Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Students Should Be Allowed to Take Their Choice of Courses free essay sample

There has been a lot of discussion on whether secondary schools ought to pick courses for their understudies. While others are of the supposition that courses ought to be picked for understudies, others accept that understudies ought to be allowed the chance to pick the courses they wish to examine. In my perspective, secondary schools should allow understudies to pick the courses they need to consider. As a matter of first importance, understudies ought to be allowed the chance to assume control over their future. Before understudies move to secondary schools, they have concentrated in elementary schools and best know the subjects they are acceptable at.Some even choose the subjects they will do in secondary schools while they are still in grade schools. Thus, picking a subject for understudies like these ones who have just settled on direct choices on what to do in secondary schools will be hindering for them and their vocation. We will compose a custom article test on Understudies Should Be Allowed to Take Their Choice of Courses or on the other hand any comparable theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Moreover, a few understudies definitely realize what to do in future before they move to secondary schools. There are understudies whose relatives are now laborers in places like; organizations and medical clinics. An understudy may choose to study electrical building on the grounds that a relative has promised the person in question a vocation in a designing company.The school probably won't have the foggiest idea about this and conclude that the understudy takes expressions courses. This will accomplish more mischief than anything to the understudy, and there is a high chance that the understudy won't want to concentrate in that area, since he/she doesn't have the foggiest idea about the significance of it in his/her future. At long last, a few understudies detest certain subjects in elementary school, and will need to maintain a strategic distance from those subjects when they move to secondary schools. While in elementary school, understudies perform contrastingly in various subjects, and will need to stay away from those courses they consider as their own bad dream when they are in high schools.If subjects are to be picked for understudies, there will be a likelihood that one of these cour ses may be chosen for the understudy. On the off chance that he/she keeps on performing inadequately in the subject, it can even reason him/her to drop out of school. To close, secondary schools are places where understudies go to plan for their future, and hence; understudies ought to be allowed to assume control over their future. On the off chance that moreover that understudy knows the particular occupation they will do in future and detest studying subjects they consider as their bad dreams, they ought to be allowed the chance to choose the courses they need to contemplate.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Neil Gaimans Writing

Presentation Neil Gaiman is a globally acclaimed English author with a wide scope of comic books, fiction books, and short stories and children’s books to his name. His abstract style has captivated numerous perusers around the globe and thus, he has won various exceptional honors from his scholarly work.Advertising We will compose a custom research paper test on Neil Gaiman’s Writing explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More His composing ability is bore witness to by the way that his work has done quite well over a few sorts of the artistic world. This examination paper is just keen on his works in the fiction class and will think about the novel, Neverwhere and short stories from Smoke and Mirrors. The examination paper looks to recognize outside scholarly and social effects on Gaiman’s work and set up whether they serve to advance or achieve an absence of inventiveness in the author’s work. Gaiman’s utilization of Greek Mythology Gr eek folklore has been generally utilized by numerous creators from for all intents and purposes all classifications of writing and Gaiman isn't an exemption. In his novel Neverwhere, Gaiman figures out how to weave components of Greek folklore in the plot. He portrays his primary character, Richard, as a saint in a totally extraordinary style. Phenomenal, saints are normal of old Greek folklore and Gaiman’s portrayal of Richard appears to pitch him as one. He is undoubtedly an uncommon saint on the grounds that from the start, he is happy to lose his fiancã © in his undertaking to help the harmed young lady, Door. Regardless of carrying on with a nearly non-tolerable life not long after Door’s takeoff, when he at long last discovers her in ‘London below’, he puts aside the entirety of his inclinations and sets out to offer some assistance. Richard’s gallant nature shows in the magnificence of his character, viz. his enduring reliability and kind he art rather in deeds (Schupbach Para.16). Richard’s fall through the ‘crack’ to ‘London below’ unquestionably helps one to remember legendary stories in which the sky is the limit. In the London underneath, the talking rodents, the barons, and the beasts in sewers are further examples of folklore implied by Gaiman in this novel. He jumbles, â€Å"Oh yes. Truly yes-yes†¦I know precisely how to manage him† (Gaiman Neverwhere 69). This was the Lord-Rat-Speaker at his first gathering with Richard. He further portrays the scalawags in the novel as perilous professional killers who endure the Trojan War, a war that lone exists in the profundities of the Greek folklore. It is clear now that Gaiman, in his push to depict how risky the reprobates were, acquires the possibility of a war that is touted as having been intense. In this manner, it is apparent that Gaiman’s style is one that redistributes fundamental data to fortify the pictures t hat he makes while composing. In the short story Chivalry, which is found under the assortment, Smoke promotion Mirrors, Gaiman insinuates antiquated folklore as a phoenix egg that is brought as a present by Galaad to the elderly person, Mrs. Whitaker, to persuade her to relinquish the Holy Grail (Gaiman Smoke and Mirrors 45).Advertising Looking for examine paper on writing dialects? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The choice to utilize the legendary bird’s egg in the short story is by all accounts planned for indicating exactly how significant the Holy Grail was and exertion that could be exhausted in wrestling it out of the old woman’s ownership. This exertion goes for the apple of life too as it was a natural product that could just come out of a legendary world. Where Galaad gets the blessings from is covered in riddle, yet inevitably, he prevails with regards to getting the Holy Grail. Gaiman’s app reciation for Greek folklore is further clear in â€Å"Nicholas Was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  where he appears to portray Santa Claus in the elderly person, Nicholas. In view of the short story, the torment that the elderly person suffers while providing kids with Christmas presents was far much past what Prometheus suffered while carrying out his endless punishment. The way that he begrudged Prometheus must imply that his torment was so much that he would have happily exchanged spots with Prometheus whenever given the opportunity. Impact of pixie and people stories on Gaiman’s work Fairy and society stories have affected Gaiman’s function too to a significant degree. In the novel Neverwhere, Richard’s mission to see the holy messenger to give him the capacity to get back to his typical life is a model. The presence of a heavenly attendant in London beneath is a wonder that must be imagined in fantasies. In this manner, he joins fairyland prospects with different styles, f or example, dream to convey a story that remaining parts scratched in the brains of his perusers for quite a while (Smith 25). The cover of London beneath with fairyland is again seen in Gaiman’s portrayal of the smaller people, which existed together with the occupants of London underneath. In the short stories remembered for Smoke and Mirrors, the impact of fantasies is seen in ‘Nicholas Was†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ when Gaiman portrays the elderly person so distinctively that when he gets circulating presents to dozing kids, it becomes clear that he is discussing Santa Claus. In spite of the fact that the story is extremely short, he figures out how to fit this style and significantly more others into the accounts. This angle affirms fantasies additionally impacted the position that Gaiman’s works to some sensible degree. Impact of exemplary English dream writing on Gaiman’s work Gaiman intensely utilizes great English dream in the novel Neverwhere, which by and large falls under the classification of urban dream novel. The second Richard slides to London beneath, the novel movements from being a typical work of fiction to a dream novel. In the first place, the striking portrayal of London underneath is an ideal case of imagination. The creator makes a totally new world right under the roads of London or rather ‘London above’ with a portrayal that is practically unmistakable. The occupants of this new world are likewise manifestations of the author’s imagination.Advertising We will compose a custom research paper test on Neil Gaiman’s Writing explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More They add to the mix of imagination that the writer delineates in the story. They are individuals finished with all that they require to live their lives and are totally careless of the potential outcomes of carrying on with an actual existence other than the one they have in their reality. Door’s vanishing to this world in the wake of improving is a reasonable pointer that she couldn't have cared less much about the solaces that life in ‘London above’ could offer. Richard’s progress from his typical self to this other individual, who didn't exist to others around him, was one more result of the author’s creative mind. The way that a person can exist yet be scarcely seen by all individuals around him/her gives the feeling that s/he may have been undetectable yet s/he sees them and thinks s/he is in a similar domain with them. This equivalent presentation of imagination is seen in Chivalry when the creator alludes to the Holy Grail and all the significance appended to it yet to Mrs. Whitaker, it is just a thing that adds magnificence to her home (Marcus Para.12). Galaad’s excursions to no one knows where and his arrival with the various things to mollify the old woman to give him the Holy Grail likewise appears to achieve a component of imagination in the short story. It can't be clarified how he could get to things, which just existed in antiquated Greek folklore, in his human instinct. Moreover, the things could do precisely information exchanged of them, which is somewhat alluded to when Mrs. Whitaker contacts the various things and understands that she in a flash feels extraordinary. Impact of mash fiction on Gaiman’s composing Gaiman in his composing additionally implies mash fiction particularly in Neverwhere when he makes a young lady whom Richard winds up ready to help under whatever conditions. The possibility of a legend endeavoring to spare a woman discovers its underlying foundations in mash fiction. This perception implies that when Richard sets out on risky undertakings despite the fact that with some component of reluctance or uncertainty about his craving to help, Gaiman is acquiring from mash fiction. Richard helps the young lady in ‘London above’ and it costs him so much, yet at the same time proceeds to help in ‘London below’ where his capacity to help is profoundly questioned by Door herself. He in the end develops as a one of a kind legend not in deeds, yet from his perspective and his view of all that they experienced. Eventually, he doesn't go gaga for Door the same number of would have expected and this component adds to his uniqueness as a legend in the story. End crafted by Neil Gaiman will keep on intrigueing numerous who run over them since they are a result of a smart mix of various styles of composing mixed with the author’s one of a kind composing style.Advertising Searching for explore paper on writing dialects? We should check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Find out More Gaiman’s way to deal with composing could undoubtedly be thought of as ailing in inventiveness, yet fundamentally, the various references made to different sources serve to make the impacts he wants without utilizing a great deal of words. Obviously, the impact that different works of writing have on Gaiman’s work serves to improve it as opposed to dilute it. He is an extraordinary essayist. Works Cited Gaiman, Neil. Neverwhere, New York City: Harper Collins Publisher, 1997. Print. Gaiman, Neil. Deliberate misdirection, New York City: Avon, 1999. Print. Marcus, Richard. Book Review: Smoke And Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions by Neil Gaiman, 2008

Monday, August 17, 2020

Can You Imagine a Minimalist President

Can You Imagine a Minimalist President Recently, a reader asked whether we could imagine electing a minimalist president. Yes, but we dont have to imagine: his name was Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States of America. During the 67 months of his presidency, the national debt, the federal government, the federal budget, unemployment, and consumer prices shrankâ€"and the GDP expanded significantly. All of this led Amity Shlaes, in her biography, Coolidge, to blazon Silent Cal as a rare kind of hero: a minimalist president, an economic general of budgeting. But perhaps the best way to understand Coolidges minimalist ways is through his own words: On contribution: No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave. On spending: There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no one independence quite so important, as living within your means. On wealth: Prosperity is only an instrument to be used, not a deity to be worshipped. On listening: It takes a great man to be a good listener. On focus: We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once. Politics aside, Coolidge embodied minimalist principles. Who among our current scrum of politicians exemplifies these values? If anyone, then, yes, perhaps we can find another minimalist president. Subscribe to The Minimalists via email.

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Understanding Ecological Succession

Ecological succession is the progressive change, in an ecosystem, of species composition over time. With the change in species composition comes a series of modifications in community structure and function. A classic example of succession involves the series of changes observed in an abandoned field in what is normally a forested area. Once the field is no longer grazed or mowed, the seeds of shrubs and trees will sprout and rapidly start growing. Before long, shrubs and tree saplings will be the dominant vegetation form. The tree species will then grow to the point of shading out the shrubs, eventually forming a complete canopy. The species composition in that young forest will continue to turn over until it is dominated by a stable, self-maintaining group of species called a climax community. Primary vs. Secondary Succession Ecological succession where there was no vegetation prior is called primary succession. We can observe primary succession on bulldozed sites, after an intense fire, or following a volcanic eruption, for example. The first plant species to show up have the ability to very quickly colonize and grow in these bare areas. Depending on the region, these pioneer species can be grasses, broadleaf plantain, Queen Anne’s lace, or trees like aspen, alder, or black locust. The pioneers set up the stage for the next phase of succession, improving soil chemistry and adding organic matter which provides nutrients, better soil structure, and greater water-holding capacity. Secondary succession occurs when a new set of organisms appears where there was an ecological set-back (for example a clear-cut logging operation) but where a cover of living plants was left behind. The abandoned agricultural field described above is a perfect example of secondary succession. Common plants during this stage are raspberries, asters, goldenrods, cherry trees, and paper birch. Climax Communities and Disturbance The last stage of succession is the climax community. In a forest, climax species are those that can grow in the shade of taller  trees – hence the name shade-tolerant species. The composition of climax communities varies geographically. In parts of the eastern United States, a climax forest will be made of sugar maples, eastern hemlock, and American beech. In Washington State’s Olympic National Park, the climax community may be dominated by western hemlock, Pacific silver fir, and western redcedar. A common misconception is that climax communities are permanent and frozen in time. In reality, the oldest trees eventually die and are replaced by other trees waiting under the canopy. This makes climax canopy part of a dynamic equilibrium, always changing but overall looking the same. Significant changes will occasionally be brought about by disturbances. Disturbances can be wind damage from a hurricane, a wildfire, an insect attack, or even logging. The type, size, and frequency of disturbances vary by region – some coastal, wet locations experience fires on average once every few thousand years, while eastern boreal forests may be subject to spruce budworm kills every few decades. These disturbances knock back the community into an earlier successional stage, restarting the process of ecological succession. The Value of Late Successional Habitat The dark shade and tall canopies of climax forests provide shelter for a number of specialized birds, mammals, and other organisms. The cerulean warbler, wood thrush, and red-cockaded woodpecker  are dwellers of old forests. The threatened spotted owl and Humboldt fisher both require large stands of late successional redwood and Douglas-fir forests. Many small flowering plants and ferns rely on the shady forest floor beneath old trees. The Value of Early Successional Habitat There is also considerable value in early successional habitat. These shrubland and young forests rely on recurring disturbances that set succession back. Unfortunately, in many places, these disturbances often turn forests into housing developments and other land uses that short-cut the ecological succession process. As a result, shrublands and young forests can become quite rare on the landscape. Many birds rely on early successional habitats, including the brown thrasher, golden-winged warbler, and prairie warbler. There are also mammals that need shrubby habitat, perhaps most notably the New England cottontail.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Vampire Academy Chapter 8 Free Essays

string(41) " the fox kept flashing through her mind\." EIGHT BURNING WITH ANGER, I FOUGHT harder and better that day than I ever had in any of my classes with the novices. So much so that I finally won my first hand-to-hand pairing, annihilating Shane Reyes. We’d always gotten along, and he took it good-naturedly, applauding my performance, as did a few others. We will write a custom essay sample on Vampire Academy Chapter 8 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"The comeback’s starting,† observed Mason after class. â€Å"So it would seem.† He gently touched my arm. â€Å"How’s Lissa?† It didn’t surprise me that he knew. Gossip spread so fast around here sometimes, it felt like everyone had a psychic bond. â€Å"Okay. Coping.† I didn’t elaborate on how I knew that. Our bond was a secret from the student body. â€Å"Mase, you claim to know about Mia. You think she might have done that?† â€Å"Whoa, hey, I’m not an expert on her or anything. But honestly? No. Mia won’t even do dissections in biology. I can’t picture her actually catching a fox, let alone, um, killing it.† â€Å"Any friends who might do it for her?† He shook his head. â€Å"Not really. They’re not really the types to get their hands dirty either. But who knows?† Lissa was still shaken when I met her for lunch later, her mood made worse when Natalie and her crew wouldn’t shut up about the fox. Apparently Natalie had overcome her disgust enough to enjoy the attention the spectacle had brought her. Maybe she wasn’t as content with her fringe status as I’d always believed. â€Å"And it was just there,† she explained, waving her hands for emphasis. â€Å"Right in the middle of the bed. There was blood everywhere.† Lissa looked as green as the sweater she wore, and I pulled her away before I even finished my food and immediately launched into a string of obscenities about Natalie’s social skills. â€Å"She’s nice,† Lissa said automatically. â€Å"You were just telling me the other day how much you liked her.† â€Å"I do like her, but she’s just incompetent about certain things.† We stood outside our animal behavior class, and I noticed people giving us curious looks and whispering as they passed. I sighed. â€Å"How are you doing with all this?† A half-smile crossed her face. â€Å"Can’t you already feel it?† â€Å"Yeah, but I want to hear it from you.† â€Å"I don’t know. I’ll be okay. I wish everyone wouldn’t keep staring at me like I’m some kind of freak.† My anger exploded again. The fox was bad. People upsetting her made it worse, but at least I could do something about them. â€Å"Who’s bothering you?† â€Å"Rose, you can’t beat up everyone we have a problem with.† â€Å"Mia?† I guessed. â€Å"And others,† she said evasively. â€Å"Look, it doesn’t matter. What I want to know is how this could have? ­that is, I can’t stop thinking about that time – â€Å" â€Å"Don’t,† I warned. â€Å"Why do you keep pretending that didn’t happen? You of all people. You made fun of Natalie for going on and on, but it’s not like you’ve got a good grip on your control switch. You’ll normally talk about anything.† â€Å"But not that. We need to forget about it. It was a long time ago. We don’t even really know what happened.† She stared at me with those big green eyes, calculating her next argument. â€Å"Hey, Rose.† Our conversation dropped as Jesse strolled up to us. I turned on my best smile. â€Å"Hey.† He nodded cordially to Lissa. â€Å"So hey, I’m going to be in your dorm tonight for a study group. You think? ­maybe? ­Ã¢â‚¬  Momentarily forgetting Lissa, I focused my full attention on Jesse. Suddenly, I so needed to do something wild and bad. Too much had happened today. â€Å"Sure.† He told me when he’d be there, and I told him I’d meet him in one of the common areas with â€Å"further instructions.† Lissa stared at me when he left. â€Å"You’re under house arrest. They won’t let you hang out and talk to him.† â€Å"I don’t really want to ? ®talk’ to him. We’ll slip away.† She groaned. â€Å"I just don’t know about you sometimes.† â€Å"That’s because you’re the cautious one, and I’m the reckless one.† Once animal behavior started, I pondered the likelihood of Mia being responsible. From the smug look on her psycho-angel face, she certainly seemed to be enjoying the sensation caused by the bloody fox. But that didn’t mean she was the culprit, and after observing her over the last couple of weeks, I knew she’d enjoy anything that upset Lissa and me. She didn’t need to be the one who had done it. â€Å"Wolves, like many other species, differentiate their packs into alpha males and alpha females whom the others defer to. Alphas are almost always the strongest physically, though many times, confrontations turn out to be more a matter of willpower and personality. When an alpha is challenged and replaced, that wolf may find himself ostracized from the group or even attacked.† I looked up from my daydreams and focused on Ms. Meissner. â€Å"Most challenges are likely to occur during mating season,† she continued. This, naturally, brought snickers from the class. â€Å"In most packs, the alpha pair are the only ones who mate. If the alpha male is an older, seasoned wolf, a younger competitor may think he has a shot. Whether that is true works on a case-by-case basis. The young often don’t realize how seriously outclassed they are by the more experienced.† The old-and-young-wolf thing notwithstanding, I thought the rest was pretty relevant. Certainly in the Academy’s social structure, I decided bitterly, there seemed to be a lot of alphas and challenges. Mia raised her hand. â€Å"What about foxes? Do they have alphas too?† There was a collective intake of breath from the class, followed by a few nervous giggles. No one could believe Mia had gone there. Ms. Meissner flushed with what I suspected was anger. â€Å"We’re discussing wolves today, Miss Rinaldi.† Mia didn’t seem to mind the subtle chastising, and when the class paired off to work on an assignment, she spent more time looking over at us and giggling. Through the bond, I could feel Lissa growing more and more upset as images of the fox kept flashing through her mind. You read "Vampire Academy Chapter 8" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Don’t worry,† I told her. â€Å"I’ve got a way – â€Å" â€Å"Hey, Lissa,† someone interrupted. We both looked up as Ralf Sarcozy stopped by our desks. He wore his trademark stupid grin, and I had a feeling he’d come over here on a dare from his friends. â€Å"So, admit it,† he said. â€Å"You killed the fox. You’re trying to convince Kirova you’re crazy so that you can get out of here again.† â€Å"Screw you,† I told him in a low voice. â€Å"Are you offering?† â€Å"From what I’ve heard, there isn’t much to screw,† I shot back. â€Å"Wow,† he said mockingly. â€Å"You have changed. Last I remembered, you weren’t too picky about who you got naked with.† â€Å"And the last I remember, the only people you ever saw naked were on the Internet.† He cocked his head in an overly dramatic fashion. â€Å"Hey, I just got it: it was you, wasn’t it?† He looked at Lissa, the back at me. â€Å"She got you to kill the fox, didn’t she? Some weird kind of lesbian voo-ahhh!† Ralf burst into flames. I jumped up and pushed Lissa out of the way – not easy to do, since we were sitting at our desks. We both ended up on the floor as screams – Ralf’s in particular-filled the classroom and Ms. Meissner sprinted for the fire extinguisher. And then, just like that, the flames disappeared. Ralf was still screaming and patting himself down, but he didn’t have a single singe mark on him. The only indication of what had happened was the lingering smell of smoke in the air. For several seconds, the entire classroom froze. Then, slowly, everyone put the pieces together. Moroi magical specializations were well known, and after scanning the room, I deduced three fire users: Ralf, his friend Jacob, and – Christian Ozera. Since neither Jacob nor Ralf would have set Ralf on fire, it sort of made the culprit obvious. The fact that Christian was laughing hysterically sort of gave it away too. Ms. Meissner changed from red to deep purple. â€Å"Mr. Ozera!† she screamed. â€Å"How dare you – do you have any idea – report to Headmistress Kirova’s office now!† Christian, completely unfazed, stood up and slung his backpack over one shoulder. That smirk stayed on his face. â€Å"Sure thing, Ms. Meissner.† He went out of his way to walk past Ralf, who quickly backed away as he passed. The rest of the class stared, open-mouthed. After that, Ms. Meissner attempted to return the class to normal, but it was a lost cause. No one could stop talking about what had happened. It was shocking on a few different levels. First, no one had ever seen that kind of spell: a massive fire that didn’t actually burn anything. Second, Christian had used it offensively. He had attacked another person. Moroi never did that. They believed magic was meant to take care of the earth, to help people live better lives. It was never, ever used as a weapon. Magic instructors never taught those kinds of spells; I don’t think they even knew any. Finally, craziest of all, Christian had done it. Christian, whom no one ever noticed or gave a damn about. Well, they’d noticed him now. It appeared someone still knew offensive spells after all, and as much as I had enjoyed the look of terror on Ralf’s face, it suddenly occurred to me that Christian might really and truly be a psycho. â€Å"Liss,† I said as we walked out of class, â€Å"please tell me you haven’t hung out with him again.† The guilt that flickered through the bond told me more than any explanation could. â€Å"Liss!† I grabbed her arm. â€Å"Not that much,† she said uneasily. â€Å"He’s really okay – â€Å" â€Å"Okay? Okay?† People in the hall stared at us. I realized I was practically shouting. â€Å"He’s out of his mind. He set Ralf on fire. I thought we decided you weren’t going to see him anymore.† â€Å"You decided, Rose. Not me.† There was an edge in her voice I hadn’t heard in a while. â€Å"What’s going on here? Are you guys? ­you know ­Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No!† she insisted. â€Å"I told you that already. God.† She shot me a look of disgust. â€Å"Not everyone thinks – and acts – like you.† I flinched at the words. Then we noticed that Mia was passing by. She hadn’t heard the conversation but had caught the tone. A snide smile spread over her face. â€Å"Trouble in paradise?† â€Å"Go find your pacifier, and shut the hell up,† I told her, not waiting to hear her response. Her mouth dropped open, then tightened into a scowl. Lissa and I walked on in silence, and then Lissa burst out laughing. Like that, our fight diffused. â€Å"Rose? ­Ã¢â‚¬  Her tone was softer now. â€Å"Lissa, he’s dangerous. I don’t like him. Please be careful.† She touched my arm. â€Å"I am. I’m the cautious one, remember? You’re the reckless one.† I hoped that was still true. But later, after school, I had my doubts. I was in my room doing homework when I felt a trickle of what could only be called sneakiness coming from Lissa. Losing track of my work, I stared off into space, trying to get a more detailed understanding of what was happening to her. If ever there was a time for me to slip into her mind, it was now, but I didn’t know how to control that. Frowning, I tried to think what normally made that connection occur. Usually she was experiencing some strong emotion, an emotion so powerful it tried to blast into my mind. I had to work hard to fight against that; I always sort of kept a mental wall up. Focusing on her now, I tried to remove the wall. I steadied my breathing and cleared my mind. My thoughts didn’t matter, only hers did. I needed to open myself to her and let us connect. I’d never done anything like this before; I didn’t have the patience for meditation. My need was so strong, however, that I forced myself into an intense, focused relaxation. I needed to know what was going on with her, and after a few more moments, my effort paid off. I was in. How to cite Vampire Academy Chapter 8, Essay examples

Monday, May 4, 2020

Nikki Essay Example For Students

Nikki Essay GiovanniNikki (Yolande Cornelia) Giovanni has made an enormous impact on AfricanAmerican literature. She uses her own experiences to write wonderful poetry. Inthe poem Nikki-Rosa, Nikki Giovanni writes the opposite about hergrowing up in her family. When I first read this poem, I pictured apoverty-stricken family living in a small apartment, much like the Youngerfamily in A Raisin in the Sun. Evidently, the family is poor because they haveno inside toilet and take baths in one of those/ big tubs that folk inchicago barbecue in (10-11). The family is not as concerned about povertyas they are for their love for one another, And though youre poor itisnt poverty that concerns you and though they fought a lot it isnt yourfathers drinking that makes any difference but only that everybody is togetherand you and your sister have happy birthdays and very good Christmasses(20-26) The poem reveals a good family does have its problems. I got the feelingthe children in the poem loved living where they lived although their parentswerent the richest, or they didnt live in the nicest house. The childrenrealized that there was more to life than having a pleasant house and delightfulthings. The children in the poem realize that family life is more important thanmaterial objects. The poem Nikki-Rosa was written based on the lifeof Nikki Giovanni. Nikki Giovannis childhood was very much different that theone described in the poem. Giovanni was raised in a middle class family,although she did learn of poverty from her parents who happened to be socialworkers (Wiedemann 1500). Her childhood could be described as very happy (Great178). Giovannis world in her poetry is an extension of her real life. Often,she sees herself existing among tensions. Biographers who write about NikkiGiovanni always comment on the poverty of the family, her parents fighting, andnote her fathers alcoholism, but almost never comment on the closeness of herfamily or the richness of a strong, supportive family (Wiedemann 1499). tisnt your fathers drinking that makes any difference/ but only that everybodyis together (23-24). This line in the poem sums up very well the feelingof family in the home of Nikki Giovanni during her childhood. The poem is notautobiographical of Giovannis life, but it does parallel the development of herradical conscious (Wiedemann 1500). Nikki-Rosa is a typical exampleof a poem by Nikki Giovanni. She writes about what she knows and what she hasexperienced. The poetry of Giovanni is related to issues African-Americans faceon a daily basis. According to Don L. Lee, she knows the need for Blackawareness, unity, and, solidarity; she has lived through it, and knows a changecan be affected. (182) Nikki Giovannis poetry contains no punctuation,symbolizing a continuous thought (Wiedemann 1499). Typically there is no form inher poetry. A wide audience has read her poems because of the simplicity of thelanguage used and the imagery of everyday life (Wiedemann 1499). Giova nni rarelyuses difficult symbols and avoids the usage of complex vocabulary to convey themeaning of her poetry, especially Nikki-Rosa (Wiedemann 1500). Barbara Wiedemann comments that Nikki-Rosa hints at the division ofwhites and blacks (1500). In Wiedemanns interview with Giovanni, she statesthat whites cannot understand the black experience, and because of the powerstructure in America, whites should be held accountable for the povertyexperienced by the black population. Giovanni believes differences in educationcause poverty, a lack of social services, and discrimination. (1500) This poem,written the day after Martin Luther King, Jr.s death is supposed to represent ayoung person growing up in an impoverished family who later becomes a blackactivist. The Nikki in the poem is not Nikki Giovanni. However, Rosa is RosaParks, the same Rosa who, in 1955, refused to give up her bus seat to a whitewoman. Giovanni writes about these kinds of things because she herself hasattended antiwar demonstrations, the Civil Rights Movement, and various riotsthroughout the nation. These and other events such as the assassinations ofMartin Luther King , Jr., Malcolm X, and Robert Kennedy helped to radicalizeNikki Giovanni (Wiedemann 1500). Nikki Giovanni uses her knowledge of subjectsrelated blacks to write her poetry. Within her poetry, she emphasizes theimportance of family and love in the family to create a success. In her ownfamily, she had two loving parents and siblings. She used her knowledge andexperience to write the poem Nikki-Rosa. Giovanni is a poet whowrote about what she knew the most about, black culture and the importance offamily. .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c , .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c .postImageUrl , .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c , .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c:hover , .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c:visited , .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c:active { border:0!important; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c:active , .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue5aadc486a58d0a33f3699da11edd18c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Drug addiction EssayBibliographyGiovanni, Nikki. Gemini. Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc. 1971. . Racism 101. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1994. Lee, Don L. Nikki Giovanni. Contemporary Literary Criticism Volume 64. CarolynRiley, ed. Detroit: Gale Research Co. Great Women Writers. Frank N. Magill, ed. New York: Henry Colt Company. 1994 Wiedemann, Barbara. NikkiGiovanni. Masterplots II: Poetry Series Volume 4. Frank N. Magill, ed. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Salem Press. 1992.

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Fatal Errors Of Brutus Essays - Cultural Depictions Of Julius Caesar

Fatal Errors Of Brutus The Fatal Errors of Brutus William Shakespeares The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is built upon the six lethal mistakes that Brutus unknowingly performs. Brutus believes he uses wise judgment and cunning skill in his plans to prevail over Caesar. There are three errors that seem to be the most significant. They are refusing to take an oath, not killing Antony and allowing Antony to speak at Caesars funeral. The plot against Caesar is first devised by Cassius, who slowly allows Brutus to take over the arrangements. This is when Brutus miscalculations eventually lead him to his own downfall. First, Brutus truthfully feels that the conspirators have enough will and intelligence to keep the plot concealed from others. He believes the conspirators will not confer with anyone who may feel betrayed by their plans and protect Caesar. For this reason, Brutus strongly goes against the conspirators taking an oath to pledge their loyalty to the group. Brutus proceeds by stating that through each conspirators own personal motive for defeating Caesar is sufficient enough to bind them together. Brutus is dreadfully mistaken. The conspirators feel no actual degree of loyalty. They feel free to have doubts and discuss them with others. This is proven true when Artemidorus is revealed writing a letter to Caesar. The letter warns Caesar of the conspirators and names each one. The only possible way that Artemidorus could have been aware of the plan is if one of the conspirators felt the need to speak openly about the plot. Later, the question of whether or not to kill Antony is brought up by the conspirators. Brutus and Cassius disagree on the answer. Cassius believes it would be best to kill Antony so that there is no fear of revenge from him. Brutus does not see the threat in Antony. He sees Antony as merely a limb that has no power once Caesar is dead. The men then decide, through Brutus persuasion, that it is pointless and too bloody to kill Antony. This error causes Brutus ultimate downfall in the end. It would have been wise for the conspirators to kill Antony instead of facing him in their last battle. Finally, once Caesar is dead, Antony proposes to speak at his funeral. Cassius and Brutus again disagree. Cassius knows it is unwise to allow one of Caesars loyal friends to address the people at the funeral. Brutus persuades Cassius that Antony will not be of any trouble, however; Brutus ensures him that he will speak to the people first. This event will change the rest of Brutus life. The people first side with Brutus and agree that Caesar should have been killed for his ambition. It is now Antonys turn to address the people. Antonys speech is full of sadness and sarcasm toward the Honorable Brutus. With the help of visual aids, such as Caesars cloak and the will he supposedly left, the people sense the urge to avenge against Cassius and Brutus. Antony influences the people to riot and kill the murderers of Caesar. Brutus and Cassius are chased out of Rome and into a camp near Sardis. Brutus and Cassius later plan to meet Antony and Octavius in battle at Philippi. Here is where the lives of Brutus and Cassius end, not by the swords of their enemies but by their own swords. The same swords that stabbed and murdered Caesar, are fallen upon by Brutus and Cassius. In conclusion, these three errors in judgment prove to be catastrophic in the end. Brutus believed strongly in his choices and persuaded others to feel the same. His decisions ultimately lead him to his own downfall, suicide. English Essays

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Term Paper on Management

Term Paper on Management Writing a term paper on management is something all students of business or commerce line come across. A management term paper can take a lot of time and effort. You can write a very good management paper if you have the proper guidelines and instructions for writing.   Management is an important branch of business sciences, and it is studied by most students doing MBA, M.Com, or other business related field of academics. For writing management term paper, or for gathering material for your project management term paper, or resource management term paper, you need to follow the following instructions: Gather as much material as you can before beginning to write term paper on management; jot down main points from your class lectures, websites recommended by your teacher, course books, or books from the library.   Make sure you mention the source from which you are writing your term paper on management. Plagiarism can spoil the image when you are writing term papers on management.   Your term papers on management must be genuine, unabridged and authentic. You can cite quotations if the related professor has allowed it while writing your term papers on management. If you are short of time, instead of wandering here and there, buy term paper on management or management term paper topics by a custom management paper writing company. Make sure that you are covering all the points necessary for your custom management term paper writing.   If you leave out any topic in your management term paper, it will spoil all your effort and will cause you the loss of time as well as effort. Always remember that more the material, more the marks.   Students often write 700 or 800 words in their term paper on management and then compare their marks with students with management term paper of 1500 to 1600.   On the other hand, it is always wise to stick to the word limit.   Wasting extra time on elongating your term paper on management will only cause trouble. Do NOT give your own opinion if it is not required. Stick to the main points. Avoid avoidable and unnecessary details. Do not write complete sentences in Caps.   Firstly, because it is difficult to read.   And secondly, because it gives the impression that you are shouting and being rude to the reader. Avoid unnecessary statistical data if it is not required.   On the other hand, giving graphs, pie charts, diagrams, and in some cases photographs, can improve the impression of your management term paper. Only use font colour Black while writing, and any other readable font colour for headings. Use font types that are easily readable. Times New Roman or Arial are normally appreciated by teachers in twelve point font. If you think you do not have enough time to write a management term paper on management freely, you can take help from a custom writing company.   Just be careful that the company is genuine and not fraud. Using companies who have an international reputation for providing good term papers to students can save your time and money. Feel free to contact our custom management paper writing service which will provide you the best ever management term paper.

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Introduction and Background of Collective Action Essay

Introduction and Background of Collective Action - Essay Example An exceptionally applicable problem while investigating the flow of collective action is the attributes of the created or developed association, relative to upholding the mutual interests. Much of the time, the results of the collective action are very reliant on the kind of associations included, additionally to the institutional strategic plans, which are set up locally. In the ecological domain, for instance, it is important to recognize whether the collective prevails as an initiative by an association specifically controlled by the group or whether national/provincial administrative powers control and uphold its practices. From this point of view, there are two refinements of collective action: collaboration (base up, individual-to-individual collective action) and coordination(top-down, organization driven collective action). While some base up collective actions may get administration bolster, others prevail without its support. Additionally, some top-down and relative actions develop due to administration arrangements however don't get any bolster, while other aggregate activities receive backing from neighborhood and/or administrative bodies

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Change Management - Essay Example Change Management Due to the unsteadiness of the business environment, companies around the world are trying to bring in some kind of changes in their functioning system so as to comply with the changing needs. These changes appear in many forms such as a change in the product portfolio of the company, alteration of the marketing and operations strategy, transformation of the distribution system and implementation of a new technology (Taylor, 2009). Furthermore, changes also appear in the external environment of the organization such as changes in the customer preferences, new rules and policies from the government, changes in the competitive landscape and industrial relations. Such changes in turn compel organizations to bring in internal changes so as to comply with the external factors (Cowan, 2005). Any such changes require effective management from the part of the company. This is the reason why change management is often defined as a structured approach for transforming an organization from its current position to a desired position for the future. A change in the organization is therefore deemed as an opportunity to embrace growth or an opportunity to survive in the market place (A. Mills, Dye & J. Mills, 2008). This study seeks to scrutinize the need for change in an organization and how the changes suggested will be achieved or implemented. In order to carry out the study and assess the need for organizational changes and present a plan to implement same, the study will choose an organization and will analyze it accordingly.... Virgin Australia Airlines: A Brief Overview Virgin Australia Airlines previously known as the Virgin Blue Airlines is an Australian based airlines service providing company. It operates under the brand name of Virgin. The company is considered as the second largest airline company of Australia in terms of the fleet size. The company was founded in the year 2000 by British businessman named as Richard Branson and Brett Godfrey. It is now based on Bowen Hills, Brisbane (Virgin Australia, 2013a). The company commenced its operation with only two aircrafts and both are operating on the same single route. Since, the inception the company has been recognized as one of the strongest aviation companies due to its sheer service offering and affordable pricing. Despite, affordable pricing the company has always focused on the leisure sector and tried to position itself as a carrier that offer high value for money (Virgin Australia, 2013b). In the year 2011, the company repositioned itself as à ¢â‚¬Ëœnew world carrier’. Since then the company has followed a business strategy in which it offers the ‘guests’ to avail no frill services in which they offer limited services and also offered customers with premium services in which customers need to pay a few extra bucks so as to get the additional services. With this strategy the company has been able to target a broader market. Currently the company caters to 50 destinations and serves 29 cities of Australia. The company remains highly proactive in the field of sponsorship and socially responsible activities. In the year 2011, the company again introduced certain new strategies where the employees are supposed to wear new uniforms, new

Monday, January 27, 2020

Nissan Change Implementation

Nissan Change Implementation In todays rapidly challenging business environment, it is readily acknowledged that it is necessary for organisation to make changes in order to stay competitive. Change management is vital in an organisation as it act as a way to ensure that business is moving in the right decision which indeed requires proper handling as it relates to human involvement. Many researchers argued that implementation is not solely the end point of a process of formulation but rather the interaction of many interactive and discontinuous factors i.e. management decision processes, environmental and business sector characteristics (Wilson, 1992:49). Before implementing a change, a lot of planning is required to ensure all the aspects of a particular problem are properly identified to avoid uncertainties and ambiguities. Thus, in order for management to have positive consequences, it is vital to identify and analyse the overall impact of the change programme i.e. organisation structure, employees attitude, beliefs and behaviours. The aim of this report is to discuss and evaluate the factors affecting the implementation of change in Nissan Motor Company (Nissan). Background of Nissan Due to huge debt, Nissan built alliances with Renault S.A. (Renault) to ensure the survival of the business. The said alliances benefited both parties in terms of market penetration and capabilities. As a result from the said alliance, Renault obtained an equity stake of over 36% in Nissan and its leader, Carlos Ghosn was appointed as the key person in charge for the implementation of the change. During the transition change, Ghosn met will all the employees from different departments to discuss on the current state of Nissan and the way to move forward. Thereafter, a radical or transformational change plan was implemented in order to ensure the success of the business in terms of profitability. Based on Beers model of effective change strategies, Nissan adopted the combined strategy of Theory Economic (E) and Organisation Development (OD) (Beer and Nohria, 2000). This is supported by Eriksson and Sundgren (2005) conclusion that both theory E and OD should coexist as the success for a change relies in the interface between the two strategies. In Nissan, the application of the E strategy is seen from the implementation of aggressive cost-cutting plan through downsizing, lay-offs and restructuring that is related to the its performance while in terms of OD, it involves the change in having English as the medium of communication in the organisation, setting up of the nine cross-functional teams for generation of ideas and culture change within the organisation which mainly touched on the Human Resource practices that overall leads in creating the capability to sustain competitive advantage. With the said changes in place, Nissan has managed to revive its business to compete in the market and at the present moment is one of the leading automakers in the industry. The implementation of change in Nissan Much literate suggest that implementing change is not an easy process. Although the change is foresee as an advantage to the organisation, there will always be mental rejection from the humans included in the process. Therefore, implementation of change needs to be handled sensitively with a structured approach to ensure the success transition from current to future state. In terms of Nissans implementation, it is classified under the blue print change (Hayes, 2010:427) as the final result is known i.e. Nissan to be profitability and be one of the top auto producers in the industry which Ghosn was able to formulate a clear plan of action in achieving the said vision. Factors affecting the implementation of change in Nissan Organisations readiness for change Readiness for change is believed as one of the key factors leading to a successful implementation of change. It was noted that one half of all unsuccessful organisation change efforts failed due to lack of readiness for change (Kotter, 2007). Refreeze Move Unfreeze Figure 1: Lewins three step change process Drawing on Lewins three step stage model of change, it clearly explains the importance of successful implementation of change by unfreezing the current situation followed by adaptation of the current changes which leads to new behaviour and norm (Hayes, 2010:29). The unfreezing stage creates a situation for readiness for change through motivation in terms of the companys clear vision which is seen attainable in the future that consequently increase the employees level of confidence in accepting to the need for change. Once the alliance took place, Nissan minimises barriers to change by maximising the opportunities of a change effort which are accentuated in the unfreezing process. All changes have been well planned in a short span of time. Meanwhile in the moving stage, change has been recognised and acceptance of change has taken place in the workforce. As everyone in Nissan is aware on the urgency for a change, it has automatically built a powerful coalition between management and employees. Beer et al. (1990) highlights the importance of coordination and teamwork especially for companies acting the change process in relation to cost, quality and product development opportunities. Self and Schraeder (2008) conclude that positive perception to a change is due to the visibility of support and commitment while the negative perception is due to visible lack of support or inconsistent behaviours of the management. Due to the positive acceptance in Nissan, Ghosn has managed to restore and reinforce th e new changes in the company in the refreezing step. Based on Kotters 8 step change model, the success of the transformational effort depends on the right action at each stage. Establishing a sense of urgency is very important step as it defines the current state of the company. It was argued that the need for change will only occur until a clear and present danger is recognise which need something to be done in ensuring the viability of the company (Self and Schraeder, 2008). Not only management demonstrate the need for change but must also provide indication that the requirement of a change is the right decision made for the company (Self and Schraeder, 2008). Readiness of change is a key to ensure a successful implementation process of change as when the level of readiness is high, employees are likely to initiate change with greater effort by displaying more cooperative behaviour that will result to more effective implementation. Nissan was in bad shape before the alliance exercise due to its financial position and needed a solid strategy to ensure the viability of the business. Hence, the sense of urgency has been established at the highest priority with the support from the management. Kotter (2007) indicate that to ensure the success of the change, it is important to obtain 75% of the companys management in supporting the change effort or otherwise the transformation process could not succeed and the long term future of the company is in jeopardy. As there is a sense of urgency for change, a leader must promote change by creating vision (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). Kotter (2007) highlights the importance of a clear vision as it is needed in guiding people through a major change which leads to a reduction of error rate that determine the success or failure of the implementation. It is argued that vision is not based on originality but on how well it serve the interest of important constituencies such as employees and stakeholder (Kotter, 2001). Therefore, a vision needs to be clearly defined with development of strategies in order to direct the change effort. The said vision will assist employees to understand the reason for the change. According to Kotter (2001), aligning people to a shared vision by communicating the new direction will help in creating coalitions which consequently draw the importance of the vision by committing to achievement. Kotter (2007) indicate that by not having a sensible vision, it will dissolve t he transformation effort as it creates confusion that leads the company moving in a wrong direction. This is supported by Kotters (2007) finding that most companies have sense of direction but it is to complication to be useful and consequently result to a failure in managing change. For Nissan, the main vision for the alliance exercise is to turnaround the company from a loss to profitable business while maintaining the companys identity and self esteem of its employees (Ghosn, 2002). The vision is clearly stated which is align with Kotters (2007) suggestion on the important of a vision. Organisation culture Many researchers highlight that culture is one of the important key aspects to be considered for the implementation of change. According to Smith (2003), culture in an organisation is not only related on how things are done but the set of values, beliefs, customs and systems that are build uniquely in the organisation which differentiate one with another. To change the culture in an organisation is not an easy tasks as usually employees are comfortable with the job and organisation and as a result they are resistant to change. Burnes (1992:291) suggests that in approaching cultural change, a more considered and organisation specific approach should be adopted. For a company to implement a change, comparison between strategic significance (the importance of the companys future) of the cultural resistance needed to be analyse to ensure the success of the implementation change process (Schwartz and Davis, 1981). The process relies heavily on managerial judgment as decision are made with degree of certainty whether to ignore, manage and maintain the existing culture to fit he change environment. Hence, steps are taken to identify the degree of cultural risk involved in the change process that overall has an impact to the companys culture and vice versa. Nissan is a company based in Japan with strong build culture in the organisation. It was difficult for the employees to accept the changes particularly in reward and progression system i.e. from seniority to performance based. It is the culture of Nissan to ensure that all employees have a lifelong career in the company which certainly create the culture of complacency that impacted Nissans competitiveness. Meanwhile, another culture problem faced was the organisations inability to accept responsibilities of which having a culture of blame. Ghosn has observed that all the said factors have contributed to Nissans performance which requires a radical change process. It is noted that Nissan adopted Schwartz and Davis suggestion as mention above wherein the companys culture was change ultimately to ensure the success of the change implementation. During the change process, employees were given a period of one year to change their attitude and to adapt to the changes accordingly. The chan ges implemented have affected the employees work orientation in terms of resistance to change as it was foresee that their particular job was at risk. The impact of resistance to change has been aversely discussed and many researchers highlight that it is the most significant threat to the success of implementation to change (Lines, 2004; Self and Schraeder, 2009). The expectancy theory clearly indicates that individual consciously choose course of action based upon perceptions, attitudes and belief which result to desires in enhancing pleasure and avoiding pain (Hayes, 2010:195). In order to avoid this to happen, awareness for changes need to be communicated to the employees through a clear vision and well defined strategy to ensure the effectiveness of the implementation process. Kavanagh and Ashkanasy (2006) suggest that particularly for culture change, active engagement of the top management is required to ensure the effectiveness of the change. Management plays a vital role in supporting the change as they set as a leader whereby employees will adhere to the changes faster. This can be effectively done by showing the implication of the change to the organisation in terms of profits, productivity or quality work life. For the case of Nissan, a clear focus on the companys priorities and plan and successfully executed accordingly with the backup of a good leader. Transparency was built as a new culture in the organisation as it allows others to provide ideas rather than only top management. This as a result leads to a consistency between how the organisation operates in thinking and doing its daily operations. Level of communication Another important aspect in implementation change is communication as it has an important impact to the success or failure of a change programme. It plays a vital role in the change process as it allows leaders to create a shared sense of direction, establish priorities, reduce disorder and uncertainty as well as facilitating learning (Hayes, 2010:177). In having a good communication, leaders need to ensure that all communication channels will provide information sharing that allows accurate absorption of relevant information by employees. Employees need to be constantly aware on the changes as they contribute to the success of the implementation of change. Meanwhile leaders on the other hand should continuously collect feedback by interacting with employees as well. As a result, organisation will look forward for a successful outcome in the change implementation. Clampitt et al. (2000) indicate that communication strategy has a huge impact on how events will be remembered which in turn shapes employees response. The environment for communication should be open and supportive to enable employees in sharing their concerns, frustration and need without fear of revenge which will lead in building the credibility of the company for a better implementation process (Self and Schraeder, 2008). Meanwhile Abrahamson (2000) suggest that dynamic stability plays a vital role in communicating change implementation as it suggest carrying change by involving elements within an organisation by engaging employees gradually. It aligns the overall concept of change as employees are aware on the proposed changes while management collects feedback by interacting with employees. The application of dynamic stability will allow organisation for a successful outcome in change implementation. When the change process took place, Nissan adopted underscore and explore communication strategy wherein the message was conveyed to all level of employees all across the company in order to get employees aligned with companys goals. This is supported by Clampitt (2000) findings which indicate underscore and explore is the most effective communication wherein it combines two strategies together i.e. tell and sell strategy; and identify and reply that allows managers to shape the change outline and allow reaction from the concerns of employees. Ghosn reiterate that the success of the company relies on the employees and as a team all employees should work hard in aiming to achieve the targeted goals. Despite pouring all the information, Nissan listens to the employees concerns and in fact created a new way of communicating through email. The said method reduces ambiguity and provides a clear picture on how the change will develop a better future for Nissan. Employees are likely to acce pt the pain of change if it clearly shows how their contribution affects the future gains. It is a norm that people expect something in return for the sacrifices made in the foreseeable future. Moreover, Kotter (2007) points out the effect of communication both in words and behaviour are the most powerful form which nothing undermines change more than behaviour by individuals that in consistent with their words. Role of leadership Kotter (2007) indicate that by definition, change requires creating a new system which sequentially always demands leadership. The role of leadership in change management includes creating a vision, aligning relationship around the vision and inspiring others to achieve the vision (Hayes, 2009: 117). In implementing change, a leader plays a key role in shaping the success of the change process which is in line with Beer et al. (1990) suggestion on the role of a leader in mobilising the initial commitment as a step to begin for the change process. Evidence from literature indicates leaders role in the change process wherein it have an impact to the success of change through the linkage between both leader and follower behaviour (Higgs and Rowland, 2005). Ghosn is considered as a transformational leader as he brought changes in the company and the effect of the changes is sustained under his leadership style. Studies have indicated that transformational leaders are able to realign the employees values and norms by promoting both personal and organisational changes which indeed enhance employees ability to accept change (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). Ghosn leadership is not based on the Japanese style but rather applying the multicultural experience that enables him to embrace culture differences and building on them. This is considered one best way to manage change as studies have found that a flexible, loosely applied culture based on some diversity and possibly involving the existence of number of subcultures is prove more effective (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). For a change to take place, leaders need to convince people on the necessary of the change which usually need a strong leadership and visible support from the management. Kotter (2007) indicate that managing the change is not enough, as leaders have to lead the direction in ensuring the implementation of the change. One of the changes made from the alliance exercise was the implementation of a new management style by setting up a nine cross functional team which the main objective is to achieve the goal for Nissan Revival Plan and business commitments. With the new management style, teams are given three months to review their operations and come up with recommendations for profitability and growth. As a result, it brought employees into a new organisation context through new roles and responsibilities that consequently create a situation that forces new attitudes and behaviour on employees in accepting the need for change which is supported by Beer et al. (1990) as the most efficient way in changing behaviour. Based on findings, it is noted that most successful cases in change relies on powerful coalition in the company (Kotter, 2007) as it is influence by the nature of work environment and organisational culture of which leaders could affect the employees attitudes in working towards change and motivation (Kavanagh and Ashkanasy, 2006). The new functional team have allowed employees to think in a different perspective which leads to the mechanism in explaining the necessity for change across the entire company. Ghosn as a leader incorporate the values of team work in Nissan to ensure all employees are dedicated to the shared vision in building urgency and momentum around the need for change. The requirement of more coordination and teamwork between functions and business units is identified as one of the key factors in implementing a change which is supported by research findings where there is linkage between leadership behaviours to the activities involved in implementing change (Higgs and Rowland, 2005). Proper planning and coordination for the change Literature indicates that successful implementation of change is a difficult goal (Higgs and Rowland, 2005) and often flounders because of improperly framed by management. Finding from a survey with organisations indicate that 66% has agreed that one contributing factor for the implementation problems is ineffective coordination of implementation activities (Alexander, 1985). Leaders have a very important role in the selection and planning of a suitable management approaches as proper planning needs to be carefully identified to ensure a strong foundation which leads to an easier process of implementing change. Goodman and Rousseau (2004) indicate that time is key factor in organisational change but it is always neglected due to performance driven results. It takes time for ensuring a success of change as rushing and expecting too many outcomes will lead to failure. It is agreed that organisation is more effective when components such as structure, technology, systems and people are aligned with each other and when there is a good fit between the organisation and the environment (Hayes, 2010:305). In implementing change, action taken for the change should be identified to determine the flow of changes to ensure the outcome of the change process. Goodman and Rousseau (2004) suggest that it will help organisation to understand the lag between change and results by paying attention to feedback cycles which allows identification on mistakes as well as recommendation action for improvement. Planning should not only include the aspect of the results but to also determine the obstacles for the change to materialise. Goodman and Rousseau (2004) suggest that change intervention allows the increase of knowledge sharing for a better result performance where it reduces time for a given engagement that will result to faster outcome on the result. It is noted that knowledge system is widely used due to its beneficial functions such as positive feedback on a change as it improves in performance. However, it is argued that knowledge exist in the organisation but is not properly used that affects the coordination of the implementation process. For Nissan, the company has indentified the main problem of the company and tried to apply a new set of actions in a different manner which in line with the double loop learning process. Argyris (2002) indicate that double loop learning take place when errors are corrected through exploring the possibility in doing things differently. Information sharing will increase the knowledge of the employees which can be adapted through a learning process that allows a collective ability to act more effectively in an organisation (Hayes:2010: 322). Moreover, creating a new learning experience will allow companies to build its competencies as it is related to detection and correction of errors (Argyris, 2002) which is associated with continuous improvement. Hayes (2010:308) indicated that most literature in organisational learning focuses on the acquisition of knowledge, the recognition of its potential and its application to improve organisational performance. Based on Nissan case, it is summarise that the key to implementing change is a continuous improvement built in terms of information between people and processes, combination both business and human dimension towards shared objectives. Despite identifying the need of organisational learning, it is feasible for companies to plan a systematic training approach within the organisation as change is related to individual change. Change will need employees to think and behave in a different way and it is vital for organisation to provide the knowledge and skills to ensure the success of the change. Hayes (2010:350) indicates that training and development enables company to align between competencies of the employees and leaders as well as the task and structure of the system. Conclusion Managing change successfully has never been an easy task and can neither be problem free. Buchanan et al. (2005) summarised the related factors influencing the nature and outcome of change are such as individual, group, organisational, social and political. Therefore before any change takes place, it is important for a leader to properly analyse the implementation of the organisational change in order to determine the extent for the change that will benefit both organisational performance and employees. From the Nissan case, it was observed that one of the main lessons learn from the implementation of change process is the clear focus set by Ghosn wherein a clear plan is executed based on priorities. Ghosn brought in clear vision by altering the core organisational process with the nine cross functional team. Moreover, factors such as having a high urgency level for the need to change and a strong guiding and powerful coalition has managed Nissan to motivate the employees while creating an environment that accept change and subsequently sustaining the companys competitiveness. Based on the Nissan performance after the alliance exercise, it is concluded that the company is able to sustain its change due to these aspects of organisational readiness; fit with the competitive strategy, managerial values and internal power distribution and the values and power of key stakeholders (Buchanan et al., 2005).

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Analysis of “Raise the Red Lantern” Essay

Yi-Mou Zhang’s Raise the Red Lantern, is a beautiful and brilliantly made film in its own right. If, however, the team of Orson Welles and Greg Toland had produced the same film it would take on an entirely different look and feel. The film would reflect Wells love for creating physical representations of thematic metaphors and the long take and Toland’s brilliant use of deep space photography and mobile framing. Under the direction of the Wells-Toland team, the film would take on subtle, yet significant differences from the very beginning. In the opening scene, with Songolian and her stepmother, the focus of the camera would still be a medium close up of Songolian; but, the previously unseen mother would now be seen in the extreme background and edges of the frame. Using deep focus and choreographing her movements the mother’s character would still remain faceless, but would seem more tangible and the feeling of distance between the mother and her stepdaughter could be re- enforced. The next major difference would be seen in the sequences involving Songolian’s entrance into the house itself. In Zhang’s original version, Songolian enters the frame with the inscription on the back wall shown briefly. The W-T revision would begin the entrance sequence with a medium close up of the inscription itself, slowly panning from left to right, just slowly enough to recognize the characters but fast enough to not allow the audience to actually read the inscription. The significance of the inscription on the wall has been explained as being not in the inscription, but in the characters themselves: in the oldest Chinese societies the written characters were created with arbitrary meaning assigned to them, only scholars and the aristocracy had the time and means to learn the meanings of the thousands of different characters used. The characters on the wall are alluding to a society which was dominated by male figures who arbitrarily created meaning and tradition. Zhang filmed the movement through the house in a series of shots usually cutting from the entrance into a archway or gate, to the exit on the other side from the same. This style creates a feeling of disorientation and the layout of the house is never really established for the audience. The W-T  duo would probably have filmed the various movements through the ground levels of the house in a series of long-takes with tracking shots. The shots, starting from approximately rooftop level, would then track forward and down to follow the movement of a character through the complex, rising up and ‘crawling’ over arches and entrance ways and then dropping down again. Instead of placing an emphasis on the feeling of the palace’s physical ‘discontinuity’ created by Zhang’s shots, this change would emphasize the magnitude of the structure itself, reenforcing the feeling of a well established and developed tradition and the insignificance of one small w oman. The other type of movement followed in the story is the movement above roof level. The W-T team would handle this in a much different fashion than Zhang. The movement above roof level represents freedom of various kinds and ultimately, escape. Welles would want the camera movement in the roof scenes to reflect this, consequently, the movement of a character on the roof would be filmed in a continuous take. The shot would probably be a tracking shot that changed angle and distance continuously, possibly even violating the 180 degree rule, in order to give the camera a bird like point of view. The other type of shot used above the roof level would be the fixed frame shots involving two or more characters at a distance; Toland would again use this opportunity to utilize his mastery of deep focus, keeping both of the characters in focus while displaying the distance between the two. In the next scene Songolian, enters her house for the first time. Zhang used a long shot to show her standing in the middle of the room, surveying her new accommodations. The W-T team would have used a longer shot, possibly even an extremely long shot in this instance. As the lanterns are being lit, the central chandelier above the bed would probably be shot from a bird’s eye perspective as it was being lowered and then a floor shot as it was being raised. The change in distance would make Songolian seem even smaller in the huge room, a tiny woman surrounded buy countless, huge red lanterns signifying the family traditions. When the husband is finally introduced into the film, the W-T team would  shoot the husband as a faceless character, just as Zhang had done. The technical difference, however would be that W-T, would use a shot/reverse-shot sequence with the husband in order to better display the distance between himself and Songolian. This would be a perfect opportunity for Toland’s mastery of the use of deep space. Shooting close to the husband from below shoulder level toward Songolian would create a better physical metaphor for the emotional distance between the two. Frequently in the film there are shots of the inner court-areas of the houses of various wives, shown with the red lanterns burning against the darkness of the night. Zhang, in his version, shoots these from a high angle and the camera is fixed in the inner courtyard. W-T would shoot this as a tracking shot, moving from a high angle shot of at least one of the dark inner courts and then pulling back to pan across the darkened compound, then moving to another high angle shot of the court with the lit lanterns. There are frequently points in the story where the husband leaves the house during the night to go to another house. The W-T team would shoot this from a high angle shot of the lit inner-court as the lanterns are extinguished and then use a tracking shot to ‘crawl’ along the compound to the house where the lanterns being lit, then the camera would pan back in the direction it had come to reveal the dark compound. The dining room is a central point in Zhang’s version of the film and would also be pivotal in the W-T version. Songolian is shown the dining room when she is given her tour of the house. The W-T version of this scene would closely resemble the Zhang version with one key difference. The W-T camera would raise to the faces of the portraits of the ancestors, move to a close up and then pan around the room giving us a shot representative of Songolian’s perspective. In the first dining scene the establishing shot would be the same shot that was originally used. The long shot that was used to establish the parameters of the room and provide a subtle suggestion of the thematic implication of the scene would take on new meaning under the direction of the Wells-Toland team. The Spartan room, surrounded on three sides by portraits of past patriarchs of the family was visible in the establishing shot, but the presence of the ‘family men’ is only alluded to;  with T oland’s use of deep focus the portraits of the patriarchs could be brought into clear perspective, bringing the idea of the influence of the ancestors more securely into the scene. As the scene progresses Zhang’s original sequence of shot, reverse-shot wold still be used, and the camera’s height would remain above the table level; the important difference between the Zhang’s shots and the W-T shots would be the camera’s angle. W-T would lower the camera slightly and drastically increase the angle in order to include the faces of the long deceased patriarchs in the same frames with the wives in the close-ups and medium close-ups. This change, in conjunction with deep focus, would alter the thematic implications of these scenes by introducing the faces of these nameless men directly into the world of the wives, they would be literally, looking over their shoulders. The most significant change in the film would come during the scene when Meishan is hung. Wells would want to convey Songolian’s feeling of fear and confusion and Toland would accomplish this by using a long take beginning when Songolian first sees the lanterns coming through the archway. The camera would then shift to a P.O.V. shot representing Songolian following the men up to the rooftop. Reaching the rooftop level the camera would rush forward to reveal a medium long shot of the men taking Meishan into the room, then turn on its axis and rush back toward Songolian to display the revelation on her face and her fear. Finally, the camera would circle behind Songolian in a very long reverse shot and Toland’s masterful deep focus would display the men leaving the room upon completion of the act.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

History Isu: Juno Beach Essay

Some of the greatest battles in Canadian history took place during the course of World War II. Most would argue it to have been Stalingrad, The Battle of the Atlantic, or even the Battle of Scheldt. The Battle at Juno Beach was a defining moment in Canadian history that led to the rise of a great nation. On June 6, 1944, after having prepared for more than four years, Canadian troops in Britain took place in an invasion that would become the greatest turning point in Canadian history. â€Å"†¦ early in the morning of June 6th, 1944 under cover of a massive air and naval bombardment, ships started ferrying 150 000 American, British, and Canadian troops across the channel of Normandy.† After courageous fighting and tremendous struggles, the Canadian, American, and British troops managed to get the farthest inland to secure a position against allied invaders. â€Å"†¦the German defences at Juno Beach had been shattered and Canada had established the beachhead.† Because Canadian troops were able to secure the beach, â€Å"Operation Overlord† led to great victories amongst the Allied Troops. Juno was the largest amphibious battle to have taken place in history. â€Å"155,000 soldiers, 5,000 ships and landing craft, 50,000 vehicles and 11,000 planes were massed for the greatest seaborne invasion in history.† Canadian troops, being the only commonwealth nation, were assigned 1 out of the 5 beaches at Normandy to secure. First, Canada was to create a beachhead on Juno beach. The American, Canadian and British troops task was to capture and seize all sea towns ashore of the beach and get further inland after breaking through enemy lines. Also, their objective was to secure the Carpiquet airport and create a link that would be able to attach the British beachheads on the other two beaches, Sword and Gold beach, and also to secure the Caen-Bayeux highway. â€Å"The challenge facing the Canadians was to overcome the coastal defences and capture ground positions that could be defended against German counter attacks.† The task the Canadians were given was one that would take a lot of courage and self-determination to push through. â€Å"†¦ Germans had turned the coastline into a continuous fortress of guns, pillboxes, wire, mines and beach obstacles.† Although the Germans had displayed strong thresholds, the allied troops managed to keep pushing their way through German defences. With the lead of Major General R.F.L Keller, the 3rd Canadian Infantry along with many men, tanks, and vehicles helped to secure and take over Juno Beach. â€Å"The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division supported by the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade would land on Juno beach in brigade groups. Two brigades would land in the initial assault followed later by the reserve brigade which would pass through the lead brigades on to the divisional objectives . More than 20,000 men, 200 tanks and hundreds of other vehicles were under the command of Major-General Keller.† The allied troops were successful in securing the position on Juno beach. â€Å"†¦in the face of heavy shelling and deadly machine gun fire, the Canadians fought their way past the German defences.† The troops were able to penetrate farther inland then all other allied forces could. Securing Juno beach was a huge success and as a result, has helped Canada to become a greater nation. Since Juno Beach, the troops that were involved with the invasion are greatly recognized and forever appreciated. Securing Juno Beach may have been one of the best things to have happened. After having done so, many great victories came along. They extended their beachhead further inland, and continued to move northwestward. They were able to liberate several French channel ports, which included Dieppe, which was a great success, because a number of Canadians had lost their lives at such place two years back. Also, because of such a great achievement at Juno Beach, the liberation of Europe took place, along with the defeat of Nazi-Germany, which lead up to the end of World War 2. The defeat of Nazi-Germany became a very proud accomplishment for many. â€Å"Allied to serve the common cause of freedom and democracy, Canada, Great Britain, the United States, the countries of the British Commonwealth and free nations suffering under Nazi occupation counter-attacked.† Due to Canada being able to accomplish many victories, they proved that coming together as a nation could lead to great victories and successes. Also, it helped make and build the independence of Canada. It showed that Canada is a powerful country, and doesn’t need to hold hands with Britain per se, but still work together. â€Å"So many different roads to Victory, conquered through determination and courage and at the price of many human lives.† Although â€Å"Operation Overlord† took the lives of many brave soldiers, it was one step closer to the complete defeat of Nazi-Germany. With great success comes a price, and although the capture of Juno Beach was accomplished, many soldiers were wounded, killed, or captured. â€Å"Fourteen thousand Canadians landed in Normandy on D-Day and to ensure the victory 340 Canadians had given their lives. Another 574 had been wounded and 47 taken prisoner. The casualties were less than expected, but heavy nonetheless.† Despite the many loses Canada suffered, soldiers were still encouraged to move forward and keep on fighting. The Canadian troops relied heavily on goods and services that were being shipped to them. The government greatly supported the troops, providing them with the many necessities needed to be successful. â€Å"Canadian troops relied on a tight organization and on a wide range of services that provided food, shelter, medical care, intelligence, communications and more. They also relied on ships, aircrafts, tanks and weapons needed to face the enemy.† Funding for the invasion was very costly, but in conclusion, led to great victory for the allied troops. Canada at the Battle of Normandy had a great impact on war. It changed the way many thought of the word â€Å"impossible.† After what was done, and how much was conquered, anything is possible. Being able to get further inland than any other before and securing a position that later on led to the liberation of Europe and the defeat of Nazi-Germany isn’t just a small accomplishment, it’s something that has changed the way war is seen and the way troops continue to fight. Without the necessary goods and services being sent over to the allied troops, not much would have been possible. Many brave troops stood against German defences and took their lives so the rest of their brothers could continue on and make Canada proud. â€Å"Many would die there but, for the Canadian forces, D-Day was a triumph that is still honoured at home and on the beach they called Juno.† It is with great success that Canada as a nation, is able to say proudly that they fought strongly to secure Juno beach on June 6, 1944, and because such a great event took place, the rise of a nation began. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Jill Coyler, Jack Cecillon, Graham Draper and Margaret Hoogeveen, Creating Canada A History- 1914 to present ( McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2010) , 239 [ 2 ]. CBC News, D-Day: The allied invasion of Normandy, 1944, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2009/06/02/f-dday-history.html, June 5, 2009 [ 3 ]. CBC News, D-Day: The allied invasion of Normandy, 1944, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2009/06/02/f-dday-history.html, June 5, 2009 [ 4 ]. Lane, D.W. â€Å"Juno Beach – The Canadians On D-Day†1944, http://members.shaw.ca/junobeach/juno-2.htm, Operation Overlord – Plans and Preparation [ 5 ]. Lane, D.W. â€Å"Juno Beach – The Canadians On D-Day†1944, http://members.shaw.ca/junobeach/juno-2.htm, Operation Overlord – Plans and Preparation [ 6 ]. Lane, D.W. â€Å"Juno Beach – The Canadians On D-Day†1944, http://members.shaw.ca/junobeach/juno-2.htm, Operation Overlord – Plans and Preparation [ 7 ]. Jill Coyler, Jack Cecillon, Graham Draper and Margaret Hoogeveen, Creating Canada A History- 1914 to present ( McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2010) , 239 [ 8 ]. Juno Beach Centre, â€Å"Canada in WWII†, http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-rod-e.htm, Roads to Victory [ 9 ]. Juno Beach Centre, â€Å"Canada in WWII†, http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-rod-e.htm, Roads to Victory [ 10 ]. Lane, D.W. â€Å"Juno Beach – The Canadians On D-Day†1944, http://members.shaw.ca/junobeach/juno-2.htm, Operation Overlord – Conclusion [ 11 ]. Juno Beach Centre, â€Å"Canada in WWII† http://www.junobeach.o rg/e/4/can-tac-e.htm Arms & Weapons [ 12 ]. CBC News, D-day: Canadians Target Juno Beach 1944, http://archives.cbc.ca/war_conflict/second_world_war/topics/1317/ 2003