African American In The 1920s Essay

The aspect of African-American Studies is key to the lives of African-Americans and those involved with the welfare of the race. African-American Studies is the systematic and critical study of the multidimensional aspects of Black thought and practice in their current and historical unfolding (Karenga, 21). African-American Studies exposes students to the experiences of African-American people and others of African descent. It allows the promotion and sharing of the African-American culture. However, the concept of African-American Studies, like many other studies that focus on a specific group, gender, and/or creed, poses problems. Therefore, African-American Studies must overcome the obstacles in order to improve the state of being for African-Americans. According to the book, Introduction to Black Studies, by Maulana Karenga, various core principles make of the basis of African-American Studies. Some of the core principles consist of 1)history, 2)religion, 3)sociology, 4)politics, and 5)economics. The core principles serve as the thematic â€Å"glue† which holds the core subjects together. The principles assist with the expression of the African-American Studies discipline (Karenga, 27). The core principle of history is primary factor of African-American Studies. History is the struggle and record of humans in the process of humanizing the world i. e. shaping it in their own image and interests (Karenga, 70). By studying history in African-American Studies, history is allowed to be reconstructed. Reconstruction is vital, for over time, African-American history has been misleading. Similarly, the reconstruction of African-American history demands intervention not only in the academic process to redefines and reestablishes the truth of Black History, but also intervention in the social process to reshape reality in African-American images and interests and thus, self-consciously make history (Karenga, 69). African American History or Black American History, a history of African-American people in the United States from their arrival in the Americas in the Fifteenth Century until the present day. In 1996, 33. 9 million Americans, about one out of every eight people in the United States, were African-American. Although African-American from the West Indies and other areas have migrated to the United States in the Twentieth Century, most African- Americans were born in the United States, and this has been true since the early Nineteenth Century. Until the mid-20th century, the African-American population was concentrated in the Southern states. Even today, nearly half of all African-Americans live in the South. African-Americans also make up a significant part of the population in most urban areas in the eastern United States and in some mid-western and western cities as well . Africans and their descendants have been a part of the story of the Americas at least since the late 1400s. As scouts, interpreters, navigators, and military men, African-Americans were among those who first encountered Native Americans. Beginning in the colonial period, African-Americans provided most of the labor on which European settlement, development, and wealth depended, especially after European wars and diseases decimated Native Americans (http://encarta. msn. com). Thus, history plays a role in the way African-Americans have shaped the world over time. The core concept of African-American religion has always played a vital roles in the African-American life since its beginnings in Africa. Religion is defined as thought, belief, and practice concerned with the transcendent and the ultimate questions of life (Karenga, 211). The vast majority of African Americans practice some form of Protestantism. Protestantism’s relatively loose hierarchical structure, particularly in the Baptist and Methodist denominations, has allowed African Americans to create and maintain separate churches. Separate churches enabled blacks to take up positions of leadership denied to them in mainstream America. In addition to their religious role, African American churches traditionally provide political leadership and serve social welfare functions. The African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first nationwide black church in the United States, was founded by Protestant minister Richard Allen in Philadelphia in 1816. The largest African American religious denomination is the National Baptist Convention, U. S. A. , founded in 1895. A significant number of African Americans are Black Muslims. The most prominent Black Muslim group is the Nation of Islam, a religious organization founded by W. D. Fard and Elijiah Poole in 1935. Poole, who changed his name to Elijiah Muhammad, soon emerged as the leader of the Nation of Islam. Elijiah Muhammad established temples in Detroit, Chicago, and other northern cities. Today, Louis Farrakhan leads the Nation of Islam. A small number of African American Muslims worship independently of the Nation of Islam, as part of the mainstream Islamic tradition (http://encarta. msn. com). Presented with the fact that African-American religion is predominately Judeo-Christian, the tendency is to view it as â€Å"white religion in black face†. However, the rooting of the two religions varies due to the historical and social experiences (Karenga, 212). African-American over time has somewhat declined in its power. The church was once the sole basis of the community, especially to those in need. Today, this is speculated to be the link in the decline in the bonding of the African-American community. The core principle of African-American sociology integrates the various aspects and social reality from an African-American perspective. African-American sociology is defined as the critical study of the structure and functioning of the African-American community as a whole, as well as the various units and processes which compose and define it, and its relations with people and the forces external to it (Karenga, 269). African-American sociology involves the study of family, groups, institutions, views and values, relations of race, class and gender and related subjects. The African-American community, like other communities, is defined by the sharing of common space. Parts of its common space, however, are bounded areas of living, such as ghettos, which not only close African-Americans in the community, but simultaneously shuts them out from the access and opportunities available in the larger, predominately Caucasian society (Karenga, 302). The concept of isolation creates areas of poverty. Socially, isolation in ghettos prevents the cycle of diversity society, allowing prevailing stereotypes to surface. The immense concentration of African-Americans is a reason for disadvantages, such as joblessness, poverty, etc. Statistics suggest that the employment rate issue is an essential on among African-American women. The average rate of unemployment among African-American women in the 1980’s was 16% and was higher for African-American men (Giddings, 350). Thus, the concept of diversity prevents African-Americans from thriving socially. The core concept of African-American politics can be defined as the art and process of gaining, maintaining and using power (Karenga, 311). The institution of politics has played a role in the African-American community since the 15th amendment was passed, allowing African-American men the right to vote (Constitution). In order to obtain political power, however, there are eight bases: 1) key positions in government 2) voting strength 3) community control 4) economic capacity 5) community organization 6) possession of critical knowledge 7) coalition and alliance and 8) coercive capacity. In order to attain these, African-Americans must unite, for unity strengthens weak groups (African-Americans) and increases the power of others (Caucasians) (Karenga, 363). Over time, African-Americans have made substantial strides in politics. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, who ran for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, brought exceptional support and force to African-American politics. In 1989, Virginia became the first state in U. S. history to elect an African- American governor, Douglas Wilder. In 1992, Carol Moseley-Braun of Illinois became the first African-American woman elected to the U. S. Senate. Today, Moseley-Braun is a candidate for the Presidency of the United States (Franklin, 612). There were 8,936 African-American office holders in the United States in 2000, showing a net increase of 7,467 since 1970. In 2001, there were 484 mayors and 38 members of Congress. The Congressional Black Caucus serves as a political alliance in Congress for issues relating to African- Americans. The appointment of African-Americans to high federal offices? including Colin Powell (chairman of the U. S. Armed Forces Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1989-1993; Secretary of State, 2001-present), Ron Brown (Secretary of Commerce, 1993-1996), and Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas? also demonstrates the increasing power of African-Americans in the political arena (http://encarta. msn. com). Despite the advances of African-Americans in the political scene, the rate of voting has immensely declined compared to 40 years ago. According to statistics, less than 20% of African-Americans between the ages of 18 and 24, the most vital voting age group, voted in the last 40 years (http://www. rockthevote. org ). African-American voting’s disappointing decline over time has become a setback in regards to power, for politics control most of the issues that concern society, such as healthcare, housing, and employment: issues that the African-American community are in need of improving. The core concept of economics is defined as the study and process of producing, distributing (or exchanging) and consuming goods and services. Economically, African-Americans have benefited from the advances made during the Civil Rights era. The racial disparity in poverty rates has narrowed to some extent. The African-American middle class has grown substantially. In 2000, 47% of African-Americans owned their homes. However, African-Americans are still underrepresented in government and employment. In 1999, median income of African American household was $27,910 compared to $44,366 of non-Hispanic Caucasians. Approximately one-fourth of the African-American population lives in poverty, a rate three times that of Caucasians. In 2000, 19. 1 % of the African-American population lived below poverty level as compared to 6. 9% of Caucasians population. The unemployment gap between African-Americans and Caucasians has grown. In 2000, the unemployment rate among African-Americans was almost twice the rate for Caucasians. The income gap between African-American and Caucasian families also continue to widen. Employed African-Americans earn only 77% of the wages of Caucasians in comparable jobs, down from 82% in 1975. In 2000, only 16. 6% of African-Americans 25 years and older earned bachelor’s or higher degrees in contrast to 28. 1% of Caucasians. Although rates of births to unwed mothers among both African-Americans and Caucasians have risen since the 1950’s, the rate of such births among African-Americans is three times the rate of Caucasians (DeBose, 1). Thus, the state of African-American economics have flourished over time, yet remains in a state of improvement. Whether one talks about poverty, incomes, jobs, etc. , all imply and necessitate the concern with economics in the African-American community (Karenga, 355). Conclucively, the possibility of problems arising towards the discipline of African-American Studies are rooted in the birth of the discipline itself (Karenga, 476). The mission of the discipline, problematic administrators, and campus opposition are examples of obstacles that often attempt to prevent the missions of African-American Studies. However, African-American Studies has continued to defend its stance over time. Thus, as long as there is an African-American culture, the quest for knowledge in the African-American studies field will remain. Works Cited DeBose,Brian. â€Å"Reclaiming the Mission†. Nov. 2002 . Franklin, John Hope. From Slavery to Freedom. Nashville, TN: McGraw-Hill, 2000. Giddings, Paula. When and Where I Enter . New York:Perrenial, 1984. Karenga, Malauna. Introduction to Black Studies. Los Angeles: University of Sankore Press ? Third Edition, 2002. http://encarta. msn. com http://www. rockthevote. com.

American Films and Backhoe Operators Essay

Analysis Jim worked as a laborer for a gas utility in Winnipeg, Manitoba. When the opportunity came to apply for a backhoe/front-end-loader operator job, he was excited. Three people applied. To select the one who would get the job, the company asked each of them to go out and actually work on the backhoe for a day. Jim felt his chance for the job disappear because he had never even driven a tractor, let alone used a backhoe. When he went out, he did not know how to start the tractor. One of the other backhoe operators had to show him. He managed through the day, and to his surprise, did better than the others. He was given the job. On his first day at the new job, one of the other backhoe operators showed him where to check the hydraulic fluid and said, â€Å"These old Masseys are foolproof. You will be okay. † Jim taught himself how to dig a hole by trial and error. He initially believed that the best way was to fill the bucket as much as possible before lifting it out of the hole and emptying it. He would wiggle the bucket back and forth until it was submerged and then curl it. When it came out of the hole, the earth would be falling off the sides. This job was not so difficult after all, he thought. He cut through his first water line about two weeks after starting his new job. Going into a deep, muddy hole did not make the crew happy. After Jim cut through his third water line, the crew chief pulled him aside and said, â€Å"You are taking too much earth out with each bucket, so you don’t feel the bucket hitting the water line; ease up a bit. Water lines were usually six to eight feet down, so Jim would dig until about four feet and then try to be more careful. It was then that he pulled up some telephone lines that were only about three feet deep. Realizing that more was involved in operating a backhoe than he first had thought, he sought out Bill Granger, who was known to have broken a water line only twice in his 15 years. It was said that he was so good that he could dig underneath the gas lines—a claim that Jim doubted. Bill said, â€Å"You need to be able to feel any restriction. The way to do that is to have more than one of your levers open at the same time. Operating the bucket lever and the boom lever at the same time reduces the power and causes the machine to stop rather than cut through a line of any type. † Jim began to use this method but still broke water lines. The difference now was that he knew immediately when he broke a line. He could feel the extra pull, whereas in the past, he found out either by seeing water gushing up or by hearing the crew chief swearing at him. He was getting better. Jim never did become as good as Bill Granger. In fact, two years later, he applied for another job as gas repairperson and was promoted, but the training as a gas repairperson was not much better. Case Questions 1. What are the potential costs to this lack of training? Why do you think the company operated in this manner? 2. What type of training would you recommend: OJT, classroom, or a combination? Describe what the training might entail. 3. What type of training environment would you provide? 4. Who would you get to do the training, and why? 5. Would you consider purchasing a training program for backhoe operators? Provide your rationale.

Triangle Fire

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire was an event that held relevance in American history. On March, 25, 1911 at approximately 4:40 PM a fire broke out in the company's factory in New York City which was the deadliest industrial disaster. 147 workers died in that incident, they either died from the fire or Jumped from the window. It was considered the most tragic fire incident in New York City. The fire led to legislation requiring improved factory safety standards and helped spur the growth of the International Ladies' Garment workers' Union, which fought for better and safer working conditions for sweatshop workers in that industry† (Wikipedia) To a large extent, the Triangle Shirtwaist fire brought about many strikes and was a disaster that still lives among us (affecting us nowadays). This disaster then again lives with us for good. It will remind us for whom we have neglected upon.This way we can support the working world, as we will get the same sociability from them and others by cooperating. The fire that occurred was in many ways a disaster. However many people throughout the world especially workers), are thankful that it led to realizing the lives of the poor workers throughout the country. The fire occurred due to the poor and unsafe working condition in the factory. The Shirtwaist Factory was located on the Asch Building in Manhattan. The working area was crowded with young workers.There were about 500 workers on the top three floors. On the ninth floor, there were approximately 288 machines and 308 employers. The machines took up a lot of space in the room, so they were all close to each other. The investigation reported that the greatest umber of death occurred on the ninth floor. Also, the area was unclean due to the fact that it is a garment factory which there was pieces of cloth scattered on the floor. some workers had no time to escape. Also, the doors were locked to prevent the workers from stealing and leaving early.In my opinion, th e Triangle Shirtwaist Factory lacked of safety and cleaning environment. This was hundreds years ago, that's why it lacked of firefighting equipment because back in the day, things were different. Thus, all factories lacked of safety conditions. However, the fire marshal concluded hat cigarettes caused the fire. They could be wrong. This incident happened on a pay day where they were about to leave. What if someone deliberately set the fire to the factory? The pay rates were very low and they worked very long which I think they hated it.The owners, Blanck and Harris were not found guilty. â€Å"l believed that the door was locked at the time of the fire. But we couldn't find them guilty unless we believed they knew the door was locked. † I would have to say that the verdict on this particular case was a poor one, because the managers and owners were careless. USA lost 146 lives, because the managers and owners were lazy, a factory was burned down. Thus, the owners were only c oncerned about their well-being; USA suffered one of the worst factory fires of all time.Actually, it was the worst. In my opinion, the owners should have been guilty as charged, and should have been sentenced to Jail for a very long time, and perhaps death sentence. By looking at the list of victims, why would they hire teenager girls to work at an unsafe factory? Here is some list of victims who were identified: â€Å"Bellota, Vincenza, 16, asphyxiation/burns, Brodsky, Ida, 6 (Identified by her cousin), Maltese, Rosia, 14, asphyxiation/burns. Identified by her father (Wikipedia) it is wrong to hire girls at age of 14-16 to work long hours.The fire could have been prevented with the knowledge and procedures we use today. Like a fire alarm in the factory or firefighting equipment to stop the fire. Also, enough exit doors because having one exit door is not good because people will be pushing, etc. to get out. They should have made the room bigger so that it wont be crowded with wor kers. It is hard to keep an eye on workers if it is crowded, so a bigger room with ewer workers would have been better.Because of this incident, the safety standards have changed significantly such as better firefighting equipment, fire alarm, and helicopter. Now there are more exit doors which can only be used as an emergency and if you intend to go through that door, the fire alarm will turn on. All factories are safe, thus, now there's a trainer to teach new hired on how to be safe, etc. All factories are very strict, so there are usually 2-3 supervisors watching the workers. The owners of the company are responsible for the workers, especially a physical Job.

Valuing cultural diversity (by organizations, managers And HRMs Essay

Valuing cultural diversity (by organizations, managers And HRMs Support Role in Managing Cultural Diversity) - Essay Example Perspective is the belief and practices of management carried out with realisation of importance of diversity to a company (Ely and Thomas, 2001). With this view, Ely and Thomas (2001) developed three diversity perspectives, the discrimination-and-fairness perspective, access-and-legitimacy perspective and integration-and-learning perspective. According to Peters (2008), perspectives try to achieve the dual purpose of performance enhancement and social role of unity in diversity. However, the learning-and-effectiveness perspective wields greater importance in times of emergence of global business with diverse workforces. Learning-and-effectiveness perspective intends to achieve individual and organizational goals through creativity and learning of an individual employee in a flexible atmosphere (Thomas and Ely, 2001). As the ‘emerging paradigm of diversity’ it taps the true benefits of diversity (Thomas and Ely, 2001) in the long and short run (Dass and Parker, 1999 cited at Peters, 2008). The real awakening into the contemporary aspects of human resource management made a beginning with Hawthorne experiments (Trompenaaars and Hampden-Turner, 2004). Further studies like the Scanlon Plan, Mayo’s analysis, and the Managerial Grid Seminars of Robert Blake stressed the team-based or group nature of HRM (Trompenaaars and Hampden-Turner, 2004). Ely and Thomas (2001) through development of three perspectives provided the landmark rationale for diversity management in HR systems of organizations. Diversity has gained in importance in organisational life as companies become more diverse in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, age, and nationality (Shaw, Barret-Power cited in D’Netto and Sohal, 1999). Diversity is presence of differences in a social group. (Jackson, et.al, 1992 cited in D’Netto and Sohal, 1999). A diverse workforce shares difference

Managing Diversity and Equality (human resources) Case Study

Managing Diversity and Equality (human resources) - Case Study Example P 13 to 18) This paper seeks to discuss the new role of the Human Resource element that has emerged in the organisation in terms of managing diversity and equality. This role will be discussed through the use of the following categories: These four categories are most basic to the functioning of the modern day organisation. The human resource or human capital element in the organisation has emerged as one that perpetuates this role at every level of the organisation through an effective integration of personal and organisational goals. (Johnson, 1996. P 13 to 18) The company that will be dealt with in this paper is the Anukul Group. This company basically manufactures exclusive designer furniture, stained glass and patchwork linen. It is a company owned by Dipti Mahapatra in India and has been in the business for close to two decades. Having started in the year 1988, this company started out as a small unit with four tailors and has now gone ahead to become one of the most prestigious names in interior decoration in the state of Orissa. The demand for Dipti's products grew and there was a market for interior decoration. By 1993, Dipti was busy undertaking several turnkey projects for complete furnishing of guest houses, hotels, as well as the Governor's residences in the state of Orissa. Orissa is a small state in the Eastern part of India. ... In 1995, Dipti decided to include custom made designer furniture as well as stained glass art in her product offerings list. By 2000, Dipti became a household name in the small state of Orissa with regular articles on her work in the newspapers and other magazines apart from televised interviews. In the 2006, Dipti decided to move to a bigger city. She moved to Bangalore, but has found that there is a certain amount of stagnation on the business front. Problem Areas: Orissa is a small state in the Eastern part of India. It is cut off from any major development that takes place elsewhere in the country. For this reasons, Dipti wanted to shift. Following are the problems that she has encountered: Lack of teamwork and initiative. Difficulty in managing HR: Dipti does not know the local language and hence she has had a problem with finding employees. Bangalore is a big city and she still needs to cross a variety of learning curves in order to know the market and prospective clients. Entrepreneurial Control System: A control system in organizations largely influences its ability to recognize the social and cultural modes of control within it so as to lay down in clear terms the role of the entrepreneur when it comes to deliberating social control over the employees concerned. (Thompson, 1998) This part of the paper will first of all outline the issues that have been dealt with by Paul M Collier in his Risk and Management Accounting. This will be applied to the case of the Anukul Group. For starters, Collier has identified the role of the entrepreneur as regards the social control he exercises over the employees, as a crucial factor in the control system

Managerial report on design of Honda Element Essay

Managerial report on design of Honda Element - Essay Example The rear doors open in a suicide way even though the suicide doors open independent from the front doors. To be on the safe side the front doors should be opened first to open the rear doors. After the doors are opened the interior is totally spacious. There is plenty of rear sear room and these seats can be folded either up, to the side, even folded down or the most astonishing part removed totally. The Element being motivated by Box on wheels the headroom is very plentiful. The front seats are very comfortable and there is ample amount of space given. The hatch opens in two sections in which one door flips down and the other flips up. This is also a utility and loading stuff is easy. With the hatch just being opened the lifting of stuff is very low. The theme of the car's interior is somewhat rugged. The floor is not covered in carpet and the entire floor is covered with a material, which does not absorb any moisture. Dirt, sand and even mud wipes totally. To achieve a rugged interior Element unlike other SUV's does not come with a hard plastic. A rubber like material covers the door panels and the dashboard area and it feels as if this material will come up against all kinds of punishment without scratching, cracking, denting or fading. The Element is an unusual vehicle with its utilitarian mode for Honda but they have come up with a good SUV. Element has a functional interior and combining that with its exterior design it has the features of a SUV and a pick up truck and is a target for the young and active buyers. It has been designed to serve also as a base camp, room for the young buyers. The Element can hold up to four adults and they can have a splendid journey. With the rear seats easily folded anything can be put in for the weekend trip. The interior has been designed in such a way that it could be easily cleaned. There are some additional features too including an AM/FM radio with a 6 CD Changer and a MP3 player, which has video game outlets. Honda has never excelled in its audio system area. The previous Honda systems were just a simple four-speaker system, which sounded tiny and flat. With Honda knowing the target market for Element, there was a big no for a simple and tiny stereo. The end result was in the Element EX, Honda put in a mid range, nice system with a good bass, treble and sub woofer. The system, which is a 270-watt, uses 7 speakers and gives out a deep bass, clean and a brilliant sound. Additional bonus is the adjustable sub woofer. When driving the Honda Element it feels as if driving a Jeep of Sorts. The windscreen, which is upright and seat position, which is very high, it gives a good view of the road with out sacrificing the interior understanding. The Gauges are arranged in three circles, which are similar to a Pontiac Vibe, but Honda has finished the rings in a silver matte rather than shiny chrome found on the Pontiac. Every thing in the Element has quality, feel and a nice variety of textures, which work together to drive the concept theme of a car. The Element is powered a 2.4 liter, inline 4, I-VTEC engine which produces 160 horsepower. The Element is not a sports car but there is sufficient power available for many driving situations. The Element never feels underpowered. The 5-speed manual

Ethical Issues in Google Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethical Issues in Google - Essay Example Ethic primarily comprises moral principles that help an individual to justify and distinguish good behaviour from bad ones. Organisation ethics is defined as a set of principles and guidelines that govern organisational decision and practices (Pojman, 1989). The paper aims at analysing ethical issues relevant to Google while briefly highlighting ethical theories and examples thereof. Organisational behaviour is significantly affected by organisational ethics. Ethic is gaining importance at large corporations such as Google because, with growing organisational complexities, the ethical dilemma at companies is also increasing rapidly. From the perspective of organisational behaviour, four ethical theories were ascertained to be appropriate for discussing the relevance of ethics at Google. These theories are the utilitarian ethical theory, virtue ethics, rights-based ethics and justice based ethics (Peterson, 2002). Utilitarian theory of ethics was originally posited by Jeremy Bentham, which however was later advanced by authors such as John Stuart Mill. The theory implies that self-interest should be overlooked and impartial judgment should be made when the interest of a number of individuals is associated with a particular action. Consequently, it is also known as the rule-based theory. In other words, utilitarian ethics is focused on the impact of an action’s outcome on various stakeholders. These stakeholders can be either internal or external to an organization. Utilitarian ethics emphasizes on a maximization of stakeholders’ wealth while minimizing potential damage. From organizational perspective, utilitarian ethical approach delivers long-term benefits to a firm by means of goodwill (Freeman, 1994). One example of the violation of utilitarian ethics by Google can be the strategy it adopted while entering China. China being one of the most populous countries presents an enormous opportunity for growth for Google but the Chinese government insists that all digital activities of its citizens require national monitoring for political control.  Ã‚  

Plebeian Sexual Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Plebeian Sexual Morality - Essay Example lopment of sexual values during the identified epoch is characterized by the presence of highly conflicting standards and perspectives regarding critical notions encompassing sociological concepts and cultural understandings. As noted by Clark, the most critical consideration which must be highlighted and outlined with reference to this aspect is linked with acknowledging the fact sexual morality and standards in itself are a matter of conflicting outlooks across communities (42). The author proposes that while exploring this aspect it is significant to understand how and why sexual morality of towards the departure of the eighteenth century and the arrival of the nineteenth century emerged as a notion of complexity. The consequences of the aforementioned factors are viewed through the lens of the sociological issues and problems which surfaced in the period and led to the questioning of the moral norms of communities. These issues can be identified in terms of the rise in individuals engaging in sexual intercourse before marriage and the subsequent increase in unwanted pregnancies and illegitimate children because of the scenario (Clark 42). Consequently, these outcomes can be highlighted as the direct impact of what Clark terms as crisis of sexuality and sexual moral standards (42). The underlying causes of these choices can be explored in depth to identify the key reasons behind the plebeian’s motivation for choosing a distinct way of life. This examination essentially raises two significant questions – was the plebeians’ decision based on principal social issues which can be associated with the period or was the progression of such sexual moral standards based on the personal perspectives and outlooks shared by a community of individuals who shared a similar mindset? Clark answers this question by suggesting that while, it is more likely to believe in the assertion that the establishment of sexuality morality is motivated and essentially shaped by the

The Perceived Social Impacts of the 2006 Football World Cup Research Paper

The Perceived Social Impacts of the 2006 Football World Cup - Research Paper Example From a general point of view, the authors discussed all the positive and negative impacts that previous authors have associated with sporting events. The article then narrows down to the specific case of the 2006 football world cup. A close analysis at the world cup event reveals the presence of both positive and negative social impacts. These reviews will highlight the key findings from the research conducted by the authors. The article offers an extensive literature review on the perceived social impacts of sports events. This lays a good background for the research conducted by the authors. From the literature review, it emerges that sports events register some critical positive impacts such as a sense of pride, entertainment opportunities, shared experiences, promotional of regional identity, the introduction of new ideas, expansion of cultural perspectives, validation of community pride, as well as increased community participation. On the other hand, sports events present some undesirable negative social impacts such as theft, noise, bad fan behavior, traffic congestion, social dislocation, community alienation, and prostitution. In order to investigate the social impacts registered by 2006 football world cup, the authors adopted the approach of measuring host community perceptions. This method has the potential of identifying different perceptions held by different individuals in the host community . As highlighted by the authors, the subjectivity of this approach is its main disadvantage. The authors relied on face-to-face structured interviews with selected Munich residents. They made use of questionnaires, which were filled in by the interviewers. Random sampling was used to identify the participants from different suburbs of Munich. The authors identified 180 responses, but only 130 interviews occurred. Notably, the researchers ensured that the participants were from different age groups.

Documentary Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Documentary Review - Essay Example As expounded in the documentary, it is evident that the overdependence on one person as the overseer of all processes in the production of bottled water paves way for the occurrence of errors in the bottled water industry. In connection with this, it is evident that the plastic used in bottling water is made out of materials that leak chemicals into the water. Thus, with such leakage of chemicals as well as errors achieved in the process of manufacturing water affect the health of human beings. Disposition of the used bottles is also one of the contributing factors for pollution in the world. Lots of bottles are everywhere; that is, on land and in water bodies. Such bottles hamper with the ecological system, as a result, lead to the death of other living organisms such as marine fishes. Additionally, it is evident that a lot of resources have been wasted in the name of bottling water. The money used in purchasing the materials for the bottles, the manufacturing process of the plastic bottles, transportation of water from one region to another, and the chemicals included in the water cost the production industry a lot of money. A significant amount of money is also used in managing the mess created by the end use of the bottles. Thus, it is advisable for the industries associated with the production of bottled water to stop wasting resources and advocate consumption of natural

Essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assignment - Essay Example Tax cuts for businesses encourage the company to expand, invest, or stay in the state through enabling the probability of higher profits. In addition, it stimulates new companies to start up and convince other companies to relocate to state that offers these cuts. Tax cuts lead to job creation, via the promotion of greater activities in business. However, local and state taxes are not that huge of a burden on the business and the reduction in profits is small in comparison (Lynch 5). Rates of after-tax profits in industries are also not significantly varied by different states and jurisdictions. Finally, these taxes should not be seen as burdens but as a provider of financial support to public service that act to reduce business costs. Another argument for Business tax cuts has to do with the supply side, which contends that business tax cuts provide incentives for jobs, as well as leading to an increase in investment and savings, which stimulates economic activity (Lynch 7). Lower b usiness taxes could encourage businesses to retain more earnings and, thus, avail more funds for increased investment in business that is vital for growth of state and local economies. Tax cuts for businesses also allow incentives for business investments, via increasing the profitability inherent in the investment and providing funds for firms to invest by allowing firms to retain more of their earnings. However, a counter-argument contends that the positive effects that are inherent in tax cuts on savings and work effort have been greatly exaggerated by the proponents of this argument (Lynch 8). In fact, tax cuts could act as a disincentive for people to work. Additionally, although tax cuts for businesses may result in sizeable gains, in savings, for businesses and individuals, the gains will not lead to a decrease in interest rates or a productive investment increase in particular jurisdictions. The effect of the demand side argument is likely to reduce growth of the economy and a slowdown in employment creation. A third argument for the implementation of business tax cuts by local and state administrations is the demand side argument. This argument contends that business tax cuts stimulate the local and state economies by making an impact on consumer spending (Lynch 9). When business taxes come down, individuals and businesses are left with increased after tax incomes. Some of these after tax increases could be saved while the rest is spent on the purchase of more services and products. Increased spending will have a corresponding effect on business volumes of sales and allow firms to produce more products and services. As the companies produce more of these, they will have to hire extra workers. Therefore, employment numbers are increased by business tax cuts. Conversely, while local and state tax cuts can cause businesses to use more of their earnings on investment, they also lead to a reduction in government revenue that leads to reduced spending for l ocal and state governments (Lynch 9). Probably, this will result in the drop for in-state spending. Additionally, this very same theory can be utilized for justification in the increase of local and state taxes. The business climate argument holds that local and state governments can promote the development of the economy by improving on the business climate

Participatory Notes Essay Example for Free

Participatory Notes Essay Participatory Notes commonly know as P-Notes or PNs are instruments issued by registered foreign institutional investors (FII) to overseas investors, who wish to invest in the Indian stock markets without registering themselves with the market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India SEBI. SEBI permitted foreign institutional investors to register and participate in the Indian stock market in 1992. Investing through P-Notes is very simple and hence very popular amongst foreign institutional investors. Contents 1 Working 2 Need 3 Participatory Notes Crisis of 2007 4 Trends in PN 5 References Working Participatory notes are instruments used for making investments in the stock markets. However, they are not used within the country. They are used outside India for making investments in shares listed in that country. That is why they are also called offshore derivative instruments. In the Indian context, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and their sub-accounts mostly use these instruments for facilitating the participation of their overseas clients, who are not interested in participating directly in the Indian stock market. For example, Indian-based brokerages buy India-based securities and then issue participatory notes to foreign investors. Any dividends or capital gains collected from the underlying securities go back to the investors. Need Anonymity: Any entity investing in participatory notes is not required to register with SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), whereas all FIIs have to compulsorily get registered. It enables large hedge funds to carry out their operations without disclosing their identity. Ease of Trading: Trading through participatory notes is easy because participatory notes are like contract notes transferable by endorsement and delivery. Tax Saving: Some of the entities route their investment through participatory notes to take advantage of the tax laws of certain preferred countries. Money Laundering: PNs are becoming a favourite with a host of Indian money launderers who use them to first take funds out of country through hawala and then get it back using PNs.

The Ultimate Goal Of JIT

The Ultimate Goal Of JIT JIT is a Japanese concept. Also called the Toyota production system, it aims at producing the necessary parts in quantities needed, at the time they are required. The ultimate goal of JIT is to eliminate inventory, to have minimal work in process inventory monitored by reduction in working capital. JIT considers 7 types of wastes. Overproduction producing more than the customer needs Transportation Anywhere where goods are moved within a process Waiting where waiting time occurs, traditionally where one process waits for another to finish before it can start. Inventory typified by stock or materials that are not being used in the process or current activity. Motion Poor planning and organizational layout often cause motion waste Over processing where steps occur in the production process that do not add value to the end customer this is termed overproduction Defects The process results in an error or requires rework JIT divides all works into value adding and non-value adding activities and then eliminates all non value adding activities. Kanban is one means through which JIT is achieved. It is a scheduling system that tells you what to produce, when to produce it, and how much to produce Poka-yoke is a Japanese term that means fail-safing or mistake-proofing. Its purpose is to eliminate product defects by preventing, correcting, or drawing attention to human errors as they occur. Autonomation describes a feature of machine design to affect the principle of jidoka. At Toyota this usually means that if an abnormal situation arises the machine stops and the worker will stop the production line. Kaizen refers to the philosophy or practices that focus upon continuous improvement of processes in manufacturing, engineering, supporting business processes, and management. Literature review Weiters (1984) in one of the first literatures on this topic states that Financial justification of JIT in service industries is less likely but in service industries JIT offers intangible benefits in terms of improved service quality and customer satisfaction.(cited by Inman and Mehra 1990) Benson (1986) was the first to point out Service operations are organised systems of production processes with the same potential of improvement through implementation of JIT precepts as manufacturing operations Cited by Duclos et. al. 1995 Berling and Geppi (1989) studied the supply chain of healthcare sector and offered JIT as an approach to hospitals in order to reduce inventory. They suggested closer relationships between hospitals and distributors. Billesbach and Schniederjans (1989) present a case study on JIT application in an administration setting. The case was on a big corporation and JIT programme was implemented in the headquarters of this corporation. Their approach was based on examining activities and the ones not contributing to result to be eliminated. Inman and Mehra (1990) had worked on FedEx. This package delivery company implements JIT to reduce their inventory of quasi-MRO goods (mainly packaging, labelling supplies).aimed at improving their service quality and competitiveness through implementation of JIT and anticipated that inventories would be reduced as a result. Lee (1990) presents a case study of a small bank. Study is focused on this banks loan approval process. Bank follows a two phase process and first evaluates the applications and makes the decision of lending in second phase. This process usually takes 12 days. Applying JIT approach whole process is redesigned and several tasks are unified. New approval process takes 4-5 days. Wasco et. al.( 1991) presents a case Kodaks quality assurance division. This division provides services to worldwide chain of Kodak. An MRP II system is implemented with JIT approach and conclusion of the study is JIT techniques enhance the potential of MRP application. One of the most radical case studies is presented by Barlow (2002). He investigates the applicability of JIT techniques to hotel industry. Weakness of this study is it concentrates on liquor stocks of these hotels and draws conclusions on if statements and these hotels actually do not adopt any JIT techniques. Ruiz (2003 pp.1) JIT focuses on the process, not product. Therefore it can be applied (in theory) to any group of processes, whether manufacturing or service. Ultimate goal of JIT is to produce a good and a service without waste Literature on the matter quite confidently states that JIT can be applied in services and through reported case studies evidence is provided. JIT applications in service industries are vague in some sense. There are no empirical studies and reported case usually resembles manufacturing setting. Service operations management evolution How to implement JIT in services? A philosophy of manufacturing excellence based on pursuit of the planned elimination of all waste and consistent improvement of productivity. It encompasses the successful execution of all manufacturing activities required to produce a final product from design engineering to delivery and including all stages from conversion of raw material onward (APICS, 1992). Total visibility of equipment, people, material and processes; Synchronization and balance of production to sales and supply to production; Respect for people Line operators is responsible for production, problem solving and improvement; Flexibility adapt production to customer needs; Continuous improvement never satisfied with the process; Responsibility for the operations environment those who design, manage and operate the processes are responsible for the outcome; Holistic approach companywide philosophy of elimination of waste; Each of these JIT themes may be applicable to service organizations; Synchronization and balance of information and work flow matching output with customer demand one of the important aspects of service operations often cannot inventory the output of their processes making balance even more vital Semantodontics, a direct marketing company selling nationwide by catalogue to dentists, also found JIT an appropriate approach for reducing the time to process paperwork (Conant, 1988) and, hence, the time required for a dentist to receive an order. The idea of making lot sizes as small as possible was implemented by decreasing the batch size in which telephone orders were aggregated. As a result, telephone orders were moved to the second stage of the process three times daily rather than once a day, as was the previous norm. Set-up time for entering new customer records was reduced by moving the process to the original telephone operation where the data were first gathered. The decrease in order batch size had a behavioural impact on employees as well. From the sense of satisfaction gained on completion of multiple small batches, employees tended to work faster and more efficiently. Atlantic Envelope Company uses kanban trays at its Atlanta facility to move documents within the order entry department. Order entry time fell to under a day from a previous uncertain number of days. Total visibility of all components of the process Northern Telecom Inc.s (NTI) Customer Service Centre borders the traditional manufacturing environment (Savage-Moore, 1988) and the implementation is a good example of providing visibility through the use of work cells. This unit of NTI has the labour-intensive responsibility of repairing printed circuit packs (PCPs). For an individual PCP, it is difficult to predefine the specific repair process required, not unlike a job shop environment. The work cell concept was applied to keep all work on a PCP performed within a single cell and by one team of employees. This provided all employees repairing a PCP with visibility as to the repair needs and processes used to repair the product. Additionally, employees were cross-trained to staff the cells and jobs were redefined to recognize employee training efforts. Over a two-year period, NTI saw customer service levels increase from 85 per cent to 100 per cent and quality levels significantly improved. Work-in-progress inventory was reduced b y 75 per cent and repair cycle times reduced from one week to less than 48 hours. Continuous improvement of the process The Manufacturing Quality Assurance Organization at Kodak in Rochester, New York provides specialized services in the form of sample testing of photographic film, chemical and environmental testing, equipment development and calibration control. JIT precepts were introduced to provide a framework for involving the entire organization in continuous improvement (Wasco et al., 1991). Fifty JIT cells were established to start the JIT delivery of products or services based on functional precepts. JIT activities were used to reduce work-handling steps and run times. Improvements through JIT techniques saved an average of $33,000 per month in 1990. Holistic approach to elimination of waste suppliers Few suppliers; Nearby suppliers; Repeat business with same suppliers; Active use of analysis to enable desirable suppliers to become/stay price-competitive; Clusters of remote suppliers, competitive bidding mostly limited to new part numbers; Buyer plant resists vertical integration and subsequent wipe-out of supplier business; Suppliers are encouraged to extend JIT buying to their suppliers; Quantities: Steady output rate (a desirable prerequisite); Frequent delivery in small quantities; Long-term contract agreements; Minimal release paperwork; Delivery quantities variable from release to release, but fixed for whole contract term; Little or no permissible overage or underage of receipts; Suppliers encouraged to package in exact quantities; Suppliers encouraged reducing their production lot sizes (or store unreleased material); Quality: Minimal product specifications imposed on supplier; Help suppliers to meet quality requirements; Close relationships between buyers and suppliers quality assurance people; Suppliers encouraged to use process control charts instead of lot sampling inspection; shipping: Scheduling of inbound freight; Gain control by use of company-owned or contract shipping, contract warehousing, and trailers for freight consolidation/storage where possible instead of using common carriers. Flexibility in the use of resources Bookbinder and Locke (1986) present a model to determine if JIT distribution methodology is a feasible alternative to traditional distribution methods. They investigated the behaviour of two different distribution models for JIT organizations. In the first, a factory-warehouse-retailer distribution system, the warehouse holds stock. In the second, stock moves from factory directly to retailers. The models were compared using statistical tests, and the second model was determined to be the superior distribution system because it furnished essentially the same service level to retailers while carrying one less echelon of stock. Another mathematical model is offered by Ramasesh (1990) for the implementation of JIT techniques in purchasing systems that have not yet advanced to the ultimate level of JIT purchasing (lot size of one). He treated the fixed costs associated with the adoption of JIT as investment, and justified it based on the savings generated using any of the techniques of investment analysis. He modified the traditional economic order quantity model to include explicitly the costs of small-lot shipments. He also provided guidelines and formulae for determining the order quantity and the optimal number of shipments. Case studies DHL- impact of JIT The founders began to personally ship papers by airline from San Francisco to Honolulu, beginning customs clearance of the ships cargo before the actual arrival of the ship and dramatically reducing waiting time in the harbour. With this concept, a new industry was born: international air express, the rapid delivery of documents and shipments by airplane. DHL network continued to grow at an incredible pace. The company expanded westward from Hawaii into the Far East and Pacific Rim, then the Middle East, Africa and Europe. By 1988, DHL was already present in 170 countries and had 16,000 employees. The different business units of the company are DHL Express DHL Freight DHL Global Forwarding DHL Exel Supply DHL Global Mail The process above mentioned was improved using JIT with following ways Inventory Management Concerning Services For instance, in the case of DHL, vehicles, bicycles and other assets that facilitate service delivery must be accounted for, serviced, ready and available to be used for work purpose. Quality Management Concerning Services Tangibles Reliability Responsiveness Competence Courtesy Access Supplier Relations Concerning Services Human Resource Management Concerning Services JIT in retail The key principles of JIT in any system are: No wastage, Total visibility, and Flexibility in the use of human and material resources In any environment these principles translate into three simple rules: dont start any work unless the demand signal indicates a need for more material; if the demand signal indicates a need, work to fill that need; and, never exceed the queue-size limit Automatic Replenishment Systems (ARS) is also an example of application of JIT in retail. JIT in Indian service industry A survey was done on the Indian service industry. The data was collected from the selected service industries and analyzed. The results of degree of importance are given in the table The most important element recognized by the Service industries was waste reduction (mean=0.8929). The least important element was JIDOKA (mean=0.5625). The elements of the study are mentioned in appendix table 1 JIT in hospitals Most research in the health care industry has been directed toward process and information system improvements. Generally, service environments such as health care are likely candidates for JIT if their operations are repetitive, have reasonably high volume, and deal with tangible items such as mail, checks, bills or letters. In hospitals, there is a vital department named CSSD (Centre for Sterilization Service department), the functions of which include materials management, instruments reception, washing, packing and sterilization, sterile store, instruments distribution As an illustration a previous supplier model can be analysed And compared with an improved model, which centralises and streamlines the supply chain JIT in administrative setting JIT practices and their effect on quality can be analysed Human elements of JIT Steps in implementation of JIT in service industry Eliminate disruptions in work of the employees and make the service system flexible and train the workers to handle more variety. reduce set-up time and eliminate waste including errors and duplicate work and minimise work-in process e.g. Packages waiting to be delivered, calls waiting to be answered, pending orders to be processed, trucks waiting to be loaded/unloaded Generally, service environment may benefit from jit system if the operations are repetitive, have high volume, and deal with tangible items e.g. Sandwiches, mail or bills services must involve manufacturing like operation Consistently high quality service employees can be taught the value of providing defect free services uniform facility loading reservation systems and differential pricing are ways to level the load on the facilities standardised work methods high efficiencies achieved by analysing work methods and standardising Close supplier ties volume services such as fast-food joints and mass merchandisers require close supplier contacts to ensure frequent short lead time and high quality shipment of supplies Flexible work force greater the customisation in the service, greater is the need for a multi-skilled workforce e.g. Electronic repair shops needing wider experienced workforce to diagnose the problems and repair the defects Line flow strategy mangers can recognise their employees and equipment to provide uniform flows through the system, and eliminate wasted employee time e.g. Banks use this system in their cheque processing operations Process improvement and problem solving can contribute to streamlining a system, resulting in increased customer satisfaction, and higher productivity e.g. Self service system including retail operations, ATM, vending machines, service stations etc which is the ability to provide services when required simplify the process, especially when customers are part of the system jit services , if achieved , can be a major competitive advantage for companies A Framework Appendix Table 1:

Objectives Of The Masala Restaurant Commerce Essay

Objectives Of The Masala Restaurant Commerce Essay Masala restaurant is situated at mission bay, Auckland. There are totally 8 branches of the restaurant all over New Zealand and plans are in the pipeline to open more. The place is becoming popular as it provides cheap and good quality food apart from the large menu. The restaurant and its other branches are solely owned by Mrs. Jyoti Jain. It caters to wide number of people and of various cultures. I had an interview from Jaspreet jassi who is the manager of masala restaurant, mission bay. Hence the menu contains food from various countries but the speciality of the restaurant is mainly Indian. To capture the market and have a diverse group of customers some of the spicy Indian foods are made light and sometimes sweet to cater to the New Zealanders. The service towards the customers too is very professional. Objectives of the restaurant 1. The main objective of the restaurant is to provide a wide range of food at reasonable prices. 2. Within 3 years the restaurant became popular in Auckland and few other places, so they would like to expand and have more branches in other places in New Zealand. 3. Their current strategy is to have 25 branches in whole of New Zealand by the year 2015. 4. They would like to be an active and vocal member of the community and participate in various community activities. 5. To help in financial contribution through continual re-investment. Finding and Analysis Organization Structure and communication channels Masala restaurant is one of the leading Indian restaurants in New Zealand. Earlier it was a small food joint with limited Indian food catering only to the Indian community in Auckland. Later the owner realized that there were many people apart from Indians who also liked the Indian food but opted for little less spicy food. So the management decided to make their foods at three levels of spiciness, less, medium and hot. Through feedback from regular customers, they realized that they needed to increase the varieties on the menu. Then they added many new dishes and each time a new dish was tried out the customers feedback was taken into account and further decisions were made based on this. The employees understand their role and responsibilities towards the company. There are opportunities for both top-down bottom-up communication as it is necessary for the restaurant use both ways for communication. Bottom-up is moves as per the system and used in several area like: Motivation teams, mounting knowledge opportunities, replicating human development, increasing communication, improve confidence. A business needs to develop a strategy that is a balance of both the top-down and bottom-up in order to be effective. The top-down approach includes leadership development, equal employment and zero tolerance policies, training, recruitment and retention programmes, social responsibility initiatives, linking diversity to business goals and cultural-change initiatives. This approach is required for top level leaders in order to visualize and articulate the creation of an inclusive environment inside the organization. Implementing of these requires hard work and the ability to see the restaurant from the bottom-up. Bottom-up strategies is more process focused. It focuses more on an individual. To identify that every person is different and it can happen only one person at a time. Hence different learning solutions and strategies have to be made as per each individual. Most often it is the responsibility of the top management during an issue or problem but in bottom-up approach its the responsibility of each individual (Winters, 2010). In a zero tolerance policy the employees will hesitate to say anything thinking they might get fired but in a bottom-up approach it is a natural work team where there is more of learning in order to understand better and hence helps the team to perform more effectively. By using the bottom-up approach every leader right from the team leader to the top position all are teachers. Through their own behavior they project themselves as thought leaders or primary teachers. Top-down approach is more for the office while the bottom-down is more for the team. Everybody has a say in the organization hence more chance of improving the restaurant (Winters, 2010). Due to all these above reasons the restaurant has to balance the two approaches and not follow just one. From the study on Masala restaurant it is found that the restaurant does not have a balance between the two approaches. In order to make this a success every member should get involved in the restaurant. If the restaurant uses only the top-down then there are chances of the diversity initiative stopping in the middle or even before it starts. By the time the messages or information reaches the lower level it could have changed, issues misunderstood and an important goal or strategy may reach in the end as a mere thought. In such a case the restaurant will lose time and money of all those who are involved. Work teams and group dynamics The work environment in the restaurant is a bit relaxed and everything depends on the line manager who is currently responsible for everything. There are two types of managers: those who exercise their power and show their leadership qualities obtained through experience and the other type are those who in order to get their team work done will take everything upon themselves and do most of the team members tasks. In most cases the managers tend to be calm and are indistinguishable from other employees. Team work is categorized based on different field of specialization. Some are appointed according to different experience and some as per the requirement. The manager creates a team and defines their roles and responsibilities. They focus on what they have to deliver and what their final destination is. Every team has a team leader, who always creates or subdivides task for the team and manage his/her group members in helping them achieve their goal and create doorways by motivating them to get them to better success which will help in their promotion path. The processes which have to be followed by an organization to ensure productive team performance are: By developing goals and plans for everyday use. Enhance communication among every member in the team Decision making and solving problems Building and maintaining positive relationships with crews. Resolve conflicts. Managers always initiate the task, whatever the task may be. The first step is taken by the manager and he decides the allocation of teams and schedules. General Manager has the superior authority because Manager reports to the General manager and he given all the ideas about task maintenance and role performance, Once he allocates them then manager has the authority to distribute it. There are several ways to get the team output but generally the Masala restaurant use audit tools to see the performance parameter and get the team resolutions. Stakeholder communication A stakeholder is any individual or organization whoever is affected by the businesss activities. They can be directly or indirectly be interested in the company. They can be in contact with the company on daily basis or on certain occasions. It can be the owners, the employee, the customers, the suppliers, the marketers or the advertisers and more. Every stakeholders priorities are different. The owners want good profit and sell quality food at cheap prices. For the suppliers it is to supply good quality ingredients and other necessities at competitive price to the restaurant and as well make good profit. For the customers it is good and tasty food at cheap price. For the marketers and advertisers it is profit. For the employees it is a totally different reason a good salary, regular pay hike and scope for growth within the restaurant. Health inspectors too are stakeholders as their analysis result and certification is what builds up the confidence in the customers mind that the place they are eating in is as per the quality standards and hygiene. There are various such stakeholders as mentioned above who are directly or indirectly linked by the activities of the restaurant, but out of all these the most important one is the customer. The running of the business and its profits depends on the customers. Organization culture employee obligations The culture and ambience in the restaurant is very friendly. The manager and its team of employees are very happy and satisfied working in the restaurant. They are content with their own responsibilities but it is not helping the restaurant. The manager being at the higher level is in a position to exercise his power, take decisions and act accordingly. When there are new employees who are in the learning process, the manager usually takes charge. He patiently does the work of the employees whenever required. He sometimes deals with customers till the employees learn. In most companies the managers use various approaches to sell their products and give utmost customer satisfaction. It is the role of the manager to be able to take orders, feedback and other alternatives in order to make their decision, not just to give orders. The more a manager is close to the team the better are the results at later stages of development and the employees become comfortable to go beyond the actual r ole activities. (Northhouse, 2007). Communication Technologies and tools Effective communication is required for any business to function properly. If workers dont communicate with one another the business cannot go a long way. This could result in the form of missed or wrong deliveries, mix up of food and customer specification. Nowadays companies use sharepoint, intranet sites, instant messaging and email. Intranet sites are helpful for small businesses to update or keep their employees in the track of communicating new information. The workers can add about business wins, post job opportunities and sometimes put up periodic surveys (Conrad, 2012). The most important and valuable form of communication among businesses is instant messaging. This has become more superior then email. The managers and supervisors can keep a check on their workers such as if they have signed in and if they are at their desks or work. The answers for the business are also very instant and quick compared to emails. However emails are still effective and widely used, especially if it is one to one communication. Through online marketing the businesses can also let visitors and others outside New Zealand to know about their restaurant and can give them international offers. Conclusion Masala restaurant is a small and growing business in New Zealand. The restaurant has a good and tasty menu catering to people from various countries with their various foods. In the beginning the restaurant was open only during the weekends but now is open seven days a week and have customers throughout the week. After introducing the bar section there has been more people visiting the restaurant. The restaurant is a medium scale restaurant and the food is affordable by all, but the staff appointed are not very educated and do not come from the food industry. There are no growth opportunities in the restaurant for the educated people hence those with no experience and required qualifications do not join the restaurant. The manager is the one leading the whole show. If the people appointed are from the industry and have certain knowledge of the food industry, it will help reduce the burden on the manager and make it easier to deal with the customers. The workers will not approach the manager for everything and will be able to decide and sort out things in a better way. The restaurant has a huge scope and potential to grow if there are more investors and the business moves away from being a sole proprietorship. Opening of franchises will help the restaurant to grow and reach a large number of people. Introduction of recipes using seasonal foods too will be an added advantage. An in-house training if provided will give the workers scope for a better future and hence people from the industry would think of joining the restaurant. From the field study done it has been observed that there needs to be a change in the companys values and objectives. A change in the work culture will greatly help the restaurant in future growth. Recommendations Organization structure and communication Channels On doing the research I found that there is still scope for the restaurant to perform much better in future. I would like to recommend that the managers can make the employees perform and enjoy their work if there are many activities involving both the management and the employees. This way the employees will be freer to convey better and give customers feedback to the restaurant. The managers constant support does not get the utmost from the employees. The manager for better performance of his team puts more effort where the employees are not doing a committed or serious work. Communication Technologies and tools Masala restaurant does not have a proper website. There is a need to have a new website with constant updating. They can send emails to customers informing them of latest offers and new additions to the menu. They can also market through social websites like facebook and other networks. Apart from all these they can also advertise in papers or through pamphlets and flyers. The restaurant can go global and also open more franchises. Each branch can be owned independently. This way the restaurant can grow. They need to install new machinery like latest baking machines and upgrade as high tech as possible taking care of the financial aspect. By developing their website they can also introduce door delivery and undertake small contracts such as birthday parties and social get together. Work teams and group dynamics The environment has to be friendlier and knowledge based, so that the team works well and communicates effectively among themselves. Sometimes there are issues where one employee does not tell the other employee what feedback a customer has given. It is very important in the food industry to know the tastes, likes and wants of the customers. Every conversation is an important feedback to better the restaurant. The food has too much sweetness, which is not liked by many Asians. Care should be taken on this. Handling of the bar too requires attention. Staff needs to be trained. Most of the employees are Indians it will help if they have a few locals or a multi-cultured environment. This will bring diverse customers through the employees too. To motivate the employees they can introduce rewards like incentives, food coupons, free weekend trip. This is the way to keep the entire employee up to date and attentive. There is another way to create Employee of the month and team of the month in the restaurant. Stakeholder Communication Stakeholders involvement is very important. The restaurant is not very involved or interested in communicating with their suppliers. Regular meetings with them will give better feedback. Discounts on certain days kept aside for the family and friends of suppliers and the employees will bring in more people. Stakeholders are the fastest mode of communication. By Word-of-mouth more people are likely to visit the restaurant as it builds confidence in new visitors who are trying the restaurant for the first time. Apart from profits other goals like quality and hygiene are to be taken care of too. Following the above recommendations will help Masala restaurant to reap better profits and expand their branches. Better strategies and company policies involving the recommendations will also to a certain extent bring down the issues faced in the restaurant and develop an interest among the employees to learn new things. Apart from that there is scope for the employees to grow. Value to the Organization This business report is really helpful to the organization because in this I worked out on the various issues related to the communication have some points which can be helpful to the organization with the help of the report they can improve their communication process or they also come to know about the problem at their communication system. In my report I also recommend some ideas, which I learn during my study. According to me, it will give some more benefits and clear communication system. During my report I found many things, like masala restaurant have their 8 branches all over the new Zealand, It is family owned business, now the owner of masala is jyoti jain. She looks after all the branches. My report helps them in many ways because I analyze all the categories and provide the best recommendations. If they use that ideas it may help them to become a challenger to their competitors. So according to me they make a specific person or way to convey the messages or communication. Email, video calling is good example for clear communication. It helps the organizations into many ways

Rwanda Genocide Compared to Blood Done Sign My Name Essay -- literature

From April to July of 1994 terror struck Rwanda as Hutu members of the nation brutally maimed, raped, and killed around 800,000 Tutsi members, along with partial Hutu members. Leading up to the genocide, there was tension between both ethnicities. Over the decades, people of the Hutu ethnicity took power of the country, in fact, Major General Juvenal Habyarimana, a moderate Hutu, took office for over ten years (History.com Staff, 2009). Correspondingly, in years leading up to the Rwanda genocide, in another country called America, the ethnic group of Africa Americans was being harshly discriminated against. In the 1900s, slavery was no longer legal in the states; however, a few decades before the Rwanda genocide, Oxford, North Carolina took a toll against punitive decimation and homicide based on someone’s ethnic group. On May 11, 1970 (fourteen years before the Rwandan genocide), Henry â€Å"Dickie† Marrow was murdered by three white men who, at the time, were very well known men in Oxford. He was brutally beaten and shot before eventually dying while under medical care. Marrow was murdered strictly based on the color of his skin and the where he came from. Although the thirteen amendment was passed in the 1800s, (The Library Of Congress , 2014), it took over to a century for racial discrimination against African Americans to some to a slow. Unfortunately, in smaller areas, such as; Denton, North Carolina, there is still racial discrimination today. During this event, a white boy named Timothy Tyson was watching the events, he later grew up to write a book with stories from different people on what happened, to get the actual facts. The book is now called, Blood Done Sign My Name. The horror began in Rwanda when a plane carryi... ...cide ended when the Rwandan Patriotic Front took over the country. This was a group of Tutsi who were from Uganda and were trained fighters (Rosenberg, 2014). This is into comparison with when the blacks won and the Teel’s where sent to trail and charged. Works Cited Armenian Youth Federation. (2014). Genocide in Rwanda. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from United Human Rights Council : http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/genocide/genocide_in_rwanda.htm History.com Staff. (2009). History.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from The Rwandan Genocide : http://www.history.com/topics/rwandan-genocide Rosenberg, J. (2014). A Short History of the Rwanda Genocide. Retrieved 2014, from Rwanda Genocide. The Library Of Congress . (2014, April 10). Primary Documents in American History . Retrieved April 30 , 2014, from http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/13thamendment.html Rwanda Genocide Compared to Blood Done Sign My Name Essay -- literature From April to July of 1994 terror struck Rwanda as Hutu members of the nation brutally maimed, raped, and killed around 800,000 Tutsi members, along with partial Hutu members. Leading up to the genocide, there was tension between both ethnicities. Over the decades, people of the Hutu ethnicity took power of the country, in fact, Major General Juvenal Habyarimana, a moderate Hutu, took office for over ten years (History.com Staff, 2009). Correspondingly, in years leading up to the Rwanda genocide, in another country called America, the ethnic group of Africa Americans was being harshly discriminated against. In the 1900s, slavery was no longer legal in the states; however, a few decades before the Rwanda genocide, Oxford, North Carolina took a toll against punitive decimation and homicide based on someone’s ethnic group. On May 11, 1970 (fourteen years before the Rwandan genocide), Henry â€Å"Dickie† Marrow was murdered by three white men who, at the time, were very well known men in Oxford. He was brutally beaten and shot before eventually dying while under medical care. Marrow was murdered strictly based on the color of his skin and the where he came from. Although the thirteen amendment was passed in the 1800s, (The Library Of Congress , 2014), it took over to a century for racial discrimination against African Americans to some to a slow. Unfortunately, in smaller areas, such as; Denton, North Carolina, there is still racial discrimination today. During this event, a white boy named Timothy Tyson was watching the events, he later grew up to write a book with stories from different people on what happened, to get the actual facts. The book is now called, Blood Done Sign My Name. The horror began in Rwanda when a plane carryi... ...cide ended when the Rwandan Patriotic Front took over the country. This was a group of Tutsi who were from Uganda and were trained fighters (Rosenberg, 2014). This is into comparison with when the blacks won and the Teel’s where sent to trail and charged. Works Cited Armenian Youth Federation. (2014). Genocide in Rwanda. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from United Human Rights Council : http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/genocide/genocide_in_rwanda.htm History.com Staff. (2009). History.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from The Rwandan Genocide : http://www.history.com/topics/rwandan-genocide Rosenberg, J. (2014). A Short History of the Rwanda Genocide. Retrieved 2014, from Rwanda Genocide. The Library Of Congress . (2014, April 10). Primary Documents in American History . Retrieved April 30 , 2014, from http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/13thamendment.html

sociological methods :: essays research papers

Methods As we were interested in attitudes and experiences of our subjects we decided to use a qualitative approach to conduct our study. We wished our respondents to define their attitudes and experiences using their own words and meanings therefore it was considered that quantitative data was not appropriate for such a study. Qualitative study is more in-depth and much less structured than a quantitative approach, generating a greater depth of information (Mason 1996) A semi-structured interview technique to gather our data. This was chosen because of the benefits that this method entails and because of the disadvantages of the standardised and non-standardised methods (Gilbert, 2001). The standardised model was discarded because although all respondents received the same questions in the same order the system lacked credibility due a number of facts. Firstly, not every respondent may have the same interpretation of a question thus answers could not be compared to any degree of certainty. Secondly, the interviewer was unable to clarify any questions that the respondent did not fully comprehend. Most importantly, though, was the fact that the interviewer was unable to explore any area that our respondent unexpectedly enlightened us to, this also hindered us from asking any supplementary questions that may have furthered our findings (Punch, 1998). A non-structured approach was instantly ruled out as we wished to gage specific attitudes and experiences of drugs from our respondents. A non-standardised interview could have left us with an abundance of irrelevant material and little of any actual use. The semi-structured method has many benefits. Not only does this technique give the interviewer room for scope to probe, clarify and alter his or her interview schedule on the spot but it is also relatively easy to code and analyse the information that is procured (Seidman, 1998). The Sample Our sample were four third year students, two males and two females. Third year was chosen as our sample year-group as this allowed the respondents time to have become fully integrated into the Stirling student ‘life-style’. The sample was approached at random in the Stirling University union, ‘The Studio’. Random individuals were asked if they were 3rd year students and if so were they willing to take part in our survey. The sample were informed of the purpose of our research and confirmed the area of questioning which we wished to pursue. The sample was told that the location for their interview was entirely at their own discretion.

Harry Martinson’s Views from a Tuft of Grass Essay

Harry Martinson’s Views from a Tuft of Grass is one literary piece that deals with nature- its innate beauty and the special bond humans have with nature. The book contains several essays and a poem, and all of these explore the subject of the natural world around us admirably well. Through his vivid imagery and skillful use of words, Martinson takes the reader into his colorful and inviting world. Undoubtedly, valuing nature is one of the book’s major themes. Martinson makes his readers aware of the significance of nature to a person’s life. In one essay entitled Summer Reflections, he tells of his own longing for the summer season as opposed to that of a person coming from the tropics. He says that people who come from arctic or semi-artic places are more aware of the summer and that the word â€Å"summer† holds more meaning to them than for those who come from the opposite part of the earth. He tells this with such clarity and directness that one cannot help but feel the same longing for the heat and colors brought about by the summer. He makes us understand nature more by taking us to a beautiful world that sadly, often goes unnoticed and unappreciated. Through his illustrative essays we are implored to be more appreciative and aware of the natural wonders we have. Another literary theme that is implied in this book is the significant place folktales hold in shaping an author’s writing style. Martinson gives importance to these childhood stories. A spellbinding storyteller himself, he mentions folktales that he, as a Swedish child, believed in. He said that folktales invariably decide what kind of a storyteller an author would be. And through this, we would know what the author’s sense of personal aesthetic is. â€Å"MAJOR THEMES OF VIEWS FROM A TUFT OF GRASS† PAGE # 2 In his essay On Nature Writing, the importance of science is the major theme explored. The author implied that reality and imagination must be entwined before we can accurately paint nature’s innate beauty though words. Science, poetry and nature should be woven together so as to achieve perfection in writing. He said that we should combine scientific knowledge with artistry in order to capture the true mysteries as well as the aesthetic value of nature. One cannot go without the other- both are equally essential tools in nature writing. He gives advice to writers to be more sensitive and to challenge the power of words usually used to describe nature. He insists that writers should be more insightful so as to paint a clearer and more beautiful depiction of nature. In another essay, Martinson believes that the map is a significant piece of nature scientifically drawn into a piece of paper. He asserts that the map is a work of art and must be given importance too. Definitely, Martinson wants to give importance to science with respect to nature as explored in his essays. Truly, Martinson’s Views from a Tuft of Grass is an adorable work of art. It uses a very different approach to nature writing. It explores the subtle territories between nature and the factors that affect a writer’s depiction of it. Very few writers can achieve what Martinson has achieved: he has not only succeeded in beautifully illustrating nature through words, creating wonderful prose, but he has also succeeded in provoking significant, if not stirring, thoughts and memories in his readers. He makes his readers realize that we, as humans, are but a dot in the vast and varied environment around us. Humbling and even belittling, but very thought provoking. REFERENCE Martinson, Harry, Anderson, Erland, and Lars Nordstrom. Views from a Tuft of Grass. Los Angeles, California: Green Integer Books, 2005.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Essay

Diversity is about valuing individual difference, it can be visible and non-visible. Recognising everyone is unique and has individual differences such as: * Race * Gender * Age * Sex * Ethnicity * Religious beliefs * Sexual orientation * physical beliefs/ qualities * political beliefs * educational background * income * appearance see more:identify barriers to children and young people’s participation In a workplace environment it is very important to support people’s individual differences and to embrace on diversity with each individual. Diversity means more than just acknowledging or tolerating differences it’s about respecting them and understanding that we are all different in many ways. There are seven main forms of discrimination being: Direct discrimination occurs when someone is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic. Indirect discrimination occurs when a seemingly neutral provision, criterion or practice that applies to everyone places a group who share a characteristic e.g. type of disability at a particular disadvantage. Associative discrimination occurs when someone discriminates against someone because they associate with another person who possesses a protected characteristic. Discrimination by perception occurs when someone discriminates against an individual because they think they possess a particular protected characteristic. Dual discrimination occurs when someone is less favourably because of a combination of two protected characteristics. This means that it will be possible for an applicant to claim that they have been treated less favourably not just because of their race but also their gender. Detriment arising from a disability arises when you treat a person with a disability unfavourably because of something connected with their disability. This type of discrimination is unlawful where the employer or other person acting for employer knows, or could reasonably expected to know, that the person had a disability. Victimisation occurs when an employer is treated unfavourably, disadvantaged or subjected to a detriment because they have made or supported a complaint of discrimination or raised a grievance under the equality act, this policy or the harassment, bullying and discrimination policy or because they suspected of doing so. Third party harassment occurs when an employee is harassed by someone who does not work for the employing organisation such as a customer, visitor, client, contractor from another organisation. They employer will become legally responsible if the employer knows the employee has been harassed on two or more occasions and fails to take responsible steps to protect the employee. Equality Equality is the current term for â€Å"equal opportunities†. In October 2010 it was put in act to protect people from discrimination. Equality is not about treating everyone in the same way, it’s about recognising that there need s are met in different ways. We should aim to recognise, value and manage difference to enable all people contribute and realise their full potential. Inclusion Inclusion is about allowing everyone to join in group activities despite their differences. It’s about promoting equality of opportunities for all and encourages everyone to be treated fairly and valued equally.

Black Hawk Down Analysis

In the 1990s, Somalia is undergoing a famine along with a civil war. Many civilians have died as a result of the war, and so the UN has intervened and started a peacekeeping operation there, with a base just outside Mogadishu. Unfortunately, the Somalis, distrusful of the UN, have declared war on everyone involved in the operation. In response to this, the US army deploys Delta Force to aimed at undermining the power of the president of Somalia. They plan a mission to capture Omar Salad Elmi and Abdi Hassan Awale Qeybdiid, two of the President’s top advisers.The operation is planned out, and everything seems foolproof. Before they leave however, a lieutenant is removed from duty due to a seizure, and so a less experienced soldier must take his place and lead the crew. Delta Force is deployed to capture the two men in Mogadishu, and all goes according to plan. Helicopters are flown in over the city, and they can see tires burning, which is the Somali’s signaling that the y were coming. They then convince a taxi driver to show them where the two men will be, and they go in with helicopters and armored vehicles.They successfully capture the two advisers, and wait for the extraction team to come pull them out of the hostile territory. On the way, the extraction team takes heavy fire, and one of the helicopters is hit with an RPG. It goes into a tailspin and hits a rooftop before crashing into a street. Two of the passengers in the helicopter crawl out and away, but the other two have extensive injuries and have to stay in the helicopter. Another helicopter is told to take the place of the one that went down.This helicopter is quickly shot down as well, but lands with less injuries. At this point the armored vehicles are diverted from the path of retrieving the two captured men and told to go to the first crash site, retrieve the soldiers there, and then move to the second crash site and secure it. On the way to the crash site, one of the armored vehicl es is hit by an RPG, and men are thrown out of it. The convoy stops and retrieves the wounded, but in the process another soldier is shot. Throughout the mission, the armored convoy is being given directions by a plane overhead.At this point, the confusion is too great and the directions are inaccurate. Roadblocks are being set up by the Somalis, which makes it impossible for the convoys to reach the crash sites. Unbeknownst to the ground forces, the convoys give up trying to reach the crash sites and head back to the UN safe zone, in the stadium. Meanwhile, ground forces are also trying to reach the crash sites. A group of men reach the first crash site, and set up a defensive perimeter around it, with the base inside the house that the helicopter crashed into.They attempt to treat the wounded soldiers, and hold back Somali forces. At the second crash site, two snipers are dropped in by helicopter to try to retrieve the wounded. They find one soldier injured and alive, but as night falls, both of them are killed and the injured soldier is taken captive. Under cover of darkness, the Somalis attack the first crash site, but air support from the military holds them back until help can arrive. A relief convoy arrives and rescues the wounded, but many of the soldiers are forced to run back to the stadium.As they arrive, they are greeted with hundreds of smiling and cheering Somalis. In the end, there were 19 American, and over 1,000 Somali casualties. The injured soldier that was captured at the helicopter crash site was released almost two weeks later. The two snipers that went in to retrieve the injured soldier were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. Soon after, the president of Somalia was killed in a battle with a rival group. The following day, the general in control of the operation resigned. In terms of accuracy, most of this movie is biased toward the Americans.In the beginning, there is a scene where the Americans are flying over the UN food supply trucks that were sent in to feed Somalia, and in this scene, Aidid’s men mercilessly gun down civilians in order to take the food trucks. In reality, that event never even happened. Throughout the whole movie, director Ridley Scott added and took away events to delude the viewer into believing that the Somalis were evil people who had no motive, and just wanted to be in control. When this war actually happened, there were two phases of UN involvement.The movie mixes them together in a way that suits its purpose. Phase one was actually a benevolent move by the UN; food trucks were brought in an attempt to feed the starving citizens of Somalia. This lasted for awhile, but not forever. Then came phase two, which was the violent phase. The US Army came in to the city with a, â€Å"military campaign to to install a fresh political system in Somalia. † The Somalians resented this. Another, more blatant inaccuracy was when the movie announced onscreen that â€Å"Aididâ€℠¢s militia first killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and then began to target US troops.†The opposite of this is actually true. US troops were targeting Aidid before the Pakistanis were killed by a Somali mob. The UN interfered with Aidid’s affairs before the events of the movie even took place. This omission of information is meant to convince the viewers that the attack on the US troops was unprovoked and aggressive, to indicate that the US was in the right and Aidid’s army was in the wrong. Also, the movie makes it seem as though this is the first time US troops had engaged in any kind of action in Mogadishu.In actuality, the Delta Force had flown in over Mogadishu many times before to harrass Aidid and his supporters. US troops â€Å"rotor-washed† houses and people in downtown Mogadishu, meaning they would hover above the town in helicopters and blow down structures with the force of the wind from the rotors. The final and most glaring piece of evidence still remains. Through the entire film, it is not explained why the US troops and Delta Force were met with such violence and antagonism on the streets of Mogadishu.The movie plot and the way the characters are presented leads the viewer to believe that the Somalians are just naturally aggressive and ferocious people. The real reason is that months before, on July 12, 1993, the dominant groups in Mogadishu held a meeting to discuss a peace proposal from a main official at the UN, Jonathan Howe. Many prominent leaders of groups opposed to Aidid were also there. During the meeting, US helicopters attacked the building that the gathering was in, and slaughtered Somali religious leaders and elders.This enraged the Somalis, and so when they met the US troops in the streets of Mogadishu, they took out their full anger and ferocity on them in retaliation for what was done at the meeting. This film is skewed to favor of the US, in order to sway viewers to believe that what the UN did was entirel y justifiable, that the Somalis have short fuses and will fight, unprovoked, at the drop of a hat. The viewers of this movie would naturally be led to have a negative attitude toward Somalia, and ultimately in future engagements, be biased towards the US military as heroically on the side of justice.The US military establishment was more than pleased with this depiction of the October 3, 1993 raid on Somalia, in which 18 US soldiers lost their lives and two Black Hawk helicopters were destroyed. As evidence, thousands of videotapes of the film were sent to US military bases abroad and the producer of the movie, Jerry Bruckheimer was widely quoted as telling General John Keane, â€Å"General, we’re going to make a movie that you and your army will be proud of. † After seeing the film, General Keane told reporters â€Å"He did that, and we thank him. †

Abstract Art Development

If you take a look at the paintings, you will see that they are abstract. In fact, they are painted in a style that is sometimes referred to as â€Å"Abstract Expressionism†. Many people have trouble understanding and appreciating this type of art. The purpose of this essay is to explain how, over time, art has evolved to become more and more abstract, and why this is important. My intention is to explain the goals of abstract art, and to help you learn how to enjoy it. To begin, I'd like to introduce you to the idea that, broadly speaking, there are two types of paintings: representational and abstract.We call a painting â€Å"representational† if it portrays specific, recognizable physical objects. In some cases, the representational paintings look true to life, almost like a photograph. For example, consider the following painting by Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669). This painting is called â€Å"The Anatomy Lecture of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp†, and was painted in 1632. â€Å"The Anatomy Lecture of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp† [1632] by Rembrandt van Rijn. Display a larger picture of this painting. When you look at this painting, it is easy to recognize what you are looking at.There are eight men wearing funny-looking clothing (actually, the style of clothing worn in 17th century Holland), and on a table in front of the men lies a dead man, whose arm is being dissected. It is easy to identify all the objects in the painting, as well as the overall meaning of the painting. (You are looking at an anatomy demonstration. ) Not all representational paintings are so realistic. For example, Paul Cezanne (French, 1839-1906) created some beautiful paintings of fruit. Take a look at this one, â€Å"Apples, Peaches, Pears, and Grapes†, which Cezanne painted from 1879-1880 Apples, Peaches, Pears and Grapes† [1879-1880] by Paul Cezanne. Display a larger picture of this painting. Obviously, this painting is more abstract than the previous one. Still, what you are looking at is representational. The objects in the Cezanne painting may not be as realistic as the ones in the Rembrandt — there is no way you would mistake the Cezanne painting for a photograph — but it is easy to recognize that you are looking at various types of fruit in a bowl. When you look at a representational painting, you get an immediate feeling as to whether or not you like the painting.For example, take another look at the previous two paintings and compare what you feel when you look at the anatomy lesson with what you feel when you look at the bowl of fruit. Abstract paintings are different. They have designs, shapes or colors that do not look like specific physical objects. As such, abstract paintings are a lot harder to understand than representational paintings. Indeed, when you look at an abstract painting, you often have no idea what it is you are actually seeing. Let's see if we can make sense out of this.In general, there are t wo types of abstract paintings. The first type of abstract painting portrays objects that have been â€Å"abstracted† (taken) from nature. Although what you see may not look realistic, it is close enough that you can, at least, get an idea of what you are looking at. If you have ever seen any of the paintings of Claude Monet (French, 1840-1926), you will know what I mean. In 1899, Monet began to paint a series of paintings called â€Å"Water Lilies†. These paintings depict the garden at his house in Giverny, Normandy (in France).Although the objects in the paintings don't really look like lilies, or water, or clouds, they are close enough that you can get a feeling for what you are seeing. To see what I mean, take a look at this painting, â€Å"Water Lilies (The Clouds)†, which Monet painted in 1903. â€Å"Water Lilies (The Clouds)† [1903] by Claude Monet. Display a larger picture of this painting. A second type of abstract painting, sometimes referred to as â€Å"pure† abstract art, is even more obtuse. Such paintings do not reflect any form of conventional reality: all you see are shapes, colors, lines, patterns, and so on.Here, for example, is one of my paintings, entitled â€Å"Blue #1†, which I painted in 2000. â€Å"Blue #1† [2000] by Harley Hahn. Display a larger picture of this painting. As you can see, nothing in this painting is recognizable. There are no people, fruit or even water lilies. When you look at such art, it is natural to wonder why anyone would bother to create such paintings in the first place. What could the artist possibly have in mind? In some cases, the design itself might be pleasing to the eye, and we might look upon the painting as nothing more than a decoration.Most of the time, however, this is not the case. Indeed, a great deal of abstract art is not particularly pleasing to the eye. Moreover, why would an artist spend so much time creating a mere decoration? There must be somet hing more to it. The truth is, yes, there is a lot more to abstract art than what meets the eye, and to see why, we have to consider the basic purpose of art. To truly appreciate a work of art, you need to see it as more than a single, isolated creation: there must be context. This is because art is not timeless.Every painting is created within a particular environment, and if you do not understand that environment, you will never be able to appreciate what the artist has to offer you. This is why, when you study the work of a particular artist, it makes sense to learn something about his life and the culture in which he lived. Although the qualities of a painting depend on the skill and desires of the artist, a great deal of what you see on the canvas reflects the environment in which the art was created. As an example, take a look at the following two paintings.The painting on the right, the well-known Mona Lisa, was painted from 1503-1506 by Leonardo da Vinci (Italian, 1452-1519) . The painting on the left, a picture of Princess Diana, was painted in 1982 by Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987). Both are portraits of a woman, and both were produced by highly skilled artists who used similar poses — but notice the striking differences in style. â€Å"Princess Diana† [1982] by Andy Warhol. Display a larger picture of this painting. â€Å"Mona Lisa† [1503-1506] by Leonardo da Vinci. Display a larger picture of this painting.If you study the lives of da Vinci and Warhol, you will find that there were — as you might well imagine — significant personal differences between the two men. These differences, however, do not account for the vast dissimilarity in painting styles. When you compare these two paintings, what you are seeing, more than anything else, are cultural differences. When an artist creates, he is strongly influenced by the times in which he lives and, no matter how innovative he might be as a person, he cannot complete ly escape the boundaries of his culture.As you study the history of art, you see that, at any particular place and time, there is always a dominant â€Å"school† of art that defines the prevailing artistic culture. Most artists of the time work within the norms of that culture. A few artists, however — the visionaries and the experimenters — break new ground and, as they do, they encounter tremendous resistance from people who don't understand the â€Å"new† style of art. However, it is from the work of these innovators that art evolves. So how does this pertain to abstract art? Until the end of the 19th century, virtually all painting was representational.Artists painted pictures that were straightforward, and people looked at those paintings for one reason: to see the particular images that were depicted. At first, this idea sounds so obvious as to hardly be worth stating. Why else would you look at paintings, if not to see the images? However, as I wil l explain, there are other, more compelling reasons to look at a painting. Indeed, it is possible to experience a painting in such a way that you go beyond what you see, in order to find out what you might feel. In the early 1870s, a movement arose in France that began to introduce abstraction into serious art.This movement, called Impressionism, produced works of art that, for the first time, did not consist wholly of realistic images. The original goal of the Impressionists was conceptually simple: they wanted to depict nature as it really existed. In particular, they labored to capture the ever-changing effects of light, as it changed throughout the day and from season to season. For example, the French painter Monet, whom I mentioned above, spent a lot of time creating series of paintings in which he painted the same subject at different times of the day.His goal was to show how the color and form of the subject changed from one hour to the next. Take a look at this painting of haystacks, created by Monet in 1890-1891. His goal was not to paint a simple image of a stack of hay, but rather to show the color and form of the haystacks at a particular time of day at the end of the summer. From Monet's point of view (I imagine), the painting was more of an exercise than a work of art. â€Å"Wheatstacks (End of Summer)† [1890-1891] by Claude Monet. Display a larger picture of this painting. Around the same time, another school of art, Neo-Impressionism, arose from the influence of Impressionism.The Neo-Impressionists used many small side-by-side dots to build up various shapes and colors. You can see this technique — which is known as â€Å"pointillism† — in the following painting, â€Å"A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte†, created in 1884-1886 by Georges Seurat (French, 1859-1891). â€Å"A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte† [1884-1886] by Georges Seurat. Display a larger picture of this painting. Finally, in the 1880s and 1890s, a disparate group of artists sought to move beyond Impressionism and its obsession with the changing effects of light.These artists, collectively known as the Post-Impressionists, created a wide range of striking and innovative paintings. Among the most important Post-Impressionists were Paul Cezanne (French, 1839-1906), whom I mentioned earlier, Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903) and Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890). When you look at Impressionist paintings, you will notice that, although they are generally soothing to the eye and calming to the spirit, they are, as a whole, quite boring. This is not the case with the Post-Impressionsts, as you can see by looking at the following two paintings. First, here is â€Å"Where Do We Come From?What Are We? Where Are We Going? â€Å", painted in 1897 by Gauguin. â€Å"Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? † [1897] by Paul Gauguin. Display a larger picture of this painti ng. Next, take a look at â€Å"Irises†, painted in 1889 by van Gogh. â€Å"Irises† [1889] by Vincent van Gogh. Display a larger picture of this painting. The last three decades of the 19th century were a time of two important — and distinct — transitions. First, as I have mentioned, there was a gradual change from representational art to abstract art. You can see this in the work of the Impressionists and Neo-Impressionists.The second change was more subtle, but far more important. With the work of the Post- Impressionists, the purpose of art itself had begun to change. For most of history, the primary purpose of painting had been to portray images, rather than to evoke feelings and emotions. Starting with the Post-Impressionists, however, the emphasis began to shift. For the first time, unconscious feelings began to find their way into mainstream art. What allowed this to happen was that the Impressionists had loosened the bonds, giving permission for pa inters to stray from their representational roots and become more abstract.To be sure, the Post-Impressionists were still quite literal in their work: when you look at the work of Cezanne or Gauguin or van Gogh, you do know what you are looking at. Indeed, at the beginning of this essay, I used one of Cezanne's paintings (â€Å"Apples, Peaches, Pears, and Grapes†) as an example of representational work. Still, the gradual shift to abstraction and the capturing of deep-seated emotion was real and far-reaching. The reason that this is so important is that most of human life exists unconsciously, below the surface of perception and beyond the reach of voluntary, purposeful thinking.Within this netherworld, lies the strong, untamed and irrational forces that give life to our being and definition to what it means to be human. Until the 20th century, artists had to be content with merely grazing the surface of consciousness. Try as they might, their ability to penetrate to the hear t of what it means to be human was limited by their tools. When the brain processes a recognizable image, a mental barrier is erected that prevents significant entry into the processes of the unconscious.Thus, representational art, by its very nature, imposes limits on how deeply an artist is able to insinuate him- or herself into the unconscious processes of the observer. However, with the coming of abstraction, artists had, for the first time, a powerful tool that would allow them to bypass literal perception and reach into this otherwise impenetrable world of unconscious emotion. This was possible because, the more abstract a work of art, the less preconceptions it evokes in the mind of the beholder. In the hands of a skillful practitioner, abstract art can be an extremely powerful tool.However, as I will explain in a moment, such tools require more than the skill of the artist, they require the cooperation of the observer. Before I get to this point, however, I'd like to continu e with a bit of history. By the beginning of the 20th century, the move towards abstraction had generated enormous possibility. Previously, painters — restricted by the conventions of representational art — had confined themselves to either imitating nature or telling stories. Now, for the first time, artists were able to enter a realm in which unbounded imagination was, not only possible, but desirable.Between 1910 and 1920, a new movement towards abstract art, both in painting and sculpture, arose in Europe and in North America. The first important abstract artist was Wassily Kandinsky (Russian, 1866-1944). During the years 1910 to 1914, Kandinsky created a series of paintings which he called â€Å"Improvisations and Compositions†. Even today, almost a century later, Kandinsky's work is striking in its ability to bypass our consciousness and stir our inner feelings. Take a look, for example, at one of my favorites, â€Å"Improvisation 7†, which Kandinsk y painted in 1910. â€Å"Improvisation 7† [1910] by Wassily Kandinsky.Display a larger picture of this painting. The work of Kandinsky was extremely influential, and helped to usher in an age in which a number of abstract movements were established, one after another: Cubism, Futurism, Vorticism, Neoplasticism, Dadaism, Surrealism, and so on. Rather than describe each of these movements in detail, I'd like to jump to what I consider to be the defining point of 20th century art: Abstract Expressionism. What we now call Abstract Expressionism emerged in New York in the early 1940s. It was not so much a well-defined school of art, as a way of thinking.The Abstract Expressionists made the final break from the rigid conventions of the past, by redefining what it meant to be an artist. In essence, they rebelled against what the rest of the art world judged to be acceptable. Although the idea of abstraction had been around for some time, the Abstract Expressionists went a lot furthe r. They began to emphasize, not only the finished product, but the actual process of painting. They experimented in how they interacted with the paint, the canvas, and their tools; and they paid attention to the physical qualities of the paint itself, its texture, color and shape.I realize this sounds vague and pretentious, so I will explain to you what it all means. Before I do, though, let's take a look at an Abstract Expressionist painting, so you can at least get a feeling for what I am talking about. The following painting was created in 1950 by Jackson Pollock (American, 1912-1956), a pioneer of what came to be called â€Å"action painting†. The painting was originally called â€Å"Number 1, 1950†, but at the suggestion of an art critic named Clement Greenberg, the painting was renamed â€Å"Lavender Mist† (although, there is actually no lavender in it). Lavender Mist† [1950] by Jackson Pollock. Display a larger picture of this painting. The name â⠂¬Å"action painting† was coined to describe the techniques used by Pollock. He would fasten large canvases to the floor of his studio, and then drip, fling, and spill paint on them. He often used regular house paint, because he preferred the way it flowed. Now, I understand that the first time you look at a picture like â€Å"Lavender Mist† you may see nothing more than a confusing array of disorganized lines and spots. â€Å"What,† I hear you say, â€Å"is this supposed to mean?How could anything so primitive and crude be considered to be great art? It looks like something a bored kid would do if he was left alone in an art studio with no supervision. † Before I explain why â€Å"Lavender Mist† is, indeed, great art, let me tell you a quick story. A few years ago, I decided to visit Washington, D. C. by myself. It was the middle of winter, and the city had been hit by a huge snowstorm. I was all alone, so I decided to walk to the National Gallery o f Art. The streets were virtually empty, and as I entered the museum, I could see that it too was empty.I asked the information person if they had anything by Jackson Pollock. She said yes, and gave me directions to the room in which his paintings and drawings were hung. I had heard of Pollock and seen photographs of his work, but I had never seen any of the paintings in person. I still remember the feeling I had when I descended the stairs, turned the corner, and looked at the wall. I was alone in a large room and, there on the far wall, was â€Å"Lavender Mist†. The effect it had on me was completely unexpected. It was the only time in my life when I can remember a painting, literally, taking my breath away.I know this will sound a bit sappy, but seeing that painting changed me forever. Looking at a Jackson Pollock painting for the first time. How could this be the case? You just looked at a picture of the same painting, and I doubt you felt as if you had been changed forev er. First, I should explain that the actual canvas is large, nearly 10 feet (3 meters) long. It is quite imposing when you see it in person, especially in a large empty room, where the painting seems to reach out, grab you and pull you towards it.Second, what you see in the picture above is nothing like the real thing. Not only is the picture on your screen much smaller than the actual painting, but the colors you see on a computer monitor are muted and inexact. Moreover, on a computer screen, you do not get a sense of the texture of the paint and the canvas. All of this you understand, I am sure. Everyone knows that viewing a real painting is a lot different from looking at a picture of the painting on a computer monitor (or on a projection screen in an art history class, for that matter).However, there is another reason why I was so moved by â€Å"Lavender Mist†, and it has to do with the very purpose of art. To discuss this, we have to consider the question, Why do we crea te art? There are a number of straightforward reasons why human beings create art: to make a decoration, to tell a story, to capture or preserve an image, or to illustrate an idea. However, there is another, more subtle, but far more important reason why art is important to us. The need to reach inside ourselves and manipulate our unconscious feelings is universal.We all do it to some degree, although most of the time we are blind to what we are doing. That is where art comes in. As I explained earlier, one of the purposes of art is to allow us indirect access to our inner psyche. Great art affords a way to get in touch with the unconscious part of our existence, even if we don't realize what we are doing. In this sense, the role of the artist is to create something that, when viewed by an observer, evokes unconscious feelings and emotions.The reason abstract art has the potential to be so powerful is that it keeps the conscious distractions to a minimum. When you look at, say, the apples and pears of Cezanne, your mental energy mostly goes to processing the images: the fruit, the plate, the table, and the background. However, when you look at â€Å"Lavender Mist†, you are not distracted by meaningful images, so virtually all of your brain power is devoted to feeling. You can open yourself, let in the energy and spirit of the painting, and allow it to dance with your psyche.Of course, this only works if you cooperate with the artist. His job is to create a painting that is rendered so skillfully that, when you look at it, what you see actually changes what you feel at an unconscious level. Your job is to clear your conscious mind of thoughts and preconceptions in order to allow yourself to be influenced by what you are seeing. This means that, if you are to truly appreciate a work of art, you must be willing to let yourself go, to put yourself in the hands of the artist, so to speak, and let him take you wherever he wants.Much of the time, this partners hip fails, sometimes because the artist is simply not skillful enough; often because the person looking at the painting does not know how to truly appreciate it. Now you can see why the advent of Abstract Expressionism was so important. For the first time in history, artists were creating abstract art so skillfully that it was able to penetrate quickly and powerfully into people's subconscious (at least some people, some of the time). Thus, it is possible to view the history of painting as a long evolutionary process, starting with the slow, labored development of tools and techniques.Eventually, after centuries of representationalism, the Impressionists began to shake off the long- standing restrictions, which led to the development of various schools of abstract art, culminating, in the 1940s, with Abstract Expressionism, the beginning of a new age of creation and human achievement. I'd like to introduce to you a few of the Abstract Expressionists, painters whose work was importan t to the evolutionary process that redefined what it meant to be an artist. One thing that you will see is that work of these painters varies greatly.This is because, as I have mentioned, Abstract Expressionism is not so much a school of painting as a way of approaching and experiencing the act of creation. I have already shown you â€Å"Lavender Mist† (1950) by Jackson Pollock. Here is one of Pollack's earlier paintings, â€Å"The Key†, which he created in 1946. â€Å"The Key† [1946] by Jackson Pollock. Display a larger picture of this painting. Next, I'd like to show you a painting by Arshile Gorky (Armenian-American, 1904-1948), whose work had significant influence at the time that Abstract Expressionism was emerging.This painting, called â€Å"One Year the Milkweed†, was created in 1944. â€Å"One Year the Milkweed† [1944] by Arshile Gorky. Display a larger picture of this painting. When you are just getting used to abstract art, you might wond er, just how good are these artists anyway? It doesn't look all that hard to fill a canvas with lines, and smears, and splotches. I can assure you that the best abstract painters are all highly skilled artists in their own right. For example, here is a charcoal sketch done by Gorky in 1938, called â€Å"The Artist's Mother†. It is actually an idealization of his mother, inspired by an old photograph. ) â€Å"The Artist's Mother† [1938] by Arshile Gorky. The next painting is by Franz Kline (American, 1910-1962). It is called â€Å"Painting Number 2†, and was created in 1954. â€Å"Painting Number 2† [1954] by Franz Kline. Display a larger picture of this painting. Finally, here is a painting by Mark Rothko (Russian-American, 1903-1970), entitled â€Å"White Center† and created in 1950. This painting is an example of what is called â€Å"Color Field† painting: an abstract image with large areas of undiluted color. â€Å"White Center† [1 950] by Mark Rothko.