Divide by Two †Short Story Essay

They have set down a line of adobe blocks, three blocks wide and two blocksdeep, across the lawn between their cottage and ours, Belle said.â€Å"Yes, I know,† I said. I walked into the window and stood there, looking over attheir cottage. The piano music from the cottage came strong and clear. â€Å"I was here thismorning when he brought those blocks home.† I peeled my shirt; it was soggy withsweat. â€Å"He carried the blocks in the baggage compartment of their car. It took him allthree trips. He had three boys with him to help.† I shook my shirt in the cooling air andwalked in my room. â€Å"And I know where he got those blocks, too. There is aconstruction going on right now at engineering school. They have a pile of adobe blocksthere as high as the Cheops. You can’t miss it. You see it from the busline everytime.† In my room, the strains of piano music didn’t reach sustainedly.Belle had followed me into my room. â€Å"They have marked off boundaries,† shesaid. â€Å"They have defined limits.†I folded my shirt about the back of the armchair. â€Å"So they have,† I said. â€Å"So theyhave.† My undershirt was wet, too. I yanked it off.â€Å"It is all as if they have put up a fence,† Belle said.â€Å"Fences make good neighbors,† I said. I whipped the apple-green towel off the T- bar and rubbed myself briskly.â€Å"It might as well be the great wall of China,† Belle said.â€Å"Well, no, not really,† I said. â€Å"It is not as bad as that.† I returned the towel to thecrossbar. I looked around for a dry undershirt but did not find any. I went to the bedroom where my clothes-closet was. Belle followed me. There was no light in thecloset. The bulb hadn’t been changed since it went bad shortly after we moved into thecottage. I fumbled in the dark feeling with my fingers. In the darkness in the closet thestrains of the piano came steadily, strong and clear.â€Å"She is no Turk but she keeps playing the Turkish March,† Belle said.I knew where my undershirts would be and it didn’t take me long to find themwith my hands. I pulled one out and was putting it on while I walked back to the sala.â€Å"It is unkind, inconsiderate, not neighborly, not nice,† Belle said. I stopped beneath the light in the narrow passage from the bedroom to the sala between the book-closets and the bathroom, one arm through one armhole, half out of thesando shirt the neck of which I held open with my hands. I looked at Belle. â€Å"Comeagain, Belle?† I asked.Belle said again the denunciatory words.I got my head through the armhole, got into the shirt. I walked on to the sala. Ididn’t know how tired I was until I fell back on the lounging chair.Belle picked up the foot stool, brought it near my chair and sat down. â€Å"The leastthing they could have done was to tell us first about it.†I felt very tired and shut my eyes and didn’t say anything.â€Å"Don’t you think they owed it to us?† Belle asked. â€Å"Out of regards for our feelings shouldn’t they have asked us how we feel about the fence?† The piano music threaded through the words like leitmotif. â€Å"How is that again,Belle?† I asked.â€Å"They have no regard for us,† Belle said. â€Å"They don’t care what we think. Theydon’t mind what we feel. As far as they are concerned, we are not human.†The piano came jubilantly threading through the words.â€Å"Is that right, Belle?† I asked.â€Å"Don’t you think they should at least have gone to us and said: Look here, you!We are putting up this boundary, see? You keep to your side of these markers and wewill keep to ours, understand?† Belle asked.â€Å"Do you really think that?† I asked.â€Å"Yes, I do,† Belle said. â€Å"Distinctly, don’t you?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I don’t know.† I said. â€Å"I haven’t thought about it.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Well, then,† Belle said, â€Å"think about it. You can start thinking about it now.†I wondered why now the words kept ringing clear to me. Then I felt and sensedthat the piano had been stilled. Suddenly the night was silent, suddenly the air was still.I rose from the lounging chair. I walked to the globe-traveler near the wall outlet, plugged the cord in and snapped the lid open. Belle followed me. I was playing therange disk for music when Belled leaned forward and snapped the lid shut. â€Å"What’s the matter, Belle? I asked.â€Å"There’s nothing the matter.† Belle said.â€Å"Well, then get off,† I said. â€Å"Get off them and get off me.†Belle was silent for a moment. Then: â€Å"It is she,† she said.â€Å"What about her?† I asked.â€Å"I don’t think she likes me,† Belle said.â€Å"She doesn’t like anyone,† I said. â€Å"What makes you think so?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I have given her things.† Belle said. â€Å"They don’t seem to make an impression onher. I gave her cheese on her last birthday. She didn’t even thank me.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Why do you have to go around giving people things for?† I asked. â€Å"Maybe shedoesn’t like cheese. Maybe the cheese wasn’t such a good idea.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"She doesn’t like me.† Belle said. â€Å"And she doesn’t like anyone to like me†¦when he gave me flowers from her garden, I don’t think she liked that.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Who would?† I asked. â€Å"Maybe the flowers weren’t such a good idea either.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"He was only being friendly as I was,† Belle said.â€Å"Oh, yes,† I said.â€Å"He was only being neighborly as I believe in being,† Belle said.â€Å"Sure, sure,† I said.â€Å"But she doesn’t like to be and I don’t think she believes in being,† Belle said.â€Å"And I don’t think she wants him to be either.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Oh, well, Belle,† I said. â€Å"I don’t really know them. It is you they really know.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Oh, you do, too,† Belle said. â€Å"You ride with them too sometimes.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I did that only once,† I said. â€Å"I rode with them on the front seat. She tapped himon the thigh when she got off at Pavilion 2. That was the last time.â⠂¬ Ã¢â‚¬Å"Did that bother you?† Belle asked. â€Å"Not that in itself,† I said. â€Å"Only the demonstrativeness: as if to show that she ishis and he is hers.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"What about the demonstrativeness of puttering about her garden in very shortshorts?† Belle asked.â€Å"When you visited the area for the first time to see the cottages, was he looking atthe cottages too-and the third time?† I asked.â€Å"He was going to look at the cottages himself,† Belle said. â€Å"He was only beingfriendly.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"And the second time you looked at the cottages, he was looking at the cottagestoo-and the third time?† I asked.â€Å"That was for our going to be neighbors,† Belle said.â€Å"There are forty cottages in this area,† I said. â€Å"Why did we have to pick up thisone right next to theirs?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"It was as much your choice as it was mine,† Belle said.â€Å"So it was,† I said. â€Å"So it can’t be helped.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"No, it can’t,† Belle s aid.â€Å"All right, then. Get off. Get off them and get off me,† I said. â€Å"But you must do something,† Belle said.â€Å"What about?† I asked.â€Å"They didn’t set the adobe markers right,† Belle said. â€Å"They have been laidnearer our cottage than theirs. Their half of the lawn is bigger than ours.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Is that right?† I asked. I walked to the window. It wasn’t too dark to see theadobe markers gleaming in the ghostly light. I saw the flowers, too-the roses, the zinnias,the dahlias, the African daisies-swaying like specters in the night. Walking back to mychair, I looked up at the clock. It was getting on a quarter to nine. The clock began tochime just as I got to the lounging chair. I sat down and put my feet up on the stool.â€Å"Their half of the lawn is bigger than ours,† Belle said.â€Å"Maybe they need all the lawn they can get so she can plant them all to flowers,† Isaid. â€Å"They haven’t divided the lawn fairly,† Belle said.â€Å"You mean the halves are not equal? The halves are not halves? I asked.â€Å"What’s the matter with you?† Belle said.â€Å"What’s the matter with him?† I asked. â€Å"Isn’t he a doctor of mathematics or something? A fine doctor of mathematics he’s turned out to be if he can’t even divide bytwo!†Ã¢â‚¬Å"What’s eating you?† Belle asked.â€Å"Maybe he should have brought a survey team with him and used a transit, a plumbline, and a pole,† I said. â€Å"Maybe he could divide by two then. Maybe he couldeven divide by ten.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Don’t tell me,† Belle said, â€Å"Tell him. Tell them.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"For crying out loud.† I said.â€Å"Go ahead,† Belle said. â€Å"Go over. Tell them off. Tell them where to get off.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Get off, Belle,† I said. â€Å"Get off them.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"If you won’t, I shall,† Belle said.â€Å"Get off me,† I said.â€Å"If you don’t, I shall,† Belle said. â€Å"I shall right now.† She started for the door.â€Å"For crying out loud, Belle,† I said. â€Å"I don’t know them well enough to speak tothem. I shall write them a note.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"All right,† Belle said.The portable typewriter was in the case under my bed. I set it up at the head of the dining table. When I pulled my hands away from lifting the case, they were coveredwith dust. I removed the lid but didn’t take the machine off its base. The inside cornersof the lid were spun with cobwebs. There were webs between the machine and the ridgeof the base. I couldn’t find any white paper anywhere so I decided to use one sheet fromthe legal size pad of rules yellow paper.I didn’t date the note. I made it short and to the point. It was fascinating to watchthe keys falling forward and then back leaving the black marks on the yellow sheet. As Ityped I heard the opening bars of Marriage of Figaro from the high fidelity radio- phonograph next door. (â€Å"Mathematics and Mozart,† I said. â€Å"Mozart and Mathematics.†)I typed on my name but didn’t sign it. When I saw that I had not quite filled half the sheet, I folded it once and tore it in half. I fed the clean half back to the machine andhanded the other half to Belle. â€Å"There you are.† I said. â€Å"Short and sweet: I hope helikes it.†Belle read the note. After she finished, she didn’t say a word. â€Å"Is it all right?† Iasked.â€Å"Yes,† Belle said. â€Å"Then send it off,† I said.â€Å"All right,† Belle said. She called Nata and had the note delivered at once.I didn’t get to hear Mozart to the end of the night. About halfway through theopera (that would be after Face I of the long playing record), the player was snapped off.Then I saw him leave their cottage.I sat up erect in my chair and watched him head bob up and down as he walkedout to Finchshafen road. When he turned up the road and I knew where he was going, Istood up. I walked up to the screen door and watched him walk up the concrete walk tothe porch steps. He stopped at the foot of the stairs. I looked down through thewirescreen at his upturned face.â€Å"Yes?† I asked.â€Å"Can I see you for a minute?† he asked.â€Å"Me?† I asked.â€Å"Yes, you,† he said.â€Å"Won’t you come up?† I asked.â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"I’d much rather talk to you on the street.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"All right,† I said. â€Å"If that’s the way you feel about it.†I joined him at the foot of the porch steps. We walked down the cement walk together. As we went past the shelter of the cottage, a blast of the cold night air struck my face. I felt my left cheek twitching.â€Å"Yes?† I asked. â€Å"What’s on your mind?† We walked down Finchshafen road. He didn’t say anything for a long time. Ilooked at him. I had never spoken to him before. He considered a long time, longenough for me to be able to look back at the house to see if Belle was at the windowwatching.When he spoke, his first words were: â€Å"Have you and Belle been fighting?† Itwas not only words, it was also the way he said them: my left cheek was twitching so badly it was almost spastic. He had spoken so softly and in such a low-pitched voice I barely heard him. It was as if he didn’t wish either his house or my house to hear; as if we were conspirators both and we were plotting a conspiracy together.â€Å"Fighting?† I asked. â€Å"What about? What for? What are you talking about?† Isought his face for the guilt that could only be the mirror of the guilt in my own. We stood in Finchshafen road halway between out cottages; we were waiting tocatch the guilt upon our faces which nonetheless we were mortally afraid to see? I stoodon the upper slope of the road towards our house and he stood on the lower slope in thedirection of his.â€Å"Your note wasn’t very friendly,† he said. â€Å"It wasn’t very neighborly.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Why should it be?† I added. â€Å"It wasn’t meant to be.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Oh, so,† he said. â€Å"It wasn’t meant to be.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"You bet your life it wasn’t,† I said.â€Å"Well, if that’s the way you feel about it,† he said.â€Å"How else did you expect me to feel?† I asked.â€Å"In that case then,† he said. â€Å"You can appeal to authority and I shall not move theadobe blocks an inch.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"For Christ sake,† I said. â€Å"Who is talking about authority? Who is talking aboutadobe blocks?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Don’t raise you r voice,† he said.â€Å"Why shouldn’t I raise my voice?† I asked.â€Å"Don’t shout at me,† he said.â€Å"I shall shout at you if you please,† I said. It was a cool clear lovely night. The sky was clear and cool and full of stars. Thesky and the stars seemed very far away but the air was clear and you could see all theway up to the sky and the stars and it seemed a long, long way. There was a very palemoon and a very cool wind was sweeping the pale moon and the white clouds before itall the way across the sky.Across and up and down Finchshafen road in the cottages, people were comingout of their porches to listen and to watch. I looked back at out house to see if Belle wasthere standing behind the window wirescreen and I looked at their house too.â€Å"A plague on both our houses,† I said.Belle wasn’t on our porch when I looked; I didn’t hear her go down the porchsteps, down the concrete walk, out to and down Finchshafen road.â€Å"I shouldn’t even be talking to you; this is pestilence,† I said.I didn’t feel Belle around until I heard her voice rising shrill and clear and abovethe snarl of our voices. She was standing beside me and before him and shouting in hisface.â€Å"For Christ sake, Belle,† I said. â€Å"Let go. This is man’s work.†She couldn’t hear me.Her voice rose clear and passionate, piercing and shrill in the inviolate night. I pulled at her arm to make her turn to me. I thrust my face savagely before her.â€Å"For Christ sake, Belle,† I said. â€Å"Get off. This is my fight and the adversary ismine.†Belle couldn’t see me for the fury that possessed her purely.I sought her face but couldn’t look there long. Even as I turned away I had afleeting glimpse of my declared adversary’s face: the shock there was not more than theshock of mine.â€Å"For Christ sake, Belle, let go. This is man’s work. I have met the enemy and heis mine. Let go, get off. This is my fight, not yours. The enemy is mine,† I said as I pulled her and dragged her bodily away.

Can Religion Be Studied Academically Essay

The academic study of religion isn’t a means of just learning scriptures or passages from a sacred text like the Bible. It is a more complex process and can be considered multidisciplinary – it can include art, literature, linguistics, history, philosophy, psychology, sociology and much more. Religion can’t be studied without knowing what we are trying to study, and while some would argue it just doesn’t exist, the similarity among the diverse religious belief systems around the world are strong enough to justify a comprehensive field study encompassing the factors listed above, some of which fall into Livingstone’s ‘seven ways of studying religion’. However, to effectively study religion in an academic way, it is important to include critical analysis, which means it is important not to be biased towards your own beliefs. By doing this you can become more culturally aware of other faiths and beliefs, and thus obtain a greater understanding of religions. Literary criticism plays an important role in the academic study of religion. Religion in the theological way is all about the teachings of a particular sacred text. The Bible for Christianity, the Quran for Islam and Sutras for Buddhism, for example, all contain the teachings and laws of the respective religions, which is essentially how people can understand religion in the first place. Livingstone, in his theories on religion, says questions are the key to studying and understanding the meaning of sacred texts. Is it reliable; who was the author; when was it written and where; how has the work been received, interpreted and passed on? These are the questions that need to be answered before a true understanding of religion can be obtained, and who better to answer them than a literary critic, according to Livingstone. The relationship between religion and language also relates to this idea of literary criticism. Language in religion doesn’t often function like it does in everyday life – it is not found at the surface level of words or signs, according to Livingstone. Understanding language and how it is used in religion provides insight, but it also stretches to include the nature and function of language itself. Because of religion’s role in human cultures, it is impossible to comprehend the flow of history without some basic grounding in a variety of religious beliefs. Livingstone says it would appear obvious that the historical study of religion has to do with establishing what role religious experience and ideas play in the lives of individuals and communities. You only have to look at the Bible and see the Old Testament is dated in years ‘before Christ’. Livingstone gives an example of the Protestant Reformation. The causes of the Protestant Reformation have been a topic of contention among historians, and the debate illustrates both the importance of history in gaining a fuller understanding of that event in western history, and the difficulties in proposing a single casual explanation in history. But the notion of history and religion can be put a little more simply – religious traditions provide structure to the world and provides people with a sense of where they fit in, which in turn affects choices today, for example decisions about politics. The philosophical scrutiny of religion is one of the oldest and most instructive ways of examining religious experience and belief, according to Livingstone. In this century philosophy’s relation to religion is to analyse the uses of religious language and to test its logical status and meaning. It asks whether a religious expression is simply performing an action or evoking the emotions. Livingstone says philosophers believe much of the problems with religion stem from these confusing uses of language. Over the centuries and spanning different continents, the notion of philosophy has remained significant in several religious traditions, which emphasises the importance of it in an educational way – In India, philosophy has remained associated with historical developments in Hinduism and the same goes for Buddhism in Asia. The way in which religion interacts within a social dimension is also a significant element to studying religion. Sociologist, Max Weber, demonstrated that certain forms of social life and behaviour could deeply reflect the religious belief and practice of society. For example: Weber analysed how the new Protestant ethic, which came with the Reformation of the 16th century, proved to be decisive in shaping the spirit of modern capitalist society. All religions have a concept of what it means to be a member of a religious society, how it should function, how it should be organised, and how the society relates to the outside world. Therefore it is important to have an understanding of the sociology behind religion, especially in the instance that culture and religion become hard to distinguish between. It is understood that religions offer critiques of contemporary society based on concepts of an ideal society and must understand the connection between sacred and secular power and the political and religious institutions representing each. This is where a study of sociology and anthropology become important for religion. The relationship between religious and violent conflict is well known. It can be argued that religions are inclined to be absolutist, meaning they don’t allow for the validity of other religions. This discourages the discussions and negotiations and compromises needed to resolve differences of opinion peacefully, which can then have an effect on society itself. Without compromises, it can sometimes erupt into violence – so in terms of the importance of studying religion, it is ideal to know the interconnection between sociology and religion to understand why and how conflicts, for example, can sometimes occur. And then there’s the psychology behind the importance of studying religion. One of the early workers in this particular field was William James. He explored the psychological dimensions of phenomena as conversion, mysticism and saintliness. Livingstone says the connection between psychology and religion is perhaps the most closely associated with great figures in psychoanalysis. He also uses an example of Gordon Allport’s work, who studied the relationship between religion and prejudice. He says studies such as Allport’s show the value of psychological studies in revealing the potential effect of forms of religion on social relations and behaviours. Allport particularly discovered that there were different correlations between prejudice and types of being religious, what he referred to as extrinsic and intrinsic religions. This particular study into psychology and religion is significant because it can warn us against making too-simple correlation between prejudice and religion, according to Livingstone. In addition to Livingstone’s ideas behind studying religion, there are other factors that intertwine, like art, for example. No one can view art without noticing the influence of religion. Every religion provides ideas, tales, cultural symbols, and concepts vital to creating art. It can be argued that without the cultural resources available today that have been created by religions, some art would be impossible to create or even understand. It isn’t particularly essential for making art, but religion’s role culturally makes the connection stronger. In conclusion, it is difficult to seriously or substantively critique religion if it’s not understood. It is for this reason that an understanding language critique, sociology, history, psychology and philosophy, for example, is so important. Livingstone says the academic study of religion can help people to see religion as a whole. These scholarly views and disciplines can help people to see aspects of their own religions that they may be blind to, which in turn can help prosper more appreciation for various religious traditions.

The Best Gift Ever

I examined the fine metallic textures of it once again as it captivated me. It kept me pondering endlessly, and its uniqueness seemed to grow every time I glanced at it. It shone like an angel’s light as I fiddled with it about the sunlight that had already appeared before. What could be more valuable about it? I wondered again. Just moments before, I had found this on my desk. It was a gift from my mother. But as attractive as it was, it seemed that the thought behind it was the source of its beauty. The day was passing by almost too quickly as I was enjoying the warm summer outdoors. But it was not just another day today, it was my birthday. Even though I sometimes do not think much about this day, a simple gift makes this day simply different from any other. I have always preferred something simple, whether giving or receiving a gift, simple always does it. I knew that I will be receiving something from my mother. Even if it wasn’t a new car topped with the world’s most expensive rims or James Bond’s Seiko watch, I would be fine with it. I don’t ask for much, I can appreciate whatever I get. When I came home in the afternoon, lying on my desk was a white box no more than three inches in length and width decorated with a very light emboss of abstract design. I opened it carefully and discovered a beautiful metal keychain positioned almost perfectly among the padding that prevented it from damage. The four corners that were slightly etched across in a curvy manner revealed to be the most reflective part that ran throughout the other side. My fingers traced across the finest engraving of Edwardian-script that spelt my name. I took the keychain into my own hands and studied it while it reflected the alluring sunlight that found its way through the windows. Thinking about this gift that my mother had given me invited a warm and heartfelt feeling that seemed to radiate throughout my entire body. The simple but extravagant design of this gift had more to offer than just itself, and the fact that the gift was meant for me stood out like a spotlight in a crowd, belonging to the rightful person. Me. It was as if my mother put her entire heart in the gift to ensure that the world knew it was mine. It could not mean any more than that. A gift just for me. I thanked her afterwards. It is the thought of the gift that counts. I never knew how a simple key chain could mean so much. It was not the beautiful glint, the soft but solid edges or the charming way it called my name that made it seem appealing alone, but rather that with the given meaning, it seemed to complement each other like the bright stars against the dark sky. The physical features of the gift could not solely match the thought of the gift itself, but could only praise it. The shiny metal keychain had satisfied my definition of a simple but meaningful gift.

Assignment 6 Strategic Planning Process - Steps 4, 5, 6, and 7 Essay

Assignment 6 Strategic Planning Process - Steps 4, 5, 6, and 7 - Essay Example t dynamics and how the firm can basically tailor its strategies to take benefit out of the opportunities arising while at the same time successfully meeting the challenges. In order to effectively implement the SWOC it is critical that the firm must give due weight age to the external as well as internal environment. It is therefore critical that the assessment of both these environments shall be perfected in order to ensure that all the relevant factors are comprehensively identified and understood before making policy initiatives. The development of snow card techniques in order to clearly identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities as well as the challenges shall be more simpler in the sense that it must allow the firm to distinguish between the various complexities in order to achieve clear picture of what is required and what needs to be done in order to successfully achieve the desired outcomes from the overall strategic management process. The implementation stage of this step also must address the important question of how the firm will be able to utilize its strengths to overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities. Once the SWOC is completed, the next issue involved is the identification of the strategic issues that an organization may face owing to the factors identified in the SWOC Analysis. What is critical to note that the organizations must be able to comprehensively identify the above factors and must be able to map the impact of these variables on the on the intended objectives of the firm. (Bryson, 2004) In order to complete this step, the organization is therefore first required to clearly categorize the outcomes into operational as well as strategic depending on the nature of the issue. Once issues and their actual classification is achieved, next step involve the assignment of all such issues to the concerned for solving purpose. This step is probably the more detailed one as it involves a constant and comprehensive

History - Waiting for Macedonia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History - Waiting for Macedonia - Essay Example Macedonian men and women don’t necessarily feel a kinship tie to their land, unlike Bosnians. Changes experienced by the young female engineers in Skopje include the fact that they feel more liberated to do as they please, and less inhibited. Young modern socialist women in Macedonia are classified on the upper level of the social strata in comparison to Albanian women of the village, who are sometimes pillaged by war, adversity, and infirmity. Unlike women in the European Union, those from Macedonia and Albania are generally regarded as lower-class – but that might be because the countries that they are from in Southeastern Europe are less highly-regarded due to their lower socioeconomic status. Another personal identity that is portrayed in the book is religion. Religion is more relegated to a status that is separated from the state in Macedonia, and people learn to get along with each other even though they are from different religious backgrounds. Religion, in the m ovie, is portrayed as a necessary part of life. In Bosnia, everyone is split up into factions. It might have had a lot to do with the fact that in the early ‘90s everyone in the region had to at least hear about, if not deal with, the Bosnian War. The Bosnian War divided people into three distinct groups: the Bosnian Muslims; the Orthodox Christian Serbians (also known as Serbs); and the Catholic Croatians (also known as Croats). The Croatians were pitted against the Bosnians by the Serbs. But basically, the Serbians were persecuting the Bosnians based on the fact that they were Muslims. President Bill Clinton finally decided to intervene in the Bosnian conflict in order to prevent an even larger genocide from taking place. To be Muslim in Bosnia meant to be the oppressed. To be a Croatian Catholic meant to be caught in the middle between a centuries-old fight between the Orthodox Christian Serbs and the Bosnian Muslims. National Identities Both the book and the film analyze d ifferent elements of national identity as well. Classifications of national identity in Yugoslavia during the existence of the country were never completely solidified because everyone came from different ethnic backgrounds. This only made allegiance to a nationality more difficult to believe in. The uncertainties of life after Yugoslavia, however, were somehow easier to deal with than the fact that much national pride was never lost on many Yugoslavians who were able to assimilate by ethnic groups. Religion can sometimes pose as nationality in the sense that, if someone is a Muslim, they might automatically assume that they are Bosnian. Thus, in a sense, in that region of the world one’s religious identity gets fused with a nationality even though that may not reflect the reality of an individual. In a similar manner – to put it in another way – many people also assume that someone whose religion is Judaism is necessarily an Israeli, but that’s not absol utely true. Nor is it true that someone who is an Israeli is necessarily Jewish –actually, it is the converse. Nothing can be assumed or presumed. While someone may be ethnically Jewish, they may not be a Jewish national (from Israel), and nothing guarantees that someone’s religion is Judaism unless proven otherwise. Therefore, nationality, ethnicity, race, and religion, for some Jewish people, are all one and the same. But certain people do differentiate between

Determining HRIS Needs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Determining HRIS Needs - Essay Example Human resource information systems are aimed at enhancing efficient use of information to ensure informed decision-making process. When plans for updating the human resource information are being made, it is prudent to assess a number of parameters that influences the system and its operations in an organization (Torres-Coronas and Arias-Oliva, 2009). Thus, to begin with organizations should the management practices in the organization and the current technology that is implemented in relation to the changes in the business environment. In this regard, the organization should acquire knowledge of new technology that they seek to replace the current one and analyse both its advantages and drawbacks, and them assess its suitability in the organization. The government regulation concerning deployment of new technology as far as human resource information system is concerned should be analysed so as to ensure the new technology or improvements, that are to be rolled out, are in accordance with the law and they meet the minimum requirements as stipulated. The needs of the organization should also be taken into consideration since the new technology or improvements that are to be done are for the sole purpose of ensuring the objectives of the organization are achieved with ease (Torres-Coronas and Arias-Oliva, 2009). That notwithstanding, before rolling out the changes the human resource department should assess their long-term plans incline them with market dynamism and thus ensure viable long term strategy. Also information from market leaders that have successfully implemented the changes or new technology concerning the human resource information system together with records from government agencies should be analysed and aid in making informed decisions as far as the upgrade is concerned. Focus groups are prone to bias since the groups tend to be dominated by few individuals whose ideas will override the general opinion of others thus make the

Prospective on corporate strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Prospective on corporate strategy - Essay Example He argues that if these principles are not followed in entirety then a firm would be unable to maintain or enhance its strategic position. The first principle is to develop the ‘right goals’, which means the targets and objectives that are realistic and achievable in real world. For instance, the goals should be defined in a way they could create economic value for customers. This is happened when certain want-satisfying products are developed and marketed that in turn lead to consumer satisfaction / loyalty and relationship building in the long run (Porter, 1996). Profits are viewed by Porter (2001) as a secondary element of strategy because if a firm’s primary aim is profit then it would probably devise wrong policies. The second principle is ‘value proposition’ that refers to promises made by a supplier to its buyers. Indeed, the stronger the value proposition the greater the probability of enhanced strategic positioning. The third principle is â⠂¬Ëœdistinctive value chain’, which means that firms should differentiate their business functions compared to their rivals to support its distinctive value proposition (Hamel & Prahalad, 1990). The fourth principle is to ‘trade off’ certain characteristics during strategy formulation to ensure differentiation. ... Indeed, an organization with weak positioning could not survive, expand and sustain in a challenging, complex and unpredictable 21st century business environment. Task 2 It is worth mentioning that this is a globalized world (an outcome of technological advancements) where competition is intense among business firms due to relatively fewer barriers in entering in corporate arena. Nevertheless, the organizations also enjoy multiple benefits due to these technological innovations because they automate their business process and ensure their virtual presence to enhance their strategic position (inclusive of productivity and efficiency, cost reduction, market reach / share and sales volume). Apparently, it seems as if internet is a very useful tool for any firm (traditional operations) or e-business to attract a large pool of potential customers through web (dot com) presence. However, the first major criticism is that a significantly large number of dot com ventures fail and internet is not extremely beneficial for sales purposes because today it has been used by all entities (Stead et al, 2007). Indeed, every credible small and large business has created a website to facilitate and entice potential consumers towards their products (for example General Motors will not have a genuine advantage on Toyota and Chrysler because every global corporation enjoys online presence). For instance, another criticism is that the online customers are disadvantaged because they could not physically test and validate the products they order online (on web); therefore, they tend to make purchases online mostly from companies that have earned credibility and authenticity in open market and

Characterize the worlds current energy use situation and discuss Essay

Characterize the worlds current energy use situation and discuss various versions of an energy future as posed by the readings - Essay Example For example, Ayres (2001) focuses on making our present use of energy more efficient since there is technology available that can make more efficient use of our present oil and other energy resources. Instead of looking for new sources of energy or investing in our present sources, in the future envisioned by him, our energy use would become so efficient that economic growth would not be stalled until we have developed sustainable alternative fuels. The issue of development is directly connected with the search for alternative energy since the developing countries of the world depend on the availability of energy that can help them drive their economies. In any given city or country, whenever automobiles are driven, industries operated or to energy is generated to provide electric power to homes and offices, a significant amount of fossil fuels are used (Green, 2005). Of course a certain level of demand for such fuels had been met in the past since there was an abundance of resources but in the future, that demand may not be met if we continue to use fossil fuels in the same inefficient way that we have used them in the past. Ayres (2001) takes a view which focuses on governmental policies with regard to our current use of energy and how governments can mandate laws and regulations which make efficient energy a reality. This would allow significant cuts in the consumption of energy which would not only push back the peak but it would also allow the prices of oil to come down with a reduction in demand. The estimates made by him suggest that the demand for oil could be reduced by as much as half if the appropriate policies are implemented. The idea of pushing back the peak of oil production is discussed at length by Campbell and Laherrere (1998) who come to the conclusion that cheap and plentiful oil is no longer a given. They also report that the discovery of new oil production fields is

PRATICAL WORKSHEETS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PRATICAL WORKSHEETS - Essay Example The DNA samples collected from suspects have the similar size of bands of about 1000 to 1100bp. However, band size of about 800 to 900bp and 1300-1400bp were also seen in the samples 1 and 2. On the other hand, the DNA fingerprinting shows that suspect 3 DNA has base pair band size of about 600-700bp that is similar to the band size of the DNA attained from the crime sight. Thus, is it quite clear that the DNA samples from the crime sight and suspect 3 DNA samples are same and suspect 3 has interaction with the crime sight. 3. Tris-borate-EDTA and Tris acetate-EDTA are the basic buffing compounds that are used to characterize the DNA molecules. Tris acetate-EDTA is to characterize smaller molecules of DNA whereas Tris-borate-EDTA is taken to analyze the portions of DNA. In order to maintain the pH of the DNA fragments, DC voltages of about 4-10V per centimetre is applied. On the other hand, it also enhances the DNA fingerprinting by lowering the movement of portions of DNA. In this way, bands with enhanced visibility and broad view can be created. On the other hand, as the concentration of gel increases the movement of fragments also decreases. Molecular biologists use DNA electrophoresis and find it a better method to differentiate different DNA fragments, as different segments of the DNA molecule show different characteristic when charge is applied. The DNA matrix is first into a solution that has higher concentration of buffer and DC voltages are then passed. As the presence of phosphate groups makes the DNA molecules to have negative polarity, it attracts the positive terminal. The ratio of the mobility depends on the strand size of the DNA molecule. If the strand size of the DNA is smaller it will move easily and faster after applying electric current as compared to the longer stands DNA. In order to make the DNA samples more visible a florescent compound like ethidium bromide is added to make the

Social responsibility Essay Example for Free

Social responsibility Essay Introduction Starbucks Coffee Corporation is a world renowned Fortune 500 company headquarter in Seattle, Washington USA. It was founded in 1971 with the sole mission to bring the unique Italian coffee experience to the masses. Its CEO Howard Shultz has successfully created a company brand where customers identify its coffee to a distinctive and premium experience. Starbucks Coffee currently has over 18,000 stores worldwide across 60 countries on six continents, and with a market capitalization of over $USD 50 billion. Ranked in American Express/SAP survey as 49 of the Top 100 global retailers, and consistently on the list as one of the best global corporations to work in Forbes magazine, the Starbucks brand is synonymous with success (Starbucks: Global Coffee Giant Has New Growth Plans. 2013). Starbucks Coffee Corporation’s Stewardship in how it conduct Business Starbucks leadership knew that its frontline workforce, or its retail store workers such as baristas, shift managers, and store managers are at the heart to success for the company. Treating the frontline workers well will ensure happy employees who will in turn safeguard the image and values that the company stand for, which keep customers loyal to the brand. Working in the retail sector typically comprise of poor benefits, non-existent or poor healthcare, and low pay. However, Starbucks is one of the very few retail companies that provide health benefits to all its employees referred to ‘partners’ at the full time and part time level. Its partners are offered competitive base pay, equity in the company in the form of Bean Stock, 401(K) saving plan with employer matching, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation, short-term  disability, and product discounts. In the current sluggish economy, companies that used to offer benefits to part time employees have pared back such as Walmart (7 Companies Offering Health Care to Part-Time Workers. 2011), while Starbucks remain committed to its employees and continue to provide benefits to all its workers. Taking care of its employees or partners isn’t its only practice of stewardship. It exist across the entire corporation from business practices, supply chain, and investments. Starbucks’ company mission statement explain what it is all about: Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit-one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. Social responsibility is at the core of its mission statement and touches: 1. Environmental considerations and recommendations (planet) 2. Ethical leadership considerations and recommendations (people) 3. Organizational viability considerations and recommendations (profitability) Starbucks Corporation already has a well-executed strategy for social responsibility, in this paper I will discuss its current strategy and introduce a new direction, and to make it better through transformation. Starbuck’s current social responsibility strategy is based on the following themes: 1) Community 2) Ethical Sourcing 3) Environment Source: http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility In this section I will explain how each of the three focus are associated to the three social responsibilities of a) planet b) people c) profitability. Starbucks’ Community (People) What Starbucks is Currently Doing Starbucks has a close involvement with the communities that its retail coffee stores are located. Starbucks leadership is committed to helping out the communities that its stores are located. It established an initiative to get its employees involved with making their communities better. A month out of  every year it conducts a program called the Global Month of Service initiative, where Starbucks employees lead community service projects focus on the individual needs of the neighborhood where they live and work. Since the program’s inception in 2011, volunteer hours have increased 40% more than the year before, with a goal of 1 million hours in 2015. What It Should Do Next Hitting 1 million volunteer hours in one month by 2015 seems quite a feat, however when you factor the total Starbucks 150,000 global employees, the contribution of hours is not so significant. That equates to roughly 6.7 hours per employee in a month timeframe. Starbucks leaders should make volunteering mandatory for all its employees and a criteria in the employee’s annual performance review. By linking the program to an employee’s annual performance it would be more of an incentive for people to give more hours, than to think that it is purely voluntary. If during the Global Month of Service every employee can volunteer 2 hours every week for a total of 8 hours per month, at an employee base of 150,000 that means 1.2 million hours can be given. Starbuck’s Ethical Sourcing (Profitability) What Starbucks is Currently Doing Starbucks’ is known for fair practices in everything that carry its brand. It spans from the merchandising of items carried in its retail stores, furniture used by its customers, to the coffee beans it uses in its lattes. Starbucks has integrated into its core business practices social responsibility known as ethical sourcing. Ethical sourcing is being concerned for the well-being of every worker from the top to bottom supply chain that produce any product that has the Starbucks logo. It is to insure that all companies sourced by Starbucks involved with creating its products, provide to their workers a fair-livable wage, sustainable work hours, and adhere to the highest standards of labor practices set forth by Starbucks. The sourcing of its product has a direct impact to Starbucks’ bottom line and profits. However profit margins does not take precedence over social responsibility, compromised or side stepped in the constant pursuits for  corporate profits. Case in Po int: In 2012 Starbucks assessed 128 factories and found that 36 of them failed its zero-tolerance standards. Even though its approach was to work with suppliers to correct the issues, it halted business until adequate resolution were implemented. While it was able to implement improvement plans with almost half of these factories, it stopped working with 15 factories that didn’t rectify the issues. Since the program started in 2006, it engaged with more than 500 factory assessments and worked with more than 70 factories on programs to improve standards. Aside from internal practices, Starbucks is a member of the Global Social Compliance Program, and promoting externally the social responsibility of ethical sourcing best practices to other corporations. To lead and facilitate business-driven efforts to improve environmental and working conditions in the global supply chain of companies. To set itself has a model for other corporations to follow. Source: http://www.gscpnet.com/structure-a-governance/task-force.html What It Should Do Next Starbucks has implemented the practice of ethical sourcing. It is showing to other corporations the morality of how to be responsible, however the Global Social Compliance program is voluntary. My suggestion is for Starbucks to take the idea of Global Social Compliance to the next level in two stages, with the ultimate goal to create a global consortium that has one set standard to enforce ethical policies across all global industries: 1) Control Low Level global supply chain entities Many global corporations utilize the same entities or sources for manufacturing and raw resources. The first strategy is to onboard these entities by granting them financial incentives, subsidies, and longer contracts if they join the Global Social Compliance Program. The caveat is they must use the money to re-invest in themselves by improving in technology or attributes to gain competitive advantage against its competition. 2) Once competitive advantage is attained, the overall cost of the goods or services will be lower compared to competitors. This makes it highly attrative to multinationals seeking lower priced sources. This will  lead to an influx of business by multinationals towards these entities and possibly the demise of competitors, resulting in the overall reduction of players in the sector. Over time the multinationals will be so ingrained to these entities because of the lower cost associated with production and the lack of choices in pursuing other suppliers, that disjoining from them will adversely affect business. At that point, Starbucks can dictate to the entities that all multinationals that work with these entities to join a global consortium that adhere to Global Social Compliance and its policies, led and defined by Starbucks. To keep the multinationals in the consortium, business advantage strategies can be implemented such as all members openly share in the cost of development of new technologies, which can be used by all or any members to gain competitive advantage in their respective industries against competitors outside of the consortium. Or as a consortium to collectively bargain for better rates of goods or services from entities outside the consortium. Over time many companies will see the benefits of becoming a member of the consortium, than fighting against companies within the consortium. The consortium will wield substantial influence and political power as major corporations in the network span across national boundaries, and collectively use its clout to push positive global agendas. Starbuck’s Environment (Planet) What Starbucks is Currently Doing Starbucks is heavily involved in helping care for our planet. It lead by example by reducing its operating costs and increase shareholder value through energy and water efficiency, while encouraging other corporations to do the same. As a company that relies on an agricultural product (coffee beans) as its core business, and the potential to effect geological conditions in the land used to grow the product, Starbucks is committed to strategies that safeguard against land erosion and deforestation through its involvement in the Conservation International (CI) project. Starbucks’  contribution to CI is to work with farmers in major coffee growing regions of the world, to provide monetary incentives if their direct action(s) lead to the reduction of carbon and protection of the environment. Source: http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/environment/climate-change What It Should Do Next Starbucks is helping to save planet Earth a small step at a time. However it need to elevate the effort by doing the following: 1) Establish and join forces with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Starbucks and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are both based in Seattle Washington, less than 10 miles away from each other. Both organizations have different ideas on how to solve global issues, but share in the view that the planet is not sustainable without change. The Gates Foundation’s main driver to tackling global issues are through reducing extreme poverty and improving healthcare. The Gates foundation is the philanthropic arm of Microsoft Corporation’s co-founder Bill Gates, who is the world’s richest person. Bill Gates has endowed $USD 38.3 billion dollars to the foundation to fund global initiatives. Starbucks’ strategy to tackle global issues seem to be at the micro level compared to the Gates foundation; working with farmers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), while the Gates foundation is funding initiatives at a macro or global level. In the area of Global Health the Gates foundation’s annual funding of the program approaches the total annual budget of the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO). The Gates foundation has the political connection, prestige, and financial resources which Starbucks should leverage to further its Earth protection agendas. If Starbucks want to become a bigger player in solving the planet’s problems it need to align itself with an organization that does it full time, has the ear of the United Nation, and that is the Bill Melinda Gates foundation. Joining forces with a powerhouse such as the Gates foundation, instead of providing incentives to farmers to promote ecological friendly programs in coffee growth areas, it can develop and give to all farmers technologies that can yield better crop output and use less water and land resources. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_%26_Melinda_Gates_Foundation 4. Legal and regulatory considerations and recommendations The suggestions outlined in this paper, to transform Starbucks’ social responsibility program it need to be within the legal framework for all the countries that the program applies to. The creation of a global consortium to further its ethical sourcing objectives should be a program welcomed by many workers in third world countries who work for companies known for exploitation of its workers. Governments of these countries would welcome multinationals such as Starbucks to financially provide support to stop the exploitation. Regarding furthering its present community initiative, the compulsory of its employees to volunteer shouldn’t be outside the framework of existing laws either since many corporations also have similar practices. Lastly to increase the awareness of helping the planet, joining forces with the Bill Melinda Gates foundation is a corporation to organization relationship which is legal in any country. Citation Resource Page: Loeb,W.(2013).Starbucks: Global Coffee Giant Has New Growth Plans. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2013/01/31/starbucks-globalcoffee-giant-has-new-growth-plans/ Kim,S (2011). 7 Companies Offering Health Care to Part-Time Workers. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from http://abcnews.go.com/Business/companies-offering-health-care-benefitsperks-part-time/story?id=14805107 Starbucks Corporation Social Responsibility. (2013). Retrieved February 20, 2014, from http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility Global Social Compliance Programme. (2013). Retrieved February 20, 2014, from http://www.gscpnet.com/structure-a-governance/task-force.html Starbucks Corporation Climate Change Strategy. (2013). Retrieved February 21, 2014, from http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/environment/climate-change About Bill Melinda Gates Foundation. (2013). Retrieved February 23, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_%26_Melinda_Gates_Foundation

Sale of Human Organs Ethical Argument

Sale of Human Organs Ethical Argument Many people have felt the shock and disbelief that comes with losing a family member or someone close, but the feeling is worse when their death could have been prevented. People often die of organ failure or conditions associated with organs while on a transplant list. In the United States alone, tens of thousands hope for an organ, and thousands die waiting each year (Karimi). By legalizing the sale of human organs, there is a greater chance of increasing organ supply and decreasing the number of lives lost. According to the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984, the buying and selling or compensation for organs from any human for the purpose of transplantation is illegal (Linde). The only organs available to patients in need, are ones from donors whether it be a car crash victim or a spouse with matching blood and tissue type. However, these donations do not cover all of the people in need of an organ, which means around 18 people die everyday because of the fact there are simply not enough (Karimi). The government should legalize the sale or compensation of human organs. In doing so, the number of available organs will increase and make it easier for patients to find an organ match. This will also increase the number of live organ donors, allowing a longer life span for the organs donated as compared to cadaver organs. The compensations also give people in need another option to obtain money, however the choice to give out of the goodness of ones heart is still present. The most important reason why we should legalize human organ sales is the lack of available organ supply. With compensation for donating an organ, more people would be willing to give up a part of themselves. In doing so, the transplant waiting list will decrease, if not disappear. In Iran, there is a kidney program that openly allows payments. This has helped to effectively eliminate the countrys kidney transplant waiting list since 1999 (Karimi). Many doctors and experts have urged America along with other nations to consider adopting these aspects of Irans system (Karimi). A large number of people die because along with the shortage of organs, they are not able to find a suitable donor. Choosing an appropriate donor for a patient is not a simple task. There are a lot of factors that should be considered such as type of the blood, medical urgency, health of the donor, distance from donor, etc. According to Bhattacharya, there is large shortage of organs all over the world. To be specific, in the US, about 75,000 were waiting for the kidney transplants in 2008, but only 18,000 got their kidneys; about 4,000 of those Americans have died, waiting until the end of 2009. (Linde) According to Nasser Karimi, thousands more people could be saved if medical staff searched for possible donors more often. Therefore, an increase in the number of organs available with make the process of finding a matching organ much easier. A benefit to the sale or donation of live human donors organs, is the fact that living organs last much longer than cadaver organs. An example is explained by Nasser Karimi in his article when he explicates that kidneys from a living donor have a significantly better long-term survival rate than those from a deceased donor. The average kidney from a diseased donor lasts 10 years, while one from a living donor averages about 15 years (Karimi). This principle can also add on to the number of lives saved via transplant. Over the past years, hundreds of thousand of transplants have been performed with organs from living donors who acted out of the sense of common humanity or love. While donating out of the goodness of ones heart is used for some, many people often need money for a variety of reasons. By legalizing the compensation for organs, people in need would have another option to pay for things like retirement, college tuition, bills, etc. Another issue to come up is the amount of money that should be given as compensation to the donor. Many say a person can not put a price on organs. The system to set the price would be very organized and involve different factors including the type of organ and the distance from the patient (Marchione). Many experts all suggest that organ sales would give advantage to the wealthy and disadvantage to the poor (Lopez). However as explained above, there is not a set price on the organ, meaning negotiations will make the final decision. The government should legalize the sale of organs because of the many benefits it has to offer. With compensations for donors, lives will be saved, organ supply will skyrocket and it will be easier for a patient to find a match. This in turn will offer a more readily available supply of organs. Lives will be saved and deaths will be prevented with the legalization of organ sales..

Communication Characteristics in a Team

Communication Characteristics in a Team 1: How teams differ from groups, how to develop groups into teams. Its important to remind team members that they share a common purpose and to direct their energy toward business-unit or corporate goals. The leader should periodically highlight how everyones work fits into the companys overall strategy and advances its position in the market (Neeley, 2015) 2: The characteristics of high-performing teams. Success in the workplace depends on your ability to build a team, as well as to interact with others on that team. Together, people are able to accomplish what one person alone cannot. This is known as synergy. Following are the characteristics of a Good/Effective team: A clear, elevating goal: This is a goal which has been communicated to all. A results-driven structure: The goal has been jointly decided by all the team members. They are fully committed towards achieving it. Competent members: Each team member has the required skill set in order to achieve the team objectives. Unified commitment: There is nothing happening in silos. With the total commitment from team members, achieving organizational goals becomes easier. A collaborative climate: Commitment from team members and a good leadership leads to a collaborative team with a productive work environment. Standards of excellence: Quality orientation is vital to the success of any organization. External support and recognition: Appreciation as well as appraisal is required to keep the morale of the team high. Principled leadership: Leadership defines a team. An able-bodied leadership can chart the teams path to success. Each team member participates actively and positively in meetings as well as projects. This shows a persons commitment as well as understanding towards a project. Team goals are clearly understood by all: Communication is vital for achieving successful completion of any project. Individual members have thought about creative solutions to the teams problem. Thinking out of the box is vital in todays economic scenario. Members are listened to carefully as well as given a thoughtful feedback. Listening is an important skill for any team. Each team member is important. The thoughts and ideas of each team member have to be listened to, with respect, no matter how silly they may sound at first. Everyone takes the initiative in order to get things done. There is no concept of passing the buck. This is an indication of clear communication leading to understanding of individual responsibilities. Each team member trusts the judgment of others: Mutual trust and respect is highly important for the team. This is the only way to achieve the organization goals. The team has to be willing to take risks: Risk taking is an attitude which comes with confidence. Confidence on yourself as well as on the team, besides the ability to face all consequences. Everyone has to be supportive of the project as well as of others. A team is one unit. Unless these cohesive forces are there, the team will never be able to work efficiently enough. There is ample communication between the team members. Team decisions are made by using organized as well as logical methods. Dissenting opinions are never ignored: In fact, they are always recorded in order to be revisited in case the future situations dictate so. Teams are given realistic deadlines: External support as well as aid is vital to the success of any team. An efficient team needs support from both inside and outside. It needs to meet the individual needs of its members in order to achieve the organizations goals. 3: Handling challenges within the team. 4: Team motivation for better performance. A team is formed when individuals with a similar interest come together to realize a common dream. The team members must think of their team first and all other personal interests should come later. Every individual must contribute equally as per his capability to achieve the predefined targets successfully within the desired time frame. Motivation and attitude go hand in hand in increasing the output of any team. You need a match stick for fire, you need ink for a pen to write, and similarly an individual needs motivation to perform. Every individual has some latent talent and needs a push for the talent to come out. Without motivation, the team members feel reluctant to work and also tend to spread negativity around. Human beings are hungry for praise and appreciation. It is the prime duty of the team leader to appreciate his team members whenever they have done something great. This way they feel happy and motivated to perform even better the next time. Set a deadline for the submission of work. All the employees submitting the work within the stipulated time frame must be appreciated in public. Circulate a mail among all the employees appreciating your team members efficiency. Any person coming out with a brilliant idea should be suitably rewarded. It is not always you give cash to motivate your employees, but even small tokens of appreciation can make a difference. Reward your team member with anything he likes. Appreciating one member does not mean you will neglect or criticize the other members of the team who could not perform up to the mark this time. It is the duty of the team leader to motivate them so that they perform well the next time. Ask them to BUCK UP. A single members performance can hardly make a difference to the teams performance; every member has to contribute equally for the maximum output. Celebrate your teams success inviting all your team members. Take them out for a lunch to a nearby restaurant. They will feel happy and also come closer to each other this way. Give a pat on their back to appreciate their hard work. Titles such as Best Employee of the month and Best Team Member also go a long way in motivating the team members. The names of the best performers must be displayed on the notice boards for everyone to see. Incentives and perks also motivate the employees to a large extent. If any team member does something outstanding do not forget to appreciate him on an open forum and also ask the other members to reach to his level as well. Avoid making fun of your colleagues. It is considered highly unprofessional. Dont spread negativity around. Dont depend on blame games or spread unnecessary rumours about your team members. Motivation alone cant create wonders; it needs to be coupled with positive attitude of the team members to ensure high performance of the team. Adopt a positive attitude at work. Do not always find faults in others. Listen to your team members as well. Dont assume things or draw conclusions on your own. Be a little more flexible and adjusting to avoid conflicts at work place. Sit and discuss issues with your team members to reach to an alternative. Results cant be achieved unless and until you believe in yourself. The will power to do something is important. One should have the urge to perform. Always try to look at life from a larger perspective. Things can not always be the way you like, its better to accept things as it is sometimes. Remember after heavy rains, there is always a clear sky. Problems might crop up anytime, but it is always better to grin and move on. Do not overreact on petty things. Dont be too adamant or rigid, instead be a little forgiving. It is absolutely okay if you take the initiative and say Sorry. This magical word goes a long way in reducing conflicts to a large extent. Dont unnecessary create tensions for others and yourself as well. Dont be disheartened if someone comes to you and corrects you for your mistakes; do take it in a positive and healthy way. Do not step in the office with a mind clouded with negative thoughts. Everything seems wrong to you and you unnecessarily fight with people around. Team members must adopt a positive attitude to avoid tensions and misunderstandings at work place. Positive attitude with a little motivation can actually create wonders for the team.

Live or Die Essay -- essays research papers

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the ghost of Hamlet’s father appears very briefly. However, he provides the basis for the development and eventual downfall of Hamlet’s character. The play begins with a dismal Hamlet mourning his father’s death Recognizing this gloom, Queen Gertrude urges Hamlet to â€Å"cast thy nighted color off, and let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark† (I, ii, 68-69). Soon after, the ghost appears, insisting, â€Å"If thou didst ever thy father love, revenge his foul and most unnatural murder† (I, v, 24-25). As Hamlet decides to scourge the past and present evils in Denmark, the ghost unleashes death and malice onto the stage. The first and most obvious change which the ghost instills into Hamlet is a vengeful spirit. Not only must Hamlet destroy Claudius, but he must also stop Fortinbras from invading Denmark. Although less obvious, the second task can be inferred from the fact that the ghost appears wearing â€Å"the very armor he had on when he the ambitious Norway combated† (I, i, 60-61). Hamlet spends the entire play trying to carry out these orders, eventually causing the downfall of his spirit. Partly because he feels reserve and guilt for his task, Hamlet delays taking action throughout the play. However, this paradoxical delay only makes Hamlet feel more guilty. He questions his self-worth and even considers suicide, pondering, â€Å"To die -- to sleep -- no more; and by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is he...

future of multimedia Essay -- essays research papers

Multimedia future†¦ There seems to be a rising flourish of enthusiasm about Internet courseware and multimedia. Additional individuals learn, the more they want to learn. For example, once their essential classes Web pages are complete, instructors often decide that they want pictures, then perhaps some audio, then animation, then. There are a number of advantages to using audio over the Internet. Professors are able to create archived lectures or live broadcasts, allowing for asynchronous or synchronous communication. They have been experimenting with live audio broadcasts, and they see an advantage in the interaction: students can call in (similar to a talk radio show) and talk to the professor, rather than passively listening. Audio over the Internet also allows instructors to provide guest lecturers from all over the world at low cost. The capacity to archive these presentations makes them available at times convenient for students for review, or for the first time if they miss a live presentation. The current advantages and disadvantages of multimedia online are multimedia allows people to communicate more effectively online. I believe that with technology like 3-D modeling and virtual reality, people from different places will be able to work in groups to construct projects over the Internet. I also see multimedia as a shape of self expression: it enables the creator to add personality to a website or course. Multimedia, whether in the form of video, animation or a ...