Art Analysis Essay - 957 Words

Though most works of art have some underlying, deeper meaning attached to them, our first impression of their significance comes through our initial visual interpretation. When we first view a painting or a statue or other piece of art, we notice first the visual details – its size, its medium, its color, and its condition, for example – before we begin to ponder its greater significance. Indeed, these visual clues are just as important as any other interpretation or meaning of a work, for they allow us to understand just what that deeper meaning is. The expression on a statue’s face tells us the emotion and message that the artist is trying to convey. Its color, too, can provide clues: darker or lighter colors can play a role in how we†¦show more content†¦The Stele depicts a simple scene: a seated man and standing woman behind him stare blankly straight ahead. A woman standing on the left looks down upon them. All of them are ordinary humans. They are not gods or goddesses. They are private people. Their clothing is plain, consisting of simple robes. It is representational of a regular family mourning the loss of one of its members, a scene that most people, even today, are able to relate to hundreds or even thousands of years later. The stele conveys a solemn forlornness that can be seen in the figures’ faces. Their mouths are tightly shut; their eyes gaze blankly ahead. The woman on the left stares ahead with little emotion on her face. The stele does not depict any motion. All of the figures are standing (or sitting) still, in quiet memorial. This solemnity adds to the emotion of a grave where the stele once stood. There is no real clear answer as to who is being mourned. Are the seated man and the woman mourning the loss of their daughter, on the left? Or is the woman on the left mourning the loss of a father? The sculpture’s ambiguity also adds to the emotion that it evokes. It might even be appropriate for its purpose. Its function was to mark a gravesite – the site of the body of someone who has died. Death is one of the most complex parts of life. It is the most ambiguous, for nobody knows for sure what happens in death. The ambiguity of the stele highlightsShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Ar t for Hearts Sake1876 Words   |  8 PagesThe analysis. â€Å"Art for heart’s sake†. ДÐ µÃ ¹Ã ½Ã µÃ ºÃ ¾ ДÐ °Ã'€Ã'Å'Ã' , ЛПÐ ¡-001-O-11 I’d like to tell you about my analysis of the story â€Å"Art for heart’s sake† . It’s a very interesting story written by R.L.Goldsberg. He was an American sculptor, cartoonist and writer. He graduated from the. He produced several series of cartoons that were highly popular. His best works are â€Å"Is There a Doctor in the House?†, â€Å"Rube Goldsberg’ Guide to Europe† and â€Å"I MadeRead MoreAnalysis of Art1837 Words   |  8 Pagespervaded Hopper’s works in the second half of his career† (Turner, 752). He started to paint the commonplaces of urban life with anonymous figures. However, most of his oil and watercolor paintings are neither crowded nor lively urban scenes. Rather, his art work captures the calm and solitary scene in urban areas. In his paintings, even though he paints urban scenes, dark places in a town or a single person in a plain bedroom dominate most of his paintings. This isolation of his subjec ts â€Å"was heightenedRead MoreEssay on Comparative Analysis of Art1087 Words   |  5 PagesArt History Professor November 2012 Throughout history art has served as a preservation and representation of the time in which they were made. During the Ancient Greek period art was not only mare naturalistic and humanistic but also became directly affected by the events going around. Both the Marble Statue of an Old Woman and the Marble Statue of Aphrodite are sculptures that were made during the Ancient Greek era, they each tell a story of what was going on during that pointRead MoreArt Analysis : Egyptian Art917 Words   |  4 PagesAnna Lam Professor Hayburn Western Civ. Art Analysis 2 March 2016 Art Analysis Paper Egyptian art has always been extremely interesting and Egyptian art has influenced a lot of other societies in the past. They have created the three pyramids, the sphinx, Pharaoh sculptures, and so much more. The one piece that is very intriguing was the Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Daughters stone. Akhenaten changes the states religion to Aten which is the Sun God, he even changed his name to Akhenaten which meansRead MorePolicy Analysis : An Art852 Words   |  4 Pagesthe question of whether policy analysis should be understood as an art or a science. First, the essay defines what a policy analyst does, and from here shows how the scientist and artist diverge from one another. The essay then delves into the epistemic difference between the two. It finds the scientists to have a false epistemology, and that the artists epistemology to be true. It is due to this that the paper concludes that policy analysis is not a science but an art, as the way that each view conceptualizesRead More Analysis Of The Creation Of Art ( Encyclopedia Brittanica ) Essay979 Words   |  4 Pagesbasic theoretical principle in the creation of art (Encyclopedia Brittanica). Mimesis was a term and principle used by both Plato and Aristotle. According to Plato, art is an â€Å"imitation of and imitation† when compared to the forms. What he means by this is that an art creation is an imitation of something physical, which in itself is an imitation of a form. Aristotle believes artist creations are an â€Å"imitation of an action†. This is interpreted as art is the imitation of the action of life. TogetherRead MoreArt Museum - S.W.O.T. Analysis Essay706 Words   |  3 PagesS.W.O.T. Analysis The S.W.O.T. analysis for the Cinicinnati Art Museum is what gives the viewer the information to easily see what is wrong and isn’t wrong with the museum, while providing information on possibilities the museum can capitalize on and what threats could harm the museum. The strengths were not hard to identify. I identified six different ones, all self-explanatory. Free admission, membership purchases, host of traveling exhibits, host of special events (weddings, parties, etcRead MoreEssay on An Analysis of the Renaissance and Romanticism Art Periods1241 Words   |  5 PagesEarlier Historical Art Period In the early 1300s, Europeans began to shed the dark and oppressing mindsets of the Middle Ages. This sparked a revolution that would begin in Italy and spread throughout Europe, and is known today as the Renaissance. The word Renaissance literally (and fittingly) means ‘rebirth’ – making it a fitting title for a period where interest in learning, philosophy, and the classical arts were ‘reborn’. Where the Middle Ages took the meaning out of the arts – using paintingsRead MoreIntertextual Analysis of Works of Art2998 Words   |  12 PagesPostmodern art is the representation of the return to pre-modern art styles and genres, and there is no longer a division between art, popular culture, and media. This philosophical term challenged and reacted against what modernism had to say, echoing dramatic changes in our social and economic features. Furthermore postmodern essays and critiques coincided with the arrival of contemporary art. Contemporary art is more socially conscious and philosophically all encompassing of several styles andRead MoreSwot Analysis : Culinary Arts1251 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Culinary arts are bound up with cookery which is related to food preparation and catering job such as chefs and cooks and people who work in catering industry can also called culinarian or culinary artist. Food science, nutrition and diet, table manners are essential knowledge of culinary artist for establishing restaurants or hotels. Culinary arts have developed since 1900’s by culinary arts institutes in Europe, America, and Asia. The main achievement of culinary arts institute is for

Edgar Allan Poe Research Paper - 1375 Words

Everyone Else is Pleading Insanity, Why can’t I? If one were to say that Edgar Allan Poe is a good writer, he or she is making an understatement of his work. He is one of the most critically acclaimed writers of all time. His stories have put him in a category of notoriety that also includes, Mark Twain, William Shakespeare, John Steinbeck, and Earnest Hemingway, just to name a few. Poe is most widely known for his unique obsessively dark, or gothic horror stories. To many, he is considered to be the â€Å"grandfather† of present- day horror. His writing shows that he is familiar with the thought process of a madman, leaving some to believe that he himself was in fact insane, but if he were, could he have the ability to describe such dark†¦show more content†¦Within reading the first few lines of the story, the narrator has revealed to the audience two symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia, anxiety and auditory hallucinations. â€Å"These symptoms, especially his disposition to dispute, are manifested not only when he â€Å"arose and argued about trifles† but also throughout the narration†¦ Obviously, the prisoner’s captors have named his crime for what it is, the act of an anxiety-ridden madman; this is the argument that the narrator- illustrating another symptom of schizophrenia, lack of insight- rejects as erroneous, impertinent, absurdly false; this is the thesis to which he attempts to provide the antithesis † (Zimmerman). In regards to the medical aspect, the anxiety reveals itself in the way that the narrator is attempting to give his side of the story. He has admitted to his extremely nervous behavior, yet later in the paragraph states, â€Å"Hearken! and observe how healthily- how calmly, I can tell you the whole story† (Poe 40). The audience should also notice within the first paragraph where the legal definition of insanity could also be applied. It is here where his words begin to contradict themselves. It is here where he starts to demonstrate a mad man, by accusing the audience of coming to the conclusion that he is mad. He then goes on to imply that if he were mad, he â€Å"would be out of control, †¦profoundly illogical, and not even recognize the implications of hisShow MoreRelatedEdgar Allan Poe Research Paper1807 Words   |  8 PagesVargas1 Maria Vargas David Luther Composition 2 November 29, 2017 Research Paper Edgar Allan Poe was an established American author, writer, commentator, and proofreader best known for suggestive short stories and his poems that caught the creative energy and enthusiasm of readers all around the globe. Poes writing is a testament of his less than stellar life. Throughout his lifetime Poe had no shortage of loss or struggle, starting with the loss of his mother and brother to tuberculosisRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe Research Paper1393 Words   |  6 PagesA famous writer, a renowned poet, and a American hero, Edgar Allan Poe has helped shaped modern day literature. Taught in schools as being a tortured soul, Poe’s dark writing has shaped American English for the better. Edgar Allen Poe’s early demise came as a shock to many during the time. Poe left this world in a mystery, much like some of his most famous works. The way in which Poe died, is never as simple as it seems. The limited details of his demise has left a hole in American literature andRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe Research Paper931 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish 10 Honors 13 February 2012 Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe was a sick man that went through a troubling life full of tragedies. For Poe to deal with this he drank and poured his feelings into his works. Honestly as horrible it is that he had to go through all of that we should be grateful because without his suffering these masterpieces wouldn’t have been fabricated. While intensifying his philosophy for short stories Edgar Allan Poe wrote â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† reflecting theRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe Research Paper1195 Words   |  5 PagesNick Nedzweckas Mrs. Merriam Lit and Comp 1 2 December 2010 Edgar Allan Poe His works and life relating to â€Å"Annabel Lee† [pic] Many poets and story writers write their stories based upon events and aspects of their life. They do this because it is so relatable and easy to write about because there is some truth in the words. Edgar Allan Poe is said to be one of these because his stories actually relate to his tragic, love stricken life. He is known to lead an overall depressingRead MoreResearch Paper On Edgar Allan Poe775 Words   |  4 Pages Edgar Allen Poe was a writer in the 1800’s and no one knows how he died, some say he overdosed on alcohol while others say he died of rabies. Edgar Allen Poe is the author of many great works of literature, such as, â€Å"The Raven†, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, and many other dark stories. He never had a great life and no one knows how he died. Most people believe he overdosed on alcohol, some say he had rabies, and some even say he had encephalitis (brain inflammation). Poe died of alcohol because of hisRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe/William Wil son Research Paper652 Words   |  3 Pagesit or not, our penis plays a tremendous role in our everyday life. In William Wilson, Edgar Allan Poe connects the protagonist’s penis to the human mind through his portrayal of a doppelganger theme as well as the usage of penises throughout the story. Although Poe was a poet by choice, he wrote some his most notable stories between 1838 and 1843, including William Wilson. After being orphaned in 1811, Edgar was taken in by a merchant who later became his godfather. He â€Å"attended the classical academyRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe Biography. By. Alyssa Marshall.1260 Words   |  6 Pages Edgar Allan Poe Biography By Alyssa Marshall Mrs. Guinn English III March 6, 2017 Abstract Edgar Allan Poe was a writer in the â€Å"Gothic Era†, many of his stories genres are horror like â€Å" The Masque of The Red Death†, mystery such as â€Å" The Fall of The House of Usher†, lost love as in â€Å" The Raven†, and obsession such as â€Å" The Pit and The Pendulum†. Edgar’s poemsRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe; Fame Inspired by a Tragic Life865 Words   |  4 Pagespoet, Edgar Allan Poe, had been plagued by grief from an early age. He was an amazing poet and author who just happened to have a darker story. Many who have studied this prestigious man feel that his works, though magnificent, were extremely dark. Some believe it was nothing more then a fancy for him to spin such gruesome tales. Others feel his work was manipulated by the misfortune of his past. These people have actually found evidence that agrees with this statement. The works of Edgar Allan PoeRead MoreThe Writings of Edgar Allan Poe803 Words   |  3 PagesEdgar Alla n Poe The amazing, the people who inspire, who make people feel something with words on paper, authors. Authors have a special ability to create a separate world, but a great author lets us into their world and makes us feel something when we read their work. From all of the research Colton Coverston has done, he has come to the conclusion that Edgar Allan Poe should be in the top fifth American Authors on a top twenty greatest American author list. Edgar Allan Poe has written many piecesRead MoreThe Biography Of Edgar Allan Poe841 Words   |  4 PagesWaylon Wishon English III Research Paper 16- May- 2017 The Biography of Edgar Allan Poe â€Å"Lord, help my poor soul†, the last and final words of the amazing writer, Edgar Allan Poe, before his sudden death in 1849. Edgar Allan Poe wrote dark and treacherous stories and poems that often lead to the questioning of his mental state. Poe lived a rather difficult life in which writing was his escape. He at one time was in so much debt that he could have never payed it back even if his career took off

Diseases Affecting Mushroom Production-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Research into Diseases Affecting Mushroom Production. Answer: Disease signs and symptoms Lycoriella ingenua (Dufour) and Bradysia ocellaris (Comstock) both are flies that causes disease in mushrooms. These flies lay their larvae on fungal mycelium of the crop compost land and further those larvae affects the fruiting body too (Navarro Gea, 2014). Infection generally leads to small cavity or holes on the stem as well as on hyphae. Furthermore, if not treated properly, causes brown and soggy mushrooms with smelly compost. Moreover, other symptoms includes brown pitted marks on distorted stem and cap, distorted fruiting body and sometimes smelly and brown blotches are also seen near the cap Cloonan, Andreadis Baker, 2016). Mode of action of pathogen Both of these flies are biggest threats for mushroom cultivation as throughout the world, mushroom cultivation pest management includes intervention to protect the crop from these flies (Navarro Gea, 2014). The Adult flies do not feed on the crop, however the Sciarid larvae feeds on the moist portion of the compost and due to their strong mouth part, they feed on developing mycelium present in the compost and damages the sporophore primordia and further by moving into the stalk or stem section of crops, they hamper the mature sporophores. According to Shamshad (2010), the larvae generally affects the casing layer and if the infected mushrooms are not destroyed, pupation occurs within that sporophores only. This is the way, these flies infests mushroom crops. How the host responds? The effect of pathogen on the host is drastic and if not controlled, the pathogen inhibits the growth of host in the compost. According to Navarro Gea (2014), after the heavy infestation of pathogenic larvae in the mycelium and sporophores, excess amount of fecal material is produced by the larvae. As a result, the host becomes unable to colonize as the compost becomes contaminated. The most damaged regions will be underdeveloped pinheads and buttons, tunneling may cause pinheads to turn brown and hollowed or even entirely consumed by the larvae (Smamshad, 2010). How and when it infests during commercial mushroom production phases? These flies and their larvae can attack mushroom at any stage of development from mycelium to developed crops. However, maximum larvae infects mushrooms while the mycelium is in the developmental stage within the compost and utilizing the nutrients to develop its structure. According to Cloonan, Andreadis Baker (2016), there are instances, when the fly has been seen infecting the mushroom after the pasteurization process as well. Hence from phase-1 of mushroom production to cookout, cropping and emptying, the crop can be infected with Bradysia ocellaris, Lycoriella ingenua and their larvae at any stage (Shamshad, 2010). How producers control infection? There are several key factors present, which should be kept in mind while cropping for mushrooms. Producers generally avoid preparing composts in uncovered soils as it leads to temperature raise and the ascospores becomes activated (Cloonan, Andreadis Baker, 2016). Hence, they use concrete land for the production of compost and take special care of the pasteurization and conditioning process (Shamshad, 2010). Producers generally picks fresh truffles for further cultivation as brown and soggy fruit bodies may infect the entire crop. Finally, a proper and appropriate cook out process helps them to eliminate spores of pathogen in the compost. This is the process the producers uses for proper cultivation of mushrooms (Navarro Gea, 2014). References Cloonan, K. R., Andreadis, S. S., Baker, T. C. (2016). Attraction of female fungus gnats, Lycoriella ingenua, to mushroom?growing substrates and the green mold Trichoderma aggressivum.Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata,159(3), 298-304. Navarro, M. J., Gea, F. J. (2014). Entomopathogenic nematodes for the control of phorid and sciarid flies in mushroom crops.Pesquisa Agropecuria Brasileira,49(1), 11-17. Shamshad, A. (2010). The development of integrated pest management for the control of mushroom sciarid flies, Lycoriella ingenua (Dufour) and Bradysia ocellaris (Comstock), in cultivated mushrooms.Pest management science,66(10), 1063-1074

Razors Edge Essay Example

Razors Edge Essay Wyett Stoddard British literature Mrs. Rydjeski 28 September 2010 The Razors Edge Paragraph In the novel, The Razors Edge, Larry Darrel and Sophie McDonald are characters that both manifest characteristics of the â€Å"Lost Generation† because the war has alienated many at this point in time. Larry a war, WW1 veteran, had witnessed his best friend die in war and upon return his family and friends saw how traumatized he was. After the war, Larry had postponed his engagement with his fiance, Isabel, and instead wanted to â€Å"loaf† for two years in France. This is the point at which Larry had begun to question his faith in God, why his best friend had to die, and was in search of questions about the universe. In this era many people like Larry had begun to do the same. It seems to be pretty clear that Larry was looking for answers about God, â€Å"but it may be that at the end of it he’ll find what he’s looking for. Hasn’t it occurred to you? It seems to me that in what he said to you he indicated it pretty plainly, God. Maugham 71) † Larry like many people in that decade had tried seeking for answers about why God had let the war happen, â€Å"he’s been seeking for a philosophy or maybe a religion and a rule of life that’ll both satisfy his head and his heart. (Maugham 209)† Another key character in the book that showed a feature of â€Å"The Lost Generation† was Sophie McDonald. We will write a custom essay sample on Razors Edge specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Razors Edge specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Razors Edge specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Sophie was a very nice woman who enjoyed poetry, wanted to help others, and loved her family who died in a car accident. After that she was devastated and was scarred for the rest of her life,†She nearly Stoddard 2 ent crazy, she shrieked the place down, they had to watch her day and night and once she nearly succeeded in jumping out of the window(Maugham 195)†. A lot of people also were damaged like her but the damage was caused by the war. Sophie was a drunk and a loner and because she chose to go down that path nobody wanted to be around her, â€Å"; if you asked her to dine she’d arrive plastered and she was quite likely to pass out before the evening was over. (Maugham 195)† Like Sophie loads of people were alienated and felt like they didn’t belong. Larry and Sophie represented characteristics of the â€Å"Lost Generation† and how people of that time felt.

Free Essays on Women In The 1900s-1930s

Women in the 1900s-1930s Women in the 1900s-1930s went through many struggles and hardships in order to survive and stand as an equal towards the power of men. Women were looked down upon as someone who has no importance in the world except staying at home and cleaning the house. Through the 1900s-1930s women struggled in order to have political and social rights in order to show their importance in society. Women back then presented the importance and strength of their selves and helped provide many rights that women have today. Women did not have equal rights towards men in the workforce in the early 1900s. Many employers dismissed women from the most skilled and high paid jobs. Therefore, women did not have equal income as men did back in the 1900s. Between 1880 and 1900, education became an importance among men and women. Educators established private women’s colleges that were separate from the men’s. Most of the scholarships went to men and women had a harder time getting a college education. Due to discrimination of women getting a college education, it caused women to suffer economically because of their low-end jobs. Most women in the first three decades of the 20th century took on the role as a housewife who cleaned and took care of her children. The society believed the stereotype of women not having the mindset for professional training. Women struggled in order to have a larger role in society. After the Civil War, many middle-class women joined organizations for sociability and for their own self-confidence. Most of these organizations evolved around topics of common interest, issues such as temperance and girl’s education, and the ability to speak their minds. Women even debated on how they should present their selves among society. They began to â€Å"bob† their hair and wear blouses and skirts. Also, females began to get caught on the issue of having voting rights equal to men. Many women joined the suf... Free Essays on Women In The 1900s-1930s Free Essays on Women In The 1900s-1930s Women in the 1900s-1930s Women in the 1900s-1930s went through many struggles and hardships in order to survive and stand as an equal towards the power of men. Women were looked down upon as someone who has no importance in the world except staying at home and cleaning the house. Through the 1900s-1930s women struggled in order to have political and social rights in order to show their importance in society. Women back then presented the importance and strength of their selves and helped provide many rights that women have today. Women did not have equal rights towards men in the workforce in the early 1900s. Many employers dismissed women from the most skilled and high paid jobs. Therefore, women did not have equal income as men did back in the 1900s. Between 1880 and 1900, education became an importance among men and women. Educators established private women’s colleges that were separate from the men’s. Most of the scholarships went to men and women had a harder time getting a college education. Due to discrimination of women getting a college education, it caused women to suffer economically because of their low-end jobs. Most women in the first three decades of the 20th century took on the role as a housewife who cleaned and took care of her children. The society believed the stereotype of women not having the mindset for professional training. Women struggled in order to have a larger role in society. After the Civil War, many middle-class women joined organizations for sociability and for their own self-confidence. Most of these organizations evolved around topics of common interest, issues such as temperance and girl’s education, and the ability to speak their minds. Women even debated on how they should present their selves among society. They began to â€Å"bob† their hair and wear blouses and skirts. Also, females began to get caught on the issue of having voting rights equal to men. Many women joined the suf...

Insidious vs. Invidious

Insidious vs. Invidious â€Å"Insidious† vs. â€Å"Invidious† â€Å"Insidious† vs. â€Å"Invidious† By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between insidious and invidious, and what about perfidious and pernicious, for that matter? None of the four words is synonymous with any of the others, though your connotation radar may correctly sense that they all have unpleasant associations. Insidious, which derives from the Latin word for â€Å"ambush† (the second syllable is cognate with sit), means â€Å"treacherous† or â€Å"seductive,† with an additional connotation of â€Å"subtle,† in the sense of a gradual, cumulative effect. (This, unlike the other meanings, is neutral, but the word is rarely used except in a negative sense.) For example, in medical terminology, an insidious disease is one that remains hidden until it is well established. The noun form is insidiousness, and the adverbial form is insidiously. Invidious, meanwhile, which stems from the Latin word for envy, refers to feelings of animosity, discontent, or resentment, or to obnoxious or even harmful behavior. Perfidious (the second syllable of this word is cognate with fid- in fidelity) means â€Å"treacherous† or â€Å"disloyal†; the noun form is perfidy. Pernicious, meanwhile, means deadly. (The second syllable is cognate with nox- in noxious.) Pernicious anemia is a particularly serious form of blood-cell depletion that might as well be called insidious anemia because of its slow onset, and pernicious scale, also known as San Jose scale (for its discovery in the California city of that name), is an insect that infests and kills trees. The noun and adverbial forms of invidious, perfidious, and pernicious follow the same pattern as those for insidious. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Grammar Mistakes You Should AvoidWhen to Form a Plural with an ApostropheCapitalizing Titles of People and Groups

H&M and their Blue Ocean and Red Ocean Strategy Essay

H&M and their Blue Ocean and Red Ocean Strategy - Essay Example This paper talks about a brief history of the company H&M and the strategies that it has used and is using that have contributed majorly to their growth and expansion. The paper focuses on two very different strategies, the Blue Ocean Strategy and the Red Ocean Strategy and their characteristics. It attempts to answer whether H&M really used the Blue Ocean Strategy or were they only able to utilize strategies in the Red Ocean. Anyone who is fashion-forward and fashion-conscious would certainly recognize the brand name H&M. Popular for selling and creating trendy pieces at an affordable price, it is no wonder that a lot of people choose to buy from the retail store. Created by Erling Persson in the year 1947, the company H&M had its roots back in Sweden as a fashion retail store that sold only women’s clothing. His first store was named Hennes, the Swedish equivalent of â€Å"hers†. Twenty one years later, the name was changed to â€Å"Hennes and Mauritz† after Persson purchased a hunting store located in Stockholm named Mauritz Widforss. The hunting store sold not only supplies for hunting, but men’s wear as well. It was only then that the store catered to both men and women’s fashion. Over the years, H&M continued to expand and opened numerous stores all over Europe. Their clothing line expanded to cater to men, women, teens, and children. H&M opened their stores in several countries such as USA, Canada, Dubai, Kuwait, Hongkong, China, and Japan. The fashion label will also open stores in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and South Korea by 2010. The company line also offers online shopping limited to countries in Europe namely Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Holland, Norway, Sweden, and Swedish Finland. In the past, the H&M also featured one-time collections made by popular, well- known designers such as Karl Lagerfeld back in 2004 and Stella McCartney in the year 2005, and Viktor & Rolf in

Saving my best friend's life Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Saving my best friend's life - Personal Statement Example That instance triggered our desire to love scouting more. The skills and manners taught to girl scouts helped in building our self-confidence and honing our talents. It is really good to reminisce the old days while slouching on our newly vacuumed sofa and munching a fresh green apple on a Sunday afternoon. I am more of doing some reflection on the homily of Pastor Edward at the Liturgical Service this morning. "Have you done any good for others Have you become a Good Samaritan in one way or another Have you saved someone's life" he asked. I am not a super religious individual, though the questions posed by Pastor Edward hit me. Indeed, in my years of existence have I done something significant for others or am I the sole receiver of goods Was there an instance where I was able to save somebody else's life Charlotte and I often save each other from our parents' wrath whenever our adventures go overboard. "We were so worried about you! Have you forgotten you still have parents concerned about your welfare" My mom broke into these words when she discovered that I sneaked from the house for my first girl's night out. "I'm sorry ma'am, it's my fault and it will never happen again," Charlotte was quick to say. How I miss dear Charlotte. Her family had moved to Oregon since her father's job reassignment couple of years ago. Have I ever repaid her for saving me from Mommy's anger I do not recall any instance when I saved my best friend neither from any criminal, nor from wild animals when we go camping. Lo, now I remember. Four years ago on a Tuesday morning, I was feeling so down after my first heartache. Charlotte came to visit. She tried very hard to cheer me up. She prodded me to go bungee jumping with her. "It will enable you to unload you're bursting chest," she told me. "As you bungee down you can yell the hurt out loud and bury it deep into the ocean," Charlotte further urged me. The athletic spirit in me seemed to have sympathized with my hurt feelings. But Charlotte is really in the mood for some extreme outdoor fun at that time; so, she thought of going out with some of our friends. "I don't feel like going out Can you stay with me instead I insist, pleeease!" I asked her to share my anguish. So Charlotte, the best friend that she is, stayed with me the rest of that day. She decided to go home after dinner. When she left, I turned on the television set. I don't want to grow deaf with the silence of my room. I wanted to hear something. As I surf the TV channels, the evening newscast on CNN caught my attention. "Oh my God!" I gasped. The news anchor goes like, "Four were killed while thirty others got injured when a bridge East of California fell around 2 o'clock this afternoon" "Two o'clock," I thought aloud, "that is exactly the time when Charlotte would have passed through that bridge had she went bungee jumping in California today." Instinctively, I went down on my knees thanking God profusely. Early Wednesday morning, my best friend called on me. She learned about the accident in the late night news. We hugged each other tightly while tears roll down our cheeks. We attended the Church Service meaningfully on that day. "Indeed, that incident made our friendship stronger. But why did Pastor Edward's homily seem to have strung a chord in my heart" I thought, "Hey, it was July 29 when he delivered that

The Victorian Upward Mobility as Viewed by Three Novels Essay Example for Free

The Victorian Upward Mobility as Viewed by Three Novels Essay Victorian refers to the things and events that had developed during the period where Queen Victoria was the ruler of the British Empire. This era had been the prelude of   modern Europe. This is the time were people began to feel the need for urbanization. The people tend to move to the cities. They leaved their farms and took on the city life and its opportunities for a better living. Some had flocked to London and Manchester which had caused those cities to be densely populated. There had been a growing number of industries and many factories had been instituted in the London and other big cities in Britain. The poor people of the cities were displaced because their previous places had now been occupied by big industrial plants. The decreasing number of farm lands in Britain had caused the empire to depend heavily on the raw materials of the colony. The British Empire had further their grip in the colony causing large amount of conflicts with other imperialist like the French and the Spaniards. Some people had migrated to the colonies to explore and establish an improved living in wide farms; and also to supply the burgeoning need of the empire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the Victorian era signifies a period of economic prosperity and industrial successes. There had also been a quick changes and developments in almost every field of knowledge. This is the time where Darwin, Marx and Freud had appeared. They had presented modern ideologies that seem to be altering and deviating with the old view of things. This occurrence had caused some historians to describe the Victorian era as a transition period towards modernity. This claim was proven by many factors. First, the power of the churches and other religious groups weakened. The people no longer derived their morality from the church; the people seemed to derive their morality from society-based standards. The people began to feel the connection between themselves and the society that they sought alliances with socio-civic groups. The period was also characterized as the golden age for democracy in Britain where people had felt the power of their voices and the freedom to express their sentiments to the state and to its policies. The abolition of slavery was the first indication of this.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, many scholars had preferred to describe the Victorian era as old fashioned and traditional. This may brought a lot of confusion because Victorian era is described as the prelude to modernity where harsh and radical changes had occurred. However, this is true to the early period of the era that many scholars had accounted that it was a period of harsh transition. The technology may have improved but the society seemed to be stagnant , and radical changes were not accepted at first. However, the development of the era had been accounted by many scholars as a struggle for both the society and the people. The people appeared to accept the technological development but were stiff on accepting the sociological and the political development.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, the capitalist view of life was never removed and capitalism was still the key player in terms of economic policies. However, even though capitalism had demolished the feudal lords and feudalism yet the bourgeoisies remained. Social stratifications were still common and many, during the Victorian era, had motives to further increasing their wealth and their status. This is the basis of why many scholars had argued that the Victorian era is old fashioned and traditional.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, the status of men was still higher than women. There were certain rights that where only entitled to the male and were prohibited to the women, example of this is the right to suffrage and the right to college education. However, one of the most significant revolutions that had occurred in the Victorian era is the high degree of activism which had caused the major changes to the society and to the Victorian period itself. Many of these activisms were women-driven and their tool was the pen and the paper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even though the early British society did not much recognized the work of women, many women still had ventured into writing.   They had adopted male names to disguise themselves and in order that their work be sold and be read by the people seriously .This was the beginning of feminism. Few of these writers were Mary Ann Evans, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte and Jane Austen. Moreover, many of these works had fairly described the people and the setting of the Victorian period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Mary Ann (Marian) Evans, more commonly known as George Eliot, had ventured into writing, after her marriage with a critic George Henry Lewes. She had become fond of realism and started her way on becoming a writer. This realism was very evident on her first novel, Adam Bede which appeared in 1859. She continued to write that the daughter of Queen Victoria – Princess Louise became an avid fan and admirer of her novels. However, one of the most controversial novels of George Eliot was the Felix Holt, the Radical which appeared in 1866. It was deemed as a social novel because it discussed the effect of the First Reform Act of 1832 to the electoral and electioneering processes. However, the novel did not only focus on the act, however it also discussed the struggles of the different classes of society to maintain or to better his economic stature.   This is commonly referred to as upward mobility and economic advancement. In Felix Holt, the Radical, Harold Transome was being compared and contrasted to Felix Holt. Felix Holt, even though a radical, wanted to live a life in modesty and poverty rather than a life of comfort. However, Harold Transome was a man who wanted material success and security. He wanted that the wealth and estate he had so long worked hard for will not be lose to obnoxious undertakings;   but he wanted to secure it and further increased it. Transome was a clear manifestation of a Victorian gentleman who wanted upward mobility. He decided to run to the elections to the parliament to get hold of a position that will secure his wealth and his estate. However, the electioneering of him and the other radicals was deeply criticized by Holt. The giving of beer to miners in exchanged of their votes was done by the Radicals; however Transome still had lose the election to Philip Debarry . Meanwhile, Felix was involved in pacifying a riot on Election Day and he had been jailed for an allege manslaughter. However, after the election, Debarry and Transome reconciled and had removed him from jail.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, on of the most common among female writers was a woman protagonist. In Felix Holt, the Radical, Esther, Reverend Lyons step daughter, was described to be a modest teacher with refined manners. At the opening of the novel, she antagonized Felix Holt and Felix appeared to despise her. However, as the novel progressed, Esther had seen the goodness of Felix Holt and she softened on him. This was the common characteristics of women in the Victorian period. They were passive and they prized themselves a lot. They were often ambitious and they often desire to marry men with higher social status than them. However, Eliot had been creative and was very effective in the concluding part of the novel. Even though Esther had discovered that she was the real heir to the Transome estate and she had a valid claim to the estate, and even though Harold Transome had been courting her and a life with him was a lot more comfortable than with Felix Holt yet she refused it all. She still chose Felix Holt to be her husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, the novel had shown the different struggles that Esther had combated. Before Esther had chose Felix, the narrative immensely described the torments and the anguish that she had been feeling. It is vividly described that Esther like most common Victorian women had the tendency of favoring wealth and prosperity rather than real love. However, she chose to be happy. In this manner, George Eliot had shown the resistance of both Felix and Esther to the Victorian upward mobility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Likewise, Charlotte Bronte was also an immense female writer during the Victorian period and she had written many successful novels that had been cherished by many generations. However, charlotte like Mary Ann Evans had also disguised her name in publishing her first novel, Jane Eyre in 1847 in the name of Currer Bell. However, Jane Eyre was a realist view of the nineteenth century Britain. It enormously portrayed the role that woman played in the Victorian period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jane Eyre was a proof to the claim of many scholars that the early Victorian period was still traditional and old fashioned. In Jane Eyre, the protagonist had described on how female education remained the constant and unchanging. It also described the fact that male superiority was still evident during that time and few privileges were given to women. The story started with a Cinderella-type plot wherein Jane was being maltreated by her evil cousins; however she managed to get away from them when she entered a boarding school for women which was also very common during that time. She had excelled in her subjects and she had become a teacher for two years in the school. Then, afterwards she became a governess and a tutor for a little girl named Adele. She had felled in love with the father of the girl who is Edward Rochester. Jane fell in love with Rochester not because of money but because of his intellect. The character of Jane was often compared and contrasted to the character of Miss Ingram. Miss Ingram was the rival of Jane with the love of Rochester. Miss Ingram was described in the novel as beautiful and had a high social stratum. Yet both Jane and Edward knew the financial ambitions of Miss Ingram. So Edward proposed to Jane and she accepted. However, at the marriage ceremony, Mr. Briggs interrupted. Edward and Jane could not marry each other because Edward was married to Bertha Mason. Bertha Mason was the psychotic who was incarcerated by Edward in the attic and whose noise disturbed Jane when she was a tutor to Adele.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, Edward had married Bertha because of the same reason as Miss Ingram would like to marry him –money. This was the turning point of the novel and it this innately described the upward mobility that both would like to experienced. However, like Eliot, Bronte had positioned the protagonist to resist the urge of an upward mobility. In the ending, it was very evident that true love still prevailed. Even though Jane had been an heiress, she tried to seek Edward and had been reunited with him and had married each other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, Charles Dickens, a male writer had also contributed to the description of upward mobility in the Victorian period. In his novel, Great Expectations, in 1861 described a story filled with great expectations and surprises. Pip, the protagonist, was a person of humble beginnings who rose through the odds to better his social status. At a young age, he had accompanied Miss Havisham, a spinster, and was scorned by her adopted daughter, Estella. Due to the love that Pip felt for Estella, he had promised himself that he will become prosperous and rich to win her love. With the help of a mysterious benefactor, Pip had better his stature and had gained economic prosperity and upward mobility. However, when he came back for Estella, Estella had married Drummle. However, he soon discovered the identity of his benefactor and it was Magwitch, the convict he helped to escape when he was just young. He also had discovered that Magwitch was the real father of Estella. However, the convict, even helped by Pip, did not escape the authority. Yet in the end, Pip had resolved to part from his material accomplishments. He sought Estella and found happiness with her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, the three novels had described vividly the setting of the Victorian period. Men and women during those times were status conscious and most wanted to marry in order to better his social position. However, in the three novels, the authors had clearly resisted the conventions of the upward mobility of the Victorian period. They had inclined their protagonist in pursuing happiness rather than material accomplishment. Works Cited Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. New York: Courage Books, 1989. Dickens, Charles. Great Expectations. New York:   BarnesNoble, 2000. Eliot, George. Felix Holt, the Radical. New York: Penguins, 1970.

Blindness in Oedipus the King :: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

â€Å"The blind man sees and the seeing man is blind.† To what extent is this true in Oedipus the King? â€Å"To be wise is to suffer.† Throughout this play we see that after Oedipus suffers and loses his eyesight it is only then he is able to seek the truth. When we are first introduced to Oedipus, he is a strong leader who is thoroughly respected by the people of Thebes. â€Å"O greatest of men.† Oedipus was the saviour of Thebes 15 years before he solved the riddle of the Sphinx which freed the city from the plague and death. Because of this act, he inherited the throne although when a new disaster threatened the prosperity of the city, the people of Thebes turned to Oedipus. â€Å"I grieve for you my children. Believe me; I know all that you desire of me, all that you suffer.† Oedipus learns that there is an â€Å"unclean thing† which is polluting their soil. He declares punishment to this thing that if he owns up now then his punishment will not be harsh but if he conceals the truth and it later outed then nothing will save him. â€Å"No matter who he may be, he is forbidden shelter or intercourse with any man.† After declaring this punishment, Oedipus is approached by Teiresias, a frail, blind prophet who says that Oedipus is the â€Å"cursed polluter of this land.† Oedipus is horrified by this accusation and mocks the blind prophet. Later on in the play, we see that Oedipus becomes the figure he once mocked. At the beginning, we are informed that Oedipus has murdered his father and married his mother. Throughout the play, we observe how Oedipus is completely oblivious to this knowledge and we are able to watch how he learns about the truth. As he follows the path to his destruction he becomes aware of the truth. Upon learning that he has killed his father and married his mother, Oedipus gouges out his eyes and makes himself blind. He feels that if he kills himself then he must face his mother/wife and father in heaven and he does not have the strength to do so. Blindness in Oedipus the King :: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles â€Å"The blind man sees and the seeing man is blind.† To what extent is this true in Oedipus the King? â€Å"To be wise is to suffer.† Throughout this play we see that after Oedipus suffers and loses his eyesight it is only then he is able to seek the truth. When we are first introduced to Oedipus, he is a strong leader who is thoroughly respected by the people of Thebes. â€Å"O greatest of men.† Oedipus was the saviour of Thebes 15 years before he solved the riddle of the Sphinx which freed the city from the plague and death. Because of this act, he inherited the throne although when a new disaster threatened the prosperity of the city, the people of Thebes turned to Oedipus. â€Å"I grieve for you my children. Believe me; I know all that you desire of me, all that you suffer.† Oedipus learns that there is an â€Å"unclean thing† which is polluting their soil. He declares punishment to this thing that if he owns up now then his punishment will not be harsh but if he conceals the truth and it later outed then nothing will save him. â€Å"No matter who he may be, he is forbidden shelter or intercourse with any man.† After declaring this punishment, Oedipus is approached by Teiresias, a frail, blind prophet who says that Oedipus is the â€Å"cursed polluter of this land.† Oedipus is horrified by this accusation and mocks the blind prophet. Later on in the play, we see that Oedipus becomes the figure he once mocked. At the beginning, we are informed that Oedipus has murdered his father and married his mother. Throughout the play, we observe how Oedipus is completely oblivious to this knowledge and we are able to watch how he learns about the truth. As he follows the path to his destruction he becomes aware of the truth. Upon learning that he has killed his father and married his mother, Oedipus gouges out his eyes and makes himself blind. He feels that if he kills himself then he must face his mother/wife and father in heaven and he does not have the strength to do so.

Obama’s Education Promise, a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

â€Å"Education is the best provision for the journey to old age.† – Aristotle Today, 314.5 million people call themselves Americans. Each of them, with God permitting, will make the journey to old age. However, in this huge set of individuals, roughly fifteen percent of adults over the age of twenty-five have not received a high school diploma (â€Å"Educational Attainment in the United States: 2009†). By itself, this percentage feels rather small, and so we as Americans pride ourselves in our educational system. After crunching the numbers, however, this measly percentage actually represents twenty-nine million Americans, twenty-nine million individuals who lack an accomplished high school education. Aristotle would be displeased to say the least. In 2008, then senator Barack Obama delivered a speech to the Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts titled â€Å"What’s Possible for our Children.† Though intended for his election campaign, the speech also reflected this introduction’s attitude, calling attention to the gaping holes in American education. More specifically, however, Obama promoted educational reform based on a three-point platform: â€Å"fixing† No Child Left Behind (an act which encourages state standardized tests to measure and regulate primary and secondary education in the United States), encouraging teacher reforms and furthering teaching employment, and increasing opportunities for minor ethnicities and other disadvantaged students. In retrospect, his speech met with great optimism and is often quoted by leaders in education. To explain this speech’s success more fully requires an analysis of Obama’s seasoned rhetorica l strategies, of ethos, logos, and pathos—respectively, as well as an explanation of how each of these three strategies establishes an effective speech. Obama sprinkles ethos, or ethical proof, throughout his three-point platform. In doing so, he gears his audience’s attention towards his assessment of the ethical standards in American education to inspire  motivation and change. For example, in the introduction, Obama states, â€Å"This kind of America is morally unacceptable for our children† (qtd. in â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech†). Through this statement, Obama assumes the role of an ethical mediator; he creates situated ethos whereby, as a presidential candidate, he has the power to tell us as a society where we are correct and where we can improve. By equating American education with moral irresponsibility, he calls society to consider the issues he addresses later in his speech. One such issue is No Child Left Behind, his first premise. In discussing the problems within the act passed by former President Bush in 2001, Obama repeats the phrase â€Å"we must† almost religiously. Must is a strong word choice; it implies an obligation to something. As an audience member, we make the connection that the obligation is precisely what Obama stated in the introduction. We must make our educational standards higher for our children; thus, we become motivated to fix No Child Left Behind. Likewise, in his second point, which promises teacher reforms and employment, Obama begins with a simple commonplace: Individuals who do good jobs should be rewarded. Using the ethos from his introduction, he concludes that teachers who do good jobs should be rewarded, which gives motivation for teachers to do well. Obama even goes so far as to inspire change in education among ethnic minorities, his final point. In this point, he calls upon hope—hope that disadvantaged students will one day rise from the bottom with his new learning opportunity programs. His optimism and confidence calls us, his audience, to change. Obama further generalizes this notion of change during his conclusion when he states, â€Å"We have to hold ourselves accountable† (qtd. in â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech†). By holding the audience accountable, educational reform becomes both a private and public matter. Therefore, the audience, 314.5 million Americans, feel more personally compelled, motivated even, to follow his advice—to change No Child Left Behind, to reward teachers for good work, and to give more opportunities to disadvantaged students—to reform much of the current educational model, in effect. Logos and pathos, however, are still needed to solidify such an undertaking. Realizing he is delivering a speech about education, an intellectual topic, Obama adds several textbook examples of logos, or logical proof, to his  speech. Simply put, after he explains the unacceptable educational current model to his audience using ethos, he uses logos to depict the reality of how unacceptable the system is. In his introduction, for instance, Obama equates knowledge to the â€Å"currency† of the Information Age, stating that an individual should use his or her knowledge to â€Å"sell† himself or herself to a career position. A cause-and-effect relationship soon follows to support this extended metaphor: â€Å"If the more than 16,000 Colorado students who dropped out of high school last year had only finished, the economy in th[e] state would have seen an additional $4.1 billion in wages over these students’ lifetime† (qtd. in â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech). Logically, we as the audience then deduce that education , in reality, is profitable. It is in our interest to be well-educated, but as of now, we are losing money from being uneducated. From there, Obama makes a more explicit logical deduction to support his first premise. If we as Americans want to help the economy, we should fix No Child Left Behind. His logical reasoning for fixing the program stems from its seemingly insufficient economic policy, which stifles the paychecks of teachers who we as a society want to inspire. Because of such, he suggests that, while No Child Left Behind’s goals are noble on paper, its functional mechanics are illogical and unacceptable in the real world. By doing so, he gains more support from educators and economists. Obama also uses logos in his third premise, albeit implicitly. Back in the introduction, Obama quotes the following from Thomas Jefferson, a well-respected president from American history: â€Å"[T]alent and virtue, needed in a free society, should be educated regardless of wealth or birth† (qtd. in â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech). Obama knows that the general public will agree with anything Thomas Jefferson says because he is so well respected in American history. Therefore, when he discusses the current issues of ethnic minorities, he conjures support from a broader spectrum of Americans because he is in accordance with Thomas Jefferson. In that respect, he is able to use logos as a means to show the unacceptable truth behind the educational system—to showcase the relationship between revenue and education as well as highlight student-teacher discrimination—to the widely diverse American people. Among all the strategies Obama uses in his speech, pathos, or emotional  proof, is the most commonly used, especially in the introduction and conclusion. The reason for this distinct placement of pathos is elementary: In order to grab the audience’s attention and illustrate the realities of America’s educational system, of which both processes require ethos and logos, Obama must connect to the audience’s emotions—to bring about changes in thought and heart. His most effective strategy that does so is his appeal to children. Countless numbers of times, Obama urges us as older Americans to provide better education for our posterity. By doing so, he uses our unconditional love for children, perhaps seeing our own children in other children, in a way that grabs our attention so that we may listen and critically think about what he has to say regarding education. On top of using the obligation to children as the basis for attention, Obama also invokes imagery during his oration. An example of this imagery is found in his third premise: â€Å"When they [students at disadvantages] look around and see that no one has lifted a finger to fix their school since the 19th century, when they are pushed out the door at the sound of the last bell—some into a virtual war zone—is it any wonder they don’t think their education is important? Is it any wonder that they are dropping out in rates we’ve never seen before?† (qtd. in â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech†) The very thought of a neglected child, or a child in a â€Å"war zone† for that matter, tugs at the hearts in the audience. By using such imagery in the third premise, the audience is helpless, for not many people can resist such raw emotion. The audience’s helplessness makes them vulnerable to changes in thought. In this case, the audience’s thoughts will largely favor Obama’s intent to dampen the disadvantages of ethnical minorities and mentally handicapped students. To conclude his emotional journey and to leave his audience emotionally â€Å"fulfilled,† Obama taps into the biggest patriotic commonplace in America—the â€Å"American dream.† He takes the one idealistic value that all 314.5 million Americans hold in common and equates the chance to educate oneself with that core value. It leaves a powerful, lasting impression on his audience and, alongside all the other pathetic strategies mentioned previously, heightens the audience’s interest in investing in educational reform. Hence, after looking extensively at all these different strategies at work,  is it any wonder why the speech did not meet with such critical acclaim? Ethos persuaded us as the audience that our educational system was ethically unacceptable. Logos described the current state of the educational system in a way that made us want to change it to Obama’s standards. Pathos sweetened our perception of that change, making us believe that educational reform will correct the current unacceptable model. Together, the three major strategies mixed in just the right proportions to yield instantaneous changes in audience perception and evaluation of America’s educational standards. It created waves which propagated Obama’s educational reform ideals to all parts of the United States. In fact, these waves continue to ripple throughout the American political arena; one needs to look no further than the 2012 presidential debates to confirm such a statement. Ultimately, education is on the minds of everyone, as well it should be. True as it is to say that agriculture started civilization, it is equally as true to say that education started modern civilization. Therefore, we as citizens of the entire world should be concerned with the development of our education, for when we lose our education, we lose our modern civilization. Aristotle is correct. As humanity matures, it ages. How does humanity mature? It educates itself. Without education the future remains uncertain, for there are no provisions to account for the uncertainty. As Americans, all 314.5 million of us would like to believe that the future of our nation is determined to stay. To claim such a belief with any amount of certainty, however, requires all 314.5 million individuals to be educated. Until then, we continue to build provisions for the hazy future that awaits us. Works Cited â€Å"Educational Attainment in the United States: 2009.† U.S. Census Bureau. Feb. 2012. Digital file. â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech.† denverpost.com. 2 Dec. 2008. Web. 2 Oct. 2012.

A Critique on Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Essay

The task of this paper is two-fold; first, this paper will trace and explain the evolution of Martin Luther King, Jr. ’s belief that war, racism and economic injustice are all intertwined and can be dealt with the restructuring of society’s priorities and addressed the necessity of a revolution of values; second, this paper will also explain how he carried out his beliefs in the his speech at the Lincoln Memorial, â€Å"I Have a Dream†. At the onset of this paper, it is important to note that King’s ‘background’ [which includes his race, habituation, education and religion among many others] is crucial in his struggle against racial discrimination, violence and economic injustice as experienced by blacks in the United States of America. This was clearly stated in the speech wherein hundreds of thousands of people were able to serve as audience. In this speech, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. talks of manufactured and institutionalized oppression, I mean oppression which involves the mechanisms of law and power relations the basis of which is against the ‘natural law’. The speech purpose is made evident here as its intention was made clear: that racism should be abolished. Furthermore, Luther King’s striking delivery made it more of just an expression of freedom but of a struggle against an intangible foe: his fellow American’s mentality. Natural law theorists, following the thoughts of St. Augustine that â€Å"an unjust law is not a law at all† and Aquinas’ notion of â€Å"law as an ordinance of reason†, view morality as essentially tied up with the very essence of law. How does King figure in all of this? How can we explain the evolution of King’s ideological perspective? The point is clear: Oppression and unfair treatment of individuals is not morally valid nor is it morally permissible most especially if the basis of such is the individual’s ethnicity or race. As the Kantians believed, each person has a capacity for rational deliberation and choice and as such, an autonomous being with dignity and therefore, ought to be respected by virtue of being human persons. The evolution of King’s ideological perspective may therefore be construed in such way that it is a product, both of his experiences as a black living in a white-dominated society and his philosophical and political development and this may be inferred from Fairclough’s book, â€Å"Martin Luther King, Jr. †, 1995. King’s speeches very clearly communicate his views: â€Å"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality†¦. I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits[†¦] (as cited by Carson, 1998). Three important points about King and his political thrusts, philosophical orientation and as to why he may be called a â€Å"radical democrat† may be inferred from the aforementioned quotation in his speech. First, as a leading figure in â€Å"civil rights movement† King believed in the tenets of democracy and liberalism in the sense that he believed that both white and black Americans must have fair treatment in the realm of the law, for the purpose of law itself is the administration of social justice. Second, he believed in the â€Å"non-necessity of violence†. Influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s â€Å"civil disobedience†, he believed that there are peaceful ways in and through which the problem of political and economic injustice may be resolved. It may further be inferred that for him, political, economic and social change can best be achieved not through violence [and that the government should not keep itself busy from going to war, as in the case of the Vietnam War] nor by transforming a portion or a sector of society but what is needed is a restructuring of the society as a whole. King believed that a â€Å"revolution of values† is a matter of strict necessity. King’s views may be identified as â€Å"radical† in this sense. He emphasized the need to restructure even how we think about black Americans or African Americans. It may be inferred that racism, the feeling of being superior over another race or ethnic group or nationality is grounded on the wrong premises; wrong modes of thinking and reasoning. It is by transforming our psyche and by appealing through reason and conscience that society as a whole may chart its rightful path towards genuine social change. Third, he believed and fought not only for civil rights but also for economic changes especially labor rights and lobbied for law reforms to be enacted to protect Negroes from exploitation and oppressive schemes adopted by employers. These include fair treatment and equal work opportunity, just compensation, etc. This is how he carried out his beliefs in the Memphis Strike and the Poor People’s Campaign. King served as a voice crying for the emancipation not only of black Americans but also of other human beings from the chains of oppression. Based on the above discussion, we can see why King believed that the problems and conflicts brought about by war, racism and economic injustice are all intertwined. What we can infer from his views is the interweaving and interconnecting patterns brought about by racism itself. Furthermore, the speech was made memorable as it was delivered at the Lincoln Memorial. Abraham Lincoln was the first to abolish the slave trade in the southern states during his term which was considered as a significant step towards racial equality in the United States. But racism is not in itself the root of the problem; it is merely an effect of a traceable cause. This cause, this root of racism, is none other than a distorted value system, a wrong frame of mind resulting to feelings of superiority and even contempt and hate which further results to taking an unfair advantage of other human beings, plus a very materialistic market essentially driven by capital. The fault is, at bottom, deeply embedded with the minds of persons and a wrong value system, a wrong sense of pride and nationality, for it fails, in the Kantian sense, to respect persons for the sake of being human persons, not as mere means and tools that another person or race may use but as ends-in-themselves, possessing the capacity for rational thought, capable of making rational choices and thereby, beings that are autonomous and dignified and for the aforementioned reasons, deserve to be respected. References: Carson, C. A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. : Warner Books; Reprint edition (2002). Fairclough, A. Martin Luther King, Jr. : University of Georgia Press, c. 1995.

School Uniforms Essay Example

School Uniforms Essay Example School Uniforms Essay School Uniforms Essay Margaret Evans Ms. Deidra Powell-Williams English 155 November 15, 2011 Essay Two: Taking-A-Stand Essay Topic: School Uniforms I. All public and private schools must wear uniforms to promote unity in all the students’ appearance. II. Introduction: Unity in having everyone dressing the same. a. Removing parent’s rights to decide what students wear to school. b. Discourage bullying c. Not taking for granted freedom of dress and dressing appropriately for school when you have â€Å"free† dress. d. Explanatory overview on school uniforms and having to wear a uniform throughout my education and the benefits of wearing uniforms. III. Pros for School Uniforms from citation web article regarding School Uniforms Pros and Cons – Libertarian Logic a. Encourage positive behavior b. Self-image is also affected positively when wearing a uniform c. Gangs at school can’t show their â€Å"colors† d. Household income doesn’t become visible issue with school uniforms; the focus is on the person, not what they are wearing e. Personal experience with uniforms from Elementary school to High School, graduating from Saint Francis High School and how it impacted me. IV. Rebuttal for Con’s in school uniforms and response a. Con: Not having freedom of expression. A: When students have â€Å"free dress† they will not take it for granted and dress appropriately for school. b. Con: The idea of uniforms doesn’t match well with the real world that children will eventually be part of. A: Wearing a uniform will prepare you for the real world because it will encourage discretion in a workplace and not showing up to work in your pajama’s from having too much freedom of expression in school. c. Con: Parent’s have the right to choose where the students can wear uniforms or not as long they are paying. A: This puts the accountability back on the parents to watch what the students are wearing and if it is deemed appropriate. The constant dispute of what a student feels is appropriate to wear verses the parent. VI. Conclusion:Bring unity into the schools with uniforms removes many peer-pressures, fear in going to school due to â€Å"colors† or bullying because of what they are wearing. Helping them in having a better positive attitude and motivation to succeed in school. a. Better chance in continuing to College. b. Confidence in dress attire when working in a work environment c. Not feeling that the students have freedom of expression. d. Taking away the freedom to the parents to choose between free dress and uniform.

Personal and Professional Footprint Essay

Personal and Professional Footprint Essay Personal and Professional Footprint Essay One question that troubles the world’s environment-sensitive populace is what is their ecological footprint is having on the environment. Awareness on how much the world’s population impacts on the environment remains minimal as over the years, humans have opted for processes that strain the planet’s resources. This has had tremendous negative implications to the environment. Pollution, depletion of fundamental natural resources and diminishing plant and animal biodiversity are all becoming more and more evident (Collins, et al, 2008). Consequently, I have come to question myself of how my presence especially as an ecological being impact on the environment. Two aspects of my life reveal a lot on my contribution towards an unsustainable environment. These aspects include consumption and profession. Consumption is significantly pertinent to my ecological footprint as this is evident in my daily routines. The extent that I consume earth’s resources as an individual largely affects the environment around me. Most of my daily endeavors have a negative impact on the planet. For instance, I happen to purchase groceries which are packaged in plastic bags so often that I imagined what would happen if everyone packaged their groceries in paper bags as opposed to plastic bags. Ideally, the number of trees cut down would significantly reduce and this would in turn contribute towards sustaining the planet’s resources. Moreover, waste materials from of plastic bags are harmful to the environment on so many levels. Taking in to account the immense number of plastic bags used on a daily basis, a significant amount of waste from these plastic bags is created. The reality is this waste is usually disposed off in ways that harm the environment. My personal association with the environment is proof enough that human involvement towards global warming is certain. Global warming, a major concern in the modern world, is primarily induced my individual actions as much as it is stimulated by large scale parties such as factories and other production entities. For instance, being a woman, normal morning habits entail use of hairsprays, spraying of deodorants among other aerosols. Further, use of shaving cream and application of many other cleaning agents is common with many people. These habits have become not just part of my daily schedule but also part of many other peoples’ daily routine. These household products that are used on a daily basis were thought to be environmentally friendly in the 1930s as they were considered non-toxic therefore safe to the environment. On the contrary, recent studies conducted after the 1970s indicate that everyday actions entailing use of these items significantly affect the environment ( Morris Parry, 2011). For starters, aerosols have the potential of causing damage to the atmosphere. Atmospheric concentration caused by release of various gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and halocarbons act as trapping agents of thermal energy resulting to a green house effect. Green house effect causes global warming and over the past few decades, human activities that entail release of the mentioned gases have been drastically increasing (Collins, et al, 2008). On a personal note, I would imagine the extent of damage I have caused to the earth’s surface as unimaginable leave alone that caused by many other people whose morning routines are somewhat similar across the globe. Despite the many changes that have been made on the contents of everyday products such as aerosols and hairsprays, going by my ecological understanding, my application of such items considerably result to extensive damage to the environment. Professionally, as an environmental woman, I can deductively acknowledge that human-induced global warming is a reality. Most human activities are backed by a section of wealthy individuals are interested in processes that translate to profits rather than safeguarding the environment (Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, 2004). This group of people has managed to convince more and more people into believing that human activities are not attributable to environmental degradation. On the contrary, human have always influenced the climate and the environment. An example is illustrated in my profession as a social worker. My company deals with production of numerous print documents such as brochures as well as electronic messages which become obsolete within a short time. Additionally, most electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones used by the company workers are left on at most times even when not in use therefore leading to mass wastage of limited resources. On average, the amount of paper and electricity wasted by our firm only can overtime put a significant amount of strain on the few forests and inadequate water resources available. Essentially, my professional background and my consumption behavior somewhat inter-relate. Both largely influence the ecological footprint I have on the planet. Th anks to my profession, I am more aware of the hazardous nature of human consumption behaviors and its impact on the environment. As an ecological human, I am therefore capable of transitioning my behaviors to a more ecologically aware standing. For instance, I can now see the importance of using paper bags in place of plastic bags. Additionally, I can now understand why it is important to use environmentally friendly personal effects as even use of aerosols and the like at a personal level also impacts on earth’s planet. Moreover, I am more informed on which processes within the firm I work for can be changed to avoid wastage of resources while at the same time, save the company on costs that should not be incurred. A significant role of sustaining both the climate and the ecosystem going into the future is played by humans. My profession as an environmentalist has predominantly helped sustain the planet. For example, I am more aware of the effects of human activities on the environment. I am no longer in denial that earth’s climate as well as environment is downgraded by human activities. Consequently, I have transitioned to become more susceptible towards the environment. In addition, I am a strong proponent of the war against adverse economic implications on the planet’s resources so as to leave a mark in the fight towards sustaining the planet’s environment. Human induced environmental degradation is evident and awareness of human implications on the environment is non-reassuring. Many people still remain skeptic on human involvement towards environmental deprivation. A lot of awareness needs to be performed so as to sensitize more people about the issue. According to a study by George Mason University (2009), the media more specifically television, plays a minimal role in increasing environmental awareness. According to the report, television was found to be the least media platform that impacted on viewers’ knowledge concerning the issue of global warming and environmental dilapidation. Surprisingly, less common media platforms such as the print media and the internet were found to be more influential as compared to television in informing people of the true impact of carbon emissions to the atmosphere and its implications on global warming (Concordia University, 2009). Most people who do not have first-hand understanding of glo bal warming learn of the hazards of human activities through the internet and newspapers. Public interest in this sphere of influence is merely influenced by watching television. This reality is shocking as one would expect watching television to have more impact on sensitizing people about the effects of human activities on the environment. On a daily basis, millions of people watch television. Therefore, it would be more sensible if these numbers of viewers gained some form of concern of the environment. If people would become sensitized about human involvement in environmental degradation through television and subsequently get enlightened on ways of reducing their contribution in the issue, tremendous steps towards sustaining the planet would be made. In my opinion, televisions can be used to increase peoples’ perceived knowledge of environmental degradation. This could be achieved through ensuring contents displayed on this platform positively highlight the situation on the ground. For example, in addition to serving as an entertainment tool, television sets can be used to perform educational functions. Reforms should be made to increase the effectiveness of this unexploited source of information as this would increase awareness which would in turn convince populations across the world to become ecological. Undoubtedly, efforts towards sustaining the environment can only be feasible when many people come together and work towards ensuring the planet is conserved. Through awareness, strategies that aim towards sustaining the environment can be implemented with more ease. Feel free to buy an essay on this popular topic at writing service. You will get a 100% original custom essay written from scratch!

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Assignment - Essay Example rning fire outbreaks in building structures are now widely used as a tool to understand the causes and consequences of fire in various scenarios which can be used by engineers in designing safety plans. Furthermore, several countries across the globe have undergone serious transformations in terms of their building safety regulations which is now increasingly focused on the performance based approach to fire safety design. However, the requirements related to fire safety design for various types of buildings differ largely according to circumstances of each individual case. Conforming to the requirements of the fire resistance norms laid down by the various regulating authorities, leads to a simultaneous increase in construction costs, since excessive use of safety materials during building construction is often inevitable yet superfluous and avoidable. These redundant expenses can be avoided through the recently emerged field of fire safety engineering and the latest trend which focuses on a performance based fire safety regulation policy aimed at enhancing the building designs in such a way that the safety of the inhabitants is not compromised and the costs are controlled. "The application of scientific and engineering principles to the effects of fire in order to reduce the loss of life and damage to property by quantifying the risks and hazards involved and provide an optimal solution to the application of preventive or protective measures" (Purkiss 2007, Pp.1). Such a concept applies to all situations where fire is a impending vulnerability. The low rise domestic buildings are the prime target of fire related damage since such buildings usually do not involve use of complicated design methods and also, in such building structures the chances of human fatality is higher as the causes of death in such a situation are usually the spread of smoke and other toxic gases, rather than through building collapse, which prevent the inhabitants from escaping (Malhotra,

Optimum compromise in current UK intellectual property law Essay

Optimum compromise in current UK intellectual property law - Essay Example Many complex questions are posed about intellectual property rights (IPRs) as the laws develop to take on EU directives. Against this backdrop is the central paradox of intellectual property law needing to control access to IPRs but simultaneously permitting non-owners access to those same rights. It is said achieving an optimum compromise here has always proven controversial. Definition and categories. Intellectual Property is the name given to new ideas or concepts with practical application that the law recognises as having value by providing legal protection.4 IPRs are legal property rights that have an owner who can choose to sell or licence the IP to a third party or prevent their copying or using the idea without the owners' permission.5 IP are generally categorized as - Copyright is an automatic and unregistered right protecting all manner of written works, drawings, artwork, photographs, films, websites, software and music.8 It protects the author's original expression as contained in the work but not the ideas.9 It lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years, giving exclusive rights to the author to prevent others from copying his work.10 The idea is that writers and artists should get some reward not only in their lifetime but for the benefit of their descendents as well.11 The first statute in Britain to refer to the rights of the author was the Statute of Anne in 1709, 12 but there was no real belief in the "rights of the author." 13 The efforts to protect copyright of British authors who publish abroad eventually led to the Berne Convention on Copyright of 1886.14 Later, the Treaty of Rome in 1928 gave more teeth to moral rights of authors in a higher profile of an international treaty. Next came the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act that made explicit connection between the economic rights and moral rights of the author.15 Obtaining now is the 2003 Copyright and Related Rights Regulations aimed to bring legal protection up to date with the digital environment. 16 Copyright generally covers the economic and moral rights of the author. The right to copy in copyright is alienable, i.e. it can be sold, licensed or given to a second party. However, the rights to alter a work, and to be represented as the

Pressure ulcers disease Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Pressure ulcers disease - Case Study Example The Never Event Policy was generally instituted to ensure that hospitals and healthcare facilities give the very best of care to patients so that patients would not have to come out of hospitals and health facilities with new illnesses. It is for this reason that some key hospital-related conditions have been set apart under the Never Event Policy with the aim that these conditions do not happen at the health facilities. Some of these key conditions are â€Å"wrong-site surgeries, transfusion with the wrong blood type, pressure ulcers, falls or trauma, and nosocomial infections† (Torrey, 2011). There, however, remain some key components of the Never Event Policy that hospital administrators must be concerned about. One of these is false claims associated with the report of never event conditions (Morris, 2003). False claims take place in two major ways, and each of these can be curtailed by the hospital administration. The first has to do with cases of the patient transfer whe n the latter hospital is making claims of never event conditions in the patient being transferred to the former hospital. There could also be a case when a patient makes claims of never event conditions. Because never event conditions are not covered under Medicare, any claims of their existence lead to payments to be made by the accused hospital. Administrators can, on the other hand, take steps to ensure that for services for which payment is not available under applicable rules, false claims are not taken.

Hrm in a globalized economy executive summary

Hrm in a globalized economy executive summary The report aims to discuss aspects of Human Resource Management in light of the ever changing business world given the globalization of businesses today. Globalization has seen changes in the way businesses work and are expected to deliver investor value. Companies started competing not just with local competitors but with organizations across continents which forced companies to relook at continuously innovating and providing a unique value to its customers to retain them. Talent Sourcing and Talent Development within an organization have become a science that identify and accept that diverse employee base form the backbone of a business and are responsible for contributing towards achievement of organizations global goals and directly impacting competitiveness and delivering that Investor value. Early in the 1800s during the times of Industrialization, the approach to managing workforce was primitive task drive approach. Historically, Henry Fords assembly lines and Studies of Frederick Taylor such as the time and motion studies thought of improving productivity by putting employees in line with mechanics. They tried to boost productivity by designing the way work is carried out. They focussed purely on productivity since productivity was what gave profits and therefore competitive edge. Workforce was put them in the same league as machines inviting organization conflict and distraction from the goal. As globalized environment changed the rules of the game, Organizations realized that employees and their talents is the single most important supply of sustainable competitive advantage. Employees are the ones that deploy scarce resources optimally. To survive and to succeed, organization need to leverage its human resource capitals talents to develop new products and services and creating value for customers. This marked change in attitude of managements saw the emergence of concept of Global Human Resource Management which characterizes implementation of personnel policies to maximize objectives of organizational integrity, employee commitment, flexibility and quality at a global level. Global Human Resource Management hence becomes very important since globalization and international operations bring with them challenges beyond a simple Human Resource Management program at a local level. Global Human Resource Management not only covers International recruitment Appropriate training and development Deployment of these resources But also goes beyond simple HRM in maintaining affable international industrial relations. With international operations, managing the employee base worldwide has its own challenges. P Morgan: There are 2 sets of variables when it comes to HRM in for an International Organization First -employee types Second Political, labour laws, culture, legal environment, economic, and practices prevailing in different countries A successful HRM model for an international organization is the successful interplay between these 2 sets. Clearly there is a need to go beyond basic HRM practices to include: More functions and activities In depth wisdom of employment law of the host country Close involvement with employees personal variables Provide for external influences Exposure to newer hurdles and risks Managing differential pay packages Managing ethnic, gender differences More liasoning activities More travel and coordination Higher management of unknown risk variables beyond the country where the headquarters are based It is imperative that Human Resources Management models are deployed in a global context to ensure success. Main Body The Concept of Globalization: While Global trade itself is not a new concept, Globalization is. Globalization can be defined as a process of trade and investment transcending political boundaries undertaken by an interaction of people, processes, entities and spurred on by advances in political systems, technology, business ethics and affecting culture, environment societies leading to cross border prosperity. International trades have been undertaken historically. Traders have traded goods and services over large distances travelling by land and sea. Eg, The silk route that connected the Western World with Central Asia China during the Middle Ages. As time progressed further, we see that cross-border trade, investment immigration boomed. Eg. Since the middle of the 20th Century to today world trade has exponentially grown by 20 times. Only in the last 5 years of the 20th Century, foreign investment currency flow went to US$ 827 billion from a meagre US$ 468 billion. This has had an impact on fiscal policies of governments that have opened up its economies in a controlled manner, both domestically as well as beyond their borders. Eg. The 1991 Financial Budget given by then Finance Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh was figuratively the door to globalization for India. India hasnt looked back since in terms of its growth and prosperity. India adopted a free-market economic system. This greatly increased its own production potential and created a bouquet of opportunities for its own companies and organizations across the world for international trade and investment. Companies started growing by virtue of the geography of their businesses and operations: HRM in the face of such Globalized businesses: In such a dynamic environment today Human Resource Management in a global paradigm involves the manpower planning of staffing requirements the world over, selection of the right candidates, training development of employees for global operations. Since it is established that human resources form the backbone of any strategy, implementation of any strategy to succeed globally with Human Resource Management at its core can provide a strategic competitive edge. Human Resource function in this environment has to provide a support function to line manager by providing guidelines, searching, training, and evaluating employees. With an effective HRM function deployed, the organization would be able to leverage the knowledge, experiences and the skills of its distinctive employee bases the world over. The Increasing Diversity of the Workforce: As Globalization gains steam and becomes the norm, the employee base of multinationals has become varied and rich with nationals from all over the globe. Human Resources across companies have become homogenized, enriching the organizations with depth of knowledge about variables affective markets both within the countries as well as between them. The most successful organizations are ones which utilize this resource to the maximum. Having an experienced employee from a remote market on the team is a natural consequence towards better understanding new market dynamics and new consumer behaviour. Culture in different countries or the mode of doing business in different countries is also different Deal Focus Relationship Focus Country wise distribution: Formal Culture Informal Culture Country wise distribution: Therefore HRM today for an international organization, has to consider Differences in HR practices in the local organizations Perception of HR as a function. Attitude and actions of headquarters towards HR Resistance to change in a myriad of different situations Cultural differences in teaching and assimilating styles The Changing Nature of the Workplace: A diverse organisation will out-think and out-perform a homogeneous organisation every single time. A. Lafley, CEO Procter Gamble Global competition presents a case for Global co-operation. Today, more than ever before, employees find themselves rubbing shoulders with someone from a different culture, race and society on an everyday basis. HR departments in these multinationals have to recruit, develop and retain people who have vastly different backgrounds. This has resulted in new skills to succeed such as sensitivity and other relational aspects. This is termed as cultural intelligence. Cultural intelligence is defined as the capability to adapt effectively across different national, organizational and professional cultures (Earley, Ang and Tan, 2005). Today employees across industries are given job roles globally, taking them around the world. In this new environment employees from home country as well as the expatriate have to learn how to work with each other given that they not only think and communicate differently but also execute differently. The Human Resource Departments need to develop their cultural intelligence to manage this diversity in their companies. The departments have to allow for newer challenges in the face of international employee deployment such as Managing international assignments Employee and family adjustment Selecting the right person for a foreign assignment Culture, communication and gauge Language and communication Staffing Function in an International Organization: Staffing in an international organization goes beyond simply forecasting requirements and selection of the right candidates to fit a job description. It is also a tool to develop and promote the organizations own value system and culture. In an international scenario the following models could be deployed: An Ethnocentric staffing policy A Polycentric staffing policy or a Geocentric staffing policy ETHNOCENTRIC STAFFING POLICY: In this policy, top management positions filled by parent-country nationals. It is actually the best suited to international organizations. Advantages: If the host nation does not have qualified managers, the vacancies can easily be filled The culture of the HQ is easy to spread. Easy transfer of key skills and operating procedures Disadvantages: May result in bitterness in host country Deterrent to cultural diversity POLYCENTRIC STAFFING POLICY When this policy is deployed Host-country nationals manage subsidiaries and parent company nationals hold key headquarter positions. Multi-domestic organizations can benefit from this Advantages: Help rich cultural diversity Implementation is cost effective Easy transfer of key skills and operating procedures Disadvantages: Limits chances of host country employees getting exposure outside their own nation Possibility of gap in mission, values and work culture between HQ and host country operations GEOCENTRIC STAFFING POLICY This policy seeks best people, regardless of nationality. Transnational organizations and Global entities can benefit from this Advantages: Optimum deployment of optimum resources Employees get exposure to different cultures Creates a centralized value system Disadvantages: Local immigration policies may inhibit 100% deployment Higher costs associated with training and relocation May require complex Compensation structures to succeed. The Expatriate Dichotomy: Further when a citizen of one country works in another country, HRM needs to take care of a myriad of issues without which there is a strong chance of failure and a premature return of the employee to his home country The costs associated with failure are not low and are generally estimated at three times the expats annual salary in addition to the costs associated with relocation The issues that can crop up when expats are deployed: Immediate family may not adjust to a new environment The employee may not adjust Other personal issues Culture shock May not be able to cope up with bigger responsibilities Based on how complex the business is and strength of the HR function, it is important to deploy the ideal staffing policy. Recruitment and Selection: International Labour Market Sources Parent Country Nations (PCNs) PCNs are managers who are citizens of the Country where the MNC is headquartered. The reasons for using PCNs include The desire to provide the companys more promising managers with international experience The need to maintain and facilitate organisational coordination and control The unavailability of managerial talent in the host country The companys view of the foreign operation as short lived The host countrys multi-racial population The belief that a parent country manager is the best person for the job. Host Country Nationals (HCNs) HCNs are local managers hired by MNCS The reasons for using HCNs Familiar with the culture, language Less expensive, know the way things done, rules of local market Hiring them is good public relation Third Country Nationals (TCNs) TCNs are managers who are citizens of countries other than the one in which the MNC is headquartered or the one in which it is assigned to work by the MNC. The reason for using TCNs These people have the necessary expertise They were judged to be the best ones for the job. Selection procedure of Expatriates Use of selection test Technical Ability Cross cultural requirements Following traits are identified s predictors of expatriate success Cultural empathy Adaptability Diplomacy Language ability Positive attitude Emotional stability and maturity Family requirements Multinational requirements Management philosophy or approach The mode of operation involved The duration of assignment The amount of knowledge transfer inherent in the expatriates job in foreign operation Language skills Expatriate Success factors Willing and motivated to go overseas Technically able to do the job Adaptable Good interpersonal skills and be able to form relationship Good communication ability Supportive families Adaptability to cultural change Work experience with cultures other than ones own Previous overseas travel Knowledge of foreign language Ability to integrate with different people, cultures, and type of business organisation The ability to sense developments in the host country and accurately evaluate them The ability to solve problems within different frameworks an from different perspectives Sensitivity to subtle differences of culture, politics, religion and ethics in addition to individual differences Flexibility in managing operations on a continuous basis, despite of lack of assistance and gaps in information Globalized HRM role Two major types of adjustments that an expatriate must make when going on an overseas assignment. Anticipatory adjustment Carried on before he leaves for the assignment It is influenced by following factors predeparture training pervious experience In-country adjustment Takes place on site It is influenced by following factors Ability to maintain a positive outlook in high pressure Jobs as reflected by the role he plays in managing, authority he has to make decisions, newness of work-related challenges and the amount of role conflicts Organisation culture Non work factors toughness with he faces new cultural experience, family adjustment with new country Socialisation factor to know what is what and who is who Expatriate Training and Development Need for Training to Expatriate Cost of expatriate failure is very high To build a team of internationally oriented, committed and competent personnel Minimize personal problems such as politeness, punctuality, tactfulness, orderliness, sensitivity, reliability, tolerance and empathy Improve overall management style Pre-departure Training- Emphasises on cultural awareness and business customs of the country of posting to cope with unexpected events in a new country. Post-departure Training helps in minimising culture shock and depression that usually sets in a new country and culture. Cultural Integrator An individual who is responsible for ensuring that the operations and systems are in accordance with the local culture. He advises guides and recommends action needed to ensure this synchronisation. Even though expatriate are trained before being sent abroad, they are still not totally prepared to deal with the day-to-day cultural challenges because they lack field experience. He is responsible for handling problems between the subsidiary and host cultures. He may be from parent country or host country who has intimate knowledge of the companys culture and can view operations from both sides. He can only advice ore recommend a course of action. Management philosophy and training Ethnocentric companies will provide all training at the HQ. Polycentric companies will rely on local managers to assume responsibilities for seeing that the training function is carried our wherever appropriate. Geocentric companies organise training courses in different parts of the world, where a particular function is best carried out. Regiocentric companies organise training courses in different countries of the region. Cultural Awareness Training There are five types of pre-departure training Area studies that include environmental briefing and cultural orientation Cultural assimilators Language training Sensitivity training and Field experience To decide the rigour and level of training, following factors are important degree of interaction required in the host culture similarities between home and host cultures If interaction is low and similarities are high, then training should be on task and job related issues rather than culture related issues. If interaction is high and similarities are low, then training should be on cross cultural skill development as well as task. Preliminary visits average duration will be about one week A well planned overseas trip for candidate and spouse provides a preview to access their suitability for job, introduction to host country management, accommodation required, and schooling facilities available. Language training Types of cross cultural training Environment briefing about geography, climate, housing and schools Cultural orientation to familiarise with cultural institutions and value system of host country Cultural assimilators to provide intercultural encounters Language training Sensitivity training to develop attitudinal flexibility Field experience to make expatriate familiarise with the challenges of assignment Cultural Assimilators It is a programmed learning technique that is designed to expose members of one culture to some of the basic concepts, attitudes, role perceptions, customs and values of another culture. These assimilators are developed for one culture where the candidate is currently working and the other culture is where he is proposed to be posted. Type of assimilators The trainee read a short episode of cultural encounter and choose an interpretation of has happened and why. Critical incidents: to be identified as a critical incident, a situation must meet at least of the following conditions: An expatriate and a host interact in the situation The situation is puzzling or likely to be misinterpreted by the expatriate The situation can be accurately interpreted if sufficient knowledge about the culture is available The situation is relevant to the expatriates task or mission requirements Compensation Management Factors Influencing Compensation Programmes Compensation decisions are strategic decisions and play a key role It should be consistent with overall strategy, structure and business needs of MNC It must attract and retain the best staff It must facilitate the transfer of international employees in a cost effective manner. It should give due consideration to equity and ease at administration. It requires the knowledge of employment and taxation laws, customs, cost of living index, environment and employment practices, the knowledge of labour markets and industry norms, foreign currency fluctuations. Paying Expatriates: unique problems Discrepancies in pay between PCN, HCN and TCN The need to vary expatriate compensation depending on the life cycle of the expatriates family Compensation issues related to re-entry into the parent country organisation Approaches to Expatriates Compensation Going Rate Approach Base salary remains linked to the salary structure of the host country. Required information is obtained through compensation surveys and published information. This approach is favoured by polycentric organisation Advantage Equality with local nationals and expatriates of different nationals Simple approach Attract the nationals of PCN and TCN if location is a high-pay country Disadvantage Transfer from a developed country to a developing country Fighting for getting favourable posting and resisting low pay country postings Problems when the expatriates repatriated to the home country An export or import or franchising arrangement Company appoints an export manager who reports to chief of marketing and all operations concerning export and imports are controlled by the home office Balance Sheet Approach It links the salary of expatriates and TCNs to home country salary structure. Assumption Foreign assignees should not suffer financially due to transfer Salary package is divided into goods and services, housing, income taxes and reserve. Cultural Impact and Compensation Policy National cultural difference High power-distance the compensation system should reflect hierarchical divisions in the firm. Low power-distance the salary system should be more egalitarian and performance based. Individual cultures rewards should be given on an individual basis. Collectivist cultures they should be team based. Culture with high masculinity compensation policy focus on social benefits, quality of work life and equity. Culture with high uncertainty avoidance structured and consistent pay plans are preferred with no variable plans and discretionary allocation. Culture with low uncertainty avoidance pay should be linked to performance. Performance Management in International Organisations Performance Management and its link with other HR Processes Reward Management Human Resource Planning Training and Development Process Relationship with strategy Multinational Performance Management Whole vs part Non-comparable data Volatility of the international environment Separation by time and distance HQ-subsidiary interdependence Ethical and legal issues Market Maturity Performance Management of expatriates decisions and play a key role Setting clear goals for each unit, each department and each employee Goals must be mutually supportive and balanced for long and short term needs. Setting standard and measurement criteria for evaluating each type of goal Formal monitoring and review of progress towards these objectives Using the outcomes of the review process to reinforce desired employee behaviour through differential rewards and identifying training and development needs. Variables that Influence Performance of Expatriate Compensation Package Nature of Assignment Role Clarity Psychological Contract HQs support Environment of the Host Country Cultural Adjustment Critical Success Factors Recommendations: The Impact of Diversity and the Changing Nature of the Workplace on Human Resource Functions in Work Organizations: Given the era of Globalization, managing diversity at the workplace has become a business issue for the HR Department and no longer simply a moral, social, or legal concern. The challenge is no more creating a diverse employee demographic, but empowering one that already exists due the natural global nature of the business. Despite all the hype around Diversity and the pros of having a multicultural workplace, organizations still tend to reflect: Soft implementation of highly expensive Diversity Management Programs A poor gender ratio when it comes to higher managerial positions Poor integration of disabled people into the employee base. Senior management teams not reflecting ethnic diversity. Some critical success factors to ensuring that diversity is leveraged well by organizations include: A) Clear organization wide understanding of the business case for Diversity. The HR department along with the senior management and the line managers need to be clear about the need to be diverse and embrace new cultures and ethnic backgrounds into their folds. Going beyond corporate trainings and having blurred notions of how multi-cultural employee base would help the organization to gain competitive edge over local competition in remote markets, all levels of the organization need to clearly articulate how a diverse human resource base would help reach the organization goal and hence their own individual goals. Further they understand that a multi-cultural workforce can improve their organizations adaptiveness and change readiness. This would clearly improve the culture within the organization to recruit, develop and retain the best staff. B) Assessment of Current Situation. HR departments that are particularly successful at managing diversity routinely spend time, money and effort in gauging the ever changing composition of the workforce given geographical expansions, attrition and new recruits. They routinely assess not just numbers associated with the above dynamics but also behaviours, and culture associated with these changes. Eg. Eastman Kodak created a specialist external diversity panel to conduct an outsider review of the current situation. The Management of Eastman Kodak assessed recruitment policies to address cultural imbalances and even cultural blocks to retaining and developing a multi-demographic employee base. Without the above HR Departments would only end up paying lip service to managing diversity or spending huge amounts on expensive specialist corporate trainings on managing diversity without actually creating a basic inclusive work culture. Ergo, wasting time and effort on initiatives that are unsustainable in an environment where self assessment itself is not done. C) Managing Diversity is a top-down approach. Successful diversity management initiatives are ones that have high visibility of the senior management team. Eg. Back in mid 90ies, Lou Gerstner identified diversity as a key strategic initiative for IBM globally. He was a strong proponent of leveraging differences to address new markets. He established eight task forces representing various ethnic groups, allocating executive sponsors from his direct reporting team and insisting on specific measurable results within specified timelines personally reviewing progress on the results. Many HR departments have gone beyond simply including diversity management in their employee handbook and actually championed setting up panels and councils that include senior executives. Diversity management may require fundamental changes to the very culture of the organization and hence require stewardship by the senior executives. D) HR initiatives need to promote cultural harmony rather than address cultural imbalances. Initiatives from HR need to promote creating a multi-cultural environment. Simply having reservation seats and quotas and fancy cultural training and diversity training is not enough. HR Departments need to ensure that minorities have the same opportunities and such initiatives are an integral part of their day to day working rather than simply an extra curricular task! Ensuring objective appraisal systems, rewards and recognition and universal training and development opportunities is key to promoting an all encompassing holistic HR approach. E) Objective assessment of the Diversity management initiative and scientific assessment of programs are key. Many HR Departments have succeeded in developing measurable diversity management programs. E.g. the Hyatt Hotel Group the world over ties approximately 15% of the bonus potential to diversity goals. HR Departments that have been successful in managing diversity have translated it into a core competency used to assess the performance of management. F) Diversity Management principles are all encompassing and wholesome enough for everyone to participate. If the Diversity Management programs are only a bastion of the senior management, the entire exercise would be superficial and unsustainable. In order to result in successful recruitment, retention and development of employees in a globalized world, it is important that it is an inclusive program cascading throughout the organization. E.g. IBM created specific task forces but more importantly invited participation in the form of inputs to help these task forces in creating an inclusive culture. Managing diversity and the every changing workplace in the face of globalization is not the prerogative of the senior management alone but is to be implemented at the grass root level where managing diversity to retain and recruit top talent is a challenge in itself. These critical to success factors for managing diversity are not complicated models however they are tough to actually execute and require a motivated effort on the part of the Human Resources team and buy-in from the entire organization. Conclusion: Clearly Globalization has brought about a paradigm shift to International Trade providing it with a great boost. I feel, employees form perhaps the most critical resource base since they are