Concepts of The City

Crowded, overwhelming, hard work, polluted, stressful and chaotic. Not only words frequently used to describe western cities in a post-modern era, but also concepts portrayed through David Williamson's play â€Å"Corporate Vibes†. The city is definitely a diverse place. There is not one phrase that can entirely describe a city, as its image is shaped not only through its aesthetic nature, but also the people who make it up, and the industries that it is well known for. People's perceptions of the city vary with experience. Therefore many texts are opinionated. Even Leo Meier's stunning photograph of Sydney Harbour was carefully planned to produce a flawless representation of the city. It is clearly evident the city is a source of inspiration to composers. There are a vast range of texts featuring the city as a central element, which all convey varying images, ranging from iniquity to modernity, sexuality, beauty and freedom. Corporate Vibes by David Williamson is a play centralised around a city environment. It is my belief the text inadequately portrayed the whole concept of the city, as Williamson stereotyped not only his characters, but focused his entire approach on business life – as unrealistic as it was. The corporate world is definitely a major component associated with the city, yet it is just one aspect of the typical civilized society. Williamson attempts to humour sympathetic audiences with the central theme a conflict between the traditional autocratic mode of management and modern schools of intervention. He presents an idealistic organisational theory within the practical reality of corporate power structures, which itself contributes as a source of humour to the familiar city-dweller. The whole structure of a company is emphasised on a small scale by the composer. A Chief Executive Officer exists as well as a Marketing and Sales Manager, and the Human Resources and Equal Opportunities Officer. This prevalent business structure is used to identify with an audience, and satirize the often inefficient strategies used in the play. Williamson also focused on the specific jobs, training and connections that are unique to the city, and are rarely seen in country towns. The company â€Å"Siddons Residential† designs apartments to fit the cityscape, and thus this whole notion is very much an urban issue. When discussing selling characteristics of apartments, the character of Megan mentioned, â€Å"People are sick of social isolation†¦ the new move is towards connectedness, community, interaction†. This highlights the idea of anonymity and alienation in the city, which can be viewed on both a positive and negative basis. It can be very comforting to walk down the street and know not one person has any idea as to who you are; yet this can also be a very lonely thought. Sexual freedom is a subject, which in itself can lead to isolation. Freedom in this manner is suggested several times throughout the play, especially in reference to James Glenby, who Sam refers to as â€Å"†¦ the Oberfuhrer and great gay God of all things†¦. † The management team also need to be very understanding when Brian expresses his aspiration to become an interior designer. It is often considered effeminate for a male to enter such a profession, so Brian's colleagues were mindful to be particularly sensitive when he expressed his aspirations to create his own unique style, – a style which can only be found in the city. This freedom of sexual expression is more firmly demonstrated by the liberty felt by minority groups in the city, such as homosexuals who express their uniqueness in such festivals as the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gra. Pressure to perform in a job is a significant issue in the corporate world. Stress over the possibility of losing a job is constantly seen in the city where competitiveness is incredibly high. The character of Brian mentioned a typical complaint by employees, when he stated â€Å"†¦ Flat structures. Get rid of middle management. Save costs by getting three times the work from half the staff. † This idea of cutting jobs and thus overheads is rather a taboo amongst staff. Sam realized this problem, when he commented, â€Å"When guys hit fifty they're finished†¦ everyone gets rid of them these days. † It is obvious this pressure originates from highly competitive work environments which advocate a ‘healthy' struggle, for both jobs, and market share. Companies are out to make a profit, and have no issue with culling â€Å"dead wood†, as there will always be younger, more technologically advanced workers ready to fill empty places, and willing to work for less. The character of Sam summed up this idea when he remarked, â€Å"Feelings have nothing to do with business – you either perform, or you don't perform†. Sam had no time for Deborah – ironically the EEO officer, who is an Aboriginal woman. Sam is faced with the issues of multiculturalism and political correctness – matters that are ubiquitous in the city environment. Programs such as Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, aim to give people of all backgrounds and gender a chance in the working world. It is only in city areas, that such a necessity is recognised; and this whole notion has been incorporated in the play by both the race and gender of particular characters. Acceptance of diversity is essential in an urban environment, for life to run comparatively smoothly. The corporate relationship between Deborah and Sam was constantly a hostile one, because he could not accept Deborah as a serious working associate due to her background and qualifications. Especially considering the city is such a large place in population, the acceptance of others is important to both a company and a city itself . Relationships must be maintained for the good of efficiency and productivity. People constantly rely on each other, and without people there would be no city. Even thousands of years ago, this notion was still respected. The philosopher Aristotle criticized Plato's idea that the greater the unity of the state the better, when he remarked, â€Å"A city only comes into being when the community is large enough to be self-sufficing. If self-sufficiency is to be desired, the lesser degree of unity is more desirable than the greater. † Of course self-sufficiency is only achieved through co-operation and cohesion. What good is a large city if it will not work together? Here, Aristotle is essentially commenting that it is more beneficial to have a smaller unit of people working together in a community, rather than a large group moving in opposing directions. Thus differences need to be overcome through acceptance, for people to collaborate and for a city to function. This stress and chaotic life experienced in the city can be contrasted by the perfect images often presented in travel brochures and on postcards. Leo Meier's untitled photograph of Sydney Harbour is one such example. The text depicts the city to be a magnificent, aesthetic place, which is still in touch with nature. The setting of dusk captures the moment when the city is just beginning to come alive, and is by no means peaceful after a long day. The composer has intended the city to be portrayed as continuous, yet an icon of beauty, which is distinctly Australian. The impression expressed by the image is that of vigilance and a never-sleeping city, yet one which has a famous nightlife and festive atmosphere. The working life by day has disappeared, and the social side of the city is just being revealed. The wide lens used, which has created a panoramic view, captures the sheer expanse of the Harbour. The water itself inspires a sense of calm, as it appears somewhat like glass, reflecting the chaos of the city nightlife above. The Harbour contrasts the city to emphasise Sydney's chaotic nature and the element that is never sleeping. The array of colours, the lighting used, and vantage point all stress the connection between the city and its historic and natural components. Corporate Vibes is simply centred on the internal and external struggles encountered by a company in the workforce, where as this photograph demonstrates the relationship between the economy and the city's aesthetic qualities found in nature and historical structures. Although Corporate Vibes focused on challenges and difficulties encountered in the workplace, its perception was not entirely negative. The poem ‘City Trip' by Cynthia L Hoefling, is rather damning about the city in general, with the text centralising its main theme on depression and hopelessness. Despite this feature, the composer also attempts to create compassion for a city, in the midst of expressing pathos and negativity. The author personifies the city so that it can be compared to a mother, which is evident in the line â€Å"†¦ I have seen her weep for her children†. A once happy and lively place, now the city has been undermined by the evil of its inhabitants and their apathetic attitude, transforming it into a threatening, unnatural and lonely area. In the poem, the negative elements are seen to destroy the city's aesthetic and cultural beauty, not so much that the audience comes to despise it, but more so feels sorrow for a potentially vivacious and striking feature of a nation. The poet portrays the city in a critical state, as depicted by the line â€Å"†¦ eon lights flashing with urgency†. Unwelcome industries have invaded this centralised area. The prostitutes are described as â€Å"pooling like tears†, giving an impression of a great puddle, with each individual an insignificant, identical portion. What legitimate industry does exist is depersonalised, especially in the phrase â€Å"blind businessmen†¦ in their world of grey and green†, which signifies homogeny, drudgery and conformity, while the colour green symbolises the dirty colour of money – a frequent drive for a city. Ending the poem with the emphasis of architecture, described as â€Å"brick, steel and stone†, Hoefling has stressed the meaning to the poem – that the city is a lonely, depressing and futile place to live. The futility of a city is expressed nowhere as vividly as the modern appropriation of Little Red Riding Hood, titled ‘Scarlet'. The text gives a very interesting view of the City of Sydney. The story focuses on the drug and sex industry of the city, as well as its speed and corruption. The phrase â€Å"Electric neon pulsed across the footpath†¦ signs flashing Live Sex, Pussycat, Love Machine†¦ contrasts the innocence, which would normally be associated with the life of an 11 year old. Scarlet was exposed to lesbians, prostitutes, and drug users. Every negative aspect a city could possibly possess, the author focuses on. No beauty can be found in the image portrayed – which is an image created to disturb. Dirty – morally, socially and physically, the city is illustrated as a repulsive place – a representation which can be contrasted with Leo Meier's photograph of the Harbour, which gives a flawless image of the city. The story emphasises a dark and disturbing element, in which anonymity can be a dangerous aspect. The concept of being a stranger, and thus being surrounded by strangers is a hazardous situation for Scarlet, who is lulled into a false sense of security by the ‘policeman' – a figure of society that ironically symbolises protection. Represented as the modern jungle, the city is seen as an environment in which it is essential to possess knowledge in order to survive. Scarlet saved herself from the rapist by injecting him with an overdose of drugs. The disturbing aspect is that she learnt the method and amount to use from her mother and grandfather who are both drug users. The city is not only seen as a sexual centre evident by the live shows, services and the sinister rapist, but it is also a commercial hub, still attracting tourists. The author refers to the â€Å"large red and white Coca Cola sign† at the cross, and the cars â€Å"crawling between traffic lights†. This story acts as an unhealthy contrast to the many glowing representations of the city – especially of Sydney. Drug use is apparent, and even prevalent in Kings Cross, but sex, drugs and crime is not all what the city stands for. This text in my opinion has failed to so much as touch on any positive aspects of the city. Although it has fulfilled its purpose of a good appropriation, the author has intentionally omitted any good qualities Sydney boasts. The Lands Department, Macquarie Place Sydney is a remarkable building that possesses historic beauty amongst a chaotic built-up area. As one of Sydney's oldest buildings that represents heritage and culture, it is no wonder why Roland Wakelin chose this structural feature of Sydney as the subject matter for his landscape painting. The emphasis on architecture suggests the recognition of the pride and beauty of the city. There is no evident sign of litter in the artwork, and a significant absence of congestion by cars and other conspicuous high-rises. The poem ‘City Trip' represents the city in an urgent state. The surreptitious nature of the city is expressed by the impoverished homeless and the desperation of the prostitutes. This is in contrast to Wakelin's artwork, which presents the city as an exposed, yet rather harmonious place. The dull colours, along with the pale blues, deep reds and charcoals illustrate a quiet and serene quality. Since the artwork was composed 57 years ago, it is evident much of the city has changed. Many people believe this change is for the worst. However my perception of the city is somewhat in between. I realise that no city is perfect, yet I believe every city has at least sone positive attributes. It is possibly just the number of these that may vary. In my eyes, the concepts of the city differ dramatically. The element of the corporate world does exist in most cities, yet for a person who is educated five days a week in the city, my perception will of course be persuaded by what Sydney has to offer. I see the city as an energetic and every changing place. It is true crime and immorality exists, and I accept this notion, however my experiences have led me to feel that isolation is not a problem, and anonymity is a positive characteristic. I sense freedom of all categories is extensive, whether it is freedom of sexuality, or the expression of unique style. Personally I could never call the heart of the city ‘home'. I adore the city, especially Sydney, yet I believe the mind needs to take time to relax and unwind – and to me the city is not a tranquil and soothing place.

Why is authenticity important in the pro-anorexia community?

Abstract The main argument that is advocated in this paper is â€Å"rationality vs. irrationality† – that maladaptive behavior can be justified, sought after and conditioned by a process of ‘groupthink’ and internal shifts of power. As a result, authenticity plays a vital part in this behavior as the group will urge members to be true to their own beliefs and practices in order to further the individual’s search for a sense of concrete realism in a seemingly irrational world. Introduction This essay relates to the lecture Beauty, Eating and Feminine Media which focuses on the embodiment of femininity and its representation in the media. This is done through world-wide concentration on beauty and eating practices that are expressed in media, and also explains some of the disorders that can appear as a result of these practices. It is argued that hegemonic femininity is not singular; thus creating multiple femininities. With this in mind, the paper will explore the extent that femininities are a product of patriarchy – a process of intergroup distinction in and of themselves, or a combination of both. The media’s representation of disorders and problems associated with feminine beauty and eating habits can act as a form of female ‘othering’ and distinction from its counter gender. Consequently, just how much these categories offer valuable sites of resistance is examined. Moreover, this essay is related to the Body, Media and Society model, in order to examine ‘the body’ in society with a focus on the role of media in representing, stereotyping and medicalising ‘the body’ in society. It examines how social structure and ‘the body’ are inherently connected, how they interact and how that interaction impacts on both the body and society as a whole. The module draws on the disciplinary approaches of Sociology and Media and Communications; specifically the sub-disciplines of the Sociology of the Body and Medical Sociology. This essay focuses on pro-anorexia communities, and the reasons why authenticity is important in such a community . These reasons will be separated into respective paragraphs as such:Characteristics of Anorexia Nervosa†¢Excessive weight loss †¢Food restraint †¢Fear of gaining weight †¢Obsessive vis-a-vis body image †¢10 times more likely in women †¢Affects young women & teenagers especially †¢A religious heritage? –Moral meanings –â€Å"Thin as sacred† / â€Å"fat as profane† (Boero and Pascoe, 2012)Notions of Community†¢Modernity and community –Stable, structured and physical (along class, gender, occupational or ethnic lines) †¢Postmodernity and community –Fluid and contingent, increased movement, virtual, viral, not reliant on modern social structures (class, gender, occupation, ethnicity). Is this a community at all?Pro-Anorexia Communities†¢2001 –Time magazine -‘Anorexia Goes High-Tech’ –Identifies pro-ana websites –Sites contain tips for weight loss, how to hide disorders from parents, deprivation diets †¢2008 –Newsweek –‘Out of the Shadow’ –Pro-anorexia communities emerge –Now interactive (Web 2.0) –Appear on facebook, myspace, etc. (Boero and Pascoe, 2012: 28) †¢Media articles and commentary is critical of pro-ana communities, thus the relation to capital is negativePro-Anorexia Communities†¢Non-recovery focused –Weight-loss information –Support (reinforcing anorexia rather than curing it) –Non-judgmental towards the disorder (Boero and Pascoe, 2012: 29) A highly contentious point –Challenges the image of isolated anorexics and â€Å"offers a view of anorexia built on interaction and, indeed, community† (ibid) –Women â€Å"log in to share their struggles, goals, triumphs, and failures in living a pro-ana lifestyle† (ibi d)Where do Boero and Pascoe Direct their Critique?†¢At traditional treatment: –â€Å"most traditional forms of treatment do not emphasize developing a feminist identity or integrate feminist critiques of feminine ideals that emphasize thinness and body perfection† (ibid) †¢At society at large – â€Å"constructions of femininity and the thin ideal fundamentally constitute the disorders themselves† (ibid) Considering that pro-ana communities harbor modern and post-modern characteristics, it will therefore be essential that the research undertaken for this paper covers a longitudinal frame of the history of ‘the body’ and specifically addresses the condition and the social representation of the female body in any given generation. To begin with, the paper explores the genesis of hegemonic femininity, dating back to the 1800’s when women were seen as ‘others’ who were judged solely on their appearance, who were exiled for having any of the same attributes as a man. This social construct gave birth to the now widespread theory of the â€Å"female psychological disorder†, after such movements as the ‘witch-hunt’, or the possession of the early modern witch (who were of course, younger women). Due to the nature of this construct, the social consequences saw a paradox emerging: rationality vs. irrationality. Younger women were conflicted within themselves, and began processing the irrational fixations the world around them had constructed with wholly rational elements of ‘the self’. Pro-ana communities therefore could label justified blame on this ideology, as the process of ‘othering’ had begun. This ‘othering’ soon led to a feeling a hegemonic femininity that wasn’t constructed by a universal form, but by the females themselves. Because women had already been distinguished and separated from their male counterparts, they began to slowly justify their appearance to a point of obsession; in order to regain control over themselves and indeed, the communities around them. Authenticity therefore plays a key feature of this construct, as it implies loyalty to the cause, righteousness of women all over the world and reinforces the distinction between man and woman in favor of the woman’s wants, and not the man’s. The Rationality vs. Irrationality argument also serves to explain the Voluntary vs. Involuntary argument. Involuntary actions such as weight loss are vindicated and sought after by pro-ana communities as the group’s rationale is solidified as a result of the action. An element of hysteria defines this general attitude; in Freudian terms, this means the wide categorization of repressed and unconscious problems such as a sexual repression and patriarchal abuse. Whether this idea is still relevant or not today will be discussed in this essay, and also subsequently whether pro-ana communities can be judged as ‘communities’ at all; given their ideological state rather than their corporeal one. It could be said that pro-ana communities only really exist in member’s minds – media platforms such as the internet and gloss magazines give members the opportunity for collectivism, acting as mechanisms with which to forward their thoughts. (More on this later) To further the history of pro-ana communities, the essay will also look at where self-starvation originated from, and how it preserved itself through the ages. Whether it be for spiritual practice or a political act, the process remains the same, and it is the authenticity of the act that gives it its weight. The essay will analyze why self-starvation implies power over the intended target (the opposite gender, governments, even God). Michel Foucault’s theory of power and knowledge will underline this deliberation, as will his book Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason. In this book, Foucault defines the evolution of madness through the Renaissance, the Classical Age and the Modern Age, suggesting that in the first phase (the Renaissance) ‘mad’ people were represented in art as possessing wisdom and knowledge of the limits of our reasoned world. This gives reason for the birth of pro-ana communities. By ‘othering’ themse lves from the rest of society, perhaps they feel that they harbor more power and knowledge over sociological conformities. Foucault also argues that the conceptual distinction between ‘mad’ and ‘sane’ people was the forefront to what he has dubbed â€Å"The Great Confinement† – which saw ‘mad’ people being locked away in institutions and exiled from the rest of society. They were separated completely. But here we see pro-ana communities existing in plain sight, in media representation and even the wilful acts of its advocates. They wish to be separate; but in a way that renders them safe from total banishment, in a way that still awards them power and distinction through the authenticity of their actions. This feeling of confinement seems to be also felt in schools. Rich and Miah (2010) examined how school life can affect female self-surveillance by distorting it and separating the person as a result. The ability to self- govern is also directly weakened by these public perceptions. Thus, this section of the essay will also concentrate on the distinction between the mind and the body – a theory first introduced by Descartes. The essay will then move on to more contemporary matters such as the depiction of women in media and advertising, and specific problems caused by these perceptions such as the ‘yummy mummy’ label that has seen rise in recent years (Notably in 2007, with the creation of Liz Fraser’s The Yummy Mummy’s Survival Guide). This wave has seen even new mother’s going to extreme lengths to make sure they look as attractive as possible after giving birth. Easy-to-read books like this that are clearly aimed at housewives propel the attitude that pro-ana communities share. It is an obsession over appearance and an empowerment as a result of ‘buying in to the modern life’. What makes this matter more widespread and significant is its habit of ownership over people – For instance, when the press made Sarah Jessica Parker into public property, the general consensus was that she was allowed to be criticized, judged, labelled or complimented by any one in the world that knew her name. In this scenario, the press are the ones that benefit, the population become uniform in their opinions and Sarah Jessica Parker is seen as sub-human; not real, not authentic†¦ a picture in a magazine. The benefits of pro-ana communities therefore is that women can see each other for real, talk to one another and second-handedly urge each other to carry on the habit. Pro-anorexia communities have since appeared all over the internet on mediums such as Facebook, Myspace, etc. This platform has enabled a new breed of networking that has never been seen before. Members of a community now have the ability to share and discuss their thoughts, struggles and even brag about their condition to other women in a similar situation. Pro-ana communities have become interactive as such, and owing to negative media attention, members have become more and more disassociated from the rest of society as they believe that they are the empowered ones struggling with being misunderstood. Their mal-adaptive behaviors therefore become real, authentic actions because rationality has been linked to them in the sense that they are now fighting for something against someone. What makes these communities more disassociated and somewhat ‘mad’ themselves is that the websites they use have developed hierarchies of eating disorders, with anorexia at the top. Whether or not these hierarchies imply an order of power relations remains to be discovered, and will be something that will be un-veiled in the essay. Something that is clear however, is the fact that the online communities do seem to be heavily connected to a form of gender capital in favor of hegemonic femininity. To demonstrate how important authenticity is to pro-ana communities, the essay will also focus upon the â€Å"wannarexics†. These are the frauds of the online communities; the ones that present pictures of themselves that do not correspond to their real-life bodies. They are the subject of ridicule in a pro-ana community, and show an apparent lack of respect for those that are truly anorexic and have chosen to be as a lifestyle choice. There are policies and rules that these communities have (like any other community) to police their membership. For instance, photos must be posted of member’s bodies, and so must they post food reports of what they have eaten on any given day. Group fasting is a growing fad too; including surveys and ‘weigh-ins’. This proves that being able to relate to one another is essential in a pro-ana community, and that authenticity is the key to their survival. Self-policing is becoming a more well-known and collected movement as well (as it has been under the radar for many years before). Self-hatred is described as being as great motivation tool, as well as recounting such bodily effects as hair loss, the loss of a period and motivational insults (calling one another ‘fat’). This interaction, together with the previous point, makes up the primary points of why authenticity is truly important to pro-ana communities, and will culminate the main body of the essay. These communities are also non-recovery based; meaning that the disorder is looked upon with sympathetic, understanding eyes and in a way that does not accept that anything is wrong. Cure is not an option, or even something that should be sought out. However, the pro-ana community does accept the glamorization of ‘thinning’, and this is what brings about the importance of authenticity for members. Women depicted in the media are not as real, not as flesh and blood as the people you personally know in a pro-ana community. Whilst identifying the attributes of these communities, the essay will also examine the rise of eating disorders in the late 20th Century, and define the extent of social construction of such disorders. Body dysmorphic disorder for instance, could be argued to be a social invention put into women’s minds by the effect of media advertising; whilst on the other hand, anorexia nervosa could be deemed a legitimate medical condition. To conclude a previous point that considered whether or not pro-ana communities could be judged as communities at all; we see huge differences in the definitions of modern and post-modern societies: Modernity and Community Stable, structured and physical (Along class, gender, occupational or ethnic lines) Postmodernity and Community Fluid and contingent, increased movement, virtual, viral, not reliant on modern social structures (class, gender, occupation, ethnicity) The essay will conclude that pro-ana communities cannot be defined as ‘communities’ in the modern sense of the word, and will deliberate on how this came to be through the introduction of the internet, worldwide media etc. Furthermore, after listing the previous reasons as to why authenticity is incredibly important in pro-anorexia communities, the essay will reach a logical conclusion: that authenticity reinforces member’s power and knowledge of their gender and their gender separation – thereby allowing them to continue their hegemonic culture. 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Ruck, (2011) ‘Physiognomy, Reality Television and the Cosmetic Gaze’, Body and Society, 17(4): 27-54. Williams, S.J. (2005) Medicine and the Body. London, Thousand Oaks and New Delhi: Sage. Chapters 6 and 8.

Sport in the USA and Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sport in the USA and Canada - Essay Example By doing this, and as well taking into consideration any and all other key and related issues, we will not only be able to gain a more informed and knowledgeable understanding on both countries in terms of sport overall, but as well we will be able to see the similarities and differences that are present in this regards. This is what will be dissertated in the following. In both the United States and Canada sports are looked upon as being of great significance and importance, however one of the most major points that should be pointed out to begin with here is the fact that different sports are looked upon as being more important in each country. While hockey is the predominant sport in Canada, football and basketball are the predominant sports in the United States. Sports are a national pastime in both countries, and as well, professional sports are a sizeable business venture in both cases. In fact, professional sports are one of the largest and most powerful business ventures of all in both cases, particularly so in the United States, where more sports are more largely predominant. ... e United States has fifty states and basically a team from each state, Canada tends to only have a few teams for each sport, and thus this obviously narrows down the influence of Canada in sport overall in comparison to the United States. When we look at particular sports, such as hockey and curling, we automatically think of Canada before the United States, while when we think of baseball and football we tend to think of the United States first, and there is a big question surrounding this - why The answer is quite simple, and it is that the sport simply suits the overall culture of each country; Canada has a consistently colder climate and so sports such as hockey and curling are able to be played for longer durations throughout the year, whereas in the United States, where there is mild weather for most of the year throughout most of the country, they are thus then able to play more fair weather sports, such as baseball, basketball and football, for instance. The role and importance of sport in the United States is incredible, and athletes are actually looked up to by a lot of people more than any other media figure, they are respected that much. In fact, the influence that these athletes have on the lives of today's male and female youth in particular has been analyzed in various different studies, one in particular which was co-authored by a professor and which was conducted by two undergraduate students at the United States Sports Academy. "Athletes at the middle school, high school and junior college level were asked to rate the importance of sports in their lives and the likelihood of advancement in athletics as well as careers in sports. The two survey researchers, their professor and a third undergraduate analyzed the results of the survey and how they

Strategic Management Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Management Analysis - Case Study Example In a scenario where reference governments ban Cirque performances in public spaces like Las Vegas, the Cirque du Soleil will have to change its strategy. Indeed, this will have a significant effect since permanent shows attract a huge audience since they host a portfolio of different shows with a series of related displays. The huge audience that attends Cirque performances in public place increase the total number of spectators experiencing Cirque du Soleil's shows worldwide, which is the company’s strength. As such, this scenario will reduce the company’s market presence and revenues derived from ticket sales and concessions from products sold during the shows in the public spaces. The company will lose its competitive advantage. To avert this crisis, the company must consider changing its strategy by investing more on world tours. This will involve altering the calendar of events for the convenience of performing artists, celebrities, audience, and other stakeholders sponsoring the events. Indeed, the company can also establish partnerships with interested parties that will host Cirque performances and finance the building of private theatres. Moreover, the company will invest huge resources on building private theatres designed for Cirque performances at the company headquarters and branches. The company will diversify and market its operations by establishing television deals to broadcast Cirque performances and venturing in other related businesses like selling the Cirque du Soleil's shows merchandise.

Week Three Team Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Week Three Team Assignment - Essay Example I think that the four criterion rule is absolutely necessary because not all leases should qualify as capital leases. A capital lease is treated much differently than an operating lease in the accounting books of the company. A capital lease creates both an asset and a liability in the balance sheet of the company. When SFAS No. 13 qualifies a lease as a capital lease full disclosure of what is actually happing in the company is disclosed in the balance sheet of the firm. The first criterion is that transfer of ownership must occur in the contract lease. This is absolutely necessary because without transfer of ownership a company cannot truly claim that the property is theirs. Failing to comply with this criteria completely justifies classifying a lease as operating instead of capital. In essence this criterion is making sure that companies to dot enter into a bunch of leases to inflate the value of their assets. An operating lease is basically entering into an arrangement to borrow a property for a specific period of time. The second criterion in SFAS No. 13 is that a lease must contain a bargain purchase option to qualify as a capital lease. The rationale for this stipulation is â€Å"if during the term of the lease the lessee can purchase the asset at a price substantially below its fair market value, the lessee will exercise that option, thus the lease should be reported as a leased asset on the lessee’s books† (Weygandt, et. al, 20 02, pg. 657). It makes a lot of sense that a purchase option must exist in a capital lease because this clause creates the final buying transaction needed to acquire an asset. The third criterion states that the lease term equals 75% or more of the economic life of the leased asset. I also agree a lot with this stipulation. In a capital lease the business must have the asset for the majority of the useful life. If a company holds a property for only a third of the time of its useful life the business has not really

The Political, Social and Economic Impact of WWI on European Society Essay

The Political, Social and Economic Impact of WWI on European Society - Essay Example This essay declares that socialism emerged as a significant force, which was a result of the Russian revolutions. The society of each warring European nation altered; for instance, in Britain the class system changed as the lower class consciousness, progressed; in France a whole generation of men demised, in Eastern Europe populations were again growing up as young nations popped up on the political map, while Germany survived by forming a non-imperial recognition. This report stresses that WWI, which is also referred to as one of the bloodiest battles of the century, had immense impacts throughout Europe. From the political perspective, the war left an evident scene of how it affected the main powers of Europe. For nations, such as Britain and France, the regime change was unessential, while in Germany there was a crucial change with far reaching consequences, whereas in Russia, the impact was drastic as well, resulting in two revolutions. Therefore, the war left a chain of political effects which were both direct and indirect. For instance, WWI pushed forward the idea of unity rallied behind people’s governments enhanced by the patriotism feeling. In the 1914 in France, during the formation of the Union Sacre, it was clear that the socialist ideas were put down so as to favor the nationalistic tendencies. Correspondingly, in Germany such a tendency was witnessed when Burgfrieden’ pursued contamination of socialism during that pe riod. The same enthusiasm, to certain extent, was also noted in Russia. Furthermore, according to Mazzini3, the French republicans understood the internal question in 1848 when they decided to abandon the European initiative, set aside their aspirations of Lamartine Manifesto and pursued strengthening of organizations of labor. The question of nationality entailed understanding the alliances of people, the power balance which was anchored on novel foundations. The changes in political aspects that were impacted on by the WWI were reflected mostly through the collapse of the European empires and monarchies. As the Ottoman Empire and the Austria-Hungary totally diminished, the WWI also led to the destruction of the Russian and German monarchies as they were transformed into republics. Furthermore, this was integral in the promotion of nationalism across and outside Europe resulting into the demand for independence among colonies of European nations. Additionally, a lot changed on the social front as men had mostly participated in the war while women were left in charge of their nations’ establishments and businesses. Women were initially considered as homemakers, whose core duty was to serve their families, but the

Crisis Prevention & intervention in healthcare (management of Essay - 4

Crisis Prevention & intervention in healthcare (management of assaultive behavior)6 - Essay Example Patients in crisis can be a threat to others and to self. Restraining entails restricting the arms, legs and tying the waist to reduce or contain mobility. Patients can be confined in hospital willingly or unwillingly. Restrain prevents a patient from moving their head, body, arms or legs freely. Items used to facilitate medical examination such as bandage are not considered restrain. Measures to restrain patients with assaultive behavior are carefully selected because restriction or seclusion could lead to negative outcomes if excessively implemented. Therefore, recommended measures should be least restrictive and steered towards specific result. Restraining techniques are recommended only when necessary. Restraining can be granted if the patient or family request. Advice for restrain by the healthcare professional should be accompanied by the length of time the assaultive person should be restrained. Observations should be made when the patient is restrained and recorded at regular intervals. Reviews can be made to assist the patient overcome their condition. Restraining is not used as a convenient way of containing the patient when healthcare professionals want to discipline the assaultive patient. Additionally, healthcare professionals should be aware of the body alignment when implementing least restriction to avoid body injuries. The patient should be able to change movement and exercise. Body circulation is important to enable the body to continue functioning as Ballard and Rockett (2009, p. 34) mention. Psychological restrain may precede chemical restrain and physical measures to restrain. Psychological restrain is given in the form of a program or a therapy. Activities are designed to meet the diverse situation of the assaultive behavior by withholding certain privileges. The privileges withdrawn do not include the basic needs. The patient given retrain will have access to shelter, clothing and food. Patients

Final project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Final project - Essay Example Internet nowadays is a part of our daily life. Transactions from different field are being done thru the internet. And now shopping is done not only in the department stores or malls but at your living room as well. The use of IT technology has been increasing; computers are no longer treated as luxury but as a necessity and are important in our daily transactions. One subject that has been gaining popularity in the internet is the on line shopping. The objective of this paper is to be able to present to the readers the pros and cons of on-line shopping. This is done by presenting the personnel experience of some persons during their encounter in online shopping. Another objective of the study is to evaluate the e-business that has been gaining the popularity. Most articles that I encounter about e-business presents one conclusion, that a company would not make it in the international market if they were not able to penetrate the online shopping. The paper will also discuss the complexity of the design. This will include the effectiveness and safety of the said design. Online shopping is one aspect of electronic commerce. Electronic commerce, or e-commerce, relates to a variety of business dealings conducted online. They include service providers selling services, and retail businesses selling items to customers. They also include auctioneers who create marketplaces where citizens can buy and sell goods, and business to business commerce. All of these transactions are done via the Internet. Retail business is the biggest part of electronic commerce. Instead of shopping in the traditional way, such as going to an actual retail outlet, using telephone shopping or mail order catalogues, online shopping allows companies and consumers to make their business transactions over networked computers. Online shopping could be defined as the buying and selling of goods over the Internet. Just about anything can be purchased over the internet. Examples of items consumers can buy are computers, cars, clothing, airline and event tickets, food, and pharmaceutical s. The most popular products purchased online were flowers, computer hardware and software, books, consumer electronics, music and videos, toys, and wines (Summers, Gardiner, Lamb, Hair, & McDaniel, 2003). http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Online_Shopping The Advantages and Disadvantages of On-line Shopping On-line shopping benefits all; young and old, disabled and able and others as long as you know how to use it. There are things that are considered as an advantage in using the system. The advantages and disadvantages are enumerated in the table below. The purpose of presenting the advantages and disadvantages of on-line shopping and traditional shopping will help the reader decide whether to use the system or not. Another objective is to analyze the process of on-line shopping. The plans objective also include on how to convince a person to use the online shopping. Table 1: Advantages and Disadvantages On line shopping Traditional Shopping Time Unlimited - you can purchase online anytime you want. No closing and opening hours You can shop at limited time only. Availability One will be able to know right away if the item is available or not and where it will be available. You need to drive from one location to another just to find the item you need. You have wasted your time and effort. Comfort You

What Makes People Attractive to Others Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What Makes People Attractive to Others - Essay Example This is because this is the prime age for young yet ambitious women to prepare themselves for the real world once they graduate. Attraction, having a subjective dimension to it, can have a physical association as well a far more deep attraction related to a person’s behavior. The preference of one over the other is dependent on specific situations and people young college women come across. Hence, it can’t be objectively defined. Therefore, this paper would discuss the essential aspects which make certain women attractive to others. Physical attraction plays an important part when interacting with people of your own age, especially people of the opposite gender. Women, aiming to be popular in their college and elsewhere are at an advantage when blessed with attractive features. Studies have shown that symmetrical features in women attract men. â€Å"A possible cause of that fluctuating asymmetry is exposure to oxidative stress in the womb which interferes with proper d evelopment. The embryo requires energy to develop properly† (Independent Digital News and Media).Therefore, college going women with perfectly symmetrical features, who have been properly nourished even when in the womb, are highly likely to grab men’s attention. Moreover, college women searching prospective dating partners should abandon the cliched playing â€Å"hard to get† attitude as verified by a bbc research. College women are attracted to those that are hard to get for others but easy to get for them. This is further supported by the â€Å"selective difficulty† theory (Science: Human Body & Mind). Some studies have shown that men are especially attracted to women with a low hip ratio – small waists, large hips and long legs (Feng). Therefore, young women can groom themselves to have the above mentioned physical qualities to attract men towards them. Moreover, elements such as behavior and personality can be attractive too, but popularly seco nd in preference. Mostly, selfless or altruistic behavior attracts men towards women. Hence, in one’s dealings it is preferable to have a selfless demeanor. Furthermore, according to a study women who are more interactive and seen more have a higher probability of attracting attention as compared to those who hardly take interest in their surroundings. Richard Moreland and Scott Beach (1992) demonstrated this affect by arranging groups of four women in college classrooms(Smith and Diane).Women who were seen more often were found more attractive to the college mates rather than the ones who attended fewer classes. The more, philanthropic, caring and altruistic you are, the more attractive you seem to others. This holds true for women as well. With regards to personality characteristics that attract people, the individuality of a person which makes her stand out attracts attention (Smith and Diane) Furthermore, Eliott Aronson, a social psychologist at Stanford University, sugge sts based on research that people who feel they are attractive - though not necessarily rated as such - are just as successful as their counterparts who are judged to be good-looking (Feng). This shows that self-confidence is also a means of attracting other people. Therefore, college going ladies who want to be successful by attracting people are recommended to have faith in themselves. This is applicable mostly when going for internship interviews and while attempting to attract the instructors’ attention during class presentations in colleges. According to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, good looking people make more money than ordinary looking people (Secrets of

Cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that CVP Analysis is even recognized as the cost-volume-profit analysis, which is an accounting technique that helps entrepreneurs in making a decision regarding their businesses. This essay discusses that the analysis helps entrepreneurs in identifying the breakeven point or the point at which their sales and expenditure will be equal to each other. This, in turn, helps a new startup in identifying the number of units it should sell in order to meet the minimum expenditure and investment it had made in the business. It will help them in identifying the time period around which the business might start making profits. Identifying the time period when the business might start making a profit is essential for a new business as a new business does not start making profits as soon as it starts functioning. Identifying the time period helps businesses remain focused and change their strategies accordingly to meet the profitability timeline. The present research has identified that the analysis even provides information regarding the number of goods and services that will be needed to produce goods and services. This can be used by new entrepreneurs in reducing their future input costs of production. This even helps the entrepreneur in identifying how certain changes in the variable or the fixed cost can reduce or increase the cost of production of various goods as well as services.

Milgram Obediance Study Essay Example for Free

Milgram Obediance Study Essay In May of 1962 Stanley Milgram, a Social Psychologist at Yale University, conducted a study on â€Å"Obedience and Human Nature† that was influenced by his curiosity of the WWII German Nazi Holocaust and concentration camps. Milgram asked â€Å"How could it be, that ordinary German people could allow the extermination of the Jews† and wanted to know under what circumstances would a person disobey authority? The study took place in the greater New Haven area and consisted of 40 male participants that were recruited after responding to a newspaper ad. Each participant was compensated for their participation, and were given $4.50. It was thought by many professors that only 3 out of 100 participants might deliver the maximum shock. After the recruitment, Milgram conducted a series of controversial experiments with his invention of a shock generator. The switches were labeled and ranged from slight shock, stong shock, very strong shock, moderate shock, intense shock, extream intense shock, to Danger Severe Shock and the last two only stating â€Å"XXX†. The voltage began at 30, increasing by 15 volt increments for each switch, all the way up to 450 volts. The purpose of Milgrams experiment was to try and answer,â€Å"How far would you be willing to go?† Prior to the experiment the professor explained the procedure to each participant. The â€Å"Student† was hooked up to the shock machine with leads that were connected by a paste that was supposed to protect the skin from being damaged or burned. The proctor explained that the shocks would be painful, but would not cause harm to the subject. The role of the â€Å"Teacher† was to ask the â€Å"Student† a series of questions. With each wrong answer the â€Å"Teacher† was to deliver a shock to the â€Å"Student†. However, what Milgram did not reviel was that the study was in fact, rigged. The â€Å"Student† had been given a script, and was instructed to pretend to be shocked. During the experiment, with each stagged wrong answer, the â€Å"Student† complained about the pain. As the intensity increased, the â€Å"Student† began to complain about having heart problems. Begging for the â€Å"Teacher† to stop. Pleading and demanding to be let out of the room over and over again. All the while the â€Å"Teacher† was prompted by the proctor to continue. Throughout the exam, most of the â€Å"Teachers† began to doubt if they should continue. Asking the proctor â€Å"how far should I go†, or â€Å"what will happen if I continue†. Each time, the proctor would encourage the teacher to â€Å"please continue† telling them â€Å"you have no choice but to continue, the experiment depends on you†. With each shock the â€Å"Teacher† became increasingly agitated. Demonstrating mental anguish, and struggled with the their emotions of inflicting pain with the next shock. Eventually after hitting the 300 volt mark the â€Å"Student† got to the point that he stopped responding to the questions. By this point the â€Å"Teachers† were angry and refused to continue. The proctor advised the â€Å"Teacher† to treat the silence as a wrong answer and instructed to proceed with the experiment and to administer another shock. This caused increased severe mental anguish and suffering on the â€Å"Teachersâ€Å" behalf. Some would refuse again to continue, stating that they â€Å"wouldnt go on if I thought I were harming them†. One even shouted, â€Å"Im not going to be responsible, Im not going to kill the man.† The proctor simply responded, â€Å"you have too, you have no other choice but to continue.† Many of the phrases used to prompt the â€Å"Teacher† to continue included, â€Å"The experiments require you to continue†, and â€Å"Its absolutely essential that you continue.† The results of the Milgram experiment tested his theories of why people were willing to go against their conscious and demonstrated just how far people were willing to go to stay in compliance with an authoritative figure. In 1974 Milgram published his book ,â€Å"Obedience to Authority† which raised controversial, ethical, and moral issues of his experimentation on Obedience. Many believed that it was cruel and several professors stated it was â€Å"in humane† and questioned his use of human subjects, due to the cruel nature that caused mental anguish, unnecessary stress, grief, and turmoil on the so called â€Å"Teacher†. After the experiment, Milgram purposed the question, â€Å"Why did so many agree to and perform the shock treatment, if they felt it was wrong?† I believe that there are many factors that influenced the participants to continue to deliver the shock treatment, some of which include the following; 1. Human nature to be pleasing. I believe that Authority is seen to be powerful and insurmountable and having the authoritative figure presence, tromping them to continue even when they wanted to stop had a huge influence on the participants and affected the â€Å"teachers† decision to continue even though they wanted to stop. 2. Fear of non-compliance. I believe the participant felt an obligation to continue because of the agreement they made with the University to participate. I think that some may of thought their might be consequences if they disobeyed the proctor. 3. Curiosity and sadistic behaviors. I think that some participants wanted to see just how tolerant the â€Å"Student† could be. 4. The experiment was held at the highly esteemed Yale University. I believe this peeked the interest of the participants and many wanted to be a part of a highly accredited institutional study group. 5. Many believed it was safe. They were told that it was not dangerous, it was painful but would not harm the participant receiving the shocks and this allowed the participants to continue administering the shocks because they trusted what they were told. 6. Ability to redirect responsibility onto the Authoritative figure, in order to relieve the guilt they may feel- stating â€Å"I was only following orders.† I found the results of the Milgram Obedience study astounding. Of the 40 participants, 26 delivered the maximum shock and 14 participants stopped at various levels throughout the experiment, siting they â€Å"just couldnt go on.† While watching the video, I found myself feeling anxious, and thought about how I would of reacted. The Milgram experiment demonstrates exactly how people actually react when placed in certain circumstances, rather than a hypothetical situation, stating how they feel they would react. I believe this study revels how some humans can detach themselves emotionally in order to remain obedient. So after thinking about the statistics of the experiment I shouldnt have been so surprised that 65% delivered the maximum shock. I would of never believe so many of them would have gone thru with the experiment and felt that the number would have been much lower. There are many examples throughout history of how dangerous it can be to take obedience to the extrema. One example is during WWII. The Germans treatment of the Jews was horrific and unimaginable. It was estimated that during the Holocaust, the Nazis used the concentration camps to murder approximately 11 million people. So you ask, yourself, how could such a horrific event take place?, How could people be so EVIL? These conditions were real and the answer to these questions are highly debated throughout the world by Psychologist, Analysis, Universities and amongst people sitting at dinner tables everywhere. It lies deep within the dark places of evil minds. It unleashes its wrath and destroys. In conclusion, I believe we are taught to be obedient from birth. As parents we teach our children to obey us, so that they learn consequences and grow into respectable, responsible adults. God expects us to obey his commandments. Police officers expect us to obey traffic laws. Employers expect us to obey rules and regulations, and office policies On a daily basis we are told to follow instructions, directions, commands and orders. Obedience involves power and status and is influenced by social pressure and conformity. As a society we are conditioned and expected to be obedient.

World Health Organization (WHO) Priorities

World Health Organization (WHO) Priorities THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS Abstract In the field of international public health policy and international public health, a significant role is played by WHO. To coordinate and direct health is the main responsibility of the World Health Organization (WHO), which is a body of the United Nations (UN). To assess and monitor health trends, to provide technical support to countries, to articulate evidence-based policy options, to set standards and norms, to shape the health research agenda and to provide leadership on global health matters are the other responsibilities of WHO. In the eradication of small pox, a leading role has been played by WHO, since its creation. The current priorities of WHO are networking, publications, driving the development of reporting, substance abuse, occupational health, health eating and food safety, nutrition, aging and development, reproductive and sexual health, the mitigation of the effects of non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS/HIV. The World Health Organizations Introduction On 7th April 1948, the constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO) came into force. In the field of international public health policy and international public health, a significant role is played by WHO. On 22nd July 1946, the constitution of the WHO was signed by sixty-nine countries. To coordinate and direct health is the main responsibility of the World Health Organization (WHO), which is a body of the United Nations (UN) (World Health Organization, 2006). To assess and monitor health trends, to provide technical support to countries, to articulate evidence-based policy options, to set standards and norms, to shape the health research agenda and to provide leadership on global health matters are the other responsibilities of WHO. In the eradication of small pox, a leading role has been played by WHO, since its creation. The current priorities of WHO are networking, publications, driving the development of reporting, substance abuse, occupational health, health eating and food safety, nutrition, aging and development, reproductive and sexual health, the mitigation of the effects of non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS/HIV (World Health Organization, 2010). Discussion Health is being considered as a shared responsibility in the twenty-first century that involves collective defense against transnational threats and equitable access to essential care. WHO is increasingly operating in a rapidly changing and complex landscape that extends into other sectors and that influence health outcomes and opportunities, with the boundaries of public health action becoming blurred (World Health Organization, 2008). Through use of 6-point agenda these challenges are responded by WHO that addresses 2 operational approaches, 2 strategic needs and 2 health objectives. Improving performance, enhancing partnerships, evidence and information, harnessing research, strengthening health systems, fostering health security and promoting development are the six points in the agenda. The agenda of health development of WHO is directed by the ethical principle of equity, i. e. , health-promoting interventions or access to life-saving must not be denied for unfair reasons, involving those with social or economic roots (World Health Organization, 2007). Priority is given to health outcomes in vulnerable, disadvantaged and poor groups by activities of WHO, whose aim is health development. Addressing the neglected tropical areas, treating and preventing chronic diseases and attainment of health-related Millennium Development Goals are the factors that are included within its development and health agenda (World Health Organization, 2005). Through enforcement of revised International Health Regulations and by strengthening the ability of the world to defend itself collectively against outbreaks, the health safety has been fostered by WHO. For WHO, one of the highest priorities is strengthening of health systems. WHO also ensures that health systems do reach underserved and poor populations of the world (World Health Organization, 2007). It addresses areas, like, access to appropriate technology involving essential drugs, suitable systems for collecting vital statistics, sufficient financing, and the provision of adequate number of appropriately trained staff. To monitor the evolving global health situation, to articulate evidence-based policy options, and to set standards and norms, it generates authoritative health information in consultation with leading experts. With the collaboration and support of many partners, involving the private sector, civil society, donors, international organizations and UN agencies, WHO carry out its business partners implementation programs within countries. These countries are encouraged by WHO through use of the strategic power of evidence, so that the activities are aligned with the priorities established by countries, as well, with best technical practices and guidelines. Both within countries and at the international level, WHO participates in ongoing reforms aimed at improving its effectiveness and efficiency as a means of improving its performance. For the ten-year period from 2006 till 2-15, the framework for organization-wide program of results, resources, budget and work is provided by the eleventh General Program of Work, whose title is â€Å"Engaging for Health. † (World Health Organization UniceF, 2009). Core functions of WHO are set out by the General Program of Work. These core functions are assessment of health trends, monitoring of health situation, building of sustainable institutional capacity, catalyzing change, providing technical support, articulating evidence-based and ethical policy options, setting of standards and norms and monitoring and promoting their implementations, dissemination and translation of valuable knowledge, stimulating the generating, shaping the research agenda, engaging in partnerships where joint action is required and providing leadership on matters critical to the health. The attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health is the objective of WHO as set out in its Constitution. Health is not defined as the absence of infirmity or disease but a state of social, mental, and physical well-being by the Constitution (World Health Organization, 2009). For Who, the supreme decision-making body is the World Health Assembly. It is attended by delegations from all 193 member states and is held annually in Geneva. WHO has 147 country offices and 6 regional offices in which more than eight thousand people from more than one hundred and fifty countries work. Its headquarters is located in Geneva. Experts in the fields of emergency relief, economics and health statistics, and people trained to manage information, financial and administrative systems and epidemiologists, scientists, public health specialists and medical doctors are all included within the staff of WHO. Since year 1950, a â€Å"World Health Day† has been celebrated annually on 7th April, to make the founding of the WHO. For World Health Day, each year a theme is selected and a priority area of concern for WHO is highlighted by this theme. To focus on key public health issues that affect the international community, this celebration is a global opportunity. Longer-term advocacy programs are launched by WHO on this day. Since year 2001, the themes adopted by WHO were, making hospitals safe in emergencies, protecting health from climate change, international health security, working together for health, making every child and mother count, road safety, shaping the future of life, moving for health and mental health (World Health Organization, 2009). Health and urbanization were focused by World Health Day of year 2010. To make cities healthier, a global movement has been called out by WHO, with the campaign, â€Å"1000 cities 1000 lives. † To open up streets for health activities, cities are being called and events are being organized worldwide. To illustrate the things done by people in order to improve health in their cities, the stories of urban health champions are being gathered. To open up public spaces to health is the global goal of the campaign, whether it may be activities in closing off portions of streets to motorized vehicle in thousand cities, or in clean-up campaigns, town hall meetings and parks. Conclusion Working in alignment with UNAIDS strategies and objectives is considered as important by WHO that works within the UNAIDS network, in terms of AIDS/HIV (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS World Health Organization, 2006). To eradicate polio is also one of the major aims of WHO. Since its Global Polio Eradication Initiative launched in year 1988, it has been successful in helping to reduce cases by ninety-nine percent. WHO also works to promote healthy and active aging for all individuals, to improve reproductive and sexual health, to reduce mortality and morbidity and to improve health during key stages of life, such as, adolescence, childhood, the neonatal periods, childbirth and pregnancy. References Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. , World Health Organization. (2006).  AIDS epidemic update, December 2006. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=q2H0b-WY1pUCoi=fndpg=PP7dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=o81vt6dHNBsig=w-igCuZIHqhnN14d8Vl-xWjQ6ho World Health Organization (Ed. ). (2005).  Preventing chronic diseases: a vital investment. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=F1yj1OloKkECoi=fndpg=PR6dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=AjyzxbbucWsig=8uB9EYpPQVaNQJeHVO2gpjTZPeg World Health Organization (Ed. ). (2007).  International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health: Children Youth Version: ICF-CY. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=SWFQDXyU-rcCoi=fndpg=PR5dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=G6RLput0Jusig=ylQmuhg4-KfmHLpDjFhEDBTVstU World Health Organization (Ed. ). (2009).  Global health risks: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=Ycbr2e2WPdcCoi=fndpg=PR5dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=aeG20uWfbpsig=YYv-sVCkhxmGdgvLlwVsYO2GBwc World Health Organization (Ed. ). (2009).  Global status report on road safety: time for action. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=Ndrf6DuCQHMCoi=fndpg=PP2dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=tclGNoiWXysig=87inySftslVc06SnetZIAvkOjV4 World Health Organization, UniceF. (2009). Towards universal access: scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector: progress report 2009. Retrieved from:  http://apps. who. int/iris/handle/10665/44217 World Health Organization. (2006). The world health report: 2006: working together for health. Retrieved from:  https://extranet. who. int/iris/restricted/handle/10665/43432 World Health Organization. (2007). Everybodys businessstrengthening health systems to improve health outcomes: WHOs framework for action. Retrieved from:  http://apps. who. int/iris/handle/10665/43918 World Health Organization. (2008).  International Health Regulations (2005). World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=YRBoCh3ErrYCoi=fndpg=PR1dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=Xo3mvOQ5pdsig=haHbCg1_ZJ5VfctL0psN90J8oyk#v=onepageq=World Health Organizations (WHO)f=false World Health Organization. (2010).  Global tuberculosis control: WHO report 2010. World Health Organization. Retrieved from:  http://books. google. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/books?hl=enlr=id=BxV0zjM7M8oCoi=fndpg=PP2dq=World+Health+Organizations+(WHO)ots=9TlNotHoP4sig=nKT9pBQnCgx_39qCByn_4OcflyM

Organisational studies The effective of Team work and problems faced

Organisational studies The effective of Team work and problems faced 1- Introduction Groups and teams form a key part of life in work organization, coordination and cooperation are the most activities taking place within organizations which is only achieved by people working together. We always work as groups in our families, communities and educational systems, neighborhoods. There is no suspicion that the success of organization depends on the performance of its groups and teams. And by mobilizing groups and team the organization can meet its competitive demand in the challenging environment In the last years competitive environment have lead to the managers to concern and ensure more on the groups and teams performance very well. By implementation teamwork in the organization its lead to reduce the costs and to increase the profits which are the key in any competitive market in todays economic climate. Managing groups is the most important aspect because most of the organization work done within group so to manage this group its requires Planning- Organizing- Leading- Controlling (P-O-L-C) functions. This paper illustrate understanding the meaning of teamwork and groups and identifying the varied types of team and the three level of structure which are influencing teams and its importance in the organization behavior, understanding of tools and techniques that increasing the effectiveness of teamwork in organization. Extend analysis of group and team working. And critically important to understand how groups and teams contribute to organization effectiveness. While their effect is potentially positive. 2- Teams in Organization At the beginning of 1990s the use of teams within organization has been raised dramatic, such as the Miller Brewing Company increasing productivity 30% by using teams comparing with traditional organization. And also many organization they obtained benefits by using teams, Instruments in Malaysia to reduce defects from 100 parts per million to 20 parts per million. Furthermore, Westinghouse reduced its cycle time from 12 weeks to 2 weeks, and Harris Electronics was able to achieve an 18% reduction in costs.(  [1]  ) Many companies switch to use teams and they did good job like Square D, they changed to self-directed teams and found that overtime on machines, than the production increased because the setup operators were able to control the work in much more effective ways than a manager could say.(  [2]  ) 2.1. Definitions of Effective Teams One of the most popular definitions by Schein defines a group in psychological terms as any number of people who interact with one another; are psychologically aware of one another; and perceive themselves to be a group (  [3]  ) Handy confirms this more simple-mind as any collection of people who perceive themselves as a group (  [4]  ) however both of this two definition doesnt summarize why people work as a group, maybe this definition is better a group is a collection of two or more people who interact with one another regularly to achieve common goals. In the a group within this definition, members Are mutually dependent on one another to achieve common goals and Interact regularly with one another to pursue those goals over a sustained period of time. (  [5]  ) Effective group is a group achieves high level of task performance and human resource performance in the standers sense of quantity, quality and timeline of work tasks. And a group whose members believe that their participation and experiences are positive and meet important personal needs. (  [6]  ) 2.2. Types of groups (Formal and Informal groups) In organization, the groups can classify by two basic types Formal and Informal Groups. Formal Group: Its an official group of people who designed to serve specific organizational purpose, and its contain of managers, subordinates, or both close relations among group members that influence the behavior of individuals in the group. The head of the formal group is responsible for the groups performance, but all members contribute the required work. Managers are typically seen as playing a key linchpin role that ties group horizontally and vertically with the rest of the organization.(  [7]  ) Informal group: Informal groups are groups that appear unofficially and are not formally designed as parts of the organization, and contain of two or more individuals who are related with one another in ways not prescribed by the formal organization. And they occur through spontaneous personal relationships and specific interest. Not by organization support. Friendship group contains of a group of people which they have a good relation with natural affinities to each other. And they prefer to do work together and even smoking, eating lunch and also socialize together. 3- Stages of Group Development There is a robust model in 1965 which is still widely used today presented by American organizational psychologist Bruce Tuckman. He proposed a four stages map of group evaluation known as Forming- Storming- Norming- Performing Model.(  [8]  ) and then he enhance his model by adding the fifth stage called Adjourning. Figure 1.1. Stages of a Group Development Model Forming Stage In the forming stage the group members maybe know each other for the first time or maybe there some members know each other, and the group come to gather for the first time so initial of this stage the group member start thinking about the future and the next stage, and member ask some question as he begin to identify with other group members and with the group itself, because the high level of uncertainty, and the member tend to act more polite and avoid conflict and observant. Storming Stage In the storming stage of group development is a period when the member feel save and feel included in the group, then the storming stage start becoming more genuine and more confrontational. In this stage conflict arise, hostility and infighting it may happen. And some members feel the tasks are unfair some harder and easier, and now the leader should identify the problems and work out for the solutions and looking to satisfied everyones goals. But in this stage the members become more authentic as they state their deeper thoughts and feelings, and start to understand interpersonal styles and effort made by each member to find the method to achieve group goals and in the same way satisfied groups needs. Norming Stage The norming stage at group development, at this stage the group start to come together as a group, and the group members feel more committed to the each other and for the group goals and tasks, and they start to establish their own norms and rules and their goals and operating procedures. Hopefully in this stage the team starts to come together and members tends to be more open, helpful, and respect to each other and they may to share their personal information. At this point need to be carefully managed and the leader should become more of a facilitator by letting the group presume more responsibility for its goals and tasks. Performing stage The performing stage at group development, in this stage the team members should be more mature and willing to solve any complex tasks. In this stage group develop, well functional group, organized, mutual assistant, creativity, understanding goals and roles, and independence, primary challenges should contain to improve relationships and performance. Now the group members are motivated and generally satisfied. Adjourning stage Its an important stage for temporary groups, and its an well integration group which able to disband when its work finished and willing to work together in the future. And in this stage the group closure, symbolism, and they do some ceremonies, and emotional support. Figure 1.2. Stages of a Group Development Model Forming Adjourning Storming Norming Performing Uncertainty about groups, structure and leadership Conflict confrontation among group members Members settle into Team Fully functional and accepted End of team {in case of task} 4- Nature of the group Task There are many tasks that the group asks to perform it but also demand different things on them. The social demands contain relationships; members identify how to achieve the task and agreement. When the group faces a complex and technical task it will require a lot of information processing and solution. And the more the task complex the harder the group to perform more effective. (  [9]  ) However if the group want to achieve goals they have to distribute their efforts broadly and actively, by this the group members will be highly satisfied with each other and accomplishments. 5- Membership characteristics The characteristics of group members its an important inputs which may affect the way the group operates and achievements. The group must have high skills and competencies to solve and perform the problem and talents alone cannot assure good results. In Homogeneous groups, are groups whose members have similar backgrounds, interests, values, and attitude etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. but they still facing the limitation of their collective skills. In Heterogeneous groups, are groups whose members have diverse age, gender, experience, backgrounds, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and there is a wide range of talent and viewpoints for solving problem. But because of this diversity the group members will face difficulties in the short run or early stages of group development by defining problem, share information and deal with interpersonal conflicts .however, research confirms that diversity can be turned into enhanced performance potential. (  [10]  ) The Diversity consensus dilemma refers to a tendency for diversity in group membership to make it harder for people to work together even though diversity itself expands a group problem solving capacity.(  [11]  ) 6- Group Size Group size can also have an influence the on group effectiveness. By having large group members which will help increasing the performance and satisfaction by dividing up the work and accomplish tasks. Anyway, when the group continues growing in size a lots of problems will occur, communication and coordination problems set in, turnover, absenteeism and dissatisfaction. Even logistical matters, like to find a place to meet and also time, the large group will hurt the performance.(  [12]  ) the most effective number of members of group is between five to seven members, the group with less than five its might be so small to share the sufficient responsible. And with group members more than seven it might be hard to participate and offer ideas. And in big group it might be some members tend to act aggressive and to split into coalitions or subgroups.(  [13]  ) groups with odd number it might be more effective and efficient because speed of decision and using majority to resolve disagreements. But when careful discussions are necessary and the emphasis is more on agreement. 7- The Effective management and leadership systems According to the Dr.Rensis Likert whichs did lots of research on human behavior within organization, especially in Industry sector, by establish a effective climate and a system of management that the key of good leadership and he confirmed that to reach the maximum profitability, high productivity and good relationships between the labors the organization have got to make the most advantageous use of their human assets. After he did a research for many years he identified four systems of management: System 1- Exploitive Authoritative System 2- Benevolent Authoritative System 3- Consultative System 4- Participative Exploitive Authoritative In this system the responsible are the high levels of managements and the lower have almost nothing, and the decisions are on subordinates and the communication is very a little and no teamwork. Benevolent Authoritative Leadership is by a condescending form of master-servant trust, Where motivation is primarily rewards, and just the managerial level feels responsible and lower levels do not, and also there is a small communication and teamwork, Consultative leadership is by superiors who have substantial but not complete trust of their subordinates ,where a big amount of workers, especially those at high levels take responsible to accomplishing a organization goals, and some vertical and horizontal communication and a some of teamwork. Participative In this system where Likert found that it is the optimum solution, where the leadership is by superiors which they have full confidence in their subordinates and there are a economics rewards based on achieving the specific goals and high level on communication and significant amount of cooperative teamwork. 8- Characteristics of participative management system Groups work high effectively and linked together by other similar effective groups. High level of confidence between superiors and subordinates by depending and using on them. Superiors always attempt to tap ideas on subordinates and use them to achieve it. Workers feel responsible for organizations goals. High level of communications between groups and individuals to achieve organizations goals. The subordinates feel fully involved the decision making process.(  [14]  ) (  [15]  ) Role ambiguity, role conflict and role overload/ underload its a common problem in groups when the team members feel unclear about their roles or experience conflicting role, and it can be managed when the leaders and team members identifies conflicts and ambiguities role and take procedures to explain role expectations. Role ambiguity arise when the worker feel uncertain or dont know exactly about his or her role. To do jobs perfectly, members should know what is expected from them, and in many new teams because the role ambiguity it create problem like some members work efforts are wasted or unappreciated by others in the team. Even in the mature group the fail to share expectation and listen to each other it may make similar lack of understanding. Role overload Arise when the worker has a lot of work to and too much expected, role under load arise when worker dont work too much, feels underutilized and too little expected. By having clear and realistic expectations about their expected tasks and responsibilities typically the group members will benefit from that. Role conflict Arise when worker cannot meet the expectations of others. The worker understands what tasks and needs to be done but for some reason cannot fulfill, and can also reduce and effect satisfaction and relationships with group members. There are four common forms of the role conflict: Intra-sender role conflict occurs when the same person sends conflicting expectations. Inter-sender role conflict occurs when different people signal conflicting and mutually exclusive expectations. Person-role conflict occurs when ones personal values and needs come into conflict with role expectations. Inter-role conflict occurs when the expectations of two or more roles held by the same individual become incompatible, such as the conflict between work and family demands. (  [16]  ) Lists of References Likert,R.(1961), New Patterns of management, McGrawHill. Likert, R. (1967), The Human Organization: Its Management and Value, McGrawHill.

The Civil War Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Civil War was a time when the United States was split in two. In every battle Americans were killing Americans because of sectional conflicts. These were times when people were forgetting the concept of the United States, all the things their fathers and grandfathers had worked so hard for. Lincoln’s speech, The Gettysburg Address, defined, symbolized, and epitomized the spirit of America. Lincoln established equality, found in the Declaration of Independence but not in the Constitution nor in any Federal or State law, as a basic and fundamental concept in America. This is very true since this country was founded on equality but apparently not granted in the Constitution to all. In the time of the Civil War many Americans forgot what equality meant, freedom for all - black and white.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Gettysburg Address was written by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863. It was delivered at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, honoring those who died in the Civil War battle of Gettysburg earlier that year. â€Å"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . (Doc. 25 line 10). The brief speech was followed by a two-hour oration by Edward Everett, one of the most famous speakers of the time. The next day the newspaper of the time regarded Everett’s speech very highly and only briefly mentioned Lincoln. Ironically, Everett sent Lincoln a note saying, â€Å"I wish that I could flatter myself that I had come as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes.† (Encarta). Although Lincoln was not as eloquent and verbose as many, his words had a deep meaning and touched the hearts of many soldiers who fought at Gettysburg.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Gettysburg Address Lincoln states, â€Å"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.† (Doc. 25 lines 1-3). By saying this Lincoln meant that the United States was born through the struggle of the colonists for freedom from England. When the fathers of this country made this nation, they wanted it to be one of liberty and equality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Civil War was basically fought over the issue of slavery and keeping the United States as... ...uality, equality for all. The Address also did not have the power to do this. After the Address was written the Emancipation Proclamation was also written by Lincoln to emancipate all slaves living in Confederate territory. This was so far the only document that actually headed more in the direction of equality than any other. Both the Address and the Declaration were symbols of freedom and liberty against a foe that intended to demolish these concepts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Gettysburg Address is †¦recognized †¦as the one of the most moving expressions of the democratic spirit ever uttered.†(Encarta). The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important symbols of what America stands for. Both are important in recognizing how we as Americans have come to enjoy the freedom and equality that we have today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   WORKS CITED   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Document 25. â€Å"The Gettysburg Address†, Abraham Lincoln   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Encarta Encyclopedia. â€Å"The Gettysburg Address† 1996

The Long and the Short and the Tall by Willas Hall Essay -- Long Short

"The Long and the Short and the Tall" by Willas Hall The play is set in the Malayan Jungle during the Japanese advance on Singapore in 1942. Seven British soldiers have different power due to the ranking hierarchy and they have different attitudes to one another. Sergeant Mitchem is the leader of the soldiers. He is a responsible and good leader which is evident due to him stopping many quarrels among his men and making decisions. For example, when Corporal Johnston and Private Bamforth are having an argument, Mitchem stops the argument by saying ‘Right. Pack it in. Both of you’. Next we have Corporal Johnstone, who is second in power to Sergeant Mitchem. It is obvious that Johnstone does not have the respect that Mitchem has. This is because Bamforth has many arguments with him and does not follow his orders efficiently. One example of a quarrel between the two is when Johnstone tells Bamforth to ‘Get your pack on!’ Bamforth then responds saying ‘you going to inspect us, corp.?’ The next highest in the hierarchy is L/Corporal Macleish. He is a Scotsman and has regular arguments with Bamforth. In one argument Bamforth called Macleish a ‘Scotch Haggis’. Macleish responds telling Bamforth to ‘Watch your mouth’. However this only encourages Bamforth to continue by saying ‘Aw, come off it, son. Where I come from it’s just a name’. Then we have the four Privates. Private Whitaker operates the radio and is very shy. However, at the near end of the play Whitaker shoots the Japanese soldier because he advanced on him. Private Evans is a Welshman and is just as pathetic as Whitaker. When Corporal Johnstone tells him to kill the prisoner as soon as he is captured using the bayonet of the gun, Evans steps back a... ...ho we initially disliked at the beginning of the play, turned out to be the sole form of morality within the group of soldiers. Thus, we later learned to respect him and his defence of a person in a war situation who greatly needed it. However, how do we know whether the Japanese will not treat the English prisoner in the same way that we treated their prisoner. How interesting that Mitchem and Johnstone held back Bamforth from stopping Whitaker killing the prisoner. This means that even after all of Bamforth’s efforts, they still wanted to have the prisoner killed. Eventually, the unity of Sergeant Mitchem’s men is affected because they all turn against Private Bamforth and the soldier. If there was not the presence of the prisoner then the soldiers would operate in their usual way with Bamforth rebelling and not displaying any changes in his character.