Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit Essay
Barbara Norris confronting numerous troubles. The GSU which she lead is right now short-staffed and doesn't proceed as she anticipated. Her staffs have low confidence and low inspiration to do their day by day work. What's more, there is a social issue where showdown, accusing, and preference are normal in her unit. She likewise confronting a spending issue where extra time has been killed because of cost cutting measure executed on the clinic. The spending slice make it hard to Barbara to apportion a correct faculty if there should arise an occurrence of some staff take an individual or excursion leave. By and large, she needs to depend on medical caretakers from general buoy pool to cover the staff on leave, however this frequently lead to negative impact to her staff elements on the grounds that the substitute attendants is curious about with the GSU. There are three expansive issue Barbara needs to settle: absence of joint effort and cooperation, staff struggle either inside her unit or inside the emergency clinic, and absence of straightforward execution examination techniques. The entirety of this three issues should be address at the same time to guarantee that the unit proceed as Barbara anticipated. It is clear that there is strife between junior attendants, senior medical caretakers, and PCASââ¬â¢s which lead to inadequate coordinated effort among them. Junior attendants feels like the donââ¬â¢t have a place with the group and they donââ¬â¢t get positive criticism from senior medical attendants. Then again, senior medical caretakers feels that numerous lesser attendants and PCAââ¬â¢s are awkward and feel overpowered to help them. To tackle this issues, Barbara need to rethink an unmistakable job among the medical attendants and ensure that the job is appropriately comprehended by the entirety of her staff. In rethinking the job, she should incorporate exhortation from her staff to guarantee that the job definition fit inside her unit. She likewise need to build up a straightforward correspondence component to tackle any job disparity inside her unit. To address the presentation examination issues, Barbara needs to begin making a straightforward audit process. Despite the fact that she despite everything confronting a spending imperative, she can use non-money related way to deal with remuneration her staff. This can be in type of formal acknowledgment in staff meeting or declaration of month to month best-staff. Despite the fact that it would not straightforwardly affected to her staff compensation, it tends to be an incredible persuasive devices for the lesser staff to feel perceived. Barbara ought to likewise cause a framework where senior medical caretakers to can have a positive criticism in execution audit by helping a lesser attendants. At whatever point conceivable, Barbara ought to convince the clinic chief to expand her unit budget.If endorsed, she could make a properâ adjustment to the staff pay and position dependent on their past presentation.
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Peace in International Relations
Harmony in International Relations Acquaintance According with Marsden (2003), harmony can be characterized as the as a condition of open serenity or opportunity from war. This implies for harmony to win in a given open arrangement there must be serenity started by the individuals from the general public or network alluded to as peacemakers.Advertising We will compose a custom paper test on Peace in International Relations explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Impacts of International relations hypotheses on peacemaking and post-strife recuperation In universal relations, harmony can be clarified in three unique speculations which are: Realism Liberalism Constructivism Mac Ginty (2003) affirms that the authenticity hypothesis focuses on the battle for power among various states and depicts the hardships in getting rid of contentions or wars. It majors on giving explanations behind war or dominion as it centers around rivalry for force or property among various states as it maintains the qualities of A merican soviet competition. Progressivism, then again, advocates for an answer for harmony. It is through progressivism that there would be monetary association among various states henceforth there would be no dangers on statesââ¬â¢ success. Progressivism is additionally worried about the majority rules system of a specific state (Hudson, 2005). Vote based nations are said to advance harmony via completing more peacemaking exercises not at all like tyrant states (Marsden, 2003). Also, Liberalism is said to bring solidarity among various states as it advances the association of worldwide assets among various states. For example, the International Monetary Fund offers budgetary guide to various nations or states. The constructivist hypothesis then again advocates for helpful changes in states. For instance, an adjustment in the Marxist plan and the setting thought of free enterprise in the present world has caused improvement peacemaking activities. These three hypotheses have an extraordinary effect in the harmony making process depicted beneath as they set up the pace for harmony making. Thomas and Tow (2002) affirm, ââ¬Å"They offer guidance as obvious in the harmony keeping procedures on the best way to move toward clashes and resolve them in the long run through the most fitting meansâ⬠.Advertising Looking for exposition on worldwide relations? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Historical setting on the best way to end war It is because of the endeavors made by harmony keeping associations that brought the finish of the virus war in 1989. This was realized by the moving needs of people in various states. As I would like to think, considering the way that war achieved misfortunes and absence of time to perform valuable commitments, it is consistently a smart thought to disregard the opposition for property or influence among states yet support reliance among them. Langlois (2012) contends th at war by and large prompts devastation of what individuals are battling for subsequently no advantage to any of the war parties. Harmony activities to end war or struggle It is normally a smart thought to concoct harmony tasks which are probably going to contribute emphatically in harmony keeping or harmony building. For instance, ââ¬Å"Mission creepâ⬠was started in Somalia and Rwanda as a measure to quiet war. Hudson (2005) declares that in 2000, there was likewise a report on the board on the United Nations harmony tasks that was intended to advance harmony between nations. Singular duty Abass (2010) stands up that it is critical to take note of the move of harmony advancement from state hands to the hands of the person. People are supposed to be the prime objects of building up harmony between various districts. The conduct of people decide such a great amount on state serenity consequently harmony begins from singular level to stateââ¬â¢s level (Mac Ginty, 2003). This is as indicated by International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS) report postponed in 2001 that calls upon people to practice harmony at singular level. Human security Human security is one of the most key purposes behind harmony activities in a state. Note that human security is held as being crucial than the sway of the state. This is for the most part since people make up the state and without them the state can't exist (Burke, 2012). In this manner, it is huge to practice human security as a measure to accomplish harmony in a state. This can be accomplished by people utilizing radicalism in their tranquility making techniques.Advertising We will compose a custom article test on Peace in International Relations explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Human mediation to end war Dobbins (2005) proposes that so as to stay away from clashes or wars, human intercession ought to be utilized and evade military activity except if war is the final h otel to tackle the contention. Part VII of the UN Charter grants utilization of military power by the universal network if tranquil measures demonstrate lacking however they despite everything must be commanded by UNSC. In spite of the fact that there are numerous pundits to this supposition, it despite everything stays to be the most cognizant choice by numerous administrations. Harmony ideas In the ideas of looking after harmony, the issue of demilitarization, retirement and reintegration (DDR) is intended to give security that helps harmony in a region. SSR (Security Sector Reform) is likewise associated with making the correct structure for harmony keeping in the general public. Bellamy et al (2008) contend that the legislature additionally takes up the commitment of keeping up harmony to its kin. Taking everything into account, it is essential to declare that peacemaking is an indispensable job in the general public that ought to be elevated from individual to the stateââ¬â¢ s level for the monetary, social and strict advantages of the individuals. The hypotheses of correspondence additionally indicate significance of peacemaking as they set a tone for harmony building. References Abass, A 2010, Protecting human security in Africa, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Bellamy, AJ et al. 2011, The obligation to ensure and universal law, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Leiden, Boston. Burke, A 2012, An Introduction to International Relations, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Dobbins, J 2005, The UNs job in country working: from the Congo to Iraq, RAND Corp, Santa Monica, CA.Advertising Searching for exposition on worldwide relations? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Find out More Hudson, H 2005, Doingââ¬â¢ Security as if Humans Matterââ¬â¢, Security Dialog, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 155-174. Langlois, A 2012, ââ¬ËHuman Rightsââ¬â¢, in R Devetak, A Burke and J George (eds), An Introduction to International Relations, second edn, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp.440-459. Macintosh Ginty, R, 2003, The Pre-War Reconstruction of Post-War Iraq, Third World Quarterly, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 601-617. Marsden, P 2003, ââ¬ËAfghanistan: the recreation processââ¬â¢, International Affairs, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 92ââ¬104. Thomas, N Tow, WT 2002, The utility of human security: sway and compassionate mediation, Security Dialog, vol. 33, no. 2, pp.177-192.
Friday, August 21, 2020
Repping the Illini
Repping the Illini Hey guys, One of the most fun things I do when Im on campus is to go to Illini sporting events. There is so much that I love about college sports. For starters, you get to see the athletes on campus all the time: in class, out on the town, at the shopping centers, etc. Theres this sense of a personal connection with the players that makes the highs and lows of a season that much more emotional. On top of that, we have amazing traditions that accompany all major sporting events. School fight songs, dances, and more go on during games. And even when we dont happen to have a winning season, like this year unfortunately, Illini sporting events still make for a great night outâ"or in my case, a pretty solid date night. My girlfriend and I at the Illini basketball game last night I hope you all get to experience an Illini sporting event in the coming year. Until next time, Kenny Kenny Class of 2016 Iâm in the Creative Writing program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Iâm originally from Tampa, Florida, but Iâve been calling Illinois my home since 1998. Iâve lived all over the Northwest suburbs, from Palatine to Lakemoor to where I currently live back home, Mundelein.
Sunday, May 24, 2020
John Stuart Mill Essay examples - 1834 Words
Who is John Stuart Mill? John Stuart Mill was born on May 20, 1806, in London, England. He was mostly known for his radical views. For example, he preached sexual equality, divorce, universal suffrage, free speech, and proportional representation. He had many works of writings such as Principles of Political Economy, On Liberty, The Subjections of Women, and the Three Essays of Religion: Nature, the Utility of Religion, and Theism. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;John Mill was the eldest son of James Mill who was a philosopher, economist and a senior official in the East India Company. James educated John when he was young. His father taught him discipline, Greek at the age of three, history, languages, calculus, logic, political economy,â⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦They eventually married in 1851, when her husband died. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;During Johnââ¬â¢s lifetime one of his most controversial works was On Liberty. It was an essay on the feelings he and his wife had, ââ¬Å"that they lived in a society where bold and adventurous individuals were becoming all too rare.â⬠(http://www.utilitarianism.com/jsmill.htm) Many critics believed that Mill was way ahead of his time not just in human rights, but in other many other ways. The Subjection of Women, which was considered crazy during his time, today is considered just another feminist approach. Many would compare this essay too Marry Wollstonecraftââ¬â¢s book, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. He writes in this essay that men should treat women just as they would treat another man. Another of his famous works is his writing of System of Logic. In this work he describes his new idea of ââ¬Å"the logic of consistency.â⬠(http://www.utilitarianism.com/jsmill.htm) He thought that we could prove the conclusion we drew from evide nce. Principles of Political Economy, written in 1848, tried to show that economics was not just ââ¬Å"dismal science.â⬠He wanted to prove the difference between economics and what humans really valued in the economy. He eventually retired from the East India Company in 1858, which is when the British government took over. Elected Member of the Parliament for Westminster in 1865, he made severalShow MoreRelatedThe Mill By John Stuart Mill1537 Words à |à 7 PagesJohn Stuart Mill was a famous philosopher and historian. Jeremy Bentham who advocated for utilitarianism just like Mill influenced much of Millââ¬â¢s works. Millââ¬â¢s works were also greatly influenced by Jeremy Benthamââ¬â¢s brother, Samuel and Millââ¬â¢s father, James. Mill had many early works prior to his writings on utilitarianism. Mill discusses how to determine right and wrong, but this seems to be an ongoing conflict. Mill believes that in order to prove goodness you must have ethical morals lined up inRead More`` On Liberty `` By John Stuart Mill1458 Words à |à 6 PagesJohn Stuart Mill was an English philosopher and a progressive in British politics during the 17th century. He lived during a time of political transformation in England caused by the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution brought social mobility to the middle and lower class, along with more political participation. With this newfound freedom, the people of England felt their liberties were being diminished because they had the ability to accomplish all the more but in some cases, couldRead More John Stuart Mills Essay564 Words à |à 3 PagesJohn Stuart Mills John Stuart Mill was one of the most well regarded and widely renowned philosophers and economists in history. He was considered a philosophical genius by the age of 20, and was mainly taught only by his father. His father believed that he should be educated and be taught many different languages and philosophies to become a well-rounded individual. When he had to end his studies early in life because of a mental breakdown at the age of 20, he soon recovered and wasRead MoreThe Contributions Of John Stuart Mill1250 Words à |à 5 PagesJohn Stuart Mill was a British philosopher who was born on May 20, 1806 in London, England, to Harriet Burrow and James Mill, a noted economist, philosopher and historian. James Mill was an educated man who was heavily involved in an early 19th century movement called philosophic radicalism, a school of thought also known as Utilitarianism, which highlighted the demand for a scientific foundation for philosophy, as well as a humanist appr oach to economics politics. It was this foundation fromRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill And Utilitarianism983 Words à |à 4 Pagesor principle to be applied; which means, consequences do not matter morally. In the other hand, Consequential ends based ethics, with John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism, drive decisions through the amount of happiness to be produced as a consequence; which means, the rules and principles do not matter morally. In solving this dilemma, considering John Stuart Mill principle will be most efficient, this is because, decisions should be made in time before their consequences appear and in specific casesRead MoreUtilitarianism By John Stuart Mill930 Words à |à 4 PagesAnalysis Paper 2 In the essay ââ¬Å"Utilitarianismâ⬠by John Stuart Mill, he explains his support for utilitarianism and argues any misconceptions of it. In his essay he talks about the difference between higher and lower pleasures and what significance they have in his utilitarian moral theory. His theory is based on the rule that ââ¬Å"actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.â⬠Many people experience different kinds of pleasureRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill Is A Man Essay2494 Words à |à 10 PagesJohn Stuart Mill is a man that has been immortalized by the public as both a genius, and a man before his own time. He has made countless contributions to philosophy, ethics, economics, and politics; he was a man not afraid to speak his mind, often to a candour level that become expected of Millââ¬â¢s works (Browne 274). This frankness became attached to Millââ¬â¢s, as he was typically swift and cunning in the disablement of opposing views and logical backing of his own. However, because of this, and hisRead MoreUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill1372 Words à |à 6 Pagessupported philosophical argument that when boiled down to its most basic elements, can be described as creating ââ¬Å"the greatest good for the greatest numberâ⬠(122). Such was the sentiment of John Stuart Mill, one of act utilitarianismââ¬â¢s (also known as just utilitarianism) greatest pioneers, and promoters. Mills believed that his theory of always acting in a way that achieved the greatest net happiness was both superior to other philosophical theories and also more beneficial to the general public.Read MoreUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill1599 Words à |à 7 PagesUtilitarianism is a doctrine in normative ethics that is outlined and defended by many philosophers, including the English philosopher John Stuart Mill as a standard to determine what are right and wrong actions. At its most basic claim, th e right course of action one must take should be in the interest of maximizing what is known as utility. The right course of action is determined as being right if it maximizes the total benefit and happiness gained, while at the same time reducing the greatestRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill Essay1369 Words à |à 6 PagesRepresentative Government, written by John Stuart Mill, there is a concern for the tyranny of the majority. He expresses his concern in, On Liberty, by supporting an increase in individual liberties. It is expressed again in, On Representative Government, by promoting a true democracy. Mill proposes remedies for combating this tyranny of the majority, and further discusses the compatibility of those remedies and the effect they will have on society. Mill addresses the `tyranny of the majority
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Neuro Protective Effect And Attenuation Of Dementia
Neuro-protective effect and attenuation of dementia by diltiazem in ICV-STZ induced sporadic Alzheimer s disease rat model. Ramesh Alluri* Sivamallikarjuna Reddy A Supriya Reddy G Cognitive Science Research Initiative Lab, Dept. of Pharmacology, Vishnu Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Narsapur, Medak Dist., Telangana, 502313. Correspondence: rameshcology@gmail.com Abstract: Sporadic Alzheimerââ¬â¢s disease is an age-related neurological and psychiatric disorder characterized by impaired energy metabolism. Oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation have been implicated in pathophysiology of sporadic type of dementia. The Intra-cerebroventricular (ICV) administration of streptozotocin induces behavioural and biochemical alterations resembling those in sporadic type of Alzheimerââ¬â¢s patients. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of chronic pre-treatment with non-competitive calcium channel inhibitor diltiazem on cognitive dysfunction and oxidative stress markers in intra-cerebroventricular (ICV) streptozotocin-treated albino rats. Chronic treatment with diltiazem low dose 20mg/kg and 40 mg/kg orally on a daily basis for a period of 21 days, beginning 1 h prior to intra-cerebroventricular streptozotocin injection, significantly improved streptozotocin-induced cognitive impairment. Besides, improving cognitive dysfunction, chronic administration of highly selective calcium channel blocker diltiazem, reduced elevated malondialdehyde,
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Theme Of Modernity In The Metamorphosis - 1488 Words
The Metamorphosis by Kafka is a story about a young man, Gregor, has metamorphosed into an insect much to his dismay and that of his family. Not knowing exactly how to respond to the changes, Gregorââ¬â¢s family fails to relate with Gregorââ¬â¢s new state which makes it very difficult for them and also for Gregor. This is due to the fact that Gregor is the breadwinner of family as the rest of the family members are not doing so well. Gregor bears all the financial responsibilities of the family including paying off his parentsââ¬â¢ loan to the chief and taking care of his sister. He has plans of settling his parents down and taking his sister to school. He keeps working at his workplace only so that he can meet those financial obligations. Once Gregorâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The family members now have their own economic burden to bear and it bear down on them. Form this, it is clear that finances and the economy affect family and human relations adversely. When the fa mily finally decides that they should get rid of Gregor, they were making an economic decision. Gregorââ¬â¢s presence was repulsive even to tenants from whom the family anticipated to derive additional income. In a sad twist of events, the family had a choice to make and they chose finances over Gregor (Gale 57). The other theme that is at the center of Gregorââ¬â¢s troubles is the theme of duty to family. Duty to his family is what informs the kind of choices and interactions that Gregor has. He is totally committed to supporting his family and ensuring their wellbeing. Gregorââ¬â¢s metamorphosis makes it particularly hard to fulfill his duty to family. In the first part of the narrative, the office manager arrives to inquire why Gregor had not reported to work. It is only when Gregor realizes that he would lose his job does he make an effort to open his room. Before that he was content with the people not knowing what was wrong with him. (Bloom 31). This shows that for Gregor, the only thing worse that his metamorphosis, was the fact that he would be unable to take care and support his family. Even as the office manager leaves, Gregorââ¬â¢s main concern is that he be allowed to resume his duties once he figures out a way to doShow MoreRelatedTheme Of The Metamorphosis1494 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Metamorphosis The Metamorphosis by Kafka is a story about a young man, Gregor, has metamorphosed into an insect much to his dismay and that of his family. Not knowing exactly how to respond to the changes, Gregorââ¬â¢s family fails to relate with Gregorââ¬â¢s new state which makes it very difficult for them and also for Gregor. This is due to the fact that Gregor is the breadwinner of the family as the rest of the family members are not doing so well. Gregor bears all the financial responsibilities ofRead MoreThe Invention Of The Modern World820 Words à |à 4 Pagesrefracting prism. Celebration of material apparatus has been an enduring theme, particularly in more poplar depictions of the ââ¬Å"processâ⬠of scientific progress. Today, the seemingly incomprehensibly complex microscope or (now orbital) telescope are still instantly recognisable, as visual shorthand for the sharpest points within the material armoury of the scientist. It is therefore undeniable that from the genesis of Western modernity in the sixteenth century there has been a near obsession with developingRead MoreTrust, Communication And The Modes Of Existence Essay1652 Words à |à 7 PagesOn this basis, it is perfectly understandable the concept of Beings of Passionate Interest directing his passion for brands and all it make tangible. When deepens the theme, focusing on intersections among the Modes of Existence, this scenario can be better envisioned. At the intersection [MET - ATT], we see Beings of Metamorphosis, modern individuals that turn through their more dear passions. Roberts (2004) indicates something when we see individuals, of both being emotionally attached to brandsRead MoreQureshi Marxist Interpretation Of Kafka1910 Words à |à 8 Pagesï » ¿Marxist Interpretation of Kafkas The Metamorphosis Mahum Qureshi ââ¬Å"For all things outside the physical world language can be employed only as a sort of adumbration, but never with approximate exactitude, since in accordance with the physical world it treats only of possession and its connotations.â⬠ââ¬âKafka1 This paper looks at the philosophy of power, alienation and minor literature through an analysis Franz Kafkas short story, The Metamorphosis. In the story the protagonist wakes up as a giantRead MoreHow Did Edvard Munch Attempt to Visualize Intense Emotion in his Paintings?1049 Words à |à 5 Pagescausing the viewer to delve deeper to understand the theme of the work. Munch worked with many different styles throughout his career and the reduction of form shows the influence of the expressionists and the art he would have seen while he lived intermittently in France between 1889 and 1892. He changes focus from the representation of physical form and instead into a study of psychological experience and passion that expresses a modernity of attitude. The colours, dark in hue, but brilliantRead MoreConsider the Theme of Transformation in Metamorphosis and the Yellow Wallpaper.3444 Words à |à 14 PagesConsider the theme of transformation in Metamorphosis and The Yellow Wallpaper. Apart from the very apparent theme of transformation that runs through both stories there are also many underlying themes connected with transformation, not just physical but also mental. Metamorphosis sees Gregor wake up one morning physically transformed overnight into a huge insect, by the description given by Kafka, possibly similar in appearance to a cockroach, although the description given does not allow the readerRead More Paideia as Bildung in Germany in the Age of Enlightenment Essay2987 Words à |à 12 Pagesperfection. Von Humboldts interpretation of modernity is characterized by a strong emphasis on change as well as the need to find criteria for guiding such a transformation that has no intrinsic or predetermined end. Love of classical antiquity was not merely nostalgia for a lost world, a normative current that placed the idea of perfection and balance foremost in order to achieve the ideal of Humanitas in an attempt to overcome the unilaterally of modernity. Now, I can truly say that life todayRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus The King Is The Concept Of Predestination2036 Words à |à 9 Pages 6. In the folktale ââ¬Å"Anansi and Brother Death,â⬠theme of the story is survival and rebellion. Anansi was running from Brother Deathââ¬â¢s grasps and learned that ââ¬Å"Death could not climb!â⬠(http://anansistories.com). This realization would have motivated slaves to keep their spirits high and out of deathââ¬â¢s reach which can account for the reason why they sang and hummed songs as one to stay elevated out of deathââ¬â¢s grasps. The story also contains the theme of rebellion. Anansi deserved the die due to goingRead MoreEckbert the Fair2070 Words à |à 9 Pagesand with this their context is molded to cater to such. Tiek used an arsenal of controversial subjects throughout the story, another way in which Tiekââ¬â¢s strays from the path from what is considered a ââ¬Å"fairy taleâ⬠today. Ludwig Tiekââ¬â¢s tale has a theme to it, several factors that come back from the beginning to the end that paint the image that Tiek was attempting to portray through his examples. In the end of the story the message is finally brought to the forefront for the reader, punishing EckbertRead More Science Fiction Explored in Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and The Invisible Man2057 Words à |à 9 Pageswe live in. [AU1]This essay explores the cultural legacy of these three works and seeks to explain why they have been so influential. Frankenstein explores many issues related to science and humanity[AU2]. Behrendt has identified some of the themes as individual and class alienation, social conditioning, gender stereotyping, conflict between rational intellect and intuitive emotion and the revisionist Romantic view of the relation between God and humanity [AU3](1990). Alienation is seen in the
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Heart of Controversy Essay Example For Students
Heart of Controversy Essay Chinua Achebe believes that Joseph Conrads Heart Of Darkness is racist based on Conrads descriptions of Africa and its people. Achebe, author of Things Fall Apart, stresses Conrads depiction of Africa as the antithesis of Europe and civilization, and the animal imagery present throughout the novella. Heart of Darkness, written in 1899 during the period of British Imperialism, concerns a British trading company and their expedition into the Congo for ivory. The African natives are treated brutally by the Europeans, and despite Conrads casual condescension towards the Africans, one cannot help feeling resentment at the unnecessary cruelty they must endure. The novella stands as a document against the imperialist practices Conrad was quite liberal for the time. The natives are referred to as savages several times throughout the story, but Conrad is not using any particularly strong words for the time. The European audiences who would be reading would not find anything racist about it. By todays more sensitive standards, such deference is more serious, but turn-of-the-century England was sure to expect far harsher. Educated people reading Conrads novel should understand the differences between the past and the present, and be forgiving of his language. The deeper the expedition progressed into the center of the continent, the more isolation was felt by the crew. In a sense, Central Africa IS the antithesis of Western Europe it lacks not only the hectic urban structures but also the Social Darwinist attitudes of the time. It is in this remote environment that man must face his true self without any illusions, and the darkness of the human soul is apparent. The uncivilized environment may mock western civilizations refinement, but this is not derogatory towards the jungle, but rather an eye-opener to the European audience. By exhibiting the deeds of the Europeans, their portrayal becomes so negative that they become the savages. Conrad clearly is sympathetic to the plight of the Africans, and any racial epithets, if not accepted by progressives of the time, are not meant as attacks directed at the natives. It should be obvious that Conrad is on their side or is this undermined by the mindlessness of its context and the pretty expli cit animal imagery surrounding it?I think not. Conrads animal imagery is used as a metaphor for the human spiritual being, not as a comparison to the natives. Heart of Darkness is not intended to be a portrait of the African people at all. It is a story of what was inflicted upon them. It is a story of mans introspective into himself when there is nowhere else to turn. It is a story of an obsessed man named Kurtz and what he did for his own gain. It is a strikingly accurate account of a historical period past, and it should not be regarded today as a hateful spew of racism.
Saturday, April 4, 2020
Ralph Waldo Emerson Essays (1096 words) - Transcendentalism
Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson certainly took his place in the history of American Literature . He lived in a time when romanticism was becoming a way of thinking and beginning to bloom in America, the time period known as The Romantic Age. Romantic thinking stressed on human imagination and emotion rather than on basic facts and reason. Ralph Waldo Emerson not only provided plenty of that, but he also nourished it and inspired many other writers of that time. "His influence can be found in the works of Henry David Thoreau, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Henry James, and Robert Frost.". No doubt, Ralph Waldo Emerson was an astute and intellectual man who influenced American Literature and has rightly received the credit that he deserves from historians. He has been depicted as a leading figure in American thought and literature, or at least ranks up there with the very best. But there is so much more to Ralph Waldo Emerson when we consider the personal hardships that he had to endure during the course of his life and when we see the type of man that he becomes. He certainly was a man of inspiration who knew how to express himself by writing the best of poems and philosophical ideas with inspiration. To get an idea of how Ralph Waldo Emerson might have become such an inspiration to the people, some background on his life is essential. Can you imagine living a life with all your loved ones passing away one by one? A persons life could collapse into severe depression, lose hope, and lose meaning. He can build a morbid outlook on life. Ralph Waldo Emerson suffered these things. He was born on May 25, 1803 and entered into a new world, a new nation just beginning. Just about eight years later, his father would no longer be with him, as William Emerson died in 1811. The Emerson family was left to a life marked by poverty. Ralph's mother, Ruth, was left as a widow having to take care of five sons. However, Ralph's life seemed to carry on smoothly. He would end up attending Harvard College and persue a job of teaching full time. While teaching as a junior pastor of Boston's Second Church, his life gained more meaning when he married Ellen Louisa Tucker. Journal entries and love letters he wrote at that time expressed lots of feelings and emotions that he had. But after two short years of marriage, Ellen died of tuberculosis. Suddenly, the one true person he had in his life was gone. Life was losing it's meaning, and Ralph Waldo Emerson was in need of some answers. This dark period drove him to question his beliefs. Emerson resigned from the Second Church and his profession as a pastor in search for vital truth and hope. But his father and wife were not the only deaths that he had to deal with. His strength and endurance would be put to the test much further with a perennial line of loved ones dying. His brother Edward, died in 1834, Charles in 1836, and his son Waldo (from his second wife Lydia Jackson) in 1842. After such a traumatic life, you might expect that Emerson, like any other person,would collapse into severe depression, lose hope, and lose meaning to his life. But Emerson was different. He found the answers within himself and rebounded into a mature man . After surviving a mentally hard life, Ralph Waldo Emerson seemed to gain more discernment toward life. Wisdom is gained through experience. By 1835, Emerson's rare and extravagant spirit was ready to be unleashed. All his deep feelings, emotions, and thoughts fabricated truth the way he arrived at truth, within himself. "To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men- that is genius. Speak your latent conviction and it shall be the universal sense; for always the inmost becomes the outmost-and our first thought is rendered back to us by the trumpets of the last judgment." Emerson fully believed this and supported it by taking part in a new philosophical movement called Transcendentalism. In 1836, his first boot,
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Future of an Illusion Essays
Future of an Illusion Essays Future of an Illusion Essay Future of an Illusion Essay Essay Topic: Rebuttal Self Reliance The Future of an Illusion Sigmund Freuds The Future of An Illusion proposes an idealistic form of human culture, one in which human relations are reorganized so that coercion and suppression of instincts are abandoned. The pivotal factor in this reorganization, he believes, is the universal abdication of religion. For the first portion of this response, the text itself will be broken down into chapter-by-chapter summaries. These summaries are written from the Freudian perspective and are not indicitive of the authors standpoint on these matters; this standpoint will be explored in the latter art of this response. Chapter-by-chapter Analysis Freud begins by philosophically examining the origin of culture, for he suggests that the less one knows of the past, the less reliable will ones Judgement of the future prove. Human culture is defined to consist of two things. Firstly, all of the knowledge and power that men have attained to master the forces of nature (Freud, 1928, p. 3) and secondly, the regulation of the relations between citizens so that the distribution of resources is attained. Culture is a human creation that Freud believes protects humanity from its own hostile nature. He then goes on to discuss an optimistic indulgence: his idealistic golden age, in which human instincts would not be suppressed. He concludes the opening chapter by introducing a concept that reappears later on; namely, that it is not in mans nature to be fond of work and as such, culture breeds internal rebellion. The second chapter describes the transition in reasoning from a material basis of culture to that of a psychological origin. : If the attainment of resources by means of labor is strongly opposed instinctually, then culture cannot be the creation of an instinctual process. For if this were the case, culture would be irreparably threatened by rebellion and would cease to exist. Therefore, Freud suggests that culture is the design of psychological motives. The process by which culture is a derivative of psychology follows three stages. To breifly summarize, any instinct that cannot be satisfied leads to frustration, which is the result of a prohibition; the condition produced by a prohibition being a privation. A prohibition primarily suppresses instinctual wishes; the class of men that express this frustration by asocial behavior are known as neurotics. Lastly, the chapter concludes that Freuds contemporary society cannot survive. The suppressed classes will develop a hatred towards culture, for which they provide the majority of labor while only sharing a small portion of its resources. A culture that leaves an entire class dissatisfied and motivated to rebel cannot be expected to survive. Freud has established that the principal task of culture is to protect humanity from the forces of nature. Religion, for Freud, is a creation of culture. It attempts to resolve the damaged self-esteem of man, and its strong urge for consolation. It demands an answer for the inevitability of death and the elplessness that permeates its existence. The answer is found in religion. According to Freud, Gods must exorcise the terrors of nature, they reconcile the cruelty of fate and make amends for the suffering imposed upon man through the communal life of culture. All good will ultlmately De rewaraea, In tnls IITe or tne next, ana all evll will be punished, which relieves the terror and fear that plagues mans consciousness. Gods remain, however, a device, a creation of culture to console the trembling, fearful mind. He then goes on to note that, despite the various differences between religions, t is a device that is held especially valuable. He argues that it is held more valuable than all of our devices for survival, or attaining resources, or preventing disease. Faith in the existence of a God discredits these fears and strips them of their power. With faith being the highest priority, once again, Freud concludes that the reason for culture must be psychological. Thus far Freud has allowed himself to theorize freely, without objection. The fourth chapter is dedicated to some potential rebuttals and is essentially a dialogue between Freud and an imagined opponent who follows my (Freuds) arguments with mistrust (Freud, 1928, p. 33). The first interjection regards the Freuds assumption that it is indeed culture that creates religious ideas and regulates the distribution of products of labor. Freud responds by mentioning that he has already attempted to show that religious ideas have formed in reaction to the same need as all other achievements of culture: from the necessity to defend itself against the crushing supremecy of nature. (Freud, 1928, p. 34). Furthermore, he explains that there is another motive for religion: the strong desire to correct the painfully felt imperfections of culture. The second argument regards what Freud escribed as mans technique of personifying nature. If the forces of nature, such as death, are similar in emotion to man then they are capable of being bribed, exorcised or appeased in order to rob them of their power over us. Frueds opposing voice suggests that man personfies nature due to his own natural disposition, which is likely to serve him well and in fact be correct. This personification of nature is what Freud describes as an infantile prototype. He uses the example of an infant and its parents. The infant learns that the best way to influence something that is supreme to oneself is to form a relationship with it. It is natural to man to personify everything he wishes to comprehend, in order to later control it. (p. 36). Here Freud begins to assess and pick apart the heavy reliance that human culture places upon religious doctrines. religion consists of certain dogmas, assertations about facts and conditions of external (or internal) reality, which tell one something that one has not oneself discovered and which claim that one should give them creedence. (Freud, 1928, p. 41). Yet these claims are not substantiated. Here, Freud uses the example of a common dogma that was sung in school: Konstanz is on the Bodensee if you dont believe it go and see. (Freud, 1928, p. 42). On visiting Konstanz, and noting that it is indeed on the Bodensee, Freud explains that this dogma was substantiated and as such he follows it. Dogmas exact belief in their contents, but not without substantiating their claim to this. If one wishes to substantiate a dogma for themselves, they should be able to do so; as Freud did by visiting Konstanz. Religion does not, as Freud would say, provide such an opportunity: it cannot be substantiated. According to Freud, there are three claims that are ade in order to exact belief in religious doctrines: firstly, because our ancestors have believed it; secondly, because we posses proofs that have been handed down from the period of antiquity; and thirdly, because it is forbidden to raise the question of their authenticity at all. This last claim arouses suspicion and can only be motlvatea Dy socletys awareness 0T tne uncertalnty 0T tnls Deller. Yurtnermore, to disregard this last claim has been met, in the past particularly, with serious penalties: often death. If society did trust the authenticity of these doctrines, then it would not feel threatened by those that question. Finally, this chapter suggests that evidence for the authenticity of religious doctrines should be easily found in the present. This point that Freud puts forth is evaded by the claim that religious doctrines, as Freud puts it, stand above reason. (Freud, 1928, p. 48). Freud concludes that the inherent strength of religious doctrines lies in psychology and are certainly independent of the acknowledgement of reason. Freud claims that religious ideas are not the residue of experience and as such he describes them as the titular illusion. He describes them as fulfillments of mans strongest wishes and it s indeed the strength of these wishes that give religion its strength in culture, not its authenticity or dependence on reason. An illusion is not defined as an error. It is, however, necessarily derived from a mans wish, and it is achieved when that man believes his wish to be fulfilled; the actual realization of this wish is not important. Here, Freud assigns religious doctrines to the category of illusion as they cannot be submitted to proof. Perhaps one of Freuds most crucial assertions is represented as such: Critics persist in calling deeply religious a person who confesses to a sense of ans insignificance and impotence in the face of the universe, although it is not this feeling that consitutes the essence of religious emotion, but rather the next step, the reaction to it, which seeks a remedy against this feeling. He who goes no further, he who humbly acquisces in the insignificant part man plays in the universe, is, on the contrary, irreligious in the truest sense of the word. (Freud, 1928, p. 6) This concept of seeking an answer to ones insignificance is the foundation of religion, according to Freud, and the method of finding this answer, faith in a higher power, is what he objects to. Once again, the text is opened up to the religious rebuttal. The seventh chapter explores the arguement that culture is built upon the foundation of religion and without it there would be chaos as man would revert back to their asoc ial instinctual behaviors. Furthemore, it is a purposeless cruelty to disprove religious doctrines as it would take away the solace that many find in their belief. In response to this, Freud begins by assuring the reader that a devout believer could not be convinced to abandon their faith simply by reading this text. Nor does he pretend that he is the first to put forth these arguments or ideas he has merely put orth a certain psychological foundation to the critique of my great predecessors. (Freud, 1928, p. 60). He goes on to admit that religion has contributed much to restraining asocial behaviors, however, he believes that it has dominated human society for thousands of years and it has been given the chance to show what it can achieve. It has failed. If the greater mass of mankind had found happiness, then there would be no need to strive for social change. As the authenticity of religious doctrines are nibbled at by critics and scientific advancements, religions influence on culture is slipping. In this eighth chapter, the reader is exposed to Freudian theory in its most demanding form. He proposes that religion is the universal obsessional neurosis of humanity. As with a child that goes through a stage of neuroses, so too does humanity. The child grows out of his neuroses and enters adulthood, in the same way, Freud believes that humanity will grow out of religion ana Tina a new cultural Tounaatlon tnat Is more Dennclal. Rellglous ooctrlnes are tne neurotic survivals of our ancestors and he suggests that through psycho-analytic therapy, they can be removed as any other neuroses can. As this text is coming to its conclusion, the Freudian contender steps in once again. He reminds Freud that the experiment of a society without religion has already been entertained, during the French Revolution: it failed. Furthermore, it was being explored at the time in Communist Russia. The contender questions whether Freud really believes that humanity can survive without religion. By this stage, it may come as no surprise that he does. He begins by conceding that A man who has for decades taken a sleeping draught is naturally unable to sleep if he is deprived of it (Freud, 1928, p. 86). Specifically, a man that has been indoctrinated by religious ideas may not be able to live without religion. However, the uninfluenced child does not need the consolation of religion to comfort its thoughts. The final chapter begins with a final interjection: Given that personality is formed within the first few years of childhood, religious teachings are the best way to instill a sense of morality into ones personality. Even if religion is an illusion your (Freuds) endeavour reduces itself to the attempt to replace a proved and affectively, valuable illusion by one that is unproved and without affective value. (Freud, 1928, p. 3). To this Freud admits that his idealistic hope for the future of culture may also be an illusion. Yet he makes an important distinction between his illusion and the religious counterpart. His illusion is not incapable of correction or improvement: You must defend the religious illusion with all your might; if it were discredited then your world would collapse, there would be nothing left for you but to despair of everything, of culture and of the future of mankind. (Freud, 1928, p. 94). The foundation of Freuds belief, however, is that it is possible for scientific work to discover something about the world that will e beneficial to mankind. Science has shown through many trials and successes that science is no illusion. But it would be an illusion to suppose that we could get anywhere else what it cannot give us. The final words of this text reveal Frueds underlying contention: the future of the illusion of religion is empty, and it must be abandoned if culture is to continue to develop. Interpretation The text is essentially a Journey from the origins of culture to the necessary denial of religion. If one is to blindly accept the validity of each step on this path, then the denial of religion would certainly follow. It is difficult to challenge the chain of logic that is presented in this text. Yet there are many aspects of it that are certainly susceptible to criticism. For if even one step in this process is flawed, then the chain itself is flawed. The following analysis of Freuds The Future of an Illusion expresses this authors personal reaction to and examination of the text. The incorporation of external resources such as similar analytical essays of the text by other authors are intentionally omitted so that this authors viewpoint is not influenced by anyone other than Freud himself. Freuds initial enquiry into culture is brief, yet it is greeable. The conclusion that culture is a device that serves to protect humanity from the supremecy of nature (Freud, 1928, p. 25) appeals to the common sense of the reader. Considering the lack of physical weapons and defences with which the human body is equipped, strength is found in numbers. The contradiction in Freuds theory lies in his concept of instinctual suppression. One should not contest the concept entlrely, Tor culture certalnly does, to some extent, suppress many aeslres that an individual may have. However, the importance that Freud attributes to this suppression is disproportionate. To suggest that every man is an enemy of culture (Freud, 1928, p. 9) as a result of this suppression is a serious inference. Furthermore, his idealistic vision of a culture without instinctual suppression is based upon the assumption that humanity will act upon rational thought. Herein lies the contradiction, for the issue of instinctual suppression is in fact a product of rational thought. Why does one suppress an instinctual desire? It is the result of a process of rational thought that prohibits acting upon it. This inconsistency is the first issue that one can find within Freuds illusion. The first problem with Freuds dialogue of religion is that it is, in actuality, a monologue. Though he must be commended for his attempt to allow for the imaginary interjections of a fictional opponent, they are still derived from his own viewpoint. To a large extent, Freud uses these interjections as a means of introducing a new point or to strengthen his own argument by discrediting the opposing view. The second issue lies in the nature of religious discussion in general. To publish a text that strongly advocates the denial of religion will be read in one of two ways: firstly, the atheist reader will strongly agree ith the logical chain that leads to the denouncement of religion; secondly, the religious reader will strongly object to the argument and may even stop reading. Neither instance describes any serious influence on behalf of the text. Freud does, however, address this. He himself regards this work as harmless and incapable of actually leading to the denial of religion that he advocates. Then, it must be asked, for what purpose did he write this? Perhaps he sought after a younger audience, one that had not already been indoctrinated by religion. Or perhaps this is simply a prediction, one which he hoped would one day be fulfilled. Irrespective of his motivation, it must be admitted that despite the strong will Freud expresses for social change within this text, it can ironically never inspire such change since the very indoctrination he refers to is already evident in his audience. If it is not, then he is not attempting to change their mind at all. This text presents the concept of an illusion in a new light. It is a definition, however, that this author finds interesting. Any dogma, or even theory, that one believes to be truth without subtantiating it for oneself is an illusion. Freud is misguided, however, in assuming that the existence of God cannot, and has not already, been substantiated. Though he limits religious doctrines authenticity to three claims, there are other means by which one might experience the presence of a God. For example, a personal experience with a God should, according to Freud, substantiate its existence. Without such an experience, though, it should be recognized that he is correct in saying that it is an illusion. Yet this illusion that he refers to seems to be presented in a negative light. There are so many things that are a mystery to humanity, and any theory that an individual entertains will always be an illusion until they can substantiate it. The only way to avoid this is to believe in nothing at all, to doubt any theory that comes ones way. This is more than simply an impractical way to live, it is an empty and purposeless life. Even if one leads a life at the whim of an illusion, it still has direction and Freud seems to disregard the importance of this essential aspect of life. One of the most striking features of this text is its strong philosophical basis. The very large maJorlty 0T It Is an expresslon 0T Freuds personal DelleTs regar01ng numanlty ana religion. Considering his strong advocation of substantiating ones dogmas, the text is mpty of research, physiological explanation or even a single case study. One cannot be so naive to demand accurate statistics on matters as broad as religion and culture in its entirety. However, considering the nature of topics that are discussed, this text cannot be considered a scientific publication. It is the speculation of a psychologist. As such, the most apparent link to the course content of Professor Barrons personality psychology course is found in Freuds description of neuroticism in children and adults. He explains that these neuroses can be removed by psycho- analytic therapy, as explored in class. However, this concept is incorrectly adapted to humanity as a whole. As Freud said, man personifies that which he does not understand. In the same way, Freud has personfied the history of humanity so that he might better describe it according to his own theories of personality development. Beyond this, The Future of an Illusion scarcely enlightens the reader on the development of personality, for that is not its purpose. It is a philosophical piece, advocating social change by means of abdicating religion. References Freud, S. (1928). The Future of an Illusion. Retrieved from https://read. amazon. comn astn=B00D119YAK
Friday, February 21, 2020
Reading assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1
Reading assignment - Essay Example The Lord never forgets his people and he loves us very much. Even if you are suffering now, it will not be forever God will eventually rescue your from temptation. The Virgin Mary is also a strong sign of the almighty power and love the Lord has for humans. This is a sign of the marvelous things the Lord has planned for us. The narrator also discovers that the Lord made everything on the surface of the earth even the smallest thing; including a hazelnut. This indicates that we should only pursue to please the Lord since everything belongs to him. However, man has been known only to pursue earthly wealth. Only then can we be spiritually satisfied. The Lord loves us so much that He provides His followers with wisdom to better comprehend the world around them. That is what enables man to be innovative and to praise the name of the Lord for all he has provided us. Since the Lord made everything He has the urge of preserving his creations. That is why when an individual is sick and has faith, he/she shall be healed in the precious name of the Lord. The above facts show us that God is good and is associated with everything good. If you follow His ways, He shall protect you and guide
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
The body as artistic and cultural expression Research Paper
The body as artistic and cultural expression - Research Paper Example From the extreme examples like punk, to being selective in the colour or design of the dress one wears- body art has supposedly normal and not so normal manifestations. Shildkrout (2001) in the article, Body Art as Visual Language, has revealed the primal impulse behind the use of body as an artistic and cultural expression, ââ¬Å"if the impulse to create art is one of the defining signs of humanity, the body may well have been the first canvasâ⬠(pp.1). Body painting, make up, body shaping, hair styling, scarification, tattooing, piercing, and dressing up in clothes constitute the expansive genre of body art. The functional aspect of body art has been described as supporting ââ¬Å"to rebel, to follow fashion, or to play and experiment with new identitiesâ⬠(Shildkrout, 2001, pp.2). Apart from this functional aspect, the use of body as a starting point in artistic expression has gone rather unexplored. This essay envisages finding out the connection between body art and a rtistic expression and presupposes that the rebellion-aspect of body art inspires artistic expressions while the tradition-aspect blocks it. If we consider each kind of body art separately, it can be seen that different meanings are associated with different kinds of body art. For example, body painting can enhance the beauty, impart a divine countenance, provide protection, masquerade and establish a group identity. Similarly, make up has the function of increasing visual appeal, providing a false identity or concealing the original one, as well as establishing authority and status. Hair styling also can enhance beauty appeal, establish a group identity or visualize rebellion. Body shaping ranges from the primitive practice of skull shaping to the modern plastic surgery, all of which again has multiple functionalities. Scarification, tattooing and piercing have more to do with group identity and rebellion. But there are also less visible uses of body art like the use of piercing as a religious ritual and the use of make up to convey codified meaning as in Kabuki theatre (Shildkrout, 2001, pp.2-4). Body art has a great many things to do with our everyday lives and it is this aspect that brightens up the narrative of Meeta Kaur in her autobiographical essay, Journey By Inner Light (2006). Here, the basic emotions associated with body art are discussed, which is after all about being happy and content about oneââ¬â¢s own self. Kaur (2006) has started her essay by describing the beauty of her motherââ¬â¢s hair, the good care that her mother gives it and the passing over of this tradition to herself (pp.39). This is a clear example of how artistic expression is evident in our everyday lives. As the narrative progresses, the reader become aware of the cultural identity that is associated with long hair, for Kaurââ¬â¢s mother and herself (2006, pp.40). Kaurââ¬â¢s being a migrant family from India to America, she believes that her motherââ¬â¢s long hai r is ââ¬Å"an allegiance to a homelandâ⬠(2006, pp.40). Kaur (2006) also has remarked that her motherââ¬â¢s hair ââ¬Å" is a light that provides a sense of place and home between any borders, on any soil, whether she is in India, America, or any other countryâ⬠(pp.40). It can be seen that in this instance, body art as simple as maintaining oneââ¬â¢s hair long has a meaning that is deep-rooted in tradition. The second encounter of Kaur (2006) with body art is when she goes back to India, and in a comic book, sees the picture of ââ¬Å"the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, [â⬠¦] (in) a navy blue turban and a golden robe and [â⬠¦] (having) a long silky beardâ⬠talking about religious freedom (pp.41). This visual also reminds how body art can impart great status to a personââ¬â¢s appearance. The ââ¬Å"
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
The contributions of perfomance management systems
The contributions of perfomance management systems The need for effective performance management has grown in organizations for various reasons. Such reasons include providing appropriate employee rewards, managing employee competencies, indicating the degree, nature, acceptability or unacceptability of work and measuring extent and process of goal attainment (Shields 2007). To ensure an effective and efficient performance management, performance management systems (PMS) have been developed and implemented in many organizations today. Linge and Schiemann (1996), de Waal and Coevert (2007) and Lawson et al. (2003) cited in de Waal and Counet (2008) agrees that PMS is a critical contributor to top class performance and quality output of organizations. Consequently, when critically assessing the main contributions of PMS to organizational and individual performance, the impact of such contributions on the organization and individuals will be considered as the measuring unit. 2.0 Contributions of Performance Management Systems The nine main contributions of PMS to organizations and individuals includes: consolidating operational information to reflect a single meaningful picture of the organization, developing realistic performance and business goals, developing well-structured business plans with proper risk management measures, developing processes that change with the business environment, providing ease of information analysis, providing opportunities for performance improvement, enhancing trustworthy reporting, increasing confidence in business execution and improving the performance culture of the organization (Dresner 2008). Each of these contributions will be considered in details. An effective PMS pulls data from different organizational systems and presents the information in a timely, accurate, relevant, consistent and controlled manner. When relevant and critical information is stored away in individual departments, it becomes difficult for management at any level to see the performance of the entire organization. This hampers or degrades the quality of decisions made since relevant information is not available or is not available in a timely manner. Moreso, management reports about the different business units will not be accurate and consistent since the information is incorrect. When management is able to see the entire organization, it will be possible to determine the key performance indicators of the organization ascertain real performance drivers and produce consistent and reliable organization reports (Dresner 2008, pp. 141-2). A good PMS helps management develop realistic performance expectations of the business units in the organization. When management lacks a basis for setting performance goals for the organization, the goals becomes unrealistic, irrelevant and meaningless and results in wasted resources, demotivation of employees and unnecessary refinements of business goals. Suitable performance management applications enable managers to develop appropriate business and performance goals on a sound basis (such as the organization corporate strategy), communicate appropriately these goals, take responsibility of these goals, and drive the success of these goals. These ensure managers align all the business units goals to the corporate focus of the organization (Dresner 2008, pp. 143-4; Johnson, Scholes Whittington 2008). A properly structured PMS enables an equally structured business plan. Such plans includes appropriate feedback mechanisms and appropriate performance measurement metrics. When management is knowledgeable of the key performance indicators of the business and the plan is properly structured to ensure negative conflict is reduced between the business units, business results can be reasonably forecasted. Additionally, when business plans are aided with contextual information such as industry benchmarks, customer satisfaction surveys, call center reports, revenues, profit and cash flow reports, management will measure relevant performance activities, demonstrate reasonable achievable results to stakeholders and reduce risks because the basis of the plan informs the relevant risks the organization should be concerned about (Armstrong 2006, pp. 48-52, 90-7; Dresner 2008, pp. 144-5). A desired PMS assist organizations to adjust their strategic, tactical and operational plans when the business environment changes (Armstrong 2006; Wiesner Millet 2001, p. 117). Such robust plans do not necessarily sacrifice core business priorities or primal intra-dependencies in the organization rather it is incremental depending on emerging opportunities or changes in business environment (Grant 2005). When managers at all levels develop plans with changing business conditions in mind, the need for a dynamic planning process begins to emerge. Such realization enables an organization to develop the culture of continuously matching corporate plans with current realities, refines previous forecasts based on current knowledge and aligns individual business unit activities to current happenings. As a result management is constantly abreast with the present, improves critical planning competencies and modifies communication across the organization. This competence leads to better perfo rmance and an organization that approaches the future with confidence (Dresner 2008, pp. 145-7). A robust PMS presents information in a way that enables easy retrieval, comparison and evaluation of data. A PMS contributes more to an organization when it does not only pull information to a single point but compiles, compares, contrasts, evaluates and presents meaningful results from such data. Moreso, when actions are critical for the business, built-in prompts in the PMS alert for such critical actions to be carried out. Such automatic features increases the visibility of the organizations performance, ensures managers act efficiently and effectively and ensures the business remains competitive (Dresner 2008, pp. 147-8). Interestingly, a good PMS provides individuals and business units across the organization with an opportunity to improve performance. This performance improvement begins with the performance accountability culture that results when a PMS is used daily in controlling and managing the organization. Hence, accountability enables employees and managers to be responsible for their performance and when mistakes are made, consequences observed, corrections made and positive results emerge from the corrections made, this improves learning and performance (Dresner 2008, pp. 148-9). A functional PMS assures and ensures that organizations publications are trustworthy. When a PMS collates, analyses and consolidates information in a timely manner from all the business units into a single platform, managers at all levels can access, integrate and certify published reports since there is sound basis for its composition. The organization will be able to confidently report key performance drivers to the organization and stakeholders. When the PMS is built with suitable capabilities organizations can publish consistent, relevant and accurate reports in less time and with less effort (Dresner 2008, pp. 149-50). An enterprise wide PMS ensures proper guide is provided for smooth execution of business plans across the organization. When a PMS has all the planning information, integrates all the changes and relevant refinements of business decisions and goals across the organization, incorporates all the resources required to achieve the set out objective of the business units, management will be able to provide clear direction on the execution strategy of the task. Managers at all levels will be able to carry out the business executions confidently, communicated appropriately and effectively the progress and status of the executions. When a PMS can provide an end-to-end operational support structure, managers can confidently decide, monitor and report real time impacts on business decisions which enhance top quartile performance (Dresner 2008, pp. 150-1). A comprehensive PMS builds a generally performance-driven and accountable business organization. When a business operates a PMS that is used to control and manage the organization daily, enormous data of information gained from various business aspects would provide enormous insight into key performance criteria of the organization. An organization emerges that focuses and gains experience in performance-related information gathering, performance-related activity alignment, performance-driven business planning, performance-related analysis, performance-related monitoring, forecast and reporting and a general performance driven culture. These make an organization and employees of the organization more competent and perform better and manage the organization better (Dresner 2008, pp. 151-2). The impact of the main contributions of PMS begins with the nature of PMS implementation in the organization. 3.0 Lessons learned from Performance Management Implementation The article Lessons learned from performance management systems implementations reveals problems that are encountered during the implementation and use of PMSs. Serious problems with PMS implementations could mitigate the contributions expected to be derived from the use of PMS. The article records that fifty six percent of PMS implementations fail before organizations can realise any meaningful benefit from the system (de Waal Counet 2008). In other words, PMS only contributes to organizational and individual performance forty four times for every hundred attempts at its use. 3.1 Causal factors The consideration of the causal factors resulting in PMSs failing at the implementation stage or if implemented not effectively used in organizations is therefore significant. Identified problem areas contributing to this failure includes senior and middle level management paying less importance to the PMS implementation, prolonged, extended and unanticipated resource requirements during implementations, complete lack of resources for the PMS implementation, unfavourable environmental pressures during implementations, perceived lack of focus of the PMS implementation by employees, lack of or not long enough enthusiasm by senior and middle level management on the PMS implementation, mounting resistance or low commitment by employees to the implementation and use of the new PMS, lack of adequate information and computer technology (ICT) infrastructure to support the implementation and use of the PMS, poor use of the PMS by management (such as using it as a punitive tool for employees), incompatibility of PMS with the organizations main objectives, constricted use of PMS (such as only a reporting tool), poor definition and/or poor linkage of the relevant measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) to different individuals and departments of the organizations, lack of competence in the use of PMS, too many or wrong KPIs measured by PMS, lack of an organization change strategy for the use of the new PMS, lack of and/or poor motivation mechanisms for employees in the use of new system, poor performance culture in the organization, no single point responsibility of PMS, lack of or poor general maintenance of the system, difficulties in getting relevant data for performance calculations, no plan to embed its use in the organization beyond management changes and perceived lack of improvement in the organization after using the system for sometime (de Waal Counet 2008). The most important problem areas that had the severest consequences were a lack of top management commitment; not having a performance management (PM) culture; PM getting a low priority or its use being abandoned after a change of management; management putting low priority on the implementation; and people not seeing (enough) benefit from PM (de Waal Counet 2008, p. 367). The enormity of the problems relating to PMS implementation and use reveals the seriousness of removing these impediments if PMS must have a chance to positively contribute to the performance of organizations and individuals. 4.0 Successful Performance Management Implementation The assessment of a properly implemented PMS is important to the performance health of any organization. The American Productivity and Quality Center (2004) reveals the results of successfully implemented PMSs in five companies namely Bank of America, Crown Castle International, JetBlue Airways Corporation, L.L. Bean and Saturn Corporation. It highlights ten success factors that ensured such successful PMS implementation as including the organization measuring its important objectives, incorporating the performance system into its daily operations, reflecting the organizations maturity level in the PMS, making provisions for flexibility in the PMS, simplifying processes in using the PMS, creating successful change plans from the old PMS (if existent) to the new PMS, ensure transparent communication from the PMS to the organization, incorporates the PMS into the organizations culture, structure the PMS with organization structure and ensure a commitment to action based on the results of the PMS. 4.1 Analysis Therefore, the successful implementation of the PMS impacted positively on the organizations. Since the use of PMS represented ninety-four percent of the organizations activities, it can be said that the PMS was applied to the daily operations of the organizations. The result is that business objectives were directly impacted positively. For example, the Bank of America recorded an increase in customers checking account and increase in earning per share. Crown Castle was able to improve their cash flow positively and in some cases beat market expectations for the company. Similar successes were recorded by the other organizations studied. Additionally, organizations were able to demonstrate these positive impacts easily since the use of the system makes all the organizations efforts visible and transparent. For example, Bank of America incorporated a customer performance analysis that enabled the bank demonstrate how and where it had to improve in relation to their customers. Similar ly, L.L. Bean was able to demonstrate analysis of its normal activities in comparison to its seasonal engagements. Other organizations shared the same positive outlook. Subsequently, PMS contributed to the continuous improvement efforts in the organizations. The organizations were able to manage their corporate balance scorecard, manage improvements to the company process and develop future plans based on such improvements. For example, Saturn was able to improve their customer relationship by adapting its PMS to focus on six core values of customer enthusiasm, retail partnership, passion to excellence, teamwork, trust and respect for the individual which resulted in their retailers sharing the same system, consistency in reporting and measurement of criteria. The use of PMS ensured that all the levels of the organization were able to predict future impacts on the business which means that future strategic, tactical and operational plans will be easily broken down and aligned with t he organizations departments. For example, L.L. Bean linked the lower level plans to individuals and the various expected individuals activities calculated to determine the corporate performance indicator. Another area of positive impact was the ease or review and reporting with the use of PMS. Unlike traditional staff performance appraisal that occurs at the end of the year, functional PMSs made it easy to observe, assess and report daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or when required. If the PMS is not delivering on the intended objectives, amendments can be made with little disruption and impact to the business. For example, business performance in Bank of America and Saturn are inputted and analyzed daily to determine gaps, causes, corrective measures or changes in business approach (American Productivity and Quality Center 2004). 4.2 Lessons learned from successful Performance Management System Implementation Hence, the key lessons from these successful implementations highlights the criticality of organizations leaders and employees maintaining commitment to the PMS, populating it, using it daily, embedding it into the organizations culture and training staff. Interestingly, this finding agrees with de Waal and Counet (2008) in the article Lessons learned from Performance Management Implementations in which lack of management commitment was among the severest detriment to successful PMS implementations. Moreso, the implementation revealed that when the organization is assisted by the PMS to be proactive and the organization feels that it is achieving its strategic plans, the PMS continues to remain relevant and effective to the organization. When the PMS is perceived as uncomplicated, provides information to the different departments when needed and enables rewards of hard working employees, the PMS will be easily maintained to provide the critical performance measurements needed by the organization (American Productivity and Quality Center 2004). 4.3 Assessment of the contributions Therefore, a critical assessment of the impact of PMS on Bank of America, Crown Castle International, JetBlue Airways Corporation, L.L. Bean and Saturn Corporation based on successful implementations of PMS could be stated as ensuring business objectives are positively achieved, visible and transparent demonstration of efforts towards goal attainment, highlight of organization improvement areas and efforts applied, prediction of future impacts on the organization, ease of reporting and review of key performance criteria of the organization. Thus, it can be said that these organizations have been impacted positively through the use of the PMS. Therefore the author in its critical assessment is in favor of the argument that PMS delivers enormous value to both individual and the organization and its use should be sustained when implemented. 5.0 The Scorecard System More specifically, a popular performance management system in use today is the scorecard system. Many companies have deployed the use of the scorecard system in strategic management of their organizations performance (Hatch, Lawson DesRoches 2008, p. 7). The impact of using the scorecard system on Suzano Petroquimica Company is assessed next. 5.1 Application of Scorecard System to Suzano Petroquimica Suzano Petroquimica Company (SPQ) is a Latin American industry leader producing polypropylene resins and a major producer of thermoplastic resins in Brazil. With a production capacity of 685,000 tons/year distributed across Latin America, SPQ continued to expand to consolidate its leadership position in the polypropylene business with the goal of being the second largest producer of thermoplastic in the region. SPQ advanced to becoming joint controlling shareholders in other companies that supplied them the raw materials for their business. In 2005, SPQ earned a gross income of $980 million representing a 126 percent sales increase with its 474 employees (Hatch, Lawson DesRoches 2008). That same year SPQ was inducted into the Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame due to its massive success in the use and application of the balanced scorecard framework in managing and improving its company performance. To fully understand the impact of the performance management tool (scorecard system) used by SPQ, consideration of the process that resulted in such massive success is explored. To achieve their vision of industry leader in 2003, SPQ followed the process of change management, implementation and observation. During the change management phase, SPQ had to inform the employees clearly of the planned change to the use of the scorecard system, the reason for the change, benefits of employees embracing the change, develop a strategy for measuring, monitoring, assessing and correcting performance at all levels in the organization. During the implementation, SPQ dissected the corporate strategy and assigned actionable parts of the strategy to individuals and departments making the individuals and teams responsible for the outcome of their assignments. To align the entire perspectives of the organization, 650 measures were monitored by the scorecard system. Measures relating to finances were tied to the financial planning system and automated to enable real time cost monitoring. Short term, medium term and long term goals of the organization were also tied to the scorecard system wherein senior management would review the relevant measures to determine the performance and needed performance adjustments required for the different range of goals. Furthermore, to align employee actions to the scorecard system and ensure organization wide use and acceptance, SPQ linked the remuneration system, bonuses, individual objectives and corporate team incentives to the scorecard system. Apart from SPQ achieving industry leader status, it was observed that SPQ noted many benefits from its implementation of the scorecard system. Such benefits included improved and integrated communication between individuals and teams and between teams and management, corporate strategy communicated in a simplified manner, corporate goals performance were linked to remuneration, effect of performance on the measures monitored were visibly related to the corporate strategy, employee actions were aligned to corporate goals and strategy, entire organization worked as shareholders in the company and positive changes of employee behavior since rewards were tied to performance (Hatch, Lawson DesRoches 2008, pp. 131-3). 5.2 Assessment A critical assessment of the contributions of the performance management system scorecard system reveals many positive impacts on SPQ. Implementing the use of PMS in 2003 and within two years achieving the industry leader status as an organization is a massive feat. Additionally, the application of the PMS to individual performance in the organization is significant wherein individuals objectives were not only linked to corporate objectives but hardworking individuals would be rewarded accordingly based on their performance. The author agrees with the evidence that Performance Management Systems contribute positively to organizational performance. However, the author recommends that the linking of individual performance to remuneration and rewards should be categorized (years of experience, degree of training etc.) and with a reasonably fixed remuneration baseline. This is to ensure that new recruits are kept reasonably motivated to continue improving their performance since they w ill not necessarily be able to perform like the more experienced employees. 6.0 Criticism of Performance Management Systems Notwithstanding the benefits of PMS, the current applications of PMS have been criticized on many grounds. Earlier scholars believed that there is too much emphasis on performance rather than individual learning embedded in the PMS. It is argued that a learning approach should be encouraged more in organizations than a performance-based approach towards employees. For example, Barrie and Pace (1999, p. 295) cited in Swanson and Elwood (2009) argues that it is the performance perspective that denies a persons fundamental and inherent agency and self-determination, not the learning perspective. All of the negative effects of training come from a performance perspective. Moreso, Bierema (1997, p. 23-4) cited in Swanson and Elwood (2009) adds that the machine mentality in the workplace, coupled with obsessive focus on performance, has created a crisis in individual development and that valuing development only if it contributes to productivity is a viewpoint that has perpetuated the mech anistic model of the past three hundred years. Dirkx (1997, p. 43) cited in Swanson and Elwood (2009) decries that even the so-called learning that seems to be projected in PMS are defined according to the perceived needs of the sponsoring organization and the work individuals are required to perform regardless of its contribution to the ultimate societys economic competitiveness and therefore the learning is simply a market-driven education. Additionally, Smither and London (2009) criticises four aspect of PMSs namely performance appraisal, accountability, excessive goals and contesting priorities. The philosophy of the performance appraisal aspect of PMS have been criticised as often being poorly developed in organizations and which is usually ill-executed. Also, when there are external and overarching factors such as effects of organizational structure, technology enablers or supply chain resources shortfalls, even a high performer may fail to reach set goals of which these causes may not be discounted in the PMS. Moreover, the idea of performance appraisal usually disruptive conflicts that negatively affect teamwork and damage relationships. It also confuses workers who wonder if there should always strive for the highest rating or identify areas of personal development and risk low performance rating. Therefore employees are usually placed in a position to do what is expected to be done and not necessarily what is kn own to be right because of the fear of being called the low performer. In this context also, performance appraisal can lower self-esteem which can affect workers motivation (Davidson et al. 2009). Accountability is an important part of the PMS. The competence of managers to truly analyse an individual enough to carry a complex psychological process of setting appropriate goals for many individuals, mentoring and coaching them is questioned. Moreover, the ability of managers in the performance management process to balance the roles of telling an employee that the employee is a low performer while at the same time he is expected to be the coach and mentor is questioned in the process. Goal setting is critical to PMS. Locke and Lotham (1990) cited in Smither and London (2009) emphasizes that if there are many goals and enough time it can be accomplished but when there are many goals to be executed at the same time performance can be mitigated. Practitioners suggests seven goals (Smither London 2009) but many organizations have much more goals and sub-goals designated to individuals and teams which is argued will be counter-productive explaining the reason PMSs are not effective. Contesting priorities is a fact of business that draws on the competence of managers and employees. Managers have realised that in the normal course of business huge tradeoffs usually occur beyond the ability of the manager to control in order to achieve the most pressing goal. The application of the balanced scorecard (BSC) proposed by Kaplan and Norton (1996) focussing on assessing performance on four broad areas of the business has been criticised as unrealistic in measuring individual performance since due to tradeoffs, should not be expected to meet all the goals, hence PMS explained as ineffective (Smither London 2009). 7.0 Conclusion and Recommendations Conclusively, a critical assessment of the contributions of PMS to organizational and individual performance reveals that PMS delivers many benefits to the organization when properly implemented. However, organizations confirm that individual performance is improved when Performance Management Systems were deployed. While the debate continues as to the overall benefit of the PMS from an individuals viewpoint, the author believes that Performance Management Systems should be implemented in a manner that satisfies the needs of the individual while satisfying the organizations objectives. While the balance of objectives between individual and organization will not be easy, organizations that make the effort will continue to benefit by retaining the best of workers in the industry.
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Essays --
some lawsuits to go forward against the government is limited for policy reasons. This is because these suits may hold the government responsible for too many misfortunes, or prevent the government of agency from engaging in certain duties without the threat of exorbitant financial responsibility. The second prong of the Anns test thus prevents the government from becoming an insurer of all potential harm which the government is found to have a proximate relationship to. The test set forth in Anns is important to understand when discussing Cooper v. Hobart, which was adopted as the test for the duty of care for the government and its agencies after Kamloops v. Nielson. This is because Cooper v. Hobart is the case which is said to have redefined Anns into the current standard, the Cooper-Anns test. Facts of Cooper v. Hobart Cooper v. Hobart is a case involving the Registrar of Mortgage Brokers, a statutory regulator of mortgage licenses. In the case, Eron Mortgage Corporation was a mortgage broker as defined by the Mortgage Brokerââ¬â¢s Act. ââ¬Å"Eron acted as a mortgage broker for large syndicated loans. It arranged for numerous lenders (or investors) to pool their funds for the purpose of making a single loan to a borrower, which was typically a developer of commercial real estate. The syndicated loans were made in the name of Eron or one of its related companies, which held the security in a trust for the investors. Cooper, an investor, had advanced money to Eron. Hobart, in his official capacity as Mortgage Broker Registrar, suspended Eronââ¬â¢s mortgage brokerââ¬â¢s license in October of 1997 because Eron was allegedly using the funds of their investors for unauthorized purposes. Shortly after the suspension of its license, Eron we... ...tending the current duty of care to a new duty of care, there were policy reason to find that there was not a proximate enough relationship between Cooper and the Registrar to establish a duty of care. The Registrarââ¬â¢s duties under the statute did not give rise to a duty of care to the plaintiff. However, as the new Cooper-Anns test includes the considerations of policy at both stages of the analysis, one can assume that if policy reasons are in favor of recognizing a new duty of care, the court will, in fact, recognize it. There is a question of whether the court should have recognized a new duty of care in Cooper v. Hobart. In the Hobart case, the statute did not establish a duty of care to the plaintiffs/investors. Furthermore, the Registrar owes a duty to act in the interest of the public at large which may at time have competing interests with investors.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Cause of Prejudice Essay
There are many types of prejudice in modern society. The definition of prejudice according to Websterââ¬â¢s Dictionary is ââ¬Å"an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge.â⬠The causes of some prejudice can be linked to a personââ¬â¢s childhood. The effects of being prejudice can be harmful to the person who is prejudice and to the people or group that person is prejudice of. The causes of racial prejudice stem mainly from childhood. One way childhood can cause a person to be more prejudice is where that person lived as a child. For example, if a child lives in southern United States, that person is more likely to be more prejudice against African-Americans because their culture in the South has been more prejudice towards that group because it has had a prejudice toward that group in general for many years due to slavery. This is not to say that all people in the South are prejudice but it does lean more prejudice against that group. Whereas, in the northern states, there is less prejudice in general towards African-Americans. Another way childhood can affect whether or not a person has a prejudice is their family and how they were raised. If a child seeââ¬â¢s their family or parents using racial slurs or putting down a race for any reason, that child could grow up to be the same way and think it is acceptable to have a prejudice. The effect of that could be going in public or at school using derogatory comments towards a race and thinking that it is alright and hurting someoneââ¬â¢s feelings. Living in a household with more open views to other races allows for a child to be more open, show less prejudice to others, and be more accepting and tolerant. A child could also pick up prejudice opinions through their friends. Their friends could be bullying another child due to his race and that child could join along to fit in. This also is a major problem in schools because that child that is bullied could resent his classmates and this can cause many more problems down the road. If a child can learn to not fall into the peer pressure of bullying others for being different then more children couldà follow and there is the solution to bullying in schools. Children are very impressionable and the more we can teach them about tolerance and to be more open to others than the better off as a society we are. With less prejudice there wouldnââ¬â¢t be as much violence because much of the violence that happens has some sort of prejudice attached with it. Also, the more open we are then the fewer problems we will have because everyone will get along and focus on more important issues of the world.
Friday, January 3, 2020
Synthesis Essay- Juvenile Incarceration Into Adult Prisons
Kasonde Chisaka AP Language and Comprehension Mrs. Boettcher 10/21/15 Pd.3 Synthesis Essay- Juvenile Incarceration into Adult Prisons Childhood is a time in which memories are created, adventures are explored and social awareness begins to develop. The events that occur during childhood are pivotal in the development of a healthy and substantial life. However, what if those experiences were taken from a child? What would the outcome be if a child could not experience what it is like to be young? Juvenile incarceration strips a person of their childhood and essentially takes away the experiences necessary for them to develop into healthy functioning adults. Even though juvenile incarceration is an effective method of punishment for those who have committed heinous crimes, the justice system should not convict children and adolescents as adults because of the child s circumstances that lead to the crime as well as the disastrous effects it causes on the mental and emotional state of the child. It is common knowledge that t he degree in which a person is convicted, more often than not, depends on the severity of the crime. In the late 80ââ¬â¢s and early 90ââ¬â¢s, juvenile crimes were at an all time high which resulted in the a strong advocacy for stricter trials for young criminals . Many congressmen pushed for harsher trials and punishments for juvenile offenders to set the example that even though they are young, their actions have consequences. Miles Corwin, a journalist for
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