Hilton Hotels Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Hilton Hotels - Case Study Example 2The following are the roles that human resources have been played at the Hilton Hotels all over the world. Employees at the Hilton Hotels are extremely efficient in the delivery of services, the employees have been receiving training with an attempt to see to it that they are seen to be efficient, training is also a way by which workers are empowered and therefore this is a strategy aimed at achieving employee loyalty.3 Efficiency in economics refers to a situation in which a firm production process is optimum to avoid unnecessary expenses.4 Any guest visiting any of the Resorts leaves no room to complain after having been served by the company's employees who are highly trained. While inside the hotels the customers are attended to by the employees, who are on duty during the day and night. 5 All the 48000 rooms are fixed with telephones services just to ensure that the customers regardless of the status are attended to as he or she wishes. Orders made at the hotel Are delivered with the shortest time possible, this is mainly facilitated by the efficiency of the Chefs and the Waiters and the waitresses.6 The Hilton Hotel rooms are serviced daily and beddings and other e... fe saver attendants whose work is to ensure the safety of the guests enjoying their stay and taking a swim at the pool, should any emergency occur, the attendants who are at the pools at any time of the day and night attend to this and therefore reducing fatalities, a report on Five star Hotels in Europe showed that Hilton Resorts was top three in Efficiency with less that sixteen percent accidents 2006.Hilton Hotels therefore maintains high levels of efficiency.7 2. Customer satisfaction There are several ways to know whether a customer has been satisfied by the services and goods you are offering them, the aim of this findings is to ensure that those customers coming back and also is to see that customers responses are positive at all times. Customer's example tourists and government officials who visit various countries have been accommodated by Hilton Hotels. Various dignitaries including Presidents, ambassadors, have developed the tendency of making sure that they are booked to Hilton Hotels wherever they go, they shows that they have been getting satisfaction in the process of being the guest of the hotels. The human resources department in all the Hilton hotel resorts have trained their employees to ensure they impress their guests by way of ensuring that they are handled with care right from the time they show up at the reception with their luggage's being taken care of by attendants, and the Hotels have a policy of ensuring that each guest is assigned to a particular hospitable staff who attends to his or her need during the time period the customer stays at the hotel.8 The Hilton Hotel employee makes sure that their guests are extremely impressed with the services offered at the hotel. This ultimately ensures that the customers are satisfied with the

Case Study Templeton hardware

Case Study Templeton hardware Executive Summary This report provides an analysis on the case study of Templeton hardware and its acquisition of the two companies, namely lodestone landscapes and the great outdoors. Through this case study of Templeton hardware, it can be seen that the acquisition of this two companies have had its detrimental effects, therefore requiring the need to accurately identify the source problems. Three toolkits are used in this report to diagnose the issues that are present. They are namely SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), six thinking hats and brainstorming. These toolkits help to remove the communication barriers and organisational conflicts which are present. Adding to the toolkits, interventions could be used together with the toolkits to ease the change process in the organisation. The report proceeds on to provide further recommendation which could be used as a platform to make necessary changes to curb the economic downfall of Templeton Hardware. The recommendation s thus aim to aid in the recovery process. It is recommended that Templeton Hardware should set goals and targets with their employees which are both challenging and achievable. This would enhance cooperation and cohesiveness among the employees in the company. Intervention strategies can also be used to achieve the organizations overall effectiveness. 1. Introduction This report recommends measures and solutions to Templeton Hardware on improving business prospects and helping the organization restructure in the best approach to enhance its performance. The toolkits that have been used to diagnose and identify key issues are the SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), six thinking hats and brainstorming. 1.1 Case Overview and Key Issues Templeton Hardware was Australias leading hardware chain. It acquired The Great Outdoors and Lodestone Landscapes to cement its place as the leading retailer of â€Å"all things outdoor†. Its CEO, Jacquie Todori overconfidence had drove what was later discovered as a poor business decision with detrimental effects for the organisation. The Difference in management styles caused organisational conflicts and problems started to arise one at a time. Expectations were not met and the business as a whole was spiralling downwards at an alarming rate. The board was not happy with Jacquies decision and was anticipating changes to the company. 2. Diagnosis 2.1 SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is employed at a management level to evaluate the current position of the business and determine future management strategies by putting problems into perspective. It also helps to uncover opportunities that can be exploited, manage and minimise threats, understand business weaknesses and capatalise on company strengths (Clark, 2008). 2.1.1 Strengths Strengths are the internal characteristics of the business that give it a competitive edge over others(Marketing Teacher, 2000). Templeton Hardware was recognised as Australias biggest hardware chain which shows its position as a market leader. They secured a significant portion of the market share and had the capability to acquire two established companies. Templeton Hardware had a constant growth vision to expand and diversify its companys products and to enter different market segments to make it more profitable. Part of its growth vision required decisions which had adverse effects and Templeton Hardwares willingness to take the risk to acquire the two companies can be considered a strength. Templeton Hardwares decision to offer jobs to the franchisees shows the necessary measures taken to retain employees and keep them in employment without retrenching them. 2.1.2 Weaknesses Weaknesses are internal aspects that could possibly endanger the business or obstruct further economic growth (Mindtools, 1996). Insufficient market research and lack of foresight led to a decline in sales targets and failing to achieve its profit expectations. The loss of product exclusivity resulted in Templeton Caravans not being able to attract its primary target audience, essentially the baby boomers, whom were perceived as having the capital and mindset to purchase caravans. Templeton Caravans had clearly failed to understand the trends, mindset and spending patterns of baby boomers and that led to dissatisfaction and avoidance. The change in management style saw few franchisees from Lodestone Landscapes accept offers in the new organisation, namely Templeton Landscape Solutions, and even they decided to leave after a period of time. The acquisition of The Great Outdoors led to generic products being produced. Products were generally seen as being mass produced and not client s pecific. By outsourcing the projects it had received, Templeton Landscape Solutions managed its talents poorly and overall service standards dropped. The company as a whole saw negative survey comments and this poor feedback started to feed its growing unfavourable reputation. The organisation also had ineffective management of its resources and had not been hiring enough staff to ensure work ran efficiently in the optimum manner. 2.1.3 Opportunities Opportunities are external aspects that an organisation can use to its advantage to improve existing conditions (The Economic Times, 2014). Templeton Hardware should first look into achieving a good financial position which would improve its declining reputation and would enable it to secure bank loans for future investments. It should also look into sending its employees and management executives for team building activities and to increase the cohesiveness among them. By providing its staff with the relevant skills, its workforce can be effectively managed and relevant departments could have job specialists who have broad knowledge on their job scope. This helps to reduce the role ambiguity among its staff since an employee is assigned to few specific tasks and not many interdepartmental roles. Templeton Hardware could also invest in technological infrastructure to improve its customer management system. Employees can then follow up with clients in a more efficient manner and this removes the need for clients to repeat themselves which dealing with different. This system could also record a history of transactions to facilitate future purchases or warranty conditions. Templeton Hardware could move into creating a conglomerate-like business model by having unrelated businesses running under one roof, move its existing products into new market sectors or seek takeover opportunities from competitors whom are on the verge of bankruptcy. 2.1.4 Threats Threats are components in the business environment that could cause potentially cause trouble for the organisation (The Economic Times, 2014). The large and increasing number of competitors could give potential choices to its customers and could deter them from purchasing at Templeton Hardware. This could lead to loss of market share and revenue and pave further downfall. Continuous usage of outsourcing its projects can result in its outsourcing companies becoming competitors in the future as they will now have direct contact with the clients. With respect to its employees, the companys inability to retain existing employees would cause a loss in tacit knowledge and staffs years of experience and it may have to consume time and resources to train new employees. The rising cost of wages and higher employer to employee contributions could affect the profitability of the business. Also, if Templetons existing products lines become unpopular or not needed in large quantities, downsizing of the organisation would be a looming possibility. The SWOT analysis diagnoses in a prioritised manner and actions can be taken accordingly. The SWOT analysis offers a way of collecting data but can sometimes be used as an overview of the situation. 2.2 Six Thinking Hats The Six Thinking Hats is used in business settings by various organizations. During meetings, everyone present would have to put on different hats and approach the problems from different perspectives. This notion allows organizations to diagnose issues effectively, make better decisions and come up with creative ideas (De Bono Consulting, 2000). There is no one best approach to using the six thinking hats with reference to which hat should be used first. 2.2.1 White Thinking Hat This hat is used to gather information that is required to address the issue at hand. Data is presented objectively without the presence of arguments and beliefs. (Volunteering North Queensland Inc, 2003) In the case of Templeton Hardware, it can be seen that it is currently facing an economic downfall and the presence of a new competitor in the market added pressure. Templeton Hardware had acquired two reputable companies, namely The Great Outdoors and Lodestone Landscapes. After the acquisitions, the franchisees were offered jobs but they were rejected. The centralized outlook was seen by the baby boomers as a big generic business which impacted the exclusivity of the caravans. Feedback from customers projected poor customer follow-up, constant rotation of sales persons and poor time management. The customers also disliked the impersonal approach of Templeton Hardware and outsourcing. Lastly, the board was unhappy as the business was declining. 2.2.2 Red Thinking Hat Feelings and emotions are addressed when using this hat. (De Bono Thinking Systems, 1992). The red hat identified the boards unhappiness and frustrations with the company’s performance. In addition, the franchisees who were offered jobs after Templeton Hardwares acquisition left after sometime due to conflicting management styles. The board was also fearful of losing the companys image and reputation to a competitor. The annoyance and dissatisfaction among customers was evident through the feedback received and the baby boomers were disappointed with the lack of exclusivity of the caravans. 2.2.3 Black Thinking Hat This hat helps to identify complications and limitations in a situation and helps to steer the organization into the right path. (Mercier Associates, 2012). The lack of market research conducted prior to the two acquisitions and the overconfidence of the board led to the downfall of Templeton Hardware. The board was not prepared for failure and there was no contingency plans in the event of a failure. Templeton Hardware did not understand the spending trends and mindset of their target audience, namely the baby-boomers, which led to the outlook of low brand exclusivity. This resulted in declining sales and possible bankruptcy. Poor customer service was evident from the customer feedback. Clients were unhappy that Templeton Hardware outsourced their projects instead of getting it done on their own. However, the shortage of manpower could be one of the factors why it had done so. It may be necessary for Templeton Hardware to increase their expenditure with regards to hiring new staff and training them. 2.2.4 Yellow Thinking Hat This hat signifies positive thinking, new possibilities and advantages. (Volunteering North Queensland Inc, 2003). The acquisitions of the two companies showed Templeton Hardwares plans to enter a new market segment and increase its profits. By increasing its staff, its efficiency can improve and can lead to a positive impact on sales targets and customer satisfaction. Better sales numbers can also increase the long-term sustainability of the organization and market share with the possibility of overthrowing its competitor. 2.2.5 Green Thinking Hat This hat helps individuals to come up with new recommendations and alternatives to solve the company’s problems through creative thinking (Marissa Martinez, 2009). Templeton Hardwares board could restructure the organization into a more de-centralized one and re-brand its products to increase its exclusivity. Templeton Hardware can improve productivity and time management standards by looking at how other companies operate. Advertisements can be placed in the media for job positions and opportunities to bring in an influx of employees to solve the shortage of staff. Employees should be given opportunities to voice out their concerns and put through special programs to enhance their level of service orientation and communication skills when handling customers. Job scopes can also be better enlarged and enriched in order to improve performance standards. 2.2.6 Blue Thinking Hat This hat sets the agenda for meetings, manages the processes and helps to reach productive conclusions (De Bono Consulting, 2000). There is a primary need to identify the issues, analyse them and solve the problems. Some of the key objectives would be to ensure the long-term sustainability of the company, improving the job security of employees so as to prevent the shortage of manpower, improving customer satisfaction by sending the employees for training and lastly to regain a bigger piece of the market share in order to have a competitive edge over the new competitor. Templeton Hardware can reach these objectives by adopting a change in management. The staff should also be briefed about the challenges during and after the change (Holley et al, 2011). In addition, the creation of a clear company vision would better inform its employees of the company’s core values. It is also imperative that the transition is managed effectively and a momentum is sustained after this transiti on. After the transition period is over, the team can strategise to increase the profitability of the organization. 2.3 Brainstorming Brainstorming is often used as an effective tool to come up with innovative solutions for problems which may exist internally or externally in an organisation. A general process can be used to create an outline of the issues and solutions to the key problems (Oslapas, 1993). 2.3.1 Problem Definition The main problem to be addressed would be the declining yields and returns in Templeton Hardwares business model. The customers, the companys board and management and organisations circumstances are established criterias to be used to convene the brainstorming. 2.3.2 Collating Data Creating Solutions The management decision to acquire two new companies without enough market research and its lack of foresight is evident. It failed to foresee all the outcomes that may arise from the acquistion and was overconfident that the outcome would be a positive one. The solution would simply be to conduct more extensive research on market conditions and develop products according to the market needs and requirements. Templeton Hardware should also look into enhancing its brand value and exclusivity. The companys board should take a more proactive role in making major decisions from a broader perspective and contingency plans can be drawn up in the event of an adverse outcome. The change in management styles and poor employee management led to high job dissatisfaction levels. This impacted employee retention numbers and the employees willingness to remain at the organisation as they did not feel appreciated. The employees felt overworked and were unsure of their own job scope as they had been tasked with interdepartmental duties. Team building and bonding enables each of their staff to get to know one another better and increases the staff unity and morale (Spaho, 2013). To prevent the staff from feeling stagnant in their job, they should implement job enlargement measures by retaining its existing staff and retraining them with the necessary skills (Cloke et al, 2000). Employees can also be more involved in decision making as this would give them a sense of responsibility and make them feel valued in the company. A flatter organisation structure would bridge the gap between the management and the employees and help the management to get a bottom up persp ective from ground zero. Customer service declined as employees were usually engaged in multiple responsibilities. This made customers dissatisfied and sales targets were not achieved. Previously, it was perceived that if a customer had patronised the store and purchased something, he/she would return to make future transactions. However, this is a wrong perspective and Templeton Hardware should look into providing something which surpasses its competitors marketing strategies. This could be customer service or the use of an â€Å"no frills, rock bottom pricing† marketing strategy. By adopting a customer centric structure, they need to train staff to have higher service standards (Pathak, 2010). The staff should understand customer needs and should be rewarded accordingly using performance appraisals or awards as a form of recognition (Lucas, 2009). 3. Recommendations Templeton Hardware should look into team building and team bonding activities to enhance cohesiveness while increasing its autonomy to involved more employees in the decision making. It should retain and retrain existing staff to increase job productivity and specialisation. Temporary downsizing should be implemented if the situation calls for. Through investments in technological infrastructure and by adopting a customer centric structure, it can enhance its customer management system. Templeton Hardware can also create a RD department to conduct extensive market and product research. The board should also contribute by increasing its pro-activeness in making decisions and contingency planning. It can also look into potentially enhancing the brand value and image through marketing campaigns or word of mouth. 4. Conclusion In conclusion, by using the appropriate Organization Development Consultant’s Toolkits such as SWOT Analysis, Six Thinking Hats and brainstorming, a deeper perspective of the companys situation has been attained. The main problems have been identified and a constructive approach can be taken towards resolving the problems. From the diagnosis conducted using these toolkits, enhancing Templeton Hardwares overall cohesiveness while maintaining the level of employee performance and management is a realistic target. Furthermore, implementing structural change strategies during organization change would further enhance organization effectiveness and better facilitate the transition period.

Midieval Technology And Social Change :: essays research papers

Medieval Technology and Social Change Medieval Technology and Social Change Oxford University Press first published Medieval Technology and Social Change in 1962. It discusses the technological advances during the medieval times and how these changes affected society. The book's author, Lynn White, Jr., was born in San Francisco in 1907. Educated at Stanford, Union Theological, and Princeton, White taught at Princeton and the University of California at Los Angeles. He was also president of Mills College in Oakland from the 1940s to the 1960s. His other works include Medieval Religion and Technology: Collected Essays, published in 1978 and Life & Work in Medieval Europe, the Evolution of Medieval Economy from the Fifth to the Fifteenth Century, published in 1982. White's work has been influential both in medieval history and the history of science. In Medieval Technology and Social Change, White examines the role of technological innovation during the rise of social groups in the Middle Ages. White begins with the in vention of the stirrup. He shows how this innovation, in turn, introduced heavy, long-range cavalry to the medieval battlefield. The development thus escalated small-scale conflict to "shock combat." Cannons and flame-throwers followed, as did more peaceful inventions, such as watermills and reapers. White also reviews the development of the manorial system with the introduction of new kinds of plows and new methods of crop rotation. He reviews the evolution of the scratch plow into the heavy plow and explains the use of each type in different areas of Europe. White next discusses the social effects of feudalism and how it spread from the Franks to Spain and later to England. He shows that military service became a matter of class, with lands and titles being exchanged for the commitment to serve as mounted warriors. The concept of the knight's duty to his lord translated into chivalry and noble obligation. White then ventures into the slow collapse of feudalism, coming ab out with the development of machines and tools. This caused the introduction of factories, which took the place of cottage industries. Although White's work falls short in a few areas, it is valuable for the attention that it pays to aspects of medieval history that too often go ignored White's work is important because he advocates the importance of science and technology to medieval history. Before White, few scholars thought that any significant science or engineering was done in Europe during the Middle.

The Bully – Original Writing

Susan stood sobbing quietly in a toilet cubicle. She waited for the pounding footsteps to die away before emerging. Cautiously she gazed out of the entrance and then turned to face the dirty mirrors in front of her. She gently prodded the skin below her swelling left eye and flinched with pain. On examining her face she saw that as well as the blotchy redness that appears on your face after crying the beginnings of bruising were also emerging. She heard footsteps approaching and ran quickly back into the cubicle and locked the door. â€Å"Susan! Susan are you in here?† called a voice softly, â€Å"It's me, Nadine.† The door to the cubicle opened slowly and Susan emerged. â€Å"Oh my God!† exclaimed Nadine, â€Å"I heard them laughing and talking but I didn't think they'd actually done anything! Are you ok? Does it hurt?† â€Å"I'm fine!† snapped Susan â€Å"It doesn't matter now anyway. Do you have any foundation? I can't let Mom and Dad see this.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah of course I do† murmured Nadine; she had given up trying to persuade Susan to tell her parents about the bullies a long time ago. Nadine delved into her bag and pulled out a stick of foundation. The two girls went over the afternoons happenings as Susan carefully applied foundation to cover the bruising which was now a shade of red on her pale face. By the time she was finished the bell had rung and it was lunchtime. Susan and Nadine said goodbye and Susan left for home. â€Å"Susan? Is that you?† she heard her mother's voice sing from the sitting room. â€Å"Yeah, I wasn't feeling too good so I came home.† Susan mumbled. You should have called and asked me to pick you up† her mother replied sharply, † We bought you that mobile phone for a reason.† Susan, who was still standing in the hallway, hadn't told her parents about the gang of girls who tormented her. Therefore they did not know that her new Nokia phone had been stolen from her bag last week and by now had probably been sold on to someone for half the price Susan's parents had paid for it. â€Å"Susan? Come sit in here with me and I'll make you a nice cup of camomile tea.† â€Å"No it's ok mom,† Susan wondered why camomile tea was her mother's answer for everything, â€Å"I think I'll just go lie in my room for a while I've got a really bad headache.† And with that Susan trudged upstairs. â€Å"Susan! Nadine's on the phone!† her mother called upstairs sometime later. Susan padded across the hallway and picked up the extension in her parent's room she spoke to Nadine and assured her that she was all right, whilst going over the day's events in her head. She had not gone down for dinner that evening but had called hello to her father from the top of the stairs when he arrived home from work so that he would not get suspicious. Half an hour later Susan had hung up the phone and was trying to do a little revision for the GCSE's she had coming up later that year but her thoughts continued to return to the bullies. She wondered what would happen if she told her parents of the suffering she had endured due to her persecutors. She could imagine her mothers reaction, a completely over the top drama queen act during which she would insist on going directly to talk to the headmaster in whose office she would continually sob about her daughter's anguish and demand justice as though it were a court room. Her father on the other hand would tell her to stand up for herself and fight back. â€Å"You're a big girl now.† He would tell her in that patronising tone of voice she knew so well, â€Å"You can't continue to rely upon your mother and I to fight your battles for you. You have simply got to stand up for yourself.† Yeah, a fat lot of good telling them would do she told herself before falling in a fitful sleep. The next morning she heard her mother come bustling into the bedroom, â€Å"How are feeling today dear?† she asked in that singsong tone of voice that got on Susan's nerves. Remembering what had happened the previous day Susan quickly drew her head under her covers and told her mother in a muffled voice that she was feeling no better but agreed to have some breakfast and asked for a head ache tablet. As soon as her mom left the room Susan clambered out of her bed and looked into the mirror that hung above her dressing table. The bruising was not as bad as it had looked like it was going to be yesterday although, it was dark under her eye and along the left side of her face. Susan scurried into the bathroom, foundation in hand. By the time she went downstairs for breakfast it was impossible to see the bruising. Susan took that Friday off and by the time Monday morning arrived the violent wave of purple bruising was almost gone. Nadine arrived at Susan's house at 8-30am on Monday morning so that the two friends could walk to school together. â€Å"I thought I was never gonna get out of there!† exclaimed Susan as she locked the front gate on her way out. â€Å"Did they not notice the bruising at all?† Nadine asked looking at Susan's face, Susan had covered it with foundation and you couldn't tell there were any marks on her face whatsoever. â€Å"Nope. And even if they did they didn't say anything to me.† The girls walked in silence until they reached the school. Susan froze outside. â€Å"It'll be fine. They won't say anything.† Nadine assured her. † Yeah, it'll be fine.† Echoed Susan, speaking more to herself then Nadine. Susan walked into her registration class and immediately she saw them, Lauren and Sophie glared at her as she marched purposefully to her teacher's desk, taking out the note her mother had written Susan handed it to Mrs. Fraeser and sat down at her seat beside Nadine. Susan felt that the next few weeks were fairly manageable, the two bullies did not go out of their way to intimidate her. Instead they stuck to small things, tripping her in hallways and throwing Polo's at her, but she was able to cope with all the little things that Sophie and Lauren did to put her down. Soon, Susan found that she was feeling better than she had done in a long while, the bruising had completely vanished and she and Nadine were getting along fine. One Friday morning about four weeks after returning to school Susan and Nadine arranged to go shopping in town. â€Å"I'll pick you up at about 10am tomorrow morning!† called Nadine as the bell signalling the end of the lunch break rang. â€Å"Ok!† was Susan's reply as she gathered her bag and made her way out of the toilets. She felt someone bump into her and glanced up to apologise when she saw Sophie and Lauren standing in front of the door. Susan straightened up and looked about her, the three of them were alone except for a girl who was applying make-up at the sink. Hastily Susan grabbed her things and headed for the door but before she got there she felt someone grab her roughly by the arm, spinning round she saw Sophie's leering face. â€Å"You!† Lauren called to the little girl at the sink, â€Å"Get out!† The girl looked up questioningly but left the bathroom anyway. â€Å"Long time, no see. Wouldn't you say so?† muttered Sophie, tightening her grip. â€Å"Let me go!† said Susan through gritted teeth. â€Å"Now, now.† Lauren chided sarcastically â€Å"That's no way to talk is it? Not very nice at all.† â€Å"Let me go! I'll scream if I have to.† Susan's voice was becoming high-pitched and her eyes were filling with tears. â€Å"Ooh! Poor ickle baby gonna have a cry. Here, I'll give you something to cry about.† Muttered Sophie letting go of Susan's arm and punching her. Susan tried to hit back but the two bullies wouldn't back off, Susan felt the punches and kicks rain down on her body. She sank to the ground but Lauren pulled her back to her feet. â€Å"No, we're going to do it properly this time!† she yelled banging Susan's head on the tiled walls. After that Susan could not tell how many times she was punched and she felt as if there were more than two people hitting her, suddenly she felt someone grab her throat and felt her head bang off something solid. She slumped to the ground and felt warm, sticky blood running down the back of her neck and the last thing she heard before slipping out of consciousness was the sound of laughter and running footsteps. It was a few hours later when she woke up in a hospital room and heard her father's voice, â€Å"Susan? How do you feel?† he asked. â€Å"I've got a headache.† Susan answered groggily, looking around her. Immediately a nurse bustled into the room and began fluffing pillows and checking Susan's pupils and pulse. After the nurse left Susan saw her mother sitting in a chair at the foot of the bed. â€Å"We're so sorry that we let this happen to you. But you've got a very good friend who told us what has been going on.† Said her mother with tears in her eyes. At that Nadine stepped in from behind the curtains and smiled at Susan. â€Å"They're going to be expelled, They're never gong to be able to get at you again.† Nadine said approaching Susan's bed and squeezing her hand. Susan nodded before finally falling into a much yearned for peaceful slumber.

How does Salinger present the character of Holden in the opening pages of the text? Essay

Salinger uses a variety of linguistic and literary techniques to create a realistic voice for the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, and to give the reader an idea of how this is achieved and presents the major concerns and thoughts of the character and the novel through these techniques. Salinger attempts to create the voice of a contemporary teenager through writing in the vernacular of this intended voice – the use of crude, colloquial lexis that Holden uses resembles this through his repetitive and continuous use of â€Å"phony† throughout the novel, for example â€Å"what a phony slob he is.† The use of colloquial language, coupled with the protagonists conditional direct address to the reader â€Å"If you really want to know†, is used by Salinger as an allusion to Holden being somewhat reluctant to telling us about himself and his past which leans the reader towards thinking that Holden is not well and that there may be something in his past which has caused Holden to be the way he is. The conditional also suggests that Holden views his life as boring and uninteresting, ergo the intensifier â€Å"really† and the conditional â€Å"if† are used by Salinger to convey Holden’s minor reluctance. In addition, the direct address also creates an immediate tenor with the audience which is engaging for the reader. Moreover, the reader learns that the protagonist is a social pariah –â€Å"the whole school was there except me† – an outcast that actively rebels against society and life and this is the reason the character adopts a studied boredom approach to questions. Furthermore, Salinger reinforces Holden’s apparent dismissive attitude towards his own life through the use of the literary reference â€Å"David Copperfield kind of crap†. This conveys the impression that the protagonist does not think his life is worth telling when, further on, it becomes apparent that Holden does actually want to tell the reader about the â€Å"madman stuff† that has happened to him. The reader learns that Holden is uncertain about his future and, indeed, his life in general through the vague expression â€Å"when I go home next month maybe.† This makes the reader wonder if Holden is well mentally and physically, which would explain the â€Å"madman stuff.† The reader becomes aware that Holden as a character has a very limited ability to express himself, and often relies on idiosyncratic phrases to convey his thoughts and feelings where he is unable to with words. An example of this would be Holden’s use of the adjective â€Å"old† in â€Å"old Selma Thurner† which he uses to convey friendly affection feelings towards the character. The protagonist also uses hyperbole to convey his emotions and thoughts, too, though generally in a much more sarcastic manner as illustrated by â€Å"supposed to commit suicide if old Pencey didn’t win†. As noted above, the reader learns that Holden uses the adjective â€Å"old† in a usually affectionate way, but in this instance he is using it sarcastically to convey a negative opinion toward his school. When the reader reads on, they learn that not only is Holden iconoclastically rejecting the education system but he is also rejecting the ideology of capitalism wh ich he views as the main source of the â€Å"phony† population. From this, the reader realises that not only is Holden a countercultural figure but also a cynic towards the capitalism ideology his society is based on. In addition, the protagonist’s repetitive use of blasphemy is used to express his thoughts on a topic, for example â€Å"cost him damn near four thousand bucks† though the reader realises he does not mean the blasphemy – seemingly, Holden does not notice it; it is simply part of his idiolect and is used by the protagonist in an effort to connect with the reader, creating an informal tenor between Holden and the audience. The use of contractions is used by Salinger to create an informal tenor between the protagonist and the reader and are shown to be common in Holden’s idiolect, and indeed the teenage sociolect that Salinger was writing in throughout the novel. This use of contractions, along with the taboo language used throughout the novel, is used to reinforce this image of Holden being a countercultural, rebellious teenager that controversially rejects capitalism and the education system through his countercultural behaviour. Furthermore, the reader becomes aware of Holden’s seemingly strained relationship with his family, particularly his seemingly implied coldness towards his brother, D.B. who is a writer. The italics â€Å"and he’s my brother and all† is used by Salinger to convey the mixed feelings of the protagonist to the reader. The italics is used by Salinger to reflect the sarcastic, verbal intonation of Holden and implies that Holden once liked and possibly admired his brother, but now he views him as â€Å"being a prostitute† – a sell-out, in Holden’s eyes. This reveals to the reader that Holden does not approve of â€Å"phony† actions like selling out your talent just to be successful. In addition, the audience also becomes aware that Holden’s strained relationships extend not only to the general public but to his own mother and father, too; â€Å"my parents would have about two haemorrhages apiece† illustrates to the audience that Holden has little avenue for expressing his emotions which causes the reader to wonder what the cause of Holden’s introversion is, later revealed to be the death of his younger brother who he was close to, Allie. In addition, the reader becomes aware of the protagonists opinions and thoughts on certain topics and their views on people in particular through the constant digression of the main character; Holden uses digression in place of actively expressing himself and it is present throughout the entire novel. Through this digression, the reader gains a valuable insight into Holden’s mind, especially when family and women are concerned: â€Å"she’s a pretty nice girl† reveals to the readers that Holden, despite being a teenager, is not interested in sex with girls despite his later claims to be a maniac, which illustrates an insecurity in Holden towards sex.

Summary of Wieland (by Charles Brockden Brown) essays

Summary of Wieland (by Charles Brockden Brown) essays As one of the first American novels, Wieland is a tale of illusions, confusion and irrational human behavior. Told from the perspective of Clara Wieland, this gothic story is set in post-revolutionary Pennsylvania and revolves around the miseries of her family. Even in the first few chapters the narrator presents the reader an unbelievable tale: the mysterious death of Claras father, who, after making a short visit to the familys little hut, never returns from that (from now on) desolate place. It is the beginning of a series of supernatural events that continues throughout the whole book. The main tragedy, however, begins to unfold its whole extent when Carwin, a kind of vagabond, enters the peaceful community. Clara seems to be magically attracted by him although this intruder certainly has evilness in his appearance. Though his role in the story is until the end very mysterious and unclear he seems to bring tragedy. The situation for the small community of Mettingen worsens when Wieland and Pleyel return from the hut totally disoriented. Like Claras father, they seem to have heard the same voices but no single human being similar to the events then this is again the first sign of future misery. Clara is totally enamored by this. Not much later she encounters the same experience when she hears ghostly voices in her own house. All the time she is sure that the events have something to do with Carwins appearance. When she finds out that her brothers children and his wife were killed, she suspects the intruder Carwin even more as being the murderer. This is, however, not exactly true: when her uncle tells her he knows about the whole story and presents her a court report on the case, Clara has to realize that her own brother, Wieland, was the assassin. Due to his statements he had to kill his own family since he received a sort of superhuman request. ...

Elements of Art

Elements of Art Each work of art has elements of unity and elements of variety. Variety balances out unity and keeps things interesting. The center of interest or focal point is the place the artist draws your eyes first. Artists use balance in order to construct paintings. These elements of art such as unity, variety, focal point or area of interest and balance will be used to give you a better understanding. Examples from "Giorgio de Chirico" (The Mystery and Melancholy of a Street, 1914), "Pablo Picasso" (Seated Nude, 1909, Spanish), "Francisco de Goya" (Saturn Devouring His Children, 1819) and "Piet Mondrain" (Devotie, 1908) will be used merely as informational pieces to convey these elements of art.Some ways of creating unity might be to make everything in a painting a similar color, or a series of repeating shapes, or a consistent texture made with brush strokes. At times, variety coerces the eye to pay particular attention to that object.Piet Mondrain chairsVariety occurs when an artist creat es something that looks different from the rest of the artwork. For example, "Giorgio de Chirico", (The Mystery and Melancholy of a street, 1914) depicts unity and variety with light/dark (cooler and warmer hues) various shapes and lines. Unity is depicted in the repletion of the square windows, directly above the repletion of archways alongside two buildings. Variety is depicted in the chosen colors and various shapes and lines. In "Chirico's" oil canvas, variety is applied by the contrasting of warmer hues aside the cooler hues (light and dark) conveying both space/distance and receding/closeness. The unity and variety in this canvas is brought together through the repetition depicted on the two buildings, the warmer hues and light expressing depth and the cooler hues and dark expressing the closeness. These same principles of the elements...

Character Study of Reverend Parris in The Crucible

Character Study of Reverend Parris in The Crucible Reverend Parris, a character in  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Ã¢â‚¬â€¹The Crucible play by Arthur Miller is considered to be despicable in many ways. This town preacher believes himself to be a pious man. In truth, he thirsts for power, land, and material possessions. Many of his parishioners, including the Proctor family, have stopped attending church on a regular basis. His sermons of hellfire and damnation have shunned many of Salem’s residents. Because of his unpopularity, he feels persecuted by many of the citizens of Salem. However, many residents, such as Mr. and Mrs. Putnam, favor Rev. Parris harsh sense of spiritual authority. He often bases his decisions off of self-interest, though he camouflages his actions with a faà §ade of holiness. For example, he once wanted his church to have gold candlesticks. Therefore, according to ​John Proctor, the Reverend preached only about the candlesticks until he attained them. In addition, Proctor mentions that Salems previous ministers never owned property. Parris, on the other hand, demands to have the deed of his home. He fears that the residents might cast him out of the town, and he, therefore, wants an official claim to his property. It is no coincidence that he considered all of the defendants enemies long before they were accused of witchcraft. He becomes even more pathetic during the play’s resolution. He wants to save John Proctor from the hangman’s noose, but only because he worries the town may rise against him and perhaps kill him in retaliation. Even after Abigail steals his money and runs away, he never admits fault, making his character all the more frustrating to behold.

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Business - Essay Example Inspite of these beneficiary effects, apprehensions have been elevated in Australia as well as most of the other developed countries regarding the impacts of freer global goods and services markets in respect to the trade and investment. The notion of economic globalisation has been a controversial aspect as observed by the current unrest at different World Trade Organisation (WTO) as well as World Economic Forum (WEF) conferences. The concern of the community with the notion of globalisation has not been inaccessible to the single aspect. Nevertheless sub-groups have now been coordinating their conflict into the single group that has been becoming further efficient threat to the concept of globalization (Globalisation and the Western Australia Economy, 2002, p. 1). In the post World War I period globalization has become one of the most important global aspects (Gilpin and Gilpin, 2001, p. 366). This paper is aimed at examining the definition of economic globalization and the effects that it is driving in respect to the economy of Western Australia. The research includes the evidence regarding the real effect of economic globalization, whether there have been any myths that must be dismissed and Western Australia’s position in the world economy. ... 23). All of these aspects have been attributed to the notion of globalization. As well, a growing amount of ecological and environmental aspects have been related to the process of globalisation (Kouzmin and Hayne, 1999, p. 1). These aspects have incorporated depletion of ozone layer, the biodiversity loss, as well as increments in the level of greenhouse gases along with acid rain. Several researchers, including Rodrik (2000) has heaved concerns that the notion of globalization has largely been utilized as the ‘catch-all’ slogan in the country and also within the community. This slogan has also created the consequence in it being responsible for different undesirable results. As a consequence it has been simplistic to scrutinize all the impacts outlined in different researches. It has been in effect important as it has been likely that such type of an advance would lead to blemished conclusions. It has also been significant to recognize that the notion of â€Å"globali zation is process-driven, and the merits of each of these processes should be evaluated separately – and not collectively under the banner ‘globalisation’† (Globalisation and the Western Australia Economy, 2002, p. 1). Globalization and Western Australian economy: Australia has recorded one of the most powerful levels of economic growth among all the developed nations during the 1990s. During this time the level of growth of per capita income of the country was averaging just below 3 per cent in each year. Monetary and macroeconomic policies emphasized on keeping the rate of inflation low. These policies have generated a comparatively stable economic environment for investment as

Managing Challenging Behaviour in Mental Heath Essay

Managing Challenging Behaviour in Mental Heath - Essay Example The primary information from this program would be supported by previous works by various scholars borrowed from books on mental health nursing and journals on mental health, mental health nursing and intellectual disability. Rationale There are various behaviours that people consider as challenging. Examples among those with learning disabilities include self injury, violence, ambivalence, sexual disinhibition, non-compliance and substance abuse (Callaghan & Waldock 2012). Considering adults with learning disability, Neno, Aveyard and Heath identified repetitive actions, screaming, shouting, running away and resisting care as some common challenging behaviour (2007). According to NHS (2012), challenging behaviour would be mostly observed among people who have conditions affecting the brain and communication like dementia and learning disability. Since communication defines human interaction with one another, its breakdown becomes a problem, leading to frustration which yields challe nging behaviour. If it leads to an outcome desired by the victim, then it could be repeated over and over again. The challenges experienced with these behaviours could be as a result of the support given or denied and problems resulting from inability to understand the things happening in the environment and how to communicate what such persons want. Having seen people with challenging behaviours in almost all the areas I have been working from as nursing student, I feel that learning how to manage such behaviours would be of paramount importance in my future profession as a mental health nurse. 1. Undertake and critically evaluate your transition activity Among the key areas of challenging behaviours that I undertook to train on included an evaluation of some of the common challenging behaviours, risk assessment, risk reduction and incidence prevention and treatment for those exhibiting such behaviours including forceful restraint. In as much as there was some focus on the role of the community, much emphasis was laid on my role as a mental health nurse in managing such situations. Understanding these facts from my perspective as a mental health nurse would be critical in my future role when handling people with learning disabilities. As noted by Emerson and Hatton (2008), these are the people who are likely to exhibit such behaviours. Much of the observed phenomena were from my experience having interacted with people with challenging behaviour in most of my undertakings. However, in this transition program, the observed phenomena were qualified with credible citation of supportive theories and findings from various scholars. I adopted the proposition by Ritter and Lampkin (2012) who categorised the triggers of challenging behaviours into primary, secondary and consequent. According to these scholars, primary causes are a result of the service user’s mental illness such as aggression when such a person hears voices. Secondary triggers result from symp toms of an illness which results in the service user responding negatively against other persons. Finally, consequential triggers would be caused by mental illness which leads to seeking for attention. However, it has always been difficult for me to identify a single cause of challenging behaviours in a person. Perhaps, the argument by the Xeniditis, Russel and Murphy (2012) that there would not be a unitary common cause associated with these behaviours. Having understood the causes of these behaviours, the transition program

Analysis of a management practitioner article using relevant Essay

Analysis of a management practitioner article using relevant organisational behaviour theory - Essay Example Taylor to a certain extent stressed that just monetary reward will motivate workers to perform better. Even though production dramatically increased, resentment and anger towards management ran high. The biggest impact that changed the outlook of the management world was the Hawthorne Studies (1923 - 1933), which indirectly established that workers motivate to other factors other than money and that they will perform better when they are appreciated. From then on theories that specifically stressed employee behaviour emerged. There is a marked difference in the approaches of the early theorists, and modern thinkers. While the early theories stressed that workers were motivated by money and that there were no conflict of interest between the goals of the workers and the organization. Now it is universally recognized that organizations are social entities and not just economic ones, workers are not motivated by money alone, there can exist conflict of interest between the employees' and organizational goals, employees need not always behave logically and existence of informal groups affect employee behaviour. "These studies added much to our knowledge of human behaviour in organizations and created pressure for management to change the traditional ways of managing human resources. The Human Relations Movement pushed managers toward gaining participative support of lower levels of the organization in solving organization problems. The Movement also fostered a more open and trusting environment and a greater emphasis on groups rather than just individuals" (Wertheim). A theory known as Theory Z has incorporated American and Japanese Management practices was propounded by Mr. William Ouchi in 1981. The salient points of this theory is efforts to provide long term employment, a hand in decision making, individual responsibility in the place of collective responsibility, slow evaluation of work and slow promotion and a concern toward the not only the employee but his family as well. "In 1981, William Ouchi came up with a method that would combine American and Japanese managing practice together to form Theory Z. In order for him to accomplish this, he had to learn about the Japanese culture. He had to find out why the Japanese quality and productivity were much higher than the American" (Colon). Literature review Organisational behaviour is the study of the behaviour of the human resources and its impact on the organisation. "Organisational Behaviour (OB) is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations" (Organisational behaviour. 2007). Organisational behaviour is the sum total of the behaviour of the employees in the organisation. The attitude of the management has great influence over the organisational behaviour. A better interpersonal relationship is very essential for a better organisational be

Louis Vuitton Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Louis Vuitton - Assignment Example 1). This love is not about to die anytime soon, as the corporation is still making sales and profits in the region. Louis Vuitton’s success in the Japanese market In the world, Japan is considered as being the most concentrated source of revenue, especially when it comes to luxury goods. In some cases, it has been mentioned as the market paradise for luxury brands. In Japan, the success of Louis Vuitton became possible as a result of the region’s consumer behaviour. As a result of the group-oriented culture, countless Japanese folks feel the need to possess luxury brands. This can be considered as a way for them to make a fashion statement (Feroul & Paul 2010, p. 6). Fashion consciousness among people in the region, especially women, seemed like a way of social expression that could not be matched by any city that was considered developed, for example; New York or Paris. The social and cultural consistency in Japan assisted the multinational corporation to explain the a ttachment people in Japan have to luxury brands. In Japan, looks are highly important especially among the middle class, which means that most of the people involved in the purchase of products always go for quality and sophistication (Feroul & Paul 2010, p. 8). ... Opportunities and challenges faced in Japan There are opportunities that arise with the market in Japan. One of the most crucial opportunities would be the mergers of different corporations/brands/people that are already well-known in different regions in Japan (Feroul & Paul 2010, p. 11). In doing so, the corporation may likely venture into different territory in terms of products, which enable it to make more money. One of the major challenges that the multinational corporation faces is its overdependence of the Japanese market. Relying too much on the Japanese market makes the corporation forget about other markets that are already familiar with their products, for example; America, and emerging markets such as India. Also, counterfeiting is a challenge for almost every luxury brand present in the world. For Louis Vuitton, the fashion label was synonymous with status. This means that only a few people get to be part of the luxury experience. Counterfeiting makes this impossible fo r the corporation (Feroul & Paul 2010, p. 12). Specifics of the Japanese fashion luxury market Japan represents the largest and most sought after market for luxury brands. Louis Vuitton, a brand synonymous with style and a lavish repertoire, claims to have its biggest share in the region as compared to any other region. The affordability of most of the brands is a factor in the Japanese market that plays a tremendous role in its growth. It is imperative that quality be one of the main concepts behind these brands, because consumers want something they can feel close to, and at the same time, feel like they are equal to some of the famous people they admire (Feroul & Paul 2010, p. 8). Luxury brand consumption in Japan seems like a compulsory action among most individuals. The jewellery and

Happiness 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Happiness 2 - Essay Example Scitovosky said that life is essentially a struggle for economic status and as such it is the goal of any given person to claim a steady income for at least a perception of happiness. The terms means something unique to every individual, and despite this flexible existence we all believe our struggles through life are merely to seek out some kind of natural balance that results in being happy; the elements of this state of mind are so varied that there is no way to physically quantify the measurement yet people continue to ask themselves what would or would not make them happy. Material possessions, family life, social status and free time all rank highly among people who are either looking for or say that they are truly happy; how much does money really have to do with it? â€Å"Why is that despite having achieved previously undreamed miracles of progress we seem more helpless in facing life than our less than privileged ancestors? The answer seems clear: while humankind collectively has increased its material powers a thousand fold, it has not advanced very far in terms of improving the content† (Csikszentmihalyi, 1992). Stace consents that this idea is rather elusive and even points out that other theologians categorise happiness as a purely negative experience in that it doesn’t seem to really exits; whereas physical realities can count as positive and basically influential on a person’s daily life, happiness is a vague and therefore inconceivable term (1937). Trolfand has tried to explain happiness as a certain biological quality of humans who find themselves experiencing an â€Å"inevitable consequence of congenital forces† (1928); it’s an unconventional take on what originally had more spiritual connotations however in the search to define the terms scientists have more to base their conclusions on that the rest of us. Instead of struggling to pin a true meaning to the word happiness,

Writing a policy about Human Resources Security Assignment

Writing a policy about Human Resources Security - Assignment Example Cloud computing is today becoming business modernization’s fresh standards (Alali & Chia-Lun, 2012). The goal of the policy on external computing services is to secure human resources information. The policy also seeks to provide many enticing opportunities in the technology industry with several technology solutions being offered at very low costs. The policy on external cloud computing services will also make the foundation of pivotal improvements in the human resource information technology effectiveness. Given external cloud computing services are significant for human resource security (CHOI, 2013). The policy on external services is significant to the organization in terms of securing human resources information. It will assist in backing up confidential information from hackers and other unauthorized users. Retrieving information will also be easy as a result of implementing this policy. The objective of this policy is gain from external cloud computing services in terms of flexibility, efficiency, flexibility, and reduction in cost currently (Cross, 2012). As models of businesses change to be at par with the advancement in technology as well as the associated market shifts, organizations strive to build their strategies of cloud computing out of flexible components requiring interoperability among vendors (Cross, 2012). Another objective of the policy on external cloud computing services is to open opportunities by making technology and applications more accessible and minimizes the risk of having a significant data breach. Cloud computing is vital in safeguarding information. Many institutions have contributed to the marketing and development of platforms based on external cloud computing services policy. Some of the organizations already using external cloud computing services include Verizon, Oracle, Apple, VMWare, IBM, Google, Sony, Amazon, NetSuite, and Microsoft. Many other organizations are establishing all forms of

Happiness 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Happiness 2 - Essay Example Scitovosky said that life is essentially a struggle for economic status and as such it is the goal of any given person to claim a steady income for at least a perception of happiness. The terms means something unique to every individual, and despite this flexible existence we all believe our struggles through life are merely to seek out some kind of natural balance that results in being happy; the elements of this state of mind are so varied that there is no way to physically quantify the measurement yet people continue to ask themselves what would or would not make them happy. Material possessions, family life, social status and free time all rank highly among people who are either looking for or say that they are truly happy; how much does money really have to do with it? â€Å"Why is that despite having achieved previously undreamed miracles of progress we seem more helpless in facing life than our less than privileged ancestors? The answer seems clear: while humankind collectively has increased its material powers a thousand fold, it has not advanced very far in terms of improving the content† (Csikszentmihalyi, 1992). Stace consents that this idea is rather elusive and even points out that other theologians categorise happiness as a purely negative experience in that it doesn’t seem to really exits; whereas physical realities can count as positive and basically influential on a person’s daily life, happiness is a vague and therefore inconceivable term (1937). Trolfand has tried to explain happiness as a certain biological quality of humans who find themselves experiencing an â€Å"inevitable consequence of congenital forces† (1928); it’s an unconventional take on what originally had more spiritual connotations however in the search to define the terms scientists have more to base their conclusions on that the rest of us. Instead of struggling to pin a true meaning to the word happiness,

Rise and fall of American labor unions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Rise and fall of American labor unions - Essay Example This kind of project is non-routine work that is not done regularly. A project has duration. Example, the project of basketball construction has duration of two months. Project needs Resources. Project needs, men, materials, time and money to finish the basketball court. Resources are scarce. So, if the organization wants to finish the project, they have to make a budget estimate within which to finish the work. 1.2. Planning and organization. The purpose of planning is to determine the best possible way of achieving specified objective within the specified period of time and costs. It is a technique that aims at maximum utilization of resources. Every person, organization or a government entity has plans. For example, Martha has plans to build a house, the neighborhood plans to build a club house, and the government plans to build a connecting highway. In all of these plans, the elements of project management are important. These are planning, scheduling, implementation, control and monitoring. These are easily done with small projects, but gets difficult and complex when it comes to big projects like government projects. A basketball court construction is simpler in details than a government road project. 1.4 Project appraisal and financing Financing is the significant link between the project and implementation because no matter how good or feasible the project in terms of technical and economics, it cannot work without money. The problem concerns of the project is not only measuring the financial needs but to be assured of financing, where and when needed. This usually entails a loan proposal, and identifying sources of financing. The proponent or organization could resort to borrowings from banks or institutions for private entity; or if it is a government project, funds may come from general appropriations, grants or loan from government banks or rely on foreign loans. In our example, funds for the purpose may come from donations. 1.5 Project life cycle A project has a life cycle. It starts with the conception stage. It is the time when the idea started. Next is the design stage – this is where designs of the project area are presented; usually a committee appraises the appropriateness of the design. Then we have implementation – this is the time of actual work; and the commissioning stage that marks end of project. Going back to project, idea came from the Youth Association, and the design could come from another group who will design, next is a group that finances and implements the project. Last stage is the ending of the project or turn over. 1.6 Organizational workflow, staffing processes and project planning elements Workflow is defined as a sequence of steps that consists of work process involving two or more persons that adds value to the organization’s activities.2 Workflow has two processes, the sequential and parallel work flow. The former is dependent on the occurrence of the previous steps, while th e latter allows two or more steps concurrently. Staffing process. A project requires manpower, and for this purpose, there is a need to establish manpower inventory. First step to staffing is to plan for a manpower inventory in order to match manpower requirements and demand3. Afterwards, other processes follow like recruitment, selection, orientation and placement; and remuneration. A short project does not necessarily involve promotion and

A Review of Chuck Jones Duck Amuck

A Review of Chuck Jones Duck Amuck Chuck Jones Duck Amuck. Cartoons all across the Hollywood Studios at this time resembled those of Disney, with their connection of editing and using an accelerating gag structure in their narrative. But with these cartoons being considered as a comic fantasy genre, animators could experiment with the medium. Warner Bros. were a big believer in this, creating situations where their cartoon characters would talk to the audience or refer to the animator or studio executives. These cartoons compared to Disney were very different, the action was often more violent and faster paced, changing the situations regularly. Chuck Jones reached past expectation with his cartoons, extending the limits and shocking the audience. One of the greats being Duck Amuck where he used every bone in his body to create which is now known as one of the master pieces of animation, using every element to create a 7minute film just using Daffy and the unseen animator. By using these elements he was able to manipulate Daffy in any situat ion, creating an expectancy with the audience that anything could happen next. Duck Amuck, a cartoon subject to its own deconstruction. The cartoons conventions are constantly challenged, using the colour, costume, sound scenery and all the essential elements need to create the cartoon, often without the awareness of the audience. Daffys first appearance as a musketeer, a cavalier waving his sword around with such confidence soon realises he has been betrayed by the animator, that the background of the scene has disappeared and he as well as the audience is left uncertain to the context we were accustomed to. Daffy rapidly drops character and addresses the camera, reacting in a rather professional way as if he were a part of any live-action movie and enthusiastically pushes the animator to carry on. A farmyard scene is drawn, although not what Daffy was expecting, he continues on, changing to suit the scene. But once again as hes just about adjusted to the scene, an arctic layout is displayed in the background. Throughout the piece there is a constant battle be tween foreground and background, and above all the relationship between the character and the forever changing environmental context. All of Daffys actions are dominated by his reaction to the area he occupies. Tensions like these help the basic structure of narrative in most cartoons. With all the changes, Daffys main thought is for the animator to make up his mind. By using Daffys body, each environment is shown through a number of iconic cultural illustrations the dungarees and the straw hat in the farmyard scene, the grass skirt and banjo in the Hawaiian setting. While the white space is defined as the empty context of the cartoon, although there is unlimited space, Daffys sense of awareness becomes isolated and helpless. To make things worse he is then erased from the page, where all that remains is his voice. Chuck Jones intensions when he created his characters where for them to be recognized in any situation, to exist as a body without a voice, or a voice without a body. Es pecially in this scene, a programmed perception of Daffy as a character is known, where he can be understood by any of his parts. Perhaps, the only element the animator is unable to get rid of is Daffys personality. If this was to be taken, the cartoon would no longer be a Daffy Duck picture. Even though, the elements are frequently altering and manipulated, the audience is still able to recognise its a Daffy cartoon. Daffy is shown as eager to please and entertain, but is easily provoked and angered by any slight change, and to top it off has a rather obsessive behaviour, especially if he doesnt get his way. Duck Amuck shows all his traits as a character through the use of his body and actions, using the limitation of any control Daffy thought he had. As the viewer it is easy to watch an animation and forget the effort applied to design the background scenery. its almost insignificant. Are attention is continuously on the characters and their actions. Duck Amuck reminds us that the re is more then what meets the eye, and in this case on the screen and only by eliminating the background, can we realize and appreciate this. Daffy is endlessly alienated, trying to keep his image and self-respect, but contradicts himself by constantly losing his temper. As soon as Daffy is repainted back on the screen as a cowboy with a guitar, we as the audience establish music will be played or daffy will sing. Daffy modestly opens his mouth and strums the guitar, but with the shock on his face acknowledges there is no sound. He holds up a small sign saying Sound Please. As the audience we are drawn to the fact that anything could happen, and Daffy would not be expecting it. He snobbishly goes to strum the guitar, to find it creates the sound of a machine gun, then a horn and a donkey. The use of mismatching image and sound, is yet another comedic element used within this film, helping create a sense of alienation towards Daffy, with every action he is restricted by the animators command. He breaks the guitar with frustration, and tries plea to the animator, to discover he has been given the voice of chicken and a few o ther different birds. After many attempts he slowly loses his will, so with one last try he endeavours to speak, but at an extreme volume his voice returns. Embarrassed, Daffy is once again revealed helpless to the animator. Daffys traits are explicitly shown, especially his willingness. He stresses for a scenery and colour, but is given a child like drawing background, and is painted in many colours and patterns. This is followed by a mini tantrum by Daffy. Daffy is constantly challenged by the world around him, but his reactions to the events increase the likely hood of the next action made by the animator. If he was not such a drama queen and self absorbed, the constant bad luck happening would most likely be lowered. But clearly, the circumstance of the cartoon remains issued to the desire of the animator. These series of occurrences only cause added anticipation from the spectators who want to further witness the amount of knockbacks the character can take. Chuck Jones gives Da ffy centre stage, but at the same time controls every part of him during the animation, meanwhile breaking the fourth wall and highlighting the construction of the animations art form. With a simple idea of concept of fate, the audience are able to gather a small meaning from the piece that no matter what life throws at you, one should adjust and accept what nature has planned for you, instead of find fault. Throughout the whole animation, whatever Daffys expectations are or wishes to receive, he is given the complete opposite. Several times he tries to take control of the situation, to find himself being manipulated even more, but at the same time the audience are able to witness his anger levels rising. A great example of this is when he finds himself on a small deserted island in the distance, he calls for a close up, which the audience can hardly hear. But instead of receiving the camera to come closer, the frame of the screen shrinks to frame him, Daffys first response is quite sarcastic but soon explodes with frustration. The camera quickly zooms in to reveal just Daffys aggravated eyes. Daffy tries to gain an understanding between himself and the animator, but he is soon interrupted by a black material weighing him down, eventually tearing up the screen. He then returns to suggesting the cartoon should begin even though it has already been running for several minutes. Throughout t he piece Daffy continuously tries to regain his strength and control, but time and time again he is interrupted by some kind of gag narrative. Daffy is soon appointed as a pilot, but this is purely to launch a series of gags, including an off screen air crash, the fall, his parachute turning into a weight, the explosion of the weight which becomes a bomb. At this point Daffy is left helpless, a loss of all control, but with one finally attempt to regain some dignity, he demands to know Who is responsible for all of this? I demand that you show yourself! The enclosed boarder that the audience is now accustomed to is broken as the camera pulls away to reveal the animator Bugs Bunny. The whole piece is a series of independent gags, no relevance to one another except to torment Daffy. But with such shock and surprise to the biggest gag of all, that it was his arch-enemy Bugs Bunny who was the master mind the entire time. Chuck Jones great skill was creating a comic suspense, planting a joke and letting the audience wait for the evitable outcome. By doing this, it created a build up for laughter, the fulfilment of a gag. Duck Amuck demonstrates this immensely, practically every rest point in the animation is the start of a gag. While Daffy is reassuring himself possibly after a gag, he is yet unaware of the next gag about to begin. Real life elements are incorporated throughout Duck Amuck, from film strips, to paint brushes, to erasers, used to manipulate the characters environment and appearance. But these are all cleverly used to show the interactivity between the creation and the creator. Elements like these create another dimension to the story, that we as the audience, to an extent can believe we are with the animator as they makes their decisions. Characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy were wise cracking cynics rather than innocent altruists like Mickey Mouse. But although the Warner Brother characters are similar this animation wouldnt have worked with anyone else except Daffy. His loss of control and humiliation is what creates the piece, his frantic ways, and his self pity of being unable to negotiate, or come to terms with the higher power destroys Daffy leaving him speechless, and in the end becomes more of a subject defined by a gaga. The animators at Warner Brothers experimented over many years tryin g to push to the extreme, but perhaps none were so extreme as Duck Amuck, although it was made within the Hollywood system, the sense of it almost feels more experimental film, with the request to the audience to be a part of the exploration of techniques in the cel animation. Olivia Farrar References Furniss, M. (2005). Chuck Jones: Converstations. United States: University Press of Mississippi. Jones, C. (1999). Chuck Amuck: The Life and Times of an Animated Cartoonist. United States: Farrar Starus Giroux. Kenner, H. (1994). Chuck Jones: A flurry of Drawings, Protraits of American Genius. United States: University of California Press. Klein, N.M. (1996). Seven Minutes: Life and Death of the American Animated Cartoon. United Kingdom: Verso Books. Wells, P. (1998). Understand Animation. United Kingdom: Routledge.

Should Physcian-Assisted Suicide be Legal :: essays research papers

Should Physician-Assisted Suicide be Legal? Terminally ill patients should have the legal option of physician-assisted suicide. Terminally ill patients deserve the right to control their own death. Legalizing assisted suicide would relive families of the burdens of caring for a terminally ill relative. Doctors should not be prosecuted for assisting in the suicide of a terminally ill patient. We as a society must protect life, but we must also recognize the right to a humane death. When a person is near death, in unbearable pain, they have the right to ask a physician to assist in ending their lives. 40 percent of Americans say they would consider committing suicide if they were in severe pain, suffering from an incurable disease. 40 percent of Americans also say they would help a family member, in the same situation, kill them selves. But only 12 percent say they thought of killing them selves. In 1950, fewer than four in ten Americans supported physician-assisted suicide. Today seven in ten support it. Some people think that people who are in mental anguish are going to be able to get a physician to assist in their suicide. This should not and will not happen, because they are not terminally ill and are able to be treated with therapy. There are problems with the title â€Å"Terminally ill patient† but there is a way to fix it. We must change the definition for â€Å"A Terminally ill patient† to: having an expected life span under 3 months, there is absolutely no way of helping the patient and are doomed to die. But a patient has to suffering from severe pain and be terminally ill to be able to get a physician to assist in their suicide. Although widely condoned around the world, only one nation, the Netherlands has made physician assisted suicide legal. Five states tried Washington in 1991, California in 1992, Michigan in 1998,and main in 2000, Oregon in 1994 approved the â€Å"Death with Dignity Act† it won 51 percent to 49 percent. 91 people committed suicide with the aid of a physician in the first four years the law was in effect. The approach of physician-assisted suicide respects an individual’s need for personal dignity. It does not force the terminally ill patient to linger hopelessly, and helplessly, often at great cost to their psyche. It drive’s people mad knowing they are going to die in a short period of time, suffering while they wait in a hospital bed.

On Explanation: Aristotelean and Hempelean :: History Science Scientific Papers

On Explanation: Aristotelean and Hempelean ABSTRACT: Given the great historical distance between scientific explanation as Aristotle and Hempel saw it, I examine and appraise important similarities and differences between the two approaches, especially the inclination to take deduction itself as the very model of scientific knowledge. I argue that we have good reasons to reject this inclination. In his recent studies showing Galileo's knowledge of and adherence to the deductive standards of explanation in science set forth by Aristotle, Wallace (1) remarks that this Aristotelean theory must not be confused with the contemporary deductive-nomological theory of Hempel and Oppenheim. (2) There are, of course, important differences between the classic works of Aristotle and Hempel, for twenty-three centuries lie between them. But the differences are not as great as might be expected, and, as current discussions of the metatheoretical issues of explanation are generally ahistorical, I believe an attempt to compare these two intellectual mileposts in our understanding of scientific method should prove useful. The most obvious and interesting similarities between the two metatheories of science lie in their deductive character, and this is where their significant contrasts lie as well. Aristotle had developed two major deductive systems: the hypothetical and categorical syllogisms. Of these, he thought only the latter suitable to the demanding rigors of scientific knowledge, whose first characteristics he saw to be 'certainty' and 'necessity'. (3) There are some problematic elements in just what Aristotle took these concepts to mean, but I postpone discussion of that to a later stage. The categorical syllogism, preferably in the familiar "Barbara" of the first figure of the first mood, Aristotle sees to be the ideal supplier of both the certainty and the necessity, with the scientific conclusion being the conclusion of the syllogism. Like Hempel and Oppenheim, he insists that the premises be true, from which it is evident that the conclusion could not fail to be certainly and necessarily true. The syllogism itself, as an argument, then stands as an explanation. Inasmuch as the deductive system of the categorical syllogism can be seen now to be a significant subset of the first-order predicate calculus, which is the deductive system prescribed by Hempel and Oppenheim, the difference between the deductive requirements of the two metatheories is really only that of the greater scope, power, and elegance of the more recent logic. But it remained for Hempel and Oppenheim to point out the

Definition of VARK Learning style

A learning style is the way us humans take in information, process, accumulate, and recall it. Students take in and process information in different ways: by seeing and hearing, reflecting and acting, reasoning logically and ostensibly, analyzing and visualizing, steadily and in fits and starts. VARK is commonly used learning style. It stands for visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic learners. Summary of My Learning Style A multimodal study strategy is a method used when you have more than one preference that is discrete. It can also be when someone has no preferences to which study strategy they want to use. About 60% of the peoples study strategy is multimodal. Being multimodal means that you have multiple strong points in areas such as aural, reading, and writing. Those who are multimodal are context reserved which means they can choose a single mode to suit the situation. On the other hand, there are others who are not satisfied until they have had input in all of the preferred styles. They take an extensive period to gather information but often have an immersed and expansive understanding. For example, when trying to figure out something that will be brought about physically later, learners that absorb information better hands on do better when trying out something for themselves. In addition, this visual factor aids students to reproduce information on a test better. Different Learning Styles Visual learners gain information from maps such as diagrams, graphs, and charts. They learn things best through seeing them. Instead of using words, they need the information to be broke down into pieces so it is simply to comprehend. They tend to highlight information in difference colors which makes it easier for them to go back and study. These learners need to see the teacher's body language and facial expression to fully comprehend the composition of a lesson. They favor to prefer sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions. A learner who consumes information from listening is an aural learner. In order for them to absorb information, they attend classes and discussions, discuss the topics with their peers, and can describe visuals to other people. By listening, they are able to obtain information. Aural learners are not able to take good notes and they have to read what they have on paper aloud to someone else. They perform well on a test if they spend time alone recalling ideas and speaking answers out loud or inside their head. Most people can’t understand what people say unless it’s in their own words. Auditory learners explicate the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other distinctions. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. Learners who learn by reading and writing have a preference for information being delivered as words. After reading information, they have to write it down so they are able to grasp the material. They take in information from places like handouts, textbooks, notes, and glossaries. Powerpoints are a device that helps them summarize the information. They read information in books and the internet and afterwards write the material they read into their own words. This helps them process and retain information longer than just reading or listening. Kinesthetic learners use their senses to obtain material. Kinesthetic persons learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them. They find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration. They take field trips, work with hands on activities, and use trial and error. They also need real life examples, applications and examples of principles. In order for them to learn the information, they need to remember the real life examples and pictures that were used. Lecture notes don’t really help them because they didn’t understand the concrete information from the beginning because it wasn’t relevant to them. They do better on tests if they have a role play for the information and practice problems that are similar to the information. Kinesthetic learners need a visual aid so the information can be drawn out for them into smaller pieces. They tend to draw out the message rather than reading it out loud or writing it. The phrase â€Å"picture is worth a thousand words† is true for people who fall in this category. They need to see how everything is put together in order for them to gather the information. Comparison of Learning Styles The difference between all the learning strategies is the way you absorb information. Unlike reading, writing, and aural learners, kinesthetic learners have to visualize what they are being taught. Aural learners attain information by listening to lectures and discussions. Others can gain information by reading and writing the material. People like me are multimodal learners, meaning that we can’t just stick one way of learning. Conclusion Depending on the subject, I learn better reading and writing or an aural learner. Listening to information more than once helps me occupy the material better. I also have to take notes and read it aloud so I am able to grasp the material. This helps me learn the information faster and I perform well on tests. I would like to try gaining knowledge from visual aids and more hands on activities. My goal is to improve on my weaker areas which are visual learning style and practice strategies that will allow me to build up the weaker areas.

A conflict situation

A conflict situation I had been in was with one of my closet co worker or at least I thought we were close. My co worker and I was always talking behind the store manger back when he wasn’t looking, but then a new assistant manager position came up and my store manger was looking at me to possibly fill the position. My co worker really didn’t like the fact that my store manger was looking at me so my co worker told my manger that I was making fun of him for a long time and he even that cameras to prove it. My manger didn’t give me the position he gave it to my co worker, we didn’t talk to each or not even look at each other for months. That’s what causes a convert conflict. With him and me not talking it made him realize that he was wrong about what he has done about the situation. A few months goes bye and finally my co worker said he was sorry about what he done and the only reason why he did it was because he was about to became a dad with twins babies and he needed the money bad. So at the end I forgive him and I told him that he should have just told me and we would have never gone this long without talking to one another. With the conflict that I had with my co worker I wish I use the five problem-solving stages of conflict resolution, because if I did I really believe my co worker and I would have never gone so long with speaking to one another. I would recommend everyone to use these steps to solve any conflict you might have with another person because you might not get another chance to make things right again. I really think when a person is using use the five problem-solving stages of conflict resolution, there should be nothing but a positive outcome in any situation. I also believe that if it doesn’t want out that you probably really didn’t want to give another chance to solve the conflict. The five problem-solving stages of conflict resolution gives you every chance to make up with that other person even with the last step is to learn and accept the fact that it might not work or you can just start the steps over .

Technology and Plagiarism

Widespread technology and communication has made both plagiarism and the detection of it easier than ever before. In the competitive field of journalism, integrity and individuality plays a massive role. The ethics of writing in a world where writing is an exponentially growing area of work are essential. In the field of journalism, writers must act according to the subject’s code of ethics. â€Å"Truthfulness, accuracy, and objectivity† (Journalism Ethics and Standards) are important characteristics that each journalist must follow. A journalistic piece must meet these indisputable standards – after all, the main idea behind journalism is to deliver the truth. There have been many cases of misconduct and disobedience of the journalistic code of ethics in the past and recent future. Zachery Kouwe, a Times business reporter, was rightly accused of plagiarizing from The Wall Street Journal. After in-depth research into his other pieces of work, plagiarism was apparent in many of his works. The New York Times article called plagiarism a â€Å"journalistic sin† to emphasize the gravity of the issue. Another excellent example of a writer compromising his journalistic integrity can be seen in Billy Ray’s Shattered Glass (2003). This movie, based on a real life story, shows the life of a journalist who’s lost his way and his integrity. Stephen Glass, a former reporter for The New Republic, was caught for a serial fraud in his articles. He fabricated quotations, sources, descriptions, and events in his stories and was eventually fired when his deception came to light. Plagiarism is a common issue for those writers who have lost their integrity. In fair play, written works must be original and accredited. We have the opportunity to use insightful ideas from countless pieces of work. There are written works available in almost every thinkable subject – anywhere from linear algebra to dance ballet. The only requirement for contributing to and taking from the gigantic world of words is integrity. Upholding this honor is the only way to avoid fraud and plagiarism.

Performance enhancing drugs in sports (which ones athletes use and the Research Paper

Performance enhancing drugs in sports (which ones athletes use and the benefits and possible side effects of using them) - Research Paper Example Some of them accept athletes as roll models in their life. This is a competitive world and the competition is spread in almost all sectors. By all means, sport is an important part of the competence. For surviving and winning in the competence at the sports field athletes want to maintain and boost their performance more and more. For this reason they always seek the methods for enhancing their performance in competitions and consider drug as the suitable stimuli for achieving their aims. Athletes prefer different types of performance enhancing drugs like anabolic steroids. There are certain reasons behind the use of drugs by athletes. In the book, Drugs in sports, David R. Mottram reveals many important factors related to the use of drugs in sports. In this book he denominates four reasons for the use of drugs in sports. They are listed below. Performance maintenance: - As part of the treatments which occurs at the time of their practicing or some other situation they forced to take treatments. At this time the medicines they took for the sports injuries many include drugs. From the above mentioned four points it is clear that athletes use drugs for improving their performance. Some of the important factors regarding the performance enhancing drugs in sports are discussed below. Almost all kinds of drugs preferred by the athletes contain substances which help the improvement of their athletic performance. It is not a new phenomenon; in the historical period itself athletes prefer drugs for their performance enrichment. It is not limited to one or two types. The most commonly preferred drug types are steroids and amphetamines and health supplements. First two types come under controlled substances, that is its production and distribution are controlled by the legal authority. One of the major reasons for this strict controlling is its high possibility of abuse especially by the athletes and trainers. Health supplements are

Plato - The Republic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Plato - The Republic - Essay Example as a real philosopher named Plato and was somewhat of a contemporary of Plato (Socrates died when Plato was but twenty-five), the ideas accredited to Socrates are generally thought to be Plato originals and Reeve acknowledges as much (Reeve 2004 P xi). So through his own observations of the Republic Reeve puts forth an interesting argument that Plato felt strongly in the goodness of Kallipolis (in Greek the beautiful or noble city) and was very eager to broadcast his ideas through the argument/debate process written in the Republic. In the introduction, Reeve points out that Plato’s main theme in Kallipolis is not the bylaws which govern the city. Instead, the speaker talks of the value of a social structure based entirely on virtue, achieved in ways not the least of which is the education of all people (Reeve 2004 P xix). This includes females, which is not a very favourable idea among his conversationalists. So almost from the first Plato realizes this vision of utopia (a term coined by Sir Thomas Moore almost 1,900 years later) would never actually exist. In the Republic, Book 1 finds Socrates and his companion Glaucon returning from a religious festival only to find themselves literally forced to spend at least the night with a man named Polemarchus, his brothers and his aged father Cephalus. Wiling away the time the men get into a deep philosophical discussion concerning politics and money. As happens with the elderly, Cephalus is happy with the money he has made and expounds that at his age, having virtues (i.e. not cheating or lying) is far more important than the wealth he has accumulated (Reeve 2004 P 5). So the conversation naturally turns to virtue and two subjects brought up are paying one’s debts and helping a friend with his enemy (your enemy is my enemy). Plato rejects these, not on the basis of not being just ideas, but rather that they are mostly hard to define, for each situation is different (in battle, at sea, etc.) and says he

Compare and contrast the different connections Essay

Compare and contrast the different connections - Essay Example Firstly, with respect to Buddhism, the reader can acknowledge the direct meaning of the term â€Å"karma† within the Buddhist tradition relates to action or doing. Within this understanding, there is a further separation between meanings as karma refers to actions that come from a sentient being and those that refer to the entire karmic teaching that encompasses the entire universe (Ciurtin 493). Within this, it is clear to understand that karma is not only something that is represented between human relations, but a static and very real concept that helps to define the universe itself and the mechanisms through which humans interact with one another. Perhaps the most basic level of understanding that exists within the Western world with reference to karma is with relation to the Hindu understanding of what it represents. As a direct result of the Hindu focus on reincarnation and the importance of allowing for positive deeds to determine whether or not one will achieve a higher station in the afterlife, karma within Hinduism is intrinsically tied to good deeds and good thoughts being rewarded and attributable to reciprocity in both the current life and the afterlife. Not surprisingly, by contrast and comparison, bad deeds and bad thoughts experience reciprocity in this life as well as the afterlife as well; within the Hindu tradition (Sharma 29). From such an understanding, the reader can assert that of the three religions that have thus far been discussed, it is the Hindu tradition that places the most immediate emphasis on karmic tradition and the need to integrate with it as a means of ensuring the afterlife and intrinsic happ iness within the present. Moreover, as a direct result of the karmic tradition within Hinduism and the belief that all living creatures have a soul, the need to protect those creatures and