Ha Jin †The Bridegroom Essay

Described as utopian in nature, the Chinese culture is often in pursuit for the perfect individual, a harmonious and structured society where the citizens as a whole create the ideal culture. In a collection of short stories entitled The Bridegroom, author Ha Jin documents this aspect of reality in homeland China. Primarily for the purposes of instruction and satirical verse, Ha Jin, shows how people are trying to find themselves in a society that focuses on the ‘whole’ of the country rather than the individual. He is able to interconnect this theme of individualism through four major stories in the book while presenting ‘Chineseness’ or satire of fictional verse as a way to focus on the changes throughout China and the political discourse that its citizens face. In the short story Alive, Ha Jin depicts individualism, or the loss thereof and its impact on a Chinese family. Headed to Taifu City to collect money at a coalmine, main character Tong Guhan develops amnesia after an earthquake devastated the community and impaired the memory of its citizens. Since the government felt that all people must work together for the betterment of the community, people like Guhan were forced to re-marry, adopt an orphan, and start a new life. For the Chinese government, this was a unique opportunity to create a new movement and â€Å"since this was an emergency [measure], love wasn’t taken into account; so long as the couple didn’t dislike each other, a marriage certificate was issued to them (29). Although as time progresses, Guhan happens to pass by the smell of dumplings and in a flash, instantly remembers his past life. At that point, he decides to return to Muji City where he encounters his original family. What can only be considered as satire, Ha Jin structures this story around wit in his literary style of writing. Who would conceive that the smell of dumplings could suddenly force an individual to remember the past? The amnesia and the government’s reaction to the aftermath of the earthquake show the loss of individualism. Furthermore, the dumpling’s echo Ha Jin’s desire to structure the story around unconventional circumstances and assert a sence of identity to Guhan’s character. The Chinese government was organized and wanted to do what they thought was right for the state as a whole. Unfortunately for Guhan, he was loosing his identity and individualism for the greater good of China. Abnormal behavior is never more apparent than in the story titled In the Kindergarten. When Shaona becomes the second child of her household, she is forced to live outside the city limits in a rural foster home. It is my assumption that Ha Jin is referring to the second child as a male since they are heavily praised in the Chinese Culture. The story depicts how children at a young age do whatever they want to do, inherit bad language and often misbehave. Social conformity and propaganda have yet to be ingrained, as quoted when Weilan, another student in the kindergarten is caught saying â€Å"Big asshole† (47) to another student, who in reply says, â€Å"Say that again, bitch! He went up to her, grabbed her shoulders, pushed her to the ground, and kicked her buttocks† (47). Compared to Alive, this story focuses on the Chinese attempt to secure conformity for all of its citizens. In my opinion, the Kindergarten story is what Chinese life is like prior to the events in the short story Alive. It shows the purity of children at an early age and how social norms are not necessarily inherited; they are learned. Main characters Beina and Haung Baowen join hands in matrimony as a marriage of convenience in the story, Bridegroom. Ha Jin uncovers the truth behind homosexuality in China and the need for Baowen to become protected under the guise of marriage to Beina. To the Chinese society, â€Å"Homosexuality originated in western capitalism and Bourgeois lifestyle. According to [our] law, it’s dealt with as a kind of hooliganism† (96). In this story, Baowen was caught in a club called â€Å"Men’s World† that was a type of salon that only admitted men. He was subsequently arrested and sent to a mental hospital to cure his supposed illness instead of serving a jail sentence. While in the mental hospital, Ha Jin structures the story around Baowen’s accounts of electro-shock therapy as a way to stop homosexual acts and maintain harmony and uniformity amongst the Chinese citizens. Ha Jin is specific about the torture when he mentions how â€Å"Baowen was noiseless in the electrified water, with his eyes shut and his head resting on a black rubber pad at the end of the tub. He looked fine, rather relaxed †¦ Then the nurse gave him more electricity† (106). Unfortunately, Haung repeated the crime of homosexual acts and was subsequently sent to prison. Ha Jin uses this brutal story to show how the government intends to mold its citizens into a ‘family unit’ or community. For the government, there is an image, or structure in which an individual is to conform to so that the community as a whole is structured. The irony is that there is no real mention or word for individualism although it is apparent that the oppressive social values that Ha Jin illustrates through the story of Baowen, shows how a government can undermine a person’s happiness and individualistic nature. In the story, Women from New York, Chin Jinli goes to America to seek a better life for her family. Unfortunately, her trip back to China is faced with the harsh realities of life under Communist China and their perception of American culture; believing that â€Å"Wall Street was paved with gold bricks† (173). Jinli’s family does not take well to her New York trip since she obtained money and wanted to get her teaching job back. To them, â€Å"She looked like a different woman, wearing a gold necklace, her lips rouged, her eyelashes blackened with ink, and even her toenails dyed red †¦ In a way, her makeup and manners verified the hearsay that she had become the fifteenth concubine of a wealthy Chinese man in New York City† (172). Fearing that she had disrupted the delicate balance of harmony, the Chinese government refused her job. Her family shunned her and at every attempt to be become re-acclimated, Jinli’s family looked at her as an outsider. Ultimately, Jinli found herself as an individual, counter to the Chinese, who were so encapsulated in a one-person, one-idea state. It is without notice that Ha Jin interconnects the four stories with fictional accounts of individualism and the struggle the Chinese people have gone through to maintain it, or even imagine it. Form the stores of Guhan’s dumplings, to the accounts of Baowen’s troubled battle of homosexuality, Ha Jin identifies the characters, shares their life story and defines a commonality all through the use of satire.

Man 4102 Class Project Part 1

MAN 4102 CLASS PROJECT PART 1 Karen McCarthy Hawn Student, State College of Florida MAN 4102 Class Project Part 1 Per the digital document from Contemporary Authors (Biography), by Thomson Gale, (2004) Gerard Hendrik Hofstede was born October 2, 1928. He is the son of Gerrit and Evertine Hofstede. He married Maaike A. Van den Hoek on the 4th of June, 1955 and had four children.He graduated from Delft Institute of Technology in 1953 and Groningen University, Ph D (cum laude) in 1967. His work history began in 1953 as a lieutent in the Netherlands Army. In 1955 and 1965 included management consultant for Bernschot Consultants and Stork Machine Works, plant manager for Jovanda Hosiery Co. , production manager of weaving for Menko Textile Co. , and director of staff services for IBM (Gale, 2004).After leaving IBM in 1965 he began his career in research and education and was employed with European Education Center as the manager of personnel research through 1971, IMEDE Management Develop ment Institute as visiting lecturer through 1973, European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management as professor of organizational behavior through 1979, Fasson Europe as director of human resources through 1983, and then served as dean at Semafor Senior Management College (Gale, 2004).Hofstede also held several international university positions as a visiting professor or scientist throughout Europe until he assumed his position at University of Limburg in Netherlands. He held the position of director of Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation (IRIC) through 1980 and currently is the professor of organizational anthropology and international management (Gale, 2004). The biography listed Geert H. Hofstede as the author on 9 books, contributor on 14 books, and as a contributor to numerous articles to various social science, professional, and management journals in over seventeen countries to date (Gale, 2004).On his website, Geert Hofstede, discusses the reasons he fe els that culture is so important (Hofstede, 2012). Hofstede’s ideas are based on the premise that people share common human nature and as such the shared human nature of all groups is very social, Hofstede (2012). That all groups use empathy and language, all practice collaboration, and all exhibit intergroup competition (Hofstede, 2012). How we all do these things while still being a good member of our various groups is what defines what Hofstede calls the unwritten rules of culture.These cultures include symbols, rituals, laws, taboos, and religions that drive the groups â€Å"moral circle† (Hofstede, 2012). Per Hofstede, (2012) there are said to be unconscious values that change at a slower pace than those of the practices of each group. Hofstede categorizes these groups based on national boundaries, ethnic boundaries, religion, occupation, or academic disciplines and states that the groups are typically classified as either inferior or superior to our own groups (H ofstede, 2012).To get things done we all need to have skills for cooperating across cultures and that enable us to cooperate with members of the globalized world. This concept is addressed in his Hofstede’s book, (Hofstede, Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations. , 2001) and was the outcome of his research during the IBM study. He analyzed employee value scores that were collected between 1967 and 1973 from IBM employees in 70 countries and from this he established the paradigm of cultural dimensions. (Itim International, 2012).In his interview for his biography, Gerard H. Hofstede told CA: Cultures Consequences is my chef d’oeuvre. It deals with differences in thinking and acting among otherwise similar people in many different countries, which was the right subject at the right time. Correspondence with readers about it has become one of my regular side activities (Gale, 2004, page 2). Hofestede’s Cu ltural Dimensions In the course textbook Hofstede’s five dimensions of culture are used to categorize behaviors in different cultures and explain why they differ (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009).The IBM study of employees from the 70 countries was the basis for the dimensions and has been critized since there was only one company in the data set however, Hofstede’s belief was that using just one company would better reveal the national differences. According to the authors Phatak, Bhagat, and Kashalk (2009), he believed this because the IBM employees were the same in other respects like type of work, job descriptions, and education. This study has been stated to be the most comprehensive study of how values are influenced in the workplace (Itim International, 2012).Itim International, (2012) noted that Hofstede’s work established a paradigm in international economics, communication, and cooperation, from which Hofstede developed the first emphirical model of â €Å"dimensions† for national organizational culutre. The first dimension is Individualism and Collectivism. These are social patterns under which beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values are then organized into one theme. Some countries practice individualism and the members of society are motiviated by their own needs and preferences above the needs of the group.In contrast, countries that practice collectivism are much more closely linked as a group and are motivated by the obligations that are considered norms for the group. Hofstede felt that countries with higher higher per capita gross national product (GNP), were likely countries that would exhibit more individualism than countries with lower per capita gross national product (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009). The next cultural dimension, Power Distance, is expressed as the extent to which less powerful members of society, institutions, or organizations accept that power will be distributed unequally.Countries with small power distance have subordinates that show a limited amount of dependence on their bosses, there is a relationship based on interdependce, and a preference for consultation when decisions are made. On the contrary, countries with large power distance will likely have subordinates that are very dependent on their bosses, will follow procedures that are dictated by management, and with a reward systems in place that are not equal.There is a correlation noted between cultures that are individulistic which tend to be lower power distance whereas, cultures with strong collectivism will likey have small power distance (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009). The third cultural dimension in the text is uncertainity avoidance which is described as the extent to which members of society will experience anxiety over uncertainity in their environments and how far they will go to avoid it (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009).Cultures that are high in uncertainty avoidance will attempt to control these u nstructured situations with strict laws, rules, safety and security measures, and with the use of philosophical and religious beliefs (Itim International, 2012). Uncertainity accepting cultures are more tolerant of opinions that differ from their own and allow many different religious and philosophical ideas to flow concurrently. Masculinity and Feminity is the fourth cultural dimension that compares how societies and cultures are composed based on masculine and feminine tolerance traits.More feminine societies have expectations for both males and females to act in similar manners. Members are supposed to be modest, compassionate, and are expected to stress solidarity through compromise and negotiation. The masculine societies and cultures are driven by material success, money. They expect men to be assertive, ambiutious, and tough. The women of masculine societies are to be tender and hold care taker roles. The masculine society stresses competition, performance and conflicts are r esolved through fights (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009).The fifth and final cultural dimension is time orientation and it is stated that different societies place a varying emphasis on the value of time. Some cultures value time and are very conscious of how time is spent. Other societies consider time to be unlimited and a resource that they cannot exhaust. This makes the way that multiple countries address puncuality and their sense of urgency very different. Cultures with no time orientation will come across to many other cultures as very casual. The other aspect of time orientation is based on the different cultural views about the future.Cultures with short-term orientations are concerned with things like lesiure time, bottom lines, and have a tendency to use short term investment plans. Their management teams are rewarded for immediate financial outcomes. In contrast the cultures with long-term future orientations have philosphies in which persistence is valued, gratification is delayed, and investments are longer term. In these cultures family and work are not separated and status is respected (Phatak, Bhagat, & Kashlak, 2009).Hofstede’s model of dimensions has been applied in practice to many domains internationally to include public, business, education, and health care and have become widely used (Itim International, 2012). Meaning and Impact of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions John Bing’s article discusses the impact of Hofstede’s work on consulting and business practices across the globe and states that Hofstede’s findings could be applied to business in general (Bing, 2004). The way that Hofstede organized his dimensions into mental geographies explained how there could e similarities and differences between countries in close physical proximity. He states that Hofstede’s survey research which was employed across a large number of countries created a whole new field of comparative intercultural research. Th e Culture in the Workplace Questionnaire Hofstede created has been used to help individuals understand the cultural preferences of their peers and their own preferences. It is believed that many professionals have benefited from studying Hofstede’s work and being able to apply it’s principles to their own work.The author used Hofstede’s principals in his own work during the development of a prototype for the first Peace Corps cross-cultural manual (Bing, 2004). Hofstede’s work has been the standard to which many others make reference and his past works have characterized much of the contemporary cross-cultural quantative research models. There have been many offshoots from his research even from those individuals who do not necessarily agree with his theory or conclusions. If nothing else they at least acknowledge his work.His work was almost immediately used in attempts to determine how people could be helped to work more effectively in more than one cul ture. Hofstede’s work is sometimes misunderstood or misused when practitioners attempt to predict individual preferences based on the scores of the entire cultures. Bing says that Hofstede likes to make it clear that country scores will not predict an individual’s cultural preferences but will predict the group tendencies (Bing, 2004). Hofstede’s cultural dimensions have influenced how people organize and understand the varying cultural dimensions of the regions they travel to for personal and business reasons.Once Hofstede’s dimensions have been studied and understood the subtle niances of different cultures will become more apparent to the informed observer. Such was the experience of Bing per his article as he traveled to Austria and Japan (Bing, 2004). He also discusses the potential benefit of applying a study of the cultural dimensions to gain a better understanding of why countries resort to war when negotiations and other legal, moral, and conflic t management alternatives may be better alternatives.He notes that sophisticated interpreters of Hofstede’s research have found ways to avoid the application of stereotypes about cultures that have long since changed. The value of Hofstede’s research is found when the dimensions are used to help individual learners to understand their own cultural dimensions first. This then opens the door to a better understanding about the different preferences that others in the organization or workplace will have. (Bing, 2004).The study of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions has opened a door of better understanding for me as Bing referenced. It is easy to grow up learning the known stereotypes of other cultures due to misunderstandings of how those cultures have changed or adapted over time. By gaining a better understanding about how entire cultures have come to their common values, their cultural practices, and even their religious beliefs and how these impact business decisio ns and emotions that people exhibit will enhance my overall effectiveness in business.To have an actual framework such as Hosfstede’s cultural dimensions as tools for analysis to use when trying to understand the objections and barriers that come up while transacting business will makes me a more effective employee. I believe that Hofstede’s research has already changed business pratices for many international workplaces with regard to how they prepare and support their employees who are deployed all across the globe.Most companies have cultural diversity training upon hire or annually to reinforce the need for cooperation and sensitivity to diverse cultures in the workplace. I must admit that being an American woman, raised by a single mother of seven, I rate high in individualism and prefer masculinity to feminity. I prefer to work in organizations with low power distance and like the ability to collaborate but not to work where there is a total lack of individual de cision making capabilities. I do think short-term and have a results oriented, time is money mentality.My uncertainity avoidance level is very low and I move quickly to learn and try new things. As I have read the text and studied the findings of Hofstede I came to the realization that I had preconceived ideas about other women who to me appear to lack self empowerment. I will have to practice applying a study of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions to my assumptions in the future to ensure that going forward I reach out with a perspective of better understanding as to why these individuals may be in that less empowered state.References Bing, J. (2004). Hofstedes’s consequences: The impact of his work on consulting and business practices: An executive Commentary. Academy of Management Executive, 18 (No 1), 80-87. Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations. Second Edition, Thousand Oaks CA: S age Publications, 2001. Itim International. (2012). http://geert-hofstede. com/ Thomson, G. (2004). Contemporary Authors (Biography), Thomson Gale Publishing.

Toyota Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Toyota - Assignment Example However, competition increase especially in the low-cost model market has become a big threat for the company. Recently, the company has experienced reduced growth as it competitors continue to penetrate the market and push the company’s profits downwards. The company still stands a chance to penetrate the market by establishing new markets and focusing on cost differentiation. The survival of the company depends on the ability of the management to detect the changes in the market and to design new strategies that will keep the company top of the market in the long-term. Organizational strategies refers to the approaches that a company deploys to push its products to the market and to acquire an appropriate position in the market. Companies use competitive strategies to compete with their business rivals. In the automobile company, competition has consistently increased due to the entry of new producers. However, there is a notable insatiable demand for automobile company. A close analysis of Toyota Company will provide an appropriate ground to measure the competitive ability of the Toyota. TOWS Analysis is one of the most critical tools that help to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and Threats of company’s business model. The strength of the Toyota Company lies in its ability to brand itself as a top manufacture of automobile companies in the world. This strategy has helped the company to create a strong brand image in every market, which has become an important marketing tool. The company’s mass production has been feasible allowing the company to minimize the cost of their cars. With standard quality cars, the company’s strategy has been acceptable within the market. Besides, the company’s ability to diversify its products has helped to satisfy various needs of the market and to satisfy different market segments. Innovation within the company has led to high level of customer satisfaction which

Booker T. Washington Self-Made Man Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Booker T. Washington Self-Made Man - Essay Example â€Å"No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.†Ã‚  (Washington, Booker T) Washington was able to help those that were discriminated, especially in regaining their rights to vote. He was known as the ‘Tuskegee Machine’ by those that opposed his actions and resented power to the blacks because according to such people, blacks were only meant to be slaves for their thinking was too narrow to allow more communities of people to live in harmony with one another. However, through his speeches and lectures, he was able to help a large number of people understand the ill associated with slavery and thus gain the support of white people belonging to affluent families, black people engaged in the business or working class in society, religious and educational institutions and leaders belonging to the two sects. By mustering so much support, he gained power and was able to inspire many African Americans into ca rrying out new jobs, taking to entrepreneurship, assisting them in mainly climbing the social and financial ladder by emerging out of the depression that slavery had created in their lives by creating happiness for them and thus educating them about the power of being self-reliant instead of depending on others for their livelihoods. He was of the impression that race discrimination mainly existed because of the lack of education among African Americans; they were completely stripped of their rights because of pressure from white people to work as slaves and earn very little or no amount money to sustain their lives as well as those of their families’. Washington was able to gather support as well as philanthropic donations and funds from influential people and set up many societies in the agricultural as well as production sector, helping the slaves to rise from their positions. He helped in educating them so that they could lead a better lifestyle and earn money rather than being dominated and treated like servants. His main aim was to help them from the drudgery that they were stuck in and bring them to par with the white people; his personal life story, as depicted in his book, was thus a wonderful example for people to follow and live by, as a story of hard work and diligence and thus is known as a ‘self-made’ man. Another well-known figure in the past of American philanthropy and sociological thinking is Jane Addams, responsible for reforming America during the Progressive Era and pioneering work in the field of women’s rights including their right to vote and to be able to gain access to a healthier standard of life, especially for mothers and their children. Addams did state that women and men alike needed to be self-reliant and self-made and not dependent on other people for their living, however she was skeptical regarding Washington’s demands because according to her people belonging to the lower rungs of society co uld not just rise out of the blue. They needed financial as well as other forms of social

Organisation Behaviour Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organisation Behaviour - Coursework Example In this context, effective job design becomes critical for securing that employees will be able to respond to the demands of their position. The terms of the implementation of effective job design within modern organizations are explored in this paper. It is proved that job design can highly contribute in the increase of employee performance but only if it is carefully planned and monitored. The use of approaches that have been already tested in practice can limit the risks related to the particular initiative and increase the expected benefits both for the employee and for the organization. 2. Effective job design within the Organisation 2(a) The meaning of job design Different approaches have been used for describing job design According to Randhawa (2007) job design is a term used for showing ‘the synthesis of a series of tasks that are necessary for performing a specific job’ (Randhawa 2007, p.54). From another point of view, job design describes ‘the content, the rewards and the skills related to a particular role’ (Randhawa 2007, p.54). In the last definition, emphasis is given ‘on the needs of the organization but also of the employees’ (Randhawa 2007, p.54). ... 2(b) The variety of possible approaches to improve job design In the context of modern organizations the improvement of job design is possible but only specific terms. In any case, a variety of approaches has been introduced for securing the improvement of job design. Managers have to choose the approach that is more aligned with the needs of both the organization and the employees. A common approach in job redesign is the motivational approach, which emphasizes on ‘employees’ autonomy and participation in all critical organizational decisions’ (Jex and Britt 2008, p.294). Reference should be also made to the biological approach that is based on the following rule: job design needs to ensure that the health of employees will be not threatened (Jex and Britt 2008, p.294). In the context of the biological approach emphasis is given not only on the safety of employees but also on their health (Jex and Britt 2008, p.294). The measures taken for limiting stress in the workplace are incorporated in the biological approach of job design. The alignment of organizational need for high profits with employees’ need for continuous development can be secured by using one of the following approaches of job design: a) job rotation; when using this approach, managers tend to promote ‘the movement of employees across the organization, from one position to another’ (Griffin 2011, p.160); b) job enlargement; this approach is based on the expansion of the tasks incorporated in each role (Griffin 2011); the employee the job of whose has been set under job enlargement has to respond to more duties usually with no extra compensation, a fact that often leads to conflicts across the workplace (Griffin 2011); c) job enrichment; this

Defining Words for Worship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Defining Words for Worship - Essay Example Psalms 105 says that human beings should make known God’s deeds to the whole world. Praise refers to â€Å"giving thanks† in Psalm 1051. 2 Chronicles 30:22 is an example of how the word â€Å"praise has been used in the new testament. The Levites ate the peace offering sacrifices while offering praise to the lord at the sanctuary. Psalm 54:6 also shows how the word â€Å"praise† has been used, it says â€Å"willingly I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good†2. Psalms 96: 4 says that our father and our lord deserve ad seek our praise. â€Å"Yahweh is great and is worthy to be praised†. The lord also deserves worship from human beings. Psalm 29:2 says that human beings should bow down to God. In the current churches, praise and worship services are dedicated to the lord. The word â€Å"praise’ has been uttered by Leah, after giving birth to a child (Genesis 29). Leah was the first wife of Jacob and sist er of Rachel. The word praise is used to give thanks to God after mighty deeds have been encountered by human beings. Prayer should be used to praise the Lord, however, human beings only pray when they are in troubles. Prayer should be used to praise and worship the lord for the wonderful deeds he has done to human beings3. Serve Jesus used the word â€Å"serve’ to refer to the main purpose of His coming. ... According to Philippians 1; 3-27, Paul says that human beings should conduct their selves in a manner honorable to the teachings of Christ. Christians can serve god by conducting themselves in a holly manner. Sinful deeds by human beings are not considered as service to the Lord. Paul further says that a worthy walk in God’s light constitutes obedience to their partnership in the gospel4. According to Romans 12; 11, human beings are expected to serve the Lord without lacking Zeal. Spiritual favor should be maintained at all times while serving God. In addition, Deuteronomy 13; 4 says that human beings should only follow the Lord their God. It is only God that is worth being Served and revered. The keeping of God’s commandments and obeying his commands are the best ways to serve and hold fast to him. Further, Galatians 5; 13 says that human beings and their brothers were called to use their freedom in serving the lord. Human beings should not engage in sinful deeds but s erve one another in love5. Serving God and other human beings is captured in 1 Peter 4; 10. Every person should use the gift given to them from God to serve others as well as faithfully carrying out ministries. Gifts from God should be used in assisting other creatures who are in need of help, by doing this; human beings will be serving the Lord. Consequently, Joshua 22; 5 says that the laws that were given to the Israelites by Moses should be followed. Human beings should love the Lord their God, do what is right, follow the commandments, and to serve the Lord with all their heart and soul. Mark 10; 45 also shows how human beings should serve the lord. Mark says that Jesus Christ did not come to be served by human beings, but to offer services to

Critical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical Analysis - Essay Example Finally, it will highlight on the collective root causes, issues and problems that arose as a result of chattel slavery and then it will analyze approaches to abolishing chattel slavery. Origin of Chattel Slavery in North America Since slavery was incorporated in the world, slaves were viewed as property and could be moved as easy as when the owners wanted. This did not take long to be incorporated in the North America. This is so since from the time slaves were bought, or kidnapped in Africa, they were immediately treated as property to be exported into North America. There are various reasons why slaves were treated as property. First, the constitution at that time stipulated that as long as someone was white, they had the right to life and own property. This meant that black people were not considered as human beings by the law since they did not have the right to own property. This being the case, then they were treated as property which could be sold or bought as their masters w ished. Chattel slavery also started in north America as a way of ensuring that slaves respected their masters and did anything they were asked. This is so since being property meant that they could eat, sleep and wear clothes at their masters’ pleasure. This resulted in the black slaves loosing respect for themselves resulting in their at most obedience to their masters. Another reason why chattel slavery was introduced in North America was to ensure that slaves did not run away from their masters. Slaves were branded to ensure that everyone including the slaves new that they were someone’s property. By doing so, the Whites ensured that a slave could not run away since there would be nowhere else they would go. This was the case because if a fugitive slave was caught by white people he/she would have been returned to his master who had branded him/he and severely punished through whipping or sometimes execution. Chattel slaver was legal in North America since it was pr otected by the constitution. In fact, even after the declaration of independence changes to the section on slavery had been architected in such a way that it would not have been changed for the next two decades. Fugitive Narratives and abolition of Slavery Fugitive slave narratives were stories either written or oral about the life and accomplishments of a slave who had ran away from their masters or a free slave. These narratives became so influential North America that they are considered a tradition in the United States of America. These narratives were instrumental in the abolition of slavery in North America since they resulted in many slaves revolving against their masters asking for their rights as they too were also human beings. These stories talked of how a slave experienced freedom and how in other parts of North America and the world black people were respected and treated as fellow human beings. In fact most scholars consider slave fugitive narratives as the major facto r that led to the abolition of slave trade. This is so since it was through them that black people started to revolt against their masters and even fight for their freedom some even willing to die. As a result slavery got abolished since many slaves ran away from the southern states to join the war in favor of the union side of the American civil

If the expectations hypothesis of the yield curve holds, then the Essay

If the expectations hypothesis of the yield curve holds, then the government cannot - Essay Example In December, 2001 the yield on the Treasury notes which were issued for the period of ten years stood at 5.15 percent. The percentile was responsible for the negative change in the long term interest rates during certain periods, however the terrorist attacks conducted on 11th Sept, 2001 created a major impact on the interest rates, and reported a massive downfall in the long term interest rates, which had almost dissipated by the end of the year. The analysts have linked the fluctuating short term and long term interest rates with the reduction in the fund rate, 'by conventional wisdom, reducing the funds rate by the magnitude experienced last year should have had some impact on long term interest rates' (David, 2002). It is incorrect to associate such a pattern with the ineffectiveness of the monetary policies; rather it is the influence and effectiveness of the monetary policies because of which 'the long rates have failed to budge as short rates have plunged' (David, 2002). The ability and authority of the Central Bank towards providing liquidity, without creating any major impact on the inflation in terms of rise, is the parameter for evaluating the effectiveness of the monetary policy. ... In some of the related cases, the coincident features of the economy, which are based on 'the reversals in the stock market, poor corporate earnings, rising unemployment, elevated perceptions of risk' (David, 2002), such situations and conditions are expected to encourage the savers and lenders to move towards such assets which have greater concentration of liquidity, and are based on shorter duration for maturity. Such situations are expected to 'inevitably drove down short term security yields relative to those on longer term assets' (David, 2002), due to the reason that expectations with reference to the stability of the inflation figures are prominent. These forces are responsible for the generation of an environment in which short rates, including the federal funds rate, decline at massive scale, and have 'relatively little effect on rates at the longer end of the maturity spectrum' (David, 2002). It has been argued that the stability of the inflation figures was based on the lo wer funds rate. It is therefore commonly believed that, 'if recession and wobbly confidence have driven interest rates down especially short term rates, recovery and restored confidence will, sooner or later, drive them up' (David, 2002). Yield curve is a basic theory which correlates and interprets the interest rate developments over the past year and what it might offer in the future. The yield curve explains the relation and behavior of the 'returns to securities that differ in terms of the number of months or years in the future that the assets mature, or pay off' (David, 2002). The curve explains the relation between effects of maturity on interest rates. The Treasury securities operate at default risk, and are

Competitor Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Competitor Analysis - Research Paper Example The Toyota FJ Cruiser is its closest competitor with its similar off-road and SUV qualities, which are reminiscent of the FJ40 Land Cruisers. The car is built by Hino Motors, a Toyota subsidiary, in Japan and has shared numerous underpinnings of structure with the Toyota Prado (Consumers Union of United States 48). It debuted in its final form of production in 2006, following its introduction in 2003 as a concept car, and has been the Wrangler Jeep’s fiercest competitor in the SUV off-road category ever since. The automotive press with both acclaim and criticism has received the Toyota FJ Cruiser. One of its main strengths is that it is purpose driven and aggressively styled, especially considering that Toyota has been more focused on conservative designs (Schlee 1). Its off-road performance has also been praised, especially with regards to its functional interior and road manners. It has been highly praised by off road users because of its high performance. In addition, the Toyota FJ Cruiser has a large towing capacity compared to the Jeep Wrangler, which makes it better for pulling heavy loads, especially in an off-road environment. However, its body roll has been criticized, as has its lateral grip performance that is too low (Schlee 1), although it should also be noted that its suspension is designed for off road and long travel use. One of the major drawbacks for the FJ Cruiser is that exit and entry for the back seat is rather cumbersome (Best Cars 1). Another shortcoming is its blind spots, which make reverse parking difficult on the street due to restrictions placed on its rear visibility from its design. It also has smaller than average capacity, especially with the aforementioned cramped back seat area. With regards to limitation of visibility and blind spots, the FJ Cruiser’s low roofline and far away windshield limits ability to see ahead (Best Cars 1). The tire

Compare and contrast a work of art in a specific classification Essay

Compare and contrast a work of art in a specific classification (Renaissance or Gothic) - Essay Example Renaissance paintings such as A young Hare and Sistine Chapel Ceiling marked the turning-point from the Medieval Era to the early Modern Age in European. The creation of the paintings in 1502 and 1508 respectively, clearly marked the huge influence of the Renaissance sensibilities that are believed to have taken off in the early 16th century. This paper compares and contrasts A young Hare and Sistine Chapel Ceiling. A Young Hare (fig. 1) is a painting that was made in 1502 by an artist known as Albrecht Dà ¼rer. The item measures 25cm by 23 cm and is available in a repertoire set up by the Graphische Sammlung, Albertina, Vienna (Nichols, 2013). The Northern Renaissance piece of art was created in the German artist’s workshop in 1502, and since then it has been popularly referred to as a classic example of an observational masterpiece. The English title of the item â€Å"The Young Hare† is ironically used to refer to the rather mature animal. Perhaps the German name â€Å"Feldhase† which literally means Field Hare is a more suitable title for the masterpiece. Durer made numerous visits to Italy from his homeland, Germany, during his long career perhaps to grasp and use some of the best qualities of Renaissance art in his work. Upon his comeback to Nuremburg in 1495, the artist opened a workspace where he made The Young Hare and several other items. As Nichols (2013) has said, Durer created the painting using a combination of body colour or gouache and watercolour; materials that he is known to have used almost on every item he made. The painting portrays a lonely hare, which is a clear depiction of the confusion and gloom facing the ancient European society in the wake of a dying Medieval Era and the uncertainty of the philosophical influences of the early Modern Age. Despite the solitary, thoughtful mood of the art, Durer managed to present a highly comprehensive and perfect depiction of a hare. The colour of the hare is a blend of

Pros and Cons of Minimum Wage Essay Example for Free

Pros and Cons of Minimum Wage Essay The vast majority of economists believe the minimum wage law costs the economy thousands of jobs. The most fundamental principle of economics is supply and demand. In the case of labor, this means that the supply of workers goes up as wage goes up, and the demand for workers by employers goes down as the wage goes up. For example, imagine a janitorial job was advertised for hire. If the wage were $100 per hour, thousands of people would want the job. If the wage were $1 per hour, you probably wouldnt find anyone to do it. So if the government forced the employer to pay at least $7 per hour, the employer might decide not to hire a janitor at all, instead opting to have other staff member to pick up the duties. In this case a job would be lost because of the minimum wage. Another example is restaurant employment. A manager might have $10,000 in her monthly budget to hire bus persons. If the wage is set at $7 per hour, the manager may only be able to hire 10 bus people instead of 15. Setting a mandated wage limit disrupts market forces of supply and demand. Just because there is no minimum wage doesnt mean companies can pay whatever they want. Would you work a dishwashing job that paid 25 cents per hour? Would anyone? If they raised the wage to $4 per hour, they might be able to hire a high school student. Consider some highly skilled jobs such as accountant, lawyer, and engineer. Do these people make $5.15 an hour? Obviously, the answer is no. Market factors of supply and demand determine how many jobs are available and what each job would pay. In summary, as the minimum wage goes up, the number of people employed goes down. When the minimum wage goes down, the number of people employed goes up. Keep in mind: the minimum wage only applies if someone is employed. Workers need a minimum amount of income from their work to survive and pay the bills. Someone working 40 hours per week at $5.15 an hour will make about $800 per month after taxes. Rent alone can take almost the whole paycheck, especially in high-cost areas of the country like New York and Los Angeles (some states have higher minimum wages than the federal one specifically for this reason). Then, you add in utilities, food, insurance, car payments, credit cards, and on and on. How can a person possibly survive on less? Businesses can better afford the money than citizens scratching to make ends meet. American businesses take in trillions  of dollars every year. Is it too much to ask that they share a portion of it with the people responsible to bringing it to them? Weve all read or heard stories of executives with multi-million dollar bonuses, even with companies that lose money. A few dollars extra per hour for the poorest of the poor shouldnt hurt that much. History shows that businesses left unchecked will abuse their power. Why do you think labor organizations like the Teamsters, United Auto Workers, AFL-CIO, etc. have come into existence? A tight job market, especially during recessions, gives citizens the choice of accepting the terms of business or starving. A minimum wage gives business a reasonable rate that should be paid for the labor of others, whether skilled or unskilled.

Sources of Government Revenue in South Africa

Sources of Government Revenue in South Africa Topic Describe and explain sources of revenue for national, provincial and local spheres of government in South Africa. What are some of the ways in which government has encouraged the provincial and local spheres to generate additional sources of revenue to address the growing needs of communities? Introduction Revenue for South Africa is a massive task due to the corruption taking place. , all 3 spheres of government must work together to stop corruption. Since 2012 an anti corruption team has been set up to solve this issue. This assignment will focus on ways the government tries to encourage other speheres to generate their own income. In a more specific detail this assignment will focus on ways national government promote ways to generate income for provincial and local government. This is not an easy task and thus the challenges is also a main concern and will outline the challenges and possible solutions to overcome this. Solutions will be outlined in a detailed way to overcome the issues we are facing , the definitions of the terms as well as the Significance of the Study. This assignment will conclude the information gathered and what steps needs to be taking to achieve greater results. How does national government get income? Taxes collected are the main source of revenue of national government. 97,1% of revenue of national government was collected as tax. The main sources of tax for national government are taxes paid by individuals, taxes paid by businesses, value added tax and excises(statssa.gov) Taxes on income, profits and capital gains are attributed either to individuals or to businesses. These taxes are generally levied on wages, salaries, other compensation, interest, rent, capital gains, profits of businesses, and taxable portions of pension. The first type of tax and income for the government is Value-added tax(VAT) .VAT is a tax on goods and services collected in stages by enterprises but which is ultimately charged in full to the final purchaser. VAT is usually charged at 14% on consumers final goods and is included in the price you pay for most items such as food items , petrol ,etc. the second type of tax collected by the government is excises tax. Excises are taxes levied on particular products and may be imposed at any stage of production or distribution. Excise duties are imposed mostly on high-volume daily consumable products (e.g. alcohol and tobacco products) as well as certain non-essential or luxury items (e.g. electronic equipment and cosmetics). Administrative fees are also another income for government . administration fees are similar to user charges, but differ in the sense that the service (or benefit) received in return for the fee is defined rather broadly and imprecisely.Such fees include business licences, television licences, diamond export rights, fishing licences, and motor vehicle licences. The dreaded parking ticket and speeding fine can also be added to the list. Administrative fees and fines are insignificant sources of revenue. South Africa’s major source of income is borrowing and taking loans from other countries to sustain the economy and the needs of the citizens Government can borrow from its own citizens and from abroad. Borrowing is often used to finance capital expenditure. Borrowed funds must be repaid at some point and therefore amount to deferred taxes. Because lenders have to be adequately compensated for current consumption forgone, it is imperative that borrowed money should be spent on productive activities. Sometimes government uses borrowed funds  to finance current consumption, a practice that cannot always be defended on economic grounds.   Classification of taxes There are two types of taxes such as direct and indirect. below are the two types of taxes discussed and defined. Direct Taxation Direct taxes are imposed directly on individuals and companies (e.g. personal income  tax and company tax). This distinction fundamentally revolves around the issue of tax incidence  (i.e. the question of who really pays the tax). It would suffice to say that we simply cannot tell with certainty in advance what the outcome is going to be. The second type of tax is Indirect taxes .indirect taxes are taxes which are likely to be shifted and are imposed on commodities or market transactions. Examples are excise ditties and fuel levies. It is also more difficult to adjust the tax rate to the personal circumstances of the consumer. In the  case of indirect taxes it is often possible to shift the burden of the tax to someone else. There are various types of taxes which government collects revenue from. A primary source of wealth tax for the government is property tax. The property tax base can be defined very broadly to include real property (realty) and personal property (e.g. furniture, motor vehicles, shares, bonds, and bank deposits). Another important tax is the capital gains tax. Capital gains can be defined as increases in the net value of assets over a period (e.g.an accounting period or fiscal year).the most popular type of tax is the wealth tax .Income and consumption are flow concepts since both are measured over a period of time. Income consists of wages, rental income from property, interest on savings, dividends on shares, and so on. In contrast to income, wealth is a stock concept which is measured at a particular point in time. Acts and laws pertaining to national government revenue The main act with regard to national revenue is the Public finance management act.The Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No. 1 of 1999) (as amended by Act No. 29 of 1999) The Act promotes the objective of good financial management in order to maximise service delivery through the effective and efficient use of the limited resources and focuses mainly on national and provincial spheres of government.(treasury.gov.za). the second and one of the most discussed about act is the National Revenue Fund . There is a National Revenue Fund into which all money received by the national government must be paid, except money reasonably excluded by an Act of Parliament. (sa constitution) How does the National budget effect other speheres of government The national budget plays a major role . each year the budget gets less for the community for goods and services. Our recent budget speech , more money will be spent on eskom rather than other essential needs of the community . with a limited budget , revenue will be hard to receive for other spheres and thus have to generate their own income How provincial government gets revenue Provinces have little revenue of their own but there is a process governed by the Division of Revenue Act as amended which enables a formula to be used so that provinces receive shares of revenue collected nationally. Provinces then have some discretion as to allocation of what they receive. government research in 2008 showed that Mpumalanga spent a lower percentage on health than did Western Cape as an example. The needs for the community is growing and with a limited budget and corruption in national government revenue for provinces becomes less each year. President zuma has now given more funds to eskom to settle the energy crisis thus making it less for other departments.(SONA). The only way now for provincial government to provide services is to get back to basics. In a recent interview with our provincial mayor, getting back to basics is a must.(daily news) . Kwa zulu natal relays mainly with tourism. 2014 has had the most tourism compared to any other year. Also each province relays on own source of revenue such as provincial taxes and fee ,license and fines. A government may expose taxes other than income tax ,etc. Durban also has one of the biggest harbours in the world and receives a lot from custom tax. Johanessburg has the biggest international airport in Africa also benefits a lot from foreigners for tourism. National government is also aiding provinces with grants due to the service deliver protest. Provinces still have little revenue of their own and are highly dependent on the national sources. It is fortunate that this is governed by legislation. The national government cannot discriminate against opposition controlled provinces such as WC now and KZN previously. There are also joint meetings between provinces and national government which look at issues like resource allocation. How does national government encourage revenue for provincial sphere One of the main ways provinces gets a share from national is the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC). The FFC is an independent body that is set up under the Constitution to advise government on the portion of revenue that should go to provincial and local government to subsidise services for poor people. But these funding are not adequate ,thus the provinces have to generate own source of income . generating income is not an easy task for the provinces as the unemployment rate is rising each year and citizens don’t have enough buying power or to support any fund raising activities. South Africa is known for the variety of sports we play and throughout the year there is various international and local events happening. Each province generate income through sports , generating income from the citizens via the sales of tickets ,etc. cricket ,soccer and rugby are the main sports in south Africa with a huge support of fans. South Africa is currently in the bid for the 2022 common wealth games which is to take place in Durban . This can contribute to a even higher revenue for that year for the province as over 20 countries participate in these games with tourism for all over the world. Conferences is also taking place in south Africa and Durban ICC remains positive, new destinations and Convention Centres are being developed throughout the world, which will result in even greater competition for conferences and events in the future. Each province also has a main attraction and highlight to attract visitors , example: Durban has the beautiful beaches , ushaka marine world and a diverse of cultures. Cape town has robben island , table mountain and the beautiful scenery. Johannesburg is the hub for film and tv casting , with tall skyscrapers and movie studios , as well as theme parks , shopping malls , and best airport in Africa. Laws and policies pertaining to provincial sphere to promote revenue and to provide services. One of the main laws which was recently passed was the Inter-governmental Relations Framework Act. It was passed to make sure that the principles in Chapter Three of the Constitution on cooperative government are implemented. The Act seeks to set up mechanisms to coordinate the work of all spheres of government in providing services, alleviating poverty and promoting development. (etu.org.za) Another structure in place is the Provincial Inter-governmental Structures. This act is about the relationships between the three spheres of government The Premier in each province is responsible for coordinating relationships between national, provincial and local government in the province. A Premier’s Inter-governmental Forum consists of the Premier, the local government MEC, other MECs, Metro and other mayors. (etu.org.za).National government also contributes by new laws which makes new business to open easier and funding if you follow the BBBEE, Act, 2013 (Act No. 46 of 2013). Broad- Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) is a specific government policy to advance economic transformation and enhance the economic participation of black people in the South African economy.(seda.org.za) How local government gets revenue Municipalities get their revenue from three sources. First, they raise some of their own revenue by charging all people who own property such as land, houses and businesses rates based on the value of their property. The second way they raise revenue is by charging tariffs for services like water, electricity, refuse removal and the use of municipal facilities such as sports grounds. Some municipalities can generate a lot of revenue in this way, while poorer municipalities raise virtually nothing and are almost totally dependent on funding transfers from national government, which is the third source of revenue for municipalities. Municipalities also receive funding from national government in the form of conditional grants . (localgovernmentaction.org) Challenges for local government Local government relays more on taxes. There has been many challenges regarding taxes as more than 50 percent of south Africa lives in informal settlements and don’t pay taxes.In the past, municipalities have not spent all the money allocated to them through this grant due to a lack of capacity and the mismanagement of funds. During the 2010/11 financial year, for example, 272 municipalities in South Africa did not spend a quarter of what was available to them and some of this money had to be returned to Treasury. This has most certainly contributed to the slow pace at which municipalities are providing infrastructure for services. (localgovernmentaction.org) Although funding from national and provincial government are given to local government , many ward municipal managers do not do their jobs to monitor and evaluate the needs for the community thus from above funds was given back to the treasury. How does national government encourage revenue for local sphere National government encourages various ways to get income. First they offer many incentives in the form of money. These usually occur if they follow the BBBEE procedure. Secondly , fund raising take place , many NGOS often have fund raising schemes to help support a needy course or to fund problems in the area. NGO’s play a vital role and a big help to the government for providing goods and services to the community. Examples of NGO’S are â€Å"feed the babies fund†, and NORSA. Municipalities with the most clean audits also gets rewards. The link between national sphere , provincial sphere and local sphere The different spheres of government depend on each other for support in project implementation, and regular communication is essential. For example, when a municipality proposes the development of a new township in its Integrated Development Plan, health and education services have to be provided by provincial government. Water services have to be provided by national government, and finances for housing development have to be transferred from national to provincial government from where it goes to the housing developers approved by the municipality. Laws and policies pertaining to local sphere to promote revenue and to provide services. The first act is the Municipal systems act 32 of 2000 . It is a Framework for planning, performance management system, effective use of resources and organisational change. , it also provides Core principles and mechanisms and processes necessary for community participation. Chapter 4 of the Act deals with community participation and define the need for the development of community participation. Another act which relates to this is the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003. This act regulates budget and financial management practices in municipalities and Helps to maximise the capacity of municipalities to deliver services to all communities. Integrated development plan (IDP) The IDP is a 5 year plan by the government to eridacte poverty and to create jobs . Every municipality has to draw up an Integrated Development Plan (IDP). An Integrated Development Plan is a super plan for an area that gives an overall framework for development. It aims to co-ordinate the work of local and other spheres of government in a coherent plan to improve the quality of life for all the people living in an area. It should take into account the existing conditions and problems and resources available for development. The plan should look at economic and social development for the area as a whole Conclusion From the above discussion all spheres of government must work together to achieve greater results. They need to be inter related and distinctive. All the steps and polices must be implemented to achieve best results and a corruption free society and country. The national budget as we learnt also plays a vital role in the revenue for all 3 spheres of government. Ward councillor’s and mayors have a big task to maintain and improve conditions for society. There are many challenges which all spheres need to overcome in order to maintain a good service delivery to the community Reference page websites Polity.org.za,. Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act (No. 56 Of 2003). N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015 Acts.co.za,. Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act No. 56 Of 2003). N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. Etu.org.za,. Inter-Governmental Relations And Planning In Government. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. Parliament.gov.za,. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. Mogalecity.gov.za,. Mogale City. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. Tshwane.gov.za,. Home. N.p., 2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. Localgovernmentaction.org,. Municipal Budget | Local Government Action. N.p., 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. Books moeti, kabelo. Public Finance Fundementals. 2nd ed. cape town: juta co, 2014. Print. Introduction to local government , 2nd ed. Cape town :juta Journals k, phago. Democracy In South Africa. Journal of Public Administration vol 49.3 (2014): n. pag. Print. Politeia :Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa 0256-8845 Africanus Department of Development Administration and Politics, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa 0304-615X

My Study Plan Exploration Of Strengths And Weaknesses Education Essay

My Study Plan Exploration Of Strengths And Weaknesses Education Essay My study plan aims to help me to explore my strength and weakness and show me the pathways that will develop my skills and knowledge during this academic year. The study plan is divided into four parts. In the first part, I am going to talk about my personal strength and weaknesses by relying on the feedbacks I got from my teachers and peers. In the second part, I will be mentioning the details of appropriate assignments to develop my skills and knowledge. Then, in the third part, I will talk about what I hope to achieve from my assignments by the end of the year. Finally, in the last part, I will give details about the activities and planned dates for completion of my assignments and the written coursework. Personal Strengths and Weakness Throughout this course, I have experienced a lot of things; I had to work with people to tight deadlines, I had to produce, direct, film, edit, write script, research, write essays, make news stories and programmes etc. While doing all these, sometimes everything went perfect but sometimes I came across with difficulties. All of the tasks I was given helped me to explore my own strength and weaknesses. In this part, I will be explaining my strength and weakness by supporting them with examples. Weakness: One of my most significant weaknesses is procrastinating. I tend to take things easy. When I work alone, the reason why I procrastinate is my self-esteem. I always think that I can do my work successfully anytime I want and I have no problem delaying it. On the other hand, when I work with others, this mostly happens when I feel that things do not work out well in the group. Doing this does not create so many problems when I work alone, however, when I work with others, it can be so problematic and annoying for them. I believe I would get better marks, if I did not delay my essays in these two years. Equally, avoiding procrastinate could make me work more cohesively with my friends in the group. This year, I will try to avoid doing this. Being quiet in the class is my other weakness. This gives people the impression of me not being confident or shy. However, the reason why I do not talk so much in the class is I am in a foreign country and I do not feel comfortable talking since I am not a native English speaker. The difference of language, culture and the people always holds me back in the class. Even though, I was always aware of my weakness since my first year in university, I could not get over it. When I am in Cyprus, I am the opposite; I am really talkative and outgoing. For this reason, I do not make this a big deal because; after finishing my studies, I will go back to Cyprus and work there. Writing script is my other weakness. During the course, I always had difficulty writing script for news stories. It always took me a lot of time to do it. Although, I tried to develop this skill, I could not make it to reach the stage I wanted. When I look at my future goal, I know that writing script is not going to be my job. Therefore, instead of focusing on my script writing weakness, I will try to develop my other skills during this year. Strengths: Self-confidence and being perfectionist are the most significant strengths I have. I believe that I can do anything I want to do. Since primary school, I always tried to achieve my goals without getting help from anyone. Whenever I had an important exam or homework, I always did them by myself without getting help from my family members or my friends. Similarly, when I had problems with my school, friends or my coursework, I always tried to solve them alone. By doing all the things alone, I felt happier, because at the end, I mostly always succeeded. I also heard so many compliments from my teachers, family and friends about my confidence and success. I grew up as a confident person and I believe in me a lot. However, sometimes, the self-confidence and perfectionism I have can make me really stressed. In group work, many times I find myself complaining about others in terms of the work they do. Mostly, I do not feel appreciated with their work, because I believe that they do not do i t as good as I can do. To exemplify, last year, I had to do a community research portfolio and a ten minute documentary within the community. My partner wrote half of the research portfolio and sent it to me. I got really disappointed and stressed after seeing what work she did. The reason was I was expecting a better work from her, but she did everything in a perfunctory way and it was not as good as it should be. Similarly, while we were doing the documentary, I had to redo everything she did, because I felt that they were not properly done. Although, I can make myself really stressed and tired because of my confidence and perfectionism, I believe that being confident and perfectionist are really important strengths. Being ambitious is my other important strength. I am always quite ambitious about what I do. Since I was a child, I always wanted to be the best at everything and I never gave up on something. While I was in high school, my goal was to learn really good English, go to university in London, finish my bachelor, masters and PHD and become a lecturer in one of the universities in Cyprus. My ambition made me leave my family back in Cyprus and came to London to study this course when I was sixteen. In the beginning of this course, I had difficulty speaking and writing in English. I read books, watched English TV programmes, studied some books for academic writing. In one year, I realized how much I improved my speaking and writing and now I do not have problem doing these. Similarly, in my first year, I wanted to learn how to edit and be really good at it. I watched editing videos, practiced a lot and achieved what I wanted in really short time. I believe I will be where I want to be in so me years, because my ambition will help me a lot. Being a good researcher is my other strength. A good researcher is the one who has the interest, curiosity and the persistence to find answers to unanswered questions. S/he gets knowledge of the subject and s/he is also patient and ambitious. I believe I have these characteristics. Last year, I had to do a community research portfolio and a documentary within the community. The interviewees and the information I needed was really difficult to get, but I did not made myself stressed at all. I visited so many locations, I called so many people, I read a lot of books, I searched so many websites, I watched several documentaries, etc. In the end, I got what I wanted. There were times that I had so much difficulty in finding the characters of the film as well, but I never gave up on researching. I wanted to make my documentary as perfect as I can. As a result of all the hard work I did, I got a really good feedback from my tutor. This year, I will try to build up my research skills more. My other important strength is editing. Before starting my studies, I did not have any editing experience and it was one of the most important things that I wanted to learn. Throughout the course, I practiced a lot and I learnt a lot of aspects of editing. I used my skill to help my classmates as well. I believe that my editing skill will be really useful for me in the future because; I will be making videos in my entry time as a hobby. Details of appropriate assignments to develop skills and knowledge. During the two years of my course, the assignments I did were given by my tutors. These assignments made me gain an invaluable knowledge about every part of the production and the media. I started with a blank knowledge and now I am able to make news programme, make documentaries and short films in many styles; I learnt the stages of production, roles of director, producer, researcher and production assistant, editing, using camera, lighting, writing script, etc. I am good at many of the things I learnt, while I am also bad at some of them. This year, I have an opportunity to choose what assignments I want to do and I will use this opportunity to develop some of my strengths. Â   As I mentioned before, one of my most significant strengths is research. I am planning to do a research assignment into Turkish Cypriot Community in London to build up my research skills more. The assignment will include interview transcriptions and all relevant research that I will do. The interviews will be about Cypriots immigration reasons to London, their work, family, cultural life, courtship, London, the troubles, going back to Cyprus and reflections. The reason why I chose to do a research about Turkish Cypriot community is, since I was born, the Cypriot media and TV channels have been making programmes only about the political situation of Cyprus; before and after war, division of the island, peace between the Greek and the Turkish Cypriot communities, Turkish Cypriot immigrants in London, economy of North and South Cyprus, etc. are the main themes of these programmes. The programmes contain a lot of research and interviews with local people. Last summer, I had a work e xperience in a Cypriot local TV channel; I was doing research and going to interviews for a TV programme called Agenda. While I was doing this, I realized that I really enjoyed doing it. After finishing my studies, I will go back and work in the same TV channel as a researcher until I finish my Ph.D. Doing this assignment will be a really good experience for me. The other assignment I would like to do this year is researching MA Film courses in London and completing my entry forms. I will be searching online and visiting universities to find out which university and course is most suitable for me. By the end of this semester, I will start doing my contacts and visits for information and interviews. When I finish my research, I will make my application. I plan to finish all these by the start of May. The last assignment I want to do this year is researching how social media is being used by film makers for marketing and promotion and writing an essay about this topic. This essay will help me to analyse and evaluate the different ways in which social media as platform is being used as an alternative way to promote and market films by filmmakers in the media industry. The research I will do will be commenced in order to explore the future potential of social media as an industry in the world of film making, as well as to understand the different approaches and steps taken by film makers in order to reach as wide an audience as possible. The reason why I want to do this assignment is to understand the true power and potential that social media and to discuss the issue with the filmmakers themselves. What I hope to achieve from my assignments by the end of the year. The first thing I want to achieve from my assignments is to having my MA course research done and my entry forms completed. I am quite confused about what course, which university I should apply and how I will do it. Doing this assignment is the greatest chance to find out what MA course is most suitable for me. Deciding on what course I will apply and completing my entry forms will remove a great burden from me. The second thing I want to achieve is to do a research into Turkish Cypriot community, get as many interviews as I can and improve my skills. I am really ambitious about this assignment because of the topic and the interviewees. The interviewees are the only generation of Cyprus who experienced a lot of difficulties in their life and who will extinct soon; they experienced war, hunger, poverty, separation, sadness, horror and anxiety. This makes the interviews I will get really valuable for me. Last year, I started to keep an archive of interviews I did with elderly Turkish Cypriots both in Cyprus and London. I will be able to use these when I start to work in the TV channel I worked last summer. Apart from that I have the idea of turning the entire interviews I have into a book in the future. My future plans make this assignment really important and necessary for me. I have already started to visit the Turkish Cypriot Community Association which is in Haringey. The organization has quite a lot elderly Turkish Cypriot members. I will visit the place every Thursdays and Fridays which are the days that old generation Turkish Cypriot immigrants gather. I will be able to achieve my goal and finish my assignment by the end of the year. Activities and planned dates for completion of my assignments and the written coursework I have decided to divide my assignments into three pieces this year. Overview of MA Courses in UK containing research and completed entry forms with references: 25% Research into Turkish Cypriot community in London containing a 8000-10.000 word interview transcription and all relevant research and a 2000 word (minimum) Reflective Analysis: 25% A 5000 Essay on The effects of Social Media as a tool used for film making and promotion; an investigation of both dependent independent filmmakers around the world, 25% The deadline for all three pieces is 1st May 2011. In this study plan, I analyzed my personal strength and weakness and what I seek to achieve from my assignments by the end of the year. I believe I have chosen the most appropriate tasks for me. Doing these tasks will make me gain responsibility of planning and completing my assignments independently and make me use my own communication, research and skills to complete them. I will work hard to complete all my tasks and achieve all my goals which will make me ready for my future studies and goals.

J. Edgar Hoover Essay -- essays research papers fc

For nearly half a century J. Edgar Hoover was one of the most powerful officials in the Federal government of the United States. As head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 1924 until his death in 1972, he was the nation’s chief law enforcement officer. His intimate knowledge of politicians and government operations made him a man to be feared by elected officials, and none of the eight presidents under whom he served dared fire him. J.Edgar Hoover was born on January 1, 1895, in Washington D.C. He attended George Washington University and earned a degree in 1917. In 1919 he became assistant to Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer in the Department of Justice. It was Palmer who instigated the post World War I "red scare," an anti-Communist hysteria that led to the deportation of many aliens. Hoover was put in charge of the deportations. When Hoover became director of the Bureau in 1924, he quickly formed an elite force of powerful law enforcement officers. He enhanced the FBI’s fame by capturing many gangsters, bank robbers, and other lawbreakers. After World War II he waged a relentless fight against internal subversion. The 1970’s often criticized Hoover for his authoritarian methods. He died in Washington, D.C., on May 2, 1972. In the rest of the paper I will explain more in depth of how J. Edgar Hoover rose to power and why he is considered one of the most corrupt men to ever hold a government position. It is not very difficult to figure out the most outstanding characteristic of J. Edgar Hoover. Out of all of his characteristics, the one that truly stands out is that he was extremely powerful. J. Edgar Hoover is the most famous law enforcement officer that the United States has ever known. J. Edgar Hoover began his adult life at the bottom of the ladder with a very limited amount of power. As he grew older and became more experienced his prestige and power skyrocketed. At the height of his prestige and power he was the most famous director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the history of the United States. One factor that helped J. Edgar Hoover gain more power, was that he had many connections with many important people (Summers 29). Another factor that aided J. Edgar Hoover in his rise to power was the knowledge he had about people (Kessler 449-450). This meant that he could control people, or in other words, blackmai... ...led in public life (Summers 45). If there is a moral here, it is perhaps the one drawn by future Vice President Walter Mondale while taking part in the senate probe of the CIA and FBI in 1975 (Summers 438). "The lesson we learn from this history," he said, "is that we cannot keep our liberty secure by relying alone on the good faith of men with great power" (Summers 438). I think that a very important lesson is taught by the life of J. Edgar Hoover. His life teaches that being powerful is not necessarily a good thing. If power is used intelligently and in moderation, it can be a good thing. However, Hoover used his power for his own benefit. Finally, it got to the point where Hoover would do anything to hold on to his power. That is why he is always shrouded in controversy and his name is synonymous with greed and corruption. Works Cited: Kessler, Ronald. The FBI. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster Inc., 1994. Powers, Richard Gid. Secrecy and Power: The Life of J. Edgar Hoover. New York, NY: Collier Macmillan Canada, Inc., 1987. Summers, Anthony. Official and Confidential: The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1993.

Date Rape and Acquaintance Rape Essays -- The Tragedy of Date Rape

Date rape is not a rare incident. Surveys indicate that in 84% of rape cases, the victim knows the attacker, and 57% of rapes occur on dates (Warshaw 11). However, what is even more surprising than these high statistics is that most incidents of date rape go unreported. Several theories exist that try to explain this phenomenon. For example, many women may refuse to believe that their â€Å"friend† raped them. In fact, they could eventually convince themselves that it never happened. Additionally, there is confusion following the attack in which memory and emotions become mixed up. When alcohol or drugs are involved, the women may have no memory of the attack whatsoever. Even if the victim does remember the attack, they could be left with a sense that they let themselves be taken advantage of. In cases such as this, the victim may blame them self instead of the attacker. The shame involved in either being battered by or hurting someone we care for makes it hard to tell anyone, even those closest to us. People in abusive relationships often work hard at making it seem as if nothing is wrong. They try to convince themselves and others that â€Å"it’s not really that bad,† or that â€Å"it doesn’t happen all the time.† (Hicks 18) Additionally, societal perceptions dictate that a woman should know how to set limits, and that they are responsible for their own actions. Many women, thinking back on their sexual experiences, will respond affirmatively when asked the question â€Å"Have you ever had sex with a man when you didn’t want to, because he used physical force against you?† but at the same time offer a firm â€Å"no† when asked â€Å"Have you ever been raped?† (Bender 10-11) While victims of date rape rarely report the crime, the psychological effects are just as bad as if a stranger raped them. Since fewer women seek counseling or treatment for date rape than for rape by a stranger, the effects can be even more severe. In recent years, public attention has been drawn to the prevalence of date rape through the media and researchers. However, many believe that date rape is still the most widely under-reported crime. (Warshaw 11-14)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Date rape has existed for as long as recorded history. In fact a date rape is described in the Old Testament (2 Sam. 13: 1-15) committed by Amnon, son of Kind David. Despite its long history, public awareness and attention has not been drawn ... ...sion. Educators choose to ignore the reality that acquaintance rape happens in junior highs, senior highs, and colleges across the country. Moreover, some school officials find it easier to punt the problem back to uninformed parents rather than risk calling attention to a possible negative situation in their own institutions. (Warshaw 169) Often, parents are reluctant to consider that their â€Å"perfect† child could commit date rape or could put themself in a position to be date raped. However, if these attitudes are changed and teachers and parents begin to educate young people about date rape, the prevalence of date rape will begin to drop drastically. Works Cited Bender, David Date Rape San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2008 Hicks, John Dating Violence Brookfield: Millbrook Press, 2007 Lindquist, Scott The Date Rape Prevention Book Naperville: Sourcebooks, 2012 Mufson, Susan Straight Talk About Date Rape New York: Facts On File, 2009 Parrot, Andrea Date Rape & Acquaintance Rape New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 2008 Thornhill, Randy. The History of Rape. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2012 Warshaw, Robin. I Never Called It Rape New York: Harper & Row, 1994 Date Rape and Acquaintance Rape Essays -- The Tragedy of Date Rape Date rape is not a rare incident. Surveys indicate that in 84% of rape cases, the victim knows the attacker, and 57% of rapes occur on dates (Warshaw 11). However, what is even more surprising than these high statistics is that most incidents of date rape go unreported. Several theories exist that try to explain this phenomenon. For example, many women may refuse to believe that their â€Å"friend† raped them. In fact, they could eventually convince themselves that it never happened. Additionally, there is confusion following the attack in which memory and emotions become mixed up. When alcohol or drugs are involved, the women may have no memory of the attack whatsoever. Even if the victim does remember the attack, they could be left with a sense that they let themselves be taken advantage of. In cases such as this, the victim may blame them self instead of the attacker. The shame involved in either being battered by or hurting someone we care for makes it hard to tell anyone, even those closest to us. People in abusive relationships often work hard at making it seem as if nothing is wrong. They try to convince themselves and others that â€Å"it’s not really that bad,† or that â€Å"it doesn’t happen all the time.† (Hicks 18) Additionally, societal perceptions dictate that a woman should know how to set limits, and that they are responsible for their own actions. Many women, thinking back on their sexual experiences, will respond affirmatively when asked the question â€Å"Have you ever had sex with a man when you didn’t want to, because he used physical force against you?† but at the same time offer a firm â€Å"no† when asked â€Å"Have you ever been raped?† (Bender 10-11) While victims of date rape rarely report the crime, the psychological effects are just as bad as if a stranger raped them. Since fewer women seek counseling or treatment for date rape than for rape by a stranger, the effects can be even more severe. In recent years, public attention has been drawn to the prevalence of date rape through the media and researchers. However, many believe that date rape is still the most widely under-reported crime. (Warshaw 11-14)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Date rape has existed for as long as recorded history. In fact a date rape is described in the Old Testament (2 Sam. 13: 1-15) committed by Amnon, son of Kind David. Despite its long history, public awareness and attention has not been drawn ... ...sion. Educators choose to ignore the reality that acquaintance rape happens in junior highs, senior highs, and colleges across the country. Moreover, some school officials find it easier to punt the problem back to uninformed parents rather than risk calling attention to a possible negative situation in their own institutions. (Warshaw 169) Often, parents are reluctant to consider that their â€Å"perfect† child could commit date rape or could put themself in a position to be date raped. However, if these attitudes are changed and teachers and parents begin to educate young people about date rape, the prevalence of date rape will begin to drop drastically. Works Cited Bender, David Date Rape San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2008 Hicks, John Dating Violence Brookfield: Millbrook Press, 2007 Lindquist, Scott The Date Rape Prevention Book Naperville: Sourcebooks, 2012 Mufson, Susan Straight Talk About Date Rape New York: Facts On File, 2009 Parrot, Andrea Date Rape & Acquaintance Rape New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 2008 Thornhill, Randy. The History of Rape. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2012 Warshaw, Robin. I Never Called It Rape New York: Harper & Row, 1994

Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Thought, Freedom of Pot -- essays resear

Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Thought, Freedom of Pot!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a war going on; it keeps thousands in pain every night, a war that if were to end, could save thousands of people’s lives. This is the war on marijuana. You could say that marijuana has a bad reputation in the eyes of many people, but in reality it is a drug which has the ability of saving lives and curing diseases in which have plagued us for too long. People need to be informed on the good that marijuana can bring not just to this country, but to the whole world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marijuana (cannabis sativa) is often referred to as pot, tea, grass, weed, hashish, maryjane, ganja, skunk, and there are many, many more depending on how it is used and/or where it is from. It can be sniffed, chewed, smoked, or added to foods or beverages, but most often is smoked by recreational users. Marijuana contains around sixty compounds called cannabanoids. The most psychoactive being delta-9-tetrahydracannabinol (Dudley 18). When marijuana is used, several things can happen to the user both physically and or mentally. Physical effects include: red eyes, dry mouth or throat, increase in heartbeat, tightness of chest (if smoked), drowsiness, unsteadiness, and muscular in-coordination. THC molecules can also distort part of the brains’ information-processing system, altering perception of time, while amplifying sounds and usual images (Dudley 18). This may not seem like something people would want legalized, but there are far more ways to use marijua na for good than for bad.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several interesting reasons why people fight for the legalization of marijuana, some people argue that if it was smoked as early as 2700 B.C. in China and India (Quick Facts 1) that it should be legal in all places. Or that since many of America’s greatest leaders and Founding Fathers (including George Washington) were hemp farmers (Quick Facts 1) that it would make the world a better place. Both of these general types of arguments have some reason in them, but the most valid arguments are probably to be about violence or medical reasons. After some thinking, the conclusion that any sick person who wants to use marijuana to help them self has to break the law (Dudley 39) can be made. This doesn’t seem fair at all, seeing as how people who are ill and whom mi... ...aws around them, and make everything in society for those people. The lowest incapable part of the species. And what about all the people that can handle all the good things in life without screwing everyone else over? Well they can suffer, they can be held back by our crap, because they’re not important. They can evolve at the same mind-numbing pace as the rest of us. So lets keep drugs illegal, cause some people can’t handle the responsibility. That’s the same principle they enforce in elementary school; one kid messes up and the rest suffer from his ignorance. In case you haven’t noticed, laws and regulations can’t hold back human curiosity. You can’t simply just stamp out those human urges with a law or two. You won’t succeed in preventing humans from being human.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Works Cited â€Å"Cancer Statistics.† American Cancer Society. Online. Internet. 01 February 2001. Dudley, William, et al., eds. Marijuana. California: Greenhaven Press, 1999. â€Å"Marijuana† Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica: Macropà ¦dia. 1999 ed. â€Å"Quick Facts About Pot.† Freepot.com. Online. Internet. 28 Jan 2001. Todd Austin Brenner, â€Å"The Legalization of Drugs: Why Prolong the Inevitable?† Vol. 18, 1989.

An Examination of Power and Politics in Organizations Essay

Abstract Many studies have examined the affects power and politics have on organizations. In researching The University of Phoenix’s Online Library and current web sites information shows that power and politics dominates the work place and organizations more than any other personal skill. In order to lead one must have power to influence, set and enforce rules. Politics are found in the majority of organizations, therefore it is crucial for employees to recognize the political game in their own organization and decide rather to participate and benefit from the positives of politics or not. An Examination of Power and Politics in Organizations Power and politics are dominating forces with in organizations. Organizations are lead by people with power. Power can be awarded by management to a person by title, â€Å"legitimate power† which is more formal and recognizable. Many leaders assume power through such things as knowledge, information or seniority. Through research located online and knowledge obtained from personal experiences a comparison was conducted on power and politics in organizations. The structure of a team is important in determining how the team will perform. Each team member should contribute skills to enhance the team’s overall performance. Individual work habits and leadership styles will determine if the team has the ability to join together and complete their common goals. Teams create environments that bring out the best in each team member. A commitment to effectively communicating information and ideas is a characteristic of an effective team. That is why the usage of coercion and politics to gain advantage over team members can be very destructive to team dynamics. Coercion is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary is to force one to act or think in a certain manner, to dominate, restrain, or control by force. Often at work or in a group environment one might utilize this form of power to control dominance  over the group. This usage of power can often make other team members conform. In a successful team conformity is not a useful tactic. The usage of politics and coercion to gain advantage over team members is a danger to the success of the project. Once team members realize that their input is not wanted more than likely they will withdraw from the process altogether. The USA today states, â€Å"offices dynamics often change from the usage of intimidation†. (2004) For example a team must work together to process information for the desired results. Once a member takes advantage of a situation and use coercion to gain advantage it often leads to disaster. An example of such disaster happened recently within our team. A couple classes ago we had a member that was an extremely dominant person. The person was very smart and well educated but had a problem understanding the syllabus. Everybody in the team would understand the group assignments one way but she would always play devil advocate on the simplest details. She would use coercion to gain advantage over the other team members when we would meet to complete group assignments. The entire team was guilty of just going with the flow, not wanting to cause any problem. She was so convincing we felt she had to be correct! The result was a low grade, because the content was not correct. So the team from that moment on did not allow that dominant personality use politics and power to manipulate the group any more. Organizational Behavior Ch. 15 pg. 3 defines power through information as; Information power is the access to and/or the control of information. It is one of the most important aspects of legitimacy. In the majority organization the person with the information controls the manner in which the company operates. Expert power is the ability to control through the possession of knowledge, experience, or judgment that the other person does not have but needs. This source of power is often used by subordinates. Judson, P. stated in Worldwide Energy â€Å"although there are several directors and managers to organizations the experts of the business actually controls progress.† In the public works and engineering department there are several directors and managers. Hierarchical authority has put several rules, guide lines and manuals together through information they obtain for employees to  follow when completing tasks and goals. Supervisors and employees who actually work in the field have the knowledge and experience; therefore tasks are completed in a different manner than the manuals implement. The knowledge subordinates obtain through actually doing the work gives them more power and control in decision made about the organization. Politics are in all organizations and employees are affected in some way by politics. As stated in by Schermerhorn, Hunt and Osborn, â€Å"any study of power and influence inevitably leads to the subject of â€Å"politics.† â€Å"For many, this word may conjure up thoughts of illicit deals, favors and special personal relationships.† Although these actions are considered negative by the observer, the organization and the recipients view politics as positive. Organizations use politics to influence employees through promotions and rewards. The City of Houston Public Works and Engineering Department mainly promotes from with in the organization. This is a positive showing by management, because employees feel effort are rewarded. When you think of power and politics rarely are these images positive or inspiring. Corporate American today has fallen far from the one time logic that rewards are based simply on individual performance. Today more rewards are based on the managements need for power. This ability, power, to have someone else do something in the way you want it done and the precise time you need it done is an overwhelming and influential force. There are several types of ruling powers that are used in today’s businesses. Perhaps, the most preferred by employees is known as the Reward Power. The Reward Power enables a manager to express their appreciation to an individual or group for a job well done by offering the employee or team members a bonus. Such pleasantries can be in the form of a pay increase, personal praise, or advancement within the company. Unlike the Coercive Reward, probably the most disliked by associates, is a system in which the person in charge uses punishment to rule. Examples of such authority could be the withholding of merit increases, denying a promotion, or even termination. Powers such as these are key elements to leadership success. Unfortunately, they seem to represent the seamy side of management (Schermerhorn, 2003). There are other powers used in organizational structures, such as legitimate, process,  informational and representative. These power all vary in pattern, however, none are as contrasting as the Reward versus Coercive Power. How do these managers gain this power? Some might believe that office politics and networking are major components. The saying â€Å"it’s not what you know, but who†, does not stand truer than in today’s corporate environments. An example of â€Å"networking† took place a couple of years ago in our department. At the time of this occurrence, Sam was a Financial Administrator for the West Region. He held a reputation for one of the best managed financial divisions. It seems that Sam had built a special friendship with the Sales manager for that region and he would do allow special payments or exceptions for his market without proper documentation to help his numbers increase. These ‘favors’ were soon shared with other salespeople from other markets, and Sam immediately became best of buddies with everyone. A few months later a position for a supervisor was opened and Sam immediately recruited his comrades to assist him in assuring this new posi tion. His use of political power and networking is a prime example of the self absorbed need for dominance in today’s managers. Ethical Persuasion and Legitimate Power can have a strong impact on teams, management and others alike. First, let’s look at the definition of ethical persuasion and legitimate power. Ethical persuasion is behavior that is morally accepted as â€Å"good† and â€Å"right† (Schermerhorn, gloss, pg. 6). Legitimate power is the extent to which a manager can use the â€Å"right of command† to control other people (Schermerhorn, gloss, pg.12). Ethical Persuasion is very different from legitimate power because when a manger is demanding that you complete a task, the task may not always be ethical. Each one of these behaviors can affect a team in many ways. For example, a management team is assigned a task that involves investigating an employee’s work history to locate any negative infractions or practices in order to terminate the employee. In the investigating process you learn that this person is a single-mother barely able to feed her two children. However, the company cannot afford to keep her for financial reasons and needs to lay her off. There are five members in the management team that are working on this case and three of them are females, these ladies do not feel that they are  displaying ethical behavior and refuse to have anything to do with dismissing this single mother. In reality this woman has done nothing wrong, she was just the last one hired. In the meantime the CEO hears about the moral conflict and he gets very upset with the team members disobedience. Consequently, the CEO calls a meeting to let the management team know that he is the head of the company and team will do as he says whether they like it or not. If the team do not do as they are told, then they can give the single mother their positions because they will no longer be needed. In this situation the CEO is clearly using legitimate power, which is definitely not ethical; however, it is a job that still has to be done. Therefore, ethical behavior and legitimate power can and will eventually affect a management team. More often than not legitimate power will overrule ethical behavior. In conclusion research has proven sources of position and personal power, such as expert, information, reward, coercion and legitimate are used by employees to control, persuade and influence people and organizations. Politics are more commonly used by management to control and influence organizational behavior. Both politics and power have positive and negative affects on employees, organizations and communities. References Lindsey, L. B. (2004, July 14) Office Dynamic; Retrieved August 26, 2004 from University of Phoenix, EDSCO Host database, Website http://phoenix.edu//libraryresource Stum, D.L. Strategy and Leadership. Maslow Revisited. Building the Employee Commitment Pyramid Volume 29. University of Phoenix Custom Edition. Retrieved August 25, 2004, from ProQuest database. Judson, P. (2004) Advantages of Experts; Worldwide Energy. Vol. 15 Issue 8 p3. abstract retrieved August 28, 2004, from EBSCOhost data base Schermerhorn, J.R., Hunt, J.G. & Osburn, R.N. (2003) Organizational Behavior New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Ch. 15 Power and Politics Pg 2-3