How Does Paid Employment Affect Your Identity Essay

How Does Paid Employment Affect Your Identity - Essay Example Marxist view of capitalist work: Karl Marx’s theory of capitalism is significant enough to understand the relationship of the identity of an individual with that of the nature of his employment. Karl Marx explained in his work, the role of capitalism in shaping the modern society. In his theory he mentioned the effectiveness of capitalism in maintaining a relationship between different classes (Klegg, 1990, p.55). According to the theory, the goal of the capitalist is to gain maximum profit in the business and generally the capitalist reach their goals by the exploitation of the labor class. The capitalist exploit the conditions of the labors by paying the labors with wages which are much lesser than their efforts they put in for the work. The difference in the value of the wages paid to the workers acts as a source of profit for the capitalist. According to the theory it can be comprehended that the motive of the capitalist are always fulfilled as they take an upper hand and decides the fate of the others. This nature of the capitalist or the employers identifies them as exploiters of the society and the workers or the laborers in the society are referred as the exploited section of the economy (Baiman, et al, 2000, pp.42-44). The general identification of the two broad division of the society can be attained from the theory of the capitalist work by Karl Marx. Karl Marx also held the idea that the economic structure of the society has a high level of influence on the thoughts of the human being and also guides the behavior of the people. The thought process and the behaviorist pattern of the individuals is a guiding factor for setting of an identity in the society and determine the overall reputation of the individual. The Marxian theory also classifies the social structure based on the nature of employment of the persons. (Anderson & Taylor, 2010, p.17) Ervin Gofman’s theory of dramaturgy and Impression management: The concept of dramaturgy was framed by the sociologist Erving Goffman, where he brought in the idea that the life of the individuals is symbolical to a never ending play or drama and the people are the mere actors in the stage of life (Ritzer, 2004, p.211). The theory of impression management was also devised by him where he stated that the individuals show a general tendency to manipulate the behavior of others in the stage of life. In depicting the behavior of others various factors creep which are social setting, appearance and manner of interaction of an individual. These factors help to establish the relation between the identities of an individual and the nature of his paid employment (Kendall, 2011, p.574). The social setting of a person is one of the guiding factors to determine the identity of a person. The income level of a person builds up the social setting of a person and subsequently helps in creating his identity in the society. An Individual with high level of income tends to have a flamboyant social setting does his best to create an identity among the people that he belongs to the upper level of society. On the contrary the lower economic sections of the society do not have much resource to draw the attention of people. Their social setting is devoid of any materialistic thing as they face hard time in fulfilling their primary needs. According to Goffman, appearance of a person is also a crucial factor in setting up his identity in t

Biochemistry Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biochemistry - Lab Report Example The gels were visualized by coomassie staining. The restriction digestion of recombinant DNA yielded the predicted band sizes upon electrophoresis, confirming the presence of the pGLO plasmid in the transformants. The presence of a single neat band at the expected size range upon immunoblotting indicates the successful isolation of the purified GFP protein. Initially obtained from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria/Aequorea aequorea/Aequorea forskalea, the Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is composed of 238 amino acids with a molar mass of 26.9 kDa. Its typical three dimensional structure facilitates a specific set of cyclization reactions inside the protein giving rise to the tripeptide Ser65-Tyr66-Gly67 which forms the fluorophore, the fluorescent component of the protein, present on the alpha helix. This helix is actively shielded from the surrounding environment by the beta sheets, hence contributing to the use of the GFP gene as a reporter of gene expression or cellular protein localization. In the present experiment, the GFP gene has been used to understand the mechanism of molecular cloning and subsequent protein purification procedures. The molecular cloning was carried out by transforming the pGLO plasmid vector with the GFP gene insert into the bacterial host E.coli strain HB101. ... After appropriate incubation, the colonies were observed under normal light, followed by U.V light. Under normal light all the plates except plate with LB+Amp had growth Lack of plasmid DNA on Plate with LB+Amp-pGLO might have rendered the colonies susceptible to the antibiotic ampicillin, due to absence of genes required to deactivate ampicillin. Flourescence was observed in plates 3 and 4 under U.V light indicating the transformation of the plasmid DNA into the E.coli host. Plate 3, inspite of having ampicillin showed growth due to the presence of B-lactamase gene which can inactivate ampicillin. Plate 4 had the maximum number of colonies compared to the other plates. This could be attributed to the addition of arabinose into the medium which selectively enhances the activity of the arabinose operon in which the GFP gene has been inserted, thus increasing the GFP protein which has the unique quality of fluorescence. To confirm the insertion of the pGLO plasmid into the colonies on plates 3 and 4, the DNA from these colonies was purified using QAI kit method and subjected to restriction digestion using EcoRV and Hind III followed by electrophoresis, wherein an electric field was applied to the gel matrix. DNA molecules move towards the anode due to negativity of the charged phosphates along its backbone. The rate of migration of a particular DNA fragment is inversely proportional to its molecular weight; hence the fragments with the highest weight have the least mobility. Post electrophoresis, the ethidium bromide stained gel was visualized under UV light (Figure 1). A single restriction site specific to EcoRV is present on

Perspectives Of Strategic Change Management

Perspectives Of Strategic Change Management There is one quote from Heraclitus that people frequently use when talking about business, the only constant is change itself. Change is a key feature to business environment nowadays, the ability to strategically manage change is often perceived as one of the core competencies of flourishing organizations (Burnes, 2004, Okumus and Hemmington, 1998).In the face of globalization, innovation of technology and economic fluctuations (Burnes B. , 2004), new business models and appropriate strategic responses have to be formulated in order to manage uncertainty, variability and ambiguity (Clayton et al., 2005) within the context of what DAveni(1995) called hyper-competition. However, current theories and approaches to change management are massive (Armenakis Bedeian, 1999)and often contradictory, regarding the complexity of change and significant differences in perspectives towards it (Burnes, 2004; By, 2005). Even though, it seems that aconsensushas been reached that internally or externallydriven changes are occurring regardless of shape, form or size (Burnes, 2004; Carnall, 2003; Kotter, 1996; Luecke, 2003),henceinfluence everyorganization in every industry. This articlewill critically review part of the key theories and approaches concerning organizational structure and culture, andtry to apply the frameworks discussedinto a case study to see whether they are consistent with empirical evidences. Diagnosis: Change and Managing Change Definition of Change From the origin of the concept, change is defined by Oxford English Dictionary as the act or instance of making or becoming different. It is often referred to as the movement from a current state toward a future state (George Jones, 1996). In his Management textbook, Robins defines change as an alteration in structure, technology, or people. (1994, p. 381)In this definition, structure refers to alteration in structural variables in terms of complexity, formalization, degree of centralization, etc. Technological aspect of change is related to methods or equipment involved. People, as the third concern in change, looks at theaspect of modification in attitudes, perceptions, values, or behavior (Nagaike, 1997).Taking into account the nature of both strategy and change, strategic change isdescribed as distinctionin organizations alignment with their external environmentin the shape, form, or state over a certain period of timescale(Van de Ven Poole, 1995; Rajagopalan and Spreitze, 1996 ).The alignment here denotes the fundamental pattern of present and planned resource deployments and environmental interactions that indicates how the organization will achieve its objectives(Hofer Schendel , 1978, p. 25). In thestrategic level, Pettigrew (1985)argues that within an organization, changes occurs under different situations, ranging from commercial events,to managerialinsight, options and actions, which indicate a classification both on macro and micro perspective. Managers, see the internal setting of change consists connections with structure, culture, power, and levels of control. The relevant parts of the environment (Schien, 1985)had to be re-evaluated in order to check.Change is a continuous anddistinctivefeature of organizational life, both operationally and strategically (Burnes, 2004).As a result, corporate strategy cannot be taken out fromorganizational change (Rieley Clarkson , 2001). Strategic Change Management The term strategic change management is very popular amongacademic articles together with newspapers and magazines. Joan Magretta and Nan Stone (2002) point out that coping with various changes is one of the most challenging tasks in the management arena. Moreover, comments of influential management gurus such as Peter Drucker who suggest that organizations have to command change, rather than simply reacting to it stimulated much interest in this very topic (1995). Strategic change management is defined as the process of managing the implementation of alteration in organizational strategies,by which an organization achieveseffective changes in objectives, performances, relations, procedures and organisms (Bridges, 1991), gets to its future state and attains its vision for competitive advantage. Via a process characterized as sensegiving (Gioia Chittipeddi), a vision for change is created and then disseminated(Whetten, 1984) to peple whoplay the change agents role to reach the created vision. Everett Rogers (1995) described change agents as figures with one foot in the old world and one in the new creators of a bridge across which others can travel.Strategic change management enables change agents (Weick Quinn, 1999) andother stakeholders of theorganization to access to the effective strategiesand allow for tryouts in redesigning the organization s image and identity (Mintzberg, 1989)and accomplish the new vision. Types of Change How change is perceived varies in related literature: somehas regarded it asexecuted from top-down whileothers bottom-up, some sees it an emergent phenomenon while others think it s planned (Lewin, Field Theory in Social Science, 1951); different scholars have described it as incremental, punctuated and continuous (Burnes B. , 2004) Different kinds of change call for different strategies to successfully effect and make a difference to the way things are done around here which referred to overcoming resistance to implementing organization change. Before getting into the details of managing change, it s helpful to review the types of change in organizations and then start to look at specific approaches toward change. Planned and Emergent Change Sometimes changeis classified as planned,which isrationally embarked upon and directed by organizations (Burnes B. , 2004). The term of planned change was first mentioned by psychologist Kurt Lewin (1947),to describe change as deliberate,and a product of rational thinking and actions (McGreevy, 2008). Planned change may as well be called blueprint, top-down, rational, linear change with the need for focus on revolutionary or transformational change (Hayes, 2010), and also be referred to as episodic change as opposed to continuous change (Weick Quinn, 1999). Strategically speaking, planned change s more termed second-order change, often encompassessubstitution of certain strategy with another as well as a significant survival of crisis and take into account the multiple consequences of any such changes (Buchanan Boddy, 1992)in order to distinguish from the change of doing better in what we already do (Watzlawick et al., 1974). In contrast, change sometimes is quiteunplanned. Thiskind of change is recognized as emergent change, which is ongoing and is an unpredictable process of aligning and realigning to a turbulent environment (Burnes B. , 2004). Emergent change occurs spontaneously, involving gradual process of continuous adjustment, cumulative effortmodifications in work and social context that people improvise and learn in daily basis (Hayes, 2010). Also indicatedas incremental or first order change, emergent change has an importantfeature that concerns the fact that people frequently adjusting and correcting thoughts and knowledge they obtain from internal or externalenvironments, which can accumulate and amplify then create significant changes (Weick Quinn, 1999). As discussed frequently in organizational development literature, which followed the work of Lewin (Cummings Huse , 1989), the difference between planned and emergent change helps clarify the school of thoughtsondevelopment of organizations and developmentof long-term organizationalgoals (Naderi, 2010), which is agreed with the strategic thinking of change management.Instead of being a fixed, coherent, or well-ordered process, organizational change is chaotic or uncontrolled most of the time (Iles Sutherland, 2001), often involving emergent or non-linear elements and the consequences of uncertainty andchance (Dawson, 1996). The term strategic change then, is the explanation of the magnitude of change in structure, culture, recognizing the second order effects of these changes (Pettigrew, 2000). Developmental, transitional and transformational change Change mayas well be viewed from the perspective of frequency and scope (Iles Sutherland, 2001). Ackerman (1997)outlines three types of most frequentchange in organizational literature: developmental,which is change that augments or modifiespresentfacets of an organization, highlighting on the enhancement of skills or processes in order to maintain competitive; transitional,intrusive as it bring about completely new processes or procedures to the organization. Examples of transitional change includes corporate restructuring, merger, acquisitions, new product or service designs, and instigating new technologies; and transformationalchangewhichrequires a fundamental redefinition of the organization and some of its key features including a innovative definition of the business, a different strategic orientation, oandsignificant change in terms of structure, processes, and corporate culture (Dunphy Stace, 1993). Theories in change literature are more concerned with developmental and transitional change, leaving transformational change as a difficult and unsolved when implementation is under consideration. Burnes(2004) has a slightly different classification of change, in the need to consider strategically concerning the internal and external environment, which includes:incremental, with separateorganizational segments responding progressively and independently to one problem or goal at a time; punctuated equilibrium, with evolution through relatively greater span of time of stability punctuated by shorter bursts of revolutionary change; and continuous transformational change, with the organization continuously aligning to their environment which leads to more organized management of strategic change. Cultural Perspective If real change is to occur in organizations, it has to happen at the cultural level. Culture has long been a key factor in organizational change literature. As early as the 1950s, psychologist Jaques wrote about cultural influence in a changing factory for the first time(1952). Though there is no consensus on definition, the shared values and shared patterns of understanding(Schien, 1985)embedded in the meaning of culture are at the core of organizational change.In fact, Schien s definition of culture best represents functionalist school of cultural approaches to change. He defines culture of a group as the collective or shared learning of that unit as it develops its capacity to survive in its external environment and to manage its own internal affairs (1990, p. 58). It is stated by scholars that to create effective and powerful change, organizations and individuals have toface, cultivate or challenge core cultural values, thenparticipants of the organization come up against a overwhelming change in perceptionthusturn to another direction(Dunphy Stace, 1993). Then in this sense, two steps have to be taken when we look at culture in terms of change management. First, the resistance of change from the existing culture, which requires anexplicitcomprehension of the corporate culture. The diagnosis of current culture will determine the second step, which how to change the culture and implement change at a strategic level. Johnson and Scholes: Cultural web The cultural web is a good diagnostic tool for ?looking at corporate culture. (See Figure 1) The paradigm in the center of the web is the set of core beliefs, which maintains the unity of the culture. The petals includedsoft aspects such assymbols, routines, political processes and hard counterparts as structures and control systems. They are theculture sexplicitexpressions of the impact of the paradigm(Johnson Scholes, 1999). Cultural web not only recognize current cultural layouts but alsoable to map future culture required by change. But to be critical, environment and contextual factors are more or less ignored in cultural web framework. Figure 1. Cultural web (Johnson and Scholes, 1992) Structural Perspective Opportunity and Resistance Mintzberg(1989)describes structure in a dynamic form. He points out the environmental influence on organizational structure,plus the mannerof its evolvement. It is proposed that complexity plays animportant role in organization s structure, due to its relationship tothe diversity in the environment and the variety of structures in organizations and the pace of change they are confronting. From the practical perspective,both internal and external structural aspects are accountable for organization change in some way(Miller Friesen, 1982).Guth and Ginsberg point out that industry structure affects opportunities for successful new product development(Guth Ginsberg, 1990), thus leads to the innovation and renewal of the product cycle of an organization. From inside, the structures of organizations vary. How individual and team engage and coordinate within an organization influence the ease or challenge of organizational change. It is argued by scholars that there is no perfect approach of organizing an organization (Mintzberg 1989; Drucker 1999). Situational variables involve the environment, objectives, technology, age and size of the organization. For instance,when organization s size increases, structural explanation and dignifiedmechanisms for planning, decision making, and resource allocationwill become more complex(Quinn Cameron, 1983), therefore, are able togenerate progressively greaterconfrontationand inertia to basic change(Tushman Romanelli, 1985).New markets and competitive pressures from the industry call for constant internal innovation and change of prevailing structural dimensions to enable firms to better achieve their strategicobjectives. Restructuring could be a powerful gear for change, in rearrange the resource within the organization and also give strong signals to both customers and employees that things are changing, thus helps to build a innovative image. But sometimes structural change becomes too obvious a choice, without considering other factors such as culture(Clarke, 1994); it can then be at great cost to time, morale, and also ultimately unproductive. So reorganization is not the one solution to every issue.To make it effective, one should always take into account the context of both formal and informal structures, and the bonding alignment of structure and culture, to enable individuals and organizations to cope with uncertainty, variability and ambiguity. Leavitt et al.: Four Levers of Change The organization change can be driven by various factors such as function, structure, and also value and culture alike. Leavitt et al. (1973)suggest that four levers of change constitute the sub-system in an organization, including: structure, which involves hierarchy, authority, centralization and decentralization; task, which indicates work design, uniformity, different levels ofcorporate needs, sovereignty and option; technology, which consists levels of complexity, extent of employee engagement and obligation; and people, which includes cultural aspects such as values, beliefs, attitudes, motives, etc. Force Field Analysis (Kurt Lewin,) Force field analysis provides a framework for checking structural levers in terms of inertia as well as opportunities.By looking at both sides of the organizational driven forces, Lewin s model helps to examine the barriers and resistance of change, and figure out the main facilitators. Figure 2. Force field analysis Model (Lewin, 1951) As shown in Figure 2, one party is attempting to support change driving forces and the other seeking to hold things back restraining forces. In Lewin s model, organizations are more as a dynamic balance of forces effecting in opposite ways. If change is to occur, the equilibrium has to be broken by the driving forces exceeding the restraining forces. Strategy to Change: Contextual Features and Implementation Options Organizational change is often triggered by outside driving force, so the circumstances that form the setting for change cannot be neglected in understanding and assessing strategic change management. Figure 3. Change Kaleidoscope Model (Balogun Hope Hailey , 2002) A change kaleidoscope model is discussed in regard to diagnosis of the context for change (Balogun Hope Hailey , 2002). The authors presents a framework derived from a kaleidoscope metaphoras shown in Figure3, that encompassesan outer ring which illustrate the key change context featureswhich either facilitate or confine change, as well as an inner ring concerning to options openwhen implementing a change.They carry out an analysis of needs, using judgment on what is most critical, and decide which interventions to implement and the orders to be taken. The design choices consist change start-point, change path, change style, change targetand change roles. It is notcontextual feature s impact on the design choices that matters (Balogun Hope Hailey, 2002), they need to work together in a systematic and consistent way. It is argued that the organization mechanisms such as strategy, structure, and peopleshould be aligned with each other to make an effective organization; in this sense, good strategic alignment is crucial to change (Tichy, 1985). Approaches to Change: Models and Frameworks Lewin: Three-Stage Process of Change Most theories on planned change stem from the three-phase model Lewin (1951)developed in describing how an organization undergoes change as following: * Unfreezing: readiness or willingness to accept change. * Moving: choosing appropriate strategies for change itself. * Refreezing: acceptance and stabilization of new behavior. Figure 4. Three-Stage Process of Change(Lewin, 1951) This social-psychological approach to management is about how people in an organization go about changing. First, the members of the organization have to be convinced of the necessityand demand for change, have a sense of urgency, or else nobody will be willing to move and the management will be the only ones believing in the reorganization. Second, the change has to be carried out. And finally the new situation after the second stepneed to be institutionalized, organizational members, have to embed new behavioral patterns, new working methods, new values and norms, otherwise people will soon return to their old habits prior to the change.Later descriptive models all followed this basic outline in how an organization will change. Kotter: Eight-stage Process of Creating Major Change Based on studies of why organizational change so often fails, Kotter (1996)developed the following conditions for successful change in anorganization. i. Establish a sense of urgency ii. Create the guiding coalition iii. Develop a vision and strategy iv. Communicate the change vision v. Empower employees for broad-based action vi. Generate short-term wins vii. Consolidate gains and produce more change viii. Anchor new approaches in the culture. In textbooks and journal articles on managing change numerous other multi-stage models of change management are presented (Burnes, 2009; Carnall, 2003).All of these models provide organizations with a road map for change; they illustrate what steps the organization must take for change initiatives to be adopted within their organization. Application: A Case Studyof Strategic Change Management Introduction and Background Emirates is one of the biggest international aviation service providers. Not satisfied with just being a successful airline company, it aims to evolve into a globally influential travel and tourism conglomerate. In this case, Emirates plans to open the very first Emirates Hotels and Resorts (EHR).This section first focus on the change context for EHR (which uses part of kaleidoscope framework) and followed by an analysis of the cultural dimensions of change using the cultural web framework. And then identify the implementation of change options by applying the rest of the change kaleidoscope model. Finally, a conclusion and recommendations are provided concerning the change management process at EHR. Context of Change Successfully dealt with the change problem in the beginning of its operation, the context which EHR is in should be firstly illustrated. Launched in 2006, Emirates Hotels and Resorts (EHR) isthe premier hospitality management divisionof Emirates Group. Here EHR is facing the problem of opening its flagship property within a short timescale and incongruous force on its side (Carmazzi, 2008). Time, scope, readiness, diversity and capability are identified as contextual features of particular importance in this case. Figure 5.Context of Change in EHR Resource: by author, adapted from the kaleidoscope model Time. The hotel will be welcoming its first customer in 4 weeks time so everyone is extremely busy and everyone has urgent deadlines ahead to accomplish his or her task. Scope. asks the question of what degree of change is needed. EHR has various choice for managing this change, and since the desired type of service should be cohesive with the Emirates philosophy, so top-down, transformational change is required. Readiness. Apparently, the workforce is not ready to change, employees are performing as individuals, and a cohesive way of working is then needed. Diversity. The people involved are quite diversified, but the different background will bring about conflict in service style as well as working values. Capability. Leader of this change is the administration manager, who has his own routine of work. So consultancy was hired to help manage the change. Organizational Culture As discussed in the literature review, organization s culture concerns the shared values and beliefs within it. The cultural web provides a useful perspective to assess what is happening within the company. Figure 6.The Cultural Webof EHR Before the consultancy started working, EHR was more or less in a mess: everyone was running around to get their own business done. The paradigm of EHR shows that in the situation of only 4 weeks left, there are no recognized vision, and lack of unified identity and cohesive force. Though the top and senior management did create a vision for what should be like in the future, but the power of doing their own task is still held by line managers. For example, spa manager has her distinctive view of what are the priorities from the accommodation manager. The status of work and terminologies used at work varies from group to group, individual to individual. Although managers tried hard to communicate the Emirates philosophy to formulate an exclusive service style, the busy, stressed workforce, trained in absolutely diverse background, whose running towards their own deadlines have low interest of what other people are doing, and are not buying in what is forced upon them. Change Choices The outer ring of the kaleidoscope model has been discussed above as to identify the contextual features of the change environment of EHR. That left us with the inner ring of the model, which provides a menu of design options. When change is under consideration, management, as well as other change agents, can find help within this framework.In order to cope with the change effectively, the approach the consultant agency follows can be summarized using the change choices ring in the model. Change path. The change path can range from adaption, reconstruction, evolution or revolution. In EHR s case, the consultancy think it needs a quick win due to the time limit but still not wise to carry out a major transformational turnaround. Change start-point. To start with, the consultants seek for management commitment to the result from a top-down perspective. Then by identifying real issues and key influencers within the company Change target. The attitude and behavior is the major targets of the change process. By group working and sharing, both middle managers and employees expand their psychological foundations by themselves, which lead to a more voluntary transition in attitude and way of doing things. Change style. The changing process is more of a participation style rather than direction or education, with the effort of the consultancy of bringing management and employees together. Change levers. The driven force of the change is interpersonal rather than technological or political. The concept of ownership and self-leadership is conveyed and ignites change in culture from within. Change roles. It is emphasized that every staff is responsible for the change. The key influencers perform as change agents and share with others, so other employee can relate to their own experience at work. Conclusion and Recommendation The subsystems of organizations shown in the culture web are all to do withthe levers of change. Transformational change requiresthe alignment of considerably softer levers within anorganization as well as the hardcore gears ;it is easier to succeed if paying more attention to subtle mechanisms in regard to people (Balogun Hope Hailey, Exploring Strategic Change, 1999). Here are some recommendations on the change management implication of EHR within a short timescale such as 4 weeks to 3 months. 1. Identification process of both the context and change itself should always be carried out carefully. What is happening in the environment has great influence on the nature and type of change. 2. Alignmentof individual factors of the organization should be examined to check whether a fundamental change is required to assure the change undergoes toward the strategic goals. 3. Interventions requireconscientiouslyplanningin order to eliminate the inertia and barriers to change as shown in the cultural web, to create new subsystems including structures, systems, routines, rituals, symbols, and stories. 4. Seen the weakness of an organization, in order to fix it,support from other sort of leaning such as training is required. Individuals need to go through additionalpreparation and be exposed to extra initiatives before they can accept the vision of organizational change.

Imagery Depicted Through T.S. Eliots The Hollow Men Essay -- essays r

The imagery depicted in T.S. Eliot's poem "The Hollow Men" evokes a sense of desolate hopelessness and lends to Eliot's generally cynical view of civilization during this period in history. A reaction of deep and profound disappointment in mankind around him is made evident in this stark work, first published in 1925. In this short piece, Eliot enumerates several deep faults he finds in his fellowman, including hypocrisy, apathy and indifference, and leaves the reader with a feeling of overwhelming emptiness. An important feature of this poem is the fact that the narration of the poem is in first person. This establishes Eliot's and the readers relationship to the images and ideas presented. When the poem begins "We are the hollow men" rather than "They are ..." or "You are..." the reader is immediately included somehow in this description, along with Eliot himself. This type of narration creates a sense of common "hollowness" and by the end of the poem, therefore, a sense of common responsibility and guilt. Early in the poem, Eliot creates a world of desolation. The idea of dryness is emphasized by the repetition of the word "dry" in the first stanza, where we read of "dried voices," "dry grass" and "dry cellar." When he mentions the sound of "rats feet over broken glass" he succinctly and subtly prods at our anxieties about urban disease and decay, showing us a sort of fle...

Literature Coursework Essay

The play a View from the Bridge is a modern day Greek tragedy, which tracks the downfall of one individual. This is Eddie Carbone, an Italian man, with the beliefs of the Italian culture. Eddie, with his wife Beatrice and niece Catherine, live in Redhook, Brooklyn, a slum as the people there calls it and now it is known as that. Brooklyn has a large Italian community. Many people who live in Redhook are mostly Italian. The arrival of Beatrice’s cousin Marco and his brother Rodolpho two illegal immigrants who must be kept a secret form the Immigration authorities, in America to live an ‘American Dream’, makes the whole play catalyst. The play is a tragedy and so a lot of aggression is included. The tragedy focuses on the private and social life of Eddie Carbone. The traditional, cultural beliefs of how to be an Italian man is a downfall. The belief’s on how to be a real Italian man is to get back justice, if you get hurt. This is exactly what happens to Eddie. If any of these Italian beliefs weren’t in place the play wouldn’t have ended as such a â€Å"bloody course†. The whole play is changed when the two brothers arrive in the slum neighborhood. Eddie, who is Catherine’s uncle, but acts like a father to her, is so protective over her and tells her what to do and what not to do. But Beatrice thinks that Catherine is old enough to go out to work, and to attract the attention of young men as she walks down the street. Alfieri who is a lawyer knows both sides of the story and also knows what is going to happen next in the play. Alfieri is the kind of man who is not bad tempered. He tries to control everything what goes on, and doesn’t want anything to go wrong. He knows what Eddie will get in the end, by acting the way he is. This includes being jealous, and not being happy for Catherine, the way she is. In this essay I am going to examine the ideas of manliness, hostility and aggression. I will examine how these are connected. During most of the tragic play, Marco is talked of very positively. This is shown as Marco works day and night very hard, and with physical strength. Marco is thought of positively by a few people at the start of the play, when they arrive, in America, as immigrants. Eddie is one of the people that think very positively as he says: â€Å"Marco goes around like a man; Nobody kids Marco†. This quote is showing that Eddie thinks very positively of Marco. He believes that as a man you should be physically strong. He is saying that Marco is serious; he wants to do work and send money he earns home, to his wife and children. Marco has come to America to do work, and that’s what he does do. Nobody kids around with Marco. Marco shows much more masculinity when he says he cares so much about his family in Italy, that he is going to send everything, straight to them. He says this to show his masculinity: â€Å"I send everything†. He says this quote when he is talking to Beatrice about his wife. He shows masculinity he talks about sending money home, and that’s why he has come to America, to work for his family. It suggests to us he is a man, because he sends money to feed his wife and children. It tells us that he is the man of the house. Marco doesn’t show off much of his masculinity, but at one point, he sticks up for his brother, Rodolpho and gives Eddie a challenge. Eddie is challenged by Marco and this is a point where he shows his masculinity. The point where Marco tells Eddie to lift the chair: â€Å"Can you lift this chair? † Eddie knows that at this point he has been challenged. He thinks he can lift the chair. He gives it a go, trying to show his physical strength, but unfortunately fails two times, to meet Marco’s standards. Marco then shows off his physical strength by lifting the chair over his head. Marco doesn’t like to really show off, in front of people, but at this point he defends his brother by making Eddie do something. Eddie’s view of how to be a real man and show the masculinity you have is to do certain things. He talks about these when he is talking to Alfieri or Beatrice. He considers a lot of things to be very manly. He refers mainly to Rodolpho when he says things to Alfieri. He wants authority and he acts like he is the man of the house. Eddie likes manliness to mean, physical strength, hard working and authority. But when he is talking to Beatrice, he implies that Rodolpho is gay. Of course we don’t know this for sure, but he says it so it makes us believe that he is gay. It says that he cooks, sings and even makes dresses. Eddie certainly doesn’t’ approve of him, especially when Catherine is attracted to him. Eddie thinks he does a lot of women jobs. Eddie shows authority, this is shown, because when Catherine is going out with Rodolpho he doesn’t let her. This is shown in the scene with a stage direction: He moves to Catherine. This shows that Eddie is protective. He stops Catherine from going out, with high heels on. He tells her to take her shoes off. Eddie wins the argument as Catherine listens and she takes off the high heels. This shows that Eddie has his authority. If he doesn’t get this he includes physical aggression. Eddie is saying that men should have control of what women do. Eddie also tells us what as a man you should do. He points out this when he is talking to Beatrice. She doesn’t agree with something what Eddie says about Rodolpho. Eddie wants authority and so he shows this by saying that a wife should agree with what her husband has to say: â€Å"A wife is supposed to believe he husband. If I tell you the guy ain’t right, don’t tell me his is right†. By saying this he means that Beatrice should agree with what the husband has to say, so if he says that Rodolpho ain’t right, Beatrice should agree that Rodolpho ain’t right. He is showing he has authority and is man of the house. The ways in which Rodolpho during the play doesn’t conform to the Italian beliefs of masculinity is when he says and does things those only women do. These included cooking, singing and making dresses. Eddies point of view is for men to work hard and be serious. Rodolpho tries to show his masculinity, but fails dramatically. This is clearly shown, when Rodolpho has been told to leave by Eddie, and Catherine says that she will also leave. Rodolpho gets quite angry and decides to tell Eddie, that he wants Catherine to be his wife. Eddie doesn’t agree at all. It’s obvious why, because he thinks Rodolpho is gay. Eddie doesn’t conform of his masculinity at all. This is because Rodolpho doesn’t at all show much masculinity. The consequence of this is that when Rodolpho gets angry, he tries to attack Eddie. He does not succeed in doing that and so Eddie pins him down. This is told by a stage direction:

“August Houseplant”: A Commentary Essay

‘August Houseplant’ details the encounter of a beautiful and wild philodendron by the protagonist in his backyard. Astounded by the plant’s beauty and wilderness, the protagonist establishes an emotional connection with the plant and contemplates bringing it into his home to protect it from the autumn cold. The narrative perspective and concrete language of the August Houseplant serves to present his themes as experiences associated with society, resulting in highly original and symbolic body of work charged with semantic associations that must be intuitively comprehended by the reader. The first aspect a reader notices about â€Å"August Houseplant† is its irregular structure. August Houseplant is a ‘concrete poem’, in which its poetic structure is used to represent the structural pattern of a philodendron plant. To achieve this irregular structure Levertov generously uses enjambment and caesuras. The purpose of a scattered structure could also be argued to be a rebellion against the neat structure of a regular poem, thus making irregularity an equivalent to the plant’s wilderness. Through the poet’s diction, use of stylistic devices such as personification, enjambment, structure, and the use of vivid sensory imagery, the poet beautifully depicts the wilderness of the philodendron plant and suggests that the intention of forcefully domesticating the wild would only prove to be naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve and futile, (even if the intention were good), as it is unnatural to displace the wild of its natural environment. We are first exposed to the plant’s beauty and wilderness in the opening stanza in which the author anxiously questions what may be lurking in his backyard, â€Å"Is there someone, an intruder, in my backyard?† We later realize that the intruder is a wild philodendron plant, and this immediate image brings an aura of â€Å"wilderness†; of something that is â€Å"untamed†, uncultivated, undisciplined and uncontrollable: it summers on the deck, touches the floor, feels the chair and explores new ground, as if it were a wild animal craving for more space to reside in. The wilderness of the plant is a sharp contrast to the impression of the protagonist’s backyard in which the plant enters. The protagonist’s backyard is a private and domesticated sanctuary, complete with a â€Å"deck, a floor, a chair†-all elements pointing to cultivation and civilization, and immediately we sense that the plant has been displaced out of its natural habitat. We are also drawn by the sheer size of the plant; as the first part of the plant that is seen by the protagonist is its leaves, (â€Å"Ah! It’s you, dear leaves†). With this, Levertov has now established the main features of the plant, that it is wild, displaced and large, which leads us to empathize with it when the protagonist contemplates bringing it in for the winter-The fact that the narrator wants to believe that the mouse has actually become his pet, and wants to imagine that it no longer fears him, says more about the narrator than the mouse. He wants the mouse to trust him, and to feel like he is a care-taking figure to it, when perhaps he realizes that it can not perceive him as such. The narrator states: â€Å"And when you’re maneuvered in, how small the room will become; how can I set you where your green questions won’t lean over human shoulders†¦to enquire, mutely patient, about the walls?† In other words, â€Å"Is my plant more comfortable with me now than before?† Here Levertov suggests that the plant might accept captivity, but it is not certain. When the mouse disappears, the narrator is troubled because he feels protective of the mouse, fears for its safety from hawks, owls, snakes and cats. He sees these threats as negative influences, which demonstrates his naivetà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ and simplicity, for the fear of them teaches the mouse how to survive. The â€Å"hawks† are an essential part of life; even humans cannot live without the existence of threats. Throughout the poem the protagonist has a tone of awe and anxiety. He is fascinated at the sight of the beautiful plant: (â€Å"Ah! It’s you, dear leaves,† / â€Å"As if you knew fall is coming, you seem to desire everything that surrounds you, all of air, all of light, all of shade.†) and his thought of bringing the plant in also suggests to the fact that he is fascinated by its beauty. This fascination for the plant establishes an emotional attachment of the protagonist for the plant; he begins to worry what will become of the plant when it gets cold. â€Å"How am I going to carry you in, when it gets cold?† This tone of anxiety is parallel to the tone a protective parent would feel for his child, which ironically, we reject entirely: Levertov has established that the plant is wild, large and already displaced out of its home when in the protagonist’s backyard, yet if the protagonist brings the plant into his home, it is perhaps more likely to be because of his fascination for it, instead of his wanting to protect it; domesticating something that is born wild would do more harm than good to it. Moreover, we realize that the protagonist is aware that the plant is wild and would not adapt to his small home, he states, â€Å"It’s those long, ever-longer, reaching arms that don’t fit through the door† This protection is both forceful and naive-the plant is wild and won’t â€Å"fit through the door†, thus the protagonist’s intention of domesticating the plant is a naive The plant is personified; The plant is personified, By allowing the philodendron to plant to have such This personification not only establishes a feeling a wilderness of the plant but also establishes the persona’s emotional attachment to the plant. Finding the plant so beautiful, the protagonist deliberates how he can bring the plant indoors, fearing that it will be cold once autumn arrives (-cold: â€Å"How am I going to carry you in, when it gets cold?†). September 19, 2008 Angelica Tong, 12BJ â€Å"August Houseplant† (Levertov) from A Door in the Hive (1989) English A1 HL (CYeo)

Effect of Domestic Violence on Children

Effect of Domestic Violence on Children Introduction Family violence is a term that can be used to describe the various forms of violence that happen with a family set up. A family is a sociological unit which includes parents and children. The most common types of violence within the family are wife abuse and child abuse. Violence in this sense may include slaps, pushes, sexual abuse, battering, and use of abusive words (Gelles Lancaster, 1987).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Effect of Domestic Violence on Children specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Children in single parent families are at more risk of abuse more so sexual abuse than their counterparts in two parents’ families. It is assumed that children from single parents are at lower risks of sexual abuse because they lack male figures in their environment but this is not usually the case. In most cases of the single parents neglects their children and leave them at the mercy of the society. They get exposed to a large number of male figures who ends ups abusing them. Child abuse is an excessive violation of child right which may be physical, psychological or even emotional, that may have an immediate or a long term effect on the life of a child. It may happen in the family setting, day care centers, and schools or in the society generally. Though there is a common accepted agreement that some violence can be legitimized, under the name ‘necessary punishment’ with the aim of disciplining the child, the level of punishment cannot be scientifically quantified (Sherman 2006) . This paper examines from a broader perspective the recent forms of child violence as reported in the local and international media houses. Forms of Child Abuse Physical Parents, day care centers, house girls ,teachers and the society have for long been punishing children by inflicting pain, especially when the child has done what is believed to be wrong. This is done with the aim of en suring that the child is disciplined and is meant as a legitimate punishment. However, the punishment is often excessive and thus an abuse. What is not excessive is subject to debate. Psychological A family and society at large is an element of peace and comfort, what we do, what we talk, the environment that we live in creates a picture in a child’s mind that affects the mental stability of the child. It should be noted that a child’s mind is constantly learning and the surrounding of the child have a far reaching effect. In incidences of rape, the child is psychologically affected in its life time especially if counseling support is not given effectively (Loseke, 2006). Emotional Children learn mainly through interaction with other children through playing their various social games. This is a very important exercise in a child’s life but many parents worldwide have denied their children this important socialization process, it may be direct, where childre n are locked in the house or strictly forbidden from going outside.Advertising Looking for report on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Others restrict their child on the children they are expected to play with. On the indirect perspective parents line up numerous duties to be performed by the child either homework or a never ending tuition, all this geared to deny a child free time (Loseke, 1992). Media-child Violence Children between the ages of zero and six year are continuously learning and developing socially and emotionally. For an appropriate development, a child needs love and care from both parents. In the case of families experiencing domestic violence, the social and emotional development of children brought put in such families is affected negatively. Psychological wellness of the child is affected at early age and later in life. Children are socialized by what they hears, what it sees other peop le do, the environment around the child the environments and so forth. The child is constantly learning the behaviour that will further be reflected in the teenage. When a child is exposed to violence behaviour, he/she is more likely to take them positive and later in life at adolescence or a grown up finds itself violent because of what he saw. Technological improvement has brought different method of information dispensing as well socialization mediums, they are both electronic and print media that a child or teenager has access to. One of the most notable information dispensers is television sets and radio; the technological devises airs both national and international news, TVs can be used to play visual and audio videos. With the increase in media freedom, the media has brought a number of issues that have influenced on the life of a people, they have sometimes aired programs, and music and news that can reign force the vice of violence in children and teenagers. The people of the area uphold culture; it is transmitted to new entrants into the society; the culture covers in areas of language used by the people, the way they do thing, religion that they practice, structure, identity, norms, belief and values thy hold. there are some cultures that reinforce violence in their countries, for example among the Muslims, there is holy war culture, in case such information is aired through television, someone who does not understand the underlying principle is likely to think that violence pays. Children and teenagers are spending more times with television sets than they are spending with other people because of the busy schedule of the people. How someone behaves is influence by the exposure that he has. TVs are offering an exposure that is changing increasing chances of violence among children and teenagers.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Effect of Domestic Violence on Children specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Theories have been developed to explain why child abuse is still prevalent in many societies. Psychologically, child abuse may be caused by the qualities that the abusers were oriented to since their childhood. It has been observed that parents who have grown up in families where they were abused as children ended up abusing their own children. Another theory that tries to explain the cause of child abuse is the theory of attachment. The first five years from birth forms the crucial period when the child benefits from the mother from psychological security and physical protection. If a child gets detached from the mother during this crucial period, he may suffer from sociological and psychological problems during his/her latter years. It has been found that most of the children who were not able get parental love at their early stages have resulted in abusing their own children (Lawrence, 2004). Another cause of child abuse is addiction to alcohol. Most of the fa thers, who abuse their children sexually, do it under the influence of alcohol. Nevertheless we can not wholly blame alcohol as the cause of child abuse because some parents abuse alcohol to help them do some of the activities (such as child abuse) that they could not perform under their sober mind. Sociology explains that, most behavior traits are acquired through learning from the surrounding environment. Individuals who have been brought up in environments with violent behaviors either among siblings, parents or the society at large may end up practicing it on their children as a way of instilling discipline on them (Randall ,Bellack Michel, 2009 ). Child abuse is a problem that is affecting many societies. Most of our children have been neglected and this has contributed to the increase in child abuse. There is need to protect these children from both violence and negligence. It is the work of the adults to open they eyes and ears and ensure that child abuse comes to an end. Pro per authorities should be contacted in cases where one notices children being abused either in the form of battering, sexual abuse or denial of food. The society is one of the agents of socialization and if we do not take the responsibilities of looking at the children as our own, then it will be every difficult to curb the vice. More awareness should be provided to the public through the media, newspapers or open meetings with the discussions on child abuse. Children are innocent beings and need not to suffer under any circumstances. These children are the future generation and if they are abused today, the generation of tomorrow is affected. The media has for long being a whistle Brower in many instances of child abuse. We will interpolate some of the incidences that have been highlighted by the media in the United States of America (Geffner Hughes, 1988).Advertising Looking for report on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cases reported by the media There are some reports that have been reported, on August 14, 2007 in New York news daily, a child was said to have been killed by the mother when he was in a life supporting unit. This is not the first time for such in incidences to have happened. As the case has always been the names of the culprits were withheld and not much information later followed about the proceeds of the case. On May 31, 2005, in New York news daily, reported of a child who had been beaten by the father for the reason that he had failed the exams. These are cases that are many in the country but the government is not doing anything to the culprits. The media reported but as usual no names were mentioned. As much as the culprit is innocent before proved otherwise the media has reliable information that it can give to the authorities and assist in prosecuting the culprits. Observations People all over the world have different views on whether a child should be punished or not. Ther e are those who see the media overstepping its mandate when it reports incidences of child abuse. There is also the media regulation that may limit the extent to which the media reports these incidences. One of the ways that the media regulation protects the media from doing is revealing the names of the child abuser. These keep protecting the one who committed the crime. The reporting should be done, and it is important to respect the privacy of the child involved, however there should be well raid measures to ensure that the culprit is punished according to the law of the concerned country. If this is attained then the public will be more willing to report these incidences (Frost Nick Child Welfare, 2005).The believes that the privacy of the child will be protected and the culprit punished. The media has the role to educate the public and ensure that the Conclusion A Zambian proverb says-â€Å"to protect a child is to protect the world†. This emphasizes the need to protect the child for continuity, it is everyone’s responsibility. Governments should also put in place measures to ensure children’s rights are protected. References Frost Nick Child Welfare. (2005). Child abuse and child protection Major themes in health and social welfare Volume 2 of Child Welfare: Major Themes in Health and Social Welfare. London: Taylor Francis Gelles, J. Lancaster, J. B. (1987). Child abuse and neglect: biosocial dimensions Foundations of human behavior. Aldine Transaction Geffner, R. R., Hughes, H. (1988). Research issues concerning Family violence. New York: Wiley. Lawrence, A. (2004). Principles of child protection: management and practice. McGraw-Hill International. Loseke R. D. (2006). The battered woman and shelters: The social construction of wife abuse. New York: State University of New York Press Randall. L. M. ,Bellack, A. Michel H. (2009).Handbook of family violence. New York: Plenum. Sherman, W. (2006). Policing domestic violence: Experime nts and dilemmas. New York: Free Press

The eNotes Blog Louise Erdrich Read toLive

Louise Erdrich Read toLive On Monday the 16th a couple of us went to see Louise Erdrich give a reading from her new novel, LaRose, out now in hardcover from HarperCollins. This novel is set in Ojibwe territory in  North Dakota and draws inspiration from a story Erdrichs mother told her about a family who shared their son  with the parents of a child theyd accidentally killed. LaRose, the young boy who is given to the wronged family in Erdrichs novel,  is the fifth of his name, the favorite child of his father, Landreaux. Hes a spiritual boy who communes with his ancestors and has a strong relationship with the young girl Maggie, who thinks hes a saint. When we saw her, Erdrich read two passages about Maggie, one a harrowing passage of violence narrowly escaped, the other a tense yet hilarious account of a  volleyball game Maggies team wins. After the reading, the audience had the opportunity to ask questions about where Erdrich draws  inspiration for  her novels  (from her rich heritage and her a ncestors), how she feels about the education system on reservations  (we need to celebrate Native American teachers and build more immersion schools where children can learn traditional Native American languages), and  what books she would recommend (works by Tracy K. Smith, Marlon James, and Ocean Vuong, among others). Win a Signed Copy of Love Medicine! We were lucky enough to meet Erdrich briefly and get a signed copy of one of her most popular books,  Love Medicine. Since this book is often taught in high school, we thought we would give a student a chance to win this autographed copy of  Love Medicine, which includes a personalized message from Erdrich herself: Read to love. Its good advice for readers of any age. Check out the inscription below, and let us know  in the comments,  on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram if you want this special copy. Well pick one lucky eNoter at random. Many thanks to Town Hall Seattle and Elliott Bay for sponsoring the event and letting us attend!

A Comparative Study of the Similarities Between The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and the Traditional Folk Tales

A Comparative Study of the Similarities Between The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and the Traditional Folk Tales The Nightingale as a mistaken folktale. The Nightingale has many similarities to a traditional folktale story but it also differs in many ways. The similarities and differences are commonly found in the beginning, middle and ending of the story. Some of the similarities are the introduction to the story, the use of three repetitions, helper figures, and the resolution of conflict at the end of the story. It is evident that there are more similarities than differences and The Nightingale could easily be mistaken for a folktale. First of all, the story of The Nightingale starts off by creating a distant setting that happened long ago and makes it known that its an old story. Folktales, that are also known to be old stories, are characterized by the way the author introduces the story such as â€Å"once upon a time, in a far away kingdom†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Another common characteristic of a folktale that The Nightingale has is the plot and the beginning, middle, and end. In The Nightingale the beginning of the story focuses on creating an imaginary landscape, one that is a world of magic and beauty. This story creates an obstacle right from the start where the chamberlain is in search of the nightingale at the emperor’s request. In this part of the story, the conflict fell into the repetition of three’s, which is another characteristic of a folktale. Here, the chamberlain hears the cow mooing and thinks it is the bird, next he hears the frogs croaking and also thinks it is the bird, finally, he hear s the real nightingale bird. Another similarity between the traditional folktale and this story is that the story includes helper figures. The Nightingale has three—the chamberlain who helps find the nightingale bird for the emperor, the kitchen helper who takes the chamberlain to the forest to find the bird, and the nightingale bird itself, as it sings for the emperor to bring him back to good health. In the middle of the story, there wasn’t a main conflict like a traditional folktale would have. The conflict in the story also followed the sequence of three’s—the search for the bird, the bird that has escaped, and the sick emperor. The action in the story comes quickly such as the time when the emperor became ill. After the climax of the story, the end of the story approaches quickly much like the plot that happens in a folktale. A well-known characteristic of a folktale is that they have heroes who usually resolve the conflict/obstacle near the end of the story, which creates the usual happy ending. In The Nightingale the nightingale bird is recognized as the hero since he is the one who saves the emperor’s life. The bird resolves the conflict in the empire entirely because it suggests informing the emperor in the future about all of the things he did not know, such as who is rich and happy, who is hurt and poor etc. and the bird also volunteers itself to forever be there for the emperor, to sing to him, to keep him happy and in good health. Once the agreement is made between the emperor and the bird, the villain is defeated and the hero is rewarded. This creates the happy ending in the story, which is another characteristic in a folktale. It is evident that The Nightingale has many similarities with the traditional folktale. There are more similarities than differences and The Nightingale can easily be mistaken for a folktale. It has many of the characteristics identified in a folktale such as a villain, a hero, the sequence of three’s, a beginning that creates an imaginary landscape, a middle that has three different conflicts, and a happy ending where there is a resolution.

Diana Coole and Samantha Frost argue that social and political enquiry Essay - 1

Diana Coole and Samantha Frost argue that social and political enquiry needs a new ontology which incorporates matter. Why What problem are they trying to address and how persuasive is their solution - Essay Example Coole and Frost insist that emerging realities in the fields of sciences, arts, geography, and other disciplines are sufficient proof that matter contains more active and viable qualities that previously thought. A precise understanding of the case made by the two thinkers regarding the need for ontological reviews of political and social inquiries should begin with an assessment of the new qualities, which they assign to matter. Coole and Samantha argue that matter is an excess and a force. By this, they imply that it can influence actions, activities, and processes in as many areas as it is represented. Furthermore, the two philosophers adopt the position that matter has some form of relationality and an element of difference. According to their argument, these qualities make matter active, unpredictable, self-creative, and productive. These new perceptions of matter foster alternative views regarding the influence and relationship between matter and discourses such as political and social realities. Coole and Frost engages significantly with the problem of dualism, which makes it problematic in dealing with the cultural theory. Within the context of new materialism, the two authors seek to entrench the view that the mind is essentially a material entity. By this position, new materialism challenges the views adopted by transcendentalism and humanism, which emphasize on the duality between the mind and the body. New materialism suggests that the body is the object of the mind and the two are not entirely separate but relate in one uniform continuum. It is important to regard new materialism in light of the different aspects that relate to it. For instance, by emphasizing on the primacy of the material, this new approach promotes the matter to a level that articulates various concerns that relate to the characteristic of various discourses. Other proponents of the position adopted by Coole and Frost suggest that matter feels, suffers,

Literature and art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Literature and art - Essay Example Both of them are actually a representation of the creator’s thought process. They reveal their creator’s inner self for the world to see. It is interesting, however, that whereas artists do it by their selection of color, line, space and symmetry; writers do it by the selection of their plot, theme, characters and setting. It seems as if both art and literature actually have a story to tell to the world at large. Although arts demand much more imagination from the world, in that the viewers have to come up with their own explanations about a lot of things, whereas in literature, a writer normally gives almost the entire story to the reader, however, even here, the reaction of each reader is different. Based on our own life experiences and knowledge, we form our own interpretation, both after looking at a piece of art or after reading a piece of literature. Both art and literature give depth to common ideas, bringing certain nuances to our notice as well as creating room for certain new ideas. Both art and literature have been used time and again for the purpose of creating awareness among the public about certain issues as well, what is more, both of them depict emotions extremely well. They are not only a joy to behold or read, but they also cause us to pause and think about ourselves and the world. Not only do both of them bring beauty in our lives, but they also create a world of ideas where others can come and gain more insight into the world. The thing that surprised me the most about literature was, that before I always used to think that literature was only the feelings or thoughts of the writer depicted on page. I thought it was one dimensional. However, for me it was surprising to see that everyone who partakes in it comes out with his or her own understanding of the piece of writing. Whether it is poetry or fiction, the words of the writer are not limited, although they appear to be so. There are always more meanings than one that can be gleaned from literature. There is the writer’s original meaning, undoubtedly, but there are also other elements in the writing that may cause one to come to their own conclusion about it. Literature is very rich in meaning, and the fact that it can elicit such varied responses from the readers is a cause of wonder for me. I never thought of literature like that, like I said, I thought that literature was only limited to what the author had to say and nothing more. A good piece of writing is truly a joy to read, no matter what genre of literature it is, however, for me, fiction is the most appealing out of all these genres. The same events or the same story can be told in a myriad of ways in fiction to elicit different responses from the readers, or even to create to a different set of readers. I am fascinated by the richness of fiction. There is such a treasure of ideas and thoughts in fiction: the changes in a society, the ideals of enlightenment, the discussion of emotions , laying bare the ugliness and beauty of life all at the same time, there is so much that fiction has accomplished. I like the way fiction draws the reader into a woven web of a tale and then transports them into a world other than their own where they get to meet people and go places and then learn life’s lessons from them. Without fiction this could only be possible for the well-traveled amongst us, but due to literature we can learn a

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Management - Essay Example 1-13). The different strategies are analyzed and their sustainability evaluated. Also, recommendations and justification are given for other relevant strategies. Discussion The Samsung Electronics has been involved in accumulation of knowledge over the last few decades. However, the company is facing tough competition from other companies. The increase in the overseas production has impacted on the strategic response in Korea. The production network in Samsung extends beyond the ASEAN region through to China and India. Ration of the overseas production to the total production has in the recent years increased sharply. The competition is intense towards the cost-driven struggle for the low-end markets (Leachman & Jeenyoung 2002, p. 61-77). The three major electronics producers in Korea; Samsung, Daewoo and Goldstar, have expressed their intention in increasing the overseas production. By early 1990s, the Samsung Electronics performed an organization integration meant to increase the c oordination between the marketing, production and research across and within the product lines. By 1992, the multiple product sectors were fully under the control of Kim Kwang Ho, who was the CEO and the head of the semiconductor operation. The company started initiating more radical reforms by mid 1993 who improved the dissemination of knowledge within the group. The semi-conductor sector enhanced the technological synergy in other related businesses. For instance, the production of the DRAM technology led to the precision of the Samsung electronics leading to significant improvement in technology. The product design capability is an important strategy by Samsung to enhance the internationalization of production where the low-value-added goods were produced while new products prevented hollowing out of production in Korea. The increased changes of the competition conditions increased the difficulties in foreign licensing and the designs turned out to be very complex. Samsung began acquiring some new capabilities through direct acquisition of foreign firms. The R&D operations in Samsung have been continually centralized Samsung Electronics had strategized on the release of new devices to expand the line-up based on the conditions in the market. This was to prevent overreliance on the android Platform from Google. This sought for the reduction of dependency on Android (Bong & Jinjoo 2004, p. 16). The company produces TFT monitors with the corporate customers being in mind. This strategy necessitates an approach where the company identifies potential markets among the business users whose employees have a high likelihood of spending long hours on a computer screen. The company also targets other markets such as the high street shops that use TFTs for the point of sale terminals. The company uses the radical market strategy to encourage high purchases of their products. The head office in Korea has played a crucial role in introducing strong brand awareness as we ll as instilling good product perceptions. Assessing the sustainability of this strategy, the company has been able to realize high profiles as well as creating high profile for their brand (Chung & Karen 2009, p. 20-27). Samsung Electronics is relatively new in mobile communications. Having established in CDMA markets in Korea and USA, Samsung has decided to incorporate global

History of Corporate Governance or applicable topic Research Paper

History of Corporate Governance or applicable topic - Research Paper Example With time, corporate governance issues do not seem to tire of introducing certain new legislative rules ad duties that aim at governing the relationship between the stakeholders of various companies as well as their management (Morck, 2005). Furthermore, the beginning of the twentieth century saw to the formulation of sufficient codes among other best practice catalogues that are concerned with corporate governance especially in business communities with the sole aim of satisfying a variety of stakeholders. According to Steger and Amann (2008), despite the fact that the term corporate governance being as old as the various managed entities themselves, it cuts across ownership and management thereby bringing forth a principal-agent problem. The term itself gained its use in the 1980s even though the need for shareholder and owner protection against any managerial issue, existed mush earlier. In the 1970s, probably among the most important functions of the corporate instrument were est ablished to be; establishment of basic objectives, corporate strategies as well as the policies of the board (Stege & Amann, 2008). Also, it was charged with the ultimate responsibility asking various discerning questions and above all, the selection of president. Another feature of corporate governance within this time period was the pyramidal business group. In this system, the shareholders are at the apex who commands a great control over a given single company. Consequently, this company held control blocks in other listed companies. In the 1980s, the extent to which the term corporate governance spread provided an indication of the growing awareness of issues as pertaining to corporate governance. The increased attention was somewhat due to several high profile initial public offerings alongside the privatization of state parastatals. This had an impact of various industrial sectors such as telecommunication, mining and electricity in the U.K which reported a rise in the total earnings (Steger & Amann p.8). In the subsequent years, other countries that employed the same tactic such as Germany which privatized its telecom industry, also realized great profits. The increased shift of attention on issues regarding corporate governance within this period can also be associated with a number of corporate failures and scandals. As a result, corporate governance attempted to influence the stock markets which a lot of people depended much on. The stock markets remarkably increased as corporate governance provided a sense security (Morck, 2005). In the 1990s, there was a rise in awareness of corporate governance in all the central countries. There were a lot of reports, guiding principles as well as the remarkably nice practice codes that called for transparency, conformance and compliance that were issued at board level to the countries in question. These reports clearly outlined the directors’ service contracts, the effectiveness and perceived objectivity of auditing as well as the role of institutional investors. As such, this made a breakthrough corporate governance more so owing to the fact its reports became requisite for companies that were listed in the U.S by the year 1995. Corporate governance has brought with it a distinction between the executive and the supervising members of the board and the division between the chairman of the board and the chief executive officers (C.E.O). For instance, by the year 1998,

Supply Chain Management of Marks and Spencer Essay

Supply Chain Management of Marks and Spencer - Essay Example The essay "Supply Chain Management of Marks and Spencer" examines supply chain strategies of one of the most famous retailers in the UK, Marks and Spencer (M&S). The paper will also discuss supply chain structure that the company has been designed to implement its supply chain strategy. At the time of its initiation, M&S did not face much competition as the number of market players was very small. However, over the years the number of retail firms has increased in the UK as well as throughout the world with increasing popularity if retail culture. With the increase in the level of competition, M&S felt it necessary to devise some effective strategies to deal with increased market competition. In order to sustain in an intensely competitive market, it is very much necessary to retain existing customer base and expand it over time. M&S has rightly recognized this need and accordingly have placed focus on delivering goods in the best possible manner to its customers. This strategy is very helpful in improving the profitability of the firm and fostering a huge competitive advantage in the industry. M&S have now emphasized on delivering high-quality up-to-date garments at fair prices to its customers. M&S has also realized that purchasing from overseas suppliers is the most effective way of saving costs. As one of its competitive strategies, the company emphasizes on redesigning its stores in such a way that they provide more comfort, more space, and more convenience to the customers at the time of their shopping and browsing.... M&S has rightly recognized this need and accordingly have placed focus on delivering goods in the best possible manner to its customers. This strategy is very helpful in improving profitability of the firm and fostering a huge competitive advantage in the industry. M&S have now emphasized on delivering high-quality up-to-date garments at fair prices to its customers. (Neef,. 2004; Hensher, 2001) To survive under extremely competitive environment, it is necessary to improve its operational activities, suppliers, logistic, designing of stores and so on. The old stocks should be cleared from the warehouses to give way for new stocks that are up-to-dated. Apart from this, it is also necessary to provide due consideration on packaging of the products. M&S has identified all these needs for improving its competitive strength in the market and has designed competitive strategies accordingly to meet these needs. (Neef,. 2004; Hensher, 2001) M&S has also realized that purchasing from overseas suppliers is the most effective way of saving costs as well as of providing the products to the customers at lower prices. Hence, it has abandoned its policy of confining to UK suppliers only. (Neef,. 2004; Hensher, 2001) As one of its competitive strategy, the company is emphasizing on redesigning its stores in such a way that they provide more comfort, more space and more convenience to the customers at the time of their shopping and browsing. (Neef,. 2004; Hensher, 2001) Supply chain strategy: For a large scale of business enterprises, Marks and Spencer, one of the famous retailer in Britain, had set a very big example. For a very long time, Marks and Spencer has been a leader in the industry where there is a team of local suppliers working

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Management - Essay Example 1-13). The different strategies are analyzed and their sustainability evaluated. Also, recommendations and justification are given for other relevant strategies. Discussion The Samsung Electronics has been involved in accumulation of knowledge over the last few decades. However, the company is facing tough competition from other companies. The increase in the overseas production has impacted on the strategic response in Korea. The production network in Samsung extends beyond the ASEAN region through to China and India. Ration of the overseas production to the total production has in the recent years increased sharply. The competition is intense towards the cost-driven struggle for the low-end markets (Leachman & Jeenyoung 2002, p. 61-77). The three major electronics producers in Korea; Samsung, Daewoo and Goldstar, have expressed their intention in increasing the overseas production. By early 1990s, the Samsung Electronics performed an organization integration meant to increase the c oordination between the marketing, production and research across and within the product lines. By 1992, the multiple product sectors were fully under the control of Kim Kwang Ho, who was the CEO and the head of the semiconductor operation. The company started initiating more radical reforms by mid 1993 who improved the dissemination of knowledge within the group. The semi-conductor sector enhanced the technological synergy in other related businesses. For instance, the production of the DRAM technology led to the precision of the Samsung electronics leading to significant improvement in technology. The product design capability is an important strategy by Samsung to enhance the internationalization of production where the low-value-added goods were produced while new products prevented hollowing out of production in Korea. The increased changes of the competition conditions increased the difficulties in foreign licensing and the designs turned out to be very complex. Samsung began acquiring some new capabilities through direct acquisition of foreign firms. The R&D operations in Samsung have been continually centralized Samsung Electronics had strategized on the release of new devices to expand the line-up based on the conditions in the market. This was to prevent overreliance on the android Platform from Google. This sought for the reduction of dependency on Android (Bong & Jinjoo 2004, p. 16). The company produces TFT monitors with the corporate customers being in mind. This strategy necessitates an approach where the company identifies potential markets among the business users whose employees have a high likelihood of spending long hours on a computer screen. The company also targets other markets such as the high street shops that use TFTs for the point of sale terminals. The company uses the radical market strategy to encourage high purchases of their products. The head office in Korea has played a crucial role in introducing strong brand awareness as we ll as instilling good product perceptions. Assessing the sustainability of this strategy, the company has been able to realize high profiles as well as creating high profile for their brand (Chung & Karen 2009, p. 20-27). Samsung Electronics is relatively new in mobile communications. Having established in CDMA markets in Korea and USA, Samsung has decided to incorporate global

Supply Chain Management of Marks and Spencer Essay

Supply Chain Management of Marks and Spencer - Essay Example The essay "Supply Chain Management of Marks and Spencer" examines supply chain strategies of one of the most famous retailers in the UK, Marks and Spencer (M&S). The paper will also discuss supply chain structure that the company has been designed to implement its supply chain strategy. At the time of its initiation, M&S did not face much competition as the number of market players was very small. However, over the years the number of retail firms has increased in the UK as well as throughout the world with increasing popularity if retail culture. With the increase in the level of competition, M&S felt it necessary to devise some effective strategies to deal with increased market competition. In order to sustain in an intensely competitive market, it is very much necessary to retain existing customer base and expand it over time. M&S has rightly recognized this need and accordingly have placed focus on delivering goods in the best possible manner to its customers. This strategy is very helpful in improving the profitability of the firm and fostering a huge competitive advantage in the industry. M&S have now emphasized on delivering high-quality up-to-date garments at fair prices to its customers. M&S has also realized that purchasing from overseas suppliers is the most effective way of saving costs. As one of its competitive strategies, the company emphasizes on redesigning its stores in such a way that they provide more comfort, more space, and more convenience to the customers at the time of their shopping and browsing.... M&S has rightly recognized this need and accordingly have placed focus on delivering goods in the best possible manner to its customers. This strategy is very helpful in improving profitability of the firm and fostering a huge competitive advantage in the industry. M&S have now emphasized on delivering high-quality up-to-date garments at fair prices to its customers. (Neef,. 2004; Hensher, 2001) To survive under extremely competitive environment, it is necessary to improve its operational activities, suppliers, logistic, designing of stores and so on. The old stocks should be cleared from the warehouses to give way for new stocks that are up-to-dated. Apart from this, it is also necessary to provide due consideration on packaging of the products. M&S has identified all these needs for improving its competitive strength in the market and has designed competitive strategies accordingly to meet these needs. (Neef,. 2004; Hensher, 2001) M&S has also realized that purchasing from overseas suppliers is the most effective way of saving costs as well as of providing the products to the customers at lower prices. Hence, it has abandoned its policy of confining to UK suppliers only. (Neef,. 2004; Hensher, 2001) As one of its competitive strategy, the company is emphasizing on redesigning its stores in such a way that they provide more comfort, more space and more convenience to the customers at the time of their shopping and browsing. (Neef,. 2004; Hensher, 2001) Supply chain strategy: For a large scale of business enterprises, Marks and Spencer, one of the famous retailer in Britain, had set a very big example. For a very long time, Marks and Spencer has been a leader in the industry where there is a team of local suppliers working

How to have a relationship Essay Example for Free

How to have a relationship Essay ? A relationship is a way of connecting. The connection could be between people or objects. Listening to my grandmother talk about relationships helped me understand how things have completely changed over times. My grandmother stated that relationships where more valued back then and people stayed together for all the right reasons. She informed me that when you loved someone you loved them like no other. When it came to marriage they lasted longer than they do now. Having a relationship with someone was the thing to do. At one time relationships actually had meaning people were with each other because they loved them. This showed me the commitment part of relationships, when people actually stayed faithful to the person they were with. Nowadays men and woman say I love you just for the fun of it. But be honest everyone you know or knew either ant’s a relationship, has a relationship or has played a role in one either as the main lover or the sideline. Relationships are complicated, complex commitments that we take seriously or play around with like a rag doll. Serious relationships start from the mind knowing what it is that you want how you want it and how you’re going to get it is the first step in committing to a relationship. Yes commitment can be very hard to do. Especially when were accustomed to doing things our own way; without having to answer to someone else. Understanding the person you are trying to commit to is a good way to start a serious relationship. It is important to gather as much information as possible and take as much time as needed to ensure that you know the person that you are in a relationship with. Taking the steps and looking at past relationships can help you understand if the relationship might be what you are looking for in life. It is true that no matter how long you have known a person you may never truly know who that person really is. It is also important to know what we want before committing ourselves in. Whether that relationship is a marriage or just a boyfriend/ girlfriend committing to someone should begin with feelings being involved. Relationships become complicated when you have disagreements, other people etc. I feel that it takes two to make a relationship work and if both parties are not commented then it will never work. It’s like the eighty-twenty rule which explains that one person is giving there all and all and the other person only gives what is necessary at that time. How can a relationship work if both parties are not on the same level and are not committed to each other? Complicating in relationships come from problems that we cause ourselves, from not committing or giving our all to the relationship. As for myself I’ve had a few relationships in my day. Some good ones and then some that I would give anything to take back and wish that I had never committed myself to. Not saying that you would have the same outcome as I did but just make sure that the love is real. If we go into a relationship knowing that we are not there for a long time then it makes the relationship less complicated. In these type situations just make sure that you inform the person with how you feel before going into the relationship. It is important to have a clean understanding of what each party wants. Having false feelings in a relationship can be the most hurtful thing when you actually find out so therefore try to avoid coming into these situations. Communication is a huge part of a serious successful relationship. Communicating with your partner is a very good stress reliever and understanding method. Having communication builds trust and loyalty, which are two other things that are very important in a relationship. When a person is in a relationship they expect their partner to be understanding, have good listening skills and be there when they need you. Sometimes it’s just best to sit back and listen to what the other person had to say. You never know what you might learn about your partner if you just listen. Always remember to keep the lines of communication open throughout the relationship. For me, I think that one of my biggest downfalls in previous relationships is the lack of communication between my partner and me. I also have problems with my partner not being able to support himself and maybe even helping me every now and then, don’t get me wrong I’m not asking him to take care of me in no means what so ever but help every now and then would be good. As I did research on the topic of relationships, I learned that there are several steps that can be taken to have a successful relationship. First it is important to ensure that you trust your partner. Does your partner’s communication lift you just to bring you right back down? How do you and your partner deal with conflict in your relationship? Do you have compatible financial values? When you are thinking about starting a new relationship think about some of these questions. They might help you to understand the relationship better and if that’s what you really want. Maintaining a trusting and lasting relationship is going to require some work on both sides and especially in these times. As long as there is trust and communication between both parties then there is a good chance that the relationship will work. I plan to take my time and know the person that I intend to be in a serious relationship with. I don’t want to hurt anyone and I definitely don’t want to be hurt. I look forward to finding love one day that is meaningful and lasting but until then I will continue to inform my partner how I feel and what I am looking for in the beginning. I will ensure the line of communication stays open.

Gender Differences in Communication | Essay

Gender Differences in Communication | Essay ‘For men and women, communication can be a very long drive, using different roads often to get to the same place.’ Men and women differ in many ways. They view the world through different lens. One of those differences is that they have different styles of communicating with others. Women are said to have expressive characteristics and men instrumental characteristics. There are lot of factors on which depend the way one communicate, such as where people are from, where they have been brought up, their educational background, their age and it surely depends on their gender. Communication is known as to be a two-way process involving individuals trying to seek mutual understanding. It does not involve only the process of exchanging information, news, ideas and feelings, but also helps to develop and share meaning. It generally connects people or places in society. In an organization, communication is an essential key function for the management of individual; it cannot operate effectively if there is no communication between the levels, departments and employees. Gender is an important factor that creates a gap between males and females. Gender refers to the attitudes, feelings and behavior that a given culture associates with one’s biological sex. Men and women know about the gender roles they have to adopt at a very early age. Most women and many men communicate differently and adopt different speech skills according to the situation they are facing, the purposes and the roles they have in society and at work. Gender differences emerge from both social and professional settings. Within an organization, gender is an important factor influencing communication. These gender differences in communication are often revealed during conflict, or even serve as a cataclysm for conflict. However, it is not only a threat to society and installs non-understanding at work. Those gender differences might benefit the whole society as well as the organization. The importance of communication maybe noticed in everyday life, for instance, a little connection can have a large impact and influence in one whole life. Communication problems can make a working environment unpleasant, uncomfortable and unproductive. The origin of conflicts that arouse can come from anything such as personal management styles, educational background to personality conflicts and cultural differences. In the book, Men are from Mars and Women from Venus, John Gray(2004) wrote: Men mistakenly expect women to think, communicate, and react the way men do; women mistakenly expect men to feel, communicate and respond the way women do. People tend to forget that men and women are supposed to be different. As a result the relationship between men and women is filled with unnecessary friction and conflict. He goes on saying that men and women are so different in their approaches to communication that they might come from different planet. They do not have similar goals, needs and values in their communication styles. One main difference he has highlighted is that men are goal-oriented; they define their sense of self through their ability to achieve results. On the other hand, women are relationship-oriented as they define their sense of self by their feelings and by the quality of their relationship. Males grow up learning some essential elements considered as being the center of masculinity, such as not being female, be successful, be aggressive, be sexual, be self-reliant, embody and transcend traditional views of masculinity (Wood, 2011). On the other hand, females are taught that appearance is important, showing sensitivity and care is a must, and that they should also expect negative treatment from others, superwoman abilities are anticipated and there is no single meaning of feminine. Wood believes that ‘through communication with others, we come to understand how society defines masculinity and feminity.’ Both men and women differ in the way they manage people and give orders. Many well-respected studies have shown that women have the tendency to soften their demands and statements, as compared to men who tend to be more direct. Women for example, use tag lines, phrases like ‘don’t you think’ preceding the presentation of an idea, ‘if you don’t mind’ following a demand or ‘this may be a crazy idea, but’ followed by a suggestion, trying to make their opinions and ideas be accepted and understood by others. Most women are conditioned by culture to maintain harmonious relationships with others. That condition is revealed in softened demands, constrained statements and a generally more tentative or lack confidence speech. In some circumstances, women tend to have direct conversation like men. This does not mean that the person is arrogant, bossy or feels superior compared to others but these are nothing more than learned ways of communicating. Another difference that has been brought up when talking about gender communication between men and women is that women most of the time ask more questions as compared to men. Asking questions have different meanings when it comes to gender differences. Men ask questions for only one reason; to gather information. For women, asking questions have purposes to gather information, but as it can be noticed, women will also ask questions when they already know the answer. The reason behind this is that they want to seek interest in what the other person has said to cultivate the relationship. The managing styles and the ways of asking questions bring up fundamental matters about women’s role in the workplace. There is nothing wrong in having different ways of communicating. Men have the perfect right to be more direct and ask fewer questions, while women and some men are simply more at ease with a softer style of communicating. The problems and conflicts then can emerge when those differences lead to misunderstanding and misinterpretations, which can sooner or later disrupt teamwork and even ruin someone’s opportunities for upward mobility. People should try to understand each other way of communicating and particular way of speaking in order to build better mixed gender teams. Someone may be crude. This does not mean that the person is cold, uncaring or uninvolved. On the other hand, a more tentative approach does not necessarily indicate a sign of weakness, fear or lack of confidence. People communicate the way they do, because they are taught to do so since the very beginning of their childhood. What really matters is that men and women give each other a chance, that they get to know what lies behind the communication style, and most important, that they resist the urge to jump to premature conclusions about the meaning of particular style. There are two main ways of studying gender differences in communication styles; the academic research and popular literature. Men and women differ psychologically in the way they act, from the style in which they communicate, to the way in which they attempt to influence others. The most obvious difference between men and women ways of communication comes to the fact that men and women view the use of conversation differently. Academic research on psychological gender differences has proved that women use language to promote social connections and create relationships, men use communication as a means to bring to bear dominance and achieve tangible goals. This is such as women are, overall, more expressive, tentative, and polite in conversation, while men are more assertive, and power hungry. (Basow Rubenfield, 2003) Popular works by John Gray and Deborah Tannen show that while men view conversations as a way of establishing and maintaining status and superiority in conversation, women see that the motivation behind communication is to create and foster an intimate bond with the other party by talking about tropical problems and issues they are communally facing. (Gray, 1990. Tannen, 1990) Other academic research stated that women are less used to powerful speech. They tend to swear less, speak more politely, and use more tag questions and intensifiers. (Lakoff, 1975) Women tend also to interrupt less than men do. Researchers have concluded that maybe it is because of their perceived lower status compared to men. (Thorne Henley, 1975) This can also be because of the societal norms which enforce this gender status hierarchy. Pearson, 1985 also bring up the fact that women often weaken their statements. One explanation he gave for this is their low self-confidence in what they are saying and their fear of being wrong, which can be associated to their perceived inferior status to male managers in the workplace. Some theorists have given their point of view on the gender communication differences. They have suggested that these styles of communicating put are disadvantageous for women when they interact with others. The breakdown in communication occurs because men and women occupy different roles in society. Social roles are reflected through language and demonstrate unequal relations based on gender. The man’s language is discriminatory toward women and this leaves the impression that men are more capable and confident as leaders. (Lakoff, 1975) Gender communication difference is a worldwide issue. Communication between men and women differ in many ways, affecting their speech and outcomes. In Japan, men and women have different ways of communicating. Women in Japan speak more politely as compared to men. The Japanese language features elements that make women’s speech sound polite and feminine. In the meanwhile, men’s speech sound less polite and masculine. The language difference between genders reinforces Japanese social norms. Where women are the subordinates of men. In England modern society, it would therefore appear that women  are equal with men. However the harsh reality tells us that women are not provided with an equal opportunity even for discussion, due to the fact that the two sexes respectively command different communication styles. In other words, the language women use is different from the one that men use. Tabooed words and slang can be found more frequently in men’s language than in women’s though they are of the same educational level. For example, ‘Get a life, Facts be damned’. Men and women have been socialized within their gender roles since the very beginning of childhood. The educational level does not determined the communication styles of both men and women. ICT Project: Failure And Success Factors ICT Project: Failure And Success Factors The monthly news papers announce the ICT project are developed, failures of astronomical proportions in developed and developing countries. For failure of the project the common reasons are delay in deadline, cost overburden, and some of the projects will not reach the expectation levels. In developing countries the ICT literature shows that the planning and management of projects has a very poor record, the issues for failure of ICT projects can be analyzed by assuming that learning from IS failures will provide the important lessons for formulating the success plan for the planning, developing, implementation and management of information system While discussing dimensions of ICT failure, both horizontal and vertical dimensions of the informatics model considers by Beynon-Davies. The difference between development failure and use failure is expressed in terms of horizontal dimension and the vertical dimension expressed the failure at the level of ICT systems, IS project, or organisation, or at the level of the external environment. There are six types of IS failure are Identified listed below Technical failure Project failure Organizational failure Environmental failure Developmental failure Use failure Beynon-Davies supports the argument with several case studies and quotes other models for IS failure Factors for failure: The failure factors will occur when the proper implementation of ICT projects in government. These factors can be barrier or inhibitors by these factors as observed in this section can be social-culture, institutional and political, funding, infrastructure and technology. Barriers can be considered as those occurrences that hinder ICT implementation some of those factors for failure Infrastructure Finance Poor data system and lack of compatibility Skilled personnel Leadership style, culture Attitudes Inhibitors do not necessarily prevent the implementation of the ICT projects but they do prevent advancement and restrict successful implementation and sustainability. Some of these factors for failures user needs technology coordination ICT policy Transfer of ICT idolisers Donor push Those above factors are used for the purpose of design a theoretical framework (ref 1) Partial failure of an idea, in which main objectives are unattained or in which there are significant undesirable outcomes. Connected with partial failure is the sustainability failure where a project first succeeds but is then abandoned after a year or so. Sustainability Failure Model (partial failure) This model provides a better structure for examining sustainability longitudinally. There is five principal consist of sustainability failures, they are listed below: Financial/economic sustainability failures : Example: if the client supported program loses its funding after some fixed time of process and has to shutdown. Cultural/social sustainability failures: Example: from the project some stakeholders will gain but others are hurt. This tension is not reasonable over time and results in the subsequent sustainability failure. Technological sustainability failure: Example: The field hardware and software are outdated and no longer companionable with the equipment within the central offices. These also look at the importance of the content provided. Political failure: Example: the local winner leaves and without larger institutional arrangements in place the project fails. Environmental sustainability failure: Example: if the project will lose their usefulness then the project plan could be reusable, if the projects without plans for reusing then the environmental sustainability failure. . Critical Success and Critical Failure Factor Model: The CSF and CFF model will explain success or failure of an ICT projects can be understand in terms of several CSF and CFF factors. Ten critical factors can be organized listed below Information factors relating to provision of content Technical factors such as user-friendliness of hardware and software, the capacity of use different hardware and software platforms, etc People factors such as availability of knowledge persons, proper guidance in use of hardware and software, etc Management factors, such as proper administration and organizational practices for bringing the required modifications through ICT projects Process factors, such as desired changes or to make the project successful in reaching its objectives a new process will design Cultural factors, such as improvement in organizational culture for successful implementation of new projects Structural factors, such as structural inflexibility in traditional organizational structures that may be a cause for failure of ICT projects Strategic factors, such as assessments that cover a wide range of services Political factors, such as political and stakeholders support Environmental factors, such as changes in the overall external environment of the project : The ten critical factors categories into seven critical dimensions: they are Technology, Information, Processes, Objectives and values, Staffing and skills, Management and structures, and other resources. This framework requirement consider the gaps that exist in the design of the project and the authenticity along these seven dimensions (ref 2) CASE STYDY: Gyandoot project The Gyandoot project started in the year 2000, the government of Madhya Pradesh initiates this project. The aim of the project is to set up intranet based kiosk in villages to providing information about the agricultural practices and update the market prices and also providing some Government services like cast and income certificates online application, land records copies, and online systems to know about the computer awareness and access all this services. This project is failed to reach its goal and the user usage is low. Reasons for the failure of the project The back end processes is not computerized In the rural areas lack of supporting ICT infrastructure, In proper plans for better services delivery Financial problems for the owned kiosks Lack of relevant content critical Lack of Computerization of the back-end processes: The Gyandoot project has computerized only front-end but not the back end. The management is not yet successful in the electronically transmitting the services request to all departments from its intranet server. Almost all transaction are handled manually at the back end of the Gyandoot intranet server, because all govt departments currently perform their tasks manually Example: The citizen will submit the online application and waiting at telekisok for a response, but at the back end the government department levels are not computerised so they will print out the application or request or complaints and send to the government department to further action, after receiving report from the govt departments the data entry operators will enter the response in the gyandoot intranet. For this process the time frame is seven days To make better and speed service response time, the all departments required to undertake the significant changes reengineering exercise to improve the information process methods and quality of services, that will possible when all departments introduce the computers in the different departments levels. The gyandoot smaiti have the authority and financial power to change the individual departments the authority exists only with the state government (ref 3) Lack of supporting ICT infrastructure in the villages: Introducing E-government project in any poor rural area it is a huge challenge of the technology point of view. Presently there is lack of supporting infrastructure available for Soochnalaya as all of the Soochanalayas (Kiosk) are in villages. In the DhÄ r district the Tele-communication infrastructure is quite low and telekisoks are unable to provide the voice services and electric power supply is less, the systems and kiosks are working with the help of the UPS which having battery and the capacity to work four hours if it is charged fully. It takes eight to ten hours to charge but most of the villages current supply will break down every three or four hours. A number of technical approaches to provide the basic network were initially evaluated. Gyandoot rejected both LAN and VAST approaches as being too costly and using dial-up network using modems over existing telephone lines which is not speed and many times the connection will break down in between a process. And the pr ocess will get delay due to weak connectivity, that connection was found to be unreliable and many kiosks are suffering huge problems of connecting to the intranet server (ref 4) Lack of relevant content is critical: The farmers are getting loss for not updating the market prices and they are selling the outdated prices and the number of services offers by kiosk but only some of them are using, the information should be in local language then the user can easily understand, and the user can visit Soochanalaya to know the update information about the agriculture, and market price etc, if the content is in local language then the women can understand the information about the healthcare and childcare and to increasing the usage of Soochanalaya Issues The kiosks made up with low investment because infrastructure bottlenecks, and the slow network is using which is dialup connectivity and not stable power supply at least 6- 8 hours power supply will be cut so for working the kiosks added additional power backup, the availability of electrical power determines the times during which the soochanalaya can be opened. Encourage the privately owned kiosk owner to offer other services like computer training, photocopying and public telephone to cover the loss of revenue, so that the owner can focus on other services. In Dhar district the awareness of the gyandoot still quite low level among the villagers, especially the poor and labours, in spite of significant media attention and publicity in Dhar district, the 60% of the non-users did not use gyandoot because they thing that no need, and 35% of people are not aware about the services offered by gyandoot and 5% of citizen have negative impression about the gyandoot. Even though grievance filing has been structured through a list of options, many complaints are sent using the e-mail facility in local languages, which make them difficult or impossible to address. Transfer of senior staffs: the main key factors of the project is the initial team of the project and the team of the district officer has conceived the plan and implemented it and they know the total project but once the government official is getting transferred and the new members will come and takes a time to understand the project (process) and slowly reverted to their unresponsive attitude to citizens. (ref 5) The govt of MP could be including these techniques to make project success: (in my opinion) May it is possibly to judge the viability of the gyandoot system, it take some time in the rural areas. To building awareness about the project and the usage of the ICT application in rural areas may take more time than expected by the project team. This holds true especially when the value proposition for the citizen is weak as in the case of gyandoot project in which one part of the entire process is computerized, To provide speed service, the district level department need to computerize and significantly reengineering in terms of having built up software application that processes and monitors the progress of applications or complaints received. The roles and responsibilities of government officers need to be clearly divided. In each department, IT enthusiasts could be recognized who could be in charge for a complete end-to-end delivery of a service to the citizen. In the Gyandoot project the dial-up telephone lines is using to connect the gyanddot intranet and district head quarters, which is slow process and interrupt in between the process. If wifi or LAN will use in the place of dial-up telephone lines then the project might be success in speed delivery, update information , The women user is not visiting the gyandoot soochanalaya, but some services will very useful to women like healthcare and childcare, few experiment have to designed to encourage them to visit the kiosk. Example: there is an online contest of finding the healthiest child, so the mother bring the children of one to three years of age to the kiosks and provide all relevant data online to district headquarters, the selection was made from the basic data received from all the kiosks and result will announce in the kiosk intranet. My opinion about the gyandoot project failed: This factors might be reasons for failure of gyandoot project: Literacy: The literacy percentage in INDIA is low especially in rural areas the literacy percentage is very low this might be a reason for the ICT project failures, and the citizen have no idea about the services provided by the projects like in the case of the Gyandoot project in Dhar district, in Dhar district the literacy rate is very low and the people dont know about the services offered by the Gyandoot Soochanalaya. Womens (users and soochak) This could be a reason for the Gyandoot project failure, not encouraging womens to work as Soochak(manage person), because there is a some useful services for womens like healthcare, childcare, etc if the manage person is women then she can attract the user(womens) and explain about the services that offered by Gyandoot Soochanalaya Trust: Trust is one of the social concept that helps the service centres (soochanalaya), the service provider and user need to trust each other, to develop the user trust the Soochanalaya need to provide speed service and update information and also provide some free services to attract the user and develop the user trust. In the gyandoot project the user trust is low because delay in work, not updating market prices, etc Management: The management should maintain the Soochanalaya, and update the information up to date, if any new service is included in gyandoot then the management have to arrange the meeting with soochak and explain about the service, so that soochak can inform to user about the service and benefits. In the case of gyandoot project the management has failed to update the information up to date. (Market prices has not updated on up to date for that framers getting loss with selling old price) Staff and skill: The staff should be well trained about the IT and uses of the technology, so that they can provide good service and trained the rural people to aware about the computer and technology, so that they can easily use all services which are available on internet. The govt official the staff changes then appoint the trained staff to easily understand the projects. But in the case of gyandoot project in place of old district officer appoint a new district officers, and he/she had took a good time to understood the whole process and delay in the service providing to citizen Language: the literacy is poor in the rural areas and some citizen can read only in the local language, and in the rural areas people are unaware about the internet and its uses, and the internet is dominated by the English language this also a reasons for the ICT projects failures in rural areas. Communication: the communication gap between the employees and users might be a reason for project failure, Example: the employs have to communicate with each other so that they can develop the knowledge and skills, if the employs have good communication with government departments then the services will speed and with the communication only we can develop the trust and explain about the services available in the project so the usage of the services will increase. Conclusion: The number of ICT project failure in developed and developing countries, and it is not possible to judge the project is success/failure on the basic factors like technical, organizational, etc. If the user satisfies the services provided from the project and its usage always helps the project to move towards success, some project are completed within the time and budget but failure to reach the objective (goals) or the project is completed within the time and budget and reach it all requirements but, lack adaptability at the present condition this is also one reason for the project failure To develop a successful project the Project Manager should have a clear vision and proper planning. And the developing part of the project should be clear (means easily understand the process) if the client requested to merging with new technologies then reusing the developed plans and add the new technologies softwares, and no one can judge the IT project is success or failure It depends upon the end user satisfaction. Like in the gyandoot project, the project completed in time and on budget but the user usage is quite low, and the users are not satisfied with services.