The Selfish Hedonist

â€Å"I'll have a husband yet / who shall be both my debtor and my slave / [†¦ ] for mine shall be the power all his life† (Chaucer 262). In The Canterbury Tales, the Wife of Bath, also known as Alison, presents herself as the authority on marriage and marital life. She comments on the social and legal position of women in marriage and daily life. She claims she has her knowledge from experience, not from scriptural authority. She dictates her life story of her five previous relationships with her fellow pilgrims to show her experience. Rather than rejecting scriptural authority, she appeals to logic thus rejecting too strict interpretations of scriptural rules and commandments. She gives ridiculous details of her marriages, including her marrying old wealthy men so that she could get their money once they died. After telling the unreasonable details of her relationships, she goes on to tell a tale about an old hag and one of King Arthur's knights. The old hag forces the knight to marry her after she helps him with a life-saving question of â€Å"What do women most want in life? The Wife of Bath attempts to portray the idealness of a woman's domination in the end yet she fails because the old hag becomes passive again. Through the Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale in The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer portrays the Wife of Bath as a selfish hedonist and feminist trying to gain complete control over men. Her new stand on women's supremacy only shows her selfishness because she wasn't trying to make a difference or revolutionize anything, she was only trying to gain personal benefits. The Wife of Bath's prologue is used to explain the basis of her theories on authority and sovereignty. The medieval Church at the time of the Wife of Bath saw her as a wicked woman, and she boasts about it with pride: â€Å"If I turn difficult, God give me sorrow! † (262). â€Å"Her marrying three old men in succession is a violation of not only of the law of common sense but even of the law of Nature, who would bring together those of comparable age† (Oberembt 288). Marrying another man after already being married previously is already a scandalous crime for this time period. Now to marry someone much older than herself a few times in a row is wrong not only in the eyes of God, but it is wrong along the lines of common sense too. The text of the Wife of Bath's Prologue is based on an allegorical ‘confession' in which she tells her sins to her audience in her life story: â€Å"O Lord, I wrecked their peace / innocent they were, without remorse! † (Chaucer 268). She confesses to deceiving and tricking her husbands just so she could get money and admits to arrange a fifth marriage while still in her fourth. In doing so, she demoralizes herself to try to be better than a man. Having more power than a man means she gets to decide, yet she goes and ruins her own reputation just so she can have an edge over men. Her rebellion against patriarchal authority and the abusive treatment of particular men expressed by the Wife of Bath are really but the projections of her selfish attitude: â€Å"His pleasures were my profit, I concurred† (269). She does not care about anyone but herself and she chooses to display that willingly. She has a self-centered interpretation of the marriage. Oberembt uses the argument that she was only twelve years old in her first marriage and that she was unable to conceive a child with her first husband which could've lead to her â€Å"frustration† (Oberembt 288). Through her words, and mostly through her actions, the Wife of Bath expresses her views on a wife's domination through her own life story. The Wife of Bath's Tale is an exemplum, providing an answer to the question, â€Å"What do women want? † Chaucer uses the Wife of Bath to explain and give an example that women most desire sovereignty: â€Å"A woman wants the self-same sovereignty / over her husband† (Chaucer 186). The tale is Alison's idea of the perfect illustration of her point. The Knight gives in to his new old wife and therefore she becomes beautiful in his eyes because she has now been given the right to choose. But if one was to switch the roles of men and women in society, men would become a very meek and uncertain group of people who wouldn't know how to behave. â€Å"Thus the Wife of Bath comically inverted the conventional sex-linked male and female behaviors† (Oberembt 300). When the Knight of King Arthur lets the old hag make the decision, he abandoned the male's sovereignty in favor of the woman's rule: â€Å"My dearest wife / I leave the matter to your wise decision† (Chaucer 291). The Wife of Bath most likely sees her story as what she wishes would happen normally. But by her story, she's not changing anything or giving examples on how to change the present ways because no man is going to willingly give up his sovereignty only to have his wife rule over him. The Wife of Bath is an early extreme feminist who believed in women having the most power and command over their husbands: â€Å"You make the choice yourself† (291). â€Å"Through the Old Hag, Dame Alice persuades an unreasonable male chauvinist to renounce self-indulgence and to accept the only reasonable norm for human conduct† (Oberembt 300). She is the only person who believes that a woman's domination will make everyone happy. But on the man's side of the story, he is forced to give up his masculinity and become sensual only so that his wife can now become masculine. In the Wife of Bath's Tale, she attempts to convey her message that women want domination, yet with closer analysis one sees that her ideas do not seem to work out well. Chaucer seems to have made the relationship of the tale and the teller to force one to consider Alison's argument of domination. The argument in contrast to this belief is the idea that the Alison just wants a mutual relationship, one that is of giving and receiving: â€Å"His pleasures were my profit, I concurred† (Chaucer 269). If the Wife of Bath is telling us that marriage is all about having sex with your spouse just so that they could give you fancy things and money in return, there is no sign of a revolutionary idea. McKinley states that â€Å"each spouse's body becomes the property of the other by virtue of the new marital alliance† (371). If this is the case, then the couple has the right to each other and the right to have sex with each other and there shouldn't be any type of give and take mentality. In the end of the tale, the old hag relinquishes her power and never really becomes the dominant of the two: â€Å"‘And have I won the mastery? said she† (Chaucer 291). She becomes a passive wife when she gives up her power by giving the knight what he wants. This is because the knight gives her the choice to choose and it seems as though she now has complete control, yet she gives up her power when he wants to have sex with her and she resigns his power and listens to him. The Wife of Bath's Tale ultimately contradicts Alison's belief of female domination in that the woman never gains domination over the man: â€Å"My dearest wife / I leave the matter to your wise decision [†¦ ] [Sir,] Do with my life and Death as you think best† (291). The language and acts of self-sacrifice, obedience, and submission seem to suggest the very antithesis of self-actualizing, assertive behavior which feminism [and Alison] has championed (McKinley 373). † Throughout the Wife of Bath's Prologue, Alison stands strong to the idea that women should have complete control over their husbands. One might think that the tale she would tell contains support to her ideas, but it does not. For in the end, Chaucer shows us that the Wife of Bath's idea of domination wouldn't work because she would eventually give her power up again only after just receiving it. Therefore, Chaucer depicts Alison as a selfish woman who wants authority over her husband and yet in the end he shows how her ideas would never work. One must come to the conclusion that the Wife of Bath only tries to express her belief in a wife's complete supremacy over their husbands. In the Wife of Bath's Prologue, Alison uses her experience to verify her theories on a wife's supremacy. She also uses Biblical examples to support her ideas, such as previous Biblical characters that had multiple spouses. But her life story is evidence to her views and without her personal input one would wonder whether or not her beliefs really would work. In the Wife of Bath's Tale, Alison most likely sees her story as what she wishes would happen normally. But with a closer look at the details, she's not changing anything or giving examples on how to change the present ways because no man is going to willingly give up his sovereignty only to have his wife rule over him. Also, the tale ultimately proves Alison wrong because the old hag becomes passive in the end after being given the control. Alison proves her theory wouldn't work, and Chaucer tries to explain why a woman's superiority wouldn't work too well through the old hag and her decision to give into the knight's request of sex.

A Talk To Teachers; Rhetorical Analysis Essay

On the 21st of December, James Baldwin issued a â€Å"Talk to teachers† essay. It was a genuine and brave attempt to change the views of the society concerning the racial discrimination. It was a courageous and very criticizing message to the community emphasizing the weaknesses of the society and uncovering its gaps. Making a Talk to Teachers summary, primarily the author appeals to a teacher, endeavoring to evoke the realizing of the fact that the history that they teach is wrong. The visions of African American as a cluster of society are old and need to reconsider information, which they deliver to their pupils, being on lectures. He tries to evoke the understanding of their wrong perception of the history. Moreover, he tries to deliver the idea that it is improper to raise the seeds of evil in the souls of schoolchildren. The author claims that the school is a significant institution greatly influencing the formation of personalities from their childhood to the youth period. In case, when a person is raised in the atmosphere of abuse, the Afro American child from the early years feels the inferiority, knowing one’s position in the society and the status of his family as well. Baldwin claims that the primary aim of education is to enable a person to interact with the external world and the society as well as identification one’s position in that society. He considers that schooling lacked progress and was stuck on the same level as it was many years ago. Nowadays, the education distorts the people’s understanding of themselves from that one available in the society. It makes them try to change it; however, people do not accept those individuals, who have a strong desire to implements changes. The reality is harsh, and authors manage to illustrate this point. Baldwin manages to depict the cruel picture of reality. He illustrates the attitude of the society towards individuals, which are always victims of the prejudice imposed by the schoolteachers from their early years. He enhances his claims with plenty of real-life examples. He tells a story about an Afro American, who from the early years realize why his parents work so hard and why they are always stressed. He knows the reason why he is not allowed to sit in front of the bus. The next wave of bullying he faces at school. He provides the rude and harsh facts to the reader to make him removing rose-tinted glasses. At this point, the tone of the essay reaches the peak of reflectiveness and sadness. Children, who constantly faced such attitude at school and later at other places, where they had contact with the society, become unable to live in harmony with themselves. The surrounding made them feel vulnerable and unsaved. Moreover, other people influenced the distorting of their personal understanding of who are they and what their position in this life is. Moving to the next sense section of the essay, the author enhances the text with the facts of his personal life and tells about himself being a boy. He makes an emphasis on the several trades of character, making a man being a criminal aiming to survive in a harsh society. He enhances the text with plenty of adjectives, as severe, ruthless, and cunning. Baldwin managed to render the contrast between the lives of blacks and whites. Moreover, the writer emphasizes that â€Å"Because if I am no what I’ve told I am, then it means that you’re not what you thought you were either!† It is the turning point of the whole message. Baldwin manages to illustrate his position clearly. He proves that all people are equal. If you dare to think that someone understanding of his personality differs from the real position in the society, you face the same risk. At any point, it may turn out that you are not the person, whom you consider yourself to be. The crisis is the section, where the author recognizes the gaps and drawbacks of the educational system and prepares the audience to perceive his personal views concerning this question. Then goes the truth. The writer told that if you are lying about one aspect of the history, it means that you probably distort the truth about the whole past. In this very passage, the author appeals to a target audience using the pronoun â€Å"you† to make the message more personalized. His main appeal to the people working in educational sphere is to reshape the history written many years ago. The times have changed and the prejudice towards â€Å"Negros† that was present in that period is not relevant today. It was a wrong strategy to impose upon children the oddly established beliefs, which may influence self-perception of other people. Ending an essay, the writer claims that it is the personal responsibility of everyone to influence the course of education and implements changes. The composition ends with the upbeat and inspiring tone, applies plenty of repetitions. What is more, he describes his model of behavior in case he was a teacher. The most influential part of the composition is the ending. The author appeals to the humanity applying both logos and pathos. Baldwin described the right way of educating the society. The position of the writer is clear. He dared to uncover the blunt truth about the education and tackled upon the myths of history that are still being used. James Baldwin essays imply many inspiring words, which author uses to render his thoughts clearly. The writer issued a powerful and inspiring piece and using a few words managed to dwell upon the significant problem needing an urgent solution. He illustrated the root of the problem as well the consequences, which arose. His tone is strict, but outright. James Baldwin uncovers the truth that is overlooked and ignored by people. He issued a manifest endeavoring to imply changes. He was brave enough to announce the fact, which was silenced for many centuries. By this radical message, he tries tom appeal to the humanity. The writer wants to persuade people that such attitude is the old relic. James Baldwin turns to every person with a message that it is the personal responsibility of everyone considering oneself an educated person to change the society. Everything starts with the mentality of people and their level of perception of the external world, its rules and beliefs. Is we are not sheep following the shepherd, we have to think globally and turn off the stereotypes created by people with a limited worldview. By uncovering the ugly truth, he tries to change the minds of readers and influence the situation that needs urgent change.

Quails Gate Winery Experiece Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Quails Gate Winery Experiece - Essay Example Brand experience I think consists of expression, interaction, responsiveness and resilience, Therefore my view on Quails Gate Winery is shaped by my positive, negative, and personal experiences that I have encountered during my short visit to the place. Customers are normally preoccupied with so many things so that a personalizing experience is one way to build brand loyalty. I observed during my trip that the company tried to make positive impressions through a different approach of a marketing strategy. The marketing strategy of this company is detailed on experience they deliver to their customers on every interaction they make. I think that the winery experience established a compelling experience to build brand loyalty faster, and this knowledge becomes a brand in customers’ mind. My encounter with the Quails Gate Winery in Canada took place few months ago. This experience exposed me to agro-tourism, and gave me some learning about winery. I have learned to appreciate nature, relationships, and learned marketing strategies that could later on be relevant in business. In the process, I came to apply the cognitive, sense, relational experience, and emotions that are related to my brand experience in that trip. So, whenever I think of red wine, I think of the Quails Gate wine, such as I have developed brand loyalty because of experience. The Quail Gates winery was established in 1989 and was operated as a family winery business. Over the years, the family has developed its vineyard, cultivated, and promoted its plantations, and today it boasts of owning 189 acres of vineyard in Okanagan, Canada. Company is regarded as a leader in viticulture practices in Canada and has produced notable grape varieties. The family is known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blocks. Today, Quail Gates Winery is recognized as one of Canada’s agro-tourism sites. Visitors return again and again

Operation Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Operation Paper - Essay Example The business operations need to be overseen by the leaders of a particular organization which ensures that the set targets are achieved and even surpassed. The operations of the businesses undertaken by the organization need to be well organized as well. Organizations of all forms have a group of leaders who oversee the running of its daily business. The codes of conduct followed by the leaders of the organization are stipulated in the constitution of the memorandum of understanding of a particular organization. The leadership of the organization has to have leaders who are well versed with the operations of the business (Ryans, More, Deutscher 49). If the organization is a form of innovation, its operations have to be run by an entrepreneur who came up with a business idea being implemented in a particular organization. Alternatively, if the entrepreneur or the owner of the business is just an initiator of the idea, entrepreneurs can come up with newer innovations to improve the entrepreneurs’ ideas. For an organization to reach its profit targets, it should treat all its stakeholders well. This is because, the stakeholders, most especially the consumers, creditors and employees play a key role in production and supply. If an employee, creditor and consumer are satisfied, profitability will be achieved. The leaders selected to manage the operations of the organization must possess the qualities of good leaders. Organizational leadership is the key to a successful organization since it is a major ingredient to quality output (Ryans, More, Deutscher 70). A business being an organization whose main objective is generating profits needs to be marketed. Business marketing is the act of marketing an organization’s products to another business that further sells it to the consumers. This activity of business marketing is mostly delegated to the marketing department, which is given the role of

Deciding what is wrong and Right Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Deciding what is wrong and Right - Essay Example The moral sense pertains individual particular emotional act. An act is right if the agent during the moment of action feels emotional approval towards an action. In this sense, one tends to perform an act that he or she approves. One abstains from an action that the person disapproves. Some emotions are called approval and others disapproval. In most instances, there must be some level of truth in the choice one take. Another judgment of approval may or may not be right. Scholars like Aristotle, Plato, Kant, and Mill touches on the right or the wrong act as understood in ethics. Aristotle, Plato, Kant and Mill in their works talk at different levels of making the right decision. Aristotle represents virtue ethics. Kant talks about duty ethics. Mill discusses utilitarianism. The four writers dwell on morality in their search for the right actions or highest good. Aristotle’s view is in self-sufficiency in the fulfillment of the ultimate desire. He emphasizes the conformity with the personal virtues. He regards happiness as an activity of the soul in accord with the perfect virtue. To him, people have to behave right to achieve happiness. As Plato’s student, he loved to categorized things. Aristotle argues that for our actions to be moral or immoral, right or wrong, we must have a certain level of health and wealth. He adopted a scientific and empirical approach to the problems resulted from ethics. Happiness to Aristotle is achieved by acting moderately. What is good for one person may not be right for another person. The use of reason alone may not define what is best for him. Plato, Aristotle’s teacher, states that the good or right is of the knowledge, and the evil or wrong is from the lack of knowledge. Therefore, a question of a good act is purely intellectual. He argues that there is only one right course of action.

Theology and arts reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theology and arts reflection paper - Essay Example This is due to their perceived insubordination to the government, which is attributed to their subscription to an alien Westernized culture. Apparently this culture is synonymously equated with the Christian faith (EndÃ…  and Johnston 31). The persecution of the foreign missionaries alongside their Japanese Christian faithful is thus traced back to the Japanese emperor’s concern about the Christianized Japanese inequality loyalty. This is in favor of the foreign Christian emissaries and to the defiance of the government’s directives. In addition, Japanese cultural ethnicity had a cognitively entrenched religious identity in form of Buddhism, which formed part of the Japanese ethnic identity (EndÃ…  and Johnston 18). Contrarily, Christianity challenged some of the religious ordinances of the Japanese tradition such as Buddhism due to their contravention with Christianity dogma teaching against idolatry. This was subsequently viewed as an attempt by the Japanese ethnic conservatism to obliterate and substitute Japanese ethnicity with Western European identity. On the other hand, the film â€Å"Mission† posits a purely evangelization missionary approach aimed at spreading Christianity as an integral part of the South American Gulani community cultural identity. The evangelism aspect of the missionary work amongst the Gulani community is exhibited by the mutual and harmonious coexistence between Christians and non-Christians groups. In addition, challenges to the Christian faith within the Gulani community exclusively come from forces outside the Gulani’s geopolitical locality such as the Portuguese. This is accompanied with minimum or no resistance experienced within the community’s multiethnic groups (Morricone). Evangelism missionary approach amongst the Gulani community is thus directed towards the exclusive substitution of the pagan religious dogma of the

Global Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global Financial Management - Essay Example nations have different practices and foreign policies, Ghosn encouraged the building of new production plants across different countries to cut on the costs. Foreign currencies often caused price fluctuations for Nissan Company; production of its equipment and motor vehicles in yen made it vulnerable to fluctuation problem. This is because not all of its foreign customers made their purchases at the same exchange value. Carlos studied the problem and established that the starting of new assembling plants in the foreign countries would save the company from unnecessary costs (Heidrich, 2007). Further, he set a program that would weigh the commodity costs over to the foreign currencies such that Nissan would not entirely bid. It defined its investment into short-term and long-term ones, thus, coming up with definite objectives activities of core interest. To reduce the entire production cost of its vehicles, CEO encouraged to source spares from suppliers; this reduced the costs of employees and further shifted the risks to the suppliers accordingly. However, the practice did not affect much on the commodity cost reduction. Therefore, Nissan set an approach to technological advancements; eventually, this would help to minimize usage of expensive raw materials. The exercise has proved to bring useful increment in profits over the past financial periods. Nissan directly employs a cost shifting policy whereby all costs are periodically set such that whenever there are no changes in the selling price, there are no changes in the purchasing price. The concept that risks exposed Nissan to conflicts of exchange elevates the meaning that it employs measures to maintain interests and put lesser concerns on profitability. Nissan Company merges relatively comfortably with the entire business community. The effective, harmonious environment it poses to its employees facilitates it; company affiliates, for example, Mercedes Benz and Renault, set it above par (Heidrich, 2007).

Illegal Pay Discrimination, Bad Pay Policy, or Both Essay

Illegal Pay Discrimination, Bad Pay Policy, or Both - Essay Example However, his salary was $10,000 more than the female associate. Moreover, the other two counselors that were hired had no experience in counseling, and their salary is similar to the female associate. In my opinion, Charles M. Cummings is correct in believing that employees do enjoy having their achievements acknowledged by others, especially their supervisors and peers. Employees gain a sense of accomplishment and belonging when their achievements and successes are acknowledged. They are more successfully driven and motivated when they feel that they are contributing to the company or organization as a whole. Alfie Kohn believes that incentives do not motivate employees to perform their best for the long-term, only short-term. He believes that, when employees feel they will gain incentives for their performance, they will only improve their performance for a short while. Their performance will, eventually, drift back to its same, previous status. On the other hand, there are situations in which Kohn's theory of employees' performance does prove to be true. For example, working in a call center, the job is customer-service, whether the calls are in-bound or out-bound. In this particular situation, the calls are in-bound, meaning that customers call into the call center for help. Answering theAnswering the calls and helping customers with their problems, repeatedly, can become very tiresome. As a result, call centers usually offer their employees incentives for performing their job well, though the boost in the employees' performance will, most of the time, only last long enough to gain the incentive. Call centers also offer their employees incentives to find other people to come and be employees as well, and, more often than not, the performance cycle repeats itself. In conclusion, Charles M. Cummings believes that employees are encouraged when others acknowledge their successes, and this is true. However, there are instances when the theory of Alfie Kohn will be acceptable such as the situation with the call centers. Incentives can motivate employees to be more successful at their job, but the boost in performance will only be short-term. 13.1 - Unionizing FedEx FedEx should be unionized, and there are several reasons for this action. The policies and economic standpoint of FedEx seems to change frequently, these days, as with other companies in the workforce. The information that weighed heaviest on my decision was the fact that, when the employees at the Antigua location of FedEx engaged in a strike, the company terminated all of its employees and closed the office.Employees should have a right to have secure employment at their place of employment. Should FedEx unionized, the employees would, at least, know that their job will not be eliminated. However, if the employees' jobs are eliminated, FedEx would be liable for compensation for their ex-employees, depending on the

Outline and Analyze the Challenges Facing Mellon Investor Services Essay Example for Free

Outline and Analyze the Challenges Facing Mellon Investor Services Essay Assignment Task Outline and analyze the challenges facing Mellon Investor Services in their organizational redesign and assess how well the company have dealt with those challenges in how they are approaching and managing the change. Delong, T. and Vijayaraghavan, V. (2002) Mellon Investor Services (ECCH case reference 9-402-036, Harvard Business School) Introduction Mellon Investor Services (â€Å"MIS†) is an investment management and investment services company, focused to help clients manage and move their financial assets and succeed in the rapidly changing global marketplace. Between 2000 and 2001 MIS underwent a substantial organizational redesign, which will be critically considered in this essay. Wittington and Mayer (2002) suggest that organizational performance is driven by the company’s ability to redesign structures frequently, however the change requires participation of people leading the change i.e. agents, organizational structure that welcomes the change and appropriate managements styles. The Chief Financial Officer of MIS, Jim Aramanda led the company for few very successful years, during which MIS was providing new offerings for transfer agent services including issue services, employee plans and direct services, broker / dealer services. The company had five years of successful growth and MIS was meeting and exceeding its financial goals. In Autumn of 2002 Aramanda’s became concerned for the successful future of the company and he recognised few areas that required closer attention: †¢different business units were not consolidating their offerings and taking advantage of various products, which resulted in two Requests For Proposal coming from one client whereby both RFPs were replied to separately, as opposed to a combined and unified response, †¢current successful offering of core products did not guarantee that MIS would grow in future, †¢MIS staff were not building long-term relationship with the clients therefore business opportunities may not be spotted in good time, †¢requirement for new measures of performance and progress, †¢lack of focus on hiring and rewarding talented people, †¢lack of focus on product development, which was manifested in product being offered by the sales department without confirmation that the product may actually be delivered to the clients, †¢Some of the groups, such as technology, were too achievement oriented without being focused. In order to address the above concerns and mould the company to his new vision, Aramanda hired a number of experienced consultants to support his structural redesign of MIS. Aramanda realised that the change would also involve a dramatic shift of vision and attitudes to introduce new systems and subsystems, with the likely result of clash of wills. Buchanan Badham (2008) argue that such a change can be successful if it involves one person influencing the organization according to their values, and Aramanda had the clear vision and skills to gather a team of knowledgeable people to fundamentally amend and adjust MIS future capabilities. The change that MIS underwent could be classified as ‘strategic’ or ‘transformational’ (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2010) and it aimed to redefine the boundaries, methods of problem-solving and doing business in the company. Aramanda acted on his vision in a very organized manner, as he instantly hired experienced, independent and talented consultants, Mary Davis and Jeanne DiFrancesco, and empowered them to accurately assess how the change should be conducted whilst keeping disruption of the day-to-day business activities to the minimum, design a four-phase project that was consistent with Aramanda’s aggressive deadlines, and work alongside all business units to manage the organizational change smoothly and efficiently. Although the organizational change instigated by Aramanda and facilitated by the consultants proved a great success, there were certain areas that should have been dealt with differently. The main challenges I have chosen as a topic of this assignment included overall communication, dealing with resistance to change and managing relationships. 1. Communication Buchanan and Huczynski (2010) note that many managers do not pay attention to communication when implementing change, which may increase employee absenteeism, turnover and low productivity. Furthermore, some of the reasons for employees’ increased expectation during the change process are availability of information through the internet as well as employees’ anticipation to contribute ideas and be kept informed. If these expectations are met, employees feel valued and therefore are more likely to be committed to the company and perform better at their work. Aramanda wanted to be supportive of a certain degree of open communication culture, which was manifested by a requirement for the employees to nominate their colleagues for newly created job posts. This approach was also constructed to represent Aramanda’s interests and to manipulate employee attitudes and behaviours. The nomination process aimed to take advantage of knowledge in the network or informal skills that perhaps could have been difficult to be evaluated by an outsider. The outcome however proved to be different than anticipated, as it created a negative feeling amongst the employees. Furthermore, one of the reasons for hiring consultants in the first place was to take advantage of their impartiality and independence from office politics. Insufficient communication was also evident in Phase One of the organizational change, during which key services, products and activities of the business were analysed. The result was anxiousness amongst the employees, who being afraid of job cuts, would feel that they were disregarded and forgotten, which in return lowered their productivity until the process was complete. As outlined by Buchanan and Huczynski (2010), many companies operate within a range of open and closed communication climate. Open and honest communication leads to employees having realistic expectations, and closed and defensive communication creates an atmosphere of distrust and secrecy. Although Aramanda’s relationship with his superiors was commendable, as he had a very open working relationship with the consultants and his direct reports, the communication with his employees was not as successful. One of the reasons for this situation was a lack of Head of Corporate Communications, whose post was vacant until June 2001, therefore all information during the process of a change was not communicated to the staff. Kotter and Schlesinger (1979) confirm that communication of ideas assists employees see the logic and need for change. The implication for MIS was that employees did not understand what was happening, therefore they were more unlikely to follow management decisions. Issues of communication also affected existing relationships with clients. One of the objectives of the organizational change was to evaluate every job function and employee in line with the new business strategy. This resulted in creation of new key groups, including new ‘business development’ team focused on growth and return on investment in new clients and ‘client management’ team whose assignment was growth and return on investment in existing clients. The new groups comprised of employees that had to move away from the relationships they took time and effort to establish with their clients. Before the change these relationships lead to more sales and generated more business through word of mouth. Furthermore, strong relationships improved the internal organization, morale, increased engagement and lead to greater satisfaction at work. By creation of new groups the above relationships were damaged or broken, which could have lead to a possible revenue loss caused by the impact that the organizational change had on the client satisfaction. 2. Resistance to change Buchanan and Huczynski (2010) confirm that change implies a positive experiment and creation of something new as well as a negative confrontation with the unknown through the deconstruction of familiar arrangements. Some of the MIS employees demonstrated unwillingness to accept the proposed changes, as they perceived them as threatening to the individual. The main causes of resistance to change were as follows: †¢Lack of facilitation and support Kotter and Schlesinger (1979) outline facilitation and support as most helpful, where fear and anxiety lie at the heart of resistance. At MIS some of the managers were not supporting their employees in new roles, as people were expected to continue to take care of their old responsibilities, therefore the new responsibilities had to take second priority. They employees were not given sufficient time to adjust to new jobs or recover after demanding period. †¢Low tolerance for change Buchanan and Huczynski (2010) stress that that people differ in their ability to cope with change and uncertainty, which may lead them to oppose even potentially beneficial changes. Kotter and Schlesinger (1979) agree that if the change is significant and the employee’s tolerance for change is low, he might begin to actively oppose the change for reasons he does not consciously understand. †¢Misunderstanding and lack of trust Buchanan and Huczynski (2010) argue that employees are more likely to resist the change if they don’t understand the reasons behind it. As outlined in the section above regarding lack of communication, it becomes transparent that MIS employees were not told what are the positive implications of change, therefore they believed the change might cost them much more than they would gain. This could be characterised by having a low level of trust between employees and managers and result in misunderstandings and increased perception of threat when change was introduced. 3. Networks and relationships Another challenge facing the organizational change of MIS was managing existing relationships and creating new networks. One of aims for the reorganization once MIS services and products and market needs were analysed, was to break down capabilities into building blocks and then to recompose the blocks to fit within the new strategy. In practice this meant changing the divisional structure of the organization from service-based to customer-based. The change from ‘squares’ to ‘squares and triangles’ caused a large power shift and a felling of unrest and injustice to many employees. In the new organization chart the ‘triangles’ comprised of market-facing professionals and were perceived as the ‘winners’. The triangles included new business development, client management, product management development and business management analytics units. A triangle holds its place as a symbol in the mathematics of ideal proportions and in the MIS reorganizational design employees chosen to become a part of new teams were deemed as ‘drivers’ having a superior status. This formal status was closely related to the leadership, generally accepted by the others with a power to influence and control other groups. On the other hand, the ‘squares’ represented all other employees in the company and were perceived as the ‘losers’ and ‘followers’ and deemed to have an inferior status. Buchanan and Huczynski (2010) note that lower status groups have less power and tend to be less influential, therefore employees actively seeking status in order to fulfil their self-esteem may experience personal dissatisfaction. Buchanan and Huczynski (2010) note that this method of implementing organizational change can cause confusion and increase employees’ level of stress. The MIS consultants hoped that by dismantling of social networks, new networks would grow very quickly. The presumption was made that the existing social networks used to compensate for the inefficiencies in the old system, so now they should accelerate the efficiencies of the new system. Some employees viewed this as a positive move, as it allowed transitioning some people to other teams to build communication and continuity based on their prior experiences in other business areas. This however had a more political aspect as many managers when switching roles from ‘triangles’ to ‘squares’ in their self-interest wanted to take the good people with them. In practice, whereby poor communication was also a contributing factor, the new social networks were not created as rapidly as anticipated and had a negative influence on employee engagement and work performance. Another reason for changing the divisional structure of the organization was MIS’ lack of integration. Child (2004) stresses that integration is a vital product of good organization, whereby different activities collectively create value. One of identified reasons for change at MIS was to consolidate their product offering to create more value for the customers. Although it is relatively easy to state the requirement for integration, it is not so straightforward to achieve it. The problem of integration presents itself most noticeably in the relations between functions that are responsible for producing services according to predetermined parameters established within the company, and functions that have to continuously adapt to the external environment. The organization cannot remained viable without this integration. Teams are one of the most commonly used means for achieving integration, however during the implementation of change at MIS these were taken apart under conditions of uncertainty and pressure. One of the signs that the integration needs were not sufficiently met by the new teams was conflict between departments, mainly between ‘triangles’ and ‘squares’. This situation would require ongoing monitoring to ensure that the conflict does not become persistent and threat overall teams’ performance. Summary As outlined above, the main challenges of the organizational change instigated by Aramanda included overall communication, dealing with resistance to change and managing relationships. The organizational change was possible due to a great contribution from the consultants, who appreciated that an organizational change is a complex process to dramatically adjust organization vision, structure and culture in a continuous effort to improve the performance. Reference list 1.Buchanan D., Badham R. (2008) ‘Power, politics and organizational change: Winning the turf game’, p. 9. 2.Buchanan D., Huczynski A.A. (2010) ‘Organizational behaviour’, pp. 329-330, 562-564, 570-573. 3.Child J. (2004) ‘Organization: Contemporary Principles and Practice; Chaper 4: Achieving Integration’, p. 81-82. 4.Kotter J. P., Schlesinger L.A. (1979) ‘Choosing strategies for change’ Harvard Business Review, March – April pp. 108-109. 5.http://www.bnymellon.com/about/index.html, accessed on 18 June 2012.

Comparisson of Leadership Styles to Henry V Essay Example for Free

Comparisson of Leadership Styles to Henry V Essay This week’s lecture dealt with the theories associated to the skills approach to leadership. The skills approach can be thought of as very similar to the trait theory. In it we use some characteristics from a person to determine their leadership strength. The main difference between these two approaches to understanding leadership is that, while trait theory discusses personality characteristics in people, skills theory focuses on skills and abilities that these people possess. Robert Kratz proposed a model for skills theory in 1955. It was called â€Å"Skills of an effective Administrator† and recognizes that there are three skills that a manager should possess. These three skills are technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills. Technical competence encompasses the knowledge, dexterity and expertise that a person brings with them to their job and that are integral to help him accomplish the task that he is assigned. This type of competence can come from a formal education, on-the-job training and/or personal experience. Some examples of technical proficiency can be how to use certain software packages such as Microsoft office, or Adobe Photoshop. It is not only restricted to computer and electronics use, and can also be the knowledge an accountant has on ratios and balance sheets. Some steps to building technical competencies are to first define your job, you need to know what types of tasks you will be required to complete. After that the next step is to become an expert at that job, either by receiving a formal education or gaining experience at a similar job to the one you want. Finally, the last stop to building technical competencies is to seek opportunities to use those skills but also to seek opportunities in the job itself. You do this in order to further expand your knowledge in that area and to be able to use your skills in original ways and learn new ones. Two other things that we learned in class this week was about credibility and assertiveness. Credibility is the ability to make people trust you and has many benefits as a leader. There are two components to credibility and they are: building expertise and building trust. Assertiveness is not bullying and differs from aggression. But it is similar in the way that you are a person that confronts people and do not beat around the bush. I was quite amazed by the portrayal of Henry V in this week’s movie. It was only due to his leadership and motivational skills that the British were able to defeat the French at the battle of Agincourt, even while being severely outnumbered. He did not have the experience that other people might have had but he learned as he went and made the most of the situations that he was in. He also displayed both assertiveness and credibility. His assertiveness was demonstrated on his first speech by trying to avoid battle and to cow the leaders of the other army to surrender. His credibility was shown even more by fighting alongside his men and mingling with them. This credibility also helped him deliver such a great speech as he did before Agincourt. The closest thing in real life that I have seen until now is my current manager at Sodexo catering services. She has an air of authority about her and is able to issue commands at will, but she also relates to the employees and is the first one to help in preparing and performing events. She, like Henry, â€Å"fights† alongside us. This earned her my respect and loyalty, much more than the higher ups in the Sodexo office that do not help out at events. This is a great example of both assertiveness and credibility.

Literature Review discussing British Petroleum’s environmental effects

Literature Review discussing British Petroleum’s environmental effects Societies today, more than ever, are faced with more complex and environmental problems with the proliferation of technological advancement as human populations mounts. It is paramount for large energy companies to balance the needs of stakeholders  [1]  and demonstrate their intent of environment stewardship. In BPs strategy on their corporate website, they state their goals for value creation while producing affordable energy that is secure and doesnt damage the environment  [2]  . In other words, this means progressing forward through the expansion of their energy production while bearing in mind the impact of their activities on the environment. This, in essence, illustrates BPs stance on sustainability and their environmental awareness. Policy of environmental awareness in British Petroleum Environmental awareness is defined as a broad philosophy and social movements with respect to the environmental conservation concerns and improvement in the state of the environment. It ties in with the responsible initiatives that demonstrate a corporations commitment to key environmental and safety issues. Recently, BP has came under the spotlight following the April 2010 explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon rig which killed 11 people and caused one of the worst oil spills in history  [3]  . Given its status as one of the worlds largest energy providers, this catastrophe has brought about a lot of clout over BPs environmental and safety practices. Subsequently, this led to exhaustive investigation that revealed inadequate controls and incompliance with major aspects of offshore drilling safety. As a result, BP announced its commitment to continue working with government officials and other operators to identify and boost industry-wide safety measures  [4]  . Nevertheless, BP publicizes a sustainability report annually to demonstrate their sustainability efforts in action while aligning themselves to their environmental policy. BPs policy follows a fundamental belief that it can make a difference in the world  [5]  . It strives to be the local energy company by the production of energy with minimal impact on the environment. New initiatives have been launched to incorporate benefits to the local community and help in establishing its position as a responsibility energy provider. For example, BP has invested around $1billion  [6]  annually in low-carbon energy in the last 5 years, putting them well positioned in reaching their commitment of $8 billion  [7]  by 2015. In light of climate change, BP showed recognition to the significance of climate change. Its environmental policy embraces legislation changes and aligns the firms sustainability actions to ensure environmental stewardship. This includes stringent protocols imposed to ensure that all projects and operations are designed and conducted in accordance with legal and internal environmental standards  [8]  . For example, BPs major operating sites today are all certified under the international environment management system standard ISO 14001  [9]  , demonstrating the huge strides in minimizing their environmental impact. According to BPs sustainability review report 2009, it demonstrates BPs awareness of their responsibility as a major energy provider to manage the environmental impacts of energy production and consumption. They have led a programme of action that have since brought about reduction of 7.9 million  [10]  tones of greenhouse gas emissions from their operations. BP actively seeks out new environmental technologies and methods to reduce the environmental impact of providing energy  [11]  . For instance, it has developed technologies such as wide azimuth tower streamer (WATS)  [12]  that enables BP to discover reservoirs previously obscured and maximize recovery and efficiency of their exploration activity. Initiatives taken by BP to Sustainability Issues BP operates according to strict internal control systems that extend from board-level policies to operational process to ensure businesses conduct their business responsibly  [13]  . Over the years, they have progressed significantly in their environmental sustainability issues. Sustainability is defined as the capacity to endure. At BP, this definition is extended to include the renewal of assets, creation and delivery of better products and services that meet the ever-changing needs of society, attracting successive generation of employees, contribution to a sustainable environment and retain the trust and support of their customers, shareholders, and the communities in which they operate  [14]  . Initiatives for Climate Change With greenhouse gases rising at an ever increasing rate, governments are urged by the risk of climate change to introduce new measures to limit emissions. On this front, BP has outlined emissions assessments to enforce the most efficient environmental methods. This is executed through their proprietary framework for both developed and developing countries to commit to identify mitigating action and quantify emission targets  [15]  . In addition to that, the BP website  [16]  offers a myriad of environmental tools to provide transparency and insight into BPs environmental efforts and allow individuals to assess their own carbon footprint and lifestyle  [17]  . ISO 14001 and Environmental Sustainability BP follows the ISO 14001 environmental management standards and publishes a sustainability review to track its environmental sustainability issues. In the fiscal year of 2009, the organization has launched several initiatives in light of environmental sustainability. Notably, one of these initiatives is BPs stance and support on carbon pricing. They firmly believe that the provision of carbon price will make energy conservation a more attractive venture and encourage investments in alternative energy space to cut down the carbon usage in organizations. Moreover, BP has designed a plan of action in their environmental sustainability efforts by optimizing their own operations towards a more energy efficiency model and had led in the creation of new products to lower customers carbon footprint  [18]  . Their drive in the former has saw the inception of projects such as the reducing flaring and venting, process optimization projects and waste heat recovery. This initiative will bring about a total reduction of about 7.9 million tonnes of carbon usage. In the latter, BP has worked in collaboration with Ford to engineer advanced Castrol lubricants  [19]  that sole advantage bring improvement in fuel efficiency and reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, BP has placed emphasis on building its low-carbon energy portfolio with substantial investments in biofuels, wind power and solar photovoltaic systems. Initiatives in the public domain Besides these programmes, BP is active in its participation of policy debate with its push to drive climate change at international and national levels. For example, they have signed the Copenhagen Communiquà © to demonstrate their support in the private sector call towards a long term ambitious, robust and equitable global deal on climate change  [20]  . These measures have paved the way in BPs efforts to measure the environmental sustainability issues. Last but not least, BP has been a generous contributor in research programmes in particularly on climate change and low-carbon options. These include several high profile research such as the Carbon Mitigation Initiative at Princeton University  [21]  , its collaboration with Chinese Academy of Science on the Clean Energy Facing the Future programme  [22]   as well as the Energy Initiatives launched at MIT and Caltech. BP Commitment to Health and safety measures BP is committed to seek out improvements in its safety performance through the implementation of procedures and processes in pursuit of their mission statement of no accidents and no harm to people  [23]  . In light of the 2010 Gulf oil spill disaster, BP has came down upon a lot of scrutiny with respect to its safety practices. As a result, the organization announced its commitment to continue working with government officials and other operators to identify and boost industry-wide safety measures  [24]  . Improvement and Initiatives made In wake of the Gulf of Mexico disaster, BP announced its decision for an overhauling reorganization that would give safety a higher priority. This first measure implemented saw the creation of a new safety division  [25]  that would preside over the companys operations. This division will use a systematic approach to seek improvements in safety performance through promoting safe operations and upping their efforts on process safety. BP is also shifting away from the use of contractors in light of the accident which caused 11 deaths of rig workers. Despite outsourcing certain functions to contractors, BP is still the company that is solely responsible for the accidental damages. On top of these changes, BP is currently assessing its executive bonus scheme that puts more weight to financial and operational targets. This new restructured bonus schemes would take into account more on key safety measure to align employees objectives to its safety practices. This will help improve the health and safety practice by perpetuating its safety culture to yield results. For example, BP reviews employee views on various dimension of safety with the Pulse plus survey  [26]   to achieve continued progress in integrating safety into their business. Furthermore, BP has launched an internal safety awards to foster pride in attaining BPs values. This recognition on the importance of safety across all aspects would further elevate BPs profile of safety  [27]  and help rebuild the trust in BP. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and British Petroleum Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is defined as a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis  [28]  . Today, CSR is more relevant than ever, in particularly for a large energy company such as BP that engages in the exploration and production of oil. CSR is often debated as the appropriate actions that companies should take that goes beyond its philanthropic efforts and delves further into the fundamental question of how companies produce their goods and provide their services  [29]  . At BP, CSR is recognized as the primary responsibility to maximize the value of the firm and operation of the company in accordance with the norms and values of its shareholders  [30]  . This broad notion as defined by BP reflects its concern about the operating environment, its license to operate within it, which provides the impetus for BP to undertake a broader role in societal affairs  [31]  . BPs CSR practice and Workforce Welfare BPs CSR involvement goes well beyond than just minimizing its emissions. According to the corporate website, BP is involved in their contribution to policy debate, supporting research and development for newer, cleaner technologies in power and transport  [32]  . Besides that, this also includes the consideration of building business skills of the local people through community based development programmes, supporting education and giving aid to local organization. In the instance of building business skills, BP has ran a range of programmes designed to build the skills and impart knowledge on supply chain management to geographical locations like Azerbaijian, Indonesia, Trinidad and Tobago. This programmes helps accomplish a win-win situation for both parties, providing local companies with the expertise and know-how while enabling BP to source goods and services locally. This sharing of technical expertise extends to local governments where BP draws from their expertise and glo bal reach to support local governments in the development of their economic sustainability. For example, BP funded an EU-based think tank, to consult the Azerbaijian Ministry of Economic Development on macroeconomics analysis, economic planning and policy formulation  [33]  . BP is also active on supporting education, investing in resources to build strengths in management education. A case in point is the post-graduate degree in energy law in Angola that BP played a vital role in the development and financing, while working alongside governments, state oil company and academia  [34]  . They have offered educational resources such as books, classrooms, teachers training and management training. BP have delivered immunization exercises for the Tangguh community and educated the local residents on reproductive health and personal hygiene. Their active involvement resulted in a plunge in malaria prevalence from 23% in 2000 to less than 1% in 2009  [35]  . As a result of BP CSR practices, many of these communities and villages have been provided with better facilities such as rainwater harvesting systems and villagers are able to substantial improvement in their workforce welfare. BP Building a sustainable talent pipeline BP has a clear understanding that people are fundamental to the success of business operation. Over the years, they have focused their efforts on building a sustainable talent pipeline  [36]   where they recruit graduates and trained them from the ground up to progress their career into roles that could help maximize their contribution to the business. Cross culture and Diversity Cross culture issues simply refers to the issues that involve dealing of two or more different cultures  [37]  . BPs understanding of cross culture issues can be reflected in their commitment to build a diverse organization, where people of different cultures are embraced to foster an environment that is collegial and respectful. They firmly value a multicultural workplace and embed diversity and inclusion across the organization. BP runs a global diversity council where diversity plans are established and tailored accordingly to each strategic performance unit (SPU). Here, the diversity plans sets specific targets and organizes networking events for affinity groups whereby certain sub-sets of employees can network and exchange experiences. For example, BP currently has the BP Womens International Network; the BP Pride group for homosexuals; BP Global Reach Group; BP Gray Matters and the US-based BP Asian, African-American and Latino networks  [38]  . The availability of such affinity groups demonstrates BPs understanding of cross cultural issues and practice of diversity. Within these affinity groups, members come together to discuss key issues and learn from each other. These groups would provide them with an informal setting to build their network and gather contacts. The BP Womens International Network, for example, is a global network with a sole purpose of connecting women and encourage women to stay with BP to fulfill their career goals  [39]  . This openness of BP with its core focus on diversity and inclusion is certainty a strategy that will enable its success in the 21st century global marketplace  [40]  . It leverages diversity exemplified by gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, sexual orientation and identity, religion, and tribe, among other things-while preparing itself for the future by continuing to diversify its employee base  [41]  . Ultimately, BPs diversity practice will inevitably help spur innovation, creativity and a deepened awareness of diversity and inclusion concepts  [42]  . Comparative analysis with key competitors In this task, I will seek to do a comparison of BPs equal opportunity and diversity practice with its key competitors such as Shell and Conoco Phillips. BP At BP, the equal opportunity and diversity practice consists of three basic tenets which are (i) fair treatment and equal employment opportunity; (ii) respectful, harassment-free workplace; and (iii) privacy and employee confidentiality  [43]  . These tenets strive to draw from BPs diversity as strength to create an environment that fosters mutual trust whereby diversity and inclusion are valued. BP follows a policy that fair treatment, courtesy and respect are entitlement given to every employee and would show no tolerance for offensive and belligerent behavior. The last tenet is a rule that protects the confidentially of their employees personal information. Royal Dutch Shell Similarly, Shells motto is to embed diversity and inclusion (DI). They firmly believe that this would help create a stronger future for Shell and help achieve their aspirations. Shell defines the management of DI to involve addressing the factors of difference and fully capitalizing on the potential contribution of all employees to continue to build their leadership in place. At Shell, DI is seen as a competitive advantage that will enable Shell to cultivate a competitive culture  [44]  . On the equal opportunity front, Shell also emphasizes their position as an equal opportunity employer that strives to recruit based on technical and competencies. ConocoPhillips At ConocoPhillips, a similar stance on diversity is taken where the company strives to represent and reflect the global communities in which we live and work  [45]  . They stand by the creation of an inclusive environment that respects contributions and differences of every individual  [46]  . Here, the same catchphrase of Diversity and Inclusion encompasses the creation of a multicultural work environment, together with an inclusive culture to ensure individuals contributions and differences are respected and valued  [47]  . In terms of equal opportunity aspect, ConocoPhilips wholly supports the principle of equally opportunity in employments and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified individuals  [48]  . Conclusion To conclude, this report examines the many responsibilities that falls on a large organization like British Petroleum (BP). Given its status as one of the worlds largest energy providers, BP has demonstrated their sustainability efforts in action while aligning themselves to their environmental policy. Over the years, they have launched several initiatives to tackle their sustainability issues and progressed significantly in their environmental awareness. This includes initiatives for climate change, imposition of ISO 14001 environmental management standards and initiatives in the public domain. In the wake of the Gulf of Mexico disaster, a comprehensive overview of their safety practices and social responsibilities initiatives are examine. This details the contribution and improvements made in the improvement of workforce welfare in geographical locations such as Azerbaijian, Indonesia, Trinidad and Tobago. Finally, this segues to a discussion on the cross-culture issues at BP and its practice of diversity. The last bit of the report is a comparative analysis of the equal opportunity and diversity practices in BP and across its key competitors.

Joseph Bediers The Romance of Tristan and Iseult and Jean Cocteau’s Et

The Romance of Tristan and Iseult, by Joseph Bà ©dier, and Jean Cocteau’s 1943 cinematic adaptation of the epic love story Eternal Return, both portray the love between Tristan and Iseult, and Patrice and Natalie as an agonizing cancer that overpowers the lovers after they consume the love potion. But the differences of how and when the love potion is administered, and the lovers’ feelings for each other before the potion is drunk, reveal different depictions of the love potion between the novel and the film. The first difference between the film and the novel is when the two lovers drink the love potion. In the book, they drink the love potion when they are still on the boat and have â€Å"dropped anchor by an island† (Bà ©dier, 42). Here Iseult has not met King Mark. But in the film, Natalie and Patrice drink the love potion after Natalie has been introduced to Uncle Mark. In the first instance, they both have a chance to elope, and no one would be the wiser. They can easily live a life of comfort and full of love with each other, but Tristan chooses to hand over the woman he loves to his Uncle, and suffer for his love. In the film, Natalie and Patrice are not given this option, and therefore do not have a chance to escape their faith. Also in the book, an unknowing maid gives the love potion to the lovers. She believes that she is just giving them wine. This signifies the fact that no one intentionally wished for them to suffer, but faith led them to it. But i n the film, Achille puts the love potion in their drinks on the pretext of murdering them with poison. In the film the fact that the love potion is labeled poison, foreshadows the pain and sorrow the two lovers will face, because poison leads to a slo... ...g this news for the first time and is astounded and angry. Aunt Gertrude, though shrewd and unlikable, also realizes the attraction between Patrice and Natalie, and tells Patrice that he is marrying the girl he loves to his Uncle. Her awareness on this subject may be rooted in her hate for Patrice and her desire to destroy him because her son can never be as loved as Patrice, but that does not alter the fact that she feels and notices the love between Patrice and Natalie. The difference in the film and the novel alter the depiction of the love affair between Tristan and Iseult and Patrice and Natalie. While the novel portrays Tristan and Iseult as causing the suffering they endure because of their love, the film makes Patrice and Natalie the victims of faith and love. Works Cited Bedier, Joseph. The Romance of Tristan and Iseult. New York, 1994

Three Estates :: Essays Papers

Three Estates The term Three Estates is used to describe the divisions of the European parliament. Parliament is defined by the Webster’s Dictionary as, "an assemblage of person (as members of nobility, clergy, and commons) called together by the British sovereign setting for a period of time and then being dissolved, and constituting the supreme legislature body of the United Kingdom." Parliament could also be defined as, "The 'image' and 'the thing in deed' of the mixed party (Alford 36)." The three different groups as mentioned in the definition by the Webster’s Dictionary are the estates that divide the parliament. The estates are not of physical property, but rather the separation of the society. One group was the clergy, which consisted of the bishops and priests, who were also called the prayers. Next there was the group of nobility which was formed by the kings, queens and knights, as so known as the fighters. And finally, the last group was the group of commons which were the average person such as the workers. The term three estates showed the fundamental view of the separation of society in medieval time s. This term Three Estates does not necessarily mean the three divisions of the parliament. This term could be, "as more effective synonym for 'both houses' ." (Alford 36) The two houses are the House of the Lords and the House of the Commons. This shows that the term is not a direct interpretation , but rather an idea of the separation. Parliament was used to "manage the Crown's business (Loades 90)." The parliament was also used to pass bills and legislature, but each time a bill was presented, it was mandatory that it would go through each house at least three times. As the age of the Parliament became older, it's procedures grew "more sophisticated, and more strictly enforced." (Loades 92) The Parliament also became a place at which "provided a very good platform for a monarch who wanted to say something of particular importance." (Loades 93) But the Parliament did also have its faults. It had a separation between the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of the Lords was closer to the court, highly spiritual, and made themselves to the hand of the monarch.

My First Court Case Viewing-Civil: Small Claims Essay

On the 24th of August 2007, I, with the permission of the prosecution, defence and of course the judge was given the opportunity to quietly observe a civil small claims court case (court 5) at Bromley County Court. This trial had been an ongoing stalemate for a few months; however I luckily was present on the judgement day. Upon arrival the waiting room was busy since there were other more serious court cases going on. The Prosecution, Mr. Austridge, representing himself (accompanied by his wife) was hired by the defence, Ms. Dudley (accompanied by her dad) and a lawyer, Mr. Jones to extend her house however due to a series of poor decisions and errors in workmanship, Dudley terminated the building contract, with her house left incomplete in a state troublesome to herself and her neighbour. Mr. Austridge was prosecuting her on account of his realisation he had been underpaid approximately  £2000. The sequence of events: -Ms. Dudley hired Mr. Austridge to extend her house, consisting of an extension of the kitchen, extension of the porch and a new ensuite bathroom for her bedroom. -Initially Mr Austridge received very inaccurate drawings from Ms Dudley however, he chose to use them anyway and build to her very erroneous specifications. -Mr. Austridge gave Ms Dudley an initial rough estimate of the project which she eventually agreed to after a gradually haggling to a lower value. Furthermore Mr. Austridge didn’t include the duration of the extension due to the fact that the time for this type of extension varies greatly due to the typical British weather and also the number of people there, nevertheless Ms. Dudley hired them and they started on the construction. -After 8 weeks the construction was moving smoothly, with most of the groundwork complete. Dudley showed her satisfaction of the job by occasionally congratulating the builders. A week prior to this Dudley moved to her parent’s house without stating a reason. In fact reason for her leave was that she was allergic to dust but the judge was keen to see whether she brought it to Mr. Austridge’s attention it was unclear for my stay. -2 weeks later Mr. Austridge went on holiday with his family to Cornwall for a 1 week stay; however it was extended by a week due to the fact there was a â€Å"hurricane† making it unsafe to return, Ms. Dudley grudgingly sympathised and didn’t make an issue of it. – Mr. Austridge returns and immediately commits himself to the construction. 2 weeks later Ms. Dudley returned and started complaining that the porch was done wrong, and one of the windows was made of the wrong material. The kitchen was an issue because he made the kitchen in 2 parts one being in the extension and she was upset because in order to make it even he raised the ground. She then again asked for a reduction in price for the errors plus for general saving of money and Austridge agreed and put less plug sockets, bulb sockets for the room. – Due to heavy rain and the incomplete roof gutter (due to the extension) it overflowed into her neighbour’s garden leaving it a mess. – Ms. Dudley terminates the contract, and Austridge requests a meeting with her, she claims that the work took to long and the workmanship was horrendous for the price. – Mr. Austridge takes Dudley to court for inadequate payment in order to pay his team. In my viewing Austridge stated that he reduced the payment in a very lenient way and that he was shocked that Dudley was so abrupt in terminating the contract, despite him stating the construction would have only lasted another week and then later contradicting himself saying it would only take a day. Ms. Dudley strangely left her family in hardship by terminating the contract, she apparently told Austridge about the dust allergy but he denied it immediately. Her dad apparently checked the house everyday and said that he was confident that there was nobody occupying it for large periods of time while she was at her parents. Though not mentioning it to Austridge she said moving was extremely inconvenient and her disabled mother made it a greater ordeal for her. Dudley believes she was the one who should have been compensated and helping her neighbour who had also been adversely affected. Mr. Jones gave me the impression that he was there to stall time as most of his points/contradictions were facts and figures which just hindered the case and Austridge did an excellent job of contradiction Mr. Jones’ which were backed by insufficient evidence meanwhile Mr. Austridge with stacks of paper work to back his points. The judge was forced to recap the events when we went there which she found was futile so she therefore put her foot down and decided to make her decision on the same day. I left before the final decision but I was given the impression it was a very cache 22 situation. Ms. Dudley believing if anything she overpaid and Mr. Austridge thinking he was underpaid. If I was given the opportunity to reach a verdict, from what I deduced, I think that Austridge had a much more powerful, believable case it was clear he was being too much of a nice guy when he reduced the price so willingly and considering Ms. Dudley made the regrettable decision of cancelling the contract, it is still affecting other members of her family and her neighbour, she got the bad end of the stick because of an atrocious decision. Mr. Austridge couldn’t avoid the out of the blue decision and therefore should have been paid for his work.

Group Case 3: Mci Communications Corp., 1983

Group Case 3: MCI Communications Corp. , 1983 Executive Summary Assumptions The following are the assumptions we made through the whole analysis. The predicted revenues from 1983 to 1990 were assumed to follow the pattern in Exhibit 9A, despite the uncertainty of the higher access charge and competition increase. The marginal tax rate is 30% during that period. The firm must keep minimal cash balance of $100 million to support its operating activities.However, the change of operating NWC is assumed to be zero. Calculation To calculate the external financing needs during the period 1983-1990, we need to calculate the net cash flow from operation (i. e. the free cash flow minus after tax-interest paid). Along with the cash at the beginning of the year and the required minimum cash balance, we can get the external financing need for each year. See detailed calculation in Exhibit 1.However, due to the uncertainty of access charge change and competition, the operating margin would increas e or decrease by as much as 7% from the prediction, although the management was committed to the predicted revenue levels. Therefore, the external financing needs would vary correspondingly. See detailed calculation in Exhibit 2, and 3. The external financing needs under three scenarios are summarized below. In 1983, the company had no external financing needs, as it just raised $400 million in March.From 1984 to 1987, the financing needs kept increasing, as the company tried to expand. After that, there was no external financing need as the earnings are in good levels, except in the case of unfavorable situation where it still needs $270. 78 million in 1988. [pic] Recommendations & Conclusion [pic] Exhibit 1 Operating Margin at Predicted levels [pic] Exhibit 2 Operating Margin Decreased by 7% [pic] Exhibit 3 Operating Margin Increased by 7%

Video games do not cause violence

Video games do not cause violence BY jur525 Video Games: Beneficial or Cause Violence Do modern video games contribute to the increasing level of Violence that is all around us? Can we really attribute the shootings and bombings we see on the news to the increased violence and realism in video games ? These are the questions reporters should be asking. Instead the first question out of their mouths If the suspect Is an adolescent will most certainly be ‘ Was he addicted to playing violent video games ? ‘ If the answer is yes, they look no farther.They should Investigate the suspect's background to see If he was violent before he started playing games. Then look at the studies done on violent video games and they will find that 98. 7% of all teens regardless of gender have played violent games(Klrsh, Steven J. ). What Is truly remarkable is that less than one percent of all teens go out and commit a violent act. Therefore this will prove that it is the violence in the susp ect not the violence in the game that has led to so many deaths. The findings of many studies prove it is society not video games who has let the gamer down.It is society who has given them a ‘bad wrap'. The media and most continued to drop as the sales of violent video games has climbed dramatically. Researchers have considered role playing games a double edge sword. They say they are excellent teaching tools but the violent ones teach violent conditioning. This is NOT so! According to Christopher Ferguson of Setson University and the independent researcher Cheryl Olson in her study published in Springer's Journal of Youth and Adolescences it is exactly the opposite.Their research found that playing games actually had a very calming effect on the outh's with attention deficit symptoms and helped to reduce their aggressive and bullying behavior. They also stated that video games could be helpful when used to distract and relax children and adolescence during painful medical pr ocedures. If you decide to do research on your own be careful. Some studies have carefully rigged the results to only give the answers they want to prove correct.They recorded only the data the showed they were right, that the games can and often does lead to aggressive and violent behavior. If their findings did not show the prime reason being aggressive onditioning and that being exposed to this violence in the games was the prominent reason for the increase it was left out. You also need to check the background of the adolescents they Did they carefully choose only those adolescents that already had a tendency told behavior even before they played the games.Both these facts could greatly change the outcome of the study. When you are listening to the media take into account they are giving attention grabbing headlines and if portraying video games in a bad light gets them the audience hey crave they will say or do anything to achieve their goal. The media loves to make outrageous claims that video games either â€Å"inspired† or â€Å"trained† the suspect to commit these violent acts.They use the rigged studies as their backup even calling them in to act as experts on the subject. For instance Guy Porter and Vladan Starcevic who claim that â€Å"while playing video games outwardly appears to be an innocuous activity, the limited data available suggest playing video games may be related to aggressive and/or antisocial behavior. So next time you hear about a video game â€Å"causing† an adolescent to â€Å"commit† violence remember look up your facts yourself.You may see that while some psychologists want to include video game addiction in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for mental disorders most doctors do not agree. Most can see that video games do have considerable potential to enhance the lives of all adolescents. I believe that violent video games directly cause aggression. I also believe gaming is a very social activity which when given the chance can greatly improve adolescent's lives. Gaming is becoming a common way for the adolescent to communicate with the outside world.The gamer could very well have friends all over the world as I do. Society and the Media need to deal with the violent aggression in the adolescents that have shown a predisposition for such violence. That until this is done the real cause of all the shootings won't be addressed and handled accordingly. Video Games Do Not Cause Violence Video games have come a long way since they were first introduced in 1967. In addition to the impressive improvement in graphics, the increase of the violent content has become quite the hot topic amongst parents and politicians alike. The most popular aspect is whether or not violent video games inhibit aggressive behavior. Early research that suggested there was a link between the two has been deemed problematic. However, in recent studies â€Å"research has not found that children who play violent video games are more violent than other kids, nor harmed in any other identifiable fashion.† (Ferguson, 2011) Violent video games do not lead to violence in society because they improve other skills, many other factors heavily contribute to making society violent, and they are a tool for social interaction. Of course the most obvious skill that video games improve would be visual skills. Video games allow gamers to be more attune to their surroundings and â€Å"greatly enhance th e ability to effectively distribute attention over space and time, as well as the number of items that can be attended.† (Achtman, 2008)A press release from the American Psychological Association declares â€Å"Playing video games, including violent shooter games, may boost children’s learning, health, and social skills. † Playing simulated war games such as â€Å"Call of Duty: improves spatial navigation, reasoning, memory, and perception. These types of games also inhibit enhanced abilities to problem solve. Without a doubt, the contents of today’s media are constantly on display for any man, woman, or child to see.Specifically, television, bringing the violent filled news and movies to any home with an open outlet. The homicide rate has doubled after television was introduced in the U. S. (Faria, 2013) Exposure to this form of media and the glorification of violent behavior on television has a great influence on society. Another factor to consider when reviewing the violence in society is the biological factors and environment one is exposed to. Heritage and temperament, and parental rejection-acceptance are considered common underlying causes of anger and aggression.(Blake & Harmin, 2007)Additionally, peer pressure can try to influence behaviors or try to influence thinking or values. Peer pressure can leave children with an enormous amount of stress which can lead to aggressive and violent behavior. At the same time, video games are a great tool for social interaction. Games such as â€Å"World of Warcraft† connect players to a virtual world where literally millions of other gamers are playing at the same time. These games allow you to talk to these other players via chat, either text or voice, and sometimes both.For that reason, gamers develop friendships online and as a result, keep away from drugs and other negative activities presented to them outside of the game, Also, the social aspects of the game promote teamwork and cooperation. (Frostling-Henningsson, 2009) Furthermore, the opportunity to strike up conversation presents itself in a less stressful manner so gamers are able to improve their social skills in this form as well. Besides that, with players from all around the world, English is a second tongue to many gamers.Chatting online with other gamers presents the opportunity to practice their language skills and pick up on â€Å"slang† words to help them become more fluent in their speech. To that end, video games do not cause violence in society because they improve cognitive skills, other media forms are more correlated with aggression, and they are a building block in social connectedness. Psychological studies purporting to show a connection between exposure to violent video games and aggression do not prove that any connection is evident.Any effects that may be displayed are indistinguishable from the effects of other types of media. (Brown, 2011) Video games have transformed the way generations can learn and have opened up a whole new world to the socially isolated. Moreover, video games have simply become society’s scapegoat when it comes to placing the blame for violence and aggressive behavior. When tragedy strikes, people want answers and will join forces in placing the blame. In the end, video games are merely a form of entertainment, as they were intended to be.

Study: Early Marriage Likely Cause of Divorce in UAE

Early marriage is probably the main cause of divorce in the UAE; some 31. 5 percent of divorced women of all nationalities in the Gulf state were married before age 14, according to a recent ministry of labor and social affairs study. The study said that 23. 7 percent of the divorced men married between the ages of 20 and 24. â€Å"This and other statistics feature in a recent study on divorce carried out by the ministry of labor and social affairs which found, for instance, that 43 percent of the time it was the woman who sought divorce,† said the study, cited by the Gulf News. With men, the figure stood at 39 percent. Twelve percent of divorce cases were arrived at on mutual agreement. † The study stressed that in many cases couples were divorced after they chose to share accommodation with their families. Thirty-four percent of divorced women lived with their husbands' families, and 8. 7 percent of divorced men lived with their wives' relatives. Financial reasons were another key reason for divorce, said the study: 45 percent of divorced people demanded independent budgets and allegedly refused to render any financial help to the other partner.According to the paper, the study warned that the ease in obtaining divorce papers from Sharia Courts was another reason for the UAE's rising divorce rate. Some 67 percent of divorced people said they found it very easy to obtain divorce papers and process their separation without any requirements or conditions. The study said the cultural and intellectual level of divorced couples played no role in the divorce. It found that 78 percent of divorced people had virtually equivalent cultural standards.But a similar study on divorce conducted by the UAE Center for Strategic Studies and Research found that the educational level of women and divorce rates were linked, with 70 percent of divorced women holding only preparatory certificates or less, the paper said. The study pointed out that 35 percent of divorced women held no certificates, and said that these women faced great difficulty in life after separation.The study pointed out that the divorce rate was 40 percent in the UAE, but the rate in the rural areas was less than that in cities. It added that the children of divorced parents were the main victims and that the rate of juvenile delinquency among these children was high. This could create a major social problem, it warned. The study urged parents to stand by their marriage agreements under any circumstance even if they did not like it, for the sake of the children – Albawaba. com

The List of All U.S. Colleges With a Geography Major

Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. Fast forward a few centuries later and most of the world has already been discovered. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a need for geography anymore, it just means the need for such a field has evolved. A student with a love for geography loves to study the relationship between people and the world they share. This student can find help in selecting the right college by starting with the complete list of universities that offer this degree program we have compiled in this post. Geography has become more than simply traversing an unknown land across the globe and creating a map of said land; it is the study of the interactions between people and their environments and how these interactions overall affect the planet. These environments can be either natural, like the study of climate change, or human, like the study of culture and landscape. At the surface, geography doesn’t appear to hold much promise for a future career. On the contrary, because geography is known as the â€Å"mother of all sciences,† students who pursue this program have a myriad of options from which to choose. Physical geographers study the landscape and how these affect our way of life and how our changes to the landscape affect the earth. Cultural geographers study people’s behaviors in relation to their effects on the environment such as transportation methods and building cities. Political geographers study the global political issues between countries and cultures around the world. A student who studies geography in college will reap the benefits of a well-rounded education. They can expect to learn excellent communication skills, excellent skills in research, and a broadened ability to think critically. In having a geography degree, the world becomes a never-ending pool of learning that can ultimately make a change for the greater good. It’s important to think of a high school transcript and profile like a resume when contacting college admissions officers. They will be looking for a high GPA score and proof that the student is dedicated to learning all that comes with a major in geography. That being said, a student should have excellent grades in natural science, basic math courses, and computer science. Extracurricular activities are also a great way to boost a student’s profile that makes them stand out to college admissions officers. Science fairs and school clubs that are geared toward the student with a heart for geography are excellent choices for making a profile shine. For more information about the importance of extracurriculars before college, check out this post on the site! There are some students who have figured out early on that they want to study geography in college. Fortunately, has designed the Early Advising Program to help give 9th and 10th graders a head start in the admission process. The tools given to the student through this program help set up the student for a successful admission process once high school is over and it’s time to begin the freshman semester. Sometimes it takes a student a little bit longer to decide on a major, whether it’s geography or not. also has an program that helps rising seniors stay on course and on schedule in time for college admissions. The College Strategy Program is geared for the junior student and helps them navigate and organize all the necessary steps to gain higher chances of acceptance into the college of their dreams. Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. With so many universities to choose from in the country, it’s hard to find the one that’s a great fit and one that offers a geography major. That’s why has done a little bit of leg work for you and provided a list of all the colleges in the nation that offer this degree program. Auburn University at Montgomery | AUM Austin Peay State University | APSU Bowling Green State University | BGSU California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Cal Poly Pomona California State University, Chico | CSU Chico California State University, Dominguez Hills | CSUDH California State University, East Bay | CSU East Bay California State University, Fresno | CSU Fresno California State University, Fullerton | CSU Fullerton California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach State California State University, Los Angeles | Cal State LA California State University, Northridge | CSUN California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento State California State University, San Bernardino | CSUSB California State University, Stanislaus | Stanislaus State California University of Pennsylvania | Cal U Central Connecticut State University | CCSU Central Washington University | CWU College of Staten Island | CUNY CSI Eastern Washington University | EWU Farmingdale State College | SUNY Farmingdale Fayetteville State University | FSU Florida International University | FIU Grand Valley State University | GVSU Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis | IUPUI Indiana University Bloomington | Indiana Indiana University of Pennsylvania | IUP Jacksonville State University | JSU Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | KU Metropolitan State University of Denver | MSU Denver Millersville University of Pennsylvania | MU Minnesota State University Moorhead | MSUM Minnesota State University, Mankato | MNSU North Carolina Central University | NCCU North Carolina State University | NC State North Dakota State University | NDSU Northeastern Illinois University | NEIU Northeastern State University | NSU Northwest Missouri State University Pennsylvania State University | PSU Rutgers University–New Brunswick | Rutgers Saginaw Valley State University | SVSU Sam Houston State University | SHSU San Francisco State University | SF State Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | SRU Southeast Missouri State University | SEMO Southern Connecticut State University | SCSU Southern Illinois University Carbondale | SIU Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | SIUE Southern New Hampshire University | SNHU State University of New York at Cortland | SUNY Cortland State University of New York at New Paltz | SUNY New Paltz State University of New York at Oneonta | SUNY Oneonta State University of New York at Potsdam | SUNY Potsdam Stephen F. Austin State University | SFA The State University of New York at Albany | SUNY Albany The State University of New York at Binghamton | SUNY Binghamton The State University of New York at Buffalo | SUNY Buffalo The State University of New York at Geneseo | SUNY Geneseo United States Military Academy | Army University of Alaska Fairbanks | UAF University of California, Berkeley | UC Berkeley University of California, Los Angeles | UCLA University of California, Santa Barbara | UCSB University of Central Arkansas | UCA University of Central Oklahoma | UCO University of Colorado Boulder | CU Boulder University of Colorado Denver | CU Denver University of Hawaii at Hilo | UH Hilo University of Hawaii at Manoa | UH Manoa University of Houston–Clear Lake | UHCL University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | UIUC University of Louisiana at Lafayette | UL Lafayette University of Maine at Farmington | UMF University of Mary Washington | UMW University of Maryland, Baltimore County | UMBC University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland University of Massachusetts Amherst | UMass Amherst University of Michigan–Flint | UofM-Flint University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | Minnesota University of Missouri–Kansas City | UMKC University of Nebraska at Kearney | UNK University of Nebraska–Lincoln | UNL University of Nevada, Las Vegas | UNLV University of North Carolina at Charlotte | UNC Charlotte University of North Carolina at Greensboro | UNC Greensboro University of North Carolina at Wilmington | UNC Wilmington University of South Alabama | South University of South Florida St. Petersburg | USFSP University of Southern Mississippi | Southern Miss University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) University of Tennessee at Martin | UTM University of Texas at Austin | UT Austin University of Texas at San Antonio | UTSA University of Wisconsin-Madison | Wisconsin University of Wisconsin–La Crosse | UW–La Crosse University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee | UWM University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh | UW Oshkosh University of Wisconsin–Platteville | UW–Platteville University of Wisconsin–River Falls | UW–River Falls University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point | UW–Stevens Point University of Wisconsin–Whitewater | UW–Whitewater Western Washington University | WWU William Paterson University | WPUNJ While the list may seem overwhelming, choosing the right college for your student doesn’t have to be. offers help exclusively for graduating seniors to help make the transition into higher education that much smoother. Check out the College Applications Program today!