Case For or Against the War on Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Case For or Against the War on Drugs - Essay Example This article will assess the gains and losses that this war has made with an aim of determining the relevance of this war. Case for the War on Drugs Despite many apparent setbacks, the war on drugs has made tremendous gains in its efforts geared towards making the world a safer place. There have been concerted efforts aimed at ending the rampant trade in drugs. These efforts have been made by all stake holders in the United States over the past 40 years since then serving President Richard Nixon launched the U.S Government’s war on drugs.1 Several progressive steps have been made targeted at countering the flourishing use and sale of drugs in the U.S. One such stride has been the advocacy for a paradigm shift in the war against drugs. As was expressed by President Obama in a digital town hall meeting, in 2011, there is a need to move from the old approach of the war on drugs to a new one. One way of accomplishing this has been looking at possible ways of shrinking the demand f or drugs among the users.2 This represents a shift from looking at this war as a primarily, criminal justice problem3. When looking at the war on drugs as a criminal justice problem, the emphasis of tackling it involves arrest, incarceration and interdiction4. While this has had good results, it has had the unfortunate disadvantage of unintentionally giving some of the offenders an opportunity to slip through the cracks. Currently there is a move towards looking at the war on drugs as a public health problem.5 This means that the government has acted as a guardian of the public’s interests6. This thus means that the government has managed to win the hearts of the people who advocate for social justice in the country. Another gain in the war on drugs was the Reagan’s administration’s efforts to take away the drugs from the consumers through efforts made to cut down the crop abroad. This effort can be seen in countries like Bolivia. In this country, the efforts to reduce the drug production saw the seizure of twenty seven tones of cocaine in 1986. This was an improvement from just one tone netted in 1981.7 On the whole, the war on drugs has gained a number of notable wins over the trade and production of drugs. There has been a decline in the production, trafficking, distribution and consumption of drugs all over the world. This has been driven largely by an increasingly tight global prohibition on drugs. This is a sign that nations have seen the need to unite together in order to fight this menace.8 There are other gains in the pursuit of the war on drugs. One of these gains has been among the youth. Institution of education and awareness campaigns has been initiated for the benefit of these youth. These awareness campaigns are meant to ensure that the youth are well aware of the risks of drugs, as well as driving them towards alternative methods of recreation thus keeping them out of harm’s way.9 At learning institutions and even in society, the youth are kept away from drugs through the imposition of very stiff penalties if found to be in possession of drugs. This is aimed at ensuring that the youth keep away from drugs. Any involvement on their pair, in the using of even the smallest quantities of drugs, can easily push them into the use of drugs. In the prisons, there are treatment centres for the prisoners who are recovering from both drug use and abuse10. As seen above, there have been efforts to deal with the drug trade’

A Commentary on An Astrologers Day Essay Example for Free

A Commentary on An Astrologers Day Essay The writers description of the astrologer leaves us in no doubt that he is a charlatan his equipment, costume and appearance all have a deliberate, theatrical quality designed to convey the impression of a mystic power which he does not possess. Notice the authors wryly ironic comment that the abnormal gleam in his eye is really an outcome of a continual searching for customers and his dry observation that even a half wits eyes would sparkle between such a painted forehead and dark whiskers. The deliberate artifice of the astrologer is further underlined by the authors use of phrases such as To crown the effect and This color scheme. The illusion is enhanced by the fact that the astrologer works in the eerie glow of a smoky flare which adds to the enchantment of the place. The astrologers customers are depicted as gullible creatures who are irresistibly attracted to him like bees. But although the author portrays the astrologer as a fraud, his innocent customers are not shown in the light of hapless victims. The writer does not condemn or deride the astrologer as a parasite but sees him as a businessman who gives his customers value for money: he said things which pleased and astonished everyone: that was more a matter of study, practice and shrewd guesswork. All the same, it was as much an honest mans labor as any other, and he deserved the wages he carried home at the end of the day. We are told that the astrologer has not chosen his profession by design. Intriguingly, the author informs us that he was once a simple farmer who had to leave home without telling anyone. Although the fact that he had to depart hurriedly and travel far suggests that something dire occurred, the actual reason for his flight is not given, thus arousing our curiosity and conferring upon the exiled stranger a sense of mystery, more real than he could possibly create for himself in his bogus role of astrologer. Whilst he has no mystical powers, the astrologer is a shrewd psychologist. He diagnoses his customers problems by listening to their troubles and supplies them with solace and reassurance. Notice how he is careful to either blame his clients woes on other people, or attribute their troubles to elements beyond their control. In this way, they all depart as satisfied customers. Our expectation is aroused by the suitably dramatic entrance of the astrologers antagonist. For reasons which become apparent later, the author has cleverly contrived the scene so that the man is initially no more than a dark shape who blots out the solitary shaft of light which remains after the nut vendors departure. Our initial impression of the stranger is unsympathetic he grumbles and truculently challenges the astrologer to prove his worth in the form of a bet. It is only after the bet has been agreed that the astrologer glimpses the mans face whilst the latter is lighting a charoot. The sight of the mans face seems to shock the astrologer but again we are purposely given no explanation why. The astrologer is so dismayed that he tries to retract the wager and hurriedly leave but the man is ruthlessly insistent and becomes threatening. Surprisingly, the astrologer agrees to speak but only if the wager is increased to one rupee. Both the reader and the man are surprised to hear the astrologers seemingly miraculous divinations as he accurately describes the mans grisly past. The man is dismayed to learn that his thirst for revenge cannot be quenched since his enemy is already dead. He is further stunned to discover that the astrologer knows his name and accepts his admonition to return home and never travel southward again. The astrologer leaves the man with one consolation: he tells him that his enemy received his just deserts by dying a deservedly painful death. Our curiosity is finally satisfied at the end of the story when the astrologer goes home and reveals to his wife that the man in question was in fact the reason why he fled his village. Unbeknown to the man, he had ironically been consulting the very person he had been relentlessly searching for all these years! For the astrologer, meeting his old enemy has been doubly rewarding: firstly, the knowledge that he is not a murderer has lifted a great burden of guilt from his mind; secondly, he has assured his future safety by tricking his antagonist into believing that he is dead. The story fittingly ends with the astrologer sleeping contentedly, having finally laid to rest the ghost of his guilt and successfully warded off the menacing specter of revenge. The authors technique in this story is more subtle than it first appears. Although we are just as surprised as the client when we first hear the astrologers uncannily accurate comments, our surprise is of a different nature since we know what Guru Nayak does not that the astrologer is a definite fraud. Hence, there is an ironic distancing between the reader and the astrologers antagonist which is further stretched by the fact that he is portrayed as an unsympathetic character. Whereas the initially skeptical Guru Nayak becomes increasingly convinced of the astrologers mystic power, the reader becomes increasingly suspicious, especially when the astrologer correctly gives his clients name. Unlike Guru Nayak, the reader has not become increasingly mystified and overawed by the astrologers knowledge, but gradually realises that a connection must exist between Guru Nayaks story and the secret of the astrologers past. Hence, whilst the ending satisfies our curiosity, it does not come as a total surprise. We also share the astrologers final sense of relief, partly because we find Guru Nayak unpleasant but mainly because we admire the way in which he skilfully and successfully handles such a crisis of circumstance and manages to extricate himself from an extremely dangerous situation. Rising to the occasion, he uses his professional acting skills and sharp wits to turn the tables on his overawed antagonist and transform a perilous predicament into godsend. Finally, the authors effective use of irony is worth commenting. Near the beginning of the story, he writes that the astrologer knew no more of what was going to happen to others than he knew what was going to happen to himself next minute. Given what is about to occur, these words become prophetically ironic. Note also the wry irony of the astrologers final complaint to his wife (The swine has cheated me!) when he himself had perpetrated the greater deception and cleverly cheated Guru Nayak of his revenge . Lastly, the matter-of-fact title is a masterpiece of ironic understatement. An Astrologers Day implies that the story will describe an average or typical day in the astrologer life whereas the event related is both extraordinary and fateful.

Study of Genetics Essay -- Biology, Genomics Era, Kenaf

1 INTRODUCTION Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is a type of fiber crop (Dempsey, 1975) and is commercially cultivated in more than 20 countries, particularly in India, China, Thailand and Vietnam (Fao, 2008). World production of kenaf and allied fibers reported as 3,251,125 tons in 2009 (Fao, 2011). Kenaf has a wide range of applications in making biocopmosite board, textile, industrial filters, and high-quality paper. Malaysia is one of the main exporters of timber and timber based products in the world. Renewable resource for biocomposite and timber based products in Malaysia is one of the essentials in agriculture sector. Kenaf has been considered as a potential renewable source for biocomposite making industry in Malaysia. Furthermore, kenaf has been considered as a valuable substitute for tobacco plantation in Malaysia. Kenaf production is increased from 1,163 tons in 2005 to 4,185 tons in 2007 as reported by Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister's Department, Malaysia (2008). Lack of suitable kenaf varieties for Malaysian climate is one the challenges that hinder kenaf integration. Kenaf varieties have not been extensively evaluated in Malaysia. The number of kenaf commercialized varieties is limited in the world. Besides, very few studies have been conducted on genetic control of fiber yield and fiber quality of kenaf. Understanding of the inheritance and genetic control of the fiber yield and quality will help in structuring breeding strategy to develop cultivars with improved fiber yield and quality. New tools and methods have been introduced to facilitate quantitative genetic studies, particularly in the study of complex traits. In genomics era, plant breeders benefited from new technologies and advances i... ...echnology to detect DNA melting behavior and developments in saturating DNA dyes, made possible to accurately plot and analyze melting behavior of targeted DNA (Vossen et al., 2009). High resolution melting (HRM) is a post PCR technique which can be used for high throughput mutation scanning and genotyping (Gundry, 2003). HRM curve analysis procedure can be used for SNP detection (Becsà ¡gh et al., 2010; De Koeyer et al., 2010; Lehmensiek et al., 2008; Miyamoto et al.; Rouleau et al., 2009; Studer et al., 2009a; Ujino-Ihara et al., 2010; Wittwer et al., 2003; Wittwer, 2009). Applicability of HRM curve analysis for genotyping of plants using SNP markers recently have been reported by many researcher (De Koeyer et al., 2010; Ganopoulos et al., 2010; Hofinger et al., 2009; Lehmensiek et al., 2008; Picard and Bosco, 2008; Studer et al., 2009b; Ujino-Ihara et al., 2010).

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

To Kill A Mockingbird I've never been to Alabama, but novelist Harper Lee made me feel as if I had been there in the long, hot summer of 1935, when a lawyer named Atticus Finch decided to defend an innocent black man accused of a horrible crime. The story of how the whole town reacted to the trial is told by the lawyer's daughter, Scout, who remembers exactly what it was like to be eight years old in 1935, in Macomb, Alabama. Scout is the reason I loved this book, because her voice rings so clear and true. Not only does she make me see the things she sees, she makes me feel the things she feels. There's a lot more going on than just the trial, and Scout tells you all about it. A man called Boo Radley lives next door. Very few people have ever seen Boo, but Scout and her friends have a lot of fun telling scary stories about him. The mystery about Boo Radley is just one of the reasons you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens in To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout and her big brother, Jem, run wild and play games and have a great time while their father is busy with the trial. One of their friends is a strange boy called Dill. Actually Dill isn't really so strange once you get to know him. He says things like "I'm little but I'm old," which is funny but also pretty sad, because some of the time Dill acts more like a little old man than a seven–year–old boy. To Kill a Mockingbird is filled with interesting characters like Dill, and Scout makes them all seem just as real as the people in your own hometown. Here's how Scout describes Miss Caroline, who wore a red–striped dress: "She looked and smelled like a peppermint drop." Dill, Boo, and Jem are all fascinating, but the most important character in the book is Scout's father, Atticus Finch. You get the idea that Scout is writing the story down because she wants the world to know what a good man her dad was, and how hard he tried to do the right thing, even though the deck was stacked against him. The larger theme of the story is about racial intolerance, but Scout never tries to make it a "lesson," it's simply part of the world she describes.

Emotional Labour Essay

This report investigates the shop manners and training offered to the floor sales staff at Next compared to that of those who work in the stock room. I would like to know how each environment affects the workers emotions. I think it’s an important question to ask because the people that work on the shop floor are constantly in contact with customers. It could be said that those that work in the stock room are not part of the stage setting and are more like the stage crew who work behind the scenes. I think it is important then to first address what emotion is. â€Å"Emotion theory is centred on the relationship of the person and its environment† (Lazarus, 1991 p40). This has implications on the question that I am posing as the stockroom workers interact in a different environment to their colleagues on the shop floor. There are two fundamental viewpoints to emotion the organismic and interactionalist viewpoint. The organismic model developing from the work of Charles Darwin, William James and early Sigmund Freud, â€Å"Defines emotion mainly as a biological process. For Freud emotion affect is libidinal discharge, for Darwin it’s instinct and for James it’s the perception of a psychological process† (Hochschild, 1983 p205) This leads organismic theorists to believe that there is a basic similarity of emotion across categories of people (Hochschild, 1983). The organismic model brings us to an elicitation-expression model (Hochschild, 1983) Interactionists believe emotion always involves a biological component but adds more points to social factors, which are present before, after and during the experience of emotion. For example why does a customer become violent when refused a refund, what in their cultural environment constitutes their response? If we conceptualise emotion as instinctive we will ignore questions about social entry. (Hochschild, 1983) â€Å"Emotions are experienced by individuals and through intention or inadvertent communication may be deduced by others who are observing†. (Lazarus, 1991 p40) Emotions can be a valuable source of information in determining how people are getting along. However, surface acting can disguise true emotion so you must be wary when reading emotions. â€Å"Society and biological inheritance creates a pattern of behaviour that shape emotion and expressions of the individual† (Lazarus, 1991 p40). I believe this statement relates to the way that shop assistants and customers are expected to behave. As you will see the training offered to the sales staff shows members of the work force how to act in a socially excepted way which is common practice in all chain stores. In a shopping environment how other people feel is a huge factor as to whether they buy something or not. Sales staff to some extent can influence this. I believe that for a customer to feel ‘at home’ in a shop the sales staff need to be friendly and approachable whereby you feel even if you haven’t bought any thing this time you are welcome back again. I think that this is the key to the success of stores like Next and Marks and Spencer’s where staffs have the correct shop manners to keep the customers coming back. From interviews undertaken with staff at Next I have uncovered strict guidelines in training which each new member of staff has to go through. (I will discuss this and whether I think it is appropriate later.) Drawing on my own experience, I have worked in what you would call a ‘downmarket’ clothes store and no training of shop manners was offered to me. It was my first proper job so I did feel as if I was being thrown in at the deep end. However, the shop was very small and my C.V. demonstrated that I had good people skills as I had worked on a market stall at the weekends and holidays. I assume that management didn’t feel the need to train me in what they thought should be the obvious way to behave towards customers. After speaking to senior sales staff at next and sponsors, these are longer standing members of staff who train new staff using the guidelines (see Appendix), I have gathered that management wish the customer to feel that they are the most important thing and that their shopping experience is being made easier by the staff. Next seem to have thought out its training program very clearly and assigns specific amounts of time to each activity. This helps to give the impression that training is viewed as an important part of the job. I think that Next places emphasis on its training as it is a chain store and it often directs customers to local stores if the stock isn’t available at the branch at which they are visiting, this calls for a sense of conformity between stores. I evaluated the training sessions which, are appropriate to the questions I am asking, by interviewing staff on how appropriate each session is, how achievable are the actions set out and how they affect emotions. The overall reaction that I had from staff was that they felt the training to be very obvious and many sponsors admitted to skipping through the training as quickly as possible because of this fact. Sponsors felt that by training staff with this obvious manner of behaviour was assuming that the trainee was, when prompted by myself, emotionally incapable of selecting the correct emotions for the customer situation. Training session 1 (Appendix Shop Manners). The trainee is told to be aware and not to get tied down in tasks when I asked staff about the reality of this they said they found it very annoying to be approached by customers when doing a job and often resented customers for ‘bothering’ them. However, this is where surface acting comes into play the employee hides what they feel and pretends what they don’t (Hochschild, 1983). The action is in the body language, for example the put on smile and sweet voice as it is for the people observed by Erving Goffman (cited in Hochschild, 1983 p35). The employee has to think back to their training to pick the right body language. A typical scenario: Now interrupted from a task possibly holding a huge pile of stock in their hand the employees are given a strict formula to follow, eye contact, a smile, appropriate greeting and to be friendly and sincere. This is a hard task when obviously it is inappropriate for the customer to target them and often there is another member of staff nearby doing nothing. However, the surface acting must continue as the corporate motto of â€Å"The customer always comes first† is relayed in your mind, plus I don’t want to lose my job if they complain to head office. Company control also works along who fears whom. As with flight attendants the fear hierarchy works indirectly through customers complaining, to head office (Hochschild, 1983). This type of scenario links with the question posed by Hochschild (1983 p89) that when feelings are set by management and where workers have weaker rights to courtesy then consumers do, when deep and surface acting are forms of labour to be sold what happens to the way a person relates to her feelings or to her face? Employees said that when they were the customers they were more aware of the shop assistants emotions and tried to be more courteous. However, they may just feel as though they do this because they wish that people would do this for them. I do believe that this statement does have some truth but surely when the stage setting is different, when they are the customer and not the ‘server’ they assume the actions of the customer. As on the stage as in life the person is the locus of the acting process. But when an institution is involved various acting elements are taken away from the individual and replaced by institutional mechanisms. In this case the fact that the customer comes first. â€Å"The locus of acting, of emotional management, moves to the level of the institution†. (Hochschild 1983 p49) The people are arranged according to institutional custom and the workers surface act in institutionally approved ways. Training Session 2 (Appendix In-Store Security) This training session makes shop assistants conscious of the need to be aware and the need for acknowledgement of the customers. You can use your training of greeting the customer in a functional way, to help reduce the comfort of shoplifters who are always aware of who is watching them. Senior staff said that it gets easier to spot thieves with practice; you get to learn their tricks of diverting your attention. Even though you have to be suspicious of certain customers you must always remember your training and be polite even if you feel that they are up to no good. Training Session 3 (Appendix Stockroom) As you can see none of the training here is connected to personal conduct, it doesn’t attempt to tell you how to act where as the shop floor assistants are told to be friendly, sincere, polite, confident and have a smile. They are even told that conversations must be work related. When questioned on the reality of this last statement floor staff said they do have non-work related conversations but they are of a toned down nature to the way they would speak in private. When I asked the stockroom workers about their conversations they said that if they were in a situation to have a conversation it would be more animated then if having it on the shop floor as they are not ‘in public’. Training Session 12 (Appendix Till Service) Customer interaction is crucial at the till point. Again the trainee is told how to act, to be sincere and polite. I asked staff how easy it was to do this. A typical scenario: It’s a very busy Saturday and all the tills are in operation when greeted by the customer with comments such as â€Å"I have been waiting ever such a long time, you know† and the like, it is difficult to be sincere and polite as there is nothing the staff can do to make the queue go any quicker. The staff member surface acts with her painted on smile and polite apologies. In the training suggestions of possible conversation are complimenting customers on their choice of purchase. Till operators said they tended to deep act in this case, only saying it if they meant it. Deep acting is a natural result of working on feeling expression is spontaneous (Hochschild 1983). As the Russian director Constantin Stanivlaski puts it a real feeling that has been self-induced (cited in Hochschild 1983 p35). The refund and exchange policy is an important part of training because it is the most likely time for customer conflict. The staff member is instructed to treat the customer in the same way as they would if they were making a purchase, this is easy if the customer has a receipt or is a well-known customer. But if the customer doesn’t have a receipt it makes it harder in some cases because you have the suspicion that the customer may have stolen the garment. In this situation the staff member is advised that the best thing to do is get a manager. As formal rules that prop up an institution set limits to the emotional possibilities that staff have to feel (Hochschild 1983). The point that demonstrates this is the manager gets paid more then a shop assistant because their pay package covers them for the emotional insults, which they may receive from refusing to give a customer a refund. I asked the managers how they dealt with abusive behaviour from customers. Managers gain the experience for dealing with inconvenient customers and they assured me that it gets easier as time goes on. â€Å"You have to detach what you are feeling from the situation and not let your own anger, or in some extreme cases fear get in the way†. (Appendix Initial Training Requirement Chart) This gives a summary of all the training offered to the different roles at Next. As you can see all staff members that are present on the shop floor, for any point of their shift, the number one training session is shop manners. This is not part of the stockroom workers training. (Appendix Sponsors Guidelines- 6.Performance Assessment Standards) This table demonstrates that all staff working on floor cover, fitting room, till service or replenishment are those that could possibly come into contact with customers. It demonstrates that shop floor staff members are assessed on their ability to smile and make eye contact with the customer and to be aware of shoppers. Stockroom staff members, on the other hand, are assessed solely on their physical, rather then any emotional objectives. Are our feelings really our own? From the research obtained in this report it is clear to see that the staff working on the shop floor are shown ‘how to act’ where as in the stock room it’s much more ‘natural emotion’. Institutional practice shapes the way in which shop floor workers are expected to behave. What makes some individuals prefer to work in the stock room compared to the shop floor? I asked the stockroom workers why they liked to work in the stockroom. I received comments such as. â€Å"You can be more yourself as you don’t have to work in uniform†. I think that management enforce a strict smart dress policy on shop floor workers to help them get into the role, which they have to play; it is part of the act. â€Å"In the stockroom you don’t have to interact with customers†. Some of the stockroom staff said the horror stories they have heard about customers puts them off working on the shop floor. As customers seem to be oblivious to the feelings of shop floor workers and assume that they are there just to serve them. â€Å"The stockroom has quite a different atmosphere to the shop floor it is more relaxed, you often get shop floor sales staff coming in for a ‘break’ from the hustle and bustle of the shop floor†. The stockroom workers said that on many occasions sales staff come in and tell them about incidents with customers that have just happened. This helps the member of staff to calm down, as the stockroom member often is able to bring them to ‘reality’ and point out that it is only a customer and not to get wound up. In the surroundings of the back office the sales floor worker is able to put the situation in context of life and go back to the ‘act’ moments later. Does personality have something to do with whether you like working in the stockroom or the shop floor? From observation and asking the floor staff it seems to me that the quieter people work in the stock room. When I questioned staff members on why they enjoyed working in the stock room I deduced they don’t feel the need to be on the stage acting, to them it is false they would rather be left to their own devices. I asked the floor staff whether they minded working in the stockroom as sometimes staff shortages calls for this. They said they didn’t mind but preferred the interaction and liveliness of the shop floor this corresponds with previous research, which shows emotional labourers like contact with the customer. Even though customers can be very unpleasant. (MG2076 starter pack: The Survey). Sales floor staff said they wished they could work in the stockroom on days when they were feeling ‘under the weather’ as the need to act in the corporate superficial way was much harder because their true emotions were harder to suppress. On days when everything is going well staff said it was a pleasure to help customers that are appreciative of their service but a customer who feels it is their right to be served can bring an end to that. This suggests that workers feelings are not their own and shop assistants surface act from day to day. I would like to investigate status and gender differences to see whether men or women are better equipped at working in either environment. â€Å"Is emotion work as important for men as it is for women?† (Hochschild, 1983 p 162) Hochschild believes it is not. Due to firstly lacking other resources women make a resource out of feeling. Secondly, each gender is called on to do different kinds of work, which Hochschild believes to be down to â€Å"different childhood training of the heart that is given to girls and boys† (Hochschild, 1983 p163). I think this gender separation at work is becoming less apparent as equal rights laws are being enforced and changing attitudes of society. At Next there is equality in the work place with men and women being treated equally with both being given the same responsibility. Thirdly, â€Å"the general subordination of women† leaves them more open to abuse. For example, a customer was being very rude to the floor manager on childrensware due to the fact that she refused to give the man a refund, because the garment had obviously been worn. The customer became very rude and abusive, which he thought would give him some hold over the woman. The female manager was about to give in to the customer when the shop manager, a man, noticed the disturbance and came over to assist his colleague. He refused to give the man a refund. I believe that as a man the shop manager saw the customer as a mere man and stood by the initial reaction of the female manager. The customer more intimidated by the act of the shop manager gave in very quickly and left the shop threatening â€Å"I will let head office know about this.† The manager was not browbeaten by this comment, as he knew the customer didn’t have a leg to stand on. This situation also lends itself to the fact that † a different proportion of the managed heart is enlisted for commercial use.† (Hochschild, 1983 p163-164) Women make defensive use of their beauty, charm and relational skills, which due to commercial exploitation can lead them to become estranged from these capacities. For male workers it is more their ability to wield anger and make threats that is used by the company and so this the capacity which they are likely to feel estranged from. (Hochschild 1983) Conclusion Each environment has an impact on the workers emotions. The sales floor is where surface acting takes place throughout most of the working day. The stockroom is a place where deep acting is given more of a chance to occur due to the fact that the company don’t suppose emotions upon its workers here. I think the training offered by Next is appropriate as it is what is institutionally expected by society. It is achievable by staff to act this way, as this is what they are getting paid to do. I think it does affect workers emotions being trained how to act because it must be hard to switch off at the end of the day. Eventually it must become instinctive to act in a socially expected way and it must become harder for staff members to express their true emotions when not at work.    Bibliography * Hochschild, A. R. (1983) The Managed Heart; the commercialisation of human feeling California: University of California Press. * Lazarus, R. S. (1994) Emotion and Adaptation New York: Oxford University Press * MG2076s Starter Pack MG 2076 Louise Goldstein

Free Essays on Yom Kippur

On Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, Jewish people fast and say prayers of atonement. As explained the essay, â€Å"Yom Kippur: The Day Without Forgiveness† written by Elie Weisel in 1968, this holiday seemed to cause more anguish and confusion to the people of the Jewish religion than anything else. In concentration camps during the holocaust, many people seemed to abandon their faith and began to hate the God and teachings that they had once believed in so adherently. Like many people thought the world, they seemed to turn their backs when they seemed to need their faith the most. If one came across a situation so bad that he would feel he had to give up on his beliefs, why should one bother belonging to a religion in the first place? In this work, by Weisel, we see a middle aged man, in the beginning, refusing to fast for the holiday and accusing his believed God to be a stranger. Through tradition and learned fundamentals of a religion, people, in a way, submit themselves to a higher being, to someone or thing that they believe will help them to live the way they should. If a person has enough faith in them to spend their whole lives praying and obeying a certain divinity, they should have no reason to abandon what they’ve known all their lives. Most religions seem to exist based on the need of a superior controller, a need of something to look to when they need help that they can’t seek anyone else for. Reliance on a distinguished existence seems to give people hope and assistance. I don’t see how one can be mad at their â€Å"Go d† for having someth! ing bad happen. If all people of every religion followed this lead, it would seem absurd having any kind of religion. In this essay, an older man, Pinhas, said to be about forty years old, talks to a fifteen-year-old boy, declaring that he is not going to fast for Yom Kippur in rebelliousness towards God and his teachings in the Jewish religion. If a per... Free Essays on Yom Kippur Free Essays on Yom Kippur Yom Kippur Yom Kippur is a holiday that relates to the Jewish community. Yom Kippur, which means "Day of Atonement," is the holiest day of the Jewish year. Yom Kippur is a day of "self-denial" so that they may be cleansed of their sins. It is observed eight days after Rosh Hashanah. It is believed that on Rosh Hashanah God inscribes all of their names in the "books", and on Yom Kippur the judgment entered in these books is sealed. The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are called the Days of Awe. Yom Kippur is, essentially, their last chance to demonstrate repentance and change the judgment. Repentance is the theme of Yom Kippur. While sins alienate people from God, our repentance reconciles us with God. On Yom Kippur, they will ask for God to forgive them for their sins. The first Yom Kippur occurred when Moses descended Mount Sinai with the second set of Tablets, a symbol of the renegotiated covenant between God and the Jewish People. God decreed the tenth day of the month of Tishrei as a day of atonement: Let it be a statute for you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, you shall starve your vital energies and do no manner of work.... For on this day it shall bring atonement upon you, to purify you, before God shall you become pure of all your aberrations. (Leviticus 16: 29-30) Yom Kippur is the only fast day decreed in the Bible. It is a complete, 25-hour fast beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur. The Jewish communities are supposed to refrain from eating and drinking (even water) on Yom Kippur. It is a day set aside to "afflict the soul," to atone for the sins of the past year. On Yom Kippur they focus on spiritual elevation. One way to do this is to abstain from the physical such as food, sex, work, material possessions, and superficial pleasures. More specifically, these five physical activities are forbidde... Free Essays on Yom Kippur On Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, Jewish people fast and say prayers of atonement. As explained the essay, â€Å"Yom Kippur: The Day Without Forgiveness† written by Elie Weisel in 1968, this holiday seemed to cause more anguish and confusion to the people of the Jewish religion than anything else. In concentration camps during the holocaust, many people seemed to abandon their faith and began to hate the God and teachings that they had once believed in so adherently. Like many people thought the world, they seemed to turn their backs when they seemed to need their faith the most. If one came across a situation so bad that he would feel he had to give up on his beliefs, why should one bother belonging to a religion in the first place? In this work, by Weisel, we see a middle aged man, in the beginning, refusing to fast for the holiday and accusing his believed God to be a stranger. Through tradition and learned fundamentals of a religion, people, in a way, submit themselves to a higher being, to someone or thing that they believe will help them to live the way they should. If a person has enough faith in them to spend their whole lives praying and obeying a certain divinity, they should have no reason to abandon what they’ve known all their lives. Most religions seem to exist based on the need of a superior controller, a need of something to look to when they need help that they can’t seek anyone else for. Reliance on a distinguished existence seems to give people hope and assistance. I don’t see how one can be mad at their â€Å"Go d† for having someth! ing bad happen. If all people of every religion followed this lead, it would seem absurd having any kind of religion. In this essay, an older man, Pinhas, said to be about forty years old, talks to a fifteen-year-old boy, declaring that he is not going to fast for Yom Kippur in rebelliousness towards God and his teachings in the Jewish religion. If a per...

Free Essays on My Listening Habits

While doing this listening habits paper I learned many things that I never noticed before. The good listening skill I already have acquired help out a lot when I am communicating with someone. I found it interesting that there were more than one area of weakness that I need to work on. By doing the listening habits inventory and writing this paper I was able to realize what little changes I could make to make myself a good listener and a better communicator. I find that it is difficult or impossible for me to listen when there are distractions. I believe it is hard for me to concentrate on what a person is saying whenever other people are talking loud around us or when there is loud music or any type of loud noise. I find it so difficult because I can’t devote my undivided attention to them. This is bad because if it is something really important they are trying to tell me I won’t hear everything due to the noise. I could improve this bad habit by drowning out all of the noise and focusing all of my attention on the message the sender is trying to send. When listening to others I privately criticize their delivery and personal appearance. I do this unintentionally and realize I am doing it after I have already offended someone. This is a bad habit because I can sometimes hurt someone’s feelings without meaning to. I have a habit of correcting people when I feel their speech and grammar are wrong. I also tend to be uncomfortable around individuals who come of as being unclean. They can tell by my facial expressions. I could improve this bad habit by looking past the sender’s physical appearance and their poor ability to speak well. I pretend that I am listening when I am not. If a senders is trying to deliver a message that I don’t care to hear about I still pretend I am listening to be respectful towards their feelings. I will sometimes repeat the last thing they say so they will think I am listening. I tr... Free Essays on My Listening Habits Free Essays on My Listening Habits While doing this listening habits paper I learned many things that I never noticed before. The good listening skill I already have acquired help out a lot when I am communicating with someone. I found it interesting that there were more than one area of weakness that I need to work on. By doing the listening habits inventory and writing this paper I was able to realize what little changes I could make to make myself a good listener and a better communicator. I find that it is difficult or impossible for me to listen when there are distractions. I believe it is hard for me to concentrate on what a person is saying whenever other people are talking loud around us or when there is loud music or any type of loud noise. I find it so difficult because I can’t devote my undivided attention to them. This is bad because if it is something really important they are trying to tell me I won’t hear everything due to the noise. I could improve this bad habit by drowning out all of the noise and focusing all of my attention on the message the sender is trying to send. When listening to others I privately criticize their delivery and personal appearance. I do this unintentionally and realize I am doing it after I have already offended someone. This is a bad habit because I can sometimes hurt someone’s feelings without meaning to. I have a habit of correcting people when I feel their speech and grammar are wrong. I also tend to be uncomfortable around individuals who come of as being unclean. They can tell by my facial expressions. I could improve this bad habit by looking past the sender’s physical appearance and their poor ability to speak well. I pretend that I am listening when I am not. If a senders is trying to deliver a message that I don’t care to hear about I still pretend I am listening to be respectful towards their feelings. I will sometimes repeat the last thing they say so they will think I am listening. I tr...

The Trends of Courtesy in Different Parts of the World

The Trends of Courtesy in Different Parts of the World This article is discussing the trends of courtesy in different parts of the world, and the author examines how humans around the world are cultured (where courtesy is concerned). This is because the article investigates contexts in which courtesy should be shown by people to other people.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Trends of Courtesy in Different Parts of the World specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main point of this passage is informing people about courtesy in the world. Courtesy is shown more in developed countries than in developing countries. For instance, courtesy is high in America and Europe as compared to Asia and Africa. This passage is organized such that it has an introduction and development of the argument. The passage starts by citing some situations that courtesy is required. Therefore, the reader develops a clue of what will be discussed. The lady in Mexico does not hold open the do or, the sales attendant in Seoul thanks the buyer and a young lady in Toronto stops to help a lady pick her papers. This passage is written such that the tone calls a person to be courteous. The purpose of the passage is to get people to understand the importance of courtesy and act on areas that need one to be courteous. The writer takes a global point of view to show that courtesy should not be restricted to some places only. Courtesy is very important as it makes people live in harmony. The trends of courtesy in a given society affect the courtesy of other people since people follow the norms of the society. Therefore, if people from a certain society are not courteous, the next generation will also not be courteous. This article is very informative. Reading this article will make a person conscious of the importance of courtesy in the world. It will also make a person predict the reception of the people where that person wishes to visit.

Business Balance Scoreboard & Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Balance Scoreboard & Paper - Essay Example - One point will need to swiftly form substitute business settings to make the best investment evaluation. This point of view indicates towards the fact that if the business is helping them develop the base line, assessing objects like that of productivity and investor value. The Financial objectives will then tend to reveal the economic outcomes of actions by now taken within the other viewpoints. The strategic objectives beneath this header, would have to consist of the various strategy maps that would help out the business decide over the suitable cost, provide the precise quality of products, make sure that there is availability of all the important goods beneath each line that they are offering at all times. Additionally, the corporation will have to pay individual attention towards the research and development of these product lines incessantly as there are several brands that are being launched everyday in the market. The purpose again here is to be able to generate a good clientele and then maintain also hold on to it for longer periods. They should follow the three strategies of: Improving product performance as well as boosting their control over the suppliers, assembling a more responsive, receptive One Point business that would competently as well as efficiently react to the exact client needs - give power to their account managers plus their teams to let them turn into more wider business managers with a broader range of dexterity to drive company value for the customer products and their clientele together. - incorporating the insight, helping the corporation develops, together internally as well as with associates to coerce a more besieged improvement. The most significant partof an effectual marketing strategy here would be the facility to exploit and defend the value of the products.The cost is thelast measure of consumer value as well as the competitive advantage. One point will have to recognize the consumer as well as the segments of the marketplace where the One Point business would contend. 3) The strategic objectives for Internal Operations Perspective: 4) The Strategic objectives for Learning and Growth (Employee)Perspective: Here in the one point business would have to make certain that they have considered how they will be dealing with the matters: of operations administration plus the procedure which comprises of the product supply, manufacturing, and distribution beside the risk management. They will need to design their customer management process; herein focus more on selection, acquisition, retention and growth. Designing

Communication Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Communication Strategies - Essay Example There is no organization that can effectively function without communication. Thus, over the recent years, corporate communication has evolved to become one of the most valuable management and strategic tools in any organization especially if it is well aligned with the overall strategy of a company and meant to improve and enhance the strategic positioning of the organization (Argenti, Howel and Beck, 2005). Corporate communication is mainly concerned with passing information to the organization’s diverse stakeholders with different needs and expectations (Gupta, 2011). As such, this paper is designed to review literature and explore the major strategies and roles of corporate communication during the contemporary period in different organizations. According to Kim & Radar (2010), corporate ability (CAb) focused strategy, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) focused strategy, and hybrid focused strategy are the major corporate communication strategies used by organizations during the current period. The Cab strategy focuses on communicating the company’s products while CSR is concerned about communicating to the stakeholders to show that it is socially responsible. The hybrid strategy is a combination of both. As a result of increased global competition, consumer activism and digitization, it is increasingly becoming important for organizations to effectively manage their relations with various stakeholders. This can be achieved through the effective use of corporate communication which plays a pivotal role in the organization. Corporate communication plays the following roles: A number of studies have emphasized the significance of corporate communications in building an organization’s corporate reputation and image. For instance, Gupta (2011) observes that 80% of respondents in study acknowledged that the core purpose of corporate communication is to build corporate brand and enhance its reputation. Corporate

Segment 4,5,and 6 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Segment 4,5,and 6 - Term Paper Example lberger recounts that the migrant passengers were â€Å"packed densely, like herrings† into the ships awaited them in harbors of Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Each person received no more than 2-ft. wide bedstead, as a typical ship carried over 400 to 600 passengers. The miseries of the passengers usually began in the Dutch waters already, as the ships were compelled to pass through 8-14-day long customs examination at British ports, as they arrived there. However, the real hardship was to begin during the voyage across the Atlantic, as the vessels carrying migrants took 8 to 12 weeks until they reached Philadelphia. During such trips, gales and epidemics often struck the passengers, leading to rather high mortality levels and general discontent. In particular, infants and 1 to 7 year-old children were rarely to survive such trip. The most degrading part of the voyage, nevertheless, was to begin in the harbor of Philadelphia, as the destitute passengers were effectively sold to those who could pay for their new servants’ passage money. Usually adult persons were to serve for 3 to 6 years for the benefit of their purchasers, while the adolescents could be purchased to serve until they would be 21 year old. During such sale procedures, whole families were frequently torn apart. Segment 5. William Pitt’s Speech on the Stamp Act, 14 January 1766. This speech by William Pitt, Sr., who was at that time a leader of the Opposition, was to play one of the decisive roles in the repeal of the Stamp Act and the temporary softening of the British position with respect to the Colonies. Pitt pointed out that even â€Å"under former arbitrary reigns† it had been assumed that taxation entails the right of representation in the Parliament, and vice versa. He cited the example of Wales to show that the Colonists were right to demand the same attitude towards themselves. Pitt warned that the attempts of â€Å"the late administration† to â€Å"rob† the Colonies would be a dangerous

Looking Inside Young Minds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Looking Inside Young Minds - Essay Example Like 3000 other callers this year, Thelma has contacted an organisation known as YoungMinds. YoungMinds, a national charity, is committed to improving the mental health of babies, children, and young people. Though the hotline is their most visible form of outreach, they function in numerous capacities to help children, parents, and professionals in their goal of helping children. They operate a parent's information hotline, publish numerous pamphlets and leaflets, conduct research, and consult with policy makers and practitioners in the field of child advocacy. YoungMinds, a multi-faceted organisation, offers immediate crisis help as well as research, training, and professional consultation. These extraordinary features make YoungMinds one of the most comprehensive advocates for children available to the general public. To understand the complexity of YoungMinds, it's helpful to follow a single case from the initial contact through to resolution. During Thelma's initial call, the operator gathered information about the child, the living situation, and the problems that confronted the family. After recommending further contact, it was arranged to have a professional call back at Thelma's convenience. ... In this case the professional was able to resolve the situation, but other scenarios may result in a client referral to another appropriate agency. In most cases, this highly effective approach will have given Thelma the tools she needs, as well as written material that will be of value to her Though Thelma's situation had to do with inappropriate violence, YoungMinds delves into numerous problems that children encounter. These issues include many diverse topics such as bullying, self-esteem, substance abuse, and behavioural issues. Issues as far reaching as gambling and eating disorders can be handled by the staff at YoungMinds. In addition, they expand their capabilities by offering training to other mental health professionals that deal with children's issues. Teachers, social workers, and foster caregivers can receive on-site training as well as written material that reflects the most up to date research and findings that affect children's mental health. The written material published by YoungMinds is aimed at children as well professionals and parents. Booklets written for children address issues such as depression, anger, sexual abuse, and coping with a dysfunctional family. They publish guides to advise parents that may be going through a divorce or experiencing other emotional problems. Their regular publication of YoungMinds Magazine covers news, analysis, activities of parliament, opinion, and upcoming events of interest. Many of these publications are available in electronic format at no charge, or may be ordered in print at a small fee. The nominal charge that YoungMinds receives for their printed material simply covers the cost of publication and reproducing. According to their 2005 annual report, eighty percent of their budget, which is less than

Aquarius Advertising Agency Case Analysis Article

Aquarius Advertising Agency Case Analysis - Article Example Their second goal is to develop media plans for billboards, television, newspaper, internet and radio. A subsidiary goal is in marketing, distribution and research marketing of effective adverts. The culture of the organization is centred on a traditional model characterized by interactive communication between account managers and clients. Moreover, the technology is consistent with current information technology equipment such as computers for emailing and advert design, as well as telephones for contacting clients. The matrix organizational structure would not be a feasible option for Aquarius. Foremost, the option would be a very expensive option to maintain in the case of Aquarius. The major reason is that Aquarius is involved in the advertisement industry accustomed with frequent turnover of clients. Consequently, there fluctuations in its profit margins would experience financial strain in maintaining the matrix structure. A further disadvantage of the structure is that it would worsen the internal conflict in communication that Aquarius has experienced and attempting to resolve. This is because the matrix structure is consistent with dual reporting and accountability to seniors. As a result it would create confusion among subordinates regarding their directing

Looking Inside Young Minds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Looking Inside Young Minds - Essay Example Like 3000 other callers this year, Thelma has contacted an organisation known as YoungMinds. YoungMinds, a national charity, is committed to improving the mental health of babies, children, and young people. Though the hotline is their most visible form of outreach, they function in numerous capacities to help children, parents, and professionals in their goal of helping children. They operate a parent's information hotline, publish numerous pamphlets and leaflets, conduct research, and consult with policy makers and practitioners in the field of child advocacy. YoungMinds, a multi-faceted organisation, offers immediate crisis help as well as research, training, and professional consultation. These extraordinary features make YoungMinds one of the most comprehensive advocates for children available to the general public. To understand the complexity of YoungMinds, it's helpful to follow a single case from the initial contact through to resolution. During Thelma's initial call, the operator gathered information about the child, the living situation, and the problems that confronted the family. After recommending further contact, it was arranged to have a professional call back at Thelma's convenience. ... In this case the professional was able to resolve the situation, but other scenarios may result in a client referral to another appropriate agency. In most cases, this highly effective approach will have given Thelma the tools she needs, as well as written material that will be of value to her Though Thelma's situation had to do with inappropriate violence, YoungMinds delves into numerous problems that children encounter. These issues include many diverse topics such as bullying, self-esteem, substance abuse, and behavioural issues. Issues as far reaching as gambling and eating disorders can be handled by the staff at YoungMinds. In addition, they expand their capabilities by offering training to other mental health professionals that deal with children's issues. Teachers, social workers, and foster caregivers can receive on-site training as well as written material that reflects the most up to date research and findings that affect children's mental health. The written material published by YoungMinds is aimed at children as well professionals and parents. Booklets written for children address issues such as depression, anger, sexual abuse, and coping with a dysfunctional family. They publish guides to advise parents that may be going through a divorce or experiencing other emotional problems. Their regular publication of YoungMinds Magazine covers news, analysis, activities of parliament, opinion, and upcoming events of interest. Many of these publications are available in electronic format at no charge, or may be ordered in print at a small fee. The nominal charge that YoungMinds receives for their printed material simply covers the cost of publication and reproducing. According to their 2005 annual report, eighty percent of their budget, which is less than

Hybrid Cars Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Management Case Study Essay Example for Free

Management Case Study Essay The case study below takes place at the Sir Charles Wilberforce Hospital’s cafeteria, which is experiencing problems with the change management. Due to the new management undertaken by Keith Davis, there was a major issue of inadequate communication channels, as Keith told his employees what to do rather than consult them, especially with the decision-making. The best alternative to rectify this problem is for Keith to adapt to a consultative management style, in order for employees to take ownership in their workplace through expressing their opinions and feel more valued, however still allowing Keith to still make the final decision. Another major issue addressed in the Cafeteria was the amount of unmotivated staff. As employees feel unsatisfied with their work, the best solution to this issue is Goal Setting. Through employees setting strategic goals they will increase their motivation through achievement of these goals which will lead them to set more challenging ones. Lastly, the third major issue recognised was Keith’s poor leadership skills which made it difficult for employees to fulfil expectations and find enjoyment in the workplace. The best alternative solution for this problem is to retrain Keith’s leadership abilities so he is able to adopt all the qualities needed to become a better leader in his managing role. Although this may be an expensive method, the new leadership qualities Keith will learn will make a happier work environment for his employees and build a better employer/employee relationship. 3. Problem identification Poor communication channels Keith focuses on top down communication channels, providing a one way communication which is from him to his employees, rather than two-way which provides his employees to communicate ideas with him. This negatively impacts the hospital as the Keith is unable to discuss problems or ask questions amongst employees to see if there are any problems going on amongst the workers and therefore leading to job dissatisfaction employees. Although Keith tried to soothe Julia when the issue between her and Madison was brought to his attention, he did not follow it up or treat it as an importance. Lack of staff motivation Prior to Keith’s managing, Anne’s original foundations of self-satisfaction and close family ties seemed to motivate the employees at Sir Charles Wilberforce hospital. Keith’s changes were made to become more efficient, employees were left struggling to gain satisfaction and motivation in order for themselves to achieve their hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 1954). In this hierarchy of needs Maslow developed, employees have five needs, physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualisation, once they fulfil one of their needs they can graduate to the next one to fulfil it and so on. Without fulfilling the social needs of forming social ties or self-actualisation of gaining enough experience within the kitchen to become a supervisor, it became unknown to the employees of what they are capable of and decreased their enticements to complete tasks and feel satisfied. Insufficient leadership abilities Keith lacks major leadership qualities, as the organisational layout he uses is to tell employees what to do, depriving them of guidance and support. The Hersey Situations leadership model suggests that leadership focuses on follower’s readiness (Hersey, Blanchard Johnson, 2001). This theory suggests that at Sir Charles Wilberforce, if the employees feel they are unable to complete a task Keith should give those clear and specific instructions. If they are willing and confident Keith needs to provide them display high task orientation, and if employees feel able but are unwilling Keith would need to use a supportive approach. Lack of teamwork The teamwork environment of delegating tasks amongst of employees was not addressed by Keith. He believed that employees needed to finish work on time, plan menus monthly and take on cleaning responsibilities, whereas, the use of team work would have provided a better suited time managed system. Through having each employee assist with cleaning duties, planning menus, helping out another if time was short as well as assisting each other to get all food out and made the kitchen would be less chaotic. This would have assisted with issues if someone was ill, allowing more than one person to prepare greater portions of meals. 4. Statement of Major Problems The three major problems that are brought to the attention at Sir Charles Wilberforce Hospital are: Inadequate communication channels Unmotivated staff Insufficient leadership abilities The poor communication channel Keith utilises is top-down communication from Keith to his employees. As this is a workplace that depends on seeking ideas from others and support from each other, two way communications between Keith and his employees is necessary. This will allow employees to feel part of the decision making and feel they can share their ideas to improve the workplace. Following this Keith must then improve his leadership skills, putting his employees first and assisting them with any help and support they need in order to achieve a positive workplace. This may involve Keith revising the organisation’s culture, or distinguishing the strength and weakness of each employee so he knows how to assist each of them. Once Keith’s leadership abilities are improved, staff motivation must be identified and given, in order for employees to become productive within the kitchen and gain job satisfaction, increasing their abilities and allowing them to feel the want to work. 5. Generation and Evaluation of Alternative Solutions Inadequate communication channels Regular work meetings Set regular meetings within the kitchen, in order to concerns amongst employees to be discussed as we as evaluation on how the business is going and openly discuss ways to improve or maintain it. Advantages Allows for feedback Employees can listen to each person’s idea and encourages discussion openly Evaluate the earnings to the previous week and that time the previous year, allowing each person to suggest ways to improve or maintain their profit margins. Disadvantages Some employees may not attend May be time consuming to discuss all ideas Consultative management style Implement a Consultative management style in order to increase two-way and open communication between Keith and the employees. Advantages Allows employees to feel ownership in decision making Allows employees to share their ideas and opinions Gives confidence to employees Disadvantages Employees may feel held back to express their opinions because they do not feel comfortable Employees may feel offended if their ideas are not taken into consideration Time consuming Unmotivated staff Goal setting Implement setting goals, which involve employees setting goals that motivate them to improve their capabilities. Advantages Gives self-satisfaction Increases productivity and performance levels Disadvantages Time consuming to distinguish appropriate and achievable goals Goals ay appear as unattainable and lead to employees to give up Job design Mr Dev can alter the job design to assist in identifying and correcting any deficiencies that affect performance and motivation. Advantages Job enlargement, can be used to increase motivation by giving employees more and varied tasks so the employee is motivation to try new tasks Job rotation allows an employee to work in different departments or jobs in an organization to gain better insight into operations motivating the employee to increase his/her skills and knowledge about other jobs. Disadvantages Job enrichment may lead the employee transferred too much responsibility in the kitchen and independence in the planning and control aspects of the job which may suppress motivation levels Reward and Recognition Evaluating each employee to identify which people are performing to their maximum, and rewarding them financially or non-financially for their hard work, therefore motivating other employees to improve their work standards. Advantages Employees will increase performance to obtain more rewards Will produce higher standards amongst the employees Self- enrichment Disadvantages Expensive to keep purchasing rewards and reassess each employee to recognise After a while employees may feel that rewards may not motivate them anymore Keith may not want to undertake the idea of rewarding and recognising employees Insufficient leadership abilities Retrain Keith Retraining programs for Keith within the company or externally will allow Keith to develop better leadership qualities and create a happier workplace. Advantages Positively effects employees to feel trust and support from Keith Keith can evaluate themselves as to what skills are expected to lead the employees Disadvantages May take a while for Keith to learn and adapt to these skills May be expensive Dismiss Keith Dismissing Keith will demolish the issue of poor leadership abilities and will allow the business to replace him with a more experienced manager. Advantages Re-appoint a new manager who possess all correct leadership skills Employees are in a happier environment where they can get the support they need More time appropriate and efficient than retraining Disadvantages May be hard to find a replacement Employees may find it hard to adapt to a new manager and may be resistant to give them a chance due to their bad experience with Keith 6. Recommendation Consultative management style A Consultative management style is the recommended alternative for Keith to address to his employees. The type of management style used by Keith at this point is autocratic, which involves him making decisions for the hospital kitchen unilaterally. Although regular meetings are a good alternative by providing mediation and assistant towards employees, the consultative management style involves a permanent change to the organisation. The consultative style would involve Keith discussing ideas of possible changes to be made within the kitchen, as well as employees being able to give their opinions and ideas. By implementing a consultative management style, employees at the cafeteria will be able to perform to their optimum level, concentrating on increasing common sense approach for Keith to meet the needs and wants of the employees, as well as making employees realise their own abilities and capabilities in performing tasks, (McClelland, 1987). Similarly to regular meetings, the consultative approach gives open communication, however unlike meetings the consultative approach is more permanent in the workplace and is used daily, for example in decision making, gaining assistance with a task or getting support with a concern. This will benefit the kitchen, as the employees will respond more positively to any changes to feel more a part of the workplace and a sense of belonging. Keith will benefit from this style, as he will be given a broader range of ideas as well as maintain his authority to make the final decision. Goal Setting Setting goals is the preferred alternative for Keith to use within the kitchen. Despite the fact being rewarded motivates someone to maintain if not improve performance to be rewarded again, goal setting gives motivation. Goal setting enables employees to measure their processes and work performance. This enables employees to gain feedback on their results, unlike rewards and recognition which just motivates employees to try harder to gain another reward rather than possessing the want to gain the self-satisfaction that they have improved. Edward Locke’s theory of goal setting outlines that in setting specific and challenging goals it enables process and outcome improvement (Locke ; Latham, 1990). Similarly, job design suggests a different form of motivating to increase their skills of different tasks, however it also does hold the ability to measure the improvement that setting goals do. If goal setting is adapted by Keith, his employees would be able to achieve towards a higher performance, as well as motivating them to set higher goals with increasingly difficult tasks, once they have been achieved. Through Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, this can assist in setting goals with Locke and Latham’s theory. Maslow theory suggests that ‘although no need is every fully satisfied, a substantially satisfied need no longer motivates an individual to satisfy that need’ (Robbins, Bergmann, Stagg and Coulter, 2012, p559). This suggests that in identifying each need, physiological safety social esteem and self-actualisation, employees at sir Charles Wilberforce can pinpoint what tasks they need to complete in order to graduate to the next level. For example one of the employees may find that they feel they don’t belong, in order to achieve this level they can set a goal to form relations with other employees on a professional basis. Once this goal is achieved they can move on to develop their esteem needs. Retraining Keith Although, retraining Keith may be considered a time consuming process, compared to the alternative of dismissing Keith, it appears to be a more logical approach. Through retraining, Keith is able to gain leadership skills that he may not be aware are essential skills he needs in order to be a manager. This will transform him from telling his employees what to do, to instead assisting and guiding them through changes. Despite the expenses of this method, it may also be difficult for Keith to cooperate as well as understand the concept of these skills however unlike dismissing, he will be able to improve and allow for a happier work. The trait theory suggests that it is impossible to identify and isolate characteristics from leaders from non-leaders. However there are seven traits associated with leadership, these being ‘drive, the desire to lead, honesty and integrity, self-confidence, intelligence, job-relevant knowledge and extraversion’, (Robbins, 2012, p605). Eventually with the retraining, Keith may possess these seven leadership abilities to involve his employees in decision making process and form a trust bond.

The Painted Door Outline English Literature Essay

The Painted Door Outline English Literature Essay The beginning of the story is written as an omniscient narrative; the narrator has knowledge of the thoughts and feelings of both John and Ann. As the story progresses the point of view changes slightly and becomes limited omniscient/third person. The story is told as if the narrator can tell what Ann is thinking, feeling and saying, but not what Steven and John are feeling or thinking, except for what is perceived by Anns interpretations of their actions. The suspense of the story builds gradually through the duration of the rising action . John gets ready to brave the oncoming storm to go to his fathers house; Ann does not want him to go and leave her alone all day. Against Anns protests he leaves anyway, but not before telling her that he will stop by their neighbor Steves house and ask if he will come over to help Ann with chores and keep her company. Throughout the day Ann fights off loneliness and despair and tries to distract herself from dwelling on negative aspects of her life. After Ann has a terrifying experience with the snowstorm Steve arrives. For a short story to be effective, it must be able to produce high levels of intensity, emotion and drama. To do this, it must convey a great deal of information in a short space of time. As a result, the short story usually leaves a great deal of its content open to interpretation and examination by the reader. Also, the denouements of short stories frequently remain inconclusive and unfulfilled. Together, these attributes add to the action and intriguing character of this genre of literature. An essential element of the short story is to make the personal events experienced by the characters universally understood by the reader. The story must present themes which are relevant to the reader, in order for it to make an impression. For this reason, short stories tend to be based on some type of controversy or debatable issue. In Sinclair Ross highly metaphorical short story The Painted Door, the explicit theme is centered on adultery. However, there are other, more subtle, motifs in the story that play a very significant a role in its success. The themes essential in making the protagonists adultery understandable are the landscape, her isolation, and the feelings of betrayal and guilt that she experiences following the central act of the story. A great deal of this story is spent describing Anns environment, both inside and outside her house. The story takes place in the past, before automobiles or telephones. Ann and her husband are settlers in a largely uninhabited and desolate area of North America (perhaps Saskatchewan). The starkness of the land is described early in the story: Scattered across the face of so vast and bleak a wilderness it was difficult to conceive [the distant farmsteads] as a testimony of human hardihood and endurance. (246). Page Two The barrenness of the surroundings in which the characters live produces an impression of extreme, almost unbearable, isolation and loneliness. This theme, perhaps the most vividly expressed theme of the story, pervades throughout the entire duration of the narrative. At one level, it serves to explain how the circumstances of Anns adultery arise, but, on another level, the description of the terrain serves a metaphor for the spirit itself. In other words, the emptiness of her surroundings point to the feelings of emptiness and loneliness she experiences. In this way, we can empathise with Ann through the descriptive passages of her bleak surroundings. Her attempts to keep herself occupied during the absence of her husband by carrying on with the household chores further emphasises the sense of tedium in her life. The almost exaggerated meticulousness in the way she proceeds with her chores illustrates her attempts at detaching herself from the reality of her isolation (does the hou se really need to be painted in the middle of winter?). -The weather outside deteriorates as her concern for her husband increases. She ventures outside the safety and warmth of the house to feed the horses in the stables. The blizzard is so ferocious that by the time she returns to the house, she realises that if her husband had ventured home in the storm, he has little chance of surviving the journey. The storm thus serves as a metaphor both for Anns anxiety about her present life, and also for regrets about past decisions. The physical separation from her husband signifies the isolation Ann is experiencing in her marital relationship. Together, these emotions make it possible for Ann to engage in an act that under normal conditions, would be out of character for her. Page Three At this point, Steven, their neighbour, arrives. We learn that Ann considers Steven attractive, perhaps even more attractive than her husband. The sexual tension between them soon becomes apparent: Something was at hand that hitherto had always eluded her, even in the early days with John, something vital, beckoning, meaningful. She didnt understand, but she knew. The texture of the moment was satisfyingly dreamlike. . . (254). Eventually, she accedes to Stevens persuasions that John, her husband, will not be returning home, either because he is stranded at his fathers house (where he had gone that morning, before the blizzard), or he has lost his way and perished in the cold. She surrenders herself to her loneliness and temptation, and her relationship with Steven is consummated. The storm is thus a metaphor for passion, emotion, and crisis. After having sex, she visualises moving shadows and flickering light from the bed she is sharing with Steven. It is unclear whether she is awake or dreaming. The spectre of John then appears. At first, Ann attributes this to a dream, because she knows that the house is completely isolated. Then, she is profoundly struck by the act of betrayal she has just committed: She knew now. She had not let herself understand or acknowledge it as guilt before, but gradually through the wind-torn silence of the night his face compelled her. (259). The abatement of the storm signifies Anns return to rationality and moral conscience. This reality is reflected in Steven, whom Ann sees from a different perspective at this point. Page Four Instead of sharing her emotions of angst and shame, he remains calm and displays no feelings of guilt. As a result, he is now substantially less attractive to Ann than he had been the previous night. This adds to her sense of betrayal as she recalls the admirable q ualities of her husband: she understood that thus he was revealed in his entirety all there ever was or ever could be. John was the man. He was the future. (261). -The conclusion of The Painted Door is shocking and ironic, which is what makes the story so effective. The reader is left with a definite, yet somewhat inconclusive ending. It is the only instance in the story in which we are not a party to the protagonists emotions. The conclusion serves to produce almost as many questions as it answers, because we are not completely certain what the implications are for Ann. The sudden termination of the story fails to reveal both what Johns motivations were, and what Anns future holds. This Twilight-Zone-esque formula is what makes a short story like The Painted Door so effective. The open-ended and disturbing culmination, coupled with the abundant use of symbolism and metaphor, compel the reader to ruminate on the implications long after the reader has finished reading the story. Works Cited

Abstract: :: essays papers

Abstract: Currently, violence is commonly thought of as serious physical harm done unto another individual. Recently that definition has been rethought to now include milder forms of aggression. This is redefinition is key as instructors begin taking a fresh look at the problem of school violence, especially when it involves very young children. Aggressive children were once thought of as just going through a phase and eventually out-growing the aggressive behavior. But recent research has discovered that aggression in early childhood leads to much more severe behavior in later life. Because of these new findings, the purpose of this research paper is to discover the impact of early childhood violence prevention programs and if they would be successful in combating the issue of school violence. School violence is a rising epidemic occurring every day, in varying degrees, at schools across the country. School shootings that are being broadcasted in the media are the most extreme and rare forms that seems to attract the most public attention to the problem, while bullying and other "smaller" forms of violent acts that are happening more frequently don't gain the same type of media attention as the occasional shootings do. Parents across the nation are thinking, â€Å"not my child, not my neighborhood.† They do not believe that it could happen in their own backyard or in an expensive private school, but it does. Middle and high school students are finally beginning to receive information from school and community prevention programs that are designed to help them to identify and deal with violence in their schools. But there is an alarming new trend of school violence that is occurring with even younger children in elementary schools which is having a tremendous imp act on their behavior as adolescents and adults. Young children are becoming more and more aggressive towards their peers, which is directly escalating the problem of school violence and aggression in middle and high schools. Because of this, school violence prevention programs need to be implemented in early childhood educational settings in order to bring an end to the rising rates of bullying and school violence among kindergarten and elementary school-aged children and to prevent school violence later in life. Today, the term â€Å"violence† in American society is generally reserved for only acts of severe physical harm towards another person. Because of this commonly thought, narrow definition, many educators and parents only see the school violence problem as intentional interpersonal violence between middle or high school students or from a student towards a teacher.

Admissions Essay - Ugandan Culture and Medicine :: Medicine College Admissions Essays

Admissions Essay - Ugandan Culture and Medicine My trip to Uganda proved to be an extremely rewarding experience. We spent the first part of the Crossroads program at Hofstra University in Long Island for a two-day orientation, during which we met our group members and shared our interests and experiences. After knowing each other for only 48 hours we embarked upon our "journey". We flew from New York to London, to Entebbe airport, roughly one hour from the capital, Kampala. The next morning we met with officials from PDR (Program for Development and Rehabilitation) who gave us a few guidelines about our project and helped sensitize us to the culture and the history of Uganda. That same day we drove to Luwero (roughly 50 miles from Kampala) to meet our host community and "get settled in". The clergy members with whom we spoke were overwhelmingly friendly, and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. The Bishop of Luwero was kind enough to have a guesthouse ready for us. Having expected that each of us would be staying with a separate family, living in our own house with mattress beds and electricity came as somewhat of a shock. Though I wish I could have had the experience of staying with a Ugandan family, our living arrangements worked out quite well. We were able to do our own cooking, use charcoal stoves, and wash our own laundry by hand. Though we were originally supposed to be stationed at Kiwoko Hospital, roughly 8 miles from Luwero, the Church of Uganda made last minutes changes in the program. We spent the first two weeks visiting various health centers in Luwero. Given our limited medical experience, we weren't able to provide much help to the patients in terms of medical care. However we did gain a great deal of experience by talking to the medical staff and observing local healthcare practices. One of the wards at Kasana Health Center was dedicated entirely to testing and counseling for AIDS patients. Talking to these patients and the counselors proved to be extremely fascinating. On one occasion a group of HIV patients set up a dance/performance aimed at conveying the experience of the disease through dancing and music. We were able to visit Kiwoko Hospital during the third week of our trip, however. Most of our time there was spent shadowing doctors (most of them Ugandan) and observing surgeries.

Into The Wild: Test Essay

McCandless was brave enough to do things most people would not even think about doing. â€Å"He was looking for more adventure and freedom than today’s society gives people,† comments one of Chris’s friends† (Krakauer 174). What modern society offers did not appeal to Chris McCandless; he wanted a different life that most people had themselves. He saw the influences society puts on our lives and decided he did not want to live that way. â€Å"No longer would he answer to Chris McCandless; he was now Alexander Supertramp, master of his own destiny† (23). McCandless, now known as Alexander Supertramp, did not want to be held back in any way; to insure he would get full freedom he changed his name so he was able to start fresh. McCandless took charge of his new life and was brave to be able to just leave everything he knew and was comfortable with to start new. Whatever makes you happy you should pursue, McCandless did just that even with all the negati ve people telling him it was a bad idea. People find happiness in multiple ways; through relationships, nature, religion, and many more ways. In a letter to Franz, Alex writes, â€Å"You are wrong if you think joy emanates only or principally from human relationships. God has placed it all around us† (57). McCandless knew that although it is nice to have relationships you can find happiness in nature and that is where he found true happiness. â€Å"He is smiling in the picture, and there is no mistaking the look in his eyes: Chris McCandless was at peace, serene as a monk gone to God† (199). Before McCandless’s death he took a picture and in the picture he was at peace and happy even though he was alone and going through the pain of starvation. He was happy because he finally found true happiness. McCandless found happiness in ways most did not, once he found what made him happy he pursued in no matter what the consequences were. â€Å"In the final postcard he sent to Wayne Westerberg, McCandless had  written, if this adventure proves fatal and you don’t ever hear from me again I want you to know you’re a great man. I now walk into the wild† (133). He wrote this to acknowledge the chance that he might not survive. He does not want to die but he knows that he is embarking on a dangerous adventure. McCandless also feels that the whole adventure is worth it, however, for the real experience of living completely independently and freely, and his excitement was expressed at the end of the final postcard to Westerberg. People called McCandless foolish for his mistakes but everyone makes mistakes. â€Å"Instead of feeling distraught over this turn of events, moreover, McCandless was exhilarated: He saw the flash flood as an opportunity to shed unnecessary baggage† (29). Although he made a mistake of sleeping in an area where there are flash floods and lost his car, he accepted it and used it as a way to get further into his adventure by just living off what he needed. â€Å"Chastity and moral purity were qualities McCandless mulled over long and often† (65). Although Chris made fatal mistakes he knew what was right and wrong and would think about it a lot. McCandless overall had respect and good morals but made fatal mistakes which led to his death. â€Å"Awkwardly, s tiff with fear, I started working my way back down. The rime gradually thickened. After descending about eighty feet, I got back on reasonably solid ground. I stopped for a long time to let my nerves settle, then leaned back from my tools and stared up at the face above, searching for a hint of solid ice, for some variation in the underlying rock strata, for anything that would allow passage over the frosted slabs. (137)† That quote really explains what a brave man he is and how he can overcome obstacles that the others like Rosellini, McCunn, and Waterman couldn’t. People who did not think McCandless was courageous thought he was a young foolish man who caused many pain with his leaving and death. Chris did make mistakes but so did others and that does not mean he is foolish. He did not want to cause others pain but he needed to start fresh and away from everyone he knew. â€Å"Alex is a nut in my book,† wrote a resident of Healy, the hamlet at the head of the Stampede Trail. â€Å"The author describes a man who has given away a small fortune , forsaken a living family, abandoned his car, watch and map and burned the last of his money before traipsing off into the ‘wilderness’ west of Healy†(71). Although McCandless did all of those things, he did it to have a fresh  start. He did not want to be held back from anything and in the end it made him happy. A reader of the Outside magazine asked, â€Å"Why would any son cause his parents and family such permanent and perplexing pain?†(71) McCandless did not want to cause his loved ones pain but ended up causing them pain since the only way he could find true happiness was to leave everyone he loved. Although some may not be able to see the reasons McCandless left all his opportunities and loved ones behind to go on an adventure that caused him his death, he only did it because that was what made him happy. Chris McCandless was a young man that went against society and found happiness in things most people would be afraid to try. He had the bravery it took to go against society to find his happiness and although he made mistakes he did what he enjoyed even if people thought he was foolish. People should not judge others for what they do that makes them happy and being brave enough to do something diffe rent than what most do.

Politics of Volkswagen Essay

One can be forgiven for overlooking the categories of cars when asked about politics in one’s country – they seemed too commonplace and mundane to be considered anything political. In the mainstream thought, cars are a means of transportation, to travel from one point to another. Some conservationists may argue on the environmental agenda, while others may think of cars as one of the main industries driving the economy. Nothing more is thought of these mean machines that move the world. Yet, the history cars possess has political backgrounds, given that they were considered technological advancements in their early days. Using Volkswagen as the main case study, this paper will examine cars in a political-visual aspect and the impact they have on the people through the ages. It will also consider the consequences of the car – the economical impact by the car industry, environmental impact by the car and the different law and policies enacted for the car and the us ers. Last but not least, the iconic Volkswagen Beetle will be featured and explained on its influence on the lives of many. As this paper attempts to cover a lot of ground, the focus will be on the impact by Volkswagen on the world. The History of Volkswagen The Fà ¼hrer addressed the nation on the Volkswagen. It is understood that the term ‘Volkswagen’ was a brainchild of Adolf Hitler, the Fà ¼hrer of the Nazi Germany. However, what is less understood is how Volkswagen came about. The supposed ‘People’s Car’ was more than political rhetoric; it was a determination in Hitler’s political ambitions to provide the car to the masses in a time where the Car was out of reach and seemingly for the elite. Although there were cars from the rival companies, like the Mercedes 170H, the Volkswagen was a car company started off from scratch, fueled by the designs by the Chief Designer, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche. Brought together by a car salesman, Jakob Werlin, both Hitler and Porsche discussed ideas of this new project that the Nazi government was willing to embark on. Though there were strong skepticism from the Society of German Automobile Manufacturers and the preparations were taking longer than usual, the interest for the Volkswagen never died down. Herr Wilhe lm von Opel, the owner of the Volkswagen’s rival Opel, produced a similar car for the mass public in 1936. Hitler quickly doused water on the Opel project by taking its key supplies of iron and steel under the control of Nazi government, thus making the 1,000 Marks Volkswagen Project a possibility. Along with the Nazi might, the Volkswagen project was rolling with estate, funds and supplies from the Nazi Government. The Fà ¼hrer and committee were led around on the inspection of the Volkswagen. The significance of Volkswagen as a car project is of huge importance here. The term ‘People’s Car’ was no longer a catchphrase for the politicians; it was not bait for the people, but something tangible for the people to admire and work towards. This worked well with the Germans – they were under hard times and the conceptualization of a People’s Car would be the best form of motivation to work hard to join the ranks of developed nations after the double fiasco of World War 1 reparations and the Great Depression. Towards the end of the decade, exhibitions of the car prototypes were present throughout every Nazi parade, giving the German people hope that they soon could afford the car. Never has an image of a car fuelled public hopes, this contributed to a fervent support for the Nazi rule. The Prototypes: The three ready-made prototypes for public viewing. The Volkswagen Project was almost dead at the end of the World War, but for a Major Ivan Hirst and Dr. Heinz Nordhoff, who later became the Managing Director of Volkswagen. The Nazi Government no longer existed; the political mantra behind the project was no longer applicable. The name was also no longer linked to the Nazi government, although its history was steeped in the Nazi programs. Yet, despite all these, the Volkswagen brand and group went to influence the world in different ways, sticking strictly to the philosophy behind its name – the People’s Car. Visuals of Volkswagen Throughout the decades of Volkswagen, the strong advertisements and pictorials of Volkswagen proved popular with people around the world, starting with Germany. The early days of Volkswagen was during the Hitler period and he managed to get 300,000 Germans to sign up for the â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† (Kraft Durch Freude) savings scheme for the Volkswagen. Although this did not result in any form of Volkswagen supplied, it was an indication on how strong the demand for the Volkswagen was. English translation: 5 Marks a week you need to save, if you want to own a car. The poster all around Nazi Germany was like the above, where the â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† movement was in place. The savings scheme was a motivation to achieve the desired People’s Car and for a lot of the working class Germans, this proved to be hugely popular. English Translation: â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† Calendar 1939. The Calendar was one of the many tools to get the Germans interested in the Volkswagen. After the revival of the company, the phenomenon spread to America, where the impression of Volkswagen was hugely popular with the middle-class folks. This set the impression that the Volkswagen was indeed a People’s Car. The association with diplomats increased the prestige of the Volkswagen. Volkswagen has brought prestige, once associated with the elites, down to the man on the street. Volkswagen was known to have such teasing ad designs in America, and was not afraid to include celebrities or bring in creative artwork with cheeky descriptions. This escalated the Volkswagen brand to a cult, with different subcultures following it, namely the â€Å"Hippies† movement with the Volkswagen Beetle. Volkswagen, with its range of iconic cars, managed to inspire liberalist thinking amongst the people while ensuring the capitalist ideal existed – hard-earned money for a well-deserved reward. The Symbol of Volkswagen The Volkswagen Logo over the years The symbol of Volkswagen has not visibly changed much over the years, as the recognizable â€Å"VW† has been the signature of the brand. The â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† logo had similarities to the Nazi swastika when it first came out, heavily associating it with the brand of Nazi programs. When the British took over, the car logo was kept along with the name, despite it being a Nazi relic as any form of car was not presented to the people under the Nazi rule and no other company wanted to take over the company, given the â€Å"ugly† design of the renamed Volkswagen Beetle. Since then, the Volkswagen brand has become the third largest automobile firm in the world. When people see the Volkswagen logo, they think of the superiority of the car made affordable to the people rather than its Nazi past. The Impact of Volkswagen Through clever marketing and a strong ethos, the Volkswagen philosophy managed to sell well to the people. Yet, there is an underlying political message to be derived from the sale of Volkswagen cars, the ideal People’s Car. Having a Volkswagen on the street would represent the reality of the common man achieving his dreams of finally owning one. This would represent a political message on two different grounds – the governmental and the individual. One of the definitions of the rich was to own a car. The car would represent the luxury of being affluent – the comfort, the convenience and the social status. The masses could only look on with envy as they proceeded on with their daily lives looking at the rich in shiny transportation while the rich looked down on them from high carriages. This impression struck a chord in the common man’s mind while he raged a revolution in different places – turning monarchies into anything but it. As such, governmen ts would like to ensure that the population would not throw a revolution – the symbol of a Volkswagen would provide a perfect crowd pleaser to the population then. For the government these days, the appeal of Volkswagen still exists: the existence of a Volkswagen in many countries still provides the same effect on the people – it’s their car. As long as the Volkswagen is on the street, the government has done their ‘supposed’ job to provide cheap transportation to the people. To the people, beyond the dreams of owning a car, the Volkswagen represents a capitalist dream. The Hitler years notwithstanding, the modern Volkswagen represents a new class of citizens, who will be rewarded with what they have earned thus far. From the above visuals, the brand Volkswagen brings about a new breed of ideal citizens – the ones that capitalism will reward. The individual is now laden with a hope of owning a car and that to own the â€Å"People’s Car†, one will have to abide by the laws of capitalism to achieve the ‘dream’. Working hard to earn the income to pay for the price for the car, it has bro ught about the capitalist dream to the people in the subtlest of ways. Economical Impact of Cars The impact of automobile industry has affected the entire world – whether it’s through the factories that the car firms set up in America, Germany, Japan or Thailand or through the different industries spawned or assisted by the automobile industry. The significance of the economical impact of cars cannot be discounted. With reference to Volkswagen, the understanding of economical impact of cars visually will be split amongst two different groups: the government and the different complementing industries. From the point of view of the government, the car industry presents itself as a huge economy boost. The once-thriving Detroit, the car town of America, was a major industry with huge employment rates, driven by the huge American consumer market, where over three quarters of the 200 million automobiles are cars. The view of fully filled car parks waiting for the export ships to port was a sight to behold – it represented a view of the bustling economy. For Volkswagen, an entire city was constructed for the birth of Volkswagen. Wolfsburg, once a countryside village, was transformed into the headquarters for Volkswagen. Workers came from all over and settled into Wolfsburg to work for Volkswagen, and before long, it was the heart of Volkswagen operations. To build a city from scratch needs planning and labor – this provides employment and opportunity for a lot of people. Thus the sight of a Volkswagen brand has generated economy for the government; in a political way, it has ensured one of the main employment sectors and economic boost. For the other industries, the car industry has provided a suitable complement to their business. The more obvious examples are the petrol industries, where the cars are dependent on them for energy sources. The less obvious examples – the music industry (where radios in the cars are necessary these days), the drive-through industry and the entertainment industry (to launch their new cars) are all part of the economic industry that depends on the car industry for some form of economic dependence. As such, the visual of cars on the streets give the economy a boost, especially with the other industries. Environmental Impact of Cars Cars have a disastrous impact on the environment – being largely responsible for smog and toxic air pollutants, not to mention the world’s increasing dependence on foreign oil makes it one of the top pollutants around the world today. The sight of cars emitting harmful smoke has led to the vocal political opposition in governments worldwide. Despite the best efforts of the car industry, there is no suitable alternative energy fuel to compensate the current form of fuel consumption – diesel and petrol. However, this has created an impetus to search for cheaper and more valuable engines, which will provide better â€Å"miles-per-gallon† formula. For Volkswagen, this has resulted in the TDI technology, where the fuel is consumed when needed. The TDI technology has won accolades for saving fuel – the most efficient cars on the road run on diesel are by Volkswagen TDI Diesel Engine. Volkswagen went one step further – they implemented Volkswagen Think Blueâ„ ¢, a drive to find the cleanest alternative energy consumption that would be sustainable for its engines. Pushing the limit for the fuel consumption while searching for the next alternative fuel for the car, they managed to achieve an understanding of sustainability and progress in environmental terms. This underlines Volkswagen’s environmental considerations while providing progress to the people. The People’s Car is seen under different light – it is environmentally friendly while pushing for progress. And while it may offend the petrol heads, the Volkswagen is trying to be an environmentally friendly car, which puts it in line with the beliefs of the Democrats. Das Auto: Respecting the law. The Volkswagen Beetle was made to travel the Autobahn, the fastest highway on the planet without any speed limit. Hitler’s vision of allowing cheap fast transport for the masses was to be realized with the Volkswagen and the Autobahn. Unfortunately, the rest of the world did not have such laws in place and to regulate the traffic, they installed rules and laws. The first of all traffic laws was the limitation of speed – this was to prevent unnecessary casualty. The introduction of non-horse carriages came to light – the first of all vehicles was a steam-powered carriage – the need for safety of those not driving was present. As such, over the years, the governments sought to reduce speed in all manners – on the highways, on the roads and on the dashboard. As promising as the technology from the car industry, there would be a speed limit for all vehicles. This was to prevent the race for speed and allow the progress of the automobile done safely. Other policies include the limitations of vehicles in densely populated place – the use of ERP and COE in Singapore and the taxes levied on vehicles. These were to prevent the rampant sale of vehicles while keeping the country free from the overcrowding. The Automobile Icon: Volkswagen Beetle The best is kept for last: the iconic Volkswagen Beetle, which has been the longest production vehicle (from 1938 – 2003 on one design) with sales of more than 21 million. This recognizable car has its own movie and spawned movements, along with generations to embrace the Volkswagen Beetle as part of their lives. In this section, the Volkswagen Beetle will be examined politically as a cultural icon with its impact on the political arena. The Volkswagen Beetle â€Å"ugly† design – one that was unconventional different and from the pre-WWII days – was a signature icon that lasted through the decades. Volkswagen’s refusal to change the design of the Beetle led to many modifications from the owners. As seen below, the popular culture took over with the designs in the 60’s. The customizable feature of the Beetle allowed the freedom of expression, in which the Hippie culture of the 60’s took full advantage of. The freedom of expression has always been a part of the American Constitution and it took a liberal turn with the Hippie Culture. Notwithstanding the sex, drugs of that period, the Hippie Culture was a liberalizing process for the population to air their views. These views were of a peace-making, pacifist nature and they were in support of non-violence, civil rights and anti-nuclear armament movements. The Volkswagen Beetles with their decorated colors were a symbol of that political statement. A television series, â€Å"Herbie†, featuring the Volkswagen Beetle as a racing car with human emotions, popularized the car. Although this was not the only car that was featured in films, the very nature of the Beetle shown to have human feelings was a personification of the car. From the television and film series, the character of Volkswagen Beetle was further defined: determined with a colorful personality. This created an impression on the younger generation then that the car was a cool factor – it made them want a car in their lives. The implications were that these children grew up needing cars and created a population who rather give up their voting rights than driving license. The specifications of the Volkswagen Beetle also came into focus. The numerous races and rallies that it went for and achieved results became a cult in its own right. Given that the Beetle was never made for racing, this has led to many thinking that the Beetle is multi-functional despite the ugly nature. The engine, simple yet effective, is also adjustable to modifications. This feature of the car has created a Volkswagen Beetle sub-culture, one where even as the old Volkswagen model is no longer in production, the owners of Volkswagen regularly meet up to showcase their re-tuned and refined Volkswagen Beetles. Translate this into an understanding of visual politics: the cult of Volkswagen Beetle is an example of a loyal following of unwavering belief and given in the previous paragraphs we have deduced that the followers are liberal in principle, the conclusion is that the Volkswagen Beetle is a symbol of liberal views. Conclusion: Having seen the impact of Volkswagen around the world, one would really wonder if Major Ivan Hirst were not to revive the company and let it pass, would the world be the same today? Throughout the years of Volkswagen existence, there have been many movements, many political undertones derived from the sheer existence of Volkswagen on the street. The Hippie Culture, the racing mentality, the liberal ideals and the capitalist principles – all of which points to a subliminal messaging by the presence of a Volkswagen on the street. No other car has invoked so many different views in the world today. There are other aspects of Volkswagen not touched in this paper – especially the impact of Volkswagen in the future. Given that the future of automobiles is very volatile, Volkswagen may have a different feel and visual understanding in the future. As of now, the brand of Volkswagen is still the People’s Car, one that all should have if they work hard enough for it. Thus, it is apt that the tagline of Volkswagen today is Das Auto – the Car. Bibliography: Books Cited: Anderson, Curtis D., and Judy Anderson. Electric and Hybrid Cars: a History. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2010. Print. Ginsburg, Douglas H., and William J. Abernathy. Government, Technology, and the Future of the Automobile. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980. Print. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971. Print. Keller, Maryann. Collision GM, Toyota, Volkswagen and the Race to Own the 21st Century. New York: Currency Doubleday, 1993. Print. Luger, Stan. Corporate Power, American Democracy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2000. Print. Packer, Jeremy. Mobility without Mayhem: Safety, Cars, and Citizenship. Durham: Duke UP, 2008. Print. Paterson, Matthew. Automobile Politics: Ecology and Cultural Political Economy. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2007. Print. Redshaw, Sarah. In the Company of Cars: Driving as a Social and Cultural Practice. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2008. Print. Pictures Used: Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from Volks World (29th January 2009) Adolf Hitler – Rare Photos, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from Websites: US Department of Energy, 2011 Best and Worst MPG Cars, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from Volkswagen, TDI Academy: Tackling TDI technology, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Incidentally, he was the man behind another great car company, Porsche, with a similar rear-engine car model. [ 2 ]. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971, pp 62 – 67 [ 3 ]. Ibid, pp 96 – 97 [ 4 ]. Volks World (29th January 2009) Adolf Hitler – Rare Photos, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 5 ]. Volks World (29th January 2009) Adolf Hitler – Rare Photos, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 6 ]. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971, pp 142 – 152 [ 7 ]. Ibid, pp 98. [ 8 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from [ 9 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from [ 10 ]. Hippie Culture [ 11 ]. http://www.neatorama.com/2008/02/18/evolution-of-car-logos/ [ 12 ]. Case in point: the countries in Central and South America. [ 13 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from [ 14 ]. Luger, Stan. Corporate Power, American Democracy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2000, pp 9 [ 15 ]. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971, pp 106 – 112 [ 16 ]. The higher the value for mpg – the better the fuel consumption of the vehicle. [ 17 ]. Volkswagen, TDI Academy: Tackling TDI technology, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 18 ]. US Department of Energy, 2011 Best and Worst MPG Cars, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 19 ]. Luger, Stan. Corporate Power, American Democracy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2000, pp 12 [ 20 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from