Monday, December 30, 2019

Learn the Conjugates of Peser (to Weigh) in French

Meaning to weigh, the French verb  peser  is used for measurements, but it can also be used to say to ponder, as in to weigh the consequences. Its an interesting verb and the conjugations require a stem change, which does make it a little trickier than others. Dont worry, though, a quick lesson in  pesers most useful forms will explain everything. The Basic Conjugations of  Peser Peser is a stem-changing verb. Not only do you have to concern yourself with adding the correct ending, theres also a difference in spelling to watch for. This change comes primarily in the present and future tenses of the indicative mood, though it will appear elsewhere as well. As you can see in the chart, there are times in which the  e  of the verb stem is accented  Ãƒ ¨. This happens often in verbs that end in  -e_er. Other than that,  peser  is conjugated much like any regular -er  verb.  Youll apply the same endings as you would for words like  tomber  (to fall) and that does make this a little easier for experienced French students. Beginning with the verb stem (or radical), which is  pes-, match the subject pronoun and the tense in the chart. This will help you learn that  je pà ¨se  means I am weighing and that  nous pesions  means we weighed. Present Future Imperfect je pse pserai pesais tu pses pseras pesais il pse psera pesait nous pesons pserons pesions vous pesez pserez pesiez ils psent pseront pesaient The Present Participle of  Peser The present participle of peser does not require the stem change. Instead, youll simply add -ant to the verb stem to create the word pesant. Peser  in the Compound Past Tense Passà © composà ©Ã‚  is the French compound past tense and it is used frequently. To form it, youll need to conjugate the auxiliary verb  avoir  to the present tense and follow it with the  past participle  pesà ©.  The results are phrases such as  jai pesà ©Ã‚  for I weighed and  nous avons pesà ©Ã‚  for we weighed. More Simple Conjugations of  Peser Peser  can also be useful in a few other simple conjugations. For instance, if youre uncertain if something is being weighed, you can use  the subjunctive. On the other hand, if the weighing is dependent on certain conditions,  the conditional  is used.   The passà © simple  and  the imperfect subjunctive  are literary tenses and youll encounter these most often in formal French writing. Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je pse pserais pesai pesasse tu pses pserais pesas pesasses il pse pserait pesa pest nous pesions pserions pesmes pesassions vous pesiez pseriez pestes pesassiez ils psent pseraient pesrent pesassent The  only time when its okay to drop the subject pronoun is when youre using  peser  in  the imperative.  This is for short statements that get to the point, so use  pà ¨se  rather than tu pà ¨se. Imperative (tu) pse (nous) pesons (vous) pesez

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Personal Narrative The Peer Mentoring Teacher - 1394 Words

Tell us about an experience, in school or out, that taught you something about yourself and/or the world around you. ...no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. This quote by Ralph W. Emerson echoed by our Ms. Marino, the Peer Mentoring teacher, inspired me to regularly volunteer as a tutor and to try to embody this in my actions and my words. At first, I did not truly believe that helping myself would help others. After all, how could I help myself when I guide others on simple homework that I have done before? This mindset changed 180 degrees when I was encouraged to become a peer mentor by this teacher. I was given the opportunity to be a mentor to several students struggling academically and socially in the†¦show more content†¦Compared to the coding I had learnt before, this was an entirely new world for me. Through the internet I managed to learn new concepts such as JavaScript, how to use the bash command line, and find a template for the script I planned to use on the Raspberry Pi. We managed to complete our project on time in the end. Ultimately through this project I obtained valuable experience and the realization of my passion for engineering. Explain how you responded to a problem and/or an unfamiliar situation. What did you do, what was the outcome, and what did you learn from the experience? In my spare time, I enjoy baking. When I first embarked on the journey of baking, my parents wanted me to bake a cake for a dinner party. Eager to please my parents and relatives, I immediately agreed. After all, baking a cake wouldn’t be too hard, right? Following a detailed recipe from a cookbook, I learned the basics of how to mix the ingredients and how to decorate a cake. The instructions were simple to follow. Nonetheless, my effort turned to waste. I felt shocked and disappointed. The expected soft cake came out hard and stuck to the pan. I was frustrated, but that wasn’t enough to make me give up. After another failed attempt, I decided to search the internet and watch some videos on cake-baking. After I noted the steps used, I baked again, this time using some of their techniques. Finally, a spongy cake came out. Throughout the process of baking a cake, I learned thatShow MoreRelatedLeadership For Leaders And Followers And Styles923 Words   |  4 Pagesand th e Hare,† and â€Å"Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.† To name a few. Nevertheless these narratives have different story lines; they totally appear to concentrate on a parallel subject. The theme of each plot is that no matter how sluggish, fragile, or underprivileged you might be, if you apply yourself, your spirt and your mind to something, you’ll be stunned at what you can achieve. In all three of these narratives, an outwardly fragile individual is compelled to go challenge an extremely tougher individualRead MoreSop Essay Examples824 Words   |  4 Pagesvisiting lecturer with universities, colleges and schools. Working with academic researchers, undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Arts London, Goldsmiths and Royal Holloway, University of London including tutor and student peer lead reviews and discussions of student project work, mentorship and portfolio development. Furthermore, as a workshop leader working on educational outreach projects with charities, cultural institutes, museums and NGO’s. Facilitating social projectsRead MoreProfessional Development Training Framework For Students1343 Words   |  6 PagesProfess ional Development Training Framework WRiTE BRAiN offers a vast menu of staff development opportunities for all types of education communities: school day professionals, after school instructors/facilitators, charter and independent school teachers, community leaders and parents. Our goal is to provide seamless support on an ongoing basis to ensure the success of WRiTE BRAiN in your school or program. Our educational services are customized to the needs of your class and students. We offerRead MoreMy Vision And My Original Vision Essay1131 Words   |  5 Pagescourses. Deciding on my secondary emphasis was a difficult process, but once I began thinking about English as my secondary emphasis, my excitement over the possibilities was rekindled. During EDUC 800: Ways of Knowing, I read several articles on narrative research that affected me greatly. I was not aware of how my interest in conducting research and my love of nonfiction writing could be combined with my desire to give voice to the voiceless. Numerous faculty took note of my interested and showedRead More Gender Stereotypes in Science and Technology Essay1634 Words   |  7 Pagesby their peers will be discouraged from engaging in activities that perpetuates that image of them. If these activities include playing with legos and building forts, then women who may otherwise have gone into technological fields like engineering and computer science will be deterred by the fact that these fields are sterotypically male. An initial literature search yielded disappointing results. The articles which I found fell into basically two categories: first-person narratives about growingRead More2010 Secondary Education Curriculum in English6955 Words   |  28 Pagesteaching-learning process. The results of the evaluation of the implementation of the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum were likewise considered in the review of the curriculum. The findings and recommendations (see Annex A) guided the training of teachers and the capacity-building of school heads in managing the pilot test of the curriculum in 23 secondary schools nationwide. The Process The refinement of the curriculum followed the Understanding by Design (UbD) model developed by Jay McTighe andRead MoreAssignment - Knowledge Management11898 Words   |  48 Pagesuse, and how to use] 18-20 After Action Reviews 21-22 Best Practices 23-25 Communities of Practice 26 Co-op Internships 27 Expert Interviews 28-29 Job Aids 30 Knowledge Fairs 31-32 Learning Games 33-35 Mentoring 36-37 On-the-Job Training [OJT] 38-40 Storytelling 41 Training 42-46 Addendum #1 [Using a Knowledge Loss Risk Assessment – Metrics – to Identify Positions Key to Organizational Goals and Objectives] 47-48 Resources IntroductionRead MoreRelating Erikson’s Eight Stages to My Life Essay2238 Words   |  9 Pagesto others in their peer group turn out favorably for them. If these comparisons tend to be unfavorable, then children will develop a sense of inferiority. This stage is most effectively resolved by a child having success in school or in activities that are important to them, like being a good baseball player or being good at art. If a child in this stage can not identify skills and activities they can successfully accomplish compared to their peers, their parent or teacher might need to stepRead MoreAnalysis Of Our Leaders Are Just We Ourself 1844 Words   |  8 Pagesthe many ways they do this by hosting many events such as Black Wednesday, Peer Mentoring Programs, the Howard Exchange Program, The Blackboard Resource Calendar, Kwanzaa, Black History Month. When speaking with one of the executive coordinators, she expresses that â€Å"it is the responsibility of AASD to put on fun activities which allows black people at Cal to enjoy and encourage one another†. It is important to develop personal ties within the black community so that you will not feel isolated and aloneRead MoreConstructivist Theory8093 Words   |  33 Pagesclassrooms, as in his early uses of the Logo language to teach mathematics to children. Constructionist learning involves students drawing their own conclusions through creative experimentation and the making of social objects. The constructionist teacher takes on a mediational role rather than adopting an instructionist position. Teaching at students is replaced by assisting them to understand—and help one another to understand—problems in a hands-on way. While constructionism has, due to its impetus

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Gemstone and Diamond Mining Through the Years Free Essays

Gemstones have been a symbol of wealth from the ancient times up to the present. These stones with their own characteristic, unique and special properties have always been associated to beauty too. Popular and famous persons throughout history, especially those from the noble family have used gemstone to adorn not only themselves but their dwellings as well. We will write a custom essay sample on Gemstone and Diamond Mining Through the Years or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the United States, mining of these stones has been for recreational activity only for collectors and hobbyists since 1935 (Gemstones Production, USGS). Nevertheless, as the value of gemstones inflated, large scale mining operations have been initiated. In this paper, we would explore the world of gemstones; what truly fits the word gemstone, how are they classified and the methods of mining. Gemstones The word â€Å"gem† actually came from the Latin word gemma, which means â€Å"bud† (Microsoft Encarta). It is a very fitting name since gems seem to bud out of the earth’s crust like flowers in a garden. Gem or gemstone means any mineral or organic material that can be used to decorate one’s body, for display or can be considered an object of art due to its unique properties it possesses such as beauty, rarity and durability. Colored and diamond gemstones are subcategories of gemstones. Basically, colored gemstones are all other stones except diamond such as amber, coral and shell (Olson 32.1). On the other hand, natural gemstones are minerals, stones or any organic matter that can be cut, polished, or treated for use as jewelry or other personal ornament (Gemstones Terms, USGS). Gemstones can be further classified as precious or semiprecious gemstones. Precious gemstones have beauty, durability and rarity, while semiprecious gemstones have only one to two of these characteristics (Gemstones Terms, USGS). Diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, topaz and opal are classified as precious gemstones while others are treated as semiprecious (Gemstones Terms, USGS). Since gemstones are rare, they are not plentiful and these stones do not form ores like other mining products. They tend to be scattered throughout a large body of rock or can be crystals found on small cavities of rocks (Gemstones Environment, USGS). Gemstones are primarily found from Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oregon and Arizona (Gemstones Specialist 64). However, most gem diamond reserves are not found in the United States. Diamonds are usually mined from Southern Africa, Russia, and Western Australia (Gemstones Specialist 65). The very first used as jewelry were amber, amethyst, coral, diamond, emerald, garnet, jade, lapis lazuli, pearl, rock crystal, ruby, serpentine and turquoise (Olson 32.1). In the US, the commercial gemstone industry consists of individuals and companies that mine gemstones or harvest shell and pearls, firms that manufacture synthetic gemstones and individuals and companies that cut natural and synthetic gemstones (Olson 32.1). Worldwide, the industry is only composed of two sectors: diamond mining and marketing and the production and sale of colored gemstones (Olson 32.3). Throughout the year, few of the diamonds mined are of gem quality; much of them are of near-gem and industrial in quality. Gem quality diamonds display high standards of excellence in quality and can be sold as jewelry. Clarity of such diamonds is from flawless through to visible inclusions. On the other hand, near-gem quality represents diamonds that fall between gem and industrial quality and thus can be used for either purpose.   Clarity of this set is from visible inclusions to industrial. Lastly, industrial quality diamonds are of low quality and cannot be used as jewelry or adornment. These diamonds are suitable only for industrial use such as dentist’s drills and earthmoving equipment (Mining Diamonds). Diamonds are formed beneath the earth’s surface and required tremendous pressure and temperature. Like diamonds, most gems are crystals formed by cooling hot gases, solutions, and melts. As the earth’s soil surface weathers and erodes, and rivers forcefully flow through, gemstones may be exposed and be unearthed where one can even simply bend over the riverbank and pick them up (Microsoft Encarta). Mining One of the two primary industries of early civilization is mining. Like agriculture, it is one of humankind’s earliest endeavors (Introduction to Mining 1). In 3400, Egyptians in Sinai did the first ever-recorded mining where they have found turquoise (Introduction to Mining 7). Usually, gemstones are excavated at the surface. However, through the years, underground mining especially for diamonds have been developed. Unlike surface mining, underground mining is more complicated and expensive. It involves the efficiency, safety and permanence underground (Introduction to Mining 11). Mining is the process of obtaining useful minerals from the earth’s crust. Its process requires excavations in underground mines and surface excavations in open pit or open cut mines. Thus, it involves physical removal of rock and earth to acquire gems and other important minerals. (Microsoft Encarta). Mining consists of four stages. These stages are prospecting or search for mineral deposits, exploration or the work included in evaluating the extent of economic value of the deposit, innovation or the work of preparing access to the deposit so that the minerals can be extorted from it and exploitation which is the process of extracting the minerals (Microsoft Encarta). Methods of Mining There are several methods of mining. For gemstones, they are usually obtained on rivers and shores. However, there are also other ways of obtaining them in large scale mining operations. Exploitation methods can be classified into two categories based on setting which are surface and underground mining. Surface mining operations consists of mechanical excavation techniques such as open pit and open cast or strip mining. There are also aqueous methods such as placer mining and solution mining. On the other hand, underground mining is usually categorized into unsupported, supported and caving methods (Introduction to Mining 11). Placer mining involves excavating loose or alluvial such as sand and gravel. The sought after gems are separated from the sand or gravel by a series of screens, jigs and sluices. This type of mining is usually used for diamonds and rubies (Microsoft Encarta). At present, surface mining involves production of blastholes 3-15 inches in diameter by rotary or percussion drills for the placement of explosives in order to remove consolidated rock. The explosives are then inserted and detonated. The material then is loaded and hauled for transport (Introduction to Mining 15). Diamond Mining Diamonds are mined by pipe or alluvial methods. In pipe mining, extraction of diamonds is done from volcanic pipes. Unlike other gems, diamonds are usually found underground and on volcanic rocks and lands. In diamond pipe mining, large areas are exploited wherein an average of 250 tons of volcanic rock is mined just to produce a one-carat gem quality polished diamond (Mining Diamonds). Due to this intricate and costly process, diamonds are really rare and precious. Diamond pipe mines are composed of kimberlite material called blue ground. At the start, kimberlite is dug from the surface by rough opencast mining. Nevertheless, as the surface deposits are exhausted, pipe mining is employed by sinking shafts into the ground at the edge of pipes and tunnels are driven into the deeper parts of the pipes. By doing so, diamond-bearing rock is excavated and is then transported for screening (Mining Diamonds). Another method of diamond mining is alluvial mining. In this method, diamonds are extracted from riverbeds or ocean beaches. It is true that diamonds are made inside volcanic pipes and lands, however, millions of years allowed that some of the diamonds formed are weathered out of the volcanic pipes and carried to great distances by rivers and oceans. Thus, the process of alluvial mining involves building a wall that holds back the surf. About 25 meters of sand is demolished aside to reach the diamond-containing level in the ocean and riverbeds. The diamond-containing sand is then acquired and transported to screening plants (Mining Diamonds). In screening plants, diamonds with kimberlite are cleaned and purified. Separation of the diamonds from the kimberlite ore involves a process much like the panning of gold. The kimberlite ore is put into large funnels along with a heavy fluid and is then, mixed in a rotating manner. Since diamonds are heavier than the other materials from which it is mined, they sink into the bottom of the funnels and spill out. After this process, the diamond is almost free from other waste (Mining for Diamonds). Diamonds can then be washed on shaking grease-covered tables. Uncut diamonds then adhere to the grease while the other fragments of waste ore are vibrated past and are discharged to tailings pile. The tables are then scraped for diamonds in the grease and then are boiled to melt the grease and separate the diamonds (Microsoft Encarta). Finally, these diamonds are separated into different grades or quality as industrial, gemstone or near-gem grades. After-Mining Operations Rough uncut diamonds do not actually look attractive. Such diamonds are needed to be cut and polished before anyone can see their beauty and relevance in personal adornment and jewelry. The process of cutting and polishing originated in India where Indian natives discovered a way to make rough diamonds glisten by simply grinding another diamond against it (Mining Diamonds). Diamonds are known for their hardness, no material has ever been found which is capable of cutting diamond until the Indians found out that diamonds could actually be cut and polished by diamonds. The process of cutting and polishing typically lasts for several hours to several months. After which, the diamond will turn out lighter for at least half of its original weight (Mining Diamonds). Diamonds are first carefully examined before cutting. Diamonds are popularly cut into round brilliant since this shape gives the greatest possible brilliance with the minimal weight loss. Cutting uses an instrument similar to grinders. This cutting instrument is made of a paper-thin metal disc coated with diamond dust revolving at a fast speed. Lasers can also cut diamonds nowadays. The corners of the diamonds are then rounded by grinding another diamond producing some dust that can later be used in polishing. Diamonds are then polished to make them sparkle brighter. The diamond dust from the cutting is placed on a turntable made of iron and oiled. The cut diamond is then grinded against the turntable until it sparkles beautifully (Mining Diamonds). Conclusion Gemstones are treasures not only of powerful people but also of mighty and ancient civilizations. As humankind became civilized, gemstones such as diamonds and sapphires became symbols of prosperity and elegance. Their crystalline structure, the rarity, and the arduous process of mining them have lived up to their symbolism throughout the years and continue to do so. Works Cited â€Å"Gemstones Environment.† 18 June 1997. United States Geological Surveys, USGS. 30 April 2008 http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/gemstones/environment.html.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Gemstones Production.† 18 June 1997. United States Geological Surveys, USGS. 30 April 2008 http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/gemstones/production.html. â€Å"Gemstones Terms.† 18 June 1997. United States Geological Surveys, USGS. 30 April 2008 http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/gemstones/terms.html. â€Å"Gemstones†. Gemstones Specialist (703) 648-7721, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996. USGS. 30 April 2008 http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/gemstoned/gemstmcs96.pdf. â€Å"Introduction to Mining.† 30 April 2008. http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/11/04713485/0471348511.pdf. â€Å"Mining.† Microsoft Encarta 2007. 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. CD-ROM. â€Å"Mining Diamonds†. 30 April 2008 http://work/gemstones/Mining Diamonds.htm. â€Å"Mining for Diamonds.† 30 April 2008 http://work/gemstones/Mining for Diamonds.htm. Olson, Donald. â€Å"Gemstones.† USGS 2000 Yearbook. USGS. 30 April 2008 http://minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/gemstones/gemstmyb00.pdf How to cite Gemstone and Diamond Mining Through the Years, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Immigration Policies in the U.S free essay sample

Imagine walking or riding on a bus for almost or more than a month. Imagine scorching hot days, humid nights, and not being able to sleep at all. Imagine having to risk your life for a better one for you and/or your family. That’s what undocumented immigrants go through almost every day just for an opportunity at the American Dream. There should be pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants because it gives their kids a chance to get an education, it helps the economy, and it helps the United States focus on more important things. Allowing undocumented immigrant’s citizenship means that it gives the children of the immigrants a chance at an education. In the article, â€Å"Current Issues of Immigration†, it states that in 1982, there was a court case, Plyer vs. Doe, and in the end of it, a law stating the kids of undocumented immigrants get the same education as kids who are not undocumented. We will write a custom essay sample on Immigration Policies in the U.S or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Since that law was created, the immigrants children are allowed at a chance of making something out of themselves. Having their children get an education means the immigrants would want to stay there even longer, so more of a reason to give them citizenship. The â€Å"High School: Current Issues 34th edition† states that many immigrants come here to the United States in order to give the opportunity of a better life to their children. Granting the immigrants that citizenship means they would be able to give that to their kids. Another statement from the â€Å"Current Issues of Immigration† states that the number one reason immigrant leave their home country is to provide a better life for their family, and to get a job. Again, citizenship would make it a whole lot easier to achieve that goal. Giving citizenship to an undocumented immigrant not only helps out one person, but the whole family as well. Allowing undocumented immigrant’s citizenship would actually help the economy. The â€Å"High School Essay† article states that undocumented immigrants take the jobs Americans do not want. Those getting the jobs basically save the companies from going bankrupt because they have more employees making them more money. A statement from the â€Å"Issues of Illegal Immigration† article says that the immigrants get paid less so the owners do not have to worry so much about giving out a lot of money. The owners know that the immigrants just want a job so they are able to give them as little as they want with no hassle. Adding on to the â€Å"High School Essay†, since the undocumented immigrants get paid secretly, it makes things better for the bosses and owners because it gives them more money. So, it just makes things easier, and less of a problem. Hiring undocumented immigrants helps the economy because it expands the businesses, not destroy them. Allowing immigrant’s citizenship would let the United States focus on more important things. The â€Å"High School Essay† states that letting immigrants have citizenship means that there would be less boarder control. Thus, wasting less money on artillery and having to pay the personnel to have to guard the long and big boarder. Also, the process of deporting all the immigrants back wastes too much time and money. In the documentary, â€Å"30 Days†, the narrator, Morgan Spurlock, stressed that it could take as much as a year or more for only one immigration case to be finished. Now imagine millions of those cases. It’s a waste of time and money. Since immigration is always on people’s minds, granting the citizenship would be less of a problem and the people would not worry about it. According to the â€Å"High School Essay†, when people would stop worrying about the immigrants, there would be less protests and public hearings. There would be less commotion and more peace. It would just be calm. Eventually, granting the citizenship would not only help the immigrants, but the American people too.There should be pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. First, the immigrant’s children get the opportunity at an education. Second, the undocumented immigrants could help the economy. Last, granting citizenship would mean the United States will be able to focus on more important issues. People, no matter what race or ethnicity or beliefs, should be given a chance and an opportunity to not only help themselves, but the people around them too.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Fears Associated With Pregnancy And Childbirth Essays - Midwifery

Fears Associated With Pregnancy And Childbirth Melender, H. S. Lauri, S. (1999). Fears associated with pregnancy and childbirth-Experiences of women who have recently given birth Midwifery, 15(3), 178-183. This descriptive study was undertaken to describe fears associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Also to see whether women who have recently given birth feel that their fears were justified. A convenience sample of 20 women, 10 primipare and 10 multiparae were interviewed in the maternity units of two university hospitals in Finland. A qualitative study was used, and data were collected by semi-structured interviews held 2 or 3 days after childbirth. Data interpretation was based on the method of content analysis. The authors found that the most common fears associated with pregnancy and childbirth were concerns with the babys well-being, the course of pregnancy, and childbirth. The fears found expression in different kinds of behaviors, emotions and physical sensations. Many of the participants felt that their fears had not been justified, but some maintained that their fears had been justifiable. The authors conclude that there was much inter-individual variation in the fears associated with pregnancy and childbirth. The findings further verify the importance that diagnosis during pregnancy is undertaken sensitively and that the care-giver remember that pregnant women may have very serious fears associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Critique: This study is timely, and in general, well done. The sample size was small, therefore, generalizations to an entire population cannot be made. The authors have done an adequate job of explaining their findings in understandable terms and document their rationale with a concise literature review. They give an appropriate rational for the convenience sampling of the Finnish women. The discussion is clearly written. The conclusions the authors draw are consistent with the data presented, and they conclude with a well defined point that it may not be essential to try to protect women against these fears, but to give every pregnant women the opportunity to deal with her own fears and to obtain the help she needs in her situation. Medicine

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on The Cast Of Amontillado

The Cask Of Amontillado It is Edgar Allan Poe’s intense use of intense irony throughout the cask of Amontillado that establishes the short story as an indeed interesting candidate worthy of thorough analysis. The skill full use of these devices are utilized by the author to create this horrific a suspenseful masterpiece. The Cask Of Amontillado is a horror short story, which revolves around the themes of revenge and pride. The plot involves two men: Montresor, the narrator, who is an Italian aristocrat seeking revenge against the second main character: Fortunato, a proud man that boast about his connoisseurship of wines and who finally walks into his own death. From the very beginning we notice the apparition of irony in the story. The very mane Fortunato would clearly imply that this is a man of good fortune, when the actual case is that he is about to suffer an untimely demise: the end of his life. The setting in which the story takes place again shows an ironic element. It is during Venice’s Carnival that the characters meet. Carnival is supposed to be a time of celebration and happiness for everybody. However, in the tale it is a time for revenge and death. The atmosphere changes drastically when the two protagonists leave the gaiety of carnival for the gloomy and desolate catacombs beneath Montresor’s palazzo. We learn from the narrator that when he first meets Fortunado the latter has apparently been drinking and is dressed in many colors, resembling a jester. His costume suggests that he will be the one playing the fool. On the other hand Montresor is dressed in a black colored cloak and has his face covered in a black mask. At this point one can mention the presence of symbols: the black mask and outfit might be a representation of Death or the devil. Such figure foreshadows the events taking place later that night in the damp catacombs. More memorable lines in the story are given by Montresor in response to Fortuna... Free Essays on The Cast Of Amontillado Free Essays on The Cast Of Amontillado The Cask Of Amontillado It is Edgar Allan Poe’s intense use of intense irony throughout the cask of Amontillado that establishes the short story as an indeed interesting candidate worthy of thorough analysis. The skill full use of these devices are utilized by the author to create this horrific a suspenseful masterpiece. The Cask Of Amontillado is a horror short story, which revolves around the themes of revenge and pride. The plot involves two men: Montresor, the narrator, who is an Italian aristocrat seeking revenge against the second main character: Fortunato, a proud man that boast about his connoisseurship of wines and who finally walks into his own death. From the very beginning we notice the apparition of irony in the story. The very mane Fortunato would clearly imply that this is a man of good fortune, when the actual case is that he is about to suffer an untimely demise: the end of his life. The setting in which the story takes place again shows an ironic element. It is during Venice’s Carnival that the characters meet. Carnival is supposed to be a time of celebration and happiness for everybody. However, in the tale it is a time for revenge and death. The atmosphere changes drastically when the two protagonists leave the gaiety of carnival for the gloomy and desolate catacombs beneath Montresor’s palazzo. We learn from the narrator that when he first meets Fortunado the latter has apparently been drinking and is dressed in many colors, resembling a jester. His costume suggests that he will be the one playing the fool. On the other hand Montresor is dressed in a black colored cloak and has his face covered in a black mask. At this point one can mention the presence of symbols: the black mask and outfit might be a representation of Death or the devil. Such figure foreshadows the events taking place later that night in the damp catacombs. More memorable lines in the story are given by Montresor in response to Fortuna...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Development of childrens higher order reading skills Essay

Development of childrens higher order reading skills - Essay Example Children are always the same, it’s the educational setup that needs to be adapted to their needs for a good nation building. Knowledge is extremely important for every individual in order to keep up with the rapidly modifying dynamic nature of the modern world. Books are among the key sources, that children can develop knowledge from. Learning starts from the day the child is born. He keeps on developing an understanding for the world as he/she experiences matters of daily life. Every child starts the journey of speech from broken words. Then the child starts to link words to express his/her meaning effectively. These broken words are aided by actions. A child may not be structuring the sentence correctly, but is careful about acting enough so that the meaning gets delivered. With due passage of time, with careful attention and regular practice, the child unintentionally starts to construct the sentence in the right way. It is the nature of every creature to adopt ways to communicate, and this urge is inborn. A child’s psychology is greatly influenced by colors. A child’s world is a world of colors and fantasies. That is why in our life, at a later stage, we find things, that once we used to fancy in our childhood, very absurd. So the delicate child-nature needs to be dealt with immense care to develop good reading skills in the child.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Project #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project #2 - Essay Example Dr. B identifies three main challenge areas that need to be addressed by the company: talent acquisition, compensation, and training and development. The most important problem in HR appears to be market changes that increase manpower costs. The result is that compensation is not well balanced with talent, which causes delays in the recruitment process. The company then suffers losses in terms of time schedules and workload issues. Furthermore, a lack of sufficient talent and manpower places more stress upon existing employees, with the result that performance suffers. The first strategy to handle this problem can be to implement training and development for staff as they are recruited. The compensation package can then include bonuses and rewards as staff becomes better trained. For existing staff, a bonus and reward system can also be implemented. Staff who volunteer for certain levels of training and completing these successfully can for example be rewarded by various means. This could include raises, bonuses, or other forms of reward such as holidays. In terms of talent acquisition, appropriate members of staff can be identified to help with this. Staff can for example be asked to identify potential talent in their social circles.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Value for health care managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Value for health care managers - Essay Example In this gradual endeavor, healthcare managers may help a medical personnel carry out vital tasks efficiently in treating a patient by examining the set of necessities that matter to the working personnel who seeks to fulfil them to acquire a motivational tool for enhancing performance. It may be a tedious work to come to know and evaluate the concerns of each individual working in a medical firm. There are need-based theories of motivation, however, which a healthcare manager may look into and for which to invest some time to assist him in determining which would be most fitting and valuable at targeting to motivate a particular group or individual in the company. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the ERG theory of Clayton Alderfer, the Two-Factor theory of Frederick Herzberg, and D. McClelland’s Acquired Needs theory are the four need-based theories of motivation which to some extent attempt to demonstrate grounds for human needs and wants (Carpenter, Bauer, & Erdogan, 2009 ). Majority of these and related theories according to the specific needs of a man bring across the significance of having certain needs come to be satisfied prior to shifting focus on other priorities that are less relevant in the sense that they bear no direct impact upon motivation. By his Hierarchy of Needs, Abraham Maslow proposed ranking of human needs with the use of pyramid representation where the basic of all is the state of ‘physiology’. Maslow points out that only by satisfying such primary requirement through sufficient food, air, and water can the person proceed to deal with supplicating the need for safety which is on the next level since needs come in the order of importance and human desires attached with the needs, particularly those yet to be satisfied, affect human behavior (Cuizon, 2009). Using the pyramid model, Maslow further levels up safety to social need after which esteem is accounted for in order that self-actualization on the top-most level can be sustained by a character initially developed by self-worth. The hierarchy presents a systematic manner of assessing where a laborer stands within circumstances which allow him to display appropriate potentials where, in doing so, the process may inevitably reflect what he lacks or yearns for. Moreover, application of Maslow’s theory could bring out in each subject the type of response through which a behavior is delivered or that which suggests how the person feels about the situation in relation to himself and the people around him. Consequently, his strengths and weaknesses are also revealed in the course of communicating to others his set of attributes and principles which depict them. For instance, an employee who is trying to feed her esteem may be appreciative of a boss who receives an equal or higher degree of acclaim may rather find it unsuitable or awkward if she occurs to be at the stage of trying to be socially content, knowing that individual rewards would probably keep her further apart from the rest of the circle which she desires to be part of (Carpenter, et al., 2009). Considering the ability of a competent healthcare manager to execute

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Ancient And Historical Town Of Harar Tourism Essay

Ancient And Historical Town Of Harar Tourism Essay Harar is an ancient and historical town of Ethiopia, which is located in the eastern part of the country and about 525 away from the capital city, Addis Ababa. According to the current regional Administration set up it is the capital of Harari National Regional State. In 2008, Harari Region had a total population of 188,173 of which 94,688 were males (51.6%) and 93,485 were females (48.4%) Currently the population of Harar city is estimated to be 199,321. The area of town is about 1720 hectares (17. 29 Kms). The city has two distinct sections, the new and the old parts of the city. The old city comprises the walled part, popularly known as Jegole is far more densely populated than others areas of the city. The town has got five gates namely Erer Ber, Buda Ber, Senga Ber Felana Ber, and Shewa Ber. At present, the town has six Kebele Administrations (KAs) and nineteen sub Kebeles. Harar has been and remains the major trade center in the eastern part of Ethiopia. Its commercial orientation dates back to the older times, when it had contacts and strong trade links with India, Greece, Turkey, Italy Yemen, Egyptian and other Arab Nations. The Jegol with its five main gates represents a unique historical and religions place for residents and an attraction for tourists. The hyena show is a unique phenomenon in the country and perhaps in the whole world. The cultural heritages including the Mosques, Shrines, Harari National House, traditional handicrafts and tools make Harar one of the most important places and centers of attraction in the country. Recently the UNESCO had included the city in its list of world heritages. In such a place SWM gains importance as people from all walks of life from all over the world pay visits to know more about the city. Hence, this project is quite relevant to make the city cleaner and the population healthy and productive. Moreover, the migration adds woe to SMW in Harar city. It adds number to the existing population and contributes to the rapid increase in garbage accumulation which negatively influences MSWM in the city. Migration is one of the components of population dynamics that can affect the population size of an area when its volume is significant. People move towards areas which are believed to be desirable for either economic or non economic reasons through interplay of push factors at the place of origin and pull factors at the place of destination. The following are major push factors that face people to leave rural areas in the region and come into Harar city. Scarcity of agricultural land in rural area, Poverty of rural people due to various socio-economic crises, and Existence of trade in Harar town especially, large scale contraband trade, illegal smuggling of cattle and chat from the region to neighboring counties As population increases all over Sub-Saharan Africa, the quantum of garbage accumulated on each passing day also increases multifold. Many countries in African Continent are in the stage of development and the problems they face in all spears of life are numerous. Among them collection of garbage accumulated, mange the collected garbage and its disposal are of paramount importance as it affects the day to day life of almost every household with respect to Sanitation, Health, Economy, Livelihood and Socio-Cultural Phenomenon. Ethiopia is not an exception in this regard. There exists a system of garbage collection and disposal in the capital city Addis Ababa. Although it might be as efficient as it should be, the public gets some support and help from the municipal administration to live in a related clean environment. Moreover, there are mechanisms and devices in place in Addis Ababa metropolis to handle and manage of solid wastes accumulated. On the other hand, elsewhere in the count ry including the Historical city of Harar, one can find no established system exists with regard to garbage collection and disposal in general and solid waste management in particular. Hence, this study had looked into the factors that affect the solid waste management of the Harar municipality form different angles. On one hand Garbage management in general is a huge task to a developing country while its population and social participations is increasing rapidly. On the other hand, solid waste management in particular poses a great threat to its population challenging the health, economic, educational and socio-cultural fronts. Further, in the modern times occupational migration takes places, especially in developing countries, at a faster rate than ever before. This brings along with it economic strains, environmental population and various diseases. This is quite true to Harar city in Ethiopia as urban migration is in full swing as the city develops fast. There are umpteen numbers of constraints with regard to solid waste management. It varies from financial to sc social constraints. Some of them are geographically influenced while others are caused by negligence of personal and environmental hygiene. Hence , this project aims at bring to the notice of the policy makers of the country in general and to the Harar municipal administration in particular to take necessary actions and prepare interventions so that the solid waste management in Harar city soon becomes effective and this Historical City becomes a green and beautiful city. Moreover, this project may forward some input as the inclusion of direct water supply and sanitation targets are directly included in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the nation. It was basically hypothesized in this project that demographic, institutional and socio-economic factors of the household were playing key roles with regard to SWM of Harar city. However, these factors were greatly influenced by the following broad based phenomena with respect to municipal SWM system. In any given country solid waste management system displays several problems, including low collection coverage by concerned authorities besides, poor collection methods. The garbage collected is not properly stored and eventually disposed. Consequently, disease spreading micro-organisms spread at alarming rate and speed. Several factors are responsible for this situation. They can broadly be grouped as institutional, social, financial, technical, economic, and constraints as explained below. Technical Constraints Lack of Human Resource This is a major problem in developing word. On one hand, people do not want to be sanitation workers as they believe that are looked down by the society; the compensation for such workers is indeed very low, on the other. Consequently, there is enough manpower to so the job. Therefore, the development of human resources is essential Ineffective Planning Another important aspect is planning with regard to SWM. In the absence required resources even an effective plan fails more often than not. Moreover, experts in SWM planning are few. Even those very few experts available in this filed are not given any skill upgrading training. This results in inefficiency as they could not plan as per the demand of the situation. It is fact in many countries in Africa that SWM planning is always linked with general planning. Lack of Research Activities Almost all countries in Africa lack funds for all- round development in general and SWM in particular. In the absence of required funds, research activities can not be initiated. In the absence of research, any development in this filed is impractical. Hence, more research activities are to be carried out in this regard. The current project is a step forward in this regard. (b) Financial Constraints Funds Provided by Central / State Governments MSWM is not given priority in many parts of the world, especially in several developing nations. The annual budget allotted for MSWM could not meet even 6 months need. Lack of funds is indeed a great barrier in MSWM. Willingness to Pay by the Users/Households The problem is indeed great at the local government level in many developing countries. People in many countries in the developing world believe that MSWM is the total responsibility entrusted with the central, regional and local authorities and the individual citizen has nothing to do with it. Hence, the willingness to pay by the citizens is very low and it gets worse as the income of majority of the people in the developing world is bare enough to make both the ends in their day-to-life leave alone their willingness to pay for MSWM. Lack of Industrial Development It is needless to say that industrial development in the developing world is slow and it faces several continuous constraints. The governments, hence, are forced to import spare parts and machines from abroad using their hard earned foreign currencies. This has a negative impact in the development of the nations concerned. The lack of industry is responsible for several bottlenecks in MSWM as the municipalities could not get needed implements and machinery to collect, store and dispose the garbage safely. Moreover, due to lack of industries, the solid wastes could not be recycled and reused. (c) Institutional Constraints Lack of Coordination between Institutions Communication between and among institutions that have stakes in MSWM is matter of concern. There exists lack of coordination among them and this creates hindrances in effective MSWM. The sanitation workers may not receive timely instructions form the MSWM controlling body and the MSWM controlling body itself may not receive any communications or instructions from health institutions, hospitals, industries and the like on the nature and amount of SW available for collection and disposal. Difficulties in Enforcing SWM Laws No laws were enacted in many countries in the developing world with regard to MSWM. There are several social and tradition al constraints in enacting any law in MSWM. Although a few countries enacted laws in this regard, they could not effectively enforce them due to financial constrains, lack of manpower and public cooperation. Moreover, there is lack of clear legal authorization to local governments from the federal level with regard to MSWM. (d) Social Constraints Households Attitude towards SWM Personnel Even in the current 21st century, some people still believe that a sanitation worker is doing an inferior job such as collecting industrial and human waste. This taboo prevents many from joining the sanitation team paid or unpaid. Absence of Social and Economic Incentives It is a fact that the educational level of the people is far below in the developing world in comparison with industrialized countries. Hence, social attitude towards MSWM is not encouraging. People do not come forward to participate in any cleaning activities proposed by local administration or Non Governmental Originations or Environmental Activists. Although some people may come forward to participate in such activities, they may not get required devices to perform the job such as a broom-stick, a fork and a garbage collection container. Moreover, scavenging from waste disposal is a livelihood strategy to many people. They collect materials from the garbage that they could sell in the market or individual and earn money. Large number of people involved in this activity. They have no training for change of profession and to become creative citizens. Thus, this project looked into the factors mentioned above aggregately focusing on the demographic, institutional and socio-cultural realities related to the households in the selected study areas of Harar city with regard to SWM. Statement of the Problem We discussed above several factors that have direct relationship with and influence on SWM in Harar city. Any onlooker in the main streets of the city can easily say that the current SWM system in the city is quite wanting. One could see garbage is spilled on the road sides, corners and in front of dwelling premises. There is municipal overseeing in the city with regard to garbage collection and distribution. Yet, there are several factors that make the SWM of the city poor and inefficient. The following illustrations illuminate the problems of SWM system of Harar city. The following snapshot clearly shows that SWM is not in a desired level. Rubbish and refuse are thrown indiscriminately all over the place in the city. Although there are garbage containers placed at different locations in the city, there is no controlling mechanism to see that they are properly maintained. People and animal alike live together in the place very close to garbage collection containers. To make matters worse materials for human consumption such as vegetables are kept for sales in close proximity of garbage containers that may result in environmental pollution and health havoc. Photo 1 Proximity of Public-Business- Animal to Waste Containers Source: Own Photography, 2010 Another snap shot taken a few days ago at the study area depicts the awful situation in which human and mammal make day-to-day living along with the garbage as if nothing unusual is happening. It is evident from the picture that the garbage container is very much in place; nevertheless, the hazardous garbage is spilled all over the place where human and animal walk on that. This may eventually result in epidemics and environmental degradation. It is evident from the picture above and the one below that garbage collection is erratic and the socio economic condition of household living in the vicinity plays its own role towards this environmental condition that prevails in the study area. Photo 2 Animal Human- Business Garbage Together: a Health Hazard Source: Own Photography, 2010 From the picture below one can get a horrible sight adjacent to the city limits. People who make their living from collecting materials that they can sell from the rubbish are doing their job in a condition that might infect them and eventually make them unproductive citizens. Here also man and mammal are close to each other. The pickers do not wear any protective gears- not even gloves. This is due to the fact that the collected refuse is not stored properly and the disposal system is indeed alarming. The rubbish may decay in very short time due to humidity and spill into waterways and water points nearby. The wind plays its part in bringing the garbage back into the city. Neither sanitary workers nor municipal guards are seen anywhere near the dump. Photo 3 Waste Pickers- Young and Old with Animal- A Risky Survival Source: Own Photography, 2010 In the following illustration we could see that the municipal sanitary worker collects the garbage into a small mobile container. Although the container is already filled to its capacity, the worker is on the process of filling it with more garbage only to make it fall on the road reroute. The mobile container is small that it may not suffice the need in comparison with that the total amount of garbage collected in the area that is thickly populated. A single sanitary worker is in action in a place where hundreds of kilos of rubbish generated in a single day. Moreover, the sanitary worker uses a broom stick made of local grass and has no spatula nor other devises that are needed to handle the rubbish. Photo 4 Ill-equipped Sanitation Worker Source: Own Photography, 2010 We shall now look at the final destination of the garbage collected from the city. They are brought to a place just outside the main settlement area of the city and dumped in an open field without any protection or fence. The garbage is piled over and over and eventually they fall into the waterway underneath and reach the households nearby. They are highly contaminated and for sure put the members of the households in risk that come into contact with the rubbish. More importantly, this dump is the breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes that spread diseases of different kinds. The vegetation near the dump site dwindles due to the toxic soil caused by the chemical reaction of the rubbish stored for unlimited number of days and months. Above all the dump site is certainly not an attraction to any visitor to this historical and UNESCO preserved city. It is evident from the description and illustration above that the SWM system is not upto the desired level at Harar city. There are several factors that make SWM not effective elsewhere in the country in general and in Harar city in particular. The current SWM system in the city puts the households at the risk of getting exposed to health hazardous and socio-economic debacles. Moreover, neither any survey researches nor project works were carried out in the city on this thematic area although some reports were submitted by appointed consultants to the local government on SWM in Harar city. The researcher, thus, feels there is gap in this regard and he believes this project can fill to a given extent. Project Purpose Solid waste is generated more and more at the end of each day throughout the world. Therefore, the space needed to store it and its handling techniques decrease fast. Yet, there are people who are really concerned on this issue. Our households and industries create waste; hence, it our duty to device a mechanism to solve this problem. We have to reduce the refuse, reuse the remaining, and recycle the rest. It is obvious that it is easier said than done as many people live in cities of REFUSE. To make matters worse, the wealthier nations are bargaining with the needy nations to accept their waste, both civil and nuclear. However, the problems and short comings in SWM may not be similar in all countries although it is indeed a challenge to the world in general and developing countries like Ethiopia in particular. It is even worse in place like Harar- a historical city in Ethiopia due to the combination of several problems. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to look into some factors that the researcher believes contribute towards the poor and weak SWM in the city. 1.4 Objectives of the Project The general objective of this study is to look into factors that negatively affect SWM in Harar city The Specific objectives are: The current level of SWM in Harar city, and Factors that effect the SWM service delivery in Harar city It was hypothesized for this project that the prevailing municipal SWM system at Harar had several challenges and threats influenced by demographic, institutional and socio-economic factors. Based on this hypothesis the following questions were addressed for this project What is the current Status of the Solid Waste Management by the Harar municipality? What are the challenges faced by the municipality and the household members with regard to garbage accumulation, collection and disposal in the study area? What are the threats that face both the municipal administration and the household members in this regard? What could be the solutions to mitigate the challenges and threats so faced by the municipality and the household with regard to Solid Waste Management? Methodology Harar city is situated 525 Kms away from the capital city Addis Ababa to the east. It is a historical city dated back to several centuries. It is one of the holy places for Muslims all over the world. Harar is also known as Walled City as the entire city was circled by a long wall then. Presently, the city is extended out side the wall limits. It is a city known for trade. Almost all types of trades are carried out here. There are six Kebele Administrations (KAs) in Harar City. In addition to these PAs there are nineteen sub-Kebeles in the city. The following is the map of Ethiopia that shows the location of Harar city. Figure 1 Map that Shows the Location of Harar City in Ethiopia Source: Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, Harari Regional State For this study two Kebele Administrations viz. Amernur Kebele from within the Jegol and Jinela Kebele outside the Jegol were purposively selected based on the fact that they are larger Kebeles in population and size. Moreover, these two KAs contribute the largest share to the daily garbage accumulation of the city as per the available information from the Municipality of Harar. Both Amernur and Jinela Kebeles are inhabited by households who are involved in trade, civil service and skilled and unskilled jobs. Jinela Kebele has the largest open market of the city with household population. In Amernur Kebele the SW generated included both household rubbish and trade refuses whereas in Jinela Kebele the SW generated included both market refuses and leftovers and household rubbish. Thus both Kebeles were similar in SW generation. Moreover, the modes garbage accumulation and collection processes were quite similar in both the Kebeles. Hence, fifty households from each Kebele were randomly selected as samples. The samples were selected randomly for the reason that the numbers of households live in both Kebeles were near similar although Jinela Kebele has the largest open market of the city. Besides household samples 20 municipal workers, who involved in SWM were selected on voluntary basis. Additionally, Garbage pickers numbering 5 (two elderly men, one elderly woman, one young lady and two boys) who were present collecting materials at the time of visit of the researcher to the dump sites were selected. This was because of the fact that those garbage pickers did not have any permanent address nor contact details. Aggregate case studies collected from both the municipal workers involved in SWM and the garbage pickers were presented in the result and discussion chapter. Further, the ethics of social science research were strictly followed for this project and the rights of the sample participants with special reference to sample selection, data collection procedure wer e adhered. Five enumerators, besides the researcher, were selected who had experience in conducting research projects/surveys and who could communicate in the local vernacular Harari and Afan Oromo besides the countrys official language Amharinga. The enumerators were given training for a week before data collection on the nature of the project and ethics of data collection in social science related projects. A checklist was prepared for the interview and group discussion and a semi-structured mini-interview schedule was prepared to elicit information from Households on SWM. Both the interview checklist and mini interview schedule were pre-tested with non-sample population in the study area and needed amendments/modifications were incorporated in them. The data so collected were interpreted in words supported by relevant tables, figures and individual case studies. 1.6. Delimitation of the Project The study was conducted only in two Kebele Administrations of Harar city viz. Amernur and Jinela Kebeles were selected due to time constraints and for the reason that the researcher lives and works in the proximity of these Kebeles ,visiting these Kebeles almost two to three times daily either for professional or for personal reasons or for both. Thus, he is well aware of the challenges of SWM in these Kebeles. Moreover, the facts emerged from this project with regard to SWM in these Kebeles are, more or less, true to other areas of the city. 1.7 Limitations of the Project The major problem that the researcher faced in this project was the disinterestedness of the sample population to undertake any campaign with regard to weak and poor SWM right in their dwelling area although they are quite aware of the health hazards that non-disposed or improperly disposed garbage might bring on them. One could understand from the photographs exhibited above how man and mammal live together with the garbage disposed. Hence, the researcher had to induce interest in them by talking to them the need for a better SWM system in the city and how in turn it would make their day-to-day life more pleasant than it is now. Eventually, he could make them actively participate in focus group discussions and answer the questions raised for data collection. Accordingly all samples gave all information available with them with regard to SWM in the city. 1.8 Significance of the Project As far as the knowledge of the researcher goes, no credible research done at Harar City with regard to MSWM except for a few consultant reports as mentioned elsewhere in this project. Therefore, it is believed that this project could serve as a secondary for potential research to be carried out in the days to come.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Going through the Mail :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

Going through the Mail "Would you please get the mail," my mother implored as I entered the door. Heading towards the mailbox, I wondered if I would find the typical assortment of bills and catalogues or something interesting addressed to me. To my delight, the first item was the new issue of PC Computing. Ever since I was introduced to computers when I was five, I have been fascinated by them. The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I wrote a program called Quickchange 95 using Visual Basic. This program changed the startup and shutdown screens of Windows 95. I distributed the program via shareware archives on the Internet, and I received email from all over the world from satisfied users. I shuffled through one of my mother's clothing catalogues to find my issue of Money Magazine. I have been interested in business and finance since the day which we started studying the stock market in fifth grade. The summer before my junior year, I combined my interests in business and computers by starting a web design company with a friend. We created a web site for a local bike shop which is only one of two bike shops in Connecticut to have a presence on the Internet. Currently, I am the head web designer for my school. I intend to combine computers and business in my future career. My goal is to work on the business side of a computer firm, and eventually, I would like to start my own computer company. A board of education letter of commendation for my participation in the FIRST robotics program also arrived today. I have been able to develop my entrepreneurial skills through the FIRST robotics program. FIRST is a national engineering competition in which partnerships are formed between local businesses and high schools to design and build a robot-like machine. The team has about six weeks to build a machine, that must be able to compete in a timed sporting event. I have been involved in FIRST each year of my high school career. Last year, I was team captain, and our team finished fourth in the country out of one hundred and fifty-six teams. As a result of my involvement with FIRST, I have improved my confidence, my leadership, and my team working abilities. FIRST gave me experience working with a diverse group of people with a variety of skills.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Global Competition

This week, the emphasis was on global competition and in what way this can influence an establishment’s strategy to boost profits and how to utilize global competition to examine the outcome of relationships among employees and management. These dual topics were fairly straightforward for all team associates to comprehend and might be able to relate to their trades. All team associates were able to convey the topics to their trades and recognize how global competition can influence their specific industry. The topic that we deemed the most affluent with this week was the effect of global competition on an organization’s strategies for maximizing profits. utilizing global competition as a process for maximizing profits is comparatively simple to comprehend because it is simple to see how a business can glance at their competitors internationally to realize where they are deficient or where they are exceling. Benefiting from another businesses marketing strategies or product ideas can help a boost a business’s product sales and can heighten their business. We all concur we should take a step back to see the big picture. Looking at each of our respective trades we often get stuck within the boundaries of our companies. This can limit our abilities to utilize the information gathered from our competition. Examining the result of global competition on the relationship between management and labor was a slight more problematic to understand due to the fact that some employers do not use global competition in order to gauge the relationship between employees and the management group in some of our respective trades. We have never first hand had to use this tool to center on the relationships among employees because the individuals in our departments were hired by Human Resources based upon the circumstance that they understand there will be a good working relationship among everyone. After discussing this issue we as a group find it is important to protect and evolve this relationship between labor and management based on global competition. Sometimes the scale of competition may be between countries, regions, states, or even on much smaller scale cities. Important things we find must not be left out when analyzing this relationship are simple. For example, economics, technology, political, and traditions can lead to a success. Increase wages steadily and keeping benefits for workers is crucial. Working from within to achieve competitive advantages goes hand in hand with improvements for your employees. 3 key points are protecting wages, job security, and benefit gains. Our group now has a better understanding on how global completion can affect companies. This can be in a positive or negative way. Reaching international customers is the main goal. Maintain access to customers, communication, improve service, and the reduction of barriers is very important.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Paula Deen Example

Paula Deen Example Paula Deen – Essay Example PAULA DEEN             In various aspects of management, there are essential skills that are beneficial to managers. Paula Deen is a celebrity chef with vital expertise in cooking. Hard work is imperative in every activity in the world of business and Paula Deen’s skills and hard work are evident since she took over from her home business and expanded it to be better (Barrows & Powers, 2009). Moreover, the cooking business requires a focused individual who has the crucial skills to do a great job in the business. Managers like Paula Deen possess unique management expertise and skills, which enables them to act wisely and effectively in their management positions. Paula Deen is more than a cook with culinary, management, and interpersonal skills that, make her unique. Generally, chefs oversee the daily operations of every activity in a hotel. A chef is an expert who can alter and work through various menus and recipe. Hence, these individuals are planners and organizers in every aspect of management. Therefore, there are various skills, which are vital to managers in their daily operations. Even though individuals require motivation to work in the food industry, business skills are very important (Barrows & Powers, 2009). Communication skills are very essential to every hotel manager. Therefore, a chef like Paula Deen requires these skills to relate and collaborate well with the staff. A hotel usually hires and schedules staff that help in daily operations. Communicating effectively to others in the work place is an invaluable skill that is essential to every manager. Therefore, Paula Deen is an effective manager who is able to deal with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds. Hence, various organizational and coordination skills are important on the food and beverage industry besides cooking and serving. Paul Deen was a professional chef who exuded confidence, intellectualism and inherent leadership etiquette. As a chef possessing these skills, he was capable of engineering the development of the management’s operations. References Barrows, C. W., Powers, T. F., & Powers, T. F. (2009).  Introduction to management in the hospitality industry. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons Benfari, R. (2013).  Understanding and changing your management style: Assessments and tools for self-development. Hinman, B. (2012).  Paula Deen. Pittsburgh: Eldorado Ink.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Traditional Massages essays

Traditional Massages essays Ancient Massage or Thai Massage is an extraordinary method of aligning the energies of the body, and originates from the time of the Buddha. Nuad Phaen Boran as is it called in Thailand, correctly translates only as Ancient Massage or Traditional Massage. More widely known today as Thai Massage, it is also often called Traditional Thai Massage, Ancient Thai Massage and occasionally Yoga Massage or Thai Yoga Massage. In our web pages, we wanted to use only Ancient Massage to be faithful to the original appellation but had to change our mind and also use Thai Massage to be referenced correctly by the search engines. If we did not use the words "Thai Massage", who would have found us and the information we wanted to share with students, researchers and practitioners of this art. The Healing Hands Center offers training not only in Ancient Massage or Thai Massage but also in Yoga, Tai Chi, Reiki, and other healing arts by masters in these various disciplines. At the time of the Buddha, among the lay physicians, the most renowned was Jivaka Komarabhacca, who is described as providing free medical care to the Buddha and other monks and donating his mango grove at Rajagaha for use as a monastic community, named Jivakarama. Jivaka's fame as a healer was widely known and tales about his life and medical feats can be found in almost all versions of Buddhist scriptures. Concerning his interest in medicine and his medical education, in the Pali account, Jivaka, as he approached the age at which he must seek his own livelihood, decided to learn the medical craft. Hearing about a world-famous physician in Taxila, he traveled to that city, famous for education, to apprentice with the eminent doctor. After seven years of medical study, he took a practical examination that tested his knowledge of medical herbs, passed with extraordinary success, and, with the blessings of mentor, went off to practice medicine. In the Sanskrit-Tibetan version,...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Government Deficits and Public Debt Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Government Deficits and Public Debt - Term Paper Example The reverse is a negative deficit where the outstanding government debt falls. This negative deficit is referred to as a surplus. The borrowing by a specific government issues securities to the parties holding the IOU which lays down the terms of the amount borrowed. The total amount of these IOUs equals the total of the debt that the specific government has not paid. This includes all the amounts outstanding which are inclusive of interest to be paid and the principal amount. The government debt is unlike other private accounting procedures where debt is a measurement of assets and liabilities of a government. The changes in capital are measured by capital budgeting which takes into account assets and liabilities. Several types of debts that are given out by several different governments can be divided into several ways. One way of classifying this debt is according to the specific type of government issuing the IOU. In the case of the United States, there are several divisions of government which includes Federal, state, and the local debt. This debt can, however, be classified by the period it would take to mature from the date of issue, for example, a five-year bond. The government deficit is expressed in real values rather than nominal values. This is because using nominal values would result in an overstatement of debt that is required to cover the government deficit. Moreover, the size of this government debt is measured by the debt ratio and also government debt is measured as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product. A deficit occurs in a situation where government purchases and transfers which form the government spending exceed income in form of tax receipts. To cover the deficit in su ch a case, the government must borrow. The finances of most industrial economies by the end of World War 1 were never as they are present.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Leadership and Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership and Management - Term Paper Example On the other hand, the essence of leadership is to  bring  a change in peoples’ lives. Leaders might not have any  formal  authority  to do yet they maintain cordial  relationships with  people  and give credit where it is due. By doing this, they acquire a referent power (McConnell). Although, they are  good  with people, they have to  maintain  their remoteness to keep the  charisma  of  leadership  alive.  This somehow makes their work easy because remoteness gives them  opportunity  to ponder upon things, and  come  up with  great  ideas that encourage people to accomplish their tasks.  A leader has an  immense  impact on an  organization  because he is the  one who motivates people to  work, encourages them to  do  better than before, makes them look at the positive sides of things and indirectly contributes in the productivity of an organization. Steve Jobs comes to mind when one thinks of  leadership  t hat took an organization to soaring heights of success.  His  leadership  proved exemplary when he was fired from the  company that he founded  and instead of complaining about his loss, he started ‘Next’ which Apple Computers Inc.  ultimately  acquired.  His  perseverance  and innovation makes him a  phenomenal  leader  and his  company  an epitome of perfection. Another  great  leader who had a  vision, who believed that failures give us an opportunity to learn, who said when  you  strive for something big, there are people who will  ridicule  and try to  tear  dreams  apart, but audacity  will  decide  how long will one  go is none other than Bill Gates. An important mantra of Bill Gates is that success must never reach the head. No matter how high  you  go, there is always  chance  to learn more.  Bill Gates  showed  a  new  aspect  of  leadership  that it is not necessary to lead, mot ivate and guide others but first  lead  yourself, make yourself capable enough to make others  follow  you  voluntarily. People often  consider  management and  leadership  as  same, but a few differences separate the two. A  manager  typically takes care of what one is doing, whereas a leader motivates one to  do  something  new  (Linda K. Stroh, Neale and Langlands). A  manager  seeks short-term objectives, whereas a  leader  has long-term vision in his mind. A manager makes an employee do things where as a leader guides him to  achieve  it.  A  manager’s  concern  is to be right whereas, a leader tries to  know  what is  right.  For example, the military has to manage its assets  well  to exploit its  efficiency  however, at the time of war, the  military’s significant  duty  is to win the war regardless of assets required.  At that moment,  only a  good  leader can  mould  the sit uation in his favor and achieve victory.  Management  will not  work  here because it uses  long processes and analyses to reach a decision. Manger gives people money to  work,  on the other hand,  a  leader  gives them  excitement  and support.  A  manager  will only try to find out solutions whenever he confronts a problem but, a leader will try to  hear  the  noise  behind silence and  create  questions to  identify  the cause of the problem. I disagree with the idea that all managers are leaders because

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Faith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Faith - Essay Example Wills (2006) points out that faith meant something different then from what it means today. Ehrman (2005) is concerned with the separation of Christians and Jews on the grounds of faith as salvation and more important than law. Ludemann (2002) attempts to achieve a synthesis with Christ as the common meeting ground for the two religions. Grant (1976) notes that Paul’s labours were devoted to the equation of sin with the flesh, and hints at the early notions that later bore fruit in the Reformation whilst Muggeridge and Vidler (1972) seem to complete the circle with the return to the claim that by receiving Christ, one becomes justified and joins a community—the body of Christ. The Role of Faith in the First Century in the Justification of all Peoples before God The Apostle Paul has written a letter advising the Romans of his intention to visit on his way to Spain. An important theme of his letter concerns the role of faith as a unifying element in the deliverance of var ious peoples to what he sees as the supreme reality, Jesus Christ. In essence, he seeks a synthesis and detente that will include all citizens in the new monotheism. In Wills (2006) faith is equated with trust. God promotes people into partnership with Him through the Son. Also, Wills sees faith as meaning something very different in ancient times than what it connotes today. Then, faith meant belief in a person, not a dogma as in recent times. (Wills 2006, pp.183-184) The powerful personality of Jesus obviously had much influence on potential converts. Ehrman (2005)shows the division of faith in Rome at this time. To the Jews, Jesus was weak, and definitely not the Messiah. To them, the Romans had all the temporal power needed to dominate the world. The earliest Christians disagreed by asserting that Jesus was the Messiah and that His death was an act of God designed to bring salvation to the world. Indeed Paul claimed that salvation could come to Jews and Gentiles alike not by scr upulous adherence to the law but by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 10:3-4, New Jerusalem Bible). Here Paul delineates perhaps the main reason why the Jews would not recognise Jesus. Ehrman also notes that Paul held that the Jews were not justified by obedience to the law, and reminds Gentiles not to follow the law too closely but to remain as they are and to follow Jesus. Paul also believed that both faiths traced to Abraham—the â€Å"father of many nations.† His faith was surely put to the test, and Abraham was justified by this faith, for it guaranteed his salvation ( Ehrman 2005, pp. 188-189). Ludemann (2002) also agrees with Paul that salvation is achieved through Christ alone (Thessalonians 1:9-10). By having faith in Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles become members of a third group—both qualified and eligible-- to enter the new synthesis. There is a three step process as an admission requirement: first, faith in Jesus, then baptism as a rite and finally inclusion in the church as a social body (Ludemann 2002, p.154). Grant (1976) is focused more on the sub-theme of sin, and notes that the ancient Greeks had a different definition of it than did Paul. To them, sin was a consequence of ignorance, and a rational mind could nullify it through reason. Paul was obsessed with the concept of sin and linked it closely with that of flesh He seemed to think that men and women were predestined for sin (Grant 1976, pp.31-32). In this, there is a surprising foreshadowing of Calvinism many

Monday, October 28, 2019

Culture as a Determinant of Motivation Essay Example for Free

Culture as a Determinant of Motivation Essay Why is the study of Different Theories of Motivation important to managers? The World has changed at a very fast pace and will continue to do so. The view point that many prominent researchers had on motivation has also evolved with changing times. There has been a phenomenal change in the way organizations and individuals function in the twenty first century if we made a comparison with how organizations functioned back in the day. There is a significantly greater focus today on employee satisfaction, work life balance, cross cultural values, virtual teams and formal performance management processes to name a few. Globalization is one the key factors which has brought a prominent change in many organizational practices in the twenty first century. Hershey and Blanchard (1977) mentioned that â€Å"motives can be defined as needs, wants, drives or impulses within the individual which are directed towards goals which may be conscious or sub conscious†. Motivation has been defined by Robbins, Decenzo and Coulter (2011) as â€Å"motivation is the process by which a person’s efforts are energized, directed, and sustained towards attaining a goal â€Å" In this paper we will define motivation as the force which helps an individual focus on his immediate and long term goals and helps him run the extra mile. Also in this essay we will be focusing on the impact of culture on organizational behavior and the reasons why managers need to be aware of various motivational theories so that they are well equipped to handle this impact of culture change. Motivation is a very important tool that is not effectively utilized by managers. Motivation if used effectively can significantly improve the performance of teams and employees. It was thought earlier that motivation could be directed only by external factors, but it is now understood that every employee has his own set of motivators which if addressed correctly can significantly improve a manager and his team’s performance. It is the manager’s responsibility to correctly identify these motivating factors and take all steps possible to address them. But this is easier said than done. As observed in today’s environment there are many issues which create a hindrance for managers to motivate their respective teams. In most organizations because of the growing impetus of globalization and the fact that individuals from different cultures, ethnic backgrounds come on the same platform and work together, it is becoming increasingly difficult for managers to be on top o f these growing trends and continue to motivate their respective teams. It is very important for managers to understand how important the concept of culture plays in the way an employee thinks and behaves. Only when a manager is aware of the subtle changes in an individual’s behavior because of their cultural background, can he actually make a concentrated effort to analyze and evaluate methods to motivate that particular individual. Geert Hofstede’s (1980) theory of cultural dimensions describes how a particular society’s culture influences the behavior and values of individuals using a structure derived from factor analysis. This theory proposed four concepts on the basis of which cultural values could be evaluated; Individualism- collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, power distance and masculinity- feminity. As per Sledge, Miles and Coppage (2008) power distance is â€Å"the degree to which control and influence are distributed unequally in society†. In countries with high power distance it would not be recommended to give employees a lot of freedom with respect to their work. The employees would be more comfortable when they are abiding by a strict protocol and set guidelines and procedures whereas in countries with low power distance decentralization of power would be recommended where employees can be empowered and inspired to come up with creative ideas in their work. Countries like Venezuela and Malaysia are examples of nations which show High Power distance whereas Denmark and Great Britain are nations which show very low power distance. Sledge, Miles and Coppage (2008) defined the concept of individualism versus collectivism as â€Å"I and Me versus We and Us’†. Cultures where the beliefs are that one is responsible for his own decisions and the general tendency is to take care of only oneself and his own family are individualistic cultures. Collective cultures are those where people rely more heavily on groups and the general tendency is to take care of each other. Individualism is common in USA, Canada and mostly in the West whereas collectivism is more common in Pakistan, India and Brazil. In collective cultures promotions and appraisals are generally done on the basis of seniority, age and loyalty whereas in individualistic cultures appraisals are done only on the basis of merit. In countries where the culture is individualistic strong individual recognition and rewards would be very strong motivators. Sledge, Miles and Coppage (2008) expounded that uncertainty avoidance was â€Å"the degree of risk aversion†. Individuals from Countries with high uncertainty avoidance are generally very wary of ambiguous situations and they create beliefs and situations to increase their sense of security. They have very strong belief in experts and they generally arrive at decisions only with consensus of their entire group. Denmark and Great Britain are examples of low uncertainty avoidance cultures whereas Germany, Japan and Spain are examples of High Uncertainty avoidance countries. Sledge, Miles, and Coppage (2008) elucidated on masculinity versus femininity as â€Å"the desire for material possessions and recognition versus the desire for relationships and family† In masculine societies monetary rewards would make very good motivators whereas in predominantly feminine societies Flexible working hours or more time away from work for family would be very strong motivators. A feminine society is more concerned with family and personal relationships as against masculine societies where jobs are more or less gender based. Examples of such masculine cultures are China, Japan, Philippines, India, Bangladesh whereas examples of more feminine cultures are Thailand, Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia. Some researchers like William Ouchi (Theory Z) and Peters Waterman(Excellence theory) developed theories on the difference between management practices between Japanese and American business corporations . They firmly believed that most American and Japanese corporations functioned similar to the McGregor’s Theory X Theory Y where the American companies firmly believed that workers are generally unwilling to work and can be motivated only with economic benefits whereas the Japanese corporations were of the belief that the workers can be motivated by a sense of duty and loyalty. The major difference in the functioning of these organizations was also the fact the managers from the west which are predominantly individualistic cultures could not generally think about the bigger picture and this probably showed in the treatment of their employees. Hence the intrinsic factors of most employees were not catered to. Companies from the East like Japan which is a collective culture showed that managers used to generally behave with their workers like they were a part of a collective unit and this made the employees think about the companies as an extension to their individual self. This made them believe that money and economic benefits were not primary motivators. Such employees were motivated with other factors like by knowledge sharing, improving their self esteem, self respect, achievement, recognition and opportunities for more challenging work. Organizations need to pay utmost attention to the cultural and ethnic sentiments of their employees. Let’s say for instance Multinational Companies who have their setup in India also have to take many factors into consideration like the fact that every state in India has some festivals which have a very strong regional and cultural flavor. Organizations have to keep in mind that even within Cultures there are many sub cultures and the sentiments of the employees within these sub cultures also need to be taken care of. Like for instance in India in the state of Maharashtra the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is of very high cultural and emotional significance whereas in the state of Punjab Baisakhi as a festival is of very high importance. Organizations need to take these aspects also into consideration and keep a correct balance when they are deciding holidays for the employees in a particular culture or sub culture. If the management does not pay attention to the sentiments of their employees, this will send the wrong signals to their employees and they will be unable to identify themselves with the ideals of the company. In such situations motivating employees would become very difficult. Having seen the impact of culture on the behavior of employees and individuals it would be very advantageous for managers to understand the underlying and basic crux of motivation theories. These theories when used in the right context with employees will help motivate them and improve their performance. Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory of Motivation (1968) emphasizes on core job factors and distinguishes them into two categories Hygiene Factors and Motivational Factors. Herzberg further added that the Hygiene Factors like Pay, Company Policies, Fringe Benefits, Physical working conditions, Status, Interpersonal Relations, and Job Security were only factors that were extrinsic to the work environment and on ly prevented dissatisfaction. These factors never motivated individuals but only prevented the individuals from getting dissatisfied which might further lead to de-motivation. He further added that the motivational factors were intrinsic to an individual and were inherent in work. The motivational factors like recognition, Growth Opportunities, Responsibility, Leadership Quotient, and Meaningfulness of work were what were instrumental in creating satisfaction in an employee and motivating him. What is interesting to know is that in different cultures the motivators and hygiene factors are slightly different. In collective cultures sense of fulfillment and working towards company goal is considered far more important that individual pay and remuneration like in western cultures. Managers need to strike the right balance with employees to properly inspire them to perform better. In order to be able to do this they need to have sufficient background knowledge of the culture quotient of an employee along with certain theories of motivation which might be applicable to those employees. In recent times of financial crisis it has become even more important for managers to understand the key factors which can motivate their employees. Organizations in recent times have become hard pressed to offer economic benefits and rewards to their employees. In such situations it would a great advantage to managers if they have sufficient knowledge of motivation theories like the Equity theory of Motivation which states that every individual has an ingrained instinct to continuously evaluate what is it that he is gaining from the company with respect to what he investing in the company. Individuals also continuously compare themselves with their peers and colleagues. Such theories will help manages keep a right balance and ensure that certain factors which can give impetus to an employee’s dissatisfaction are sufficiently curtailed. They will then start focusing on improving an employee’s soft skills like interpersonal communication, instilling a sense of duty and loyalty towards the organization, making the employees strive for self improvement. Recognition and praise for good work will also be used more effectively used to motivate employees. The uses of motivation theories have become even more important as in most organizations virtual teams have become the order of the day. Employees work with their associates and colleagues whom they have never even met. It has become even more instrumental for managers to instill a sense of collectivism in their teams so that individuals working in a group can transform into a team in an actual sense. As per the survey done by Mckinsey(2010) it was found that most employees in organizations feel de motivated when they are unable to idolize themselves with the leadership of the company. It was also found that the many employees in the organization would feel even more motivated if they were offered a few words of praise from their boss. Like for instance if a manager appreciates the efforts of an employee who is a part of his virtual team whose first language is not English, this will really do wonders for that specific employee. All the small bits when put together make a collage. The study of motivation theories has now become of paramount importance to managers as they really need to understand that small bit which will motivate their team and their associates to do better than they actually can. This is what will separate a manager from a leader and will elevate the performance of a group of people to a team. Bibliography References * Hofstede, G. (1980). Motivation, Leadership, and Organization: Do American Theories Apply Abroad? Organizational Dynamics, 9(1), 42-63\ * Hersey P, Kenneth Blanchard (1977). Management of Organisational Behaviour. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall * Sledge, S., Miles, A. K., Coppage, S. (2008). What role does culture play? A look at motivation and job satisfaction among hotel workers in Brazil. International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 19(9), 1667-1682. doi:10.1080/09585190802295157 * Blackwell RJ, Miniard PW, Enrgel JF (2007). Consumer Behaviour, 9thed., Thomson Press, London. * Decenzo DA (2001). Fundamentals of Management: Essentials Concepts and Application. Prentice Hall, New Jersey. * Deresky H (2007). International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures (6th Edition). New Jersey; Prentice Hall * Koenigs, R. (1982). An Interview with Dr. William Ouchi. Training Development Journal, 36(3), 38 * Herzberg F (1968). ‘One more time: how do you motivate em ployee?’ Havard Business Review, Jan-Feb, 53-64 * Hofstede G (1991) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind.McGraw Hill. * Hofstede G (1980). Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Relate Values. Newbury Park CA: Sage. * Dewhurst, M., Guthridge, M., Mohr, E. (2010). Motivating people: Getting beyond money. Mckinsey Quarterly, (1), 12-15

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Modernism in The Metamorphosis

Modernism in The Metamorphosis The scientific and industrial revolution that affected Europe and the rest of the world in the nineteenth century was further developed with the arrival of the twentieth century. This century was marked with significant progress in sectors such as the sciences, philosophy, social theory, and the arts. However no other field has in my opinion seen such drastic changes as the literary field. Breaking away from literary movements of the other centuries such as romanticism or realism, authors of the modernism borrow from new ideas in anthropology, psychology, philosophy, political theory, psychoanalysis, and physics to create their works. In this essay we will study the impact of any of the above fields in creating a sense of disillusionment, fragmentation, or isolation in the particular work of Kafka called The Metamorphosis. The metamorphosis, as mentioned above, is a work of fiction written by Franz Kafka. After reading this story I can easily see why it has become so popular. Not only is it a great story, but it also stands out because of it use of philosophy and psychology as a way to explain certain human behaviors. The most of obvious concept that influenced Kafka in writing The Metamorphosis is Existentialism. Existentialism is a theory that became very popular during the nineteenth century and that asserts that any given choice will govern the later course of a persons life, and that the person has ultimate will over making choices. In the case of Kafka story, this translates first into solitude and alienation. The isolation and despair that Gregor experienced is obvious from the start. From the very first sentence of the story we notice this solitude. Gregor is lying on his bed in a shape of a gigantic insect and there is nobody around to help him. This theme of isolation is even more present in the rest of the story as we see that Gregor cant depend on anyone for support. He locks himself in his room when he is at home or on the road for business and doesnt go out to meet people. He doesnt have a girlfriend nor does he has friends to rely on in times of need. Instead he isolated himself from society. Another example of this alienation becomes apparent in his relationship with his family. Although he doesnt realize it, his relationship with them is not very good. By being the breadwinner of the family, Gregor leaves no room for his father to be the provider and the responsible one. At the same time he is trying to save money so he can send his sister to a conservatory where she can play violin but fails to discuss that idea with her. In his mind he think that the family is proud and happy with him, however the reality is different and the only thing he accomplishes is to alienate himself from them. Even though he takes care of them, they are still unhappy with him. Furthermore, the theme of isolation and alienation is present with the metaphor of the insect. I think that the reason why Kafka transform his main character into a this bug is to show us how helpless Gregor feels. His life as an insect is no different than his life as a human. Trying to communicate with his family as an insect is impossible and frustrating because all they hear are bug noises that scare them. They dont want him around because his appearance is shameful and they dont want to take care of him as he becomes more and more a liability to them. Throughout the whole story, Gregor is a stranger to everybody. His contact with society is minimal, and his alienation from his family becomes total with his transformation as an insect. The influence of existentialism on Kafkas metamorphosis doesnt only stop to the concept of alienation. The Metamorphosis is also about disillusionment. Besides being isolated, Gregor starts viewing the life as somehow absurd and futile. He cant seem to understand why things like this happen to a good human being like him. All he is trying to do is to make his family happy. He works at a job that he despises so that he can support his family that is having hard times. We can quote him saying: If I didnt have my parents to think about Id have given in my notice a long time ago, Id have gone up to the boss and told him just what I think, tell him everything I would, let him know just what I feel. Despite all this good he is doing, the tragedy of the metamorphosis befalls him and his family abandons him. As time passes by, Gregors disillusion grows bigger. His body falls into a state of despair due to abuse neglect and sickness. He carried threads, hairs, and remains of food about on his back and sides. He spent his days fantasizing about being normal and wondering why this was happening to him. One thing that really shows the influence of the Existentialist philosophy on Kafka is that he doesnt want us to feel bad for Gregor. Instead, the impression I get from reading this is that Kafka wants Gregor to find a meaning to his life even though he is in a bad situation. He should have stopped being depressed because of his family and his job and started living life for him first. If we follow Kafkas reasoning, we can assume that Gregors death is due more to the fact that he was disillusioned and depressed than to the fact that his physical health was deteriorating. To sum up, one can say that the Modernism movement brought forth new ideas to the world of literature and the Metamorphosis is a good example of that. As the world around them was evolving, author like Kafka and Camus looked for other sciences for inspiration and to explain some of the human behaviors. Existentialism provided them with a mean to convey their feelings, especially in regards to isolation, alienation, and the meaning of life in general. Nowadays, because of the quality of their works, they became household names not only in literature but also in other fields such as psychology.