Saturday, December 28, 2019
Essay on Understanding Schizophrenia - 1698 Words
In my senior year of high school, I began to experience personality changes. I did not realize the significance of the changes at the time, and I think others denied them, but looking back I can see that they were the earliest signs of illness. I became increasingly withdrawn and sullen. I felt alienated and lonely and hated everyone. I felt as if there were a huge gap between me and the rest of the world; everybody seemed so distant from me. This excerpt describes part of Esse Leete 20-year battle with schizophrenia. She committed herself to leading the fullest life her disease will allow and to educating others about mental illness. Schizophrenia is a very serious disease, but through defining schizophrenia and gettingâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦When both parents have schizophrenia the percentage of risk rises to approximately 40% (Youth 3). Scientists today think that in some types of schizophrenia, the illness may ride along not only on one common gene, but on various rare genes or a combination of fairly common genes (Youth 3). While the causes are unclear, schizophrenia definitely is: not caused by childhood diseases, poverty, domineering mothers and/or passive fathers, or guilt, failure or misbehavior. Just like an other illness, schizophrenia has signs or symptoms. The symptoms are not identical for each person who has the illness. Approximately one-third of those affected may have only one episode of schizophrenia in his lifetime while another one-third may have recurring or continual episodes but lead relatively normal lives in between. A final one-third have symptoms for a lifetime (Youth 3). Schizophrenia always involves deterioration and changes from a previous level of functioning. Family members and friends often notice that the person is not the same. The person with schizophrenia has difficulty in separating what is real from what is unreal. As the person becomes more stressed by the demands of day to day living, the person may withdraw and the symptoms become more pronounced (Video). Deterioration is noticeable in ares such as: work or academic achievement , how one relates to others, and personal care and hygieneShow MoreRelatedThe Psychological Understanding Of Schizophrenia2173 Words à |à 9 Pagesday, the psychological understanding of the mind and schizophrenia has improved as well. From the beliefs of demons dwelling in the minds of the ancient people to understanding the true psychological understanding of this disorder and how it affects the mind. The treatment differs throughout the ages as ancient doctors and knew little on the disorder now known as schizophrenia, the treatment has varied from killing people to shock therapy today. Even though the understanding has grown there stillRead MoreUnderstanding Schizophrenia Essay2372 Words à |à 10 PagesUnderstan ding Schizophrenia Schizophrenia, although affecting only one percent of the population, has a direct affect on society today. This disease, if left untreated, poses threat to health care professionals (including psychiatrists), law enforcement personnel, and family members responsible for the care and support of the schizophrenia patient. This paper addresses the causes of schizophrenia and the myths surrounding this complicated ailment, the affect of untreated or misunderstood aspectsRead MoreUnderstanding Schizophrenia Essay examples1617 Words à |à 7 PagesUnderstanding Schizophrenia When a person hears the word crazy, their first thoughts are probably of symptoms of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is seen as the ideal case of insanity. The causes of this disease remain unknown, but scientists are constantly searching for answers. Although a cure for schizophrenia is surely far in the future, research and understanding is making more and more progress every day. To find a cure for schizophrenia, scientists must first understand the disease itselfRead MoreUnderstanding And Living With Someone Diagnosed With Schizophrenia922 Words à |à 4 PagesUnderstanding and Living with Someone Diagnosed with Schizophrenia In our own everyday lives, we battle with depression, confusion, and despair. As human beings we tend to encounter things that at most time our minds can t begin to understand. Our brains are meant to assist us in everyday learning, activates, and comprehension. But someone that is suffering with schizophrenia, it can be hard to cope with everyday living and even harder for someone of normal Neuron brain condition to understandRead MoreFact, Fiction, And Perception : Understanding Schizophrenia2469 Words à |à 10 PagesFact, Fiction, and Perception: Understanding Schizophrenia Tia M. Hunter Understanding Schizophrenia 1 Salem College Understanding Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a disorder of varying symptoms, in fact until the current edition of the DSM-V this disorder was broken into subtypes such as catatonic, disorganized, paranoid, undifferentiated, and residual. There many facets of schizophrenia such as auditory hallucinations, delusions, social isolation, as well as intense suspicion or agitation, eachRead MoreUnderstanding Schizophrenia And Biopsychological Case Studies Of Anxiety And Drug Abuse1791 Words à |à 8 Pages Analyzing Psychological Disorders: Understanding Schizophrenia and Biopsychological Case Studies of Anxiety and Drug Abuse Susan DeVoe University of Phoenix Ã¢â¬Æ' Analyzing Psychological Disorders: Understanding Schizophrenia and Biopsychological Case Studies of Anxiety and Drug Abuse Let us discuss and dive into the study of a disease called schizophrenia. We will be taking a look at its symptoms, its causes, the areas of the brain it affects, its neural basis, and the appropriate drug therapiesRead MoreUnderstanding Schizophrenia and Psychosis1106 Words à |à 4 Pagesï » ¿Schizophrenia and Psychotherapy Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorderà differentiated by degeneration of thought processes and of emotional reaction.à It is characterized by auditory hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized speech and thought process along with considerable social or occupational dysfunction. Onset of symptoms is usually during early adulthood. Diagnosis is based on DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis of Schizophrenia (PubMed, 2010). It mainly affects the cognition but behaviorRead MoreAn Understanding About Autism And Schizophrenia Essay1368 Words à |à 6 Pagesas a whole but there are more categories that fall into it. My goal in this paper is to give you more of an understanding about autism along with its history, characteristics, and experiences from others. Historical Context Since the early nineteenth century, Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss psychiatrist was the first to use the term autism to identify schizophrenic patients. Autism and schizophrenia correlated in the minds of doctors and psychologists for many years until they started differentiating themRead MoreUnderstanding Schizophrenia From The Mind Of A Mental Health Victim1424 Words à |à 6 PagesUnderstanding Schizophrenia from the Mind of a Mental Health Victim Themselves With basic information on what this mental illness is, to understand Schizophrenia further, research into personal encounters became apparent. After looking into the mind of Ian Chovil who was a victim of the mental health disease and finding his accounts very eccentric it is clear that this is something that could quite possibly affect the brains of the people that commit serious crimes in regards to the Media. Ian saysRead MoreSchizophreni The Most Devastating Mental Illness1706 Words à |à 7 PagesNov 2014 Research paper Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is often times referred to as one of the most devastating mental illness. This is because of it early onset in a patients live, and also that the symptoms can be destructive not only to the patient but also their family and friends. Schizophrenia is often discussed as a single illness, but schizophrenia can include a wide array of disorders which can present many similar behavioral symptoms. More than likely schizophrenia comprises a whole group
Friday, December 20, 2019
Outcast United By Warren St. John - 1323 Words
Conventional wisdom has it that society has been taught to be accepting and kind to the people around them, kindness can vary among social groups due to different backgrounds, ethnicity, and learned prejudices. It can be trialing for someone experiencing hyper-diversity to be affable and work towards social justice for minority groups, while doing this, they in turn, express a sense of integrity. All throughout the book Outcast United written by Warren St. John, the author writes about and capitalises a few of Bethel College values such as diversity, community, and service. (Bethel) As Outcasts United began to unfold, one can note many values that endorse those of Bethel College, St. John amplifies certain ones. The most prevalent value is diversity, which Bethel proposes they prize individuals for their uniqueness.(Bethel) Which goes is parallel with the entire book Outcasts United. St. John shows us different experiences with diversity, for example, the diversity experienced by t he original people of Clarkston is vastly different from what was experienced by Luma and the refugees that were relocated to the town of Clarkston. In chapter three of the novel, St. John states ââ¬Å"in the late 1980s, another group of outsiders took note of Clarkston: the nonprofit agencies that resettle the tens of thousands of refugees accepted into the United States each yearâ⬠. (St. John 35) Some experiences with diversity are more negative than others. After analysing Outcast United one canShow MoreRelatedOutcasts United By Warren St John Based On The Incredible Tale Of A Refugee Team1157 Words à |à 5 PagesOutcasts United Analysis ââ¬ËOutcast Unitedââ¬â¢ is a book by Warren St John based on the incredible tale of a refugee soccer team and how a small town in America transformed to find unity in diversity. Warren St John collaborated with Spiegel Grau, U.S. to publish the book in April 2009, and later in the Netherlands, U.K, Japan, China, Italy, and Germany (St John, 2009). Overall, ââ¬ËOutcasts Unitedââ¬â¢ expounds the story of the challenges and triumphs of a group of refugee players, the strength and determinationRead MoreOutcasts United By Warren St John Based On The Incredible Tale Of A Refugee Team848 Words à |à 4 Pages Outcasts United Analysis ââ¬ËOutcast Unitedââ¬â¢ is a book by Warren St John based on the incredible tale of a refugee soccer team and how a small town in America transformed to find unity in diversity. The book ââ¬ËOutcasts Unitedââ¬â¢ expounds the story of the challenges and triumphs of a group of refugee players, the strength and determination of an exceptional woman who coaches them, and their neighbourhood. Clarkston, Georgia was an ordinary town in the south until the government designated it as a refugeeRead MoreEconomic and Sociological Perspective on the Book, Outcasts United1716 Words à |à 7 PagesOutcasts United from Economic and Sociological Perspective Outcasts United by Warren St. John is a wonderful book about a community of refugees who live in Clarkston, Georgia and their struggles to adapt with foreign environment of the United States. The book tells the stories of refugees that come from different background and countries in which they are connected together by an American- educated Jordanian woman called Luma Mufleh. Despite their difficulties in establishing new identity, theyRead MoreAnalysis Of Warren St. Johns Outcasts United1668 Words à |à 7 PagesIn Warren St. Johnââ¬â¢s Outcasts United, the citizens of Clarkston, Georgia had a fantasy of living in the ideal American town. However, that fantasy stood no chance when faced with the harsh reality of life. When a myriad of refugees from war-torn countries were placed in Clarkston, the townspeople saw their fantasy begin to slip away. Clarkstonââ¬â¢s residents disliked the influx of refugees because they feared the thought of losing their ideal American town. The citizens were too selfish to liveRead MoreUnited States And The Refugees Of Afghanistan968 Words à |à 4 PagesMs. Sara Shelley 2nd Semester Outcast United To the townspeople of Clarkston, Georgia, home meant small houses with white picket fences. . To the refugees of Afghanistan, Burundi, Congo, Liberia, and Sudan to name a few, home had meant small wooden shacks and dirt roads; until civil wars destroyed their villages and towns. All of a sudden, home to the refugees now meant small bare-walled apartments in Clarkston, Georgia. Warren St. Johnââ¬â¢s Outcasts United, illustrates the struggles of bothRead More The Challenge of Diversity Essay2173 Words à |à 9 Pagesis true. You canââ¬â¢t base what you will have in common with another person based on skin color. We need to step outside our comfort zones and talk to other people. See what we have in common and relate to them in new ways. In the book Outcasts United by Warren St. John, many of the boys came from different countries, and sometimes those countries were fighting each other. When they started to play soccer, the boys would only play with people from their own c ountry, but eventually they learned thatRead More The Challenge of Diversity Essay2168 Words à |à 9 Pagesis true. You canââ¬â¢t base what you will have in common with another person based on skin color. We need to step outside our comfort zones and talk to other people. See what we have in common and relate to them in new ways. In the book Outcasts United by Warren St. John, many of the boys came from different countries, and sometimes those countries were fighting each other. When they started to play soccer, the boys would only play with people from their own country, but eventually they learned thatRead More The Challenge of Diversity Essay2489 Words à |à 10 Pagesis true. You canââ¬â¢t base what you will have in common with another person based on skin color. We need to step outside our comfort zones and talk to other people. See what we have in common and relate to them in new ways. In the book Outcasts United by Warren St. John, many of the boys came from dif ferent countries, and sometimes those countries were fighting each other. When they started to play soccer, the boys would only play with people from their own country, but eventually they learned thatRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words à |à 656 PagesWorld the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American Queer History Eric Sandweiss, St. Louis: The Evolution of an American Urban Landscape Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Robert Bolts A Man For All Seasons Essay Example For Students
Robert Bolts A Man For All Seasons Essay Robert Bolts A Man For All Seasons, was an interesting play regarding the life and times of St. Thomas More, specifically the events that led to his death. More objected to the Kings decision to appoint himself head of the Church of England. More had the opportunity to exonerate himself of any charges by swearing an oath of loyalty to the king, but he chose not to. Through the various reactions to Mores silence, the true personalities of other characters are shown. Throughout the play, silence plays an important role in allowing the reader to better understand More and his beliefs. In Act Two, More makes it clear that he is going to be silent in regards to his opinions about the King and his lifestyle. This is evidenced when Bolt writes: More: I will insult no one. I will not take the oath. I will not tell you why I will not. Norfolk: Then your reasons must be treasonable! More: Not must be; may be. Bolt 76 Through this passage, one can see that More is aware that if he remains silent, there will be no evidence against him and he will continue to live. Also, More makes an effective use of silence based on his moral opinions. This is prevalent when More states, What is an oath then buy words we say to God? 81. In this passage, More makes it known that he values the oath as a sacred bond and will not even sign it to pay lip service to the king. More is deeply rooted in his morals and will not compromise them because he believes that God is all knowing and will find out. Thirdly, Mores loyalty to God is shown when he implies that the Act is blasphemous so he will not sign it. This is shown in the play when, Bolt writes, Norfolk: Thomas, we must know plainly whether youll recognize the offspring of Queen Anne as heirs to His Majesty. More: The King in Parliament tells me that they are. Of course I recognize them. Norfolk: Will you swear that you do? More: Yes. Norfolk: Then why wont you swear to the Act? More: Because there is more than that in the Act. In this passage, the reader learns that More has no objections to the legitimacy of the Kings offspring, but Mores objections solely lied in the part of the Act that makes the statement that the Pope has no jurisdiction to sanction the marriage between the King and Queen Anne. This demonstrates to the reader that More is very loyal to God, and only wants Gods will to be carried out. In conclusion, through Mores reasons for being silent, his deep rooted morals and his refusal to sign the blasphemous Act, one can see that silence helps to develop Mores Character. Through Mores refusal to sign the Act and his refusal to stateà the exact parts of the Act that he disagrees with, More brings out personality traits of the other characters. Through Mores silence, Cromwell turns to corruption in order to try More for treason. This is apparent when Cromwell states to the jailer, Have you ever heard the prisoner speak of the Kings divorceà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦If he does, you will of course report ità ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦You will swear an oath to that effectà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦And theres fifty guineas in it if you do 78. In this passage, Cromwell is trying to bribe the jailer into lying about his conversations with More. This shows that Cromwell is ruthless and will do anything in his power to make the King happy and eliminate More. Mores silence also brings out the cowardice of the Common Man. This is evident when the Common Man states, Better a live rat than a dead lion 73. .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 , .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 .postImageUrl , .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 , .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203:hover , .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203:visited , .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203:active { border:0!important; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203:active , .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203 .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc42f7a199b6781f9ce81da3639d46203:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: 'The opening scene of Romeo and Juliet creates a mounting sense of tension and violence' EssayThrough this quote one can see how little value the Common Man places in God and in his faith. Because of this, the reader can see that the Common Man would take the oath, in order to save his life, even if he did not believe in the oath. But More, on the other hand would rather be a dead lion, and stand up for his beliefs rather than just sign the oath to keep his livelihood. Also, the true personality of Richard Rich is shown through his testimony to the court. He perjured himself when he said, said Parliament has not the competence. Or words to that effect 90. In this scene th e reader learns that Rich has betrayed More, and that he has done so for a position in office. By this action the reader sees that Rich is disloyal since he betrays his friend in order to advance his career. Also, it is obvious that Rich has allegiance only to himself and he will gladly kill a friend for his personal gain. In conclusion, Cromwell, the Common Man and Rich all show traits of corruption, cowardice and disloyalty when dealing with More and his silence. In Bolts A Man For All Seasons, Thomas More resorts to silence in order to no be tried and convicted of treason. He keeps all his opinions silent so that his thoughts cannot be used against him. Meg shows her undying love for her father when she says, God more regards the thoughts of the heart than the words of the mouth. Or so youve always told meà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦Then say the words of the oath and in your heart think otherwise 81. Through this quotation one can see that Meg values her father above all else, and would even have him take a false oath just so he could be with her. Mores wife Alice, also feels this way about More and his decision. This is prevalent when Bolt writes, More: Alice, if you can tell me that you understand, I think I can make a good death, if I have to. Alice: Your deaths noà good to me! Through this excerpt of the play, the reader can see that Alice also shows her love for her husband. She also puts light on the fact that she feels he should not be going to these great lengths to prove a point. Alice would rather have Thomas living and falsely sign the oath than dead because of his beliefs. But, at the end of her time talking with More, she realizes why More must follow his judgment and she understands the situation. This is evident when she says, S-s-shà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦ As for understand, I understand youre the best man that I ever met or am likely to; and if you go-well, God knows why I suppose-though as Gods my witness Gods kept deadly quiet about it! And if anyone wants my opinion of the King and his Council theyve only to ask for it! Through this quote, Alice shows the reader and Thomas that she understands his faith and that she will be there for him. She also states that she will openly give her thoughts on the King and his Council. This can be interpreted as saying that she wants to be with Thomas and will do anything no matter what the outcome is to be with her husband. Through Mores silence, the true character traits and personalities of his immediate family members are revealed through his daughters steadfast tries to get More out of jail and his wifes unconditional love for him. Thomas More was found guilty of high treason and beheaded. Through the reactions of the characters in the play to Mores silence a lot about their personality traits was revealed. More has shown himself to be extremely loyal to God, and has placed total faith in God. Cromwell showed his loyalty to the King before his loyalty to God, the Common Man stated that hed rather be living, then take a stance over such a trivial issue and Rich valued his own goals and career ambitions over his friendships. Through Margarets attempts to get More out of jail by having him sign the oath, but not mean it, it shows that she is dedicated and loyal to her father before all else, and through Alices speech of understanding the reader can see that she has an unconditional love for More. Through all of these actions, one can see that silence plays a major role in character development in Robert Bolts, A Man for all seasons.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
International Human Resource Cultures and Management
Question: Discuss about the International Human Resource Cultures and Management. Answer: Introduction The purpose of the following paper is to make fruitful review of several critical theories and concepts regarding the aspect of organizational human resource management (HRM). More precisely, the present discourse is attempting to evaluate theoretical perceptions regarding four chief premises of organizational human resource management, which are organizational culture, employee training and development, international performance management and diversity management. Most significantly, in terms of drawing relevant evidences, the paper will consider the provided case study of the organization that manufactures and sells aircrafts. Henceforth, the aim of the paper is to review relevant literatures on organizational HRM and is to identify whether the organization in the case study is lacking in any of the above-mentioned premises of organizational HRM or not. In this context, it is required to mention that efficiency of the human resources or of the employees highly determine the success of a particular business organization. It is the responsibility of the human resource department of every business organization to control, monitor and manage performances of the employees (Vermeeren et al. 2014). In other words, it is to say that organizational HRM is a comprehensive approach towards the people or employee management. Therefore, understandably it is the accountability of the HRM department of every organization to focus on organizational culture, diversity and performance management through making continuous performance development. Diversity management and culture According to Nica (2013), in the theoretical premise of organizational HRM, diversity management is a comparatively new approach. However, the phrase organizational diversity fundamentally refers to the differences, which exists between individuals in an organization. Therefore, diversity management is supposed to be a strategic management that is utilized in order to enable best practices for creating a diverse as well as inclusive workplace. It has been identified that according to the Institutional Theory of the diversity management, for determining structure of an organization it is essential to give importance to the social environment found within the organization (Wei et al. 2014). Furthermore, the theory underpins that an organizations legislations, regulations, professional and social norms are some of the chief limiting factors for the behaviours of the employees in an enterprise. On the other hand, the resource based theoretical concept of diversity management prioritize the fact that implementation of diversity in the workplace strongly affects the resources of an organization. Furthermore, the theory denotes that four main resources, which determine organizational success, are physical, financial, human and corporate capital (Shafritz et al. 2015). The distinct theoretical perspective believes that organizations with stable diversity acquire relatively more business advantages than those enterprises, which do not implement diversity within their work culture. Alongside, it should be denoted that racial diversity in organizations successfully increases the financial productivity of the organizations. Specifically, racial diversity within workplace works best when an organization utilizes an innovation strategy. However, in this respect, it is significant to elaborate that success of diversity management or maintaining diversity within the work place is highly dependent upon individual organizational culture. According to Clegg et al. (2015), organizational culture means a combination of assumptions, philosophies, values, attitude, expectation and norms, which is shared among the human resources of an organization. On the other hand, as per Burke (2013), organizational culture should be defined as a human intervention that produces solidarity, inspired commitment as well as productivity. However, possibly the most well-considered definition of organizational culture says that organizational culture is a particular system that consists shared values as well as beliefs, which are interacted within structure, work force and control system of an organization (Fay et al. 2015). In this context, it is required to imply that the need of sharing values among organizational structure, control system and the people of a company is to create convenient behavioural norms. Therefore, considering varied definitions of organizational culture, it can be said that diversity management should be integrated within organizational culture as per the reason that organisational culture aims to accomplish organizational goals. Henceforth, it can be said that diversity management relies upon the premise of organizational culture. Most significantly, organizational culture is considered as a system that is supposed to prioritize both the ideas of an organization and the fundamental socio-cultural aspects (Yahya and Tan 2015). If an organizations culture does not support the idea of maintaining a diverse work culture then it is a possibility that the employees and management of that organization would suffer from discriminations in the racial, religious, age or disability ground (Tzabbar et al. 2017). However, considering the provided case study, it is unfortunate to denote that the concerned organization No Name is suffering from weak and disappointing organizational culture as well as a poor diversity management. The organization is a strong evident that indicates what exactly can happen if an organization does not follow an appropriate organizational culture and workforce diversity. More precisely, from the case study, it is understandable that the human resource department of the organization is taking no responsibility for maintaining workplace diversity. The case study is indicative of the fact that the organization does not prefer to recruit people who have physical disabilities and at the same time, there is found high intolerance among the employees and the management with working with those who belong to different culture and generations. Therefore, it can be said that there is age as well as disability discrimination within the organization. On the other hand, after ha ving a coherent understanding about the organizational culture and diversity management from the initial discourse, it can be said that the organization of the case study does not address any of the theoretical definitions of the organizational diversity. It is because of the reason that there is no adequate communication and coordination among the employees of the organization. The fundamental principle of the organizational culture says that organizational culture is responsible for sharing the organizational values among the internal stakeholders. The case study company, on the contrary indicates that employees are lacking productive quality and integration. Therefore, it is easy to indicate that no proper organizational culture and diversity management are harming the profit margin as well as reputation of the No Name enterprise. International performance management The concept behind the phrase international performance management says that it is a particular process that through which an organization can evaluate as well as can improvise the corporate performances in order to achieve pre-set organizational goals. Fundamentally, performance management is a relative organizational term that is indicative of a particular procedure that is employed for obtaining better results from teams and individuals within an organization (Kirton and Greene 2015). Therefore, performance management on international level means managing employee, management and team performances of an organization that has operates in an international level and has international subsidiaries. In the words of Wondrak and Segert (2015), performance management is the name of a particular development of working individuals with commitment as well as competence for accomplishing organizational objectives. Nevertheless, it has been identified that performance management or international performance management is a fundamental concept in the premise of the human resource management (Akron et al. 2016). However, it is to denote in this context that the concept of performance management is various times mistaken as the concept of performance appraisal. It is to clarify in this respect that performance appraisal is a part or powerful tool of performance management. The grandeur of the objectives of performance management becomes bigger when an organization becomes international. Nonetheless, it has been found out that the elements of an appropriate performance management system includes setting the objectives, measuring performances, feedback acquisition regarding performance result, reward or performance appraisals based on performances outcomes and objective amendment (Buckingham and Goodall 2015). However, as per Kang and Shen (2017), in the entire cycle of performance management, there is an important role of individual employees. According to the goal setting theory, superior performance by an employee is possible when the employee sets individual goals aligning with his/her organizational objectives. The theory suggests that organizational performance can be improved when employees would work with enough motivation. Therefore, it is to say that achievement of personal goal is the way through which employees stay motivated. On the other hand, based on DeNisi and Smith (2014), the expectancy theory by Victor Vroom interprets the apt percept of performance management. More precisely, performance management and international performance management works fruitfully when employees behaviour is adjusted according to expected level of satisfaction of the valued goals. Therefore, it can be said that in international performance management system, employees performance should be valu ed or evaluated according to the anticipated performance concerning organizational objectives (Tzabbar et al. 2017). If an organization would not consider the importance of giving performance appraisals to the employees, it is a possibility that the organization would lose employee morale, which will directly affect their productivity. In terms of evidence, the case study of the company No Name can be considered. According to the case study and the initial discourse above, the concerned organization is suffering from an unstable organizational culture along with disappointing level of workplace diversity management. Most significantly, it has been identified that instead of being an international organization, No Name does not possess any particular policy for performance management on international level. At the same time, it is shocking to see that performance reviews are only conducted in the head office and not in the subsidiaries. Furthermore, without making any consultation with the management and employees of the subsidiaries, the organization throws instructions on the subsidiaries. Therefore, considering the basic principles and system of performance management, it can be interpreted that the organization does nothing to motivate its employees. Thus, the current condition of the organization, which indicates that the organization is losing brand loyalty and brand image as well faith of most of their investors and it is directly declining the profit rate of the enterprise. Therefore, from the case study, a vivid anticipation about what can exactly occur when there is no policy and proper structure for international performance management in an organization. Training and development In the context of organizational human resource management, it is to say that management of human resource means managing the workforce in order to accomplish organizational goals (Dusterhoff et al. 2014). Therefore, it can be easily said that for achieving organizational objectives, human resource management department of an organization needs to provide adequate training for improvising employee productivity. The chief need to provide employee training is to make up the exiting flaws among the staffs, so that an organization does not need to encounter any predicament in the future. The principle concept of employee training and development indicates the system of imparting of distinct skills or abilities and knowledge to the working employees (Fletcher et al. 2016). On the other hand, a relatively former definition of employee training and development says that training and development is an attempt for improving current or future performance of the employees through the way of inc reasing employees credibility to perform by learning. Moreover, it has been identified that the necessity for training and development in a business enterprise is generally determined when certain deficiencies are recognized in employee performances (Bhatia and Kaur2014). It should be considered in this respect that one of the principle factors that escalates the need of employee training and development is assessment of skill gaps. It has been understood that analysis of skill gap is fundamentally integrated in the formal system of training and development. In order to acquire high-impact employee development and training, an organization requires four distinct steps, which are supposed to be identification of business impact, analysis of skill gap, layer employee training and finally evaluate the effectiveness of the training (Sung and Choi 2014). Henceforth, it seems that fruitful advancement of employee development is determined by two primary aspects, which are layer training and evaluate effectiveness. It is to mention in this respect that training and development do not only applied for improvising and increasing employee productivity but also for cultivating and maintaining appropriate team spirit as well as organizational culture (Jehanzeb an d Bashir 2013). Therefore, it can be interpreted that an apt organizational culture along with high level team spirit, workforce diversity and performance management and training and development all these premises are interrelated with each other under the shed of organizational HRM (Sung and Choi 2014). However, considering the above brief evaluation and the earlier analysis of the present condition of the considered organization, it can be anticipated that as per the reason the organization does not prioritize the need of international performance appraisals, it possibly does not hold any policy for training and development. The anticipation accompanies the case study, which says that there are actually no opportunities for training available for employees. At the same time, it seems that the HR management department does not consider individual need for training and it is shocking that the organization does not share any information about career prospects with the employees. It is therefore understandable that the organization is only showcasing that their performance is determined by training and development though in reality there is nothing as such. Conclusion From the above discourse, it can be deduced that the aspect of organization human resource management is integrated by four key aspects, which are organizational culture, diversity management, international performance management and training and development. The above discussion indicates that while diversity management is a part of organizational culture and works in favour for the organizational profit, international performance management could not be accomplished without performance appraisals, training and development. Along with making in depth reviews of significant concepts and theoretical approach related to organizational HRM, the paper has highlighted that the organization of the case study is failing in each of the above mentioned premises of HR management. According to the paper, the organization of the case study does not have any proper and particular organizational culture. At the same time, the enterprise does not consider mitigating its issues of gender, age and di sability discrimination. Most significantly, there is no particular policy and system for employee performance management and employee of the enterprise does not get the chance to have performance appraisals. Further, there is no facility of training and development too. Therefore, consider the above-mentioned issues, it can be suggested that the organization immediately needs to change its HR management department. It would be most helpful if new groups of experienced HR managers and subordinates could be recruited and distributed on each of the subsidiaries. On the other hand, in order to remove discrimination in the workplace as well in the recruitment process, the authority needs to establish separate teams of managers whose responsibility will be only to monitor whether the workforce diversity is being maintained or not (Buckingham and Goodall 2015). Most significantly, the authority should immediately organize meetings in each of its subsidiaries along with in its head office to assess employee deficiencies. Thereafter, it would be essential to provide adequate training to the employees and thereafter to take individual feedbacks from them. Therefore, above all the organization should reconstruct its working and human resource management cultur e. References Akron, S., Akron, S., Feinblit, O., Feinblit, O., Hareli, S., Hareli, S., Tzafrir, S.S. and Tzafrir, S.S., 2016. Employment arrangements diversity and work group performance.Team Performance Management,22(5/6), pp.310-330. Bhatia, A. and Kaur, L., 2014. Global Training Development trends Practices: An Overview.International Journal of Emerging Research in Management Technology ISSN: 2278,9359(3), p.8. Buckingham, M. and Goodall, A., 2015. Reinventing performance management.Harvard Business Review,93(4), pp.40-50. Burke, W.W., 2013.Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications. Clegg, S.R., Kornberger, M. and Pitsis, T., 2015.Managing and organizations: An introduction to theory and practice. Sage. DeNisi, A. and Smith, C.E., 2014. Performance appraisal, performance management, and firm-level performance: a review, a proposed model, and new directions for future research.Academy of Management Annals,8(1), pp.127-179. Dusterhoff, C., Cunningham, J.B. and MacGregor, J.N., 2014. The effects of performance rating, leadermember exchange, perceived utility, and organizational justice on performance appraisal satisfaction: Applying a moral judgment perspective.Journal of Business Ethics,119(2), pp.265-273. Fay, D., Shipton, H., West, M.A. and Patterson, M., 2015. Teamwork and organizational innovation: The moderating role of the HRM context.Creativity and Innovation Management,24(2), pp.261-277. Fletcher, L., Alfes, K. and Robinson, D., 2016. The relationship between perceived training and development and employee retention: the mediating role of work attitudes.The International Journal of Human Resource Management, pp.1-28. Jehanzeb, K. and Bashir, N.A., 2013. Training and development program and its benefits to employee and organization: A conceptual study.Training and Development,5(2). Kang, H. and Shen, J., 2017. International Performance Appraisal Policies and Practices. InInternational Human Resource Management in South Korean Multinational Enterprises(pp. 113-140). Springer Singapore. Kirton, G. and Greene, A.M., 2015.The dynamics of managing diversity: A critical approach. Routledge. Nica, E., 2013. Organizational culture in the public sector.Economics, Management, and Financial Markets,8(2), pp.179-184. Shafritz, J.M., Ott, J.S. and Jang, Y.S., 2015.Classics of organization theory. Cengage Learning. Sung, S.Y. and Choi, J.N., 2014. Do organizations spend wisely on employees? Effects of training and development investments on learning and innovation in organizations.Journal of organizational behavior,35(3), pp.393-412. Tzabbar, D., Tzafrir, S. and Baruch, Y., 2017. A bridge over troubled water: Replication, integration and extension of the relationship between HRM practices and organizational performance using moderating meta-analysis.Human Resource Management Review,27(1), pp.134-148. Vermeeren, B., Kuipers, B. and Steijn, B., 2014. Does leadership style make a difference? Linking HRM, job satisfaction, and organizational performance.Review of Public Personnel Administration,34(2), pp.174-195. Wei, Y.S., Samiee, S. and Lee, R.P., 2014. The influence of organic organizational cultures, market responsiveness, and product strategy on firm performance in an emerging market.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,42(1), pp.49-70. Wondrak, M. and Segert, A., 2015. Using the Diversity Impact Navigator to move from interventions towards diversity management strategies.Journal of Intellectual Capital,16(1), pp.239-254. Yahya, K.K. and Tan, F.Y., 2015. Enhancing Career Commitment: The Influence of Human Resource Management Practices.International Journal of Business and Society,16(2), p.237.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Gender Equality Essays (264 words) - Taxidermy, The Landlady
Gender Equality The Landlady Continued 4.) The two colloquial expressions that Billy uses to indicate that the landlady is insane are the she is slightly dotty and off her rocker. 5.) The word congenial means similar tastes and character. The word rapacious means seizing by force. 6.) The meaning of Bed and Breakfast as the expression used in England is you spend the night and have breakfast in the morning. 7.) The four details that tell us the story took place in England were the English slang, that Billy came from London on a train, named English schools, and the Bed and Breakfast. 8.) A word you could use to describe Billy Weaver would be curious. Three examples from the story that support my choice would be Christopher Mulholland, that rings a bell. Yes indeed, Christopher Mulholland was more than three years ago. I should've thought you'd be simply swamped with applicants. 9.) Observations that led Billy to the conclusion that the Bed and Breakfast would be a pretty decent place to stay in would include how well kept the house looked and the dog and bird looked so pleasant in front of the warm fire. The flowers in the window and the bed and breakfast sign drew him in. 10.) The following events have been arranged in a particular sequence so they are correct. -Billy saw the sign in the window -He was invited into the boarding house -He signed the guest book -He sipped tea with the landlady -He noticed that the bird and the dog were stuf Social Issues
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Concerns about violent cinema essays
Concerns about violent cinema essays The title statement is a very definite opinion, a one-sided argument that leaves little room for doubt. Its certainly a view that research can support, but also a view that can be challenged. Our society has unfortunately experienced a turbo-charging of occasional mass murderers, for which violent cinema has been held responsible by many people, including Philip Adams, from whom the title quote was taken. Adams then argues that violent cinema has had a deadening effect on our sensibilities. Have we become less sensitive to real life violence? According to Adams we have. However the fact is that violent cinema affects different people in different ways. It would be inaccurate to say that violent cinema has a desensitising effect on the sensibilities of everyone, but certainly research proves that desensitising does exist. Its possible that constant viewing of violent material may harden or desensitize its audience to real life violence. Micheal Medved believes that people are becoming immune to violence. The survey I conducted for workshop 4 which analysed audience response to cinema violence produced interesting and contrasting evidence. One participant, a first year male psychology student agreed that violence on screen desensitizes him to real life violence. He felt that after watching a violent film, that a report of an attack on someone would seem less shocking to him because viewing violence on screen makes him more acceptant of it. While the other participant, a first year biomedical student was affected by the evocativeness of realism. She felt that screen violence only serves to compound the reality of the violent society in which we live and it makes her more conscious of the violence that surrounds us, thus arousing fear in her. Asked about the same scenario, she said that a report of an attack would only reinforce her shock at the violence that exists in our contemporary society. The fact that the...
Thursday, November 21, 2019
FROM MODERNISM TO POSTMODERNISM IN ARTS EDUCATION Essay
FROM MODERNISM TO POSTMODERNISM IN ARTS EDUCATION - Essay Example Many modernist artists have mentioned that since 1980 they have been taught, with huge compromising problems and acute tensions, more and more inside a new paradigm based on a different set of premises, practices and expectations, related to but different from the parallel shift into postmodernism. Abbs (2003) has referred this paradigm to the shift that is related to thinking in the Education Institutes of British universities and is not to be identified with the atomistic and politically constructed National Curriculum, though many of the elements dislocated from their original meaning are reflected there (Abbs, 2003, p. 46). Modernist arts provides us reasons to believe that while something of value has been achieved under the shaping energies of the new paradigm, the literal and mechanical way it was instituted betrayed the broad sweep of the philosophy, ignored vital principles of creative pedagogy and maimed the holistic perception which lay at the heart of the thinking (Abbs, 2003, p. 46). Among major modernists names like Theodor Adorno, a major figure in the Frankfurt School of Critical Theorists, tells us that art and literature, and particularly Modernist art, could function as a kind of negative or contradictory criticism of society, in thought-provoking experimental texts. Adorno argued that difficult texts provoked new, unfamiliar, estranged conceptions of life that the dissonances and fractures of Modernist art expressed the individual's loss of control, centeredness and harmony in the contemporary world. For Walter Benjamin, modernist education has created a world of printing, duplication and photography, where artistic works have lost the 'aura' that their uniqueness once gave (Childs, 2000, p. 34). The rising technologies of artistic reproduction dispensed with the idea of a work's authenticity; for example, the idea of an authentic photographic or film print makes no sense. Benjamin thought this moved art's function from the realm of ritual, where it is magical and revered, into that of politics, where it is mass produced for purposes of marketing and propaganda, with dire consequences for a politically polarised Europe after World War I. To understand the paradigm which defines art in context with postmodernist education, it is first necessary to know what formalist modernism was not. It was not connective, inclusive, transactional, associative, referential, interactive, changeable, discontinuous, multilayered, impure, and ambiguous ignoring the autobiographical data and questions of personality. Postmodernist art, when encompass these qualities, presents a connective paradigm, which in turn demands a connective criticism to which we call "postmodern" recognizes time and periodicity, but, rather than being tied to one-way time series, it can move back and forth in time and can be associated in its reversibility with the new physics (Ascott & Shanken, 2003, p. 178). Walling (2001) while criticising postmodernism suggests that the way postmodernist education have abused and altered art curriculum is absurd. It does not make any sense for the national standards to be imaginative with reference to some particular standard. Postmodernist reforms in education at every level and field of interest has damped the curriculum rather than reform (Walling, 2001). Postmodern art when merged with the capabilities of visual art presents before us natural art, which
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Technology and the Written Word Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Technology and the Written Word - Essay Example However, in the ancient world, writing was not practical for most due to technological limitations. Written language as we know it today is the product of thousands of years of technological advancement, not advancement in the language itself. From papyrus to typesetting to computers, the history of language is a history of technology. The situation is no different today with the introduction of new communication mediums like text messaging, email, and the internet, all of which have had significant effects on how we communicate and live in the community. From the technology we use to communicate in the modern world we derive a number of benefits, such as the ability to store, transmit, and link texts remotely from anywhere on the globe to anywhere else. However, there does seem to be, for some, a backlash of complaints against technological advancement and the drawback it has on global language use, including the objection that technology corrodes proper language use and forces soci al interaction through electronic means to be empty. In comparison with the benefits of technology on language, these costs of a technology-laden form of communication are slight, and it is a mistake to argue that technology is corrupting language when technology has been enhancing communication for the past five to six thousand years. The fact that all technology influences language is an undeniable fact. Technology is, as a matter of fact, a ââ¬Å"means to extend manââ¬â¢s reachâ⬠(Moore, 2005), and this fact alone relates it to natural languages. To use an example, air-traffic controllers use radio communication to make airplane travel safer. It is derived from radar and weather-forecasting technologies and is sent to users of aircraft technology to transport people to locations they would never otherwise be able to reach, in order to speak to people face to face instead of over the phone. This interconnection of language and technology
Monday, November 18, 2019
Strategic change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Strategic change - Essay Example In most cases, the problems associated with introduction of change appear at this point and need to be handled. These problems are varied and they include; individualsââ¬â¢ resistance to change, increased instability in the organization, increased stress levels, and energy among individuals that is not utilized. In addition, other problems include increased conflicts in the organization and loss of drive (Cole, 2004). Therefore, this clearly highlights the need for an organization to be fully equipped to foresee reactions and possible obstacles to the introduction of change. For change to be managed in an organization, it is important to have a wide knowledge of the type of change and the reasons for individual resistance. In this case, the type of change to be understood is strategic change. Even though individuals who are pushing for change have to be invariable regarding ends, they also need to be flexible concerning means. Hence, the need for them to fully understand different forms of change in existence. Strategic change involves organizational transformation. It focuses on issues that are categorized to be broad and long-term. It mainly consists of going towards a future position defined universally using vision and scope that is strategic (Armstrong 2006). It consists of organization purpose and mission. In addition, it covers organizationââ¬â¢s corporate values on issues that include; growth and quality, innovation and various values regarding people. It also involves the needs of the customer that have been met and the technologies put in place. This definition brings about competitive positioning stipulations and goals that are strategic. Through strategic goals, an organization will be able to attain and sustain competitive advantage. In addition, it also helps on the growth of product-market. Strategic goals of an organization are held up by various policies that regard sales, marketing, manufacturing, administration of human resource, financ e and growth of product and process. Strategic change occurs in the framework of a background that is competitive externally and is economic and social (Frost, 2000). It also occurs in the internal resources of an organization, its capacities, customs, constitution and even systems. Hence, in the invention and planning phases, these aspects have to be fully examined and understood in order for the implementation process to be successful. An organization attainment of competitive advantage that is sustainable depends on various qualities. These are; the ability of an organization to recognize and to fully understand the competitive force in place and how they keep changing with time. Secondly, is the capability of an organization to assemble and control essential resources intended for a competitive reaction. Strategic change nonetheless, ought not to be perceived as a process that is linear, where an organization simply plans and moves from one point to another. It is not possible t o plan and carry out as series of procedures that are rational (Pettigrew and Whipp 1991). Woodward (1968) asserts that when change is introduced in an organization most individuals resist it. This is because most people perceive change as being a threat to th
Friday, November 15, 2019
Social and Feminist Influences of Austen and Shakespeare
Social and Feminist Influences of Austen and Shakespeare By Khalil Jetha Introduction Feminist thought is a movement truly indicative of a dynamic society. When manifested in literature, it signifies the breaking of old traditions, and the manner in which feminism is presented reflects the attitude of the writer and society to the aforementioned changes. In the case of William Shakespeare (1564-1616), presenting empowered females was of marked significance as the Elizabethan era marked the strongest female monarchy England had ever seen. However, upon closer inspection it can be inferred that Shakespeare had an innate disregard for female authority, reflected by examining the characters Desdemona (from ââ¬Å"Othelloâ⬠), Kate (from ââ¬Å"The Taming of the Shrewâ⬠), and Rosalind (from ââ¬Å"As You Like Itâ⬠). The prevailing approach in Shakespeareââ¬â¢s time was one of trepidation for the ââ¬Å"wildâ⬠woman, or a female who did not conform to social expectations. The so-called ââ¬Å"feministâ⬠characters merely served to lend form and di mension to male characters and patriarchal themes. In contrast, later authors such as Jane Austen (1775-1817) used empowered characters such as Elizabeth Bennet (from Pride and Prejudice), Elinor Dashwood (from Sense and Sensibility), and Catherine Morland (from Northanger Abbey) to present feasible realities within the context of the society in which Austen lived. Working her characters into the framework of her era, Austen used women not as a means but as her end. Unlike Shakespeareââ¬â¢s characters, whose wiles and individuality served as gimmicks to promote patriarchy, Austenââ¬â¢s characters showed women who existed independently of male-dominated societies. Through careful dissection and comparison of texts, Shakespeareââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Othelloâ⬠, ââ¬Å"The Taming of the Shrewâ⬠(TOS), and ââ¬Å"As You Like Itâ⬠(AYLI), exemplify females whose independence and unorthodox qualities are eventually extinguished by overbearing male figures. Desdemona, Kate, and Rosalind are all radically different characters encompassing various aspects of the female psyche. Desdemona represents a rebellious daughter and sexually insatiable wife whose wiles cannot be controlled by men, a characteristic which drives her husband insane. Kate, ââ¬Å"the shrewâ⬠, is the empowered woman who succumbs to the power of society, forgoing her independence to become a wife, in the process experiencing a ââ¬Å"miraculousâ⬠metamorphosis instigated by her husbandââ¬â¢s subjugation. Rosalind is unique among the three, an omniscient whose altruist nature cedes dominance to her alter ego, Ganymede. A more accurate description of the term ââ¬Å"feministâ⬠applies to Austen, whose characters do not serve to alter or develop male characters. While successfully writing novels whose plots and characters fit in 18th century England, Austen manages to show a different side of women, a side that is adversely affected by the character weaknesses of men. Her novels Northanger Abbey (NA), Pride and Prejudice (PP), and Sense and Sensibility (SS) present females whose pensive minds help them maneuver through the tumultuous and impractical societies in which they find themselves living. NAââ¬â¢s Catherine Morland, PPââ¬â¢s Elizabeth Bennet, and SSââ¬â¢ Elinor Dashwood are subtly different; however, the three female characters share their firm morals and unwavering integrity in common. Catherine Morland finds herself growing up in a world of first glances and vagaries, the sharp-witted Elizabeth Bennet spites the English bourgeois for their pride, finding that she herself has p rejudice to overcome. SSââ¬â¢ Elinor Dashwood finds that throughout her life she cannot rely solely on men though society wills her to do so; all three women overcome tribulation to grow into worldly individuals, unlike Shakespeareââ¬â¢s who either compromise their personality or lives in the course of their respective texts. Shakespeareââ¬â¢s Characters and Works Shakespeareââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Othelloâ⬠is notable among Shakespeareââ¬â¢s tragedies because it presents a unique setting and character establishment. The namesake and protagonist, a Moor (a Muslim of African descent), transcends racial and religious boundaries to enter and lead the elite of Venice. The relationships between Othello and other Venetians communicates Shakespeareââ¬â¢s disdain for society, manifested in the villain Iago. From a feminist standpoint, however, the most prevalent victim of tragic circumstance is not the Moor of Venice, but rather the woman he marries. Desdemona is the classic martyr for feminist ideals, encumbered both as a woman struggling to pursue a life with the one she loves of another race and as a woman living in a manââ¬â¢s world, struggling to defend her marital fidelity and personal integrity. As a feminist martyr, she is ââ¬Å"helplessly passive,â⬠can ââ¬Å"do nothing,â⬠unable to ââ¬Å"retaliate even in speechâ⬠be cause ââ¬Å"her nature is infinitely sweet and her love absoluteâ⬠(Bloom 1987, p. 80). When Othello accuses her of compromising her fidelity, she is insulted and maintains her integrity by refusing to even answer such allegations. Viewed by the reader, this action is one of pride and confidence. However, when she counters Othello, slightly mocking his insecurities by inquiring ââ¬Å"[what he] could ask [her], that [she] should deny/Or stand so mammering on,â⬠he perceives it as her attempts at masking her own desires to seek sexual satisfaction outside the bonds of matrimony (Act III, Scene iii, lines 69-71). Desdemona is constantly struggling with her environment. On the one hand, she fits into society as a married young woman. On the other, she presents a threat to the stability of patriarchal society. By marrying outside her race and religion, Desdemona defies custom by posing the scandal of miscegenated offspring. Confronted by her father, Desdemona vehemently rejects his concerns and contentions, favoring Othello despite the fact that she perceives ââ¬Å"a divided dutyâ⬠; Desdemona rationally argues in favor of Othello, professing that she should show Othello the same preference her ââ¬Å"mother showââ¬â¢d/To [Brabantio]â⬠(Act I, Scene iii, lines 178-188). In her argument that presupposes her assertiveness, Desdemona reveals social boundaries a woman faces: first she is bound by allegiance to her father, then she grows to devote her life to her husband. From a gender issues standpoint, her identity as a sexually charged, erratic newlywed earns her little more than violent encounters with Othello and her eventual murder. Her charged sexual nature ââ¬Å"catalyze Othelloââ¬â¢s sexual anxietiesâ⬠through not fault of her own, as Iago manipulates Othelloââ¬â¢s marital instability to begin with (Bloom 1987, p. 81). Ultimately, it is Othelloââ¬â¢s indecision, his inability to ââ¬Å"voice his suspicions directlyâ⬠that further fuel his insanity and manipulation at Iagoââ¬â¢s hands; Desdemona pays the ultimate price for her loyalties, both in marriage and to herself (Bloom 1987, p. 88). Throughout the play, Desdemona, like the other female characters of the play, never requires validation or reassurance of her value as a person. Othello represents the need for public respect, a reason why Iagoââ¬â¢s suggestions of Desdemonaââ¬â¢s infidelity drives him insane. Desdemona is further degraded as Othello gives Iago m ore credit than he does his own wife. In all his deceptions, ââ¬Å"Iagoââ¬â¢s feigned love gives him power which Desdemonaââ¬â¢s genuine love cannot counteractâ⬠; Shakespeare shows his audience that female character is surpassed in importance even by spurious male camaraderie (Bloom 1987, p. 91). A victim of male circumstance, Desdemona is tragically caught between the Iagoââ¬â¢s insecurities as a soldier surpassed by an outsider and Othelloââ¬â¢s insecurities as an outsider seeking social acceptance. Othelloââ¬â¢s marriage to Desdemona objectifies her; Iago spites Othello for marrying Desdemona as it completes what Iago perceives as Fateââ¬â¢s transgression against his station in life. Othello, in turn, is never sated, as his marriage to Desdemona should have consolidated his ââ¬Å"powerâ⬠as a man; instead, he resents Desdemonaââ¬â¢s confidence and the power that even a suggestion of her infidelity asserts over him. The feminist criticism of the in stitution of love revolves around loveââ¬â¢s existence as a means of control; when Othelloââ¬â¢s male autonomy is compromised and he begins to speculate on his nature as secondary to his wifeââ¬â¢s sexual power, he goes insane, ironically smothering her to death using the same sheets used during the night of their marriageââ¬â¢s consummation. Desdemonaââ¬â¢s erstwhile functional marriage serves as the proverbial straw that breaks the camelââ¬â¢s back, as Othello ââ¬Å"finds the scorn due the cuckold almost as difficult to bear as the loss of Desdemonaâ⬠(Bloom 1987, p. 90). Shakespeareââ¬â¢s presentation of Desdemona as a pawn in Iagoââ¬â¢s manipulation can be presented as his disdain with societyââ¬â¢s misogyny. However, Desdemonaââ¬â¢s portrayal as the helpless victim serves to further discredit female strength. While the tragic death of Othello surpasses Desdemonaââ¬â¢s in literary importance, Desdemona becomes more tragic a character than her estranged husband. She has done nothing to earn the contempt of her husband, whose murderous intent and eventual suicide serve as the only means of self-validation. She has become an object in Othelloââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"self-sacrificeâ⬠, nothing more than another factor in Shakespearean tragedy. In his portrayal of Desdemona, Shakespeare may have been able to present a feminist case for the station of women in society and their abuses at the hands of men. But Othello is not made the villain: Iago is the person portrayed as destroying a life, not in Desdemonaââ¬â¢s passing but in Othelloââ¬â¢s fall from grace. Desdemona, though a possible case for the argument of feminist characters in Elizabethan theatre, is ultimately too passive to be a feasible feminist. Had she asserted herself and called Othelloââ¬â¢s insecurity, her husbandââ¬â¢ s pride may have been compromised, but it would serve as a means for him to identify the primary culprits at hand. That Desdemona confronted her father and not her own husband plays the feminist argument into doubt; marriage, not self-sufficiency, was Desdemonaââ¬â¢s final goal. She sought neither to validate herself nor her sense of self-worth, but rather chose a life of devotion to the Moor she loved. In essence, she presented herself as a victim from the very beginning. Unlike other Shakespeare plays, TOS can be taken both in its historical context and simultaneously be applied to the modern social constrictions women face. In its historical context, the play presents a comical obstacle standing between a man and the object of his affection. In a more contemporary setting, however, TOS is a story of one manââ¬â¢s conquest over a womanââ¬â¢s social and emotional independence and the domestication of a free spirit. The aforementioned setting makes sport out of breaking Kateââ¬â¢s will and reveals a theoretical rebuttal of radical feminism. As TOS unfolds, the audience sees Kate as a social pariah, unfit for society as she spurns the institution of marriage and the idea of love. An independent, sharp-tongued woman, she is demonized by the local male population who sees her as a barricade preventing courtship of the demure, younger, more favorable Bianca. It is not completely dismissible a notion that Shakespeare wrote TOS with the intent of exposing the farce of certain types of marriage. Shakespeare may have juxtaposed the stubborn, resilient, and often violent Kate with the desirable Bianca to show the duplicity of social marriages. In his article entitled ââ¬Å"The Taming of the Shrew Mocks the World Mercantile Marriageâ⬠, Gareth Lloyd Evans describes the world of TOS as ââ¬Å"mercantile to the end,â⬠showing how ââ¬Å"even at the conclusion of its biggest transaction (the marriage of Bianca), the gambling element remainsâ⬠(Marvel 2000, p. 69). In the end, Kate becomes docile to the will of Petruch io, leaving Bianca flabbergasted at her sisterââ¬â¢s change of heart. Kateââ¬â¢s radical change from self-avowed hater of all things love and marriage hence becomes the locus of the question of her nature as a feminist character: was Shakespeareââ¬â¢s portrayal of Kate as a virulent misanthrope a comic device or a social message? If Shakespeare intended to use Kate in the same manner with which he employed the character of Desdemona in Othello (that is, as a means to the plotââ¬â¢s end), then TOS takes on an entirely new direction. Using Kate as a comic device makes female independence the object of scorn and ridicule, and Shakespeareââ¬â¢s tone toward feminist issues would be dismissive and, condescension not withstanding, misogynist. As the object of a social statement, Kate would become a testament to the futilities of female cynicism and rejection of society. Examining Kateââ¬â¢s transition lends credibility to the said stance. If Shakespeare was a feminist writer, creating Kateââ¬â¢s character with the purpose of communicating a message to society at large, the ââ¬Å"shrewâ⬠being tamed would be Petruchio. Instead, ââ¬Å"Petruchioââ¬â¢s taming of Kateâ⬠is an act of instilling humility in ââ¬Å"a spoiled, egotistical, well-fed, rich girlâ⬠and forcing her to accept ââ¬Å"a will other than her ownâ⬠(Marvel 2000, p. 147). The feminist standpoint would rather be one of prevailing contempt for Petruchio, a self-avowed social climber whose desire to marry Kate stems from expansion of his familyââ¬â¢s wealth. Like Desdemona, Kateââ¬â¢s independence and strength as a female character are stifled by marriage; unlike Desdemona, Kateââ¬â¢s marriage to the ruffian Petruchio is one with ulterior motive. Kateââ¬â¢s wedding is ââ¬Å"a travesty and a sacrilege,â⬠marred by Petruchioââ¬â¢s intoxicat ion and unruly garb (Marvel 2000, p. 152). Almost indicative of Petruchioââ¬â¢s goal of ââ¬Å"taming the shrew,â⬠he further suppresses Kate by kissing her at the ââ¬Å"ââ¬Ëwillââ¬â¢ of ââ¬ËI will notââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (Marvel 2000, p. 152). Ironically, the kiss represents more than the overbearing will of an intoxicated groom. The significance of pacifying Kateââ¬â¢s ill will with a kiss is utterly symbolic of her contentions toward TOSââ¬â¢ opening. Standing at the altar, her final cry is one against a life of pacification and subjugation under the supremacy of a husband. The actual ââ¬Å"tamingâ⬠does not begin until after marriage, a further explanation of Kateââ¬â¢s disdain. What is more intriguing about Kateââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"tamingâ⬠is the means in which she is subdued. Following her outrage at the spectacle of the wedding, Petruchio denies Kate food, insisting that it is for her own good. Later, he denies her access to the ornate clothing provided by the tailor. Before leaving for their return to Padua, Kate implores her husband that they make haste, as they are late. Petruchio sputters that he will not go, and that she is reading the time incorrectly; Petruchio condescendingly states that whenever they leave it will be at ââ¬Å"what oââ¬â¢clock [he says] it isâ⬠(Act IV, Scene iii, line 189). The means denied Kate in her ââ¬Å"tamingâ⬠are food, clothing, and free will. Kate begins to rely on her husband for survival, warmth, and freedom of motion. Essentially, Petruchio becomes not only her husband but also her guardian, leaving Kate with the independence of a small child. It is almost as if he is brainwashing her, torturing her b y keeping her hungry, clothed in what way he sees fit, restricting her motion and even forcing her sense of time under the fetters of his will. Shakespeareââ¬â¢s only message here is not simply the futility of female emancipation, but the repercussions of atypical female action. Kate is portrayed as earning her fate through her belligerence and the days she spent terrorizing society with her outbursts and sporadic violence. The more a woman strays from the path society sets out for her, the harsher the ââ¬Å"punishmentâ⬠in an inescapable future marriage. The only negating aspect to the misogyny of Shakespearean assertion is Kateââ¬â¢s nature. Though stubborn, Kate is ââ¬Å"intelligent, tooâ⬠; in her apparent surrender to her husbandââ¬â¢s mad will, Kate realizes ââ¬Å"she can take the wind completely out of his sails, deprive his weapon of its power, even turn it against himââ¬âtame him in his own humorâ⬠(Marvel 2000, p. 52). By entertaining his strange whims, Kate can turn the tides against Petruchio, calling his bluff, so to speak. After all, Petruchioââ¬â¢s madness is forced, as he is trying to irk his wife and break her composure. As the entertaining, submitting wife, Kate also tames Petruchio; she conceivably leaves him no reason to be as erratic as the wife whose will he set out to break. In this sense, Kate is Petruchioââ¬â¢s equal, and in their social obscurity, they are made acceptable through the bonds of marriage. On the surface, Rosalind is socially acceptable, like most of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s characters. She is almost altruistic, exuding transcendent knowledge about life and love. She chastises Silvius for his devotion to Phoebe, yet swoons for Orlando and does not grow embittered at the prospect of love in the manner TOSââ¬â¢ Kate does. As one of the more engaging characters of the play, Rosalind, like ââ¬Å"Othelloââ¬â¢sâ⬠Desdemona, goes against her uncleââ¬â¢s wishes in the pursuit of her love, in this case manifested by Orlando. Unlike Desdemona, however, Rosalind is more congenial, coaxing her uncle by imploring his forgiveness. Rosalind testifies to Duke Frederick that if she offended him in her affections for Orlando, it was ââ¬Å"[never] so much as in a thought unbornâ⬠(Act I, Scene iii, lines 49-50). As a lady and a daughter, Rosalind is the ideal woman to show society. She is polite, reserved, and wise beyond her years. Her personality, however, shifts to a point unparalleled by other Shakespearean characters. Rosalindââ¬â¢s power as a possible feminist character is best exemplified in her interactions while cross-dressed as Ganymede (ââ¬Å"Ganymedâ⬠). After she assumes the identity of the male Ganymede, Rosalindââ¬â¢s character unfolds as one who is both enticing and mysterious, alluring to the romantic, erotic, and homoerotic aspects of theatre. She begins to take a more aggressive stance in her interaction with Orlando, preventing him from kissing her despite her desire, insisting that he should ââ¬Å"speak firstâ⬠(Act IV, Scene i, lines 69-74). As mentioned previously, men were exclusive actors as women were not permitted entry into the world of Elizabethan theatre. Homoeroticism was naturally an unavoidable subtext to any Shakespearean play. The choice of the Greek mythological figure of Ganymede is indicative of Shakespearean homoeroticism. In Greek myth, Ganymede was a shepherd boy with whom Zeus (Jove) fell in love. Rosalind on an Elizabethan stage would therefore be a male actor cross-dressed as a woman, who in the play cross-dresses as a homosexual man beguiling and perhaps slightly manipulating the unsuspecting Orlando. When taken into this context, ââ¬Å"As You Like Itâ⬠reveals new depth and content. Michael Shapiro delves into cross-gender devices in his book Gender in Play on the Shakespearean Stage: Boy Heroines Female Pages. Rosalind adopts ââ¬Å"three separate and distinct layers of identityââ¬âRosalind, [Ganymede], and ââ¬ËRosalindââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (Shapiro 1994, p. 119). The sole purpose behind her schizophrenic metamorphosis is her love for Orlando, a man she has barely met. The first Rosalind is the vibrant character attracted to Orlando. Ganymede serves as a mentor to Orlando, a giver of advice; in her assumption of Ganymedeââ¬â¢s identity, Rosalind alters her own nature as a woman living in a patriarchy as she takes the role of a mentor, giving ââ¬Å"man-to-man advice to Orlando on the behavior of wivesâ⬠(Shapiro 1994, p. 124). This ascension to egalitarian status with Orlando is reflective of the first feminist objective: to attain total social equality with men. The third Rosalind is the one who acts according to the advice she gives Orlando as Ganymede, and incidentally is the most intriguing of the three identities. As Ganymede, Rosalind has a control over Orlandoââ¬â¢s emotions and thoughts. She can influence him whichever way she so pleases by suggesting, as a man, how Orlando ought to behave or react to women as wives. As the third Rosalind, she can indirectly affect Orlando by either corroborating through her actions any advice she gave as Ganymede, or further discredit Ganymede by acting opposite. Rosalind ultimately has the choice of how she wants Orlando to accept her. Rosalind can covet Orlandoââ¬â¢s trust and affections as a man, and in doing so mold him to her liking so that she may later win him over as a woman. Ganymedeââ¬â¢s presence as a trusted friend of Orlando is significant as it is perhaps the only way Rosalind can enjoy equality. This aspect of her cross-dressing is wholly non-feminist in its nature. From a rad ical feminist standpoint, there should be no gender labels, in which case Rosalind has failed to identify herself as such as she is forced to become a man. From a liberal feminist standpoint, gender labels can exist and differences should be respected. In the liberal feminist mindset, Rosalind has failed to gain equality as she is only given credibility as a man; the nature of the advice Orlando seeks regarding the nature of women as wives can only be trusted as coming from a man. Equally plausible is that Rosalind is forced to act the way she does to get what she wants. Rosalind may have taken the initiative to achieve her goals no matter the cost of identity. Furthermore, her male identity had the potential to liberate her female identities; as Ganymede, Rosalind had the power to dictate to Orlando the manner in which women should be approached. Shakespeare had the opportunity to relay a message through his cross-dressing female hero, but failed to endeavor to such communication. Though working within the limits of his society, Shakespeare did not address issues through Rosalindââ¬â¢s characters in the manner Austen does with her female protagonists. While heavy-handed techniques are not necessary, Shakespeare only flirted with the notion of empowered females as it augmented the situational comedy in AYLI. Shakespeareââ¬â¢s characters cannot be accurately described as feminists, even with respect to the social norms they challenge in his works. The Webster Dictionary defines feminism as ââ¬Å"the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.â⬠Though her marriage to Othello was one of controversy, it was one that tested the boundaries of race and religion-relations. Miscegenation, not misogyny, was addressed in their relationship. Desdemona was perpetually a victim whose life rested solely in the hands of her insane husband. For Desdemona to be a feminist or even have feminist characteristics, she would have picked up a sword and joined Othello in the military. The Venice in which she lived only economically endowed her with a dowry, which would then be paid upon marriage. From a social standpoint, Desdemona may have been able to petition her fellow Venetians for help when she suspected Othelloââ¬â¢s violent tendencies. However, she chose to leave her destiny in the hands of her husband, no matter the outcome. Kate, though constantly haranguing the general public for the institution of love, does not take her stance for feminist reasons. The traditional feminist attack on the institution of marriage focuses on marriage as forcing certain roles on women (motherhood and subjugation under a husband in particular). There is no indication that Kate took any of these stances; more plausible is that she is embittered by the fact that society forces marriage and not why it is forced. Rosalind is perhaps the strongest character of the three in question. That she is assertive has little to do with her identity as a feminist character. While there is little doubt that she is a hero and one of the foci of AYLI, and still less speculation on the strength of her character, she still does not actively seek political or economic equality. There is no mention of her stance on women in society. The most feminist aspect of Rosalind is her ability to transcend gender. In cross-dressing, she reflects new treatment by Orlando. Though not more positive or negative than her treatment when Orlando acknowledged Rosalind as a woman, as Ganymede, Rosalind shows that Orlando approaches her with similar respect. Rosalindââ¬â¢s sexual empowerment does deify her to a certain degree; it is as if she has the power to evoke feelings in men that would erstwhile not exist. With the exception of TOSââ¬â¢ Kate, Shakespearean females are usually composed individuals who contribute to the development of a plot or male character. However, all three Shakespearean characters can be described as heroes to a degree. Carol Pearson defines a hero in her book The Female Hero in American and British Literature as one who ââ¬Å"departs from convention and thereby either implicitly or explicitly challenges the myths that define the status quoâ⬠(Pearson 1981, p. 16). Desdemona, though sexually more forward than other Shakespearean women, is at home in her surroundings. She is a born Venetian of high stature, and though she keeps her relationship with Othello secret, she has no conflicting interests in Venice. Her marriage to an outsider challenges the ââ¬Å"mythâ⬠of requisite same-race marriage. Othello, on the other hand, is a man of different race and religion, struggling to make a name for himself in a new land. He is not nearly as self-assured as Desdemona, his physical differences weighing on his conscience and costing him peace of mind. Where Desdemona has made peace to accept her own death (she requests the wedding sheets be placed on the bed), Othello is never composed to the measure Desdemona exudes. In short, Desdemona acts as foil to Othello in every way; their union is one that naturally causes friction, without which Iago would never be able to manipulate the situation. Kate and Petruchio are very unique among Shakespearean couples; though Petruchio is hardly a hero by the Shakespearean norm of gallantry, he is the man who ââ¬Å"tames the shrew.â⬠However unorthodox a hero, Petruchio is the perfect match for Kate in his gruffness, his unkempt demeanor, and his social shortcomings. The two have only their resilient personalities in common; Kate is more polished and presentable than her wily husband, but the two both have a natural contempt for life that can only be quelled by their marriage. Their relationship is one of servant and master, the power balance shifting constantly. Though Kate detested the pandering of her past suitors, her attraction for Petruchio budded because he was precisely the opposite of what society (and her father) wanted for her. To keep her interest piqued, Petruchio naturally appealed to Kate and had to maintain a certain air about himself. Following their marriage, Kate became subservient, accepting Petruchioââ¬â¢s odd tendencies and orders to pacify him (he never would have expected a docile Kate, and receiving one shifted manipulation back into Kateââ¬â¢s hands). Though their personalities are strong, societyââ¬â¢s favor puts the advantage in to Petruchioââ¬â¢s hands as in addition to a wife he also gained financial means. Kate is merely a means to an end for Petruchio, whereas Petruchio is the only means for Kate to attain what society expects of her. Rosalind and Orlando are another anomaly, though in the end, Rosalind exists more for Orlando than vice versa. Cross-dressing aside, Rosalindââ¬â¢s sweet temperament and witty rapport make her the ideal mate. Orlando, with the exception of his privileged birth and notable wrestling skills, is rather normal in every respect. Rosalind exists only to marry Orlando, and while her transsexual tendencies are a force with which to be reckoned, her antics merely delay what an inevitable relationship and existence. Her previously mentioned teasing was a perfect metaphor for a life whose direction she could not control. Shakespeare as a Feminist Whether in tragedies or comedies, Shakespeareââ¬â¢s female characters vary greatly in their nature and the social mold they fit. Given the Elizabethan era in which Shakespeare lived, most of his more wily and energetic female characters went against the grain of society. However, most all of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s more powerful female characters occurred in comedies, begging the question of whether or not they could be taken seriously as characters that could exist outside the realms of stage narrative. That these strong female characters exist only in comedies does not question any aspect of society. In keeping with his comediesââ¬â¢ humorous undertones, Shakespeare may very well have made his female characters strong because their existence would be laughable. After all, Elizabethan stage actors were all male; women were never allowed in theatre. Furthermore, the tendencies of comedic so-called ââ¬Å"feministâ⬠characters are to either succumb to societyââ¬â¢s restrain ts, or to be smothered by overpowering male dominance. The women of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s plays are usually the ones who change, often when they become married. Katherina, for example, succumbs to marriage, settling for Petruchio, a drunkard whose ostentatious personality and strong sense of deviance outweighs her own rejections of conformity and domestication. Her resilience goes unrewarded, and she once again becomes a subservient figure in the archetypal patriarchy of the time. A large reason behind female suppression in Shakespearean plays was also public acceptance. No patron, male or female, would return to Shakespeareââ¬â¢s productions if the prevailing themes were the emancipation of women. Female assertion was a taboo, a reason why it was so popular in comedies. The greatest aspect of comedies is the aversion of tragedy; negative happenstances that reach fruition are tragedies, and the same happenstances that are avoided are comedies. As the defining characteristic of a c omedy, the resolution of a problem is mirrored in the pacification of said comedyââ¬â¢s female rogues. The strength of women in Shakespeareââ¬â¢s plays, therefore, is a literary tool used to build up the glory and triumph of men and the patriarchies in which they exist. What cannot be dismissed, however, is the context in which Shakespeare wrote the plays. Speculation of his historical surroundings denote Shakespeareââ¬â¢s tendency to pander to leadership, in this case, Englandââ¬â¢s greatest female monarch, Elizabeth I. Though society was largely patriarchal, the monarchy led by queen who did not marry. It is not completely unlikely that Shakespeare pandered to the female monarch, emulating her reluctance to wed in his ââ¬Å"The Taming of the Shrew.â⬠Queen Elizabeth, after all, did not marry, nor would she fit into societyââ¬â¢s mold of the typical woman. Shakespeareââ¬â¢s characters were daring for the time, as they also broke the mold of Elizabethan women. Unlike Queen Elizabeth, however, the strong female characters of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s plays were exemplified by their ability to manipulate, control, and overpower men. In many ways, the strength of women served as a means to make women antagonists. For example, Desdemonaâ⠬â¢s power existed to drive Othello mad with her unchecked sexuality. She exhibited a power over men, one that would not be contained or controlled by men. Though Iago manipulated the characters of ââ¬Å"Othelloâ⬠, it was extreme jealousy that drove the playââ¬â¢s namesake mad, causing him to kill himself and the woman he could not control. The message conveyed in Othello could be construed to be a foreboding one to women in society and the men that dominated them: losing control of women and compromising male dominance leads to tragic consequences. Shakespeareââ¬â¢s Rosalind was unique, different from Desdemona and Katherina in her omniscience and enlightened state. Though the complexity of her emotions and thoughts is unrivaled in ââ¬Å"As You Like It,â⬠she takes on a darker side, one of manipulation and social subversion. Though laudable, her social deviance still leaves the play wanting for a male counterpart to complement her. She cannot criticize the respective stations of men and women for too long without succumbing to loveââ¬â¢s fetters herself. It is as though Shakespeare is communicating the futility of female nonconformity. Shakespeareââ¬â¢s penultimate message in comedic female characters is one of concession. Though women are welcome to mock and society and live outside its bounds, they all must eventually ââ¬Å"growâ⬠into wives and docile domesticates
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Downsizing in America :: Essays Papers
Downsizing in America - INTRODUCTION - Downsizing, restructuring, rightsizing, even a term as obscure as census readjustment has been used to describe the plague that has been affecting corporate America for years and has left many of its hardest working employees without work. In the 1980ââ¬â¢s, twenty-five percent of middle management was eliminated in the United States (Greenberg/Baron 582). In the 1990ââ¬â¢s, one million managers of American corporations with salaries over $40,000 also lost their jobs (Greenberg/Baron 582). In total, Fortune 500 companies have eliminated 4.4 million positions since 1979 (Greenberg/Baron 627). Although this downsizing of companies can have many reasons behind it and cannot be avoided at times, there are simple measures a company can take to make the process easier on the laid-off employees and those who survive with the company. - STAGES OF DOWNSIZING - The downsizing process can generally be broken down into three distinct stages. The first stage is called the diagnostic stage. In this stage, management staff pulls together and determines the amount of costs and expenses that need to be reduced, and how much can come out of layoffs (Moore 49). This stage usually takes about two to three months to complete. During this time, the upper management reviews all financial records in order to determine how much must be cut from salary expenditures (Moore 50). This stage is concluded when the senior management has a detailed plan on who will be let go, and who will remain with the company. During this stage, there is one common mistake many companies make: lack of communication. The middle management is usually left out of all downsizing plans. This is wrong and creates a big mistake. Middle management should be looked upon as a valuable tool for giving input where cuts should be made (Moore 51). The next stage of downsizing is the implementation stage. During this stage the employees are laid off. The time between an announcement and the actual layoff should be as short as possible. This will almost insure that a panic will be avoided, and give a clear view of the situation at hand without causing mass-hysteria. In a managerial position, it is difficult to explain to an employee that he or she is being laid off, but Terrence Moore gives a guideline on how it should be done. Small talk should be avoided. Management should clearly explain that the employee is being laid off and be prepared to answer questions directly; avoid beating around the bush.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Variation in Education between Industrial and Developing Countries
While there remain many differences between developing and industrialized nations, one particularly important area in which these differences persist is in education. This essay examines some of the many differences in education between developing and industrialized nations, including differences in access to education, quality of education received, and availability and uptake of higher education.Access to EducationOne of the major differences in education between industrial and developing nations is the level of access which children have to education. Children in developing countries tend to have far less access to education at all levels than children in industrialized nations, although the differences have been particularly well studied in relation to primary education. For example it is estimated that of the 113 million children of primary school age across the world who donââ¬â¢t have access to education, 94 percent live in developing nations (Glewwe & Kremer, 2006).There a re many different factors which may contribute to this, and in fact there are many subgroups within developing countries which differ in terms of access to education. For example those living in rural areas are far less likely to have access to education at any level than those living in urban areas. In addition, some groups such as females and those with disabilities may also have much lower access to education for a number of reasons, many of which may be governed by cultural beliefs and expectations and financial factors (Filmer, 2008).School Enrolment and Years in EducationEven where education is available, there are still often low enrolment rates in developing nations. This may be partially related to legislation in different countries ââ¬â for example schooling is mandatory to a certain age in most industrial nations, while it is still predominantly voluntary in most developing nations. In addition, other factors in these countries may dominate the level of enrolment with in certain groups, for example in many developing nations fewer females are enrolled in schools than males due to expectations for their performing domestic duties from a young age (Lloyd et al., 2008).In fact there appear to be significant differences in the years of schooling which are typically received by school children in developing nations and industrialized countries, even where rates of enrolment may be initially quite high. It has been suggested that the mean years of schooling has increased by around 3 years across developing countries since the 1960s, but most schoolchildren in developing nations still receive many years less schooling than those in richer countries (Glewwe & Kremer, 2006).Quality of EducationThere is also suggested to be a stark contrast in the quality of education which is offered to children in developing nations when compared to industrialized countries. The evidence which is cited as indicating lower quality includes much higher rates of grade repet ition and the early leaving age of many children from school (Glewwe & Kremer, 2006). While this may to some extent indicate a lower quality of education (Hanushek et al., 2008), it must however also be considered that a lower school leaving age may also be associated with a need to engage in employment in a younger age in many developing countries (Gunnarsson et al., 2006).There are many different factors which may contribute to the lower quality education which is found in many developing nations, including a lack of funding and a lack of resources including both basic teaching materials and access to suitably qualified teaching staff (Glewwe & Kramer, 2006). Many developing nations may be in a difficult position to address these problems without outside assistance from developed countries.Higher EducationAccess to education is not only much lower in primary education in developing nations, but also higher levels of education. Higher education remains far more popular in the indus trialized countries than in developing countries, and several studies have shown there to have been a marked increase in uptake in industrialized nations since the Second World War. For example most industrialized countries now have a university enrolment rate of more than 50 percent of the 18 to 21 year age group, while some have a rate of up to 80 percent (Schofer & Meyer, 2005). This does not however necessarily reflect a difference in the level of education in the younger age groups; instead this is more likely to be related to differences in the demand for higher education qualifications and the availability of funding for these courses. For example in many developing nations there remains more of an emphasis on practical training and there may also be less financial support for higher education courses (Altbach & Knight, 2006).ConclusionsIt is clear that there remain substantial differences between many developing and industrialized nations in terms of the education which is b oth offered and received. It is recognized that the differences in the levels of access to education, the rates of enrolment and the quality of education which is delivered may be particularly important, as each of these may be directly related to the economic development of a country.
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