A Generation Set Aside Essays (1283 words) - Demography,

A Generation Set Aside Often we hear of the generation gap -- that huge expanse between parent and child. Perhaps it is an acquaintance gap. Young people and adults do not know each other. The inability to communicate often enters the picture. Sometimes it is because neither knows what the other is interested in. They live under the same roof, but they rarely see one another, especially after the teenage years come along. The father goes off to work before the children are awake. Mother may go back to bed after seeing the husband off to work; or off to her own job. Teenagers get themselves up and off to school without seeing either parent. Then after school there is ball practice, band practice, or something else that consumes their time; maybe a job that lasts until bedtime. Parents have things that tie them up in the evenings; so the days come and go, and there is precious little time spent together. A meal together is even a rare occasion. All of these activities may be wholesome and proper, but still t he family suffers because there is so little time spent together. This causes many children to make too many decisions on their own, and so often they will leave important and crucial matters out of their thoughts and plans. This generation often gets labelled by the media and the older people in society as the "youngsters who are tearing this country apart." The fact of the matter is that we are a product of our parent's mistakes and remain to be misunderstood. In the past several years we have seen much media attention focused on the generation that followed the boomers, popularly known as Generation X. Born between the mid-1960s and early 1980s , this is the most complex of the generation, and by far the least understood in spite of its current celebrity. This generation can best be described as the "Misunderstood Generation." They are the generation that dealt with and are still dealing with broken homes, drug addiction, AIDS, and bleak futures. A great deal of the young people in this "Misunderstood Generation" think very little about the future or present issues. This generation has lost sight of long terms goals and the idea that hard work pays off in the end. Instead, the people in this generation concern themselves only with what will bring immediate satisfaction and gratification. This part of society cares only about money and themselves, never thinking about the consequences of their actions. The "Misunderstood Generation" feels overwhelmed with the idea of a country with a multi- trillion dollar deficit, a high rate of poverty, and relatively no jobs. The "Misunderstood Generation" wants less out of life. This generation has evolved from the children that came home from school to an empty house because mom had to go back to work after the divorce. This is the generation that got its morals from watching T.V. after school and was parented by an older brother or sister. This is the generation that has unconventional ways and does not always reason for them. They are uncertain and need answers. They poke and prod to find what is lying ahead. They have loud voices but are seldom heard. This is the generation which has high expectations and are often disappointed. I, as well as all of the others born in my generation, were unleashed into an ever changing world. The advances of today can easily be old news tomorrow. Along with this they, the people who have lived and controlled up until this day, have allowed the respect of the living to dwindle with the consistently increasing ease of everyday life. Transportation from one point to another can be the simplest of tasks. Communication with someone in any far off land can be reached with just the touch of a button. And access to almost all the information the world has to offer is free for all with the use of the Internet. No other group of people have grown up with these things as being such the standards and necessities of life and living that they are today. We have never had a war in our country. All of

Edward Taylors Huswifery Essay Example

Edward Taylors Huswifery Essay Example Edward Taylors Huswifery Paper Edward Taylors Huswifery Paper Essay Topic: Poetry Who was Edward Taylor? A Puritan, who fled to the American colonies because of religious persecution (1642-1729). What poem did he write? Huswifery. What does huswifery mean? Care and management of a household. What is this poem about? The poem is about trying to be closer with God, and being used by God. How does Taylor show what the poem is about? Taylor uses extravagant comparisons, intellectual wit, and subtle arguments. What is the rhyme scheme of this poem? A B A B C C What metaphor is used in the first stanza? The spinning wheel. What does conceit mean? Strained metaphors that compare the connotations of two wildly different entities What is an example of conceit in this poem? Make me, O Lord, Thy spinning wheel complete. What does the spinning wheel, distaff, flyers, spool, reel, and yarn have to do with Edwards background? They are all found in a Puritan home. They are what gave the poem its title.

Population Growth and Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Population Growth and Control - Essay Example In other words, it is a ratio: population over resources. If a given environment has a population of 10, but there is food and drinking water enough for only 9 people, then that environment is overpopulated, while if the population is 100 individuals but there are food and water enough for 200, then it is not overpopulated. Over population can result from increases in births, a decline in mortality rates, which is linked to increases in life expectancy, or from an unsustainable use and depletion of resources. Advances in technology can reduce the threat of overpopulation by making new resources available, or by increasing the productivity of existing resources. Resources to be taken into account when estimating if an ecological niche is overpopulated include clean water and air, food, shelter, warmth, or other issues related to survival. In the case of human beings, there are others such as arable land and, for all but tribes with primitive lifestyles, lesser resources such as unemployment, money or other economic resources, education, fuel, electricity, healthcare, proper sewage treatment and waste management, and transportation. In the context of human societies, overpopulation occurs when the population density is so great as to actually cause an impaired quality of life, environmental degradation, or a long-term shortage of essential goods and services. Overpopulation is not merely an imbalance between the numbers of individuals compared to the resources they need to survive, or a ratio of population over resources. This is because such an imbalance may be caused by any other number of factors such as bad governance, war, injustice and exploitation, etc. When other such factors come into play in a certain locale, and population density cannot be shown to be the major cause, overpopulation cannot be conclusively said to occur. The world's human population is currently growing by more than 75 million people per year. This is down from a peak numerical growth of about 88 million per year in the late 1980s. About half the world lives in nations with sub-replacement fertility, and population growth in those countries is due to immigration. Thomas Malthus (1798) argued that if left unrestricted, human populations would continue to grow until they would become too large to be supported by the food grown on available agricultural land. He proposed that, while resources tend to grow linearly, population grows exponentially. At that point, the population would be restrained through mass famine and starvation. Malthus (1798) also argued for population control, through "moral restraint", to avoid this happening. As the population exceeds the amount of available resources, it decreases, since the lack of resources causes mortality to increase. This process keeps the population in check and

Platos Allegory of the Cave Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Platos Allegory of the Cave - Term Paper Example For, as one should probably know, the shadow is an allegory for a man’s self, ultimately, the id. The id is what separates the humans from the animals, and this philosophy delves into what is truly the nature of a man. It consists, one realizes, not of the man’s shadow but of himself as well as the representation of himself—which can be realized in the shadow. That itself is an allegory for what is really happening here—in essence, Plato is parsing that of which humanity really consists. If one, for example—were to be chained to a cave wall—does that diminish any less one’s humanity, one’s dignity, one’s sense of pride? Perhaps, but it cannot defeat the self, which is an inimitable, integral part of the human psyche—a cave, indeed, in which Plato explores more deeply the mysteries of the human mind. Just as some philosophers might attribute parts of a speech with rooms in a house, Plato is advancing upon new territ ory here—basically a type of psychoanalysis—which delves into what really makes humans tick. He has found out, and figured out, what is at the basis of all human interest and toil. It’s a need for knowledge. The cave allegory is significant because Plato thought that the cave represented work in education. Plato felt that the cave was symbolic of something greater in a man’s life. The cave could be an allegory for the fact that man spends all of his life—in essence—figuratively chained inside a cave. One struggles and slaves away, toiling at work, in search of an education, in search of a future. Meanwhile, the real battle is trying to find oneself in the midst of living life. Seeing shadows on the wall are an allegory for noticing one’s form in sensory ways—although it does not reflect the true nature or character of the person which it represents. Indeed, the shadows are a leitmotif for something more spiritual—it coul d be said. One has probably heard the phrase, â€Å"He’s only a shadow of himself, only a shadow of what he used to be.† A shadow intimates the presence of a skeleton which does not represent the true heart or soul of a person, but only the person’s physicality—the earthiness of his or her being. Indeed, these shadows represent a filament in the light bulb of human existence, which is ignited with personality. It is in this revelatory moment that one realizes the importance and power of the human spirit—and it is in this moment that one learns how everything important about being human can be understood from the allegory of the cave. It is not just our sensory awareness that is important to have in life, but knowledge of this sensory awareness at its height is the most evolved consciousness that a human can hope or expect to have. It is this consciousness that one seeks to cultivate through education, and this is reinforced by the allegory of the c ave. The cave allegory does for philosophy what Freud’s theory did for psychology. It revolutionized everything. Plato’s cave allegory is ultimately the ability to ascribe forms to shadows, making indiscrete objects into discrete realities. Thomas Hobbes was ridiculed for taking abstract notions and then defining those in concrete terms. But if we had never had such abstractions defined, we would—in Western political philosophy—not have had notions such as justice, good, evil, right, wrong, and moral philosophy, for example. Plato’s allegory of the cave is simply another way in which he attempted to define a human element. Plato’s allegory of the cave recognizes the importance

Conference Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Conference Diplomacy - Essay Example In layman's term, diplomacy can be defined as the friendly way of kissing and making up whenever two countries have disputes in order to avoid the perils of war. The following paragraphs explains the nuances of conference diplomacy and its relations to negotiators' values or perceptions (Hughes,2002 : p.173) Conference diplomacy is a necessary action for international peace to prosper(Richardson, 1995: p. 205). War lives in the hearts of traditional paradigms. No one can forget the horrors of Hitler's German Army that had murdered many Jews in its concentration camp(Kaplan, 1998: p. 145). No one can also forget the long Great Britain war against the invasion of Napoleon Bonaparte of France. Had Diplomacy been used, there would have been peace pervading the air in these European Countries. Many well known figures were recognized for their diplomacy to use peace actions in the pursuit of their individual and community goals while others specifically wage war to impose their beliefs and traditions. Some of these peace diplomats are the charismatic and personalities like Gautam Buddha, Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi. All these three renounced the use of war or force and instead preached that diplomacy was the best way to win an argument or misunderstanding. Also, the North Korean - United States nuclear diplomatic talks prove that conference diplomacy may facilitate negotiation for it did not change negotiators' values or perceptions. North Korea used its nuclear reactor facilities in Yongbyon as one of its ace cards to force the United States to provide security assurances and political and economic ties to North Korea. But for three years, the U.S. did now WANT to engage itself in an on-going diplomatic give and take with North Korea. The U.S. wanted North Korea to comply with It first insisted I.A.E.A conditions as before talks could begin. During the U.S. -North Korea Talks, the U.S. did not want to state what it would give in return for North Korea's dismantling its nuclear weapons. Furthermore, when the U.S. and North Korea talks concluded with conditions imposed on the U.S. and North Korea, the U.S. did not comply with their diplomatic agreements. The U.S. stated that its compliance was dependent on other nations to fulfill them . Furthermore, North Korea's volatile and ever- changing government leadership was one of the causes of their failed diplomatic agreements. To help, Seoul, South Korea supplied the lubricant needed to keep the U.S. North Korea nuclear talks open(Sigal, 1998: p.168).Furthermore, many diplomacy- inclined persons think that with a world that cannot be changed, many reasonable persons adapt and accommodate these unavoidable changes(Watson, 1991: p. 40). These people decided to group together in diplomacy to make peace a reality. After many years of war against each other such as World War I and World War II. The first steering committee met to agree on a global action to prevent war, This is an international coalition to abolish armed conflict and genocide. They predicted that diplomacy among nations can result to gradual dismantling of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. Their diplomacy centers on removing all capacity to attack another country(De-Magalhes, 1988, p. 101). In fact, global

Study Of Organizations Behavior

Study Of Organizations Behavior Formal and informal framework of policies and rules , within which an organization arranges its lines of authority and communications , and allocates rights and duties. Organizational structure determines the manner and extent to which roles , power , and responsibilities are delegated, controlled, and coordinated, and how information flows between levels of management . This structure depends entirely on the organizations objectives and the strategy chosen to achieve them. In a centralized structure, the decision making power is concentrated in the top layer of the management. Structure is the pattern of relationships among positions in the organisation and among members of the organisation. Structure makes possible the application of the process of management and creates a framework of order and command through which the activities of the organisation can be planned, organised directed and controlled. .Culture in Organizations These are the informal values, norms and beliefs which control how individuals and groups in an organization interact internally and externally. This in turn shapes attitude and behavior and the quality of inter group relationships again to achieve organizational goals. Lateral Horizontal Top Vertical Bottom Values and Norms Culture in organization has two founding values: Terminal Value; is linked to desire goals e.g. excellence, quality, morality, stability, profitability. Instrumental Value; is linked to desire modes of behavior for the organization e.g. hard work, tradition, respect for authority, risk taking, honesty, standards of service, dress code. Norms; specific norms emerge as a result of shared experiences over time which became expectations for behavior. These result in rules for conduct e.g. courtesy, cleanliness, grooming, teamwork, information sharing, and cooperation. The Source of Values Norms Edward Scheins approach to culture claims that it can be understood at 3 levels. Basic Assumptions: unconsciously learned responses based upon perception. Values and Beliefs: consciously help concepts as a result of experiences. Visible Artifacts: physical evidence e.g. office design, layout and dress code. Cultural Dynamics A set of beliefs and assumptions held commonly throughout the organization, taken for granted in that organization, but discernible to the outside observer in the stories of organization history and explanation of events. Company Information The Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) group is one of the worlds leading financial organizations. It was founded in 1865 in china. Since then the bank expanded rapidly with an emphasis up representation in China and also other parts of Asia, Europe and America. In the mid 1950s HSBC embarked on a strategy of pursuing profitable growth through acquisitions as well as organic development. After conducting my research into global business of HSBC bank, we have identified that London offers tremendous opportunities for HSBC which make businesses want to operate in those markets. HSBC Culture Operational Strategy: The Worlds Local bank HSBC differentiates itself from its competitors by its branding. The strong tag line the worlds local bank reflects the HSBC approach towards powerful branding. This brand image has been the result of many years of investment in the companys corporate image and culture that attracts and maintains satisfied customers and employees. HSBCs understanding and experience of multiple markets and local knowledge have contributed towards its brand success. HSBC has branches in 76 countries and the strategy used is Think Global, Act Local. Corporate Social Responsibility: HSBC like many other major companies from different industries believes in sharing its success by giving it back to the community. The application of corporate social responsibility is mandatory for all companies doing business. This being thought as a liability could also provide a company with the tools to promote its brand image with in communities. They are aware of the social responsibilities of economy management, community and environment. HSBC has undertaken activities such as environmental protection projects, successful and honest business practices, educational programs, undergraduate scholarships and funding local community projects. They also undertake volunteer charity and community work. Human Resource Management: HSBC employs over 284,000 people worldwide. They understand the benefits and competitive advantage of having a smart, loyal and well educated workforce. HSBC encourages workforce diversity in order to create the finest employee network and a corporate culture that celebrates differences, empathy and integrity. They employ the best qualified individuals, regardless of their nationality to manage top-level operations. However they employ local country staff to manage day to day and branch operations because they know they local business environment and this strategy also helps the foreign company be accepted by the local society. HSBC Principles Values The HSBC Group is committed to five Core Business Principles: Outstanding customer service Effective and efficient operations Strong capital and liquidity Conservative lending policy Strict expense discipline Employee Benefits Rewards In return for employees dedication and hard work, HSBC offer a very attractive and competitive benefits package with rapid rewards for the right people. While different roles come with different rewards, the following is a guide to the kind of package they offer: Performance-related bonus scheme Pension 25 days holiday Private medical insurance Life insurance Preferential rates on a range of HSBC products Season ticket loan Sports and social scheme Employee assistance programs Corporate discounts HSBC Structure Corporate Governance: HSBC is committed to high standards of corporate governance. HSBC Holdings has complied throughout with the applicable codes provided by the Combined Code on Corporate Governance issued by the Financial Reporting Council and the Code on Corporate Governance Practices in Appendix 14 to the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. The Board of HSBC Holdings has adopted a code of conduct for transactions in HSBC Group securities by Directors that complies with The Model Code in the Listing Rules of the Financial Services Authority and with The Model Code for Securities Transactions by Directors of Listed Issuers (Hong Kong Model Code) set out in the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, save that The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong has granted certain waivers from strict compliance with the Hong Kong Model Code, primarily to take into account accepted practices in the UK, particularly in respect of employee share plans. Following a specific enquiry, each Director has confirmed he or she has complied with the code of conduct for transactions in HSBC Group securities throughout the period. Board Committees: The Board has appointed a number of committees. The following are the principal committees: Group Management Board Group Audit Committee Remuneration Committee Nomination Committee Corporate  Sustainability Committee HSBC structure is matrix structure, because they have teams of people from various sections of the business, these teams will be created for the purpose of a specific purpose of a specific project and will be led by a project manager, often the team is only exists for the duration of the project and matrix structure are usually deployed to develop new products and services. Relationship between Culture and Structure Organizational Culture : a group of mutually interacting people with negotiated , shared values , understandings ,norms , ideals , way of life and the way of looking at the world and their place in it .The way a structure or culture is designed or evolves over time affects the way people and groups behave within the organization. Structure and culture affect: Behaviour Motivation Performance Teamwork and cooperation Intergroup and Interdepartmental relationships Organizational culture is more of a larger picture, a more general term that refers to a large umbrella of smaller topics and issues within an organization. The structure refers to the infrastructure, and the various methods and practices within that infrastructure, that helps an organizational culture run with the efficiency and consistency that should be the hallmark of any healthy organizational structure, whether it is in a corporation, sports team, or any other set up that is large enough to create its own organizational culture. This makes the structure an integral part of any organizational culture, but also narrows out a very specific segment of the culture as its own responsibility. Organizational structure will deal primarily with the set up of the culture. How management works, which specific responsibilities supervisors have, how a complaint is passed through the ranks-these are all issues within the organizational culture that are directly tied to how an organizational structure works. The structure is not limited to those three examples, but it would certainly include all of them. TASK 2 Styles of Management Management is tasks, Management is a discipline. But management also people. Every achievement of management is the achievement of a manager. Every failure is a failure of a manager. People manage rather than forces or facts .The vision, dedication and integrity of managers determine whether there is a management or mismanagement Stewart, R, Management and organizational behaviour, Sixth Edition, Laurie J Mullins. Prentice Hall (2002) Management takes place within a structured organizational setting with prescribed roles. It is directed towards the achievement of aims and objectives through influencing the efforts of others. This role encouraged a lot of writers to study management aspects, where they came out with theories thats become the sprit of management thinking. Scientific Management: F. W. Taylor. Taylor formalized the principles of scientific management, 1909, he published the book for which he is best known, Principles of Scientific Management. In his own words he explained: The old fashioned dictator does not exist under Scientific Management. The man at the head of the business under Scientific Management is governed by rules and laws which have been developed through hundreds of experiments just as much as the workman is, and the standards developed are equitable. Management Leadership According to John P. Kotter in his book, A Force for Change: How Leadership Differs From Management (The Free Press, 1990), managers must know how to lead as well as manage. Without leading as well as managing, todays organizations face the threat of extinction. Management is the process of setting and achieving the goals of the organization through the functions of management: planning, organizing, directing (or leading), and controlling. A manager is hired by the organization and is given formal authority to direct the activity of others in fulfilling organization goals. Thus, leading is a major part of a managers job. Yet a manager must also plan, organize, and control. Generally speaking, leadership deals with the interpersonal aspects of a managers job, whereas planning, organizing, and controlling deal with the administrative aspects. Leadership deals with. Theory X (Authoritarian Management Style): The average person dislikes work and will avoid it if he or she can. Therefore most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work towards organizational objectives. The average person prefers to be directed; to avoid responsibility; is relatively less ambitious, and wants security above all else. Theory X basically holds the belief that people do not like work and that some kind of direct pressure and control must be exerted to get them to work effectively. These people require a rigidly managed environment, usually requiring threats of disciplinary action as a primary source of motivation. It is also held that employees will only respond to monetary rewards as an incentive to perform above the level of that which is expected. From a management point of view, autocratic (Theory X) managers like to retain most of their authority. They make decisions on their own and inform the workers, assuming that they will carry out the instructions. Autocratic managers are often called authoritative for this reason; they act as authorities. This type of manager is highly tasked oriented, placing a great deal of concern towards getting the job done, with little concern for the workers attitudes towards the managers decision. This shows that autocratic managers lose ground in the work place, making way for leaders who share more authority and decision making with other members of the group. Theory Y (Participative Management Style): Effort in work is as natural as work and play. People will apply self-control and self-direction in the pursuit of organizational objectives, without external control or the threat of punishment. Commitment to objectives is a function of rewards associated with their achievement. People usually accept and often seek responsibility. The capacity to use a high degree of imagination, ingenuity and creativity in solving organizational problems is widely, not narrowly, distributed in the population. In industry the intellectual potential of the average person is only partly utilized. A more popular view of the relationship found in the work place between managers and workers, is explained in the concepts of Theory Y. This theory assumes that people are creative and eager to work. Workers tend to desire more responsibility than Theory X workers, and have strong desires to participate in the decision making process. Theory Y workers are comfortable in a working environment which allows creativity and the opportunity to become personally involved in organizational planning. Some assumptions about Theory Y workers are emphasized in one of the texts, namely that this type of worker is far more prevalent in the work place than are Theory X workers. For instance, it is pointed out that ingenuity, creativity, and imagination are increasingly present throughout the ranks of the working population. These people not only accept responsibility, but actively seek increased authority. According to another of the authors studied for this project, in which the participative (Theory Y) leadership style is discussed, a participative leader shares decisions with the group. Also mentioned, are subtypes to this type of leader, namely the Democratic leader who allows the members of the working group to vote on decisions, and the Consensual leader who encourages group discussions and decisions which reflect the consensus of the group. A Laissez-Fair Style: A laissez-fair style is where the manager observes that members of group are working well on their own. The manager consciously makes a decision to pass the focus of power to members, to allow them freedom of action to do as they think best. And not to interfere; but is readily available if help is needed, There is often confusion over this style of leadership behavior. The world genuine is emphasized because this is to be contrasted with the manager who could not care, who deliberately keeps away from the trouble of sports and does not want to get involved. The manager just lets members of the group get on with the work in hand. Members are left to face decision which rightly belongs with the manager. This is more a non-style of leadership or it could perhaps be labeled as abdication. Management Styles at HSBC: The qualities required in individuals by HSBC reflect a lot about their approach towards the management style. These quality individuals are: Responsive: Who always try to anticipate and act quickly to ensure we meet and exceed our customers ever-changing expectations. Respectful: Individuals who look for the value in everyone. Fair: Who reward our customers for the commitment they give to us. Progressive: Who are driven by the belief that we can shape a better future. Perceptive: Who look harder, in order to understand things more deeply, and this informs everything we do. The management empowers employees and builds a trust with the employees to deliver the brand promise effectively. Every department has efficient staff available to help the customers but for more specific needs and decision making, the branch managers play the role. Leadership Leadership is a dynamic relationship based on mutual influence and common purpose between leaders and collaborators in which both are moved to higher levels of motivation and moral development as they affect real, intended change. (Kevin Freiberg and Jackie Freiberg, NUTS! Southwest Airlines Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success, Bard Press, 1996, p. 298) Three important parts of this definition are the terms relationship, mutual, and collaborators. Relationship is the connection between people. Mutual means shared in common. Collaborators cooperate or work together. This definition of leadership says that the leader is influenced by the collaborators while they work together to achieve an important goal. Leadership is the ability to command acceptance by a group of people and thus, get them to do what the leader wants. The person providing this direction and commanding acceptance is called the leader. From this definition of leadership, it is obvious that the leader is the person whom others accept to show them the way. However, you probably are aware that a leader can be imposed on a group of people against their will. For example, a military coup can bring a leader to power. This leader was not voted for or accepted by his people. But he ascended the leadership seat by virtue of military might or military intrigues. Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things (Warren Bennis and Peter Drucker) Leadership Styles Types of Leadership Style: Four of the most basic leadership styles are: Autocratic Bureaucratic Laissez-faire Democratic Autocratic Leadership Autocratic leadership: is an extreme form of transactional leadership, where a leader exerts high levels of power over his or her employees or team members. People within the team are given few opportunities for making suggestions, even if these would be in the teams or organizations interest. Many people resent being treated like this. Because of this, autocratic leadership often leads to high levels of absenteeism and staff turnover. Also, the teams output does not benefit from the creativity and experience of all team members, so many of the benefits of teamwork are lost. For some routine and unskilled jobs, however, this style can remain effective, where the advantages of control outweigh the disadvantages. Bureaucratic Leadership : Bureaucratic leaders work by the book, ensuring that their staff follow procedures exactly. This is a very appropriate style for work involving serious safety risks (such as working with machinery, with toxic substances or at heights) or where large sums of money are involved (such as cash-handling).In other situations, the inflexibility and high levels of control exerted can demoralize staff, and can diminish the organizations ability to react to changing external circumstances. Democratic Leadership or Participative Leadership : Although a democratic leader will make the final decision, he or she invites other members of the team to contribute to the decision-making process. This not only increases job satisfaction by involving employees or team members in whats going on, but it also helps to develop peoples skills. Employees and team members feel in control of their own destiny, and so are motivated to work hard by more than just a financial reward. As participation takes time, this style can lead to things happening more slowly than an autocratic approach, but often the end result is better. It can be most suitable where team working is essential, and where quality is more important than speed to market or productivity. Laissez-Faire Leadership This French phrase means leave it be and is used to describe a leader who leaves his or her colleagues to get on with their work. It can be effective if the leader monitors what is being achieved and communicates this back to his or her team regularly. Most often, laissez-faire leadership works for teams in which the individuals are very experienced and skilled self-starters. Unfortunately, it can also refer to situations where managers are not exerting sufficient control. Leadership vs. Management A leader can be a manager, but a manager is not necessarily a leader. The leader of the work group may emerge informally as the choice of the group. If a manager is able to influence people to achieve the goals of the organization, without using his or her formal authority to do so, then the manager is demonstrating leadership. Motivation Definition: Motivation is the processes that account for an individuals intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal. Abraham Maslows hierarchy of needs is the most well-known theory of motivation. He hypothesized that within every human being there exists a hierarchy of five needs: (See Exhibit 6-1). Physiological: Includes hunger, thirst, shelter, sex, and other bodily needs Safety: Includes security and protection from physical and emotional harm Social: Includes affection, belongingness, acceptance, and friendship Esteem: Includes internal esteem factors such as self-respect, autonomy, and achievement; and external esteem factors such as status, recognition, and attention. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs If Maslows theory is true, there are some very important  leadership implications to  enhance workplace motivation. There are  staff motivation opportunities  by motivating each employee through their style of management, compensation plans, role definition, and company activities. Application of Maslows Theory If Maslows theory is true, there are some very important  leadership implications to  enhance workplace motivation. There are  staff motivation opportunities  by motivating each employee through their style of management, compensation plans, role definition, and company activities. Safety Needs: Provide a working environment which is safe, relative job security, and freedom from threats. Social Needs:  Generate a feeling of acceptance, belonging, and community by reinforcing team dynamics. Relationship between Theories of Motivation All companies seek to motivate their employees for a very simple reason; a motivated employee is a high producer. In todays workplace, many complex and sophisticated plans have been put in place towards this end; some companies offer a variety of incentives to meet the different needs and expectations of the different personalities employed there. Motivation is an individual thing; in other words, the same things do not motivate all people. Abraham Maslow outlines a pyramid-shaped theory that is the basis for most motivation theories that followed. They will then design and implement an action plan to increase the motivational factors in their own organization. Some of their action steps are discussed. The lowest level of Maslows pyramid of needs relates to every humans survival needs or by physiological needs, which include hunger, thirst and shelter are at this level (Robbins, 2001). TASK 4 Team Work A small number of people with complemen-tary skills who are committed to a common purpose, common performance goals, and an approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. -G. Moorhead and R.W. Griffin When people listen carefully to each other, when they seek and take seriously each others opinions, when they make use of each others competencies and expertise, they are involved in teamwork. Situations like, a football team, a marriage, a project at work, or a math team, may come and go. It requires no special structure, only an opportunity for two or more people to engage collaboratively and cooperatively in undertaking some task. Teamwork in the workplace is something to be expected in our organizations today. Senior leadership teams, functional and intact teams, special project teams, play an important role to the success of any business. However, finding, creating, and maintaining effective a high performance team is much more difficult. No group of people is automatically entitled to teamwork just because they are smart, talented, and are working together. Teamwork in the workplace is subject to countless challenges as different personalities, talents and expertise, values, and working styles are merged together. Group Working A collection of individuals, the members accept a common task, become interdependent in their performance, and interact with one another to promote its accomplishment Harold H. Kelley and J.W. Thibaut Various Types of Groups Friendship groups Interest Groups Formal groups Informal Groups Small groups Large groups Primary groups Secondary groups Coalitions Membership groups Reference groups Command groups Task groups Good group work has great potential for the following reasons: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individuals are encouraged to become active rather than passive learners by developing collaborative and co-operative skills, and lifelong learning skills. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It encourages the development of critical thinking skills. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It requires the establishment of an environment of support, trust and co-operative learning can be nurtured. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It promotes learning and achievement. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Students have the opportunity to learn from and to teach each other. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Deep rather than surface approaches to learning are encouraged. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It facilitates greater transfer of previous knowledge and learning. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It enhances social skills and interactions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning outcomes are improved. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Large numbers of individuals can be catered for and work on the task simultaneously. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Interaction and co-operation on a micro scale is facilitated thus decreasing a sense of isolation felt by some. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Quiet individuals have an opportunity to speak and be heard in small groups thus overcoming the anonymity and passivity associated with large groups. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individuals get the chance to work on large projects (larger in scope or complexity than individual tasks). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It can save time and requires a shared workload. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Alternative ideas and points of view can be generated. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individuals develop and practice skills in: decision making, problem solving, values clarification, communication, critical thinking, negotiation, conflict resolution, and teamwork. Team Working at HSBC The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This is a phrase that very much applies to HSBC. Although, as an organization HSBC a leader in the world of financial services. It is the power and reach of each of our local teams working together, which make HSBC such a successful and fast growing business. Recognizing the importance of local knowledge is a key message of HSBC advertising but it is not merely this. It is a value the HSBC live by. The employees work as a team to perform daily operations seamlessly.

Futility of Life in The Death of Ivan Ilyich Essay -- Tolstoy Death Iv

Futility of Life in The Death of Ivan Ilyich      Ã‚   Count Leo Tolstoy is considered Russia’s greatest novelist and one of its most influential moral philosophers. As such, he is also one of the most complex individuals for historians of literature to deal with. His early work sought to replace romanticized glory with realistic views. A good example of this is the way he often portrayed battle as an unglamorous act performed by ordinary men. After his marriage, though, Tolstoy started to reexamine his attitudes towards life, especially his moral, social, and educational beliefs (Shepherd 401). Many commentators agree that Tolstoy’s early study of the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau encouraged his rebellious attitude. This new deep-seated dissatisfaction with himself and a long frustrated search for meaning in life, however, led to the crisis Tolstoy described in his Confession and Memoirs of a Madman. In these works he formulated a doctrine to live by based on universal love, forgiveness, and simplicity (Valente 127). Simplicity and the moral importance of leading a simple life, for Tolstoy, became the only true way to live a spiritually fulfilled life. After arriving at his doctrine of universal love and simplicity, Tolstoy at first refrained from writing fiction. He even renounced much of his earlier work as too complex and not morally uplifting. Nevertheless, because of Tolstoy’s earnest commitment to the view of literary art as a means for bringing important truths to the attention of the reader, he returned to imaginative literature and wrote The Death of Ivan Ilyich to emphasize the message that simple life is best. Tolstoy’s life led him into all kinds of contradictions--sometimes he believed in fighting, s... ... (qtd, in Jahn 20). It becomes clear then that Ivan Ilyich is brought to a re-evaluation of his past life; that the ending is not just a contrived means of closure, but a miraculous conversion of the dying Ivan Ilyich and his important discovery concerning the moral consequence of living a simple and honest life.    Works Cited Gifford, Henry. Tolstoy. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1982. Jahn, Gary R. The Death of Ivan Ilich: An Interpretation. New York: Twayne, 1992. Rowe, William W. Leo Tolstoy. Boston: Twayne, 1986. Shepherd, David.   "Conversion, Reversion and Subversion in Tolstoi's The Death of Ivan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Il'ich."   Ã‚   The Slavonic and East European Review   71.3 (1993):   401-16. Valente, Luis Ferando. â€Å"Variations on the Kenotic Hero: Tolstoy’s Ivan Ilych and Guimaraes Rosa’s Augusto   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Matraga.† Symposium 45.2 (1991): 126-38.   

Operations Research Questions

Pace University [email  protected] Faculty Working Papers Lubin School of Business 11-1-1999 The Mystery of Linear Programming Explained: Second Edition Jack Yurkiewicz Pace University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons. pace. edu/lubinfaculty_workingpapers Recommended Citation Yurkiewicz, Jack, â€Å"The Mystery of Linear Programming Explained: Second Edition† (1999). Faculty Working Papers. Paper 21. http://digitalcommons. pace. edu/lubinfaculty_workingpapers/21 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Lubin School of Business at [email  protected]It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Working Papers by an authorized administrator of [email  protected] For more information, please contact [email  protected] edu. WORKING PAPERS No. 191 November 1999 The Mystery of Linear Programming Explained: Second Edition by Jack Yurkewicz, Ph. D. Professor of Management Science and Director of the Advanced Professional Certifica te Program Lubin School of Business Pace University THE MYSTERY OF LINEAR PROGRAMMING EXPLAINEDSECOND EDITION As Recounted by John H. Watson, M. D.Edited by Jack Yurkiewicz, Ph. D. Jack Yurkiewicz is Professor of Management Science and Director of the Advanced Professional Certificate Program at the Lubin School of Business, Pace University. Introduction INTRODUCTION I hadn't seen my old friend and companion, Sir Sherlock Holmes (he had been knighted by the Queen and insisted that this appellation be used) in several months. Feeling that I had slighted him, I rang him up and told him I would be stopping by the next day to see how his new business venture was progressing.Holmes was truly glad to hear my voice and urged that we have lunch together. While he hinted that his firm, of which he was the sole employee, was doing well, he did indeed wish to discuss a business proposition with me. Needless to say, I was intrigued. I won’t bother to bore you, dear reader, with some of o ur mundane conversation the next day save to say that I found Holmes to be moodier than ever. The great detective had long ago become bored with crime solving, claiming there was little challenge in solving many of the violent crimes that seemed so prevalent in our society.The firm that he started provided consulting service to corporations, in which he would use his mental abilities to help managers solve their business-related problems. Holmes explained to me that he enjoyed the challenge of his new endeavors but was finding it increasingly difficult to converse with these â€Å"business types,† as he called them. He just didn't have the patience to explain his findings to them, for he found them curiously dull. Holmes went on to say that he had no doubt that this fact was the cause of the country's lack of success in the international business environment.I didn't want to say it, but I thought to myself that the fault might not be solely with the business managers he was d ealing with, but partially with him, for I myself frequently found him short-tempered and impatient, even during his ordinary conversations with me. In any case, his proposition to me was simple. Holmes: Listen, Watson, I just can't bear the thought of explaining to these so-called â€Å"leaders† how they should be running their firms. They come to me with some specific problem, usually ill-defined, and then expect me to come up with a solution.I have found that getting the solution is fairly trivial, but I have the dickens of a time trying to explain it to them! You have a solid head on your shoulders, old fellow. Suppose you became my partner. Your only job would be to explain to them the solution that I propose, for I fear that my patience is not as long as yours is. Watson: The thought intrigues me, for I have been cutting back on my practice lately and do find myself available with more free time. What procedures do you use to get your results?Holmes: Mostly a branch of mathematics called â€Å"operations research,† which incidentally has its roots in this country during the Second World War. I collect the data, enter it on a computer I have in my study, and in almost an instant, I get the results. Watson: Well, I am afraid that tears it, Holmes. I don't know the first thing about operations research and thus could not possibly explain it to others. I did try to learn the subject several years back. I bought a college textbook on the subject and spent several frustrating days trying to learn linear programming.The subject seemed understandable enough, but I became hopelessly 1 The Mystery of Linear Program Explained lost on the mechanics of the simplex algorithm. I was working with equations and performing what the author called â€Å"elementary row operations. † Believe me, there was nothing elementary about it. After three days I threw the book down in disgust and came to the conclusion that only masochists or the temporarily insane would ever try to fathom such a subject. Holmes: I fear you overestimate the subject's complexity, but the point is irrelevant.No one really does these things by hand anymore, and so it was just your poor fortune to buy a book that was obsolete. All is now done with the aid of the computer. In fact, I am using a program called Solver, which is a part of Excel which is unusually easy to use and powerful. I will explain the computer output to you, along with its ramifications, and then you in turn will explain it to the manager in question. It really is quite simple, and if I may say, also lucrative. The more Holmes spoke, the more interested I became.His power of persuasion was truly formidable, and in the end, against much misgiving on my part, I agreed to enter into this venture on a trial basis. Holmes was satisfied with my decision and proposed that we start immediately with a problem that he had completed the other day that he was due to report on the following week. HOLMES DES CRIBES THE CASE Holmes: The Maximus Computer Company (MCC) has four basic computers it sells to students and small business people. The first, called the Starter, is a basic, â€Å"no-frills† computer.It has most of the amenities that a new user or a buyer on a strict budget could want, including CDROM with sound, an entry-level processor, a small hard disk, a modem for Internet access, and a 15-inch monitor. The second model, called the Midrange, is for more demanding users. This model offers a faster processor, larger hard disk, more RAM, a DVD player, and a 17-inch monitor. The third model, the Super, provides just about all the computing power a user could want. It offers even more RAM, a very fast processor, a large hard disk, a DVD player with hardware decoder, and a 17-inch monitor.All but the most demanding users would be very happy with the Super. However, for those who want the very â€Å"best,† the company offers the Extreme which offers a state-of-the-art p rocessor, a huge hard disk, the best multimedia package (the latest generation DVD ROM with a five-piece speaker system), a CD re-writable drive, a 19inch monitor, etc. Thus, while the company offers only four models, it feels there is enough flexibility to cover most of the target computer audience. It is a small start-up company and management knows it has to compete against the heavily entrenched products from Dell, IBM, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, and Gateway.The company philosophy is to ship computers with brandknown components and offer superior service, all at a cost to consumers that is lower than the competition's. Watson: Well, Holmes, I believe I know about the philosophy of the company and its immediate goals. Can you please tell me more about the four models of computers we offer? 2 How the Operation Works Holmes: As I said, Maximus makes four models with different levels of features, all with the same customer support. They believe that whatever the sophistication of the machine, customer support should be â€Å"top notch† and not deteriorate with the price.In the long run, that will generate customer good will and promote their growth in the market. Watson: I agree whole-heartedly. Tell me a bit more about the computers themselves. HOW THE OPERATION WORKS Holmes: As you probably know, the computer industry is currently very competitive, and profit margins are low for each model. The net profit on a Starter is $50, for a Midrange it is $120, for a Super it is $250, and for an Extreme it is $300. These figures already take into account material, labor, depreciation, taxes, shipping, etc. In other words, these are the net profits to the company for each computer sold.Watson: Eventually we can delve into how these values are determined and perhaps how we can increase them, but for now, let’s assume that they are sacrosanct. What else can you tell me about the operation? Holmes: Management has, what they call â€Å"three operations† that make a computer. They call the first operation manufacture. This includes taking the customer’s phone call and determining which computer and options he or she wants and getting that information to the management of the production staff. They in turn will get the necessary components and make them available to the workers on the assembly line.The second operation is referred to as assembly, where the workers on the assembly line actually put together the computer, according the specifications of the customer’s order. These are skilled workers who take pride in their work, and even though they work on an assembly line, they do not have an â€Å"assembly line mentality,† for they believe they are making custom products for specific customers. The last operation is called inspection. Here we install the software, run various diagnostic tests, and generally check out and pack up the computer before we send it to the customer. Watson: I see. operations?Do you h ave approximate time figures on how long it takes to do these Holmes: It is a function of the computer. However, they have been doing this for some time now and so the time values do not vary all that much from machine to machine. Thus, for instance, for a Starter, we can assume 0. 1 hours for manufacture, 0. 2 hours for assembly, and 0. 1 hours for inspection. Our units are always in hours,I hope that doesn’t confuse you. Watson: Not at all. Actually, I’m used to minutes and so I am making mental transformations, but since the â€Å"company units† are always measured in hours, I will use those also.Tell me the corresponding values for the other computers. 3 The Mystery of Linear Programming Explained Holmes: For a Midrange, we use 0. 2 hours to manufacture, 0. 5 hours to assemble, and 0. 2 hours for inspection. Each Super requires 0. 7 hours to manufacture, 0. 25 hours to assemble, and 0. 3 hours inspection and testing. Finally, the Extreme gets 0. 8 hours to m anufacture, 0. 2 hours to assemble, and 0. 5 hours for inspection. As I said, these numbers really don’t vary all that much from machine to machine, but as you can see, they do differ from model to model.Watson: Very well. What about your resources? How many people, or should I say, how many people-hours are available to do those three operations? Holmes: I agree with you that we should talk in terms of people-hours. I have been using the term â€Å"man-hours† for many years and if I lapse into that gender-specific term, please forgive me. To avoid offending you, I will just use the word â€Å"hours† from now on, but I hope you know I mean â€Å"people-hours† when I say it. Watson: Have no fear on my account, Holmes. My sensibilities will not be hurt if you use the older term â€Å"man-hours. What numbers do you have? Holmes: On a daily basis, management informed me that the company has 250 hours available for manufacture, 350 hours available for assembl y, and 150 hours to do the inspection and testing. Watson: I presume that with all this information, we can proceed to model the problem as a linear program. Holmes: Indeed, Watson. As I intimated earlier, we can solve linear programs with Excel. Excel comes with an add-on package called Solver that is easy to use and yet powerful enough to solve most mathematical programming problems.All we have to do is make a spreadsheet model of the problem and Solver will do the rest. Watson: Well, that certainly is good news. I use Excel and I have made many models. But how do you make a linear program model in Excel? MODELING THE PROBLEM IN EXCEL Holmes: Have a look at the Excel spreadsheet model here on my computer, Watson. It is imperative that you first learn how to model a problem in a spreadsheet. Once you master this skill, we can then proceed to discuss how Solver can be used to get the answer for us.Cells B1, C1, D1, and E1 give the labels of our computers, which in linear programming terminology are called decision variables. We want the values of these variables to appear in cells B2, C2, D2, and E2. Excel’s Solver will call these cells the changing cells. We put the per-unit profit of each computer into cells B4 through D4. These numbers are traditionally called the objective function coefficients. We must enter a formula into cell I2 (which we labeled as the Profit in cell I1) that will give the net profit for all the computer’s made. 4 Modeling the Program in ExcelA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 B Starter 0 50 0. 1 0. 2 0. 1 C Midrange 0 120 0. 2 0. 5 0. 2 D Super 0 250 0. 7 0. 25 0. 3 E Extreme 0 300 F G H I Profit 0 max manufacture assembly inspection Available 0. 8 250 0. 2 350 0. 5 150 Used Slack 0 250 0 350 0 150 Watson: I know how to do that. We would type in cell I2 the formula: =B2*B4 + C2*C4 + D2*D4 + E2*E4 Algebraically, we are saying, with this formula: 50(Starters) + 120(Midrange) + 250(Super) + 300(Extreme) Of course, the value in cell I2 is ze ro because we have zero values for the number of computers made in cells B2 through E2.Holmes: Well done, Watson! You should know that there is a shortcut to this rather tedious formula. Excel has the built-in function, SUMPRODUCT, which will save us much typing. That is, in cell I2 we can simply type: =SUMPRODUCT(B2:E2,B4:E4) That says: multiply the values in cells B2 through E2 by the corresponding values in the cells B4 through E4 respectively, and then add up the results. That gives us the same result as your formula. However, it is easier to input, since we need just type in the =sumproduct, highlight the ranges, and type the parentheses.The result is our total profit, which Solver calls the target cell. Watson: I suspect that we will be using that sumproduct function again. Tell me about the other items I see in your spreadsheet. Holmes: Our model is incomplete. We need to specify the constraints. These account for the technological, economic, or other limitations of the syste m, and restrict the values of the decision variables to some feasible set. We have three constraints in our problem: manufacturing, assembly, and inspection. Our manufacturing constraint is: 0. 1(Starter) + 0. 2(Midrange) + 0. 7(Super) + 0. 8(Extreme)

The Story of the Jonestown Massacre

The Story of the Jonestown Massacre On November 18, 1978, Peoples Temple leader Jim Jones instructed all members living in the Jonestown, Guyana compound to commit an act of revolutionary suicide, by drinking poisoned punch. In all, 918 people died that day, nearly a third of whom were children. The Jonestown Massacre was the most deadly single non-natural disaster in U.S. history until September 11, 2001. The Jonestown Massacre also remains the only time in history in which a U.S. congressman (Leo Ryan) was killed in the line of duty. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple Jim Jones, his wife, and their adopted children. Don Hogan Charles / Getty Images Founded in 1956 by Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple was a racially integrated church that focused on helping people in need. Jones originally established the Peoples Temple in Indianapolis, Indiana, but then moved it to Redwood Valley, California in 1966. Jones had a vision of a communist community, one in which everyone lived together in harmony and worked for the common good. He was able to establish this in a small way while in California but he dreamed of establishing a compound outside of the United States. This compound would be fully under his control, allow Peoples Temple members to help others in the area, and be far away from any influence of the United States government. The Settlement in Guyana The Jonestown Pavilion, now abandoned. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Jones found a remote location in the South American country of Guyana that fit his needs. In 1973, he leased some land from the Guyanese government and had workers begin clearing it of jungle. Since all building supplies needed to be shipped in to the Jonestown Agricultural Settlement, construction of the site was slow. In early 1977, there were only about 50 people living in the compound and Jones was still in the U.S. However, that all changed when Jones received word that an exposà © was about to be printed about him. The article included interviews with ex-members. The night before the article was to be printed, Jim Jones and several hundred Peoples Temple members flew to Guyana and moved into the Jonestown compound. Things Go Wrong in Jonestown Jonestown was meant to be a utopia. However, when members arrived at Jonestown, things were not as they expected. Since there werent enough cabins built to house people, each cabin was filled with bunk beds and overcrowded. The cabins were also segregated by gender, so married couples were forced to live apart. The heat and humidity in Jonestown was stifling and caused a number of members to get sick. Members were also required to work long work days in the heat, often up to eleven hours a day. Throughout the compound, members could hear Joness voice broadcast through a loudspeaker. Unfortunately, Jones often would talk endlessly on the loudspeaker, even through the night. Exhausted from a long days work, members did their best to sleep through it. Although some members did love living in Jonestown, others wanted out. Since the compound was surrounded by miles and miles of jungle and encircled by armed guards, members needed Jones permission to leave. And Jones didnt want anyone to leave. Congressman Ryan Visits Jonestown Congressman Leo Ryan. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images U.S. Representative Leo Ryan from San Mateo, California heard reports of bad things happening in Jonestown; thus, he decided to go to Jonestown and find out for himself what was going on. He took along his adviser, an NBC film crew, and a group of concerned relatives of Peoples Temple members. At first, everything looked fine to Ryan and his group. However, that evening, during a big dinner and dance in the pavilion, someone secretly handed one of the NBC crewmembers a note with the names of a few people who wanted to leave. It then became clear that some people were being held against their will in Jonestown. The following day, November 18, 1978, Ryan announced that he was willing to take anyone who wished to leave back to the United States. Worried about Jones reaction, only a few people accepted Ryans offer. The Attack at the Airport When it was time to leave, the Peoples Temple members who had stated they wanted out of Jonestown scrambled on board a truck with Ryans entourage. Before the truck got far, Ryan, who had decided to stay behind to ensure that there was no one else who wanted to leave, was attacked by a Peoples Temple member. The assailant failed to cut Ryans throat, but the incident made it obvious that Ryan and the others were in danger. Ryan then joined the truck and left the compound. The truck made it safely to the airport, but the planes werent ready to leave when the group arrived. As they waited, a tractor and trailer pulled up near them. From the trailer, Peoples Temple members popped up and started shooting at Ryans group. On the tarmac, five people were killed, including Congressman Ryan. Many others were severely wounded. Mass Suicide at Jonestown: Drinking Poisoned Punch Back in Jonestown, Jones ordered everyone to assemble at the pavilion. Once everyone was assembled, Jones spoke to his congregation. He was in a panic and seemed agitated. He was upset that some of his members had left. He acted like things had to happen in a hurry. He told the congregation that there was to be an attack on Ryans group. He also told them that because of the attack, Jonestown wasnt safe. Jones was sure that the U.S. government would react strongly to the attack on Ryans group. [W]hen they start parachuting out of the air, theyll shoot some of our innocent babies, Jones told them. Jones told his congregation that the only way out was to commit the revolutionary act of suicide. One woman spoke up against the idea, but after Jones offered reasons why there was no hope in other options, the crowd spoke out against her. When it was announced that Ryan was dead, Jones became more urgent and more heated. Jones urged the congregation to commit suicide by saying, If these people land out here, theyll torture some of our children here. Theyll torture our people, theyll torture our seniors. We cannot have this. Jones told everyone to hurry. Large kettles filled with grape flavored Flavor-Aid (not Kool-Aid), cyanide, and Valium were placed in the open-sided pavilion. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images Babies and children were brought up first. Syringes were used to pour the poisoned juice into their mouths. Mothers then drank some of the poisoned punch. Next went other members. Some members were already dead before others got their drinks. If anyone wasnt cooperative, there were guards with guns and crossbows to encourage them. It took approximately five minutes for each person to die. The Death Toll Bettmann Archive / Getty Images On that day, November 18, 1978, 912 people died from drinking the poison, 276 of whom were children. Jones died from a single gunshot wound to the head, but it is unclear whether or not he did this himself. Portraits of the Jonestown victims.   Symphony999 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons Only a handful or so people survived, either by escaping into the jungle or hiding somewhere in the compound. In total 918 people died, either at the airport or at the Jonestown compound.

An Analysis of Jamacian Fragment Essays

An Analysis of Jamacian Fragment Essays An Analysis of Jamacian Fragment Essay An Analysis of Jamacian Fragment Essay Rhetorical Analysis of Jamacian Fragment by Al Hendricks. The Jamaican Fragment is a story about a man, who during his regular walk to and from work encounters an irregularity he views as an act of inferiority. We can assume that the Jamaican Fragment is a real life experience, rather than a piece of fiction due to first person writing style. In the first paragraph the author uses visual imagery by describing the colors of the houses as well as the bungalow style house, which presents as the setting. We can start to conclude that the author is ethnic himself or very familiar with differentiating ethnic characteristics. In psychology we learn that the race we are born of, makes us better able to distinguish features and characteristics amoung our own culture. People often struggle distinguishing key characteristics in other races, ethnicities, and cultures. So when Hendricks refers to the one little boy as a â€Å"little Jamaican†, he is presenting us with the idea that he is ethnic. It is important to take notice of the fact that Hendricks may be of Jamaican descent as in the next line in the above mentioned sentence he calls the little boy a â€Å"strong Jamaican† and this sets the tone for the writer’s stance. Hendrick outlines his passion for his race as a â€Å"strong† race as opposed to weak and inferior. The definition of prejudice according to the Merriam Webster dictionary is as follows â€Å"a (1): preconceived judgment or opinion (2): an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge . † Prejudice is a very controversial topic in our society that often incites anger and defensiveness in people. Hendricks essay Jamaican Fragment is a well written personal descriptive essay that addresses the idea of prejudice employing irony and humour so that the reader remains open-minded. Hendricks’ simple, relaxed style helps assist the reader through the story without preconceived notions or prejudices towards other ethnicities. There are several figures of speech used to entice the reader and the reflective mood of the essay allows us to reflect on our own thoughts and hopefully come to the same conclusions around prejudice. Hendricks’ style of the essay is very important in terms of what he wants the reader to experience and how he wants them to experience the story. Words that I would use to describe the tone would be casual, curious and ironic. The author uses everyday language to create the casual tone such as â€Å"The other little fellow was smaller, but also sturdy – he was white, with hazel eyes and light-brown hair. † (362) This casual tone permits everyone to read this essay; there is no prejudice against an educated or uneducated audience. The sentence structure used is also simple and casual. â€Å"For a whole day I puzzled over this problem. †(363) This excerpt from Jamaican Fragment is an excellent example of the curious tone that utilizes in this essay. He is taking the reader on a journey of self-discovery. The reader is also curious as to the game the children play, could it really be a game of inferiority? There is also a strong sense of irony throughout the entire essay, it is my belief that the author uses an ironic tone to further his argument around prejudice enable the reader to learn a moral lesson. â€Å"The exercise is good for me and now and then I learn something from a little incident†(362), is an example of Hendricks’ using foreshadowing as a literary technique. We know that he is going to learn something and we know by the end of the essay that â€Å"little† is very much an understatement. â€Å"How silly grown-ups we are, how clever we are, how wonderfully able we are to impute deep motives to childish actions! How suspicious we are when have been warped by prejudice! â€Å"(364) This illustrates the ignorance that Hendricks employs and the relationship between ignorance and prejudice. He also uses exclamation marks to emphasize the enormity of his misjudgment. Syncrisis is a figure of speech in which opposite things or persons are compared. (the free dictionary). Hendricks’ uses syncrisis throughout the essay â€Å"young vs old† and black vs white†, this technique is used repetitively because Hendricks has a us vs them defence. He believes that he has been wronged by judgement and â€Å"them†. â€Å"Was there really some difference between a white man and a black man? Something that made the white superior. †(363) This is a good example of the author using a literary device called pathos . Hendricks wants to incite passion into the reader, he feels incredibly passionate about his feelings around prejudice. â€Å"Were we as a race really inferior? So inferior that even in our infancy we realized our deficiencies, and accepted a position as the white man’s servant? † (363) The author is asserting his own point of view here, wresting with their world perspective on injustice. There’s a sense that the author feels inferior as a black person due to the last sentence, even if he doesn’t want to feel that that way, perhaps because of his light tone? In the last paragraph Hendricks reveals the truth around the game to a white man standing on his porch, he soon discovers that the man is the father of both boys and a partner in an interracial marriage. Obviously some humor here, the author makes assumptions (of course which is one of the toxic elements in racism, prejudice, stereotypes, and injustice) about another person’s point of view (which is what he did with the boys) and although he has good intentions, he is again surprised because the thought of a racially mixed family (the next step toward an egalitarian and tolerant society) had not crossed his mind. Irony strikes again. Assumptions and ignorance is what encourages prejudice and although this is what he is passionate against he becomes the bearer of such conclusions. Through Hendricks’ self-discovery around the â€Å"game† we are able to see how quickly people are apt to jump to conclusions feeding prejudice. What is social equality and how does this change come about? Education is the key to this problem and Hendricks urges the reader to become educated and learn a very important moral lesson.

Global Business Cultural Analysis, China Annotated Bibliography

Global Business Cultural Analysis, China - Annotated Bibliography Example As above, this book was useful in providing a broad overview of contemporary Chinese culture, including those aspects which are immediately unfamiliar to visitors from the West. However, given its form as an encyclopedia, it was most useful for looking up specific references found elsewhere in the course of reading around this topic. The passages on business culture were full of concise information, and provided a succinct overview before more detail was sought from more focused texts. As with the above two texts, this work includes a great deal of valuable and particularly up-to-date information about the development of modern Chinese culture, and picks up on those aspects which may be new to the Western reader. The editor, Kam Louie, provides a helpful introductory chapter which seeks to define modern Chinese culture, and various expert contributors from international universities built on this. Chapters which were most useful in researching this paper were those on social and political developments in China over the course of the 20th century, and on the place on Confucianism in modern Chinese society. Of the texts which most closely relate to the first research question, this book was the most useful found, given its comprehensiveness, and its function as a concise overview.. Of all of the sources consulted in the course of researching this paper, Chen and Pan’s practical guide to business in China contained the best information about how traditional Chinese religions and philosophies, and especially Confucianism and Daoism, affect business practice in contemporary China. It was sometimes surprising not only how far these philosophies still permeate every aspect of Chinese society, including the life of the individual, the relation of that individual to his or her family, and the relationship between the family and the state, but also the unexpected ways in which traditional concepts, such as face and a strict belief in hierarchy, have

Hypothesis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hypothesis - Assignment Example Iranian, are also pro-American, attacking the nuclear projects would result in many causalities since they are spread out which would again turn the Iranian citizens against America (Helman, 1). From this the first hypothesis can be developed. Other reasons why America may not launch an attack on Iran are that it would be against the international law of self defense where countries are only allowed to attack others when there are justifiable threats. This is not true for Israel since Iran is still one year away from producing nuclear weapons. Attacking Iran openly would also drive their activities underground which would create a more adverse threat to the world security (Helman, 1). From this, the second hypothesis can be developed. Helman, Christopher. â€Å"Israel has Nuclear Weapon but only Iran has nuclear Power†. Forbes. 21st October 2012. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2012/10/21/does-anyone-care-about-irans-nuclear-energy-program/ (accessed