars), in southwest of Iran. Cyrus was the grandson of Astyages, king of the Medes. Before Cyruss birth, Astyages had dreamed that his grandson would someday overthrow him. The king ordered that the boy infant be killed promptly after his birth. However, the official entrusted with the job of killing the infant had no heart for such a bloody deed, and instead handed him over to a shepherd and his wife with instructions that they put the child to death. But they, too, were unwilling to kill the boy, and instead reared him as their own. Ultimately, when the child grew up, he indeed caused the kings downfall. Cyrus conquered the Lydian Empire in Asia Minor, which was ruled by King Croesus, a wealthy man. By 546 BC Cyrus had conquered the Lydian Empire and Croesus became his prisoner. After several campaigns, Cyrus conquered eastern Iran and incorporated it into his empire. However Cyrus the Great overthrew three great empires, Babylonians, Medes, and Lydians and united most of the ancient Middle East into one state, extending from India to the Mediterranean Sea. Cyrus became the first Achaemenian Emperor of Persia, and had the title of King of Babylon-King of the Land. No one has accurate information from the personal beliefs of Cyrus the Great. But based on current evidence we can say that Religion of Cyrus the Great was Zoroastrian that is the dedication to ethical and moral excellence which is based on three simple fundamental principles: GOOD THOUGHTS, GOOD WORDS and GOOD DEEDS Cyrus was eventually killed in a battle with the Massagetae tribes in Central Asia, east of the Caspian Sea in 530 BC. His body was buried at Pasargadae, the Old Persian capital. The Persian Empire thrived in peace and prosperity for two hundred years. Cyrus The Great position in the world leadership in his era I think that Cyrus the Great had an authentic leadership. He achieves highest position among all world leaders throughout the human history because of the following reasons: He had high moral and ethical values. He created Persian Empire based on moral principles. Expanded the Ethical Empire to include all men who wish to join it. Freedoms of religion, job, and place of residency; being advocate of freedom of choice 2500 years ago is highly venerable. He was tolerant of local religions and local customs. In the Bible (e.g., Ezra 1:1-4), Cyrus is famous for freeing the Jewish captives in Babylonia and allowing them to return to their homeland. His name occurs twenty two times in the Bible. Organization of a Constitution and Judicial system based on high ethical values. Created Gold and Silver coins for trading. Ordered all Governors to treat the people as their own children, and no one could be executed for a first time crime. Slavery was not allowed. The Old Persian culture did not accept the concept of slavery. He liked to consult with other leaders from different ethnic backgrounds. He had immense military ability and he was a great statesman. Cyrus the Great had a Major influence on the thinking of Aristotle and Alexander the Great, and the Roman Empire form of government. He was moderate and respectful toward his defeated opponents, and if they were popular leaders among their people, he would let them continue with their positions. Traits of Cyrus the Great and establishment of his ethical Persian Empire some 2500 years ago and continued existence of Achaemenid rule for 200 years indicate a successful leadership based on moral principles. Cyrus the Great had a lot of respect for ethical values. Unquestionably, his moral values and leadership skills affected his highly successful and respected situation throughout his empire era and among all people under his government. To prove this fact, one can say about The First Declaration of Human Rights decree by Cyrus the Great inscribed on a clay cylinder in cuneiform discovered in 1879 by Hormoz Rasam in Babol and now in The British Museum. This is the text of the clay cylinder: . .When my soldiers in great numbers peacefully entered Babylon I did not allow anyone to terrorize the people I kept in view the needs of people and all its sanctuaries to promote their well-being I freed all the slaves I put an end to their misfortune and slavery (referred to 42,000 slaveries in the Babylon in that time). Characteristic of Cyrus The Great Intelligent Cyrus the great was intelligent because he utilized his opportunities in an exceptional way. His establishment of the biggest empire in the world is in fact an antiquity. Also, he innovated new strategies and new structures of ruling over his conquered lands. He used different strategies in different situations. Military ability and Statesman Cyrus had immense military abilities and he was very clever in commanding and conducting wars. But that was only one side facet of this great man. Great trait of Cyrus was the gentle character of his rule. He was very tolerant of local religions and local customs, and he was disinclined to the extreme brutality and cruelty, which characterized so many other conquerors. Tactic of war of Cyrus is demonstrated in his war with the Lydian king Croesus. Pacific He did not change the institution of the kingdoms he incorporated into the Persian Empire, and allowed all the people to live in peace and harmony. Cyrus is admired as a liberator rather than a conqueror, because he respected the customs and religions of each part of his vast empire. Innovation Cyrus established post system and post office for fast data transfer across the empire. Also, Cyrus had influence in the urban planning and buildings of that time including Persepolis. His great innovation was to divide the huge empire into more or less independent provinces called satrapies. Wisdom and Toleration Cyrus was welcomed into Babylon as a liberator by the population. It is important to note that his military were given strict orders not to plunder or in any way harm the citizens. It is a testament to his leadership that these orders were fully obeyed. It also shows the tight control he had over his army. After the victory of Babylon, the Babylonians were instructed to rebuild their temple, destroyed almost seven decades ago by Nebuchandrezzer II. Cyrus exhorted them to pray to their god and offer sacrifices. Religious freedom and justice became a hallmark of the Persian Empire. Modernity Terminology Its not exaggeration if we call some of his works was really compatible with the modernity terminology. To name a few is what he has done about the slavery. Other Keys of Success Consult with other leaders Although Cyrus the Great was a genius he would consult with other leaders from different ethnic background to come up with a better solution for their problems. Effective Organization Cyrus organized his empire in such a way to be to be divided into different provinces or Satrapies. He reduced the 3-month time it took to get messages by horse from Susa to Sardis to less than 2-weeks with the construction of the Royal Road. Cyrus sent imperial agents into each province to observe conditions and report back to him. Perhaps his greatest administrative innovation was the adoption of Aramaic as the official administrative language of the empire, given the diverse ethnic makeup of the provinces. The leadership qualities of Cyrus resulted in an empire that endured for centuries, even after many outside invasions. His methods were reportedly copied by future rulers that read the accounts of his kingship recorded by ancient historians. Leadership in the post-modern world can look to the life of Cyrus and apply many of his principles to 21st-Century problems. Level of Leadership Level 5 Leaders To know why he is an effective leader, it may suffice to mention that all his commanders obeyed him as they trusted him. Meanwhile, there are many historical facts that he influenced other great leaders in his era and even after his death these influences continued to exist and inspire great leaders of the world. He was an executive leader, as he used to be in the most front line of any battle, also he was involving in valuable Persian architecture and moreover he was writing all orders about the other religious treatments and last but not least he was totally involved in political structures of his Empire. Sources: Leadership Traits of Cyrus the Great (-08-28Aug 28, 2009);Michael Streich. http://near-eastern-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/leadership_traits_of_cyrus_the_great Cyrus the Great http://faculty.mdc.edu/jmcnair/Joe12pages/cyrus_the_great.htm From Wikipedia: Cyrus the Great http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_the_Great Biography of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian empire http://www.essortment.com/all/biographycyrus_rcof.htm. Cyrus The Great The Father Liberator (1999); Shapour Suren-Pahlav http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/History/hakhamaneshian/Cyrus-the-great/cyrus_the_great.htm Telecommuting: the advantages and disadvantages Telecommuting: the advantages and disadvantages Introduction Many authors have tried to define telecommuting in one clear definition. The definitions differ from telecommuting is working from home (Mokhtarian, 1991) to definitions including time, places and used tools descriptions. This paper will demonstrate that telecommuting is a working arrangement that provides employees the opportunity to work from other places then the employers office for at least a part of their normal work schedule, using technology to interact with colleagues, supervisors and other professional contacts. Despite the still growing popularity of telecommuting, there are as many advantages as well disadvantages for both employee and employer. This paper discusses some of the major advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting for both the employer and the employee. As this paper point out, as a result of more control over work-schedule, the decreased traveling time and costs, and an changed working environment, telecommuting can contribute to an increased job satisfaction for the telecommuter. Disadvantages however include possible dangers as overworking and overeating, and the reduction of professional relationships with colleagues and supervisors. This reduction can lead to a decreasing change of promotion. For the employer, the increase of job satisfaction means in general a higher productivity, and a lower staff turnover. Telecommuting can also reduce the costs of hiring, leasing of buying real estate to provide offices and the possibility to hire professional labor worldwide. However, also employers have to take into account some major disadvantages. The reduced face-to-face interaction, necessary to value an employer and the possible unbalance in a team when only a few functions lend them for telecommuting. Despite the many advantages of telecommuting, its success is strongly dependent on the function, company regulations and management, and the telecommuter self if telecommuting will be a success. Advantages for the employee A first major advantage of telecommuting is the reduction of traveling time and costs as a result of the possibility to work from home or other central working spaces in the neighbourhood (Mokhtarian, 1991). Some companies establish teleworkcenters and remote offices as alternative locations for their telecommuting workers. However in most cases the home of the telecommuter will become the working-place (Mokhtarian, 1991) (Gajendran Harrison, 2007). The reduction of travelling time and costs as a result of work from home can contribute to an increased job satisfaction. Another advantage of telecommuting is the possibility to adjust working hours to personal needs. If for instance the telecommuter has a family at home and arrange to telecommute from home, the telecommuter has no travelling time, can work with the family in the neighbourhood, and due the face the work schedule is flexible, is possible to create more quality time with the family. Therefore, telecommuting can contribute to an improved family relationship. A major overall advantage of telecommuting is the increase in job satisfaction. Research has shown that the changes caused by telecommuting in the previous section, often result in a higher job satisfaction. This is a result of the fact the telecommuter has increased control over the location, timing and means of completing the work (Gajendran Harrison, 2007). To conclude the advantages as stated before; telecommuting seems to contribute to improvement of work and personal relationships by the utilizing the flexibility of the telecommuting concept. As a result of telecommuting the job satisfaction of the employee can be increased. Disadvantages for the employee The following paragraph will discuss the disadvantages for the employee. The first important disadvantages is the reduction of the availability of resources. Telecommuting reduces the access to resources found only at employers office. An example of a resource that not can be accessed from home are for instance accounting-records, that normally contains physical papers like invoices and work orders. Depending on the job one has, it can be important to access those archives to get collect information (Green, Là ³pez, Wysocki, Kepner, 2003). Reduction of availability of resources and date can impact the productivity due the fact essential data is not available. Matters that occur because of a lack of regulation can be pointed out as a second disadvantage. It can cause the potential danger to over-work, over-eat and under-exercise, the so called desk-potato  or  fridge  factor  syndrome (Fortier, 1999).. Those symptoms can occur because pause times are no longer pre-set and the temptation of eating is for some no longer in control. The risks of overworking and overeating cannot be underestimated and therefor have to take in account by telecommuter and as well by the employer. Another disadvantage of telecommuting, concerning professional relationships, is the lack of personal contact with colleagues and supervisors. Because telecommuting reduces the face-to-face communication, different theories make similar predictions about quality and frequency of interaction, implying mainly negative impacts on interpersonal relationships for telecommuters. In a regular office setting, it is possible to provide direct input in solving problems on every scale. It is also possible to directly receive feedback when a certain situations take place. Even the distractions by colleagues can be important moments to reinforce relationships. Face-to-face interactions with colleagues provide access to informal networks and create opportunities for job relevant interactions. Spatial distance from others at work likely translates into personal distance; for telecommuters this might mean becoming out of sight, out of mind. Face-to-face communication is considered the medium with th e highest social presence and very important in personal and professional relationships. (Gajendran Harrison, 2007). Personal face-to-face interaction is essential in job and professional relationship developments, reducing those moments can influence both developments negatively. Advantages for the employer The following paragraph will discuss the advantage for the employer. For the employer there are advantages concerning the changed the work environment. For example, if telecommuting days are flexible and if that result in a lower presence of employers evenly spread over the week, business require less office-space and less parking for employees. Instead of leasing new office space or expanding existing office buildings, it is vastly less expensive to provide telecommuters with their own communication tools to work from their own homes (Green, Là ³pez, Wysocki, Kepner, 2003) (HongGirl, Bongsik, Kunihiko, 2007). Some companies opt to create central working offices outside of the city instead of using expensive office space in the centre. The employer can hire less expensive office-space together with other telecommute supporting companies and with that reduce costs. With telecommuting work is no longer time or place bounded. This results in another major advantage of telecommuting that it can create the possibility to hire professional labor from over the whole world, including those with health problems and disabilities. (Green, Là ³pez, Wysocki, Kepner, 2003). Disadvantages for the employer The following paragraphs will discuss the disadvantages of telecommuting for the employer. The first major disadvantages for the employer can be the fact telecommuting creates a physical distance between the employee and their colleagues and supervisors. Normally in an office setting the supervisor is able to supervise the employees directly. A potential disadvantage of telecommuting is the impact on professional relationships due to reduced direct interaction and the possibility to interact face-to-face. According to Management today, (as cited in Green, Là ³pez, Wysicki Kepner, 2003. p 4 ) It is imperative to understand that telecommunication is an alternative option and not a substitute for person-to-person contact associated with traditional business settings. When it comes to understanding, research has suggested that 75 percent of communication is non-verbal (Management Today, 2000). As the source above stated, personal contact cannot be replaced by forms of indirect contact, because 75 percent of communication is non-verbal and it is therefore very important to see the other when communicate. Another disadvantages for employers and especially a challenge for managers is overcome the possible jealousy from co-workers who cannot telecommute due the function they have (Gajendran Harrison, 2007). Equally employees with different visible benefits can cause separation within a team, it is for the manager to deal with those differences and overcome problems cause by it. A unbalance in a team caused by telecommuting is a disadvantage that shows also the importance to consider the consequence in larger perspective. Conditions for telecommuting According to Green, Là ³pez, Wysocki, and Kepner (2003), not all jobs lend themselves to telecommuting. For instance, jobs that involve direct management, face-to-face contact with customers, frequent meetings, manufacturing and warehousing of goods, purchasing, and facility management are not suitable for telecommuting operations. Jobs that do lend themselves to telecommuting include for example systems and information managers, writers, computer programmers, auditing reports, data entry. The reason why those jobs lend themselves for telecommuting is that they are mainly done with a computer and involve normally no frequent interaction with intern or extern parties. According to the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation as cited in Green, Là ³pez, Wysocki, Kepner (2003) successful telecommuters are self-starters who can do a good job with minimal supervision. They know how to organize their work and time, and are able to work well with tele-managers. In addition, telecommuters have low socialization needs and good communication skills. Factors of decreased supervision, (informal) communication with colleagues and managers, lack of time structure guidelines has to be conquer to become a good telecommuter. For the employer there are also conditions for successful telecommuting. First it is important to develop effective telecommuting business policies which provide guidelines for telecommuting. Second, plan for technical equipment and support for the telecommuting network, this is important because it all comes down to the technical equipment. After that is been done, select and properly train telecommuters and prepare managers for telecommuting supervision. This is important because it is not like regular supervising. A company has to accomplice several conditions before it can introduce telecommuting Analysis Analyzing these advantages and disadvantages, it can be stated that the possible benefits as result of introducing telecommuting is at least questionable. As the condition section pointed out, telecommuting is strongly dependent of the telecommuter, the company and the function. However, the telecommuter can be flexible with his or her work-schedule to meet personal needs, has needed less travelling time and costs, and can change the working environment which can result in a higher job satisfaction, the disadvantages can be underestimated. The telecommuter has to challenge difficulties that occurs by the lack of regulations, and the reduced face-to-face contact with colleagues and supervisors. Especially the reduction of face-to-face contact can lead to a smaller change of promotion. For the employer, the reduction of needed office and parking space, the possibility to hire professional labour around the world, and the possible increased productivity as result of the increased job satisfaction, are reasons to consider the support of telecommuting. It is on the other hand very important to take into account that the personal interaction with the employees is essential in a professional relationship. Reducing that interaction can lead to out of sight, out of mind and can cause a struggle in the relationship with the employee. Besides this it is recommend to overview the potential group of telecommuters, as stated before. When a potential group contains team members but not include the whole team, it is possible that teams will become unbalanced. It is therefore necessary to take the possible consequence of introducing telecommuting into account before it is implemented. Conclusion Companies consider supporting the concept of telecommuting have to take many challenges into account. Despite telecommuting can increase job satisfaction and productivity, the reduced personal face-to-face interaction and the possible consequence of that are significant disadvantages that overweight the advantages on general basis. The statement out of sight, out of mind support this. Changing ones workplace from a conventional office to a home or an alternate location is likely to alter the frequency, the quality, and, by definition, the modality of interaction one has with other organization members. Telecommuting therefore has the potential to degrade the quality of the manager-subordinate relationship (Cooper Kurland, 2002) (Gajendran Harrison, 2007). If providing a telecommuting structure is be considered, it is important to overthink the possible impact for telecommuters as well for non-telecommuters. If a company decides to support telecommuting, it is essential to set clear guidelines and limitations for telecommuters and for supervisors. To conclude, telecommuting cannot replace normal work arrangements, it can only be added to meet employees needs. Reference list Cooper, C., Kurland, N. (2002). Telecommuting, professional isolation, and employee development in public and private organizations. Journal of Organizational Behavior 23, 511-532. DOI: 10.1002/job.145 Fortier, B. (1999) About telework, retrieved on March 27, 2011, from Innovisions Canada: http://www.ivc.ca/part2.html Gajendran, D., Harrison, R. (2007). The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown About Telecommuting: Meta-Analysis of Psycological Mediators and Individual Consequences. Journal of Applied Psychological, 92, 1524-1541. Green, K., Là ³pez, M., Wysocki, A., Kepner, K. (2003). Telecommuting as a true workplace alternative1. Gainesville, FL, United States: Department of Food and Resource Economics, University Florida. Retrieved from: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hr021 HongGirl, L., Bongsik, S., Kunihiko, H. (2007). Telework vs. central work: A comparative view of knowledge accessibility. Decision Support Systems, 687-700. doi:10.1016/j.dss.2006.11.007 Kossek, E., Lautsch, B., Eaton, S. (2006). Telecommuting, control and boundary management; correlates of policy use and practice, job control, and work-family effectiveness. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68, 347-367. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2005.07.00 Mokhtarian, P. (1991). Defining telecommuting. Davis, California, US: Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis. Retrieved from: http://www.its.ucdavis.edu/publications/1991/UCD-ITS-RR-91-04.pdf University Zuyd Academic Skills. Assessment form for written papers Date à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Student à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Assessorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Max Score Actual Score Format Title page has all appropriate information and correctly formatted Paper has Times New Roman 12 Pt Text double space 5 Mechanics Punctuation: full stops, commas, semicolons, quotation marks Capitalisation Spelling 5 Introduction The introduction starts with a general statement, surprising statistic, direct question, strong quote, historical setting or general statement. There is a clear thesis/problem statement. There is an outline/overview paragraph at the end of the introduction. 10 Body Paragraphing Each paragraph: discusses a new point and has a clear topic sentence. has appropriate supporting material: facts, examples, quotes, paraphrased or summarised information. has unity. has coherence. has linking within and/or beyond paragraphs. 30 Conclusion sums up the paper, refers back to thesis and has a clear conclusion and leaves the reader with the writers final thoughts on the topic. contains no new information. 10 Style and Tone The style and the tone are appropriate. The paper contains appropriate hedging language to qualify strong statements. 5 Vocabulary, terminology, wordiness Text contains accurate vocabulary, terminology and is not too wordy. 5

Trouble in Danto’s Artworld :: Danto Art Essays

Trouble in Danto’s Artworld Danto’s theory of artistic identification accepts a problematic class of artwork as art: art made entirely of space. Consider the avant-garde artist who claims an unoccupied space in the Museum of Modern Art and calls it â€Å"Missing Van Gogh;† it can be shown by Danto’s â€Å"is† of artistic identification that her work is art. It not only fulfills Danto’s requirements, but also, it distinguishes itself as revolutionary by expanding the style matrix, and as clever, by belonging to the once-problematic category of artwork called ‘indiscernibles.’ However, it can be shown that â€Å"Missing Van Gogh’s† lack of spatial and temporal boundaries adds infinite predicates to the style matrix and thus reveals a flaw in Danto’s theory. Danto’s theory of artistic identification requires only that the sentence â€Å"x is P,† where x is a given work and P a predicate functioning as an interpretation of that work, apply to a member of what he calls the ‘Artworld.’ He calls the word ‘is’ between x and the P in the sentence the ‘â€Å"is† of artistic interpretation,’ and any work indicated by this ‘is’ is art. For instance, we may say â€Å"the Eroica Symphony is profound.† By Danto’s definition, the fact that this artistic interpretation of the work is possible is sufficient to show that it is a work of art. Danto also posits a style matrix consisting of all the variant combinations of art-relevant predicates in today’s Artworld. This matrix serves as a context in which all artworks can be discussed, and is open to the addition of predicates as artists make innovative breakthroughs. The revolutionary beauty of Danto’s theory lies in its openness and simplicity; it is able to embrace new artistic developments because it refuses to identify specific properties as indicative of artwork status. It is more accepting than theories which name properties, such as the family resemblance theory, which rejects the first of every new class of artwork, or even Gaut’s cluster theory, which demands some consistency.[1] Yet, this radical openness of Danto’s theory demands scrutiny; if there is an artwork which Danto’s theory accepts on account of its openness, but which it ought not to, then Danto’s theory is flawed.

Choosing a Major Essay -- Argumentative Education College Essays

Choosing a Major Education is a very broad and difficult term and no two people define it the same way, but most would agree that you do get an education in college. Many colleges pride themselves on developing "well-rounded" students, and yet they make it mandatory for each student to choose one field of specified study. This seems to contradict the whole "well-rounded" idea. Education can't be confined to just academics. In fact, here is how the dictionary defines academics "very learned but inexperienced in practical matters, conforming to the traditions or rules of a school." I don't want to be "considered inexperienced in practical matters." I know the dictionary definitions aren't exactly what everyone sees as the right answer, but these definitions do give us a starting point. Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines education as the process of being educated, so here is how they define educated: "to provide schooling for, to train by formal instruction and supervised practice in a skill or profession." This is close to what I have heard when asking what education is, but one thing that has been left out is the personal experiences of an individual. Most people do believe a person must have some sort of "schooling" to be considered an educated person, and this is why so many people attend colleges and universities. It is not only what you learn in class as far as "book facts," like what year someone was born or when a certain chemical was discovered, it is also how well you learn to deal with responsibility and how you can make critical decisions. To give an example, here are a few of the individual colleges' that make up the University of Arkansas, mission statements: "The mission of the College of Ed... ... Granted, he said he uses some of the things he learned, but he could have gotten those things in almost any area he could have studied. Now it is time for you to decide if you think it is contradictive to choose a major, or if it is just a part of the educational process. I have shown you the technical definitions of some of the main words or ideas in education, does your definition match up? Hopefully this essay will help you while deciding on many things within your educational journey or even while setting up educational standards for a college or university. We must think about issues like this because such an importance is put on education, so it should not be taken lightly. I guess one reason people consider it so important goes back to the saying that education is something no one can ever take away from you. Once you get it, it is yours forever.

Culture and Motivation :: Business, Employee Motivation

Culture and Motivation According to Robbins, DeCenzo, and Coulter (2011) â€Å"motivation is the process by which a person’s efforts are energized, directed, and sustained toward attaining a goal† (p. 267). Organizations are always looking for new ways to motivate employees. In a global economy it is important to understand that cultural differences can impact how an organization can motivate its employees. Geert Hofstede (as cited in Sledge, Miles, & Coppage, 2008) believed there are five dimensions of culture. These five dimensions are power distance, individualism versus collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity versus femininity, and Confucian dynamism (p. 1670). This paper will discuss each dimension of culture and how they could effect employee motivation. Power Distance According to Sledge, Miles, and Coppage (2008) power distance is â€Å"the degree to which control and influence are distributed unequally in society† (p. 1670). In a country with a high power distance employees would not feel comfortable voicing their opinions or disagreeing with their managers. Empowering employees would not work well because employees would be scared to take actions on their own. Employees would feel more comfortable with structure and strict procedures. In countries with low power distance managers could benefit from empowering employees. Employees are free to voice their opinions and develop and express new ideas or plans. Empowerment would motivate employees more in a country with low power distance. Individualism versus Collectivism According to Sledge, Miles, and Coppage (2008) individualism versus collectivism is â€Å"the concepts of ‘I and Me’ versus ‘We and Us’† (p. 1670). Some cultures rely heavily on groups and teams. Collective societies look at group accomplishments rather than individual accomplishments. Some countries such as China and Japan rely heavily on groups. Countries like the United States and Canada are more of an individualism society. People focus more on individual accomplishments. Teams have started to become popular in the United States, but are not as effective as in a collective society. In a country where individualism is strong individual recognition and rewards would be effective motivators. Uncertainty Avoidance Sledge, Miles, and Coppage (2008) explain uncertainty avoidance as â€Å"the degree of risk aversion† (1670). In a country with high uncertainty avoidance there may be more policies and procedures in place. In a culture with low uncertainty avoidance companies could empower employees to develop new ideas. Culture and Motivation :: Business, Employee Motivation Culture and Motivation According to Robbins, DeCenzo, and Coulter (2011) â€Å"motivation is the process by which a person’s efforts are energized, directed, and sustained toward attaining a goal† (p. 267). Organizations are always looking for new ways to motivate employees. In a global economy it is important to understand that cultural differences can impact how an organization can motivate its employees. Geert Hofstede (as cited in Sledge, Miles, & Coppage, 2008) believed there are five dimensions of culture. These five dimensions are power distance, individualism versus collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity versus femininity, and Confucian dynamism (p. 1670). This paper will discuss each dimension of culture and how they could effect employee motivation. Power Distance According to Sledge, Miles, and Coppage (2008) power distance is â€Å"the degree to which control and influence are distributed unequally in society† (p. 1670). In a country with a high power distance employees would not feel comfortable voicing their opinions or disagreeing with their managers. Empowering employees would not work well because employees would be scared to take actions on their own. Employees would feel more comfortable with structure and strict procedures. In countries with low power distance managers could benefit from empowering employees. Employees are free to voice their opinions and develop and express new ideas or plans. Empowerment would motivate employees more in a country with low power distance. Individualism versus Collectivism According to Sledge, Miles, and Coppage (2008) individualism versus collectivism is â€Å"the concepts of ‘I and Me’ versus ‘We and Us’† (p. 1670). Some cultures rely heavily on groups and teams. Collective societies look at group accomplishments rather than individual accomplishments. Some countries such as China and Japan rely heavily on groups. Countries like the United States and Canada are more of an individualism society. People focus more on individual accomplishments. Teams have started to become popular in the United States, but are not as effective as in a collective society. In a country where individualism is strong individual recognition and rewards would be effective motivators. Uncertainty Avoidance Sledge, Miles, and Coppage (2008) explain uncertainty avoidance as â€Å"the degree of risk aversion† (1670). In a country with high uncertainty avoidance there may be more policies and procedures in place. In a culture with low uncertainty avoidance companies could empower employees to develop new ideas.

African American History Essay

Introduction The America that was there after the conclusion of the civil war is nothing like the America we recognize presently. Significant events have occurred since 1865 that have shaped our understanding of what America is today. Major industrialization and urbanization, equal rights for all citizens and the two major world wars that have shaped our understanding of what America is today. While, there are numerous events that have shaped America, there are few events that have served as markers of change for the entire society, particularly for the African Americans. From 1619 to 1865, a significant number of African American immigrated to the United States as slaves. Ever since the arrival of the first African Americans in Point Comfort, currently known as Fort Monroe in Hampton, the African American community has made significant strides in the community. However, the major event that occasioned this strikes transpired in 1865: the abolishment of slavery. This marked as a single major event that catapulted the African American society to where it is today. This article will examine the history of African American from 1865 to today. In 1865, the civil war between the north and south, or civil war as it is known came to an end. This was a time of great upheaval in the American society. The entire American society was attempting to integrate, and become part of the union. The south had agreed to integrate and become part f the union (Feagin, 2014). The South had consented to join the union. In the same year, President Lincoln was assassinated. The conclusion of the Civil War occasioned the beginning of the period of reconstruction. This period was characterized by upheaval, and the AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1865 3 country attempted to reintegrate itself, and also integrate the southern. This was a period of new beginning for the entire nation (Gates, 2012). The Constitution 13th amendment was ratified, abolishing slavery in the United States of America. This phase is edged in history as one of the most imperative event in the African Americans history (Feagin, 2014). During the era of reconstruction, which lasted from 1865 to 1876, significant events occurred that shaped the lives of African Americans. The African Americans begun the process of reintegration, and they found themselves with a system that they were not used to. This period was not just a period of reintegration for the white people, but rather for the entire nation (Feagin, 2014). During this time, it was particularly challenging to the African Americans because they were attempting to integrate to a society that was heavily biased against them. During the reconstruction period, there was little political and social agreement, especially over the issues of who should be permitted to vote (Gates, 2012). There were disagreements as to whether confederates, ex-slaves or those slaves that fought during the war should be allowed to vote. The death of President Lincoln and the establishment of new administration under President Andrew Johnson made the process of reintegration more complex for African Americans (Feagin, 2014). In 1866, legislation known as the ‘Black Codes’ was overwhelmingly passed by every white legislator of the former confederate States. The black codes greatly hampered the ability of African Americans to be reintegrated into the society (Gates, 2012). During that same year, the Congress passed the Civil rights act, which conferred citizenship rights to all African Americans, and giving those equal rights and liberties as to those of the white-American people (Feagin, 2014). The 14th amendment was ratified, in 1868, which defined citizenship for the African Americans, and also which overturned the Dred Scot decision (Gates, 2012). The 14th amendment strengthened the civil and legal rights of the African Americans, elucidating among other things, AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1865 4 that no state in the union shall deprive any African Americans their due process in law and the equal protections provided in the law (Feagin, 2014). The 14th amendment ensured, to some extent that the African Americans civil rights were protected. The 14th Amendment reversed the United States Supreme Court ruling in Dred Scott v. Sanford, which ruled that African Americans were not truly United States citizens (Feagin, 2014). The 14th amendment had several profound impacts on the lives of African Americans. First off, the amendment integrated African Americans into the society, by overruling the previous ruling that African Americans were not truly American citizens (Gates, 2012). Secondly, the 14th amendment prohibited the national and state governments from depriving any person, including African Americans, liberty, life and property without due regard and process as established in law. By guarding the civil liberties and rights of African Americans, the law inflicted a penalty, which entailed the loss of electoral votes and the loss of congressional seats, on states that dispossessed African Americans of their voting rights. Thirdly, the 14th amendment guaranteed all Americans, regardless of their racial affiliations protection under the law (Feagin, 2014). This clause serves an essential foundation for the decision to repeal the ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that overturned segregation. The 15th amendment was ratified in 1870, which gave African Americans voting rights. As the third and final amendment to be ratified in the reconstruction period, the 15th amendment forbids the national and state governments from refusing a citizen the voting rights based on that citizen’s color, race or servitude (Feagin, 2014). The adoption of the 15th amendments was greeted with extensive celebrations in African American communities and other abolitionist societies. The sense among African Americans is that their rights had been offered protected and secured. The adoption of the 15th Amendment completed a series of civil change, and it was one of the most significant events African American historical events. The 15th amendment meant AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1865 5 that the African American communities did not require the protection they were being offered by the government (Feagin, 2014). Towards the end of the reconstruction era, the south recognized that it would no longer be conceivable to hold on the perspective of recreating itself out of the North. In spite of this, there was still lingering tensions between the North and South (Feagin, 2014). Although equal rights were granted to African Americans, they did not fully enjoy them. While African Americans enjoyed expanded freedoms, it would not be till nearly a hundred years later, during the Civil rights movement that the entire fruits of reconstruction would be seen. The period of reconstruction ended in 1877, during which, a deal was struck with Democratic leaders from the south, to make Rutherford B. Hayes the U. S president, in exchange for the withdrawal of federal troops from the south, and which stops the efforts to protect the Civil liberties of African Americans. In the period after the reconstruction era, rapid industrialization followed. During this period, African Americans on the south started escaping to the North to run away from oppression (Gates, 2012). In 1879, thousands of African Americans moved to the north. In the industrialization period, rapid industrialization and development ensued in big cities in the United States. Construction of railroads spread across the country. Railroads encouraged the growth and expansion of cities (Gates, 2012). Many Africa Americans migrated to the cities to work in the processing and production companies. In 1881, Tennessee ratified the first of the ‘Jim Crow’ segregation rules, which segregated stated railroads. Over the next 15 years, similar laws were passed throughout the southern States. The segregation laws caused African Americans to migrate to the northern States (Gates, 2012). The Jim Crow segregation laws conferred a separate but equal status to all African Americans. In practice, the separation led to circumstances for African Americans that were second-rate to those offered to white Americans. AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1865 6 systematizing several of economic, educational and socials disadvantages. The southern states had De jure while de facto applied in the northern states (Feagin, 2014). The Jim Crow segregation laws inflicted segregation in housing, which was imposed by covenants, job discrimination, and loan lending discrimination in banks, and also African Americans were also discriminated in labor unions (Gates, 2012). During the industrialization era, companies came up across various cities. African Americans were increasingly becoming urbanized, and left their farms and homesteads, and moved to big cities to get jobs. In 1887, the ‘standing Lincoln’ statue was unveiled at Augustus Saint gardens in Chicago (Feagin, 2014). The Plessey v. Ferguson case was a milestone ruling in the United States. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that ‘Jim Crow’s separate but equal segregation policies to be legal, and begin being implemented. These laws barred African Americans from equal access in all public facilities. The 1900s marked the rise of civil rights movement across the United States. In 1954, the court in Brown v. Board of education case, ruled that segregation in education facilities to be unconstitutional and this measure strike down segregation in education facilities (Feagin, 2014). In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white man. Her defiance offered the start of a momentum to the civil rights movement that spread across the United States. She was not the first black person to refuse to wake up for a white person, but by the time of her action, there was growing resentment and anger in the African American society for being treated as second-class citizens. Word went around about Montgomery mistreatment and arrest (Feagin, 2014). The Women’s Political Council resolved to protest Rosa Park’s ill-treatment by arranging a bus boycott to start on the day of Parks’ trial, December 5th. Martin Luther King Jr. and the African American community established an association, the MIA (Montgomery Improvement Association) to carry on boycotting until the AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1865 7 Jim Crow segregation laws were altered (Feagin, 2014). The key objective was to stop segregation in the public transport system and other sections of the society, and also to employ African-American drivers in Montgomery. The public unrest ensured for 382 days, costing the Montgomery bus company he sums of money, however the city declined to give in (Feagin, 2014). The Montgomery protest leaders filed a national lawsuit in opposition to the city’s segregation rules, claiming that Montgomery desecrated the 14th Amendment. In 1956, a national court stated that the Montgomery segregation rules were unlawful, but lawyers for Montgomery County appealed. On November 3rd, 1956 the Supreme Court ruled that the segregation laws in Montgomery were illegal. During the protest, the Montgomery authorities made many arrests (Feagin, 2014). At one time, the police detained a group of African Americans waiting for carpool pick-ups. A court jury acknowledged the boycott unlawful, and 115 protest leaders were detained. In 1957, Martin Luther King, Jr. established the Southern Christian Leadership conference, which served as the forefront engine of the civil rights movement. The conference served as the main council for organizing civil rights protests across United States. The civil right movements were against discrimination of any kind and the fair treatment of all people, regardless of their color across United States. The civil right movement characterized main campaigns and protests of civil resistance (Feagin, 2014). The civil rights movements lasted between 1955 and 1968. The civil rights movements were characterized by civil disobedience and non-violent protests. In 1964, the civil rights act was ratified, and it prohibited all acts of discrimination. In 1965, The Voting Rights Act was ratified, and it outlaws the carried out in the South to disenfranchise black voters. In 1967, the first African American senator, Edward W. Brooke, was elected, and he served for two terms (Feagin, 2014). Martin Luther. King, Jr. was assassinated in Tennessee, which was one of the sad moments in African American AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1865 8 history. The election of Barack Obama served as a significant milestone for United States, particularly the African American community. President Barack Obama was elected the first African-American president, in 2008. President’s Barack Obama’s election served as one of the most significant milestone for the African Americans community (Feagin, 2014). A racial divide that was there between the African Americans and white Americans was erased, and it was erased for all eternity. President Barack Obama was elected for a second term in office, which signaled the apparent rise of the African American community to the top (Feagin, 2014). In his second term in office, President Barack Obama has shown that there are things that seem more possible for the African Americans, than they were in his first term. He has made African Americans realize that they can achieve anything if they want to, and made their expectations realistic. Conclusion From the shackles of slavery in the 1800s, the African American community has risen to take full advantage of their civil liberties and freedoms. For over 300 years, African Americans fought for their civil rights and freedom. The African Americans struggles have been a major issue in each juncture of United States history. In 1776, when slave-holders were revolting in opposition to the menace of British abolitionism, the African Americans formed part of the American Revolution. During the civil war, the African Americans were also part of the struggles. African Americans have endured as much as any other community and have fought for the rights and liberties of all people in the community. From the attainment of freedom, and the struggle to get equal rights and civil liberties, the election of Barack Obama as the first African- American President, the African American community can gladly say that the racial divide between the Blacks and white Americans has been completely erased. AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE 1865 9 References Feagin, J. R. (2014). Racist America: Roots, current realities, and future reparations. London: Routledge. Gates, H. L. (2012). The Oxford Handbook of African American Citizenship, 1865-present. London, UK: Oxford University Press.