Does Globalization necessarily lead to cultural homogenization? Essay

Globalization entered everyday English usage in the early Sixties, following the periodical of Marshall McLuhan’s Gutenberg Galaxy (Mc Luhan 1962). Malcolm Waters, a principal authority on the subject, define globalization as a â€Å"process in which the limits of geography on social and cultural arrangements retreat and [as a consequence] people become ever more aware that [such constraints] are retreating† (Waters 1995, p. 3). The term ‘global’ is an astoundingly recent creation, appearing for the first time in the 1986 second edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. The OED’s definition of ‘to globalize’ is easy and to the point: â€Å"to render global. † In globalization â€Å"a large and increasing proportion, whether native or of immigrant backgrounds, are also people with little or no education and few Marketable skills† (Cohen and Kennedy: 2000, 75). â€Å"Globalization, in transnational corporate lingo, is conceived as the last of three stages of global transformation since 1945† (Jameson and Miyoshi 1998). The impact of the new world economy has been just as great on North-South relations as on North-North ones. For one thing, as Manuel Castells suggests, some parts of the South are becoming increasingly irrelevant and marginal to the world economy (Castells, 1997). In other parts, the possibilities for information-based development are there, but a totally different set of new policies is required. These policies would have to be based on the development of human productive potential. In popular usage, globalization is associated with the idea that advanced capitalism, aided by digital and electronic technologies, will ultimately obliterate local traditions and creates a homogenized, world culture. Critics of globalization argue that human experience everywhere is becoming fundamentally the same. The transformative power of digital technologies in a globalised world means that â€Å"information and knowledge have now become media of production, displacing many kinds of manual work. Marx thought that the working class would bury capitalism but as it has turned out, capitalism has buried the working class† (Hutton and Giddens 2001:22). Globalization is both Homogeneity-Heterogeneity as it â€Å"refers to both the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole†. In other words, it covers the acceleration in concrete global interdependence and in consciousness of the global whole (Robertson 1992: 8). It involves the crystallization of four main components of the â€Å"global-human circumstance†: societies (or nation-states), the system of societies, individuals (selves), and humankind. This takes the form of processes of, respectively, societalization, internationalization, individuation, and generalization of consciousness about humankind (Robertson 1992: 215-6; 1992: 27). Rather than referring to a multitude of historical processes, the concepts above all capture â€Å"the form in terms of which the world has moved towards unicity† (Robertson, 1992: 175). This form is practically contested. Closely linked to the process of globalization is therefore the â€Å"problem of globality† or the cultural terms on which coexistence in a single place becomes possible (Robertson, 1992: 132). The actual process of globalization has been erratic, chaotic, and slow. Some observers of modern politics argue that a basic version of world culture is taking shape among extremely educated people, particularly those who work in the rarefied domains of international finance, media, and diplomacy. Hyper elites of this nature make up what Samuel Huntington (1996) calls a â€Å"Davos culture†, named after the Swiss town that hosts yearly meetings of the World Economic Forum. Whatever their ethnic, spiritual, or national origin, Davos participants are said to follow a identifiable lifestyle characterized by consistent behaviour (social ease, aristocratic manners, and the ability to tell jokes), technological complexity (knowledge of the latest software, communications systems, and media innovations), complex understanding of financial markets and currency exchange, postgraduate education in influential institutions, common dress and grooming codes, similar body obsession (dietary restraint, vitamin regimes, fitness routines), and a control of American-style English which they use as the main medium of communication. â€Å"Super cultures in the global age of communication which is distinguished by growing and ‘complex connectivity’† (Tomlinson 1999) Davos people, it is asserted, are instantly identifiable and feel more comfortable in each other’s presence than they do amongst less sophisticated compatriots. The World Economic Forum no longer commands the consideration it did in the Nineties, but the term â€Å"Davos† has entered world vocabulary as a synonym for late-Twentieth-Century cosmopolitanism. Building on this idea, the sociologist Peter Berger (1997) argued that the globalization of Euro-American academic agendas and lifestyles has formed a worldwide â€Å"faculty club culture†. Since the Sixties, international funding agencies have sustained academic exchanges and postgraduate training for scholars in developing countries, permitting them to build alliances with Western colleagues. The long-term consequence, Berger argues, is the formation of a global network in which similar values, attitudes, and research goals are collective. Network participants have been instrumental in encouraging feminism, environmentalism, and human rights as global issues. Berger cites the anti-smoking movement as a case in point: the movement began as an elite North American preoccupation in the Seventies and consequently spread to other parts of the world following the forms of academe’s global network. As with Davos sophisticates, members of the international faculty club rely on English to communicate with each other. The anthropologists Ulf Hannerz and Arjun Appadurai have studied similar elites that work on a global scale. Hannerz (1990) believes that a world culture appeared in the late Twentieth Century, stemming from the activities of â€Å"cosmopolitans† who nurtured an intellectual approval for local cultures in the developing world. The new global culture, in this interpretation, is based on the â€Å"organization of diversity† rather than â€Å"a replication of uniformity. † â€Å"Cultural globalization refers to the intensification and expansion of cultural flows across the globe. Obviously, ‘culture’ is a very broad concept; it is frequently used to describe the whole of human experience† (Steger 2003: 69). By the end of millennium, international elites had organized dozens of NGOs to assist preserve cultural diversity in the developing world. Institutions such as Cultural Survival (located in Cambridge, Massachusetts) now work on a world scale, drawing attention to indigenous groups that expect to see themselves as â€Å"first peoples†Ã¢â‚¬â€a new, global description that emphasizes common experiences of utilization. Appadurai (1997) claims that modern diasporas are not simply transnational but â€Å"post national† meaning that people who work in these spheres are unaware of national borders and socialize in a social world that has several home bases. Fundamental to these elite visions of globalism is a disinclination to describe exactly what is meant by culture. This is not unexpected, given that the idea of culture has become one of the most contentious issues in contemporary social sciences. Throughout most of the Twentieth Century, anthropologists defined culture as a shared set of beliefs, customs, and ideas that held people together in identifiable, self-identified groups. Scholars in several disciplines challenged the idea of cultural coherence as it became obvious that members of close-knit groups held fundamentally different visions of their social worlds. Culture is no longer professed as a pre-programmed mental library, a knowledge system inherited from ancestors. Modern anthropologists, sociologists, and media specialists treat culture as a set of ideas, aspects, and expectations that are continually changing as people respond to changing circumstances. This logical development reflects communal life at the turn of the Twenty-First Century; the disintegration of Soviet socialism and the rise of cyber capitalism , both of which have increased the perceived speed of societal change everywhere. Globalization empowers the hybridization of nations and communities to fight cultural imperialism or chauvinism by helping them to describe who they are, where they come from, and where they are going. Globalization and technology assist communities to develop cultural networks, free from state or hierarchical controls, regulations, or limitations. It also helps to demystify cultural differences by easing intercultural connectedness, interactions and hybridization. Therefore, while properly managed, globalization can be good for cultural inspiration, diversity and development. There is a ‘new cosmopolitanism’ in the air as, through criticism, the concept has been rediscovered and reinvented. As the late Nineties there was a sharp increase in literature that attempted to relate the discourse on globalization (in cultural and political terms) to a redefinition of cosmopolitanism for the global age. â€Å"The new cosmopolitanism is the prerogative of wealthy, self-serving, anational agents of capital on the one hand and, on the other, international moralists. † Nussbaum, 1996, 5. For this reason it is worth pointing out that etymologically, cosmopolitan is a blend of ‘cosmos’ and ‘polis’. Thus ‘cosmopolitanism’, captivatingly enough, relates to a pre-modern ambivalence towards a dual identity and a dual devotion. Every human being is rooted (beheimatet) by birth in two worlds, in two communities: in the cosmos (namely, nature) and in the polis (namely, the city/state). More exactly, every individual is rooted in one cosmos, but concurrently in different cities, territories, ethnicities, hierarchies, nations, religions, and so on. This is not an elite but rather an inclusive plural membership (Heimaten). Being part of the cosmos nature, all men (and even all women) are equal; yet being part of diverse states organized into territorial units (polis), men are different (bearing in mind that women and slaves are expelled from the polis). Leaving aside for one moment the issue of women and slaves, ‘cosmopolitanism’ at its root includes what was separated by the logic of barring later on. â€Å"Cosmopolitan† ignores the either/or principle and symbolizes ‘Sowohl-alsauch thinking’, the ‘this-as-well-as-that’ principle. This is an ancient ‘hybrid’, ‘melange’, ‘scape’, ‘flow’ idea that is even more structured than the new offshoots of globalization discourse. Thus cosmopolitanism generates logic of non-exclusive oppositions, making ‘patriots’ of two worlds that are concurrently equal and different. The â€Å"anti-globalization† label became prevalent after the Seattle demonstration, apparently â€Å"†¦a coinage of the US media† (Graeber 2002:63). However, it is significant to realize that the term is strongly contested amongst activists – and that many, if not most, reject the label â€Å"anti-globalization† entirely. So what is it, exactly, that activists oppose? Although there has been significant attention paid lately to militarism in the context of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it seems to me that most activist accounts in recent years have focused more centrally on phenomena linked with economic globalization: the increasing power of corporations, the growing role of international financial institutions, and the neoliberal policies of trade liberalization and privatization propounded by the latter and from which the former benefit. These are seen to produce economic inequality, social and environmental destruction, and cultural homogenization. They are also accused of leaching power and autonomy away from people and governments – of being anti-democratic. Such an understanding of â€Å"the enemy† chimes with many commentaries on the movement (Starr 2000; Danaher and Burbach 2000). It can also be discerned on activist websites. The Charter of Principles of the World Social Forum (2002) declares participant groups â€Å"†¦opposed to neoliberalism and to domination of the world by capital and any form of imperialism†. The statement of principles on the Globalize Resistance site (2002a) indicates that it is primarily against the extension of corporate power over people’s lives under the heavy hand of international financial institutions similar to the WTO and IMF. The group’s newsletters then target the exploitative practices of particular multinational corporations and draw attention to problems of debt and financial restructuring. Lastly, the Peoples’ Global Action manifesto (1998) articulated opposition to the expansion of the role of â€Å"capital, through the help of international agencies† and trade agreements. There are significant resonances here with academic depictions of globalization. I have argued elsewhere that an ‘economic-homogenization’ model of globalization is becoming increasingly dominant in both academic and popular usage, which focuses attention on the improved combination of the global economy and its homogenizing effect on state policy and culture (Eschle 2004). Such a model is prevalent in International Relations (IR). It is characteristic of liberal IR approaches that support globalization that skeptical refutations of globalization are described as exaggerated and ideological and critical IR theories condemn globalization as profoundly damaging. It is with this last, critical, approach in IR that we find the strongest resonance with activist discourses. Both activist and academic critics share the assumption that globalization equates with the neo-liberal economic developments described above. Then, in an extremely significant move, these developments might be linked to the underlying structures of the economy and globalization reinterpreted as the latest stage of capitalism. According to Klein, â€Å"the critique of ‘capitalism’ just saw a comeback of Santana like proportions† (2002:12). The global culture is usually used in contemporary academic discourse to distinguish the experience of everyday life in specific, exclusive localities.

Culture and Anthropologists Essay

The problems that faced by anthropologists in the fieldwork are adaptation to new culture, maintain objectivism and get access to all information from their subjects. Adaptation to new culture is hard, since they have to stay for a period of time and try to live in the way their subjects’ do. Adaptation that done by anthropologists is not only adapt new lifestyle, but also learning their cultural norms and language in order to be accepeted by their subjects as a part of them, not only as a foreigner. For instance, M. N. Srinivas was got disapproval for shaving before bath since in that community, people are shaving after bath (Srinivas, 2002). However, by adapting the culture, anthropologists not only gain knowledge about how the culture is, but they will have better understanding on the culture. Knowing why do people in certain culture do certain activity, how the culture has impacted the people on that community and the historical of the culture as well. On top of that, a better understanding of the culture may assist the anthropologists to produce an unbiased ethnography by avoiding ethnocentrism. Having different cultures, people tend to make a comparison among the culture. It could be inevitable when living with people with different cultures in which values, norms and behavioural acceptance are in different manner. This objectivism is needed when anthropologists faced problem with what they observe. Remain objective could be a bit hard when the anthropologists have an emotional involvement on problems that their subjects’ face. For example, when Claire did the observation on prostitutes lifestyle and have emotional pressure, at some point she need to out from the field, so that her objectivism is remain stable (Sterk, 2009). Other than avoiding ethnocentrism, maintaining objectivism is also required to build a good relationship with their subjects. By the example on what Claire done, the thing that can be learned is anthropologists should not interfere too much on their subjects’ life, and also anthropologists should be able to set a boundaries to limit to what extend they can emotionally interfere with their subjects (Sterk, 2009). The other problem that faced the most by anthropologists is get access to all information from their subjects. In order to find the respondents, anthropologists need to show their respects to gain trust from the leader of that community. The importance of key respondents is to open a path to ommunicate with other members in that community to get more perception of how the norms and culture affect their life. However, the problem is, sometimes anthropologists wrongly identify the key repondents. According to Calire E. Sterk (2009), anthropologists need to be able to find the right person as their key respondents, if not, then the access to information is too narrow, which could cause misinterp retation on the data. For instance, during fieldwork in Rampura village, M. N. Srinivas observed a community that led by a headman that very strict on cultural rules(Srinivas 2009). The headman always watch whatever Srinivas did and limited the access to the members of that community , till the time when he realize that there are two faction and apparently the second faction is more open to foreigners than the first faction (Srinivas, 2009). By reading this case, there is something that can be a learning experience which is before anthropologists do participant observation, they need to know how is the structure of that society, what are the cultural values, norms and belief that they believe in and the most important thing is to know what are motivations to do such a cultural activities and how they do it.

Prepared Reading on “The House of The Spirits” Essay

She is the main protagonist of the novel, Estaban Trueba’s wife, Blanca, and the twin’s (Nicolas and Jaime) mother. She has the gift of foresight, as she is able to foresee the future, although she cannot change it. Another supernatural gift that she has is the power to speak with spirits. She is the character that binds the intertwined families together. She has a tendency to resemble that of a mute after encountering domestic problems with her husband Esteban, but her love for her family prevents her from leaving the house of Esteban. Clara’s character is static. She remains the same, calm, woman all throughout the novel—from the beginning right up to the end. Esteban Esteban is the head of Clara’s family because he is the husband of Clara. He is also the father of a number of illegitimate children at the Tres Marias because of his insatiable appetite for sexual pleasure. He co-narrates the novel along with his granddaughter Alba. He is from a class lower than that of Clara’s family, but through persistence and hard work at the mines in Tres Marias, he was able to make a fortune, thanks mostly to the efforts of the peasants at the mines whom Esteban maltreats, especially the women—as he was able to rape almost every young peasant girl in Treas Marias. Despite obsessively loving Clara, his violence has caused conflicts within the family. Alba, his granddaughter, is the only person apart from the prostitute Transito, whom he was able to get really close with. Blanca Blanca is the daughter and first born of Clara and Esteban and the mother of Alba. She is the lover of Pedro Tercero; her love for him is what describes Blanca best, despite her and Pedro Tercero not being officially together. She was once married to Jean de Satigny, a French man who was arguably more interested in gaining power in marriage than marrying out of love, but she divorced him because of his disturbing sexual practices. Pedro Tercero Pedro Tercero is Blanca’s faithful lover all throughout the novel, even if they are separated most of the time. He was a revolutionary; when the Socialist government came into power he opted to join them. Ironically, he saved Esteban’s life despite the latter hating him so much because of his relationship with Blanca. Conflict / Plot Summary The conflict of the novel is divided within the three generations of the women in the Trueba family. The main conflicts are: Clara’s conflict with her husband Esteban, Blanca’s conflict with her love for Pedro Tercero, and Alba’s conflict at the hands of Esteban Garcia. Additional conflicts which are present all throughout the novel are the conflicts of Esteban Truebo and the sociological conflicts between the socialists and the conservative parties. Esteban was not an inherently rich man. Though he was definitely a class above the peasants that he treats badly, he was far from being as rich as the del Valle (Clara’s family). Despite being significantly poorer than the del Valles, he was able to persuade the family into agreeing for their daughter to be married to him. He was supposed to marry Rosa at first, the sister of Clara, but while he was away trying to earn a fortune at the mines, she died before they were able to be wed. Wanting to fulfill his promise to his mother who just died, Esteban looked for a wife again, and he opted not too look far, thus marrying Clara. With his fortune established and his promise to his mother fulfilled, Esteban was still far from resolving all his conflicts because more would come after his wedding. After the wedding of Esteban and Clara, Ferula, Esteban’s sister, moves in with them. Clara and Ferula became really close friends, so close that Esteban was suspiciously jealous of her affections for his wife. One day, Esteban came home ahead of schedule and found Ferula sleeping on the bed of Clara. This prompted Esteban to kick Ferula out of the house. Ferula, on her way out, curses Esteban to be lonely for the rest of his life. Blanca, the first born of Clara and Esteban, was born a year after her parents’ wedding. During a trip to the Tres Marias, she met Pedro Tercero, son of Pedro Segundo, the caretaker of the Tres Marias. Blanca and Pedro Tercero fall in love. As their relationship matures, they realized that Esteban would not approve of their relationship because first, Pedro Tercero was just a son of a peasant, and second, he was a revolutionary, a fact that would not go well with Esteban because Esteban was a conservative. The conflict that the relationship of Blanca and Pedro Tercero created would result in the conflict between Clara and Esteban. Jean de Satigny, a prowling opportunist, revealed the love affair of Blanca and Pedro Tercero to Esteban. Outraged, Esteban sent Blanca away and threatened to kill Pedro Tercero. However, Esteban only managed to sever three fingers of Pedro Tercero. While in his enraged state, Esteban hit Clara. He hit Clara so hard that several of Clara’s teeth broke loose. Clara never spoke to him since but remained in the house of Esteban all her life, in a civil relationship minus the conversations. Several years after, a change in government would result into more trouble for Esteban. The socialist party won the election, and the peasants at the Tres Marias revolted, taking Esteban as a hostage in the process. Fortunately for Esteban, her daughter Blanca loved him very much despite his outrageous reactions to her relationship with Pedro Tercero. Through Blanca’s special request, Pedro Tercero was able to convince the peasants to let Esteban go. Esteban was forced to stay inside his house because the new government was looking for him. Esteban was oblivious to the fact that the new head of the government was his own grandson, Esteban Garcia. Esteban Garcia was the grandson of Pancha, one of the numerous peasant girls whom Esteban Trueba raped during his early years at the Tres Marias. Now, the grandson wanted revenge for the ill-treatment that her grandmother received. However, instead of focusing his revenge towards the real culprit, he instead harassed and molested Alba, the granddaughter of Esteban and Clara, on several occasions. When he attained power in the new government, he abducted Alba and placed her inside a concentration camp where she was raped and tortured by several men including Esteban Garcia. Esteban Trueba was able to save her thanks to the help of an old friend, Transito Soto, a prostitute that asked Esteban Trueba for money to start her own whorehouse. With Alba recovered, Esteban Trueba and Alba wrote the story of the family. Esteban Trueba died soon after, but Alba continued to write the story while pregnant with her kid. Technique Allusion to Real Life Events Although the setting of the novel was unspecified by Allende, there are events in the novel that resemble that of Chile and the events that happened before the novel’s publication. Allende alluded to these real life events in order for his novel to become partly biographical and to make it as an allegory to enable the readers, especially Chileans, to relate to the story more. The political unrest present in the novel parallels that of the conflict in Chile during the 1920’s. The 1920’s were turbulent times for Chile—strikes and collision between political parties were prevalent. Another real life event shown in the novel is based on a natural disaster. In chapter 5, a very strong earthquake is mentioned, much like the great Chilean earthquake in 1939. Even some of the characters in the novel are based on Allende’s family. Narrative Irony Irony is also present in some parts of the novel. The behavior of the two opposing classes provides the irony. The upper classes often see themselves as more civilized than the lower class, but in the novel, their behavior suggests the other way around. For instance, in the story, Esteban Trueba is a violent man, and he exploits the workers at the Tres Marias, while the peasants appear to react in a more calm and react appropriately at the face of adversity. The irony presents the characters in a more realistic way. Authorial Reticence Magical Realism uses authorial reticence in order to justify the â€Å"magic† in the text. By excluding the clear opinions of the characters towards the magical elements in the novel, the text becomes realistic while obviously fantastic. For example, Clara is clairvoyant, but nobody seems to mind or be surprised about it. On the other hand, Rosa is described to be over the top beautiful, but she had green hair, yellow eyes and transparent skin. Themes / Key Quotations One of the major themes in the novel is the oppression that women experience. Esteban Trueba is the epitome of a woman exploiter in the novel. He treated them like property, only existing for his sexual satisfaction and an object to continue on his genes. In chapter 3, when Esteban was looking for a wife, even after the de Valle family revealed to him Clara’s supernatural powers, he concluded that â€Å"none of these things posed any obstacle to bringing healthy, legitimate children into the world† (Allende, 1985, p. 88). His primary concern was to have a wife that would bear his children no matter how peculiar the qualities of Clara were. Another theme is the concept of luck. The first instance of luck was Esteban’s luck at the mines. The Tres Marias was already a shabby place when Esteban decided to gamble all his money into its renovation. Luck struck him as the mines proved to be very productive. Ironically, Alba was the luckiest of them all, as Clara claimed, â€Å"There’s no need to worry about this little girl. She will be lucky and she will be happy† (Allende, 1985, p. 223). Despite being captured, molested, and tortured by Esteban Garcia, Alba was still considered to be lucky because ultimately, she was able to escape and able to elude Esteban Garcia’s attempts to kill her. One prominent motif that appears throughout the novel is writing. The whole story is in fact, the combined writing efforts of Esteban and Alba. As Alba recalled, â€Å"it was my grandfather who had the idea that we should write this story† (Allende 1985, p. 366). Throughout the novel, the characters were involved in writing, from Clara to Alba. Reference Allende, I. (1985). The House of the Spirits (M. Bogin, Trans. ). New York: Bantam Books.

Critique Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critique Writing - Essay Example Students tend to discuss with the lecturer about their grades. This is disheartening because a tutor can comment on student’s grades before final exams have been done. The author argues that students in Brazilian Portuguese language tend to think about their grades or result than their counterparts in America. In America, students do not discuss their grades or results instead they accept their scores and do not challenge their tutor on any grade or result. What is significant to note about American students is that they have bad classroom manners in the sense that they arrive late, turning in homework after the deadline and even answer cell phones. For them, grade is not a big issue to worry. In other universities such as MIT, students are encouraged to work hard (Byrd, 2004). What is disheartening is that students all over the world are concerned about getting good grades even if it means cheating in exam or being

Healthcare and Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Healthcare and Law - Essay Example penses, once whatever coverage they would have runs out, or if the individual(s) in question would lack insurance, the greater question would become how to pay for the subsequent bill(s) in their entirety. There are countless health conditions that may require an individual to seek the assistance of a doctor at any point in their life. One such instance would be for those patients seeking to initiate the procedure of breast augmentation. While for some, the procedure of breast work would be for cosmetic reasons, for others, such work would come after the presence of a health condition, such as breast cancer that in turn, would require the reconstruction of the breast. With the introduction of the material added during such a procedure, there are risks that may result from the procedure being performed. Such as, the rupture of the material within the breast and as such, results in other health consequences as a result for the patient. For this very reason, there would exist laws state and nation wide, to serve as an education tool that would ideally, stave off any potential negative ramifications that may occur. From a legal standpoint, one such example of a case that would have been filed, due to issues surrounding breast implants, would involve a woman from San Diego, California. In this case, â€Å"A woman who claimed a design flaw in her silicone breast implants caused them to rupture and leak has lost her lawsuit against the manufacturer, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing,† (â€Å"Woman†, 1999-2010, para. 1). By the action taken through the court system, the verdict rendered, would illustrate the apparent feeling on the part of the court that, in terms of rendering guilt, they would feel that the manufacturer of the implants in question, would not have been liable for what would have occurred to the patient in question. With this case, â€Å"Marva L Smith, 43, had sought damages against 3M for the cost of surgeries to remove the implants, to correct

Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom Essay

Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom - Essay Example It has been known that these learning difficulties in some children are due to neurological deficiencies in students. Some attribute the problem to possible hereditary or genetic factors. However, recent studies show that learning disabilities can also be caused by ineffective and inefficient learning strategies used by these students when dealing with regular classroom tasks. This, in turn, makes them more frustrated and prone to errors. But these students with learning difficulties can be taught different efficient and effective learning techniques for them to gain more parity with other normal students (Westwood, 2003, p. 10). Many parents or guardians of these children with learning disability believe that their children will be better off in a school or institution that specifically caters to these so-called special students. That is possible because the faculty and staff of these special schools are trained for special education and know how to handle these types of children. Also, the curriculums in these schools are particularly designed for children with special needs. However, the lack of social interaction with normal kids in these schools may make it a little difficult for them to cope with the challenges of the "real world" as they grow, though there are some who became successful in their own right. Including learning disabled children in a regular classroom setting is a common practice now. Children with learning difficulties are allowed to interact and mingle with normal kids so as not to make them feel different or outcast because of their disability. This inclusion movement, though, makes it difficult for teachers who are used to just teaching normal kids to handle these students with special needs. As Schultz (2003) stated, "many - despite their excellent track records - find themselves ill-prepared or inadequately supported to meet the special needs of students who require specialized instruction." However, with continuous learning of different teaching approaches and seeking advice from professionals and experts in special education, a so-called "hybrid teacher" (Schultz, 2003) can be achieved. This is a kind of instructor who knows how to deal with both normal and learning disabled students in one classroom, and be successful in it. There are different kinds of approaches to teaching children with learning difficulties. It can be student-centered, process-centered or direct approach. These styles can be combined to achieve best results. But after some analysis were made in the outcomes of these approaches, the following features, when combined, are identified to create the most effective teaching approach for children with learning difficulties: carefully controlling and sequencing the curriculum content to be studied; providing abundant opportunities for practice and application of newly acquired knowledge and skills; ensuring high levels of participation and responding by the children []; using interactive group teaching; modeling by the teacher of effective ways of completing school tasks; teaching children how best to attempt new learning tasks []; making appropriate use of technology []; providing supplementary assistance (e.g. homework; parental tutoring, etc.) []. Abundant guided practice; the

Potential output of Georgia(country) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Potential output of Georgia(country) - Essay Example Georgia are agriculture (12.5%), industry (27.9%) and services (59.6%).3 According to Georgia Economic Review (2009) the nominal Gross Domestic Product of Georgia has increased from 8,564 in 2003 to 19,070 in 2008. It means that in the last five years, the total increase in nominal GDP of the country is about 123%. The real GDP growth rate 2008 of Georgia is 2.1% which means that the output level of the country has increased. The global financial crisis 2007-2009 has lowered the GDP of many countries while the output of Georgia even during the crisis has remained positive. The value of nominal GDP shows that major increase in nominal GDP is brought by inflationary pressures and increase in the worth of goods and services; however, real GDP explicitly shows that a small increase in output of the country has been also seen. Georgia is considered as a country rich in energy resources. However, in 2007, the total oil extraction was 55-60 thousand tons which was very low as compared to the annual demand of 750 thousand tons.4 On the other hand in the same year, the annual consumption of electricity in the country was about 8.5 billion kWh while the country production was higher than consumption, thereby making Georgia a net electricity exporter.5 â€Å"It is the only country in the region (which doesn’t have its own gas resource) that was not affected by gas crises in January 2009 (Georgia Economic Overview).† Georgia has huge opportunities in hydro energy because of the construction of 500 kv power transmission line to Turkey, 78 MV Paravani HPP and 38 MW Mtkwari HPP. Surprisingly, although its hydro energy output is so huge however, only 18% of hydro potential has been used. The overall industrial production growth rate of Georgia in 2008 is -1%. The potential output of agriculture sector of the country has started to cover the wreckage caused by civil unrest. In the Georgian agriculture, winemaking is the major area however, since Russia was the major importer of

Viability of Incorporating E-business Research Paper

Viability of Incorporating E-business - Research Paper Example The prevailing scenario of the business world is the outcome of multiple factors where globalisation plays a very crucial role. Globalisation has itself offered better opportunities for trade and commerce as it has helped to enhance international trade. Moreover, the technological advancement is another key factor that has contributed significantly towards the growth prospect. The world economies have experienced a massive development in the fields of information & communication technology, transportation, infrastructure, research & development etc. All these improvements have changed the entire social and economic arena and now the entire business world is successfully incorporating and utilising these technical improvements to gain a better and sustainable competitive advantage over the prevailing highly competitive business world. In this regard, e-business and e-commerce are two most crucial technological developments that have revolutionised the entire business world. ...On the other hand, considering the prevailing essence of competitive advantage, every organisation must incorporate e-business in their strategic business management. This paper will attempt to offer a plan for incorporating the e-business through a process of restructuring the entire business model. In this respect, before re-modelling the strategic business structure, number of tasks like environmental condition of the present business setup, including internal and external assessment, analysis of competitive market, financial planning etc has to be done. In order to meet these objectives, this paper will present necessary discussion through analysis. On the other hand, based on the analysis and discussion, a plausible set of recommendation will be offered in order to frame an e-business oriented strategy. A. Developing an online business expansion proposal Brief outline of the company and product Light Feet Shoe (LFS) Pvt. Ltd is primarily an India-based shoe manufacturing and retailing company. LFS has been in the shoe manufacturing and retailing industry of India for the past one and half decades. Since its inception, the company has experienced a massive growth in its domestic market and has also established a number of manufacturing plants and retailers storeall over India. One of the primary reasons for its massive success is that it has been offering better quality shoes at reasonable prices compared to its other key competitors. On the other hand, it has also targeted the customers belonging to the middle income group and has been able to develop brand preferences in their mind.

GATT Priciples in International Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

GATT Priciples in International Economics - Essay Example The General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) is a voluntary agreement to give tariff concessions and reduce restriction on imports among 135 countries of the world (Blirtit). The agreement was formulated within the jurisdiction and framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO). There are four basic principles covered by GATT. These are: (1) discrimination is prohibited in trade relations, (2) Tariffs instead of trade barriers should be utilized by countries to protect themselves from foreign competition, (3) all member nation must promote the trading interest of each country, (4) negotiations between concerting terms of trade must follow the GATT framework (Blirtit). These principles have a positive influence in international trade. Discriminatory practices against a particular country hurt the balance of trade among nations. For example if the US discriminated against Argentina’s agricultural products it would hurt the internal economy of this nation which subsequently affects the purchasing power of Argentina and the amount of trade activity with other nations. An example of a discriminatory trade practice that can hurt a local economy of a GATT member nation is dumping. Dumping occurs when one country exports a significant amount of goods to another country at prices much lower than the domestic marketplace (Anwers, 2009). The anti-discriminatory clauses with the GATT principles provide a safeguard that protects the integrity of trade relations in the international economy. Tariffs are am instruments which creates a tax imposition on imports that raise the price and can be used to manipulate the demand specific goods and service imports. The good thing about this economic tool is that it provides consistency as far as creating a simple mechanism that can be utilized by any country to protect local industries. The GATT principles stipulate that tariffs should be the universal

Ethical Argument Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ethical Argument - Research Paper Example Finally, too much testing is compromising the emotional health of students, causing them severe anxiety and interfering with the learning process. With these elements to consider, too much testing is not an effective method of learning and major changes must be implemented soon in order to promote better learning and outcomes among students. Testing Anxiety in Schools Introduction Testing is one of the ways by which schools evaluate and assess the efficacy of the learning process among students. The process of testing includes short quizzes and long periodic examinations with varying states of intensity and duration. These tests naturally cause moments of anxiety among students who often have to go through moments of stress with each test. The stress also often lasts from the time the tests are announced to the time the results are released. In between these tests, these students also have to endure the constant strain of studying, of doing projects, finishing homework, and the possi bility of unannounced tests. The age and the maturity of students in dealing with these school demands do not seem to be a major concern among some educators. In recent years, concerns about too much testing and too much homework have been pointed out by parents, teachers, and by students themselves. They also point out that too much testing is causing much anxiety among students, often compromising their learning and emotional development. Not everyone shares their concerns however, with other parents and educators arguing that testing is an essential part of the learning process and that the number of testing is sufficient for effective learning. Based on these contrasting arguments, this paper shall discuss the thesis: Too much testing in schools is compromising the students’ learning and emotional development. This essay will first provide a literature review on the development of this issue. Secondly, it will present the supporting ideas for this argument. Each reason or argument shall be presented in ascending order based on strength. Thirdly, possible arguments and arguments to these supporting arguments will also be discussed and rebutted. Finally, this paper shall end with a conclusion, further reiterating the main arguments of the paper and providing a clear answer and support for the current position in this thesis. Literature review A Los Angeles Times (2011) editorial discussed that the federal policy No Child Left Behind has become a very rigid policy because it emphasizes the need to carry out standardized tests for English and Math. This article also pointed out how the tests do not focus on the essential learning processes which students can apply in their lives. In effect, these tests do nothing more than cause anxiety to students, and do not contribute significantly to the overall academic development of students (Los Angeles Times, 2011). In a study by Barton (1999), the author discussed that there are some negative trends in the Ame rican educational testing system. This trend has been on the proliferation of standardized testing, which has increased in number and frequency. Barton (1999) emphasized that increase in standardized testing has made the educational process and system quantitative in approach. However, the schools and the learners are short-changed in terms of the information which students need in order to claim

The Golden Ratio Essay Example for Free

The Golden Ratio Essay The Golden Ratio is a fascinating number which can be found almost everywhere –from nature to architecture to art. To 18 decimal places, it has a value of 1. 618033988749894848 but is usually shortened to 1. 618 much like ? is usually rounded off to 3. 1416 (Powis, n. d. ). Signified by the letter Phi (? ), the Golden Ratio can be simply defined as â€Å"to square it, you just add 1† (Knott, 2007). Written in mathematical equation, this definition becomes ? 2 = ? + 1. When the resulting quadratic equation ? 2- ? 1=0 is solved, there are two solutions: 1. 6180339887†¦ and -0. 6180339887†¦. Notice that the two solutions have identical decimal parts. The positive number is the one considered to be the Golden Ratio. Another definition for ? is â€Å"the number which when you take away one becomes the value of its reciprocal† (Powis, n. d. ). Notice that the value of the reciprocal of 1. 618 (1/1. 618) is 0. 618 which is just one less than the Golden Ratio. The Origins of the Golden Ratio Euclid of Alexandria (ca. 300 BC) in the Elements, defines a proportion derived from the division of a line into segments (Livio, 2002). His definition is as follows: A straight line is said to have been cut in extreme and mean ratio when, as the whole line is to the greater segment, so is the greater to the lesser. In order to be more understandable, let’s take Figure 1 as an example. In the diagram, point C divides the line in such a way that the ratio of AC to CB is equal to the ratio of AB to AC (Livio, 2002). When this happens, the ratio can be calculated as 1. 618. This is the one of the first ever documented definitions of the Golden Ratio although Euclid did not call it such at that time. A C B Figure 1. Point C divides line segment AB according to the Golden Ratio The Golden Ratio 3 The Golden Ratio in Art and Architecture Throughout history, the Golden Ratio, when used in architecture, has been found to be the most pleasing to the eye (Blacker, Polanski Schwach, n. d. ). Rectangles whose ratio of its length and width equal the Golden Ratio are called golden rectangles. The exterior dimensions of the Parthenon in Athens, sculpted by Phidias, form a perfect golden rectangle. Phidias also used the Golden Ratio extensively in his other works of sculpture. The Egyptians, who lived before Phidias, were believed to have used the ? in the design and construction of the Pyramids (Blacker, Polanski Schwach, n. d. ). This belief however has both supporters and critics. Theories that support or reject the idea of the Golden Ratio being used in the construction of the Pyramids do exist it is up to the reader to decide which ones are more reasonable (Knott, 2007). Many books also claim that the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci used the Golden Ratio in painting the Mona Lisa (Livio, 2002). These books state that if you draw a rectangle around the face of Mona Lisa, the ratio of the height to the width of the rectangle is equal to the Golden Ratio. There has been no documented evidence that points to da Vinci’s conscious use of the Golden Ratio but what cannot be denied is that Leonardo is a close personal friend of Luca Paciolo, who wrote extensively about the Golden Ratio. Unlike da Vinci, the surrealist painter Salvador Dali deliberately used the Golden Ratio in his painting Sacrament of the Last Supper. The ratio of the dimensions of his painting is equal to ? (Livio, 2002). The Golden Ratio in Nature The Golden Ratio can also be found in nature. One of the most common examples is snail shells. If you draw a rectangle with proportions according to the Golden Ratio then consequently draw smaller golden rectangles within it, and then join the diagonal corners The Golden Ratio 4 with an arc, the result is a perfect snail shell (Singh, 2002). There have also been ongoing debates and conflicting research results regarding the relationship of beauty and  in humans. Some argue that human faces whose dimensions follow the Golden Ratio are more physically attractive than those who don’t (Livio, 2002). With conflicting results aside, the existence of the Golden Ratio just shows that beauty (whether in art, architecture or in nature) can be linked to mathematics. The Golden Ratio 5 References Blacker, S. , Polanski, J. and Schwach, M. (n. d. ). The golden ratio. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://www. geom. uiuc. edu/~demo5337/s97b/. Knott, R. (2007). The golden section ratio: Phi. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://www. mcs. surrey. ac. uk/Personal/R. Knott/Fibonacci/phi. html. Livio, M. (2002). The golden ratio and aesthetics. Plus Magazine. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://plus. maths. org/issue22/features/golden/index. html. Powis, A. (n. d). The golden ratio. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://people. bath. ac. uk/ajp24/goldenratio. html. Singh, S. (2002 March). The golden ratio. BBC Radio. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from http://www. bbc. co. uk/radio4/science/5numbers3. shtml.

Directing Act II - the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Directing Act II the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet Essay Romeo and Juliet was originally a play written by William Shakespeare, who was a talented and popular playwright in the sixteenth and early seventeenth century. As there was no cinematography in his time, his plays were performed in theatres.  As I am directing Act II the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet, I have many advantages. In this day and age, we have the latest equipment and techniques for filmmaking. As a director I have to consider many technical factors such as camera angle, lights, effects, props and costumes. I am not going to muddle with the story line, but will make some changes, which will differentiate my scene from the original. To present a good performance, I will have to take some imperative factors into account. Such as the place the scene has in the overall structure of the play, historical background, the setting, development of character, themes and the use of language. Let me begin by describing the place the scene has in the overall play. Originally before Act II in Act I, we are introduced to the feuding families of the Montague and the Capulets. We learn that Romeo a youth, who is in despair with his unsuccessful love for a girl Rosanline, is the Montagues son. Eventually Romeo is persuaded by his friend Benvolio and Mercutio to go uninvited to a Capulet ball. There he meets Juliet who is the Capulets daughter and falls in love with her at first sight. The events in Act II describe what follows with this new love story. This scene infact is the turning point of the play. The plot begins to thicken from this scene on. I have decided that I will stick to the basic story line and begin my film with similar events. The next factor I have to consider is the historical background. Originally the story is based in Verona, Italy. Verona is a city-state, which is governed by a prince, such as present day boroughs and counties administered. In Verona there are two very powerful and wealthy families the Capulets and the Montagues. They have an ancient family feud between them of blood loss and killing. They are like cats and dogs always quarrelling with each other. My film will be based in Delhi, India. This is a huge district and is under the control of the commissioner of police. In Delhi there are two very powerful and rich industrialists who have a long aged feud between them. They would try to cause harm to each other at any cost. The setting is the factor, which will differentiate my scene from the original. As I have set my play in India. I will also set it in the modern era unlike the original, which was set in the seventeenth century. I will use modern day spoken English and not the original Shakespeare English. Modern day clothes will be worn, modern day props and environment will be used. I will have to keep factors such as camera angle, lights and effects in mind throughout the shoot of the scene. The set will be a massive mansion, which will be the Capulets house. This will just be a part of the house where Juliets balcony projects out. There will also be projections out of the wall where flowerpots will be kept and there will be creepers on the wall. This will eventually help Romeo to climb up to Juliets balcony. The filming of the scene takes place in the same manner as it took place in the original play. The shoot will take place at dawn, so that the dialogues correspond. The scene takes place like this; Romeo jumps over a wall and finds himself in a compound, which has a garden. He finds no one as it is early morning but sees the lights in Juliets room switched on. He tries to climb up to the balcony when suddenly Juliet appears. He remains quiet and listens to what Juliet is saying to herself. As Juliet is leaning on the balcony Romeo breaks his silence. Then both them become engaged in a romantic conversation. Then suddenly the nurse interrupts them. Juliet then becomes worried and excited tries to complete the conversation hastily. Eventually the they exchange vows and Romeo cautiously sneaks out of the Capulets mansion. The next factor is the development of character. As a director this is a factor I will have to stress upon in order to make my performance an attractive and successful one. In Act II The Balcony Scene there are many changes in the character of Romeo and Juliet. Basing my scene on the original, I will use the original lines to signify the change in character. Romeo at the beginning of the scene is immature and foolish. After seeing Juliet at the ball and falling in love at first sight, he tries to encroach into the Capulets house to meet Juliet. This was foolish of him as he was walking into a pit. Then when he is spying on Juliet, he expresses his feeling for Juliet to himself. He is idealistic about Juliet, for example It is the east and Juliet is the sun! Then eventually he becomes romantic and poetic, for example It is my lady, O it is my love! and The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp and Her eyes in heaven, Would through the airy region stream so bright, That birds would sing and think it were not night. He is very elaborative in his views about Juliet, such as O speak again bright angel, for thou art. When Romeo meets Juliet he carries on the conversation delivering his dialogues in his poetic, romantic and idealistic way. At a point in the scene Romeo even wishes for physical desire. For example O wilt thou leave me so unsatisdfied?Eventually at the end of the scene he becomes mature and plain in his expressions. For example By the hour of nine, he says this when Juliet asks him what time they should get married. Overall Romeos character is unbalanced and not focused. He is immature in his approach and gradually matures by the end of the scene. Most of the time he expresses his love for Juliet in an idealistic, poetic and romantic way. He likes to flirt and tries to touch the sentiments of Juliet. On the other hand Juliet is a person who is mature in her views. From the beginning till the end of the balcony scene she remains sober and focused about her views and expression. Her character remains being practical and down to earth. She shows passion towards Romeo at all times but with control emotions and feelings. In the beginning of the play she sardonically refers to Romeos and her selfs parents acting as wall between their love. For example Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou wilt not be but sworn my love; And Ill no longer be a Capulet. She also goes on describing the significance of their names in their love affair, for example Tis but thy name that is my enemy: Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. When Romeo breaks his silence and when they meet, Juliet becomes puzzled and curious about his presence, but she is also pleased within as for the effort he made to come. She refers by saying How camst thou hither, tell me, and wherefore; The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, And the place death, considering who thou art. As the scene progresses Juliets character remains as same, being practical and focused about her views. She replies to Romeos elaborated comments with control emotion and lucidness. For example O swear not by the moon, thinconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

Analysis Of Reagans National Association Of Evangelicals Speech Politics Essay

Analysis Of Reagans National Association Of Evangelicals Speech Politics Essay In President Reagans remarks at the Annual Convention of the National Association of Evangelicals, he uses the association with the Convention, appeals to a common ethical background and relevant historical examples to persuade the Convention to be involved in politics and to persuade the American public that the conflict against the communism is a matter of good versus evil in an attempt to solicit more support in the increase in hostilities against the Soviet Union and the push against secularism dominating moral decisions in America. Just a few years into his first term, President Reagan was not a man to shrink from challenge or controversy. Well entrenched in his belief that man was good and that good would eventually defeat evil, he used this speech to hammer home the ideas that he held into his audience, and also give warning to his enemies. Perhaps the most important rhetorical strategy of President Reagans speech was its setting. In choosing to deliver this speech before the Annual Convention of the National Association of Evangelicals, the President was able to affect many details that added credibility and weight to his speech in one fell swoop. Already known for his strong conviction in God, the fact that he would speak before this group was not shocking, nor was it shocking that he would take a stance against some more liberal policies being pushed in political circles at the time. It was this sense of comfort and security that worked on President Reagans behalf twofold. By allowing both opponents and allies alike to believe that this was simply any other speech, President Reagan is able to free himself from concerns about how the speech will be received and helps set up for the bait and switch later on. Once the tone, general Republican rhetoric, and style of the speech was established, it had become apparent that President Reagan was planning to use the speech as a political pulpit to combat certain liberal agendas that he was not in favor of, such as abortion without parental notification or the starving of disabled infants. Both of these examples carried with them extreme moral weight with the crowd and President Reagan made sure to place himself on the side of the audience, that is the belief that all life needs its right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness . . . protected. By using this assumption of his goal along with the audience mirroring his ethical code, President Reagan set up a bait-and-switch, in that his solidified brotherhood with the audience used this agreement of goals and morals to make a more significant statement. This more significant statement flows from the same lines of reason and logic that was previously identified and accepted, but is a statem ent that the audience would generally be uncomfortable making. By putting the reasoning first, President Reagan checkmates the audience into agreement, thus a bait and switch. The bait-and-switch itself was rather simple. In the initial portion of the speech, President Reagan appealed to the ethical nature of the audience by giving examples of current events and using the audiences common ethical background to create common ground with that audience. He also seeks to calm the audience by informing them that they are not the minority as the media of the time made them feel. 95 percent of those surveyed expressed a belief in God, President Reagan assured, and a huge majority believed the Ten Commandments had real meaning in their lives. This information was perfectly aimed at his audience of Christian Evangelicals. He went on to say that most studies found most Americans disapproved of adultery, teenage sex, pornography, abortion, and hard drugs. By using these facts, President Reagan was able to convey a measure of strength and confidence to the audience, and an important strategy of this speech emerges. By allowing the audience to feelcomfortable in accept ing President Reagans assertions, and once the audience was made to feel emboldened and powerful by acts of support through the country,President Reagan could make assertions based off of this camaraderie with the audience. Having bolstered his credibility and logical base, P. Reagan then applied all of this to his final point, the labeling of the Soviet Union as the Evil Empire that must be fought. While President Reagan had previously described the Soviet Union with other disparaging remarks, such as declaring that the Soviet Union would soon be on the ash heap of history, this statement declared an entire sovereign nation to be not just belligerent or stubborn, but whole heartedly evil, drawing parallels to Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. Such an accusation speaks volume to President Reagans characterization of the conflict between the Western World and the Soviet Bloc. In addition to simply escalating his previous rhetoric, this statement makes it clear that President Reagan saw the conflict as not just an intellectual battle between competing economic and political systems, but a moral battle between good and evil. . In an excellent use of debate technique, before declaring the Soviet Union evil President Reagan made sure to shield his argument from outside criticism that the United States itself had some aspects of evil in it by acknowledging that the nation, too, has a legacy of evil with which it must deal. The glory of this land has been its capacity for transcending the moral evils of our past. For example, the long struggle of minority citizens for equal rights, once a source of disunity and civil war is now a point of pride for all Americans. . . There is no room for racism, anti-Semitism, or other forms of ethnic and racial hatred in this country. By looking inwardly first, President Reagan disallowed his opponents from using these exact previous transgressions against his argument. Once President Reagan has made this declarative statement and due to the skill used by President Reagan in setting up the bait and switchup to this point in his speech, the conclusion that the Soviet Union is evil was actually a foregone one; President Reagan named and analyzed other examples of evil, all of which were being committed or existing in the Soviet Union at the time. He draws these examples from the founding fathers of America and in doing so both adds credibility to the speech as well as add emotional support to the cause. Calling on William Penn, President Reagan stated, If we will not be governed by God, we must be governed by tyrants, and followed with Jefferson, The God that gave us life gave us liberty at the same time. In theme with the founding fathers, President Reagan then finishes us his litany of quotes with perhaps the most venerated founding father George Washington, who said, Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion an d morality are indispensable supports. Using these quotes as well as the ethical and moral foundation he laid earlier in his speech, President Reagan explains to the audience the exact reasons why the Soviet Union is in fact evil. Marxist-Leninists, President Reagan points out, believe that the only morality allowed in the Soviet Union is one that furthers the cause of world revolution. In paraphrasing Lenin, President Reagan let the audience know that the Soviet Government officially believes the any morality based on supernatural ideas should be rejected and that morality of any sort was subordinate to class warfare, the goal of the Soviet Revolution. Using these pointed examples, President Reagan asserts that morality and religion are seen by the Soviet Union as tools of the oppressors, and that in order to have a new beginning, both must be destroyed. Thus, President Reagan concludes, the Soviet Union will eventually seek the destruction of the very religion and morals the audience holds at the center of their existen ce. Having already convinced the audience that it is in fact Americas belief in morality and religion that had allowed America to be as successful as it had been, and the assumed fact that religion and morality are central cores to the audiences life, President Reagan completed his bait-and-switch. By refocusing the energies and drive of the audience from the earlier domestic agendas to the foreign realm, President Reagan was able to elicit a solid base of support as well as a convincing argument,for combatting the Soviet Union on a platform not based on economic disagreements, but moral imperatives on par with the eternal struggle of good and evil. By being able to label America and her allies as good, and the Soviet Union and its protectorates as evil, President Reagan had established his reasoning for dealing with the Soviet Union, and at the same time acted very effectually to convince his audience, the Convention as well and America as a whole, that they needed to become involved in domestic and foreign policies as a matter of morality; the struggle of good versus evil.

Leadership and Management :: Business and Management Studies

In a firm, management and leadership are important and needed. Leadership and management are similar. Actually, leadership and management are totally different. The leadership would influence the firm. The leader would have difference leadership styles to lead the subordinate. The manager has different functions, attributes and skills. Different subordinate needs to have different leadership style. Finally, difference powers would have difference use on leadership influence. MANAGEMENT DEFINED Management can be defined as the process of planning organising, directing, and controlling organisational resources in the pursuit of organisational goals. LEADERSHIP DEFINED Leadership is frequently defined as a social influence relationship between two or more persons who depend on each other to attain certain mutual goals in a group situation. STYLES OF LEADERSHIP An autocratic leadership style is one where the manager sets objectives, allocates tasks, and insists on obedience. Therefore the group becomes dependent on him or her. The result of this style is the members of the group are often dissatisfied with the leader. This results in little cohesion, the need for high levels of supervision, and poor levels of motivation amongst employees. A democratic leadership style encourages participation in decision making. Democratic leadership styles can be persuasive or consultative. Persuasive – this is where a leader has already made a decision, but takes the time to persuade others that it is a good idea. Consultative – this is where a leader consults others about their views before making a decision. The decision will take into account these views. A laissez-faire type of leadership style allows employees to carry out activities freely within broad limits. The result is a relaxed atmosphere, but one where there are dew guidelines and directions. This can sometimes result in poor productivity and lack of motivation as employees have little incentive to work hard. Autocratic leaders centralize power and decision making in themselves. They structure the complete work situation for their employees, who are expected to do what they are told and not think for themselves. The leaders take full authority and assume full responsibility. Autocratic leadership typically is negative, based on threats and punishment, but it can appear to be positive, as demonstrated by the benevolent autocrat who chooses to give some rewards to employees. Consultative leaders approach one or more employees and ask them for inputs prior to making a decision. These leaders may then choose to use or ignore the information and advice received, however. If the inputs are seen as used, employees are likely to feel as though they had a positive impact; if the inputs are consistently rejected, employees are likely to feel that their time has been wasted. Participative leaders clearly decentralize authority. Participative decisions are not unilateral, as with the autocrat, because they use

sept 11 Essay example -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As you probably know September 11, 2001 was a very grim day in American history. Four commercial airplanes were hijacked. Two of which went on a suicide mission into the Twin World Trade Center towers in New York City, which killed over 4,000 innocent civilians and hundreds of policemen and firemen. The third plane crashed in to our Military Headquarters, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The fourth airplane which was hijacked by terrorists, which there were unconfirmed reports that it was heading toward the White House, was taken back in to control by passengers on the plane, but it fatally crashed in Pennsylvania.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This led to a Military retaliation against those responsible for the attacks on our great country. Osama Bin Laden a known terrorist took credit for the attacks on the United States. In this paper I will show my point of view on how I feel that the United States’ Military Action in Afghanistan and the Middle East is Justified to take a stand against terrorism and to fight for freedom world wide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These mass murderers were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But the mission failed: our country is strong.† (President George W. Bush, September 11th 2001). The President is right we will not stand for this sort of thing and I believe that our country is right in whatever military or other action that we take against those responsible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Those thought responsible are Osama Bin Laden the leader of Al Qaeda and Mohammed Omar the Leader of the Taliban who have joined forces to bring terror around the globe, particularly on Americans. According to Encarta.com (2002) the word Taliban means student and Al Qaeda runs terrorist training camps through out Afghanistan. It is thought that they have been training for the September 11th attacks for sometime, which makes it premeditated and precisely planned out acts of terror and mass murder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  G.W. Bush (2001), President of the United States of America also stated that the United States is not only fighting the Taliban in the mountains of Afghanistan, but we are trying to fight t... ...orld-wide and their children as well. That is why we need to bring those responsible to justice. Why our Military Actions in Afghanistan are Justified By John Neville English 102.10 February 12, 2002 References Gramamone, Jim . Rumsfeld Says No Evidence Bin Laden is Dead. (Jan 20, 2002). Retrieved January 22, 2002, :http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jan2002/n012002_200201202.html. Karl, Jonathan, and Snow Kate. Source:’ 100-percent chance’ of another arrack Lawmakers caution there’s no specific threat. (October 5, 2001). Retrieved Jan 21, 2002.from the World Wide Web: http://www.europe.cnn.com/2001/10/05/ret.terrorism.threat/ Lacavo, Richard. The Deadly Hunt. Which appeared In Time Magazine Vol. 159 No. 2. (Jan 14, 2002). Retrieved January 16, 2002 from the World Wide Web: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,190938,00.html. Taliban. (2001). Retrieved January 22nd 2002 from the World Wide Web: http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti+761588418 What is the War on Terrorism? Retrieved January 17, 2002 from the World Wide Web: http://www.whitehouse.gov/response/faq-what.html   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Technology, Privacy and Credit Card Fraud Essay -- Exploratory Essays

Technology, Privacy and Credit Card Fraud The advancement of technology over the years appeared to be the greatest thing known to mankind.   With the Internet, the world is at one's finger tips and just about anything can be accessed using it.   This is not necessarily a good thing, with crimes like creidt card fraud going around.   The number of credit card fraud incidents is rapidly increasing as the years progress.   Anybody with a credit card could possibly be a victim of this crime and it should be taking seriously.   One’s life could be ruined if their information gets into the wrong hands.   Around the holidays, most consider shopping via Internet the most safe and convent way to go.   You never leave the house, so there is no need to worry about those thieves running the streets snatching bags and picking pockets.   But, shopping online holds risks just as great as shopping in the stores.   The Internet may say your information is safe and will not be shared with anyone else, but who really knows?   Very rarely people find out their victims of credit card fraud before too much damage has been done.   In East Lansing, there were two cases of credit card fraud within this past year.   According to an article in The State News, Sadia Zoe Tabie- Bogne was arrested on November 10, 2004 for two counts of credit card fraud.   She has stolen and made over $3,000 worth of purchases, with at least $2,800 of it being stolen from her husband.   All of Sadia's victims have been international students, her husband included.   Sadia Zoe Tabie- Bogne's pre-trial is scheduled for November 24, 2004.   Denita Dorsey is faced with twenty seven charges of identity theft/ credit card fraud this month also.   The May graduate has stolen more than $1... ...t year.   The number of incidents and the amount of monetary lost has drastically increased over the past four years.   Privacy is being invaded by technology in more ways than you know. Works Cited * Houghton,   Shannon.   " E.L. resident arrested for credit card fraud."   The State News November 17, 2004 * Mullins, Marcy.   â€Å"Net’s global reach gives criminals an open door.† USA Today October 21, 2004.: 2B * Nordberg, Jenny.   â€Å"Criminals Focus on Weak Link in Banking: A.T.M Network.†Ã‚   The New York Times August 3, 2003.: 24 * Anonymous. â€Å"Identity Theft.† Identity Theft Protection Information and Resource Center. 16 November 2004. <http://www.identity-theft-protection.com/tips.htm> * Anonymous.   â€Å"Federal Trade Commission: Your National Resource for Identity Theft.†Ã‚   ID Theft.   11 November 2004. <http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/law_investigate.html>.

Human Resource Case Study Essay

1. I think his request is reasonable. Nancy should have the time to address Mark’s request to develop an appropriate structure to deal with the growth of both companies. She will be able to present the possible strategies to overcome a shortage of employees. As well, she can discuss reasons why Family Distribution has experienced such a drastic fallout of staff over the past two years. Another topic she should have time to research are the complaints about the hiring practices at Family Manufacturing, whether they have genuine merit, and if so, what can be done to correct the situation. She should also be able to address the concerns of the vice president’s of both companies. . 2. I would not recommend one comprehensive plan for both companies because they are both experiencing different challenges that require separate action plans. Family Medical Distribution is making far less profit than it did at its peak in 1989 and has had to evolve into a specialty distributor of high end supplies just to stay afloat. Family Medical Manufacturing, on the other hand, is continuously exceeding its growth and profit projections yearly. They have the potential to grow the company even further but do not currently have the human resources to do so. . 3. Sam is a person who has been with the company for quite a long time. He has served in various positions and moved his way up the ranks, so he would have a good understanding about how the business is run. I think that Nancy should befriend him to understand his point of view and unique insights on how the company has evolved over time. . I think that Sam understands that a plan needs to be implemented to turn the company around. He has spent time and resources trying to evaluate his marketing department, sales, and operations. He’s even expressed that the staff need to work â€Å"smarter† not â€Å"harder†, but has given no specific direction on what could be done to make this a reality. His skepticism towards the value of HR seems to be based on the results of a department that has been running without a manager for the past 13 months. Even though the HR associate, Claire Jackson, has done a great job trying to keep things afloat, she simply does not have the time or expertise to run the entire department by herself. His judgment of the results is fair in the sense that HR is not particularly useful in its current incarnation, but he doesn’t seem to have the insight to understand how much it could accomplish if it were running smoothly with competent leadership. . Nancy should explain to Sam that the best way to make the company more efficient and to work â€Å"smarter† is by appreciating how important a structured, secure working environment is to people. In order to make the company more profitable, she needs to convince him that the most important thing to do right now is to sort out how best to utilize people to achieve quality performance while at the same time promoting a business plan that will encourage growth. . 4. One glaring challenge is that there are four past complaints about hiring practices. Trust among the employees for the hiring process has been diminished, and the damage has already been done. Even though Mark Olsen seems to understand the importance of a strategic HR program, he has made some critical mistakes and shown a lapse in judgment in three ways. . Firstly, he has shown a bias in hiring people from his former employer in all cases of formal complaints made against the company. It is doubtful that the interview and selection process for these positions was done in a fair, unbiased manner. . Secondly, he has ignored the resources he already had at his disposal by hiring employees externally. In all formal complaints the employees had the education and training do the job they were applying for. Most people want a sense of purpose and accomplishment from their careers, and ignoring that basic desire will only create discontent among the workforce. . Finally, he disregarded and disrespected the entire hiring process by promising a position to someone before the opening had even been posted. In my opinion, this type of favoritism is one of the fastest ways to demoralize people. . At the upcoming meeting for Nancy’s presentation of her human resource plans, she needs to address these mistakes and explain to Mark how important it is to follow procedure, respect the hiring process, and moreover to respect his own employees. . 2. When Nancy present’s her plan, she needs to explain the different challenges that both companies are dealing with. There are pressures and opportunities to be found in both cases. Family Medical Distribution is a well respected company but has undergone significant downsizing due to government cutbacks. The opportunity here is to create an efficient supplementary business that will complement its manufacturing counterpart. Family Medical Manufacturing has plenty of room to grow, but not enough qualified personnel to help develop its upcoming products. . Next, she should state what goals of the company are to get clear about where they want to be in a five year time frame and what it will take to get there. Mark has said that his goal is to enter the home nursing market, so the plan needs to account for what needs to be done to achieve this goal from a HR perspective. . I think the most important issue that both companies need help with is in utilizing the talents and skills of their workforce in a way that compliments the needs of both divisions. The best solution is to consider both companies as one working unit from a HR standpoint. The deficiencies in staffing at Manufacturing could feasibly be satisfied by transferring the appropriate staff from Distribution. This would be an elegant way of taking care of the staffing needs of both companies while at the same time improving employee relations with upper management, an important first step in regaining a sense of trust and security. Nancy should also suggest that some of the money and employee benefits invested in Manufacturing’s new facility be put into effect at Distribution’s plant. It’s important to show genuine equality to employees and this would help to impart the understanding that both businesses are important for continued success.

Process and Outcome Evaluations

A Process Evaluation has three main components, which are program planning and development, program interventions, and database management system. These three main components are used to achieve these aims, describe program interventions’ development, implementation, and activities, provide quantitative and qualitative data on the services delivered and their effectiveness, and document the appropriateness and acceptability of the program within the target community. The Process Evaluation will answer the question â€Å"did you do what you said you were going to do?† (Yuen, ., & Terao, 2003). Examples of Process Evaluations are:1.The teacher takes attendance each day to find out which students are missing too much class. 2.Over the Christmas holiday the truck group Straight Six Mafia collected 13 boxes of food for the local food bank and $300 in donations for Labor of Love, by holding a truck show. 3.WIC employees pass out brochures containing information where its clie nts may receive other services. Outcome Evaluations are used to look at how effective the interventions are. Data before the intervention and after are collected and compared to yield this information. It assess the outcomes/effectiveness of the programs activities and the impacts the program has on the target population. This evaluation answers the questions â€Å"What benefits did the recipients of service obtain?† and â€Å"How well did you do?† (Yuen, ., & Terao, 2003). Examples of Outcome Evaluations are:1.Workforce Services asks that their clients complete a short interview/survey to see how their experience was and if their needs are being met. 2.Columbus Community Center compared the amount of services it provided last year to this year after they received the new grant to improve the employment program. 3.Career Step contacts alumni students to see if their programs help them receive permanent employment. Process and Outcome Evaluations A Process Evaluation has three main components, which are program planning and development, program interventions, and database management system. These three main components are used to achieve these aims, describe program interventions’ development, implementation, and activities, provide quantitative and qualitative data on the services delivered and their effectiveness, and document the appropriateness and acceptability of the program within the target community. The Process Evaluation will answer the question â€Å"did you do what you said you were going to do?† (Yuen, ., & Terao, 2003). Examples of Process Evaluations are:1.The teacher takes attendance each day to find out which students are missing too much class.2.Over the Christmas holiday the truck group Straight Six Mafia collected 13 boxes of food for the local food bank and $300 in donations for Labor of Love, by holding a truck show.3.WIC employees pass out brochures containing information where its client s may receive other services. Outcome Evaluations are used to look at how effective the interventions are. Data before the intervention and after are collected and compared to yield this information. It assess the outcomes/effectiveness of the programs activities and the impacts the program has on the target population. This evaluation answers the questions â€Å"What benefits did the recipients of service obtain?† and â€Å"How well did you do?† (Yuen, ., & Terao, 2003). Examples of Outcome Evaluations are:1.Workforce Services asks that their clients complete a short interview/survey to see how their experience was and if their needs are being met.2.Columbus Community Center compared the amount of services it provided last year to this year after they received the new grant to improve the employment program.3.Career Step contacts alumni students to see if their programs help them receive permanent employment.

How do the techniques used in Cabaret give us an insight into the characters of the film?

In the 1970s hit Cabaret, the director, Bob Fosse, successfully uses a variety of filmmaking techniques to draw attention to different aspects of the multifaceted characters. Our understanding of the characters is shaped through the use of techniques ranging from changes in costume to mise-en-scene. Costuming is one of the most revealing aspects, and we can learn a lot about the characters by looking at the clothes they wear. Sally is a prime example of this. On stage Sally sports sexy, suggestive, revealing attire. She feels that she is divinely decadent and really is an international sensation as the emcee claims. This is reflected by the raunchy, glitzy clothes she wears. Sally tries to carry her femme fatale act on into her everyday life. Her clothing is different from the mainstream and this is Sally's attempt to be shocking. It shows a certain flamboyance, and self-confidence to wear these distinctive clothes. However, bit by bit we start to see that the glamorous, decadent Sally is nothing more than a faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade behind which a much more troubled, insecure person hides. At crisis points in Sally's life, she is exposed physically and emotionally as the femme fatale mask is stripped away. After she has had an abortion we see Sally in ordinary clothes. On a visit to her father, the little girl Sally emerges and she dresses normally to please her dad. Sally wears glamorous, revealing clothes when she is in a position where she feels she is glamorous, decadent and so on. In times of reality however, she adopts plain clothes. It is as though her clothing reflects not only her mood and feelings, but also her grasp on reality and submission to illusion. Brian's costume is also very reflective of his personality. His well pressed, drab jacket and bland shirt immediately present him as a prim and proper, conventional Briton. As we come to meet Brian we find that this is indeed true. He is reluctant to change, and it takes a while before he accepts sally's sexual advances. Brian undergoes one of the biggest changes when he begins to accept Max. Before he fully accepts Max, Brian changes his drab shirt and jacket for a blue sweater, showing that he is undergoing change. Until this point Brian has worn almost exactly the same clothes, highlighting his reluctance to change. By the time Brian is wanting to marry a pregnant Sally, he is a different man from the traditional Englishman we met at the beginning. He parades around wearing only a tie, pants and a hat. At the end when he decides to return to England, to his more reserved lifestyle he has also reverted back to his original plain clothes. The changes in his clothes are symbolic of t he changes within him. The emcee captivates his audience while wearing a smart suit. This consolidates his status as a powerful figure in Cabaret. He knows what will happen in the film, and his god-like position is reinforced by his smart attire. Max's wealth is evident from his clothing, as are Fritz's money woes from his frayed cuffs. In Cabaret, the clothing closely reflects the nature of the characters. The characters' hair and make-up is also of relevance, and often it too changes with their costumes. The emcee wears a large amount of make-up to accentuate his facial features. His eyebrows are coated in mascara, his face is painted white, he wears vibrant red lipstick and has overly rosy cheeks. He resembles a clown to some extent, or to take it a step further, almost a Shakespearian fool. The emcee plays a role like that of the fool as he dispenses his witty social commentary. Sally's attempts to dazzle and shock continue on into her hair and makeup. Her unusual fringe and hairstyle are truly unique, her eyes are accentuated and her green nails are almost unmistakeable. Sally wants to attract attention and to appear, as she describes herself , as an â€Å"International Woman of Mystery.† Especially in the club, and also in normal life, Sally believes she is this shocking, fantastic person she so desperately wishes to be. Once again, after she returns from her abortion, she is void of her extravagant makeup and the physical exterior behind which she masquerades is gone. The real Sally is exposed. This occurs too when she goes to visit her father. Sally's makeup is another device she uses to propagate her faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade. Fosse uses mise-en-scene to shape our perceptions of the characters. Music and dancing is key to Sally's life and her record player is visible in many shots to emphasize this. Sally is a promiscuous girl, and we are reminded of the centrality of her sexual relationships by the central location of her large bed in her room. There is a component of Sally that is truly flamboyant, and this is shown in her room by the presence of living plants. Fosse places barriers in the shots between Sally and Brian right from the beginning, and these barriers allude to the ultimate break-up of their relationship. Fosse uses editing to great effect to communicate parallels and connections between the characters and between events. One example is when Sally performs Maybe This Time. This song drops Sally's blasà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, promiscuous attitude and shows that Sally really does yearn for love. She is not just singing this song, but she really does hope that maybe this time her relationships will work out. This is shown by the intercutting of scenes showing the development of Sally and Brian's new intimacy. We understand that this is how Sally feels about Brian. This song is also important in terms of the choreography. In the other numbers Sally feels sexy and important as she performs her vivacious, suggestive routine to a large audience. In this song, there are no raunchy moves, nor is there much of an audience. We see that sally is not trying to impress anyone with her apparent decadence. There is no need for her suggestive moves, because this is a song in which she is being herself – s omeone who longs for love. When Brian first appears he is immediately connected to the cabaret world through intercutting with scenes of the emcee. The emcee's god-like role is reinforced by crosscutting, as shots of him smiling sinisterly are shown after noteworthy events have occurred, as if he is saying â€Å"I knew that would happen†. The political nature of the emcee's song, If You Could See Her, and his sympathy to the Jews, is highlighted by the continuation of the song's music into the next shot, which shows Fritz having made his decision. Camera angles are key in showing people as being strong and in control, or weak and powerless. After her abortion, Sally is shown from a number of high angles, and as we look down on her we get the impression of her powerlessness. In contrast, the emcee is shown from low angles, and he appears at an elevated position on the stage. This reaffirms the power the emcee possesses, that is the knowledge of what is to come. In Sally's final song, lighting is used to show her changing emotions. She sings that life is a cabaret but is she ready to have moved on from Brian? A close up of her is shown in which as she sings, the spotlight on her progressively increases in warmth. This change in lighting alerts us to the fact that Sally has indeed committed herself to the cabaret, and is in fact ready to resume her search for stardom. The techniques used in Cabaret really do give us an insight into the characters of the film. People are presented not only as who they are, but also as who they attempt to be. These techniques allow us to better understand each character, and tell us a lot about how they're feeling, their desires and emotions. Whether it is through the subtle changes in mise-en-scene or through the blatant differences in choreography or costume, Fosse's host of film techniques shapes the characters and our understanding of them.

Portfolio: Big five Personality Traits and Oliver P. John Essay

1. Introduction The purpose of this portfolio is to reflect on my experiences and learning’s whilst studying BSB124- Working in Business, particularly what I have learnt about my Intrapersonal and Interpersonal competencies. I will explore my personality trains through the use of the Big Five Inventory (BFI), and explain how they can be beneficial/detrimental to my future career goal. 2. Intrapersonal Intrapersonal effectiveness is defined as â€Å"Understanding yourself (and your goals, strengths, weaknesses, style, biases) and improving self-management skills, such as time management and stress management† (De Janasz, Wood, Gottschalk, Dowd and Schneider 2006, p. 3). 2.1 The Big Five Inventory The Big Five Inventory (BFI) is a personality assessment tool, which has five dimensions including Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism (Costa and McCrae, 1992). Research has been conducted to explain how people with varying levels of these traits will perform within the workplace. Research conducted, shows that conscientiousness and emotional stability are positively correlated with job performance in virtually all jobs (Anderson and Viswesvaran 1998; Barrick and Mount 1991; Salgado 1997; Tett et al. 1991), extraversion has been found to be related to job performance in occupations where interactions with others are a significant portion of the job (Barrick and Mount 1991; Mount et al. 1998), agreeableness is said to be positively associated to ratings of teamwork, and openness to experience has been positively related to training performance (Barrick and Mount 1991; Salgado 1997). As you will see in Appendix 1, I am highest in agreeableness, followed by extraversion then openness to experience, with my lowest ratings being conscientiousness and neuroticism. These results are important, as I see myself working as a Public Relations representative for a large, international corporation within the next five (5) to ten (10) years (preferably for a charity organisation such as Ronald McDonald House  Charities). My personality test scores indicate that I am sympathetic, modest, straightforward, sociable, enthusiastic, imaginative, confident and even-tempered; however, I am not very thorough, and there is definitely room for improvement with my organizational skills (Costa and McCrae 1992). According to the handbook of personality (Oliver P. John et al.), being high in extraversion means that I very sociable and am suitable for positions of leadership. This is relevant to my long-term career goal, as research conducted on seek.com shows that leadership qualities as well as social/networking skills, are valuable within the Public relations industry (see Appendix 2 for job advertisements). Further research into the requirements of obtaining a position within the Public Relations industry would indicate that task and goal directed behaviour; as well strong organizational skills are required. These qualities are consistent with the personality trait of conscientiousness. As mentioned previously, my personality test scores indicate that conscientiousness is an area in which has room for improvement. I feel that my personality profile reflects many strengths as well as weaknesses, especially in terms of my likely workplace performance. As mentioned throughout this section, I am high in agreeableness and extraversion, and low in conscientiousness. These results are consistent with my experiences within BSB124, especially throughout the group presentation, as I believe that I did a good job in motivating my team and helping others. Although our overall grade was a six (6), I feel that we would have achieved better results had I organized my time appropriately and practiced my part of the speech more thoroughly (I did the introduction, and had to start over as I had lost my place roughly thirty (30) seconds in). As mentioned previously, I intend on obtaining a position within a large international organisation. I believe that my low level of conscientiousness will hinder my success in this environment, and therefore, see it as an area that I can focus on to further my professional development. I believe that my high level of agreeableness and openness to experience will be helpful,  especially as I will be working with a wide variety of people from all kinds of backgrounds/nationalities. A high level of agreeableness means that I will work well in a team environment (Oliver P. John et al.) and a high level of openness to experience suggests that I am willing to learn and try new things (Oliver P. John et al.). This is significant when working with people from different cultures, I don’t know how to word this, I am trying to say that I may see something as conventional; however, someone with a different background will see it as strange- hence I will need to be able to adapt my methods when working overseas. 2.2 Learning goal and related activity I intend to develop a number of competencies associated with conscientiousness- mainly organisation, but also self-discipline. I will do this by setting myself S.M.A.R.T goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound). The development of these competencies will help me to achieve my long-term career goal. 3. Interpersonal Interpersonal effectiveness is defined as â€Å"the ability to manage conflict, to build and manage high-performance teams, to conduct efficient meetings, to coach and counsel employees, to provide negative feedback in constructive ways, to influence others’ opinions, and to motivate and energize employees† (Whetten & Cameron 2011, p.130). 3.1 Self-perception Inventory â€Å"A team is not a bunch of people with job titles, but a congregation of individuals, each of whom has a role which is understood by other members. Members of a team seek out certain roles and they perform most effectively in the ones that are most natural to them† (Belbin, 1981). The Self-perception Inventory (SPI) was created to give individuals a â€Å"simple means of assessing their best team roles† (Belbin, 1981). It is difficult to work effectively with people without some reasonable expectations of how  they are going to perform. Based on the results of the questionnaire, the SPI makes each individual aware of their preferred role when working in teams. This then allows them to focus on their strengths and improve on their weakness. During his research, Meredith found that each of the behaviours were essential in getting the team successfully from start to finish. The key was balance. For example, Meredith Belbin found that a team with no Plants struggled to come up with the initial spark of an idea with which to push forward. However, once too many Plants were in the team, bad ideas concealed good ones and non-starters were given too much airtime. Similarly, with no Shaper, the team ambled along without drive and direction, missing deadlines. With too many Shapers, in-fighting began and morale was lowered. A Summary of my SPI results is in Appendix 3. Results of the SPI indicate that my two preferred team roles are Shaper and Company Worker. A shaper can be defined as someone who has a drive and readiness for challenge, can strive under pressure and is seen as a leadership figure; however, they can be prone to provocation and can be seen as rude and impatient (Belbin, 1981). A Company Worker is someone who is hard working, self-disciplined, organized and practical, but be seen as inflexible and unresponsive (Belbin 1981). I believe that these results are an accurate reflection of my personality, and are consistent both with my experiences within BSB124 as well as within the workplace. I will need to focus on my weaknesses, as addressed through the SPI, should I wish to be successful in both university and future career development. As with my intrapersonal learning goals, I will use S.M.A.R.T goals to address the weaknesses above. My results from Belbin’s inventory, combined with my personality profile, and work experience suggests that, in groups I am likely to engage in a confrontational conflict resolution style. Research indicates that Asian cultures tend to prefer non-confrontational conflict styles, and as a result tend to react defensively when confronted in conflict situations (Rahim & Blum; Ting-Toomey et al., 1991). As I hope to work in a large, international organisation in the future and it is likely I will be dealing with individuals from Asian cultures, I therefore need to adjust my conflict  style accordingly. Thus, again using the SMART goals specified in section 2.2, I envisage that a more agreeable, empathetic nature will help me engage in more appropriate conflict resolution styles when necessary. 3.2 SPARK analysis