Aristotles Political Ideal Essays - Ancient Greek Mathematicians

Aristotle's Political Ideal Aristotles Political Ideal It is not Fortunes power to make a city good; that is a matter of scientific planning and deliberative policy. Aristotle, along with most of the prominent thinkers of his time, theorized upon what the Ideal Political State would be and through what means it could be obtained. Aristotle wrote on this discussion of the Ideal State in books VII and VIII of The Politics. What Aristotle observed around him were the prevalent city-states of ancient Greece. It is commonly believed that he did not have a vision of the large nation-state and especially not such great federations as the United States and Russia. What Aristotle referred to when he spoke about state, is a limited sized city-state that is formed by the grouping of several villages. He also believed that a nation is too large for a state: his state was about the right size so that all members of the state could meet in a single assembly. Aristotles state was nearly self-sufficient so that the bare needs of life were met and continued for the sake of a good life for its people. This continuing prosperity for the sake of a good life is what Aristotle believes the goal of the ideal state should be. Aristotle said that life is best, both for the individuals and for the cities, which has virtue sufficiently supported by material wealth to enable it to perform the action that virtue calls for it. He feels that since man, as individuals, strives for happiness, then man, as a collective group, should strive for the happiness of the state. Since it is now established what the ideal state should aim for, we may begin at what and by the Ideal State is composed. The Ideal State, of which Aristotle thought of, has as its quality of land that which is most universally productive. This would include natural resources, such as wood and crops, so that the inhabitants of the cities would have adequate amounts of food and other resources in order to be self-sufficient. The Ideal State should be a size such as the citizens can live a life of a free man where he is adequately provided for, but not a life where he lives through a vice of extravagance. (Aristotle made a clear distinction as to who should and should not be a citizen of the state. His ideal state is certainly not a democratic one that enables all who live there to be a citizen.) The main city of the state should be positioned so that it is easily accessible from both sea and land. Aristotle also felt that walls and other such defensive protections should guard the town itself. The defenders of the town must always seek additional means of defense by the aid of scientific inquiry. He beli eved that the proper positioning of the city between sea and land will give way to three distinct advantages: first it will be equally well-placed for the operations in all direction; also it will form and entrepot for the receipt of incoming foodstuffs; and it will have access to timber and other raw materials the land may be able to produce. Aristotles Ideal State should be situated in such a place so that it would be hard for an enemy to attract and easy for an expeditionary force to depart from. The city should be developed on a slope. This will allow for good health when combined with being faced east, with the winds blowing from the direction of the sunrise. The town should be organized in a quincunx (the same pattern used to plant vines), and make sure that the whole city is not laid out in geometric intervals. This will allow for both safety and good appearance of the city. Plato, in his Republic, expressed a great disapproval of seaports, navies, foreign trade, and foreign travel in his writings on the political ideal. Aristotle on the other hand felt that seaports are a necessary part of the Ideal State. He believed that it was necessary for people to import things that they do not produce themselves, and export those products of which they have a surplus. Aristotle explained that the Ideal State

The Krupp Family History essays

The Krupp Family History essays The famous Krupp family of Germany has a long and at times controversial history. The history of the family can be traced to the early 15th Century but the family is more historically well - known as the originators of the first major steel-works in Germany in 1811. (Biography: Krupp) This was to develop and in a relatively short period the company had become the largest in the world and a leading supplier of armaments. (Biography: Krupp) Since the late1800s Krupp was seen as a major manufacturer of weapons as well as being characterized by a ....deadly collaboration between the giant industrial complex and the military in Germany and elsewhere, so characteristic of modern warfare. (Biography: Krupp) It should be noted that the history of the family was not always related to armaments. Krupp was recognized in the late 1800s as a major supplier in the world of railroad equipment. Other industrial achievements include that fact that in1862 ...Krupp pioneered the Bessemer process on the Continent and introduced the open-hearth method of steel casting in 1869. (Biography: Krupp) The modern history of the Krupp familys stance towards unions and workers can be clearly seen in the period before and after the First World War. In the early 1900s workers in the Krupp Company were comparatively well treated in a paternalistic system that offered many benefits. This approach to the company occurred under the management of Alfred Krupp. Under his guidance the vertical "mixed company" approach was introduced which meant that other mining, power and transportation concerns were added to the company. During this period Alfred Krupp ....introduced several significant welfare services (health insurance, pension fund, housing), which later served as models for Bismarck's social legislation. (Biography: Krupp) Workers lived in company housing and were also ...mobilised in company unions...&q...

Business Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Strategies - Essay Example This essay discusses ways to develop and execute different Business Strategies. In the process of developing a Business Strategy the firm uses its competencies to gain, sustain and enhance its strategic or competitive advantage. The source of competitive advantage for any business operating in an industry arises from the skillful use of its core competences. A combination of organizational behavior and resources ultimately leads to the development of capabilities that a firm used to build competencies. These competencies are used to gain a competitive advantage against rivals in an industry. Competitive advantage results in above average returns to the company. Businesses need a set of strategies to secure competitive advantage. The concept of strategies is not consensual in nature and has significantly evolved during the past decades, influencing the development of business strategy theories. In literature, it is usually considered that one can distinguish four main theoretical appr oaches to business strategies. These business strategy theories can be grouped into four main approaches: 1. Classical; 2. Evolutionary; 3. Processualist; and 4. Systemic. All these approaches are covered in this essay as well as concepts developed by the main thinkers associated with these four main approaches: Chandler, Ansoff, Porter, Cyert & March, Mintzberg, Pettigrew, Hannan & Freeman, Williamsons, Granovetter, Whitley. This essay also states that the nature of the power balance within organizations is an important consideration when discussing strategy development. ... According to Mintzberg (1998), strategy emerges from a pragmatic process of learning and adaptation. |in fact, the focus of this approach is the enterprises internal resources and their capacity to generate the firms' competitive advantage. This implies that strategy is all about long term construction and consolidation of distinctive internal competences. In the same way evolutionary strategies theories during 1980's state that environment is normally unpredictable to anticipate effectively and hence future oriented planning becomes unrealistic. It is the market which makes the important choice not the managers as established by the classical approach. For long term survival basically depends on best strategy which concentrates on maximizing chances of survival. The only real comparative advantage is relative efficiency; hence managers must concentrate on cost leadership. In 1990's the systemic approach emerges, taking the relativist position and considering that the objectives and practices of strategy depends on the cultures and powers of the respective local systems. Strategies may pursue objectives other than profit maximization if their social background frames other interests for them (e.g. personnel pride, managerial power, excellence). In this view, the parameters that guide strategy drive not so much from human cognitive bounds as from the cultural rules of the local society. As a result companies from different systems have different strategies i.e. strategies vary according to socio-political-economic systems & geographical locations. Almost all the strategies basically focus on private organizations and on competitive markets and consider profit maximization as their ultimate aim of strategy

Vulnerable Population and Healthcare Research Paper

Vulnerable Population and Healthcare - Research Paper Example Health care is therefore one of the most growing industries now. Institutes in the field have realized that the only way they can deliver effective services to those in needs is through first singling out the needy from the general sample and then personally taking the aid to them. This paper examines drug addicts as a vulnerable group and sees how the personal biases and attitudes of the healthcare professionals affect the delivery of the services. Drug addicts are one of the most vulnerable groups of individuals in dire need of help in all stages of their susceptibility (Chesnay, 2006). Many people view drug addiction as a lowly, self-harming habit with no hopes of recovery. However, nothing can be further from truth. Drug- addiction is more of an ailment, a chronic disease in which a patient keeps relapsing into the pursuit and in-take of harmful drugs that, to him, soothe his nerves and calm his body. It is true that the first doze is more of an outside-in process and depends on the will of the person completely, the subsequent changes in the physiology of brain makes it very difficult for the addict to quit and urges him to impulsively continue with the menace. However, treatments are now available to help these addicts recover from their addiction gradually and more successfully. As modern researches reveal, a good combination of medicinal and behavioral therapy can lead to a much better and quicker treatment of the problem. In addition, personalized treatments, which are, customized to the needs and attitudes of individual patients, make the recovery process quicker and less painful than it normally is. The demographics of drug addicts is rather interesting and at some instances, surprising. For instance, â€Å"in 2003, the rate of dependence on substance for youths between the ages of 12 and 17 years was 8.9% and that between the people of ages between 18 and 25 is 21% â€Å"(Wolf, 1998). In particular, â€Å"58.1% of the young drug addicts depend on illicit drugs while the ratio in adults is 37.2%. In 2003 only, males were twice as prone to substance-dependency as women† (Wheeler, 2006). However, in youths below 18 years of age, the substance abuse in both the genders was almost the same. Ethnically speaking, the dependency on substance is highest amongst â€Å"Native Americans and the Natives of Alaska, i.e. around 17.2%† (Wheeler, 2006). Second to this are â€Å"Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders with 12.9%. Asian Americans come last with 6.3%† (Wheeler, 2006). Contrary to popular belief, blacks have lower substance dependency rates than â€Å"Hispanics and whites, 8.1 percent as compared to 9.8 and 9.2 percent, respectively†. The dependency on drugs also differs in various age brackets. In 2003 only, there were â€Å"3.8% drug addicts in the range of 12-13 years, 10.9% drug addicts in the range of 14 to 15 years and 19.2% drug addicts† (Wheeler, 2006) in the range of 16 to 17 years of a ge. The illicit drug use also follow the same graph with ascending slope in the teens, peak at 20 years of age and then a gradual decline after that. Personally speaking, this research opened up some new dimensions of thinking. Earlier, drug addicts came around just as another marginalized group of people whom one should never be friends with. They usually confront stereotypes of being dangerous and unfriendly or homeless. Drug addiction is also paired with assault,

Strategies to increase teamwork among nurses Essay

Strategies to increase teamwork among nurses - Essay Example Nurses just as any other category of human resource requires appropriate motivation in order to encourage productivity. Nurses are important in improving the quality and fidelity of medical services (Mu?ller, 2010). The fact that they interact with humans makes their services vital for the growth and sustenance off the society. This implies that they require appropriate management in order to encourage productivity thus the improvement of the quality of health services. Key among the motivational factors employable to nurses is teamwork as discussed in the essay below. Teamwork is a scenario in which all the employees works as a completely unified entity, in situations where people work as a team, every individual undertakes specific tasks that complements the work of the other. This way, the entire organization becomes a system in which the efforts of every individual results in the unified good and efficient service delivery. Depending on the size of a health facility, the number o f nurses would vary. However, the teamwork concept would help develop a formidable and efficient team of nurses who deliver high quality services to their patients. This makes teamwork an essential asset to managers of health facilities. By developing such a staff, a manger rests assured of an efficiently functioning heath facility as every nurse would complete their assignment in time and show concern for each other in the organization. While such sounds ideal and desirable by every manager, the daunting tasks is the creation and sustenance of teamwork among a group of nurses. Key among the most efficient ways of developing effective team works in a group of nurses in a health facility is the development of effective management. The management of an organization is always the pace setter in the organization. They develop the nature of the work place often building specific organizational cultures that influence the productivity of the rest of the staff. This makes the management of a health facility fundamental in the development of teamwork and a group of nurses at the organization (Thomas, 2009). The management acts as a motivational factor thus influencing the development of the staff. Additionally, an effective management apportions every department appropriate resources thus determining the nature of the work place for most of the nurses thereby influencing their ability to work efficiently as a team. A staff that functions as a team operates efficiently and undertakes all their tasks within the appropriate time. Team building is an integral part of management. A key step in developing a team among the staff members is the elevation of the work environment. Nurses require specific work environments. The management must influence the nature of the organization in order to improve the suitability of the work place. The development of teamwork is a management responsibility that involves the determination of the best management features that will endear to the nurses thereby making them love both their jobs and their colleagues. This implies that teamwork is attitudinal and the management must appeal and influence the attitudes of the nurses in order to develop teamwork in the health facilities. Communication leadership is one way of facilitating the development of teamwork in health facilities among the nurses. The management of the facilities must exhibit competence leadership thereby determining appropriate ways of communication at the facilities. This compels the management to heed the

Performance appraisals in improving employee performance

Performance appraisals in improving employee performance All organization faces the problem of directing the energies of their staff to the task of achieving organization goals and objectives. In doing so, organization need to devise means to influences and channel the behavior of their contributions. Performance appraisals constitute one of the major management tools employed in this process. This is based on the perception of an individuals performance in a job is improved by having definite goals, feedback about their performance and complemented by an appropriate reward system. Therefore, performance appraisal are been implemented. Performance appraisals are used in nearly all organization in worldwide. Corporations use different tools and have a number of goals for performance appraisal often resulting in some confusion as to the true purpose of performance appraisal systems. However, it is core because it allows an organization to measure and evaluate an individual employees behavior and accomplishment over a specific period of time (DeVries et al, 1981). There are many advantages in using performance appraisal in facilities organizational decision employees decision such as reward allocation, promotion or demotions, layoffs or recalls and transfers (Murphy and Cleveland, 1995). It also assists manager to develop employees. Additionally performance appraisal may increase employee commitment and satisfactions due to improvements in organization communication. The outcomes of performance appraisal are in the form of work performance, affective organizational commitment and turnover intention are very crucial to support the overall growth of an organization. According to business dictionary, Performance Appraisals define as a process by which a manager or consultant and evaluates an employees work behavior by comparing it with present standards, documents the result of the comparison and uses the results to provide feedback to the employee to show where improvements are needed and why. Performance Appraisals are employed to determine who needs what training, and who will be promoted, demoted, retained or fired. Besides that, the employees merit like initiative, dependability, and personality to compare with others and ranked or rate base on their performances. Although the performance appraisal is very importance for every kind of organization, it does have several functions. The primary purpose of performance appraisal is to justify the individual performance most often through (1) Clarifying job requirement and standards. (2) Providing feedback to the employee regarding his or her progress toward meeting these standards (3) guiding future performance by formulating an action plan and allocating rewards and opportunity. The purpose of providing feedback is to improve performance in the future for employees and team leaders. Managers able to get valuable information from their staff regarding about the employee and it will help the employee to make their jobs more productive. This process can go through by providing feedback in performance appraisals work units can identify problems that interfere with everyones and take steps to rectify them. Besides that, it also provides an opportunity to discuss strength and resolution of performance deficiencies of an employee. By this, it will allow the employees to move in his/ her direction. The employers promote a positive attitude, advancement and motivation to make the employee to understand their own special potential and find the roles which they really fit well. This also helps the employee to develop as a whole-person which is an important aspect of modern corporate responsibility. The advantage of it is the employment market in which all employers com pete to attract the best recruits and to retain the best staff. Second purpose of performance appraisal is to guide future performance by formulating an action plan and allocating rewards and opportunity. This is where the action plan put into place. The employee should be given time frame for the implementation of the plan in the future. So that the employee can spelled out completely and know what actions should be taken and when it should implement. The organization should inform the employee regarding the plan. Therefore the employee know what is to be accomplished, once the implementation of the plan. Besides that the manager and employee should communicate on a regular basis to discuss the effectiveness of the plan. Therefore, the business moves one step closer to the achievement of their set goal and objectives. This also helps to maintains record of workers that are legally viable which can protect the business when dealing in cases of dismissals and demotions. Importance of performance Appraisal The need of the performance appraisal system is mainly to find out the area of strengths and weakness of the employees. These strengths and weakness are studied by the HR managers carefully and are discussed with the employees the time of the appraisal. The performance appraisal process involves setting of performance standards which can help the comparison of the performance of all the employees. Communication of these standards to all the employees of the company is also one of the most crucial processes in the performance appraisal process. Performance measurement is a process which taken time and lot of efforts on part of the senior management of the organization. At many places, marks or grades are given to the employees by comparing their actual employee performance with the desired performance. Performance appraisal strengths and weakness can help employees conduct a reality check on them and improve their performance. The last step in the performance appraisal process is that of decision making in which the employees are given sufficient time to learn new technologies, be more efficient, increase their working speed and improve the quality of their work. The performance appraisal methods adopted by companies can differ depending on their needs. In many organizations, the feedback on job performance is ambiguous or is given annually as a ritualistic exercise. Many subordinates therefore haven trouble in gasping how their efforts are perceived by the organization. Almost everyone who has worked at a job can remember times when they were unclear on how their performance was being judged. The annual performance appraisal system tends to serve only a little purpose such as salary administration, training and succession planning, but this is not the sole objective of performance appraisal. These objectives will only dilute and weaken the clarity and validity of any appraisal system. Most organization ties the formal appraisal system directly to salary increase, which decrease their validity. Performance appraisal systems are important for organization because it proper enforcement of personal decisions, help works as control device and also give guide the employee development. Performance appraisals provide employee and manager w ith opportunities to discuss areas in which employees excel and those in which employees need improvement. Performance appraisal should be conducted on a regular basis and they need not be directly attached to promotion opportunities. Performance appraisal is importance in term of personal attention because during the review, supervisor and an employee discuss the employees strengths and weakness. This give an opportunity for the employee personally face the supervisor and able to address personal concerns. Besides that, it also importance to communicate about the divisional and also company goal. These help the management to communicate with employee regarding about goal of the company and also highlight the way in which the employees can participate in the achievement of those goals. Benefit of appraisal Most significant benefit of performance appraisal is conducted properly by both supervisors and subordinates have reported the experiences as beneficial and positive. Many supervisor avoid administering performance reviews because the fear of criticizing their employees and also the paperwork. Employees also fear because of negative feedback, being refused a raise or punished for issues out of their control. But appraisal offers a valuable opportunity to focus on work activities and goals, to identify and correct existing problems and to encourage better future performance. Thus the performance of the whole organization is enhanced. Performance appraisal benefits the employee in (1) increased employee productivity and (2) improve areas of weakness. Increased employee productivity Supervisors use performance appraisals to help employees to get a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities within the framework of the company goals. When the employees know that they are an integral component to the overall performance of the company, they will feel more accountable with their duties. Therefore, the supervisor can accurately identify their weaknesses and assist employees in improving and also able to increase the productivity of the employee. Improve areas of Weakness Performance appraisals can expose employees weaknesses and enables them to improve for further career development. Employees have to use the feedback to expand their skill base and focus on areas that need coaching and education. Motivate employees Performance appraisal enables supervisors to formally recognize the achievements and contributions of their employees. The appreciation which receives from subordinates help to increased retention of highly productive employees. During the performance appraisals, supervisor may use incentives such as raises and promotions to motive the employees. For management, performance appraisals bring out the key and non-key performers. The management then takes steps to hone the key performers and develop the non-key into putting in their best. Performance appraisals identify the areas where training and development are needed. This is to expose their weakness and enable them to improve for future career development, if an employee desires to become a manager, yet leadership are lacking, performance reports reveal this incompetency. Employees use review to expend their skill base and focus areas that need coaching and education. This is to assist employees in deciding if they are in the industry that matches their values and personality. Besides that it helps the management to generate idea for improvement. How to improve employee performance Implementing employee appraisal is an important responsibility for a company manager and supervisor. Employees are highly praised for their contribution and given constructive ways to improve the area that are still being learned. Therefore, well designed appraisal systems can strengthen good relationships between supervisors and employees. To improve the appraisal system, there are several ways such as (1) a collaborative approach, (2) Clear objective, (3) Focus on observable behavior (4) Avoid personal feedback. A collaborative approach If both supervisor and employees help to develop the appraisal system, they are likely to endorse it. Therefore, the collaborative approach has several advantages. The appraisal system is likely to be accepted and endorsed by both supervisor and employees since it was created by their peers. Besides that, the actual appraisal form will probably be more meaningful and appropriate since it directly reflects the objectives of their peers. In addition, performance dimensions are tailored to the organization and are clearly defined in appropriate terms. The policies and procedures take into account organizational objectives and concerns. Clear objective In formal performance appraisal system there will be two objectives that compete during the appraisal process. Firstly is to provide feedback to the employees. This is to help the employees to develop themselves and improve their performance. Secondly is to document the performance and to communicate and support administrative decisions about salary increase, promotions, and transfers. Therefore, an effective appraisal system is to focus on one objective during the interviews. These help the supervisor to conduct the interview to improve performance as often as necessary for the benefit of employees, supervisors and the organization as a whole. Focus on observable behavior In appraisal process, discussion between supervisor and employee is most important. In this process, supervisor are not been trained to handle the interview with their employees. The main reason why this process is importance because it help the employees to understand and use the feedback to develop themselves and improve their performance in future. If the feedback it not clear, then it will be difficult for the employee to understand. Avoid personal feedback In all appraisal form contain a section on employee strengths and weaknesses where supervisors comment about the employees aptitudes and qualities that will contribute to or interfere with an employees job performance. In the form, the supervisor need to rate the employees on the personal traits such as maturity, attitude and personality. The problem arises when the supervisor gives feedback to their employees. The employees often become suspicious when they receive general comment such as rate between 3 on a 5 point scale of maturity or poor interpersonal skill. This type of feedback are often disagree by the employees because the characteristic being evaluated are not directly observed. The supervisor does not see the initiative, aptitude, maturity or even job knowledge and interpersonal skill of the employees but they see in a large number of individual behavior form they infer traits and aptitudes. The supervisors who evaluate their employees in these vague, subjective terms may find themselves in court defending their performance appraisals against charges of EEO violations and discrimination against women and minorities. Summary To summarize, performance appraisal should be viewed as a beneficial process within the context of an effective systems of personnel management. It should be accepted as a normal management responsibility to review the performance of all employees and for all managers to discuss performance with their subordinates on a regular basis. Performance appraisal can be an effective tool if they are used in a constructive and motivating manner. The appraisal should target specific areas of weakness and strength. It is importance for employees to know the areas where they are under performing as well as the categories where they excel. A performance appraisal should be a well-though out instrument designed to bring about a desired behavior. When you communicate with an employee using a performance appraisal, it provides an opportunity for clarification of any discrepancies. Those elements will help to ensure that performance appraisal conducted in any organization will yield the desired benef its and be more readily accepted by all concerned.

Media Bias and Concentration Essay -- Politics Political Television TV

Media Bias and Concentration After witnessing a hotly contested election and the massive amounts of campaigning done by both parties in effort to inform the public and reach as many voters as possible, one question still remains poignant: Where do we get our information? The myriad landscape that is the media today, can be accessed from almost anywhere, and has, in many ways, entrenched itself in American culture, replacing what used to be standard outlets of information. Television and print news have long dominated the average American household in terms of being used to access information, but new outlets, like the internet and film have grown into major ways in which people learn about what is happening in the world. The emergence of so many varied sources of information, however, and the ever-growing accessibility of unchecked information raises a different question; not so much the source of our information but rather, what is the quality of the information we are getting? Mass media has long had an influe nce on society and an in depth look at its most popular forms today would most definitely reveal several glaring inequities in the way TV networks, print media, and internet websites communicate information. Many media sources are slanted, one way or another, in their views and coverage of people and events. Everette Dennis once stated that objectivity is what sets apart American mass media from the rest of the world and is one of the most important precepts of American journalism (103). In present times, however, media that provides completely impartial analysis of the facts is either hard to find, or deemed incredible. The fact of the matter is that in a large portion of mass media outlets what is best described as obj... ...lt;http://www.consortiumnews.com/2002/111302a.html>. Population Explosion InternetNews. 2 Dec. 2004 . Posters from WWII. San Jose State University. 2 Dec. 2004 . Sinclair Broadcast Group refuses to broadcast Nightline episode on fallen soldiers. Center for Media & Democracy. 1 Dec. 2004 . Taylor, Philip M. Munitions of the mind. New York City: Manchester UP, 2003. 315-318. The Big Ten. The Nation. 2 Dec. 2004 . Top News Sites. American Press Institute. 21 Nov. 2004 . Why Not? Personal Computer Services. 2 Dec. 2004 .

Brief Narrative Essay

Do you remember how our parents often tell us that age old adage of â€Å"Don’t judge a book by its cover† ? Have you ever noticed how, although we know that we are not supposed to do that, we still do it anyway? I have the guts to admit that I am guilty of judging my fellowman at least once. In fact, when I was in grade school, I had misjudged one of my classmates simply because of the way she looked and her station in life because I listened to and believed in the rumors that our classmates had spread about her.This girl was known to have been raised by two spinster aunts since her birth so her ways and mannerisms in public was not that of people her age. In fact, if we did not have her for a classmate, we could have sworn that she was home schooled. She possessed an aloof attitude, sometimes seemingly eccentric and weird in her ways as well. She never hung around after classes and always seemed in a hurry to go home. She simply had no time to socialize and was irrita ted when forced to stay late at school.So we all determined that she was either abnormal or just plain weird. She was a quiet person who usually kept to herself and could often be found in the library reading up on the days lessons or just reading the available newspapers and magazines. We laughed at her often because even though she was a voracious reader, she was terrible in the Math and Science area of lessons. We had known her since pre-school and knew that she had started failing those subjects when we were in grade 3.She was the butt of all the in-jokes and we gave her no respect at all when we spoke to her. We considered her the class clown and mascot because no matter what we seemed to do to her, she could simply ignore. We considered her a challenge whom we had to break down and make cry. Then one day in English class, we were assigned to pair up and do some role playing activity. A unanimous groan went through the classroom when the girls name was announced. All of us were dreading the possibility of being stuck with her for a partner.We were convinced that it would only mean a disaster for whoever was paired with her. We had 2 weeks to work together and come up with a properly enacted and costumed scene from one of Shakespeare’s plays. I dreaded having to work with her because the class made such a big deal out it by ribbing me in public about how I did not have a prayer of getting a passing grade in the project because of my partner. She made one request of me during our partner meeting in class.Could we do the rehearsals at her house instead? She had to stay home whenever possible she explained, because her elderly aunts needed help around the house and she was worried that something might happen if she left them alone. I found this of interest, an open invitation to come over to her house and see where she lived and how she lived would be my chance to understand what made her the way she was and also confirm or deny any of the rumors float ing about in school regarding her and her home life.On my first day of practice with her, I met her very accommodating aunts who thought of me as their nieces friend from school. They were glad that she finally brought a friend over to the house because she was a lonely young woman who just spent her days reading and fussing over them. I did not have the heart to tell them I was no friend of hers. But as the days of our rehearsals progressed, I got to know her and her family better and I realized how wrong we were to have judged her just because we did not understand why she was different.If only we took the time to actually talk to her instead of tease her, we would have understood that she was really a very caring and loving person who recognized her responsibilities in life and made extra efforts to insure that she could do what was expected of her properly. Due the school activity, I came to realize that she was a special girl. She was the kind of person whom one took the time t o get to know and nurture as a friend. I decided that I would continue to befriend her regardless of what the rest of the school thought of her.Guess what, now that I am in high school, most of my grade school friends have disappeared. But this girl has remained a true and steadfast friend to me all this time. And I have helped her come out of her shell and become more sociable. True, the bad rep that was spread about her is still mentioned from time to time. But at least, I helped her get to know some other people who could really be a true friend to her. Just like I am. Truly, â€Å"one cannot judge a book by its cover† and first impressions could be wrong. Just look at how wrong I was in this situation.

The Masterpeices Of Art As We Know It †Western Art Essay

The Masterpeices Of Art As We Know It – Western Art Essay Free Online Research Papers The Masterpeices Of Art As We Know It Western Art Essay When discussing masterpieces of art, the majority of people tend to think of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh or Pablo Picasso, all of whom excelled in their specific area or medium. However, most masterpieces do not simply show a refined skill in applying the medium to canvas or accurately portraying a certain subject matter- the work I have chosen as a â€Å"masterpiece† is Paul Gauguin’s â€Å"Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?† (Fig. 1), an oil on canvas image, depicting the three major stages of life. For me to consider a work of art a â€Å"great† art piece, it must force me to see something from a new and unusual perspective, or provoke me to think about some aspect of reality I have been ignorant of. The iconography, medium and style of Gauguin’s painting may not be held in the same level as Leonardo da Vinci’s â€Å"Mona Lisa† or even Michelangelo’s â€Å"David†, but any work of art that is able to communicate a message so effectively without words and still visually appeal to the viewer proves that the artist did not simply set out to paint a â€Å"pretty picture†. Gauguin’s painting can be appropriately broken into three parts- read from right to left (although it is not a continuous narrative because it does not illustrate a story)- the first section including a baby and three young women, which can be assumed to depict the first question, â€Å"Where Do We Come From†. In the center stands a youth picking a fruit from the tree of knowledge and a fair woman pondering in the distance, as these two figures seem to be questioning their existence and desire answers to life’s mysteries, suitable to be titled â€Å"What Are We†. The last section of the painting, which portrays the last question, â€Å"Where Are We Going† shows two figures, an old woman nearing death, and a mature woman also questioning her future. The dark colors of the picture seem gloomy and uninviting, and made me think about Gauguin’s mental state at the time he completed this picture. The entire mood of the painting, including the title , show Gauguin as a suicidal artist, unappreciated and ignored by the masses, as he inquires about the meaning of life and even what the future holds for him. I have to admit that Gauguin’s application of color may not seem as â€Å"neat† as previous oil painters, with him utilizing patches of color that appear slightly smeared or blotched onto the canvas. And whereas some oil painters are able to create a smooth surface effect, it seems that Gauguin has purposely completed his picture appearing very crude, with either the texture of the canvas or the numerous layers of paint seeping through. Since oil paint is usually not opaque, it also seems that Gauguin has not bothered to blend any of the shadows or lights, leaving fairly distinct borders between the various colors, for example, the green shadows on the yellow flesh are almost inhumane, due to the fact they do not appear to blend or truly create any sort of dimension on the human figure. But the way Gauguin has applied his paint and color is simply characteristic of his style, and at this point in his life, 1897, he had been heavily influenced by the Tahitian atmosphere in which he had been living in for the past few years, and there is clearly a Tahitian feeling in the image. There is a steady balance between warm and cool colors, and a decent balance between the lights and darks, although the contrast between the latter is quite distinct and force the viewer’s eyes to leap around the painting. Moreover, Gauguin was a post-impressionist, and has placed more emphasis on the form and structure of his figures, all of which are very curvaceous and round. His subject matter is also one of timelessness, not a single moment captured in an image, and is a painting that cajoles the viewer to ask himself those very questions in the title. This painting in particular is not one of my favorite works of art, specifically due to the color application and style, but I am more attracted to its message rather than aesthetic values. There is no one definition as to how a work of art can be called a â€Å"masterpiece†, but I feel that art should not simply appeal to the eye, but also to the mind, and if any piece of art forces its audience to contemplate issues that people have been increasingly ignorant of throughout the years, as well as question the artist’s objective in utilizing a certain style, medium or array of colors, can be considered a masterpiece, and Gauguin’s painting has accomplished all of the above mentioned. Research Papers on The Masterpeices Of Art As We Know It - Western Art EssayHip-Hop is ArtAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementWhere Wild and West MeetMind TravelThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsThe Spring and AutumnHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaBringing Democracy to Africa

Definition of the Bona Fide Occupational Qualification

Definition of the Bona Fide Occupational Qualification A bona fide occupational qualification, also known as BFOQ, is a characteristic or attribute required for a job that could be considered discrimination if it were not necessary to perform the job in question, or if the job were unsafe for one category of people but not another. To determine if a policy in hiring or job assignment is discriminatory or legal, the policy is examined to ascertain whether the discrimination is necessary to the normal business operation and whether that category denied inclusion is uniquely unsafe. Exception to Discrimination Under Title VII, employers are not allowed to  discriminate  on the basis of sex,  race, religion,  or national origin. If religion, sex, or national origin can be shown to be necessary for the job, such as hiring Catholic professors to teach Catholic theology at a Catholic school, then a BFOQ exception can be made.  Ã‚  The BFOQ exception does not permit discrimination on the basis of race. The employer must prove that the BFOQ is reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the business or whether the BFOQ is for a unique safety reason. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) extended this concept of BFOQ to discrimination  based on age. Examples A restroom attendant can be hired taking into account sex because the users of the restroom have privacy rights.  In 1977, the Supreme Court upheld the policy in a male maximum security prison requiring guards to be male. A women’s clothing catalog could hire only female models to wear women’s clothes and the company would have a BFOQ defense for its sex discrimination. Being female would be a bona fide occupational qualification of the modeling job or an acting job for a specific role. However, hiring only men as managers or only women as teachers would not be a legal application of a BFOQ defense. Being a certain gender is not a BFOQ for the vast majority of jobs. Why Is This Concept Important? BFOQ is important to feminism and women’s equality. Feminists of the 1960s and other decades successfully challenged stereotypical ideas that limited women to certain professions. This often meant reexamining ideas about job requirements, which created more opportunities for women in the workplace. Johnson Controls Supreme Court decision:  International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) v. Johnson Controls, 886 F.2d 871 (7th Cir. 1989) In this case, Johnson Controls denied certain jobs to women but not to men, using the bona fide occupational qualification argument.  The jobs in question involved exposure to lead that could harm fetuses; women were routinely denied those jobs (whether pregnant or not). The appellate court ruled in favor of the company, finding that the plaintiffs had not offered an alternative that would protect a womans or a fetus health, and also that there was not evidenced that a fathers exposure to lead was a risk to the fetus. The Supreme Court held that, on the basis of the Pregnancy Discrimination in Employment Act of 1978 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the policy was discriminatory and that ensuring fetal safety was at the core of the employees job performance, not essential to be employed in the work of making batteries.  The Court found that it was up to the company to provide safety guidelines and inform about risk, and up to workers (parents) to determine risk and take action. Justice Scalia in a concurring opinion also raised the issue of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, protecting employees from being treated differently if pregnant. The case is considered a landmark for womens rights because otherwise so many industrial jobs could be denied to women where there is a risk to fetal health.

Cooperative Bank A Case of Corporate Restructuring Essay

Cooperative Bank A Case of Corporate Restructuring - Essay Example The paper tells that troubles that may threaten the very existence of an organization can affect all types of organizations, irrespective of size, brand name or type of industry. Some companies that experience extreme difficulties usually seek to apply for insolvency. A larger percentage of companies in the world at the moment are facing strategic issues, liquidity issues and outcome issues. Before an organization applies for insolvency, it usually passes through the three crisis stages. The first is the strategy crisis in which the company is unable to meet its strategic goals or attain long-term success potential. The second stage is the decline of the company’s market share in its respective index. Finally, if the company fails to implement the required corrective actions, its profitability goals will not be met and the company sinks into an earning crisis. In an impending disaster is identified in a timely manner, corrective actions can be undertaken to ensure the company stays afloat. Corporate restricting can also take place due to a change in the ownership structure, demerger or a reaction to company troubles or major business changes such as a buyout. The main purpose of restructuring management is to ensure that a given company under crisis survives in the short term and to reclaim the company’s competitiveness. Corporate restructuring, mainly relies on the zero-sum game. The process of restructuring decreases financial losses and in the process lowering tensions between debt and equity holders in order to jump start a fast resolution of a troubled situation.

Primary and Secondary Sources Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Primary and Secondary Sources - Coursework Example Lincoln’s â€Å"Gettysburg Address†is an example of a primary source.Meanwhile, secondary sources are materials that digest, analyze, evaluate and interpret information contained within primary sources or other secondary sources.Examples of these are books and articles (Henderson, 2011, n.p.). In using primary sources to make a background review of a study, one of the main advantages it provides is reliabilityas it serves as the original source of information of the topic.Primary sources also avoid the problem encountered in secondary sources, where new author may distort and put their own spin on the findings of prior cited authors. Government records such as census are classified as primary sources and it provides an accurate and unbiased description of events. Choosing the right source whether primary or secondary sourcedepends upon the author themselves as both of the sources may have benefit and disadvantages. To sum it up, primary sources give raw data while secondary sources help to understand primary sources, thus these both types of sources can be of equal importance in the conduct of a