A Catholic Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Catholic Life - Essay Example This can be considered as heady years when anything was deemed possible. His schooling was marked by periods of hardship and deprivation. This was clearly in his case a time of intense personal trials as he went to college as a working student to support his studies. There was a time he suffered some form of bullying by his richer classmates and they made fun of his â€Å"nice clothes† which greatly embarrassed him. While still a small boy, he had a different concept of God who is strict and very demanding in terms of penance. But he had taken comfort that he belonged to the most important royal family – that of the Catholics (Wilkes 21). He even aspired to sainthood in the innocence of his childhood (ibid. 23). His high school years saw him earn decent grades since he seemed to have the gifts of an intellectual who can breeze through school without much effort. His faith in his religion is not to be tested yet since he lived sort of a secure life, surrounded by the fam iliar and not yet exposed to the outside world in which new and even rebellious ideas are in ferment. Changes started to occur in his personal life and consequently in his views and outlook in life during the time he started his college days. It was a period of great financial difficulties. Catholicism as a religion emphasizes both suffering and deprivation as a noble act (ibid. 26) and further ingrained with a dictum of living a life for others. Whether intentional or not, this constant barrage of feeling guilty ends up making some people a bit neurotic as in the case of Paul Wilkes. Despite his professional success, his search for God soon brought him to the extreme decision to follow the way of Christ and abandon all his material belongings. Paul’s... A Catholic Life Every person goes through life's incredible journey in his or her own unique ways. It is sometimes called in religious philosophy as the â€Å"process of becoming† for which nobody can know how the end will come about. No one can likewise anticipate the high and low points in this journey of a lifetime. This was what the author Paul Wilkes underwent during challenging times in his life and career. Every person also feels a bit empty, at some point in their lives. In his case, Mr. Wilkes suffered what is called a mid-life crisis so early in his married life when he was still in his mid-thirties, when other people suffer the same crisis at a much later age. A person is shaped by both his environment and by his basic temperament. Mr. Wilkes can be considered as just like any other person, an average person with the usual dreams and ambitions in life. What was a bit different about him was his tenacity in the face of adversity. This was amply demonstrated in his being the runt of the litter, growing up in a poor home, a constant struggle while in school (from elementary up to his college days) and achieved some measure of professional success. If we really contemplate on the real purpose of life, either we go off the edge or end up finding something really meaningful. Some call this process as a catharsis or a conversion, or as an epiphany of sorts like what Saul of Tarsius experienced while he was on his way.

Organizational Culture and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organizational Culture and Leadership - Essay Example Trader Joe’s focuses upon certain significant aspects which include great quality and prices of food. In this regard, the company strongly believes that by maintaining the aforesaid features, it can attain considerable value of the customers. The official headquarter of the company is positioned in California, U.S. The vision of the company is to provide superior quality products to its customers through engaging skilled and committed employees. Moreover, the mission of the company is to raise the satisfaction level of the customers by offering best quality food as well as beverages with cheap prices and also to deliver relevant product related information to the customers in order to take effective buying decisions. It has been apparently observed that there are more than 2,000 unique grocery items in its stores which are offered to the customers regularly (Trader Joe's., 2012). B. Description Of The Problem At present, Trader Joe’s faces certain crucial problems regar ding the expansion of its existing customer base and the maintenance of competiveness with the new business market entrants similar to its industry such as Whole Foods, Fresh & Easy and Sprouts. These companies are considered to be the main rivalries or the major business market competitors which sell similar kinds of products in the same geographical provinces. All these competitors maintain a unique culture like Trader Joe’s and also intends to invest substantially for increasing productivity as well as profitability by a considerable level. By taking into consideration the aforementioned problems, certain important questions may arise. The questions include â€Å"Is Trader Joe’s unique culture is strong enough to survive and tackle with these newly emerged competitive threat?† or â€Å"How Trader Joe’s product act as a substitute as compared to the product of its rivalries†? Moreover, another important question may also arise i.e. â€Å"What ne cessary activities or strategies should adopt by Trader Joe’s in order to maintain its competitiveness and to accomplish significant competitive position over its chief business market competitors†? II. Assessment of the Problem Using Class Concepts A. Problem from Standpoint of Organizational Culture Trader Joe’s is regarded to be one of the most sophisticated retail grocery chain stores in the world. The imperative activities such as the execution of enhanced operational procedures through implementing effective business models and the maintenance of a unique organizational culture ultimately supports the company to attain its predetermined busies objectives. Moreover, the factors also assist the company to provide excellent services as well as better quality products to its customers (Madu, 2012). Generally, in order to build a competent organizational culture; companies always prefer to hire â€Å"Crew Members† for improving the operational performance of the employees. The companies employ the â€Å" Crew Members† in order to deliver effective training programs to their employees concerning various topic which include teamwork, product knowledge and leadership skills. It has been apparently observed that more than 70% of the part-time employees of Traders Joe’s operate their functions under the supervision of the â€Å"Crew Members†. The role of these â€Å"Crew Members† is to provide detail report regarding the sale of products to the Assistant Store Manager of the

Uses and abuse of drugs Essay Example for Free

Uses and abuse of drugs Essay Many people do not understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. Substance abuse is a growing problem that not only affects the person who is abusing alcohol or drugs but also affects the lives of those who are close to the abuser. Substance abuse is the abuse of any substance. A drug is a substance that modifies one or more of the body functions when it is consumed. It is often mistakenly assumed that drug abusers lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop using drugs simply by choosing to change their behavior. In reality, drug addiction is a disease and quitting takes a lot more than Just changing your behavior. Drug Abuse is generally defined as the use of a drug with such frequency that the user has a physical or mental harm or it impairs social abilities. The substances that are discussed in this report are called psychoactive drugs; those drugs that Influence or alter the workings of the mind, affect moods, emotions, feelings, and thinking processes. Substances drugs affect the brain, heart, liver, lungs and also the people around you. When drugs get into the bloodstream they are carried to all parts of the body and some reach the brain. In fact, drugs change the brain in ways that foster compulsive drug abuse, quitting is more difficult than it appears. The quicker the drug reaches the brain, the more intense the effects. The quickest way to get a drug into the brain, and also the most dangerous way of using any drug is to injecting into the vein. Injecting into the vein Is almost as quick as smoking a drug, followed by sniffing or snorting and then by mouth. Eating or drinking a drug Is the slowest route, because the drug has to pass through the stomach first. Drugs are generally categorized into two groups, stimulants and depressants. Stimulants are drugs that peed up signals through the nervous system. They produce alertness, arousal and excitability. They also Inhibit fatigue and sleep. Everything from over-the-counter pain medication, prescriptions drugs such as,, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and even coffee can abused In one way or another. The two man substances being abused In our nation are nicotine and alcohol. How does nicotine addiction work? Basically, when you smoke your first cigarettes, when you arent addicted yet, you get a head-rush which Is caused by the nicotine. In your brain there are nicotine receptors which arent used to the nicotine In a cigarette. Over time, the nicotine receptors get used to the amount of nicotine so they can cope with the nicotine. So when this nicotine stops being given to the receptors (when you give up smoking) they panic and cause you to feel unhappy and angry. When you smoke, the nicotine receptors send out messages to other parts of the brain which release a drug called dopamine which makes you feel happy, satisfied, relaxed. When you try to quit, or when you fancy a cigarette your dopamine levels are going down and you start to feel unhappy, aggressive, unsatisfied. Most smokers dont know that they are addicted to nicotine until they try to stop smoking completely they Just think that they Like smoking. The answer to your question Is that you will have a moderate nicotine addiction, and quitting wont be that hard. The signs of a severe nicotine addiction are needing to smoke a cigarette every 2 hours, having one as soon as you wake In night). Nicotine increases the levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, activating the pleasure pathways in the same way other addictive drugs do. After the effects (calmness, sense of well-being) disappear, the smoker craves more. Why is alcohol addictive? Basically because alcohol, like nicotine and heroin and other substances stimulates the reward response in your brain. You have a drink, the brain rewards itself with a surge of chemicals and hormones that it really likes, and therefore the more you stimulate it, the more it wants. Some people are more susceptible than others in that their reward responses are stronger which is why some people will get addicted to things more easily than other people will. If you add to that a troubled background of some sort, then when the brain offers its reward response though making that person feels calmer and happier or more in control, hey are more likely than someone who is pretty happy. Alcohol is made of ethanol, it is a depressant, your body becomes addictive to the depressant effects and you eventually need it to stop the shakes (delirium tremors) and the withdrawals of the depressant effects on the brain and body. For example, caffeine is a stimulant, and people become addicted to that and when having caffeine withdrawals one has headaches and other neurological effects. However, alcohol is a lot more dangerous because if you are a hardcore not only can you die from drinking, if you stop cold turkey you can have convulsions and die from withdrawals. The addictive substance is ethanol. When you are pregnant, it is important that you watch what you put into your body. Consumption of illegal drugs is not safe for the unborn baby or for the mother. Studies have shown that consumption of illegal drugs during pregnancy can result in miscarriage, low birth weight, premature labor, placental abruptest, fetal death, and even maternal death. If its suspected that woman whose pregnant is using drugs they will test the baby to see if its born addicted, yes it is possible to see if the baby is addicted even before he/she is born.

Values And Beliefs Influenced By Diamond Industry Cultural Studies Essay

Values And Beliefs Influenced By Diamond Industry Cultural Studies Essay The power of advertising throughout the 20th and 21st century has been great upon the American popular culture as well as the rest of the civilized world. This is so because advertising infiltrates and shapes our cultural dialogue/space by influencing and directing its course. Furthermore the influence of the advertising/marketing machine has singlehandedly changed many cultural beliefs and their values. This is effortlessly evident by analyzing the diamond industry, which has been shaping beliefs and values of romantic love within our society and beyond. These values and beliefs influenced by diamond industry or to say Diamond Cartel, have become deeply embedded within our popular culture. This was achieved by constant and ingenious advertising over the last 80 years. Even though diamonds are gemstones with great properties they are not as valuable as they are portrayed in our society. The rule of thumb for the high value of the gemstones or anything else in general is that those ge ms or precious metals have to be rare. Hence the fact that diamonds are actually abundant on our planet is a fact very well hidden from the general public. The extreme value of the diamonds is not achieved by their valuable properties, but mainly via the monopoly held by the diamond cartel. DeBeers or the diamond cartel over the years has carefully planned and used advertising as well as various marketing strategies to grow their diamond empire and by doing so they achieved unfathomed wealth. They did this by twisting, influencing and finally transforming our cultural values, into a belief that diamonds are the ultimate symbols of everlasting love. The effect of this aggressive 80 years long marketing campaign structured by DeBeers is that for the; engagements, weddings, anniversaries, Valentines Day and all the other meaningful love associated events in our life; the diamonds are seen as the greatest gift of love. This is so even though diamonds and their production are far from the affectionate or compassionate industry, in reality its quite contrary. Most buyers are unaware that in gifting their lovers with these aesthetically-beautiful symbols, they are supporting industries which damage the environment, utilize forced labor, cause serious health problems, and contribute to violent conflicts. (Donohoe, 2008, p. 164) Introduction The allure of diamonds we can trace throughout the known history, they are the hardest, the most enduring and sparkling of all precious stones. The word diamond comes from the Greek word adamas, meaning unconquerable. As far as our reliable records reach back into the dim and mystic ages, we find the diamond occupying a prominent position in the estimation of man. (Endlich, 1878, p. 30) A diamond is a translucent precious stone made from one of the earths most widespread element; carbon and it is one of the best known allotropes of carbon. The creation of diamonds began very early during the formation of the planet. They were formed deep within the earth, cooked by extreme temperatures and pressure. When the planets surface cooled, a volcanic activity forced hot magma to the surface, bringing with it the diamonds. However not all diamonds are found where they first came to the surface, because consequential erosion of the top soils over millions of years transported and deposited diamonds along the river banks, the shorelines or on the bed of the oceans. The most important diamond value looked upon by man is its highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any bulk material, making it perfect for industrial applications in cutting and polishing. Above all other of its qualities, which at present determine its value, the superior hardness to all substances then known, seems to have impressed the Ancients. (Endlich, 1878, p. 30) There are two ways of mining diamonds and they are Pipe Mining and Alluvial Mining. The Pipe mining refers to the extraction of diamonds from the volcanic pipes, as for the Alluvial mining it is a process where diamonds are extracted from the alluvial deposits which are sand, gravel and clay that have been naturally enriched with diamonds by soil and water erosion as mentioned above. Background Until the late 1800s diamonds were a genuinely rare stone found only in a small number of riverbeds in India and in the jungles of Brazil. The entire world production of gem diamonds amounted to only several pounds a year. In 1870, however vast diamond deposits were discovered in South Africa. Almost immediately diamonds were being mined by the tons, this inevitably caused diamonds to flood the market. To the financiers who developed the South African mines this fact spelled imminent danger for their investments, because at the time diamonds had little intrinsic value and their price depended to a great extent on their scarcity. They feared that overdevelopment of diamond mines in South Africa and beyond, will cause diamonds to lose value and become only semiprecious gems. Quickly, the major investors realized that they need to control the diamond trade in order to perpetuate the illusion that the diamonds are rare/scarce. Hence in 1888 they created DeBeers Consolidated Mines Ltd., which was incorporated in the South Africa. Shortly after its incorporation, DeBeers took control over all aspects of the world diamond trade. DeBeers a diamond cartel took many forms and it used many different names for its operational units all over the globe. In Europe, it was called the C.S.O. or the Central Selling Organization, in London it operated under the name of The Diamond Trading Company, in Israel it was known as The Syndicate, and in Africa it disguised its South African origins under subsidiaries with names like Diamond Development Corporation and Mining Services, Inc. For most of the time since its inception DeBeers Consolidated Mines Ltd., not only directly owned or controlled all the diamond mines in southern Africa but also owned diamond trading companies in England, Portugal, Israel, Belgium, Holland, and Switzerland. DeBeers Consolidated Mines Ltd., became the most successful cartel pact in the history of the modern trade. While all other commodities, such as the other precious gems, gold, silver, copper etc., oscillated wildly with the economic conditions; diamonds have continued to move upward in price every year since the great depression or better to say since the beginning of the aggressive marketing campaign employed by DeBeers in order to promote diamonds. It is easy to conclude that the Diamond cartel had conceived their business plan with two parts; first to control the supply of diamonds, than to influence the demand. What De Beers did and are doing even today is a classic textbook example of a monopoly, for this reason they are forbidden to operate on the United States soil, stemming from the provisions in the Sherman Act, which states that any conspiracy in restraint of trade is unlawful. Nonetheless, they were and still are selling 50% of the worlds annual diamond sales in the USA; through their various subsidiaries or American dealers who can purchase diamonds only from the cartel, what we have to realize is that this is going on since the late 1800s until modern time. Thought the South African source of the worlds diamonds supply is still going strong, we, as a nation, sport more than half of the sparkling carbon crystals worn anywhere. (MacDill, 1929, p. 125) Even thought their business practices are very important for the analysis of their ethical business operation, I will focus more on their marketing plan and the efforts done over a period of the last century, where they strived to control and influence the masses, public opinion and ultimately shape cultural beliefs all over the globe. B. Ingenious and constant advertising efforts of the De Beers diamond mining cartel since 1930s has profoundly affected and shaped our popular culture within the United States and beyond. During the great depression, diamond industry experienced its first and last so far; diamond crisis, during which the price of diamonds was declining worldwide. This turn of the events has motivated DeBeers a diamond cartel to begin their aggressive advertising campaign, which influenced public opinion and changed cultural beliefs worldwide. They needed to change public attitudes towards diamonds and influence them to believe that diamonds have value beyond the economic worth. In September of 1938, after Harry Oppenheimer then CEO of De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd, has traveled to New York City and meet with Gerald M. Lauck, the president of N. W. Ayer advertising company, the advertising plan was devised. Two goals of this campaign are; first to persuade men to buy bigger diamonds, second to persu ade women that diamonds are necessity to romantic love and courtship. II. Diamonds as symbols of everlasting love. A. First and the most effective marketing strategy employed by DeBeers has been the marketing of diamonds as a symbol of love and commitment. DeBeers realized that in order for diamonds to become a symbol of love and courtship they had to change their meaning completely. They set out to do this trough three main ways; a. trough movies and royalty, b. news stories linking diamonds and love, c. advertising campaign. What was necessary was the creation of a mass mentality in which women would perceived diamonds, not as precious stones that could be bought and sold according to economic conditions or fashion, but as an inseparable part of courtship and married life. (Epstein, 1982, p. 6) Overall impact of this campaign on the popular culture has been that diamonds are central when thinking about the rituals of romantic courtship. Today, diamond engagement rings are commonplace and are seen as the essential part of our courtship. Since 1939 an entirely new generation of young people has grown to marriageable age. To this new generation, a diamond ring is considered a necessity for engagement to virtually everyone. N.W. Ayers memo. (Epstein, 1982) After the world war two, the diamond industry realized that they are in a desperate need of a slogan, which will represent their symbols of love. In 1948, N.W. Ayer Son coined a now ultra famous slogan A Diamond is Forever. Today this slogan is seen and understood by general masses as an allusion to the eternity of love. What is peculiar about this slogan is that in reality it has actually arisen from the fear that people will place second hand jewelry back on the market, which would ultimately undercut prices of the diamonds. The prestigious US magazine, Advertising Age, in its January 1999 edition, proclaimed A Diamond is Forever the most recognized and effective slogan of the twentieth century. B. Second strategy of DeBeers cartel aimed to extend the symbolic meaning of the diamond rings from the engagement to the anniversaries, which will symbolize reassurance of lasting love. Therefore in their second marketing strategy they began focusing on a 10 year anniversaries. Once this strategy proved to be successful De Beers extended anniversaries even further and began advertising campaign for their third marketing strategy/idea, which was focusing on the 25th anniversary. Furthermore in their fourth marketing strategy DeBeers decided to expand their target market to the men as the recipients of diamonds, which as well proved to be successful. The most recent major DeBeers marketing campaign or strategy #5; is the expansion of the existing target market to the women as buyers of diamonds for themselves, doing this mainly by associating diamonds with the independence. Even though there is some positive empirical data it is still too early since the inception of this strategy, for the same to be evaluated. Another successful promotion that falls within the frames of strategy # 1, 2 and 3, is the eternity ring campaign, which was presented as a symbol of continuing affection and the admiration of the loved ones. Like wedding rings, eternity rings are a symbol of everlasting love. Although eternity rings are frequently given to celebrate an anniversary or other special event such as the birth of a child, there is no precise occasion for which to give this exceptional gift. Given as a tangible symbol of the promise to love forever, an eternity ring is a beautiful way to show the love of your life how much she means to you. What does Thomas Shelby think is amusing about the Eternity Ring is that at the height of the cold war, the Russian diamonds from Siberia, which are in the eternity ring were successfully marketed and sold in USA . Latest in the major campaign of diamond rings is the Trilogy Ring, which is representing the past, present and the future of a love relationship. Three stones. Three stories. But only one you. The Trilogy ring frames three diamonds one to represent your past, another to represent your present and the last to represent your future. The perfect embodiment of your life story? III. Diamonds as symbols of esteem, prestige and sophistication. A. De beers and N.W. Ayer Son are responsible for the creation of the idea that diamonds are rare and valuable, and that they are also an essential signs of love, esteem and prestige. Analogous to the campaign, which was transforming the diamonds into the symbols of love, a subliminal undercurrent of prestige was ever present, underlining and accenting the meaning of diamonds. For this subliminal undercurrent the idea was to correlate diamonds with the sophisticated undertone of art and classiness. Hence N.W. Ayer also arranged for movie stars to appear at social events adorned with diamonds. The agency used its influence to modify film scripts and movie titles to feature diamonds more prominently. Motion pictures seldom include scenes showing the selection of or purchase of an engagement ring to a girl. It would be our plan to contact scenario writers and directors and arrange for such scenes in suitable productions N.W. Ayers memo to DeBeers. (Epstein, 1982) In addition to Hollywood, DeBeers used the royalty worldwide to act as the promotional agents for the diamond industry, once again accenting prestige, esteem and sophistication. The result of these marketing campaigns is that global annual sales of diamonds rose up from 23 million US dollars in 1939 to 50 billion in 2001. IV. Conclusion Empirical and analytical data collected over the past decades about the DeBeers Ltd. or diamond industry in general, shows a very unfavorable and completely opposite reality than it is portrayed in our general society. Edward Epstein discovered that the real business of the diamond industry is the restriction what comes out of the ground, what got cut, how much went on the market and at the same time creating the idea that there is a great demand. Besides these unethical and illegal business malpractices DeBeers is associated with the Apartheid regime because they made use of many institutions that created Apartheid in South Africa. Another known fact is that DeBeers created mining workforce from the black people living on the land, by creating taxes for their land. Furthermore working conditions for these miners in South Africa were poor, with not much food, living in conditions where hostels had 20 people per room and all this while mining 60 hours a week. Moreover in India over 10 0.000 children under the age of 13, comprise a significant part of the Indian labor pool that cuts small diamonds, which ultimately makes possible for the production of cheap jewelry in the western world. The most atrocious trait diamond cartel has is its direct responsibility for influencing loss of the human life trough diamond wars. DeBeers were connected to many conflict diamonds, dubbed Blood Diamonds because of the loss of human life and blood spilled in support of the diamond production and control of mines in some African countries. So how it is that these accepted symbols of love, which come from human exploitation, suffering and even death, flourish in our society and are seen as symbols described above? To answer this we have to turn to the analysis of the advertising in general, and in which ways it affects and influences a human psyche. First of all we have to understand that the advertising is a discourse trough and about objects. In our case the diamond story or DeBeers is a discourse of a story about love, intimacy and family, and this story is told through and about diamonds. To understand this hyper-commercialized world we have to make sure that we ask the right questions about the power of advertising. The wrong question is; does an advertising campaign increase sales of that particular product or a brand. But the right question would be in cultural perspective; how does advertising influence the way we think about ourselves, about the world, about what is good and bad, as well as right or wrong. We have to think about how advertising influences our values and our identities. And finally we have to understand that advertising talks to us about subjects that are important, but it does it trough the medium of things. This extremely successful diamond advertising campaign has changed very little since its inception in 1938 for the reason that it has been fantastically successful in the endeavor of influencing the demand and sale of diamonds. Three general points to draw from the diamond advertising examples are; 1. The present has been constructed by actions in history, 2. Advertising power is based on making sure other competing messages about products are not allowed to be heard, 3. Our ideas about things that matter to us like family, friends, intimacy, sexuality, security etc. are shaped by the broader cultural environment of which advertising is a key part. It is said that the cartels greatest accomplishment is that it has created and upheld the illusion that the diamonds are scarce and valuable, even though approximately 130 million carats (26,000 kg (57,000 lb)) of diamonds are mined annually. Although all these deceptive messages and beliefs are played upon us as society, we have to remember that the diamond deception is not a one-person play, because deceiver and deceived play a part in this deception collaboration.

The Octopus Man :: essays papers

The Octopus Man They change color, texture, and body shape... have three hearts... are jet powered... have members in every ocean of the world... have inspired legends and stories since recorded history... are the most intelligent of all invertibrates, yet are related to clams and oysters... have eyes and senses that rival our own... and can make their own smoke screen decoys out of ink. They are Cephalopods - octopi, cuttlefish, squids, etc. - and they are far more fascinating than one might think. Cephalopoda means, â€Å"head foot†, and they certaintly are of an ancient group... they first appeared several million years before the first primitive fish began to swim the oceans, in the late Cambrian era. They were once one of the dominant life forms in the sea, yet today there are only 650 or so living species left. (This may seem like quite a bit, but compare it to the 30,000 living species of bony fish on this planet and it loses its’ prominence.) Yet in terms of productivity, some scientists feel that cephalopods are still giving fish a run for their money.With so much information on cephalopods available, it becomes neccesarry to narrow down the catagories. Thus, I have determined to zoom in on the order Octopoda as the main focus of this paper, a group on animals which contains, in my opinion, some of the more interesting and intelligent creatues on this planet. Members of the order octopoda have eight arms. Over the corse of evolution, the trend has been a reduction of shell size. Octopi, having no shells at all, have carried this trend the furthest. The suborder ncerrata contains the familiar, unfinned octopuses that humans know the most about. Octopi have evolved mechanisms to protect themselves from predators. Some of the amazing abilities of octopi include their ability to change theircolor, texture, and apparent size; to expel ink; and to modify their environment to suit themselves. Octopi are able to jet water through their siphon by contracting their mantel to provide quick, explosive thrust. They have the intelligence and ability to get into and out of fishermen's crab and fish traps and to get under an undergravel filter plate in an aquarium. They can adapt to new situations and appear to be curious about their surroundings. Octopi can use their bodies as a nets to trap fish.

Mending Wall Essay -- essays research papers

In â€Å"Mending Wall†, Robert Frost made us aware that something doesn’t love the wall in the beginning of the poem, the wall that symbolizes boundary and obstacle between people. Although this restrictive wall gives protection and a feeling of safety for the people who are inside it, it also creates a huge barrier to the people who are on the outside. The only difference between a physical wall and an imaginary barrier is that a physical wall will eventually fall apart as time goes by, but the emotional one on the other hand will only get bigger. Does Frost agree with his neighbor on the perspective of relationship between people, or do they each hold a different idea?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the poem, Frost and his neighbor had a relatively short conversation. We can see that there is a sense of separation between them. Frost rarely talks to his neighbor, and the only time they ever have a chance to communicate is when they are repairing the fences. This lack of communication and understanding gradually builds up an invisible barrier between them. This invisible barrier that stands between keeps them separate. Even when they are working together fixing the wall, they are staying one on a side of the wall. It seems that Frost enjoys working with his neighbor separately when he says â€Å"Oh, just another kind of outdoor game, one on a side†. However Frost also gives us a feeling that there is other meaning to it. A game very often symbolizes a competition, or a fight. We c...

Management Proposed by Fayol Essay

Critically examine the functions (elements or processes) of management proposed by Fayol. Explain why these functions are relevant (or otherwise) to today’s managers. The twentieth century has bought upon us a number of management theories which have helped to shape the overall view of management in the present environment of business. Many of those theories have stood the test of time and are still often referred to in the management world of today. One of the most famous theories referred to in management is that of Henri Fayol. Henri, a French engineer became somewhat of a hero for resurrecting a troubled mining company in which he worked, and turning it into one of France’s most successful businesses (Daft 2003). Born in 1841 and dying in 1925, Fayol spent most of his working life as a manager, where he drew upon personal experiences to facilitate in the creation of his theory of administration. In his most significant work, General and Industrial Management, Fayol discussed and identified five basic functions of management, which he believed every manager needed to perform. These were: planning, organising, commanding, coordinating, and controlling. These functions, although have been condescended down to four; planning, organising, leading and controlling, still underline much of the general approach to today’s management (Draft 2003). Although, the usefulness of Henri Fayol’s classical functions have come under question about their relevance in current managerial activities by a number of professionals, Fayol’s functions still continue to shape and have underlining influence on the basis in which managers perform in the business world of today. Planning If you have no particular destination in mind, it does not matter what road you take. However if you have somewhere in particular you want to go, then you have to plan the best way you can to get there (Robbins et al.2008). This phrase demonstrates the shear importance that planning has in managerial roles to an organisation. As organisations exist to achieve purpose, someone must clearly define that purpose and what is needed in order to reach achievement. That someone is management. Planning is the process in which managers use to identify and select appropriate goals and courses of action (Waddell et al. 2009). Without the definition of goals, the establishment of strategies to be used in order to achieve, and the development of plans that will be used to integrate activities, then an organisation simply will not continue to exist. Managers, therefore today must be aware of the many circumstances that surround the organisation. For instance their environment, whether it is the general environment, the task or even internal, managers must be aware of the effects these areas could have on the organisation not only in the present but also for the future. With suitable planning and strategies put in place, managers can help the organisation avoid such extremes as bankruptcy, with strong planning efforts regarding direction and demographic trends, growth and acquisitions. Therefore the first function of planning, proposed by Fayol to any organisation is not only relevant to the world in which business operates today, but also the potential to add huge value to the current and future aspects of that organisation. Organising Managers today are responsible for arranging and structuring work to accomplish the organisation’s goals (Robbins et al. 2008). Typically following planning, organising is the process managers use to establish a structure of working relationships that allow organisational members to interact and cooperate to achieve organisational goals (Waddell et al. 2009). Today’s managers determine the tasks that need to be done, who is to do them, how the tasks are to be grouped, who reports to whom and what level decisions are to be made (Robbins et al. 2008). The relevance of organising to mangers today is to create structure, which is organised with all the necessary resources. With structure, managers give employees appointed tasks, lines of authority and decision responsibility. This in turn provides employees with a sense of ownership and control over their jobs and thus strengthens initiative from them (Yoo, lemak, Choi 2006), helping to create an organisation that achieves goals. Coordinating Fayol’s management concept of coordinating sees managers encouraging direct personnel activity. Coordinating is the laying out of timing and sequencing of activities and harmonizing them all (Fells 2000). Mangers that are able to maintain the balance between the activities of the organisation, are able to succeed in creating an organisation that can come together to face problems of common interest that can surround different areas of the organisation, for instance, the many departments. The value of this concept is high, as managers from different areas within the organisation can band together and communicate as well as forecast possible problems, while offering short or long term solutions. Commanding As the word commanding suggests, managers must take authority and put the desired plan into action (Fells 200). The value of commanding in managerial roles today is important and has relevance as managers verify whether everything occurs in conformity with the plan adopted, the instructions issue and principles established (Lamond 2004) that have been previously set. Controlling After the goals have been set and plans are formulated, the structural arrangements determined, people are motivated, there has to be some evaluation of whether things are going to plan (Robbins et al. 2008) Controlling, is the function of managers evaluating how well an organisation is achieving its goals and taking action to maintain or improve performance (Waddell et al. 2009). This function is an important concept in organisational management as it demonstrates the successfulness of the organisation in terms of the achievement of goals that have been put in place by the managers. The value of controlling is extremely important, as managers are able to monitor what needs to be improved by comparing the information to performance standards and taking corrective action where necessary. Managers must ensure that the organisation is moving towards its goal and performance does not deviate from standards. Without control from managers organisational goals are not monitored and therefor e many not be accomplished affecting the overall performance of the organisation as a whole, making control very relevant to the managerial positions in business today. In conclusion, Henri Fayol’s principles of management provide and continue to provide a general management perspective for practicing managers today and an instructional tool for academics teaching in the field of management (Yoo, lemak Choi 2006). Fayol has provided a general framework for practising managers (Yoo, Lemak, Choi 2006), by which the functions of planning, organising, coordinating, commanding and controlling have a bearing connection with the practicing of managers in any managerial position across a vast number of organisations, no matter the size or level. Therefore making Fayol’s principles an essential for building strong teams and stronger organisations in today’s Business environment. References: Waddell, D, Devine, J, Jones, G & George, J, 2009, Contemporary Management, McGraw – Hill Australia Pty Ltd, North Ryde, NSW. Robbins, S, Bergman, R, Stagg, I & Coulter, M, 2008, Management 5 (Fifth Edition), Person Education Australia, Frenchs Forest, NSW. Daft, R.L, 2003, Management (Sixth Edition), Thomson Learning – South-Western United States of America, Mason, Ohio. Yoo, JW, Lemak, DJ & Choi, Y, 2006, ‘Principles of management and competitive strategies: using Fayol to implement Porter’, Journal of Management History, Vol. 12 No 4, pp.352-368, 23 July 2010, Emerald Research Database. Lamond, D, 2004, ‘A matter of style: reconciling Henri and Henry’, Journal of Management Decision, Vol. 42 No 2, pp330-356, 23 July 2010, Emerald Research Database. Fells, MJ, 2000, ‘Fayol stands the test of time’, Journal of Management History, Vol. 6 No 8, pp 345-360.