My personal Management Experience Essay Example

My personal Management Experience Essay My Personal Management Experience Name; Course: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on My personal Management Experience specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on My personal Management Experience specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on My personal Management Experience specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer My Personal Management Experience I was employed as a store manager for a jewelry store that was only just opening. My boss called me one morning and said, â€Å"I want you to be in Eastridge Mall tomorrow,† and he gave me the address. I showed up the following day at the Mall as directed and found a store under construction. The whole place consisted of construction material and debris. There were Sheetrock walls, hanging wires from the ceiling and brand new showcases ready to be installed. He called me the same evening and surprised me by saying, â€Å"Congratulation, this is the store you will be running.† I accepted this new and greater responsibility with newfound confidence. I had worked as a jewelry sales person and I understood quite well the difficult task that lay ahead. This was bound to be a wonderful experience. I had always wanted to mange big assignments and this was one of them. My first management challenge consisted in establishing a clientele, forming a strong workforce and making a reasonable profit for the company. My boss believed in my vast experience as a sales person and he expected me to deliver the required results. . I had to strategize on how to kick-start the operations of the store and how to capture loyal customers. This was no mean feat for someone who has never had any management experience in the past. Running a new store is a challenging task. In the retail world, all businesses are driven by the desire to make profits. This was a difficult task considering the fact that I was given a brand new store with no clientele and located in a very unfamiliar market. I had to apply what I had learnt from my experience as a sales person and what I had learnt from my management classes to this challenge. I was required to takeover the planning from now onwards. As the manager, I was tasked with the responsibility of organizing the required resources whether financial or material to be delivered to the store. I was also responsible for the staffing. The store needed an adequate and competent workforce to be able to make it through this stage. For the operations to run smoothly, I had to be able to guide and motivate my workforce and ensure that everything was going according to the plans set down. This is just but a brief insight of the task that lay ahead of me. As a manager, I was supposed to do my work diligently. The construction was already underway, I had to incorporate my company’s designs into the already laid out designs. This was to make sure that the store is constructed according to the company’s standards. I therefore had to be present at the construction site to supervise the ongoing construction. This was my first assignment. I had to co-ordinate the construction process and I was leaving nothing to chance. Signs for example, were to be placed in the right places and given perfect angling; the lighting system had to meet the company’s standards. Since this business involves expensive jewelry, security was very important. I had to ensure that the security system was standard. All the display cases had to be secured to ensure no one tampers with the jewelry. These measures had to be taken to ensure that everything was in place. In this stage of the project, I applied management control. This assisted me in verifying whether the construction work was going accordi ng to my plan After overseeing the completion of the construction work, I had to focus on the opening of the store. This was one of the most important stages of this assignment. My mission was to put up a credible work force that will assist me in developing the store into a competitive and profit making outlet. I recruited a formidable sales team bout one month before the store commenced its operations. This was essential because without the right sales people I (Store manager) would not succeed. Coming up with the right team was quite difficult. I had set my own objectives on the kind of people I wanted for this job. I had to build a competent group of workers and so I chose those that really suited my descriptions for the best. As a manager I was guided by one principle, I gave my work the best I can and treated my customers with the respect they deserved. As quoted in Arnold et al’s article in the Journal of Retailing issue number 85 of 2009, â€Å"transformational managers attempt to act in the best interests of both the customer and the company to provide effective solutions to the needs of both groups (Bass, 1977)†. This principle motivates me to do my best and guides all my practices as a manager. A manager however does not work alone; he is assisted in his work by his sales team. I strived to instill these values in the team that I managed to create. I set goals for the sales team we had to get the business running and rake up sales within the first two months. These objectives guided my choice of candidates for the sales job. I laid out the minimum qualifications and the attributes of the sales personnel. My ideal candidate had to possess the following characteristics. First, they must be lovers of jewelry, a person who does not love what he/she is selling will find it difficult to passionately market a piece to a customer and convince them to purchase it regardless of its price. Second, the person must be enthusiastic; customers prefer sales people who are lively and appealing. Positive attitude will always result in customer satisfaction and eventually a sale. Third, the person must be ambitious; employees who want to advance in their careers in future always give their best. Keeping in mind all these expectations, I formed a sales team that consisted of seven dedicated people. They were lovers of jewelry, enthusiastic, and all desired to grow in their respective careers. They also had to fulfill my manager’s expectations. These p eople had to be proficient in whatever they were going to do so training was necessary. After hiring them, I trained them on the various roles they would take in the store. Several years ago, I was working as a sales person at my first job (Zale’s the Diamond Store). The manager at this store had a great relationship with his workers. I loved the way he related with those under him and he inspired me to be like him. He was also unbelievably talented in the art of marketing. He knew how lure the customer into buying something; he always knew the right words to use. .He taught me how to approach the customer, make a conversation, find out about their needs, and listen to them. He believed that through listening, we learn more about someone than when we talk. Roman et al in their article in the journal of marketing management say that listening skills can lead to higher sales performance â€Å"From the salesperson’s perspective, empirical research has shown that effective listening leads to higher sales performance† ( Roman et al, 2005 ). He inspired me and I strived to pass down his values to my sales team The staffing function required much more time than I had anticipated; I had to set up instruction/training sessions for my team on a daily basis. The training comprised education on customer service, product knowledge and listening and communication skills. The daily sessions are essential because they are also used to review the progress of our daily objectives and assist us in making corrections as appropriate. Through these meetings, we interact, highlight the problem areas, and propose solutions or improvements as appropriate. We have set up half hour opening and closing meetings where we talk about the store’s goals break it down to our individual goals, and then we discuss whether we have achieved those goals and what we ought to do in order to achieve them. In the closing meetings, we review the days work and evaluate individual as well as team performance. These meetings represent a minor form of performance appraisal. Another strategy that I employ when dealing with m y team involves role-play and building scenarios. This has an enormous impact on their learning. It is a great confidence builder and aids the team in their learning. The bottom line is I always recognize the efforts of my sales team and closely monitor their behavior and correct them in areas where they have gone wrong. My short-term goals were to be able to gain a consistent flow of sales and to attract a meaningful number of customers. With these goals in mind, we set out on the methods to achieve them. I identified several ways through which we could be able to gain and retain customers. One important was to have a motivated sales team, second was to carry out intensive marketing of the new store. These were key strategies for the achievement of our goals. I had to motivate my sales people and ensure that we marketed ourselves well. Together with the head office, we embarked on massive promotional campaigns on print and communication media and in the internet. We also put up a series of promotional billboards in the neighborhood. Our marketing campaign paid off very well and within a few days, customers started streaming into our store. The second step involved the motivation of workers, we offered incentives for those who achieved a certain amount of sales and the daily meetings enabled them to be participatory and hardworking. Overall, the performance of the sales team and the store in general exceeded my expectations. I agreed to become a manager because I believed in my ability to recognize the areas for potential improvement in my sales associates and correct it before became too late. I understood that every single flaw within my sales team would reflect ten times greater on my own portfolio. I achieve that by creating a great relationship with my team. Achieving our short-term goals was not as difficult as I had previously thought. With the motivated workforce and the regular clientele, we were way beyond our goals. My focus now shifted to the medium term goals. One of my medium term objectives involved the retaining of present customers and improvement of sales. We had to create an impression on the clientele to ensure that they will come back again. This was not an easy feat to achieve. Great and efficient customer service is a combination of patience, intelligence and understanding. The sales team had to be made aware of these three pillars of effective customer service delivery. I ensured that I reminded them about this in our daily meetings and instructed them on how customers should be handled. Another important step that I took was to enforce disciplinary actions, these were necessary in order to maintain a reliable and strong sales team. At the end of the day, the manager is responsible for the mistakes of his team. It is t herefore prudent to have disciplinary action taken against team members who violate the rules set to govern misconduct at the workplace. This is one way through which the work force can stay focused on the company’s objectives. When a manager metes out punishment on an employee it is always for the good of the employee and the company. When the employee is repeatedly involved in misconduct, he/she should be replaced. Some of these rules were agreed on as we embarked on the journey to achieve greater sales and to retain and gain more customers. As a manager, I prided myself in being a successful organizer. I had the roles of all my seven sales personnel well defined, each of them had a role clearly carved out for them. Teamwork was an important element of the sales process. If one member of the sales team found it difficult to convince a customer, it was normal practice to refer them to another member. If both failed to make a deal with the customer, I always intervene to save the situation and make the sale. I have never been a manager who works only to collect paychecks, but to gain my paycheck and deserve it. My participation motivates the team; they are aware of the need to be effective and to do their best. Having a rapport with your customer gives them the motivation to come again. They also recommend the store to their friends. Excellent customer service helps the company establish this rapport with the customers and in turn enables the organization to increase sales. I endeavored to ensure that the sales team mainta ined an excellent rapport with customers in order to achieve the goal of maximum sales and to gain more clients. Through these simple steps, we were able to establish ourselves as a formidable force within the jewelry market. Our sales soared at unbelievable rates and clients continued streaming into our store. My manager acknowledged my performance and even upgraded my store’s capacity due to the increasing sales that we were registering. We had made a lot of progress as far as the achievement of our goals was concerned. We attained parity in sales and the number of customers who called at our store had increased. However, one problem still troubled me; we had inconsistencies in the sale of a particular stock of diamond rings. This ring had registered the least sales despite being tone of the most valuable and most sought after rings in the country. I figured out that there might be a problem in its display station and made the decision to have it displayed at a different position. We deliberated on this as a team and I decided that this particular ring be displayed on the finest showcase for the customers to see. Each member was supposed to take keen interest on customers who showed their interest in the ring and attend to them with the tact and experience they had gained over the few months that the store has been in operation. Another problem that we had to contend with was the height of the showcases it was observ ed that the showcases were taller than the standard height. This made it difficult for the customers to have a comprehensive view of the jewelry showcased. This was identified as an impediment to the sales process. Some jewelry had intrinsic features that could only be noticed by an observant customer. Others like rings had minute details that can only be seen if the customer has the best view. This therefore posed a major problem. The showcases had to be replaced with others that were waist-length in order to allow the customers to have a comprehensive view of the jewelry. These two were some of the major challenges that we faced in the jewelry store. We were able to replace the showcases after receiving financial help from the head office. Our sales increased considerably with this new adjustment and we realized that customers could now see all the jewelry displayed in the store. Our sales staff also became busier than before since customers were now more interested in the detail. We have not yet achieved our goals as a company yet but according to my observation, we are right on track and given more time, we will be a force to reckon with in the jewelry market. As a manager, I believe I have employed the functions of management as taught in management class and that is the reason why I have a wonderful record of accomplishment. I planned my processes and objectives quite well and organized all the resources required to achieve them. I also ensured that I had a well, developed and qualified workforce for the job. I ensured that the workforce was well motivated and that communication in the store was open. Constant evaluation and reviews of the progress of operations also assisted me in troubleshooting potential threat areas and finding credible solutions to these threats. Recognizing the passion for what we do is the key to our success. The only reason why I have been featured on the company’s â€Å"newspaper† for several years now is because my store registered the highest profit margin. I am proud of myself simply because I always give the best of my efforts, set higher than normal expectations for myself and never lose hope in difficult times.

Black Psychology Essay Essay Example

Black Psychology Essay Essay Example Black Psychology Essay Paper Black Psychology Essay Paper Abstraction: This is an autobiographical essay where I briefly analyzes and interpret important and impactful events that has transpired over my last 20 old ages in my life from school to my community in Portland. Oregon. The aim of this essay is to link constructs and the class aims related to Black Psychology which I enrolled in at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University ( FAMU ) spring 2009 term. The lineation for this essay is in a chronological age order get downing from my birth in 1988 till my current experience at FAMU. The book that is chiefly referenced in this essay is the Kobi K. Kambon text edition African/ Black Psychology in American Context: An African Centered Approach along with Joseph Baldwin’s category lectures that I attended. Divided Among two Different Positions of the World: But this is my Story The thought that a black individual is from Portland. Oregon seems to be flooring information for certain African-Americans. Once I introduce myself to new friends and professors who neer traveled to Portland or were neer informed that â€Å"Black people† live in Oregon. Many are intrigued by this information and have a pursuit to cognize more. So to reply that inquiry. yes there are inkinesss who live in Oregon. I am a merchandise of Oregon I. Michelle Williams. was born and raised in the urban community in Portland amongst other African-Americans. One may presume that I had a hard clip turning up in Oregon. Experiencing favoritism. racism. or individuality crisis ; nevertheless. my six siblings and I neer did. Although. I did non see those types of issues. I understood that in Portland. the Black race was the minority and Europeans were the bulk in the race factor. In add-on. make non presume that my household line of descent merely lines in Oregon. on both sides of my household southern roots run deep. Therefore. southern traditions. values. ethical motives. beliefs. and imposts were inbreeded into my up brings. Without inquiries. I am an Afro-american adult female from Portland. Oregon ; nevertheless. my geographic part does non specify my inkiness. nor does it find if I am capable of sing adversities like my fellow equals who were raised in Southern provinces. In my early childhood. I resided with my maternal grandma due to my parent’s maltreatment to their environment and the usage of narcotics. However. my clip spent with my grandma was non in vena. yet filled with old ages of detecting and larning how to continue traditional southern values. which the modern universe of psychological science considers the â€Å"African/ Black Worldviews† . In the book. African/ Black Psychology in the American context: An African- Centered Approach Kobi K. Kambon explains the difference between the African/ Black and European Worldviews. The four constituents that compose the worldviews are: cosmology. ontology. axiology. and epistemology ( Kambon. 1998 ) In the African/ Afro-american worldviews one are taught to believe in oneness/ harmoniousness with nature. endurance of the group. sameness ; whereas the European Worldview have the impression of endurance of the fittest. competiveness. independency. and uniqueness ( being different ) . In my in-between childhood my parents redirected their life. and my female parent returned to college and obtained her unmarried mans and Masterss in Psychology with a child in Black Studies at Portland State University. While in school she begun to integrate her findings into her parenting. Although. my female parent and I were led by Eurocentric instructions. my household and our milieus reinforced the black/African-American Worldviews in the family. I recall myself accommodating to the political orientations and beliefs of those who were non within my ain autochthonal cultural group. Kambon defines this experience as a black kid who has been influenced by Eurocentric instructions ensuing in â€Å"Abnormal Unnatural Circumstances† . The kid has accepted and identified him or herself as a member of a â€Å"group that is non autochthonal cultural world ( Kambon. 1998 ) . I was able to resile back to the normal-nature fortunes. with the aid of my Black community friends. and household through our ethical motives and beliefs. I had to remain true to my ain cultural world and non be amongst those who are â€Å"cultural mis-identified† . An illustration of how I demonstrated unnatural unnatural fortunes was when I accepted the European doctrines and allowed the Whites to order and specify what was appropriate or rectify based off their criterions and positions on life. By this I allowed the impression that white Barbie dolls are better. instead than the Black China Doll my grandma purchased for Christmas one twelvemonth. While in in-between school. which is considered my late or pre-adolescence old ages. I was offered credence into the Talent and Gift besides known as the TAG plan. The TAG plans awards and congratulates pupils â€Å"who demonstrated outstanding abilities or potencies in countries of general rational ability or specific ability aptitude† ( Davenport Community School Website ) . After detecting the truth in the Black Psychology class. I have come to the apprehension that this peculiar plan has several defects that discriminates against the Black race. The black pupils who excel above the criterions set for Blacks are called â€Å"Talented or Gifted† . In chapter eight it stated that â€Å"there was some Blacks who scored every bit high as White persons on Standard trials of alleged intelligence ( i. vitamin E research on Black â€Å"gifted† kids ) † ( Kambon. 1998 ) . The foundation of the Tag plan continues and supports â€Å"White Supremacy† . The definition the European psychologist usage to specify intelligence which were examined on Caucasians merely was: â€Å" ( a ) the repertory of intellectual/cognitive accomplishments and cognition available to a individual at any one period of clip. or ( B ) the sum of planetary capacity of the person to move intentionally. to believe rationally. and to cover efficaciously with his/her environment† ( Kambon. 1998 ) . The names of a twosome of tests that exemplified that one was intelligent were: The Alfred Binet and the Binet Test. besides known as Intelligence Quotient/ IQ. Charles Spearman with the GS Factor trial. and a few others ( Kambon. 1998 ) . Robert L. Williams the 2nd National Chairman/ President of American of Black Psychologists ( ABPsi ) ( Kambon. 1998 ) . developed a â€Å"Black â€Å"cultural specific† intelligence trial which demonstrated that Blacks could execute high quality to White persons on such a Black cultural based trial. The trial was called Black Intelligence Test for Cultural Homogeneity† officially known as â€Å"BITCH’ . His intelligence trial showcased that Afro-american pupils were out executing Whites by 30 to 50 points ( Kambon. 1998 ) . In dealingss to my credence to the TAG plan I felt a sense of being privileged. superior. and connected to the white race in some sense. I belittled my equals who the Europeans and the trial scored them as being underperformers. Through my actions I had continued on the European worldviews. The people see the good that the TAG plan promotes ; nevertheless. there are down sides and negative features of being called a â€Å"Talented or Gifted† kid. In my early adolescence old ages. I was considered at times a pupil who could be insubordinate. disrespectful. and riotous in category. However. my actions were to dispute an inquiry my teacher’s doctrine about Western History. colonisation in Africa. bondage. and anything that focused on the Black race. Now looking back on what transpired in high school I was seeking to detect the truth sing my peoples. I tried to unknot the muss that the Europeans. Western historiographers. philosophers. and psychologist created. Removing the blind folds that had been placed over my eyes through the European instructions ; I was tired of having the edited. shorten. and beautified narrative the instructors and academic course of study spoon-feed me every twelvemonth during the one month Blacks are allowed to observe their history ( February ) . I have come to accept that cognition is cardinal and discovered like John Henrik Clarke that. â€Å"African History/ Negro History are the losing pages of World History† ( John Henrik Clarke. 1996 ) . In chapter three of Kambon books. he explains this thought of cultural world and worldviews concept. and how â€Å"ones ideas beliefs. values and actions are non unambiguously our ain. distinguishable and separate from those of others. peculiarly other individuals† ( Kambon. 119 ) . In today’s society we accept as true that European’s set the criterions or dictated/ guide one to believe that their ways of life and making things are how things ought to be done ; continues white domination. I am now in my 3rd twelvemonth at FAMU as a nursing major interested in psychological science. following sibling’s footfalls of go toing a Historical Black University. My journey in the Black Psychology has taught me new things about my personality and where I come from. In my sentiment Oregon is a diverse and complex province. I had adopted and balanced the different worldviews. From my secondary instruction I have come to a new found cognition about this Black Psychology and it’s endeavoring for flawlessness in the Black communities. I have come to understand that my people are from the Southern or African Cradle. which developed before the Northern or European Cradle a theoretical account Diop ( Kambon. 1998 ) . I am from the line of descent of ill-famed Pharaoh’s and Queens such as Narmar. Pharaoh and Queen who whore the ruddy and white Crown Hatshepsut ( Abarry. 1996 ) . For old ages information has been hidden and sheltered from my equals and I. Not merely from the African descendants in Oregon. but from all of the descendants of Africa has that populated the 50 provinces in America. I have learned that I am a descendent of great Queens and Kings and African’s who were educated. governed themselves. ran a successful economic system that was developed in many facets before the 1500’s when Europeans arrived. Ancient Kemit ( KMT ) and the Ma’at which is the foundation in which the KMT people lived by ( Abarry. 1996 ) . I have grown accustomed to both Western and this new psychological science called â€Å"Black Psychology† . I am able to detect and to the full understand and acknowledge the class objectives in Black Psychology because I have been in the ream of both universes. My parents were educated and merchandises of the early 60’s ; where there was a big motion on civil rights and black psychologist doing a alteration for the black community. Such as the Pan-African Cultural patriotism motion group who where â€Å"Black Psychologist who advocate that race and civilization are the foundation of African self-identity and psychological well being† ( Kambon. 1998 ) . Black psychological science has made enormous achievements ; they have challenged the ideals and political orientations of Western Psychology. Rather than being the blinded trial mice used in Western Psychology. Black psychologist has made a grade in Psychology. There has been a creative activity of Psychology geared to the Blacks. They have developed an impressive column diary that comes out quarterly called The Journal of Black Psychology which has been around for about 35 old ages ( Kambon. 1996 ) . The members of the Association of Black Psychologist have overcome many obstructions that have been presented in forepart of them. and will go on to make so for following old ages to come ( Kamon. 1998 ) . I find that my head was one time held prisoner in a sense. before I entered college under Europocentric instructions. I upheld the thoughts of Eurocentric instructions. yet the position quo has changed ; in favour for the Black Race. and my cognitive for that affair. In today’s society black kids are taught by a Eurocentric instruction. where there is a mis-education which manifests itself in the Eurocentric conceptual captivity ( Kambon. 1998 ) . The portrayal the European psychologists painted through their positions and surveies of the black race. personality. mental wellness. and behavioural jobs have non reflected the Black people in anyhow. On the contrary it has caused a separation between inkinesss. Those who believed in altering the psychological science universe for the black race have succeeded at establishing its topographic point and did non let the criterions set by Western Psychology to be the foundation for Black Psychology ( Kambon. 1996 ) . Today the black’s can see the ‘great deepness of the Eurocentric cultural captivity that encapsulates African rational consciousness and scholarship. † ( Kambon. 1998 ) . Which has caused a developmental job of the cognition of the African/ black race. From the motive of Francis Cecil Sumner. Herman G. Canady. Robert L. Williams. Marcus Gravey. Nat Turners. W. E. B Dubois. Frances Cress Welsing. and the 1000s of members of the Association of Black Psychology. there is a psychological science that focuses on the black community which is non defined by the Western Psychology criterions. It is up to pupils like me to use the indispensable tools from classs like Black Psychology. and turn a deaf ear to the myths and misdirecting information that the Western Psychology one time succeeded at imprisoning. This was my experience from turning up in Portland. Oregon and doing a much demand journey to Florida A A ; M University which landed me a place in Dr. Joseph Baldwin class Black Psychology. References Abarry. S. . Asante. M. . ( 1996 ) . African rational Heritiage. Philadelphia. PA: Temple Press A Great and Might Walk. Dir. St. Claire Bourne. Perf. Wesley Snipes John Henrik Clarke. 1996. Bourne. C. [ Westley Snipes ] ( 1996 ) : Los Angles Davenport Community School Website. ( 1998. Aug ) . Retrieved Mar. 09. 2009. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. Davenport. k12. Iowa. us/curriculum/gifted. asp Kambon. K. ( 1998 ) . African/ black psychological science in the American context: an african- centered attack. Tallahassee. Sunshine state: Nubian Nation Publication.

Difference between Gantt Chart and Network Diagram Assignment

Difference between Gantt Chart and Network Diagram - Assignment Example The planning (2.0) phase is where a project management plan is prepared. This plan helps the project manager to control the project in order to ensure that all budget over-runs are identified early. In this phase, a scope statement (2.1), a work breakdown structure (2.2), and a schedule of time and cost information are prepared. The execution (3.0) phase is where the actual project work starts. A survey (3.1) is done and user information is recorded (3.2 User Input). The survey information relates to the four projects combined. The information from the survey is then used to determine the contents of each sub-project (3.3 and 3.4) as shown in Figure 1.1. Details of the activities of other sub-projects (part of 3.4 and 3.5 and 3.6) are shown in Figure 1.2. Figure 1.2 shows part of the execution phase planning, the controlling (4.0) phase, and part of the closing (5.0) phase. An outline of a portion of the tasks to be completed in sub-projects 2 (3.4.3 and 3.4.4), the tasks for sub-projects 3 (3.5) and 4 (3.6) are provided. It shows parts of section 3.4 and sections 3.5 and 3.6. The screenshot shows that the contents have to be determined (3.5.1 and 3.5.2), items have to be procured (3.5.2 and 3.6.3) before or after the system is designed (3.5.3 and 3.6.2) before the application is developed. After the system is developed it has to be tested and debugged. Figure 1.2 also shows the controlling (4.0) phase where the work is monitored in order to control quality and cost and time over-run. In controlling the work adequate monitoring has to be done. Each of the sub-projects is reviewed (4.1.1) and feedback is provided (4.1.2). The technical personnel is then required to make changes (4.1.3). After the changes are made a status report is prepared. When all matters are addressed and the project is accepted, the final phase – closing (5.0) is attained.  Ã‚  

In what ways can Australia, as a middle power, use multilateralism to Essay

In what ways can Australia, as a middle power, use multilateralism to effectively pursue its foreign policy objectives - Essay Example In the international system, it is as well the prerogative of each nation to fight for their space on the decision making table. Multilateralism as an effort to coordinate the policies of two or more nations together can hence be used by Australia (Beeson 2011). This is supported by the fact that the hierarchy places Australia at a point where it is able to bring together the lower power and the top power as an intermediary. Australia’s diplomatic practice has a strong foundation and has existed for a very long time; it is possible to discern Australian diplomatic elements, which could be said to emphasize on idealism an even legalism (Sampson & Woolcock 2003). Using the available advantage of multilateralism, Australia attempts to achieve its pursuit of foreign policy objectives in the international arena competing with not only other middle power states but also the great power states (Ball 1997). In its quest, Australia faces quite a number of possibilities as well as limit s and constraining factors. Through multilateral corporation of Australia as a middle power, the country is able to direct its efforts of whatever manner in trying to maintain international peace and security. This is one way of penetrating it policies in the international platform (2013). It is prudent to note at this point that middle power status has always defined quality of Australian foreign policy a fact that has always made Australia be a very strong negotiator and protector of its rights without simply obeying the great and mighty (Ball 1997). Such capability also makes Australia a force and to the countries advantage, they are able to bring in their policies onto the international platform. Another way in which Australia is able to use multilateralism to further its foreign policy objectives is through the application of the principle of creative middle power diplomacy. This has an extended impact of aiding the country to enhance its interests (Sampson & Woolcock 2003). Au stralia, as a middle power state, should be strategic in its alliances, as this will affect its pursuit of foreign policies. With other grater layers in the field, Australia must strive to keep up with these powers, as they are the main influential factors in the pursuit of foreign policy objectives. This has been the case with Australia as seen in various instances where Australia allied with other great powers (Ball 1997); including the USA, the super power in a strategic attempt to promote its foreign policy objectives; one notable instance is the support of Bush’s presidency in the USA by Howard’s government (Beeson 2011). The system of interdependence is an important factor that sustains interaction between states in the international syste

American Gov't Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Gov't - Essay Example The federal elections envision an electoral or indirect approach to elections but the states are free to decide the precise formula by which its own electoral votes are counted. The Electoral College has been the subject of much debate and criticism; such criticism tends to derive from the fact that a presidential candidate can win the popular vote and still fail to win because of the nuances of the Electoral College. Such criticism is hardly abstract as George W. Bush defeated Al Gore in just this way. Not only can the Electoral College operate to deny the popular vote, but it can also render certain states increasingly important and other states increasingly trivial or irrelevant as far as presidential elections are concerned. Large swing states with winner-take-all electoral laws, for instance, receive more attention and more personal time than other states. Under this electoral system, Florida becomes more important than California, Ohio more important than New York, and Pennsylvania more important than Texas. What ought to be a national election, reflecting a broad spectrum of national interests and concerns, instead becomes a carefully calculated race to secure electoral votes at the expense of popular votes and large swing states at the expense of smaller states. It might be cynical to suggest that such a system thwarts notions of popular democracy, and yet it seems difficult to reconcile the consequences of an Electoral College with notions of one-person-one vote. To be sure, one person does not really equate to one vote under this system and the particular value to be assigned to a vote depends on the state’s underlying approach to the allocation of electoral votes as well as to whether the voter resides in a large swing state, a large non-swing state, or a smaller state. The ideals of popular democracy, and

Importance of Planning within the Business Environment

Importance of Planning within the Business Environment The objective of this assignment is to show the understanding of the business environment and management in construction and property. To achieve this, two core elements associated with management will be examined and compared with an existing construction company such as Wilmot Dixon, which is struggling with the current economical climate. This study will discuss the implementation of planning using innovative management strategies and tools required to assist companies to be better positioned for sustainable growth. Defining the Business Environment According to Palmer Hartley (2006) the business environment can be defined as everything which surrounds a system. For example, if we take a business as the core of a working system, there are surrounding influences which contribute to the workings of this system within the macro environment. For a business it can be difficult to identify what the elements are within the environment. We can demonstrate important factors relating to the business environment using the PESTEL model as illustrated in Figure 1.0 Businesses survive by turning inputs into goods and services which customers in the environment want to purchase. The current climate suggests we are still in a down turn market. With reference to Wilmott (2011) in an exclusive interview, he suggests that 2011 will be an extremely tough year due to the soaring costs associated with the supply chain and materials. Another politically associated topic is the increase in VAT. According to the Federation of Master Builders (2011), increasing VAT from 17.5% to 20% could lead to over 11,000 job losses in the construction industry over the next decade. Such an increase may deter many businesses from starting new projects and where projects are starting, contractors are not breaking even. An example of this can be related to Willmot Dixon, a primary tier contractor where they have forecast a slowdown in the property market. According to Willmot (2011) Firms are pricing below cost because they are talking themselves into believing the market price for materials and supply chain will continue to fall so then they can recover the difference. A fundamental issue with companies facing such a troublesome year would be to implement a business management plan looking to read the environment and understand how the business system will evolve in the future. Such a strategic move would involve essential planning. Planning 3.1 The purpose of planning Essentially, the purpose of planning is to contemplate future actions whether this is economic, political or environmental. According to Brews Purahit (2007), as business conditions become additionally unstable, companies tend to adapt a planning strategy. Change in the business environment creates uncertainty. It enables companies and people to adapt by establishing goals and objectives and sets out how to achieve them by implementing a business plan. With reference to figure 1.1, the initial approach would be to identify the purpose of planning, identifying the companys current position in the market and identify where they want to be. Once this has been established it will offer a clearer direction to employees. This will enhance motivate to increase control by allowing people to measure their progress against set targets and allow the company to use its resources efficiently. With reference to one of Wilmot Dixons senior partners, Willmot (2011) announced one of the companies key objectives due to the politically associated development of re-furbishing un-occupied housing Willmot Dixon is diversifying into new areas such as private residential and mixed-use regeneration development. We can associate this back to the PESTEL model where we can look at the political issues and demographics of the current economy. A major issue is that there is a shortage of housing with an ever increasing population. The government is looking to r e-furbish un-occupied properties scattered around the UK and put these properties back to council housing, an area Willmot Dixon has proposed to target. 3.2 Contents of planning Companies expanding in business or are looking to adapt to change in the business environment, prepare a business plan. According to Mckeever (2010), a business plan is a document that sets out the markets the business intends to serve. There are different plans which a business will decide upon, for example: A strategic plan sets out the overall direction for the business. It is broad in scope and covers all the companies major activities. A strategic business unit consists of a number of closely related products, which is meaningful to formulate a separate strategy. An operational plan details how the overall objectives are to be achieved, by specifying what is expected from senior management experts from specific departments or functions. Annual plans are common amongst most companies focusing on finance and setting budgets for the coming year. What is common in all business plans is focusing on the direction of the business in short and long term planning. Key aspects of planning include the strategy of the company and the development of the business to enhance profit. A planning hierarchy can be seen in figure 1.2, showing how the characteristics of plans changes at each level. According to Mathews (2011), a government plan to cut the cost of public construction projects by a fifth, through standardising buildings, was published alongside the recent Budget. With the property market having been so affluent and now with the market and the country progressively slipping into further recession, it would seem that more construction companies would be looking to plan long term, using a more strategic option rather than plan for the short term. 3.3 The Process of planning The process of planning relates to how plans are produced for a business or organisation to succeed. According to Jennings (2000), companies change their approach to planning as conditions change. There are seven iterative tasks which can be performed when making a plan as shown in figure 1.3. Figure 1.3 Seven iterative tasks in planning. Any plan depends on gathering information. Reverting back to the PESTEL model is good practice when sourcing information such as market trends, formal analysis of the political and legal factors, current economy, socio cultural factors, technology and issues relating to the environment. Whether the company is a centralised company where the decisions are taken at the centre of the company, or a decentralised company, where the decision-making is delegated to lower levels of management, within the organisation casual encounters with colleagues is a major influence in gathering information. Once all of the information has been accumulated a mission statement can be compiled showing the organisations direction and overall goal in the construction market. It will guide decision making and should inspire and motivate the workforce to accomplish the desired result. As a result of the mission statement, a SWOT analysis can be used to evaluate the company in the current economic climate. Conducting a SWOT analysis as defined in figure 1.4 will enable companies such as Willmot Dixon to define their key strengths and weaknesses. Completing a SWOT analysis integrates the external opportunities and threats, as example, according to Lowery (2011), the economy is shaping to be a tough year for the construction sector. VAT increases and higher employer National Insurance contributions combine with government spending cuts to spell a year of contraction. Articles such as this are a means of monitoring progress externally as well as internally. By evaluating how the economy will effect an organisation and by completing a SWOT analysis, allows companies to set their goals and objectives . Goals and objectives give focus to a task such as what will be achieved and when. Setting goals is difficult for companies as they have to look beyond their present status and predict how their role as a business will fit in with the changing economy. The criteria for assessing goals is to be realistic and this can be achieved using the SMART acronym. Specific: Does the goal set specific targets? Measurable: Goals can be defined precisely enough to measure progress towards them. Attainable: Goals should be challenging but not unreasonable. (Goal setting theory suggests the motivational consequences of goal setting. Rewarded: People see that attaining a goal will bring reward. Timed: Does the goal specify the time over which it will be achieved, to a reasonable and acceptable standard. Goals and objectives provide the reference point for other decisions within the management plan, formulating the criteria against which performance can be measured. Creating a set of goals and objectives will direct a company to identify what actions and resources are necessary in order to accomplish the set goals and objectives. This will identify what needs to be done, who will do it and communicate this information to the relevant personnel. With reference to Lynch (2005) specifies that managers handle this aspect of planning in 3 ways: Comprehensively: where managers decide to make a clear cut change in direction. They assume that success depends on driving the changes rapidly and in a coordinated way across the company that implies a comprehensive business plan, Incremental or directional plan: where areas of the business plan are uncertain such as a volatile market, or where the company is depending on the outcome of research. Important strategic areas may be left deliberately unclear until the outcomes of current events have been established (Lynch, 2005, Page 633), or the third way, selective planning when neither of the other two methods are the best way forward and managers implement major change only in some areas of the business plan. Plans will vary for different companies, as an example, Grant (2003), gives an insight into the way mangers can develop strategy. For instance his study in 6 major oil companies used a clear planning process as detailed in figure 1.3. The details varied between companies but all shared the common components. Figure 1.3 The generic strategic planning cycle Source: Based on Grant (2003) Once a plan has been formulated the objectives and actions of the plan needs to be communicated to managers and employees. In larger organisations this can incur time and effort but is carried out to ensure: Everyone understands the plan Allow time to resolve any issues, confusion or ambiguity Communicate judgements and assumptions that underline the plan Ensure the plan is instigated and activities are organised in practice and on paper. 3.4 Outcomes of planning However good a business plan is, unless it is implemented nothing normally happens. To ensure the plan is instigated, progress needs to be monitored. This can be monitored in a number of different ways such as, output and profit or by completing goals and objectives. By constantly evaluating the progress or the company and monitoring the results, objectives and targets can be changed to suit the business if for example there is change in legislation. This is why gathering knowledge and using a fundamental element such as the PESTEL model is a continual cycle to ensure sustainable growth. Conclusion Business plans will vary in every company, but the major elements will always remain consistent. In order to survive the current economic climate it is time for business to make significant changes. It is essential for companies to gather information that is to date with legislation, politics, technology etc and all the elements associated with the PESTEL model. This will enable companies to alter the business plan to constantly evolve with the market trend. The construction industry, according to many major companies and societies, is still in recession and with a new government introducing legislation involving tax increases and spending cuts, construction companies need to rethink their current strategies. Willmot Dixon, as an example, is looking to diversify into different areas of property development, with consistent work sprouting from maintenance and refurbishment work. Examples like this can demonstrate positive management thinking that will be the flagship for other smaller companies to follow. Bibliography Robson W., (1997). Strategic Management Information Systems. 2nd Ed. Great Britain: Pearson Education Limited. Palmer, A and Hartley, B., (2006). The Business Environment. 5th Ed. Great Britain: McGraw-Hill Education Harris, F and McCaffer, R., (2006) Modern Construction Management 6th Ed. Great Britain: Blackwell Publishing Limited Broddy, D. and Paton, S., (2011)). Management An Introduction 5th Ed. England: Pearson Education Limited

Jane Eyre :: Essays Papers

Jane Eyre A. Setting: England, Early 1800s B. Point of View: First person C. Jane Eyre, the main character, is sent out of the drawing room by her Aunt, Mrs. Reed (Jane’s parents had died while she was very young and her Uncle took her in. After he died Mrs. Reed kept Jane although she despised her.). Jane then retires to the library, where she hid by the window-sill, behind the curtain. A few minutes later her cousins John, Eliza, and Geneva come in. While Eliza and Geneva watch, John orders Jane to show herself. As she does, he taunts and insults her before taking the book away saying that since his father died everything in the house belonged to him. John threw the book at her causing her to fall back striking her head. When Jane tried to defend herself, John was hurt and called for his mother and the servants. Jane was locked in the room in which her Uncle died, for the whole night, as punishment for misbehavior. D. Jane is a girl who is used to unjust treatment. Most of her life she had to live in a house with no one who cared for her and no one she cared about. When she leaves Lowood ( the school she attended as a child and teenager ), I believe she is looking for happiness. Jane is extremely independent, for instance when she walked all the way to town to mail her letter. She is also very cynical like when Mr. Rochester asks if she expects a present from him and she replies that she has done nothing to deserve a present. Mr. Rochester is the other main character of this story. He also is wanting happiness, but mostly he just wants peace. He is brash and blunt, not really caring about people’s feelings. E. After Jane attends school at Lowood 6 years then teaches 2 additional years she becomes tired of it and places an ad for a governess position in the local newspaper. The ad is answered and Jane packs her things and heads off. Jane doesn’t meet the man she works for until one night when she is taking a letter into town to mail. Mr. Rochester’s horse gets spooked and they take a fall on the ice. Mr. Rochester sprained his ankle but his horse is fine. when he is talking to Jane he learns that she is the new governess at

Madina Lake are an American rock/alternative band formed in Chicago in 2005

In this photo, Madina Lake has some very dark, murky colours in the background. Around the edge of the backdrop, it is entirely black. Black connotes that they have a lot of power and aggression in their singing since it is a very dominant colour. Also, it conveys a very sinister mood of sadness and unhappiness. So the colour of black already illustrates the personality of the whole band and what their music is about: powerful and aggressive music and their lyrics are sad and unhappy. As you focus into the centre of the backdrop, the colours shown are dark, murky greys and greens. The dark tone of the colours still conveys the feeling of sadness, and the shadowy green expresses hardship and misfortune. This reveals that in their history and backgrounds, they have encountered times of hardship and misfortune. The texture of the backdrop itself, a wall, is very shabby and tattered with some large holes which have been ripped out from it. This gives the impression that they are rough, angry band and have a very rocky style. The presentation of the band members is actually quite smart, but has the casual effect as well. They are sat on a white sofa on a white floor which indicates that despite the background gives them a powerful, aggressive appearance, each individual has their tranquil, peaceful side. They are all wearing slightly frayed jeans, showing they are casual and relaxed. Their shirts are smart and well presented; this points out that they also have their formal side to them. This fashion is quite popularly worn by rock bands these days, so this shows that they are your modern, up to date rock band. The lighting in the picture is used quite effectively. It concentrates on the band and gradually fades out around the edge. This is so the audience focuses on the band. As the edge of the picture is in shadow, it gives a feeling that they like to be enclosed by darkness, giving them an aspect of mystery. The eyes of the members are in shadow as well, further adding the aspect of mystery. All members of Madina Lake have some very attention-grabbing hair styles. Each member has their own unique style which shows that they want to stand out from each other in their own way. For example, Mateo on the left has blond hair with a black stripe running through it. The blond connotes that he is a fun and optimistic guy, but the black implies he has power and mystery within his fun and optimistic character. The camera angle is slightly canted at a low angle. The canted angle suggests they like to be interesting and dramatic and portrays a sense of unease and disorientation to the audience, and the low angle implies superiority and that they have power over the audience. This fits in with the dark, powerful colours they have used in the photo. To complete the analyses of this photo, Madina Lake are positioned very close to one another, connoting that the band are a very intimately connected group. There facial expressions are quite directed to the audience. The expressions upon their face have a component of seriousness, especially where the eyes are looking directly at the audience to grab attention and give the feeling they are connecting with you, but they have a relaxed body gesture because of their forward lean, open legs and relaxed hand position. This illustrates they can be calm and composed. The fact the band is made of four members gives an advantage, because you can't really have a middle person to lead and dominate the whole band, giving each band member equal values.

Free Essays on The Revelation In OConnors Revelation

The Revelation in O’Connor’s Revelation Cultural studies, as applied to literary criticism, states that the works that come out of a certain region are inherently tied to the socioeconomic and culturalistic values of that region. The Southern United States is generally said to be one of the more historically religious areas of the country. It is no surprise that Flannery O’Connor’s works would deal with ideas of good and evil, right and wrong, and more importantly Christianity and the role it plays in the Southern United States. In examining her short story Revelation, it will become apparent that O’Connor’s Christian upbringing and the moral beliefs that came with it both remained with, and at times tormented her. Growing up in a southern religious family there is no doubt that Flannery O’Connor knew the intricacies of her family’s religion. Being raised a Southern Baptist, who would later convert to Catholicism; O’Connor would let religion play a major role in her live, and as the old saying goes, â€Å"A good writer writes what they know,† so went O’Connor. Revelation gives the reader insight into exactly how O’Connor feels about her religious convictions, but more importantly about the masses that attended the Sunday sermons. While there are those who objected to how O’Connor portraits the Christian religion in her writings, she herself writes of this, â€Å"The stories are hard, but they are hard because there is nothing harder or less sentimental than Christian realism† (Polter). This statement from O’Connor gives insight into what she felt while writing Revelation. The Christian realism that O’Connor speaks, of is her observations of those people who go to church on Sundays but the rest of the week forget what being a Christian is supposed to mean. In order to illustrate her point, O’Connor uses the character of Mrs. Turpin as a means to give the reader an example of the problem she se... Free Essays on The Revelation In O'Connor's Revelation Free Essays on The Revelation In O'Connor's Revelation The Revelation in O’Connor’s Revelation Cultural studies, as applied to literary criticism, states that the works that come out of a certain region are inherently tied to the socioeconomic and culturalistic values of that region. The Southern United States is generally said to be one of the more historically religious areas of the country. It is no surprise that Flannery O’Connor’s works would deal with ideas of good and evil, right and wrong, and more importantly Christianity and the role it plays in the Southern United States. In examining her short story Revelation, it will become apparent that O’Connor’s Christian upbringing and the moral beliefs that came with it both remained with, and at times tormented her. Growing up in a southern religious family there is no doubt that Flannery O’Connor knew the intricacies of her family’s religion. Being raised a Southern Baptist, who would later convert to Catholicism; O’Connor would let religion play a major role in her live, and as the old saying goes, â€Å"A good writer writes what they know,† so went O’Connor. Revelation gives the reader insight into exactly how O’Connor feels about her religious convictions, but more importantly about the masses that attended the Sunday sermons. While there are those who objected to how O’Connor portraits the Christian religion in her writings, she herself writes of this, â€Å"The stories are hard, but they are hard because there is nothing harder or less sentimental than Christian realism† (Polter). This statement from O’Connor gives insight into what she felt while writing Revelation. The Christian realism that O’Connor speaks, of is her observations of those people who go to church on Sundays but the rest of the week forget what being a Christian is supposed to mean. In order to illustrate her point, O’Connor uses the character of Mrs. Turpin as a means to give the reader an example of the problem she se...

Comparative Study Between Frank Lloyd Wright and Japanese Architecture Essay Example

Comparative Study Between Frank Lloyd Wright and Japanese Architecture Essay Example Comparative Study Between Frank Lloyd Wright and Japanese Architecture Paper Comparative Study Between Frank Lloyd Wright and Japanese Architecture Paper Architecture reflects mankinds artlstlc and engineering achievements. A bulldlng may merely be used to house people or property, but It represents the designs and structural marvels of that specific period. As we move from one architectural period to another, we find Individuals who have contributed greatly to their respective architectural periods and left their mark on the growing world of art and architecture. Frank Lloyd Wright is one such individual who has changed the way we look at homes and buildings today. He is considered by many as the greatest architect in American history. He as built pieces of architecture that is marvelled by artists and aspiring architects today. Americas premier architect, Frank Lloyd Wright was born in the Richland Center, Wisconsin on June 8, 1867. Anna Lloyd Jones Wright, his mother was the driving force that helped him become the architect that people remember today. She believed it was in his destiny to become an architect and her responsibility in helping him fulfil it. He attended college at the university of Wisconsin in 1884. He was determined to be an architect. Even though the university didnt offer architecture, he stayed there and attended engineering classes. This is where he got some architectural experience from doing construction on the college. Later in 1887 he worked for the firm of Adler and Sullivan. Wrights first constructions were homes. Frank mastered the art of making the house blend with its surroundings, as it were grown from the ground. He achieved this by adding objects on to the house, which made it fit its natural environment. Frank Lloyd Wright was greatly influenced by Japanese architecture. It was the Colombian Fair in 1873 where he was first introduced and became fascinated with Japanese culture. A Japanese Pavilion, Ho-o-den which was exhibited at the fair proved to be Instrumental In Wrights fascination of Japanese architecture, as It was the first time; he was able to explore Asia and Asian culture without physically having to travel there. Wright was a big collector of Japanese prints and textiles and the Influence of Japanese design and architecture made him visit Japan In February 1905. Austere methods of onstruction, lightweight materials and porous boundaries between Inside and outside are all hallmarks of traditional Japanese architecture. The western architects bullt houses and buildings that could withstand harsh forces of nature. They used strong and heavy materials which overpower nature and help them make the tall and monumental building we so admire today. The Japanese on the other hand, bullt with nature. They used wood as a building material which went in harmony with the surroundings and embraced nature. To this day we can still see some of Japans oldest buildings and temples standing in wood. In Western architecture we often see spires and other vertical features which signify Gods omnipotent power over all things. Japanese temples and shrines comprised the horizontal and were petit which were built to be part of nature rather than stand out like their western counterparts. Minimalist design was encouraged by architects of Japan. Contrary to the Western architects who have traditionally tried to make to make their buildings interesting to look at by adding unnecessary decorations and arranging modules of differing heights, Japanese architects focused on making their structures sublime and mysterious on a horizontal level. When it comes to Japanese architecture you start with one room and put a great amount of effort to get that right before moving on to the next room. Japans less popular and smaller buildings and temples caught Wrights attention. The horizontal layouts of Japanese buildings fascinated Wright, as it showed him the principles of simplicity, monumentality, and horizontality. These would become the building blocks of his architectural style. The foundations and framework of the Japanese buildings influenced Frank Lloyd Wright. The Japanese idea of buildings not being frozen in a specific time or place inspired Wright and was eflected in many of his works. This was different from the Western mentality towards preservation and reformation. The Westerners built a building that is defined by the specific historical moment from which it was produced. Wright saw the Japanese as not having the same sense of attachment, as they regarded a building being in a continuous state of change. Japanese believed that a building could be renovated and reconstructed a number of times and remain the same, only its phase changed. The greenery of Japan, as well as Japanese tea gardens influenced Wright during his trip to Japan. Wright He implemented this concept in his architectural designs where he aimed at creating a sense of continuity between the interior and exterior elements of a house and garden. He had an idea that nature like architecture could be simplified to its basic geometric elements of line and shape. (Riccardo Cardilli, 2010) Between the eighth and twelfth century, Japan was under the Heian Reign. During this time shinden-zukuri was a popular type of architecture. Its is a Japanese style of architecture independent of and Chinese inspirations. The layout comprised a central sleeping room known as shinden, three pavilions known as tai no ya with djoining verandas known as Wataridono, and two long corridors called Ro. This traditional Japanese style was depicted in many of Wrights architectural marvels. Frank Lloyd Wright was responsible for the start of Usonia Homes. These include a planned community in the Town of Mount Pleasant which is adjacent to the village of Pleasantville, New York. The entire layout and design of the homes were under Wrights responsibility. Three homes out of the forty seven that were part of the project were designed by Wright, while the rest were done by architects: Paul Schweikher, Theodore Dixon Bower, Ulrich Franzen, KaneJi Domoto, Aaron Resnick nd David Henken who was Wrights apprentice. Wright planned the layout of the neighbourhood in such a way that it would follow a circular pattern, which helped conserve majority of trees in the vicinity and encouraging the flow of the land. The homes were themed with Wrights organic philosophy of style. Usonia was the name given to the community in homage to Wright and his goal of the togetherness of Americans. The community characterised of narrow roads which gracefully twisted and chicaned, birds sitting on windowsills, antlers roaming and maple trees in abundance. Nature dominated the community as sixty percent was forest and eadow. The houses embraced nature and nestled into its surroundings, as naturally as the tresses and grass around it. Wrights more popular and grand homes appeared to have a variety of Japanese qualities. However, the Usonian home was where the true Japanese architectural philosophies could be found. The homes Oapanese and Usonian homes) which initially appear very different, in reality are very similar when it comes to conceptualization and implementation. These similarities are characterised by four features that make them relatives. First, the entryw ay stands out to enhance the experiential quality of the home. Secondly, the houses use nature as an ingredient to building, connecting the inside of the home to its surroundings. Thirdly, the basic structure of the two types of houses includes a fondness for open and contempt towards the common box shape of the house. Finally, aesthetic simplicity is a feature that can be seen in both houses. Within each category as well, the implementations of these concepts produce equivalent structural qualities in both the Usonian and Japanese house. (Alexandra Black, 2000) Frank Lloyd Wright house Zimmerman House Manchester URL: e-architect. co. uk/boston/new_england_buildings. htm Japanese ouses are popular for having a foyer at the entrance. This is where the visitors removed their shoes before entering the actual house. This helped in the transition from the outside to the inside of the house. We see in the Wright homes a foyer is also included. The foyer is mainly used to welcome the visitor and also serve as protection from the outside dust and other elements. It also helped in providing an enlarged effect that Wright was so famous for. As the visitor enters, the ceilings are raised which makes the actual space look open and grand. Both Wright and the Japanese believed that a house should embrace its surrounding. It should not be a division between the inhabitants and the surroundings but on the other hand entice them to feel the nature around them. experience it more deeply. The Usonian and Japanese homes achieved this by using nature as a decoration of the house and making it a vital contributor to the houses beauty. Gardens were popular among the houses and played an important role to bring harmony between the interior and exterior. The walls, windows, lighting, and materials also were used to reveal the beauty of nature. Living Area of an Usonian House and Japanese House and nature URL: http:// www. galenfrysinger. com/iowa_cedar_rock. tm URL: onelife]apan. com/tours/thatch_roof_volunteer. html Japanese houses had natural lighting and were commonly illuminated by candles. Wright could not stick to this concept in America for the Usonian homes. He managed to use lighting as subtly as possible. Large panels of open glass and windows were uses whenever possible. The fireplace also provided light and heat during evenings. After sunset, Wright used smaller, soft lighting sources that were placed within the houses structural lines. These light sources were hidden and intended to reflect off of the ceilings and walls to provide a subtle sunlight effect. Some might question Wrights direct connection with Japanese architectural elements. However, it is certain that he adopted Japanese theories to aid his architectural brilliance, which is seen clearly in the comparisons between the Usonian Houses and Japanese homes. The Usonian house symbolises a reincarnation of the Japanese home which is for a modern everyday human being. Whether the Japanese influence was intentional or not, Wright has shown through his works that traditional Japanese theories of architecture pertain to today demand and livelihood to provide a house that is organic and affordable. Pfeiffer, 1918) The world is growing and diverse cultures are being exposed to wider reaches of the globe. Traditional Japanese homes would be a myth in North America. However, the ideas that are instilled in Japanese homes and the Usonian houses of the 1900s have inspired simple, elegant, organic, inexpensive architecture today. An architect must not dwell on past building designs and, but to implement the principles that has been carried on from the past and provide the world with appropriate architectural products for the present. The Japanese were pioneers at this and so was Frank Lloyd Wright who inspires aspiring and xperienced architect of today to do the same.

Christopher Columbus- The Discovery (1992) Movie Review

Christopher Columbus- The Discovery (1992) - Movie Review Example Christopher Columbus proposed to the then king of Portugal John the Second in 1485 that he financially supports him in his voyage to the Atlantic in order for him to discover new lands. Christopher Columbus had been searching for financial support from various nations but in vain. The main reason why he lacked support was due to the fact that the Roman Catholic Church was against his voyages. This was a hardship for Christopher Columbus since the Roman Catholic had a lot of influence hence them being against him meant financial support from rulers would be difficult. The king John the second’s advisors rejected Columbus’ proposal. However, the Roman Catholic gave Columbus 12,000 Maravedis as an annual allowance in their effort to ensure that if Columbus made any discoveries then there was a possibility of the church claiming their rights on the lands. It was not until 1492 that Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand agreed to sponsor Christopher Columbus in his voyage though they did this partly together with Italian investors (Brigham 24). In the agreement, Columbus was to be named Admiral of the ocean, and in all the lands that he discovered he was to be named the governor and viceroy of all these lands. Plot and Theme The film is about Christopher Columbus who is a navigator from Genoa with a dream to make sure he finds another route to West Indies since the route that is being used is particularly long hence very costly. The route in which he desires to discover is believed to be short involving sailing towards the west rather than east through the ocean. Christopher Columbus tries to get backing from the Portuguese king who rejects his proposal. He then turns to the king and queen of Spain Isabella and Ferdinand. Christopher Columbus faces a hard time convincing the man who is King Ferdinand’s lead advisor. However, Christopher Columbus is able to convince the king to fund him in his expedition after seducing the queen who helps in convinci ng her husband. Christopher Columbus is given command of three ships with a crew composed of mainly thieves and murderers who are the only people who can agree to undertake such a journey since it was dimmed to be dangerous and impossible. Christopher Columbus also faces a lot of opposition from the church especially from the priest who accuses him of going against God’s wishes because he advises Columbus not to go hence that is God’s Wish. In the film, Christopher Columbus faces a lot of challenges the church being the major problem. This is because, the church has a lot of influence hence what it directs is followed by everyone. Christopher Columbus decision to continue in his quest of finding an alternative route to the West Indies attracts a lot of hostility from both the church and other government officials hence his problem in getting the necessary finance needed to undertake the journey. Christopher Columbus also faces problems in his navigation of waters which are new to him. His ships are almost sunk by storms, and he even loses members of his crew. Christopher also faces a lot of hardship in controlling and maintaining discipline among his crew members who are mostly thieves and murderers. For instance, while at sea a mutiny takes place as a result of some men feeling that they are lost and Christopher Columbus will only lead them to their destruction. Columbus is also being spied on by Portugal which sends a spy to pose as one of

Managing stress among employees in an outpatient setting Research Paper

Managing stress among employees in an outpatient setting - Research Paper Example At the same time, the effectiveness of the changes being implemented need to be determined at regular intervals. It is identified that the negligence of evaluation phases causes the breakdown of implemented changes. This paper will discuss various strategies and techniques that can be effectively employed in evaluating the impacts of the introduced changes among employees in out-patient settings. There are three evaluation phases that are scientifically designed for program evaluation; formative evaluation, summative evaluation, and impact evaluation. The formative evaluation phase continuously acquires information regarding the introduced program in order to amplify the performance. According to Lytras, Carroll, Damiani, Tennyson, Avison, Vossen, and Pablos (2008), in summative evaluation phase, the outcomes of the project are assessed; and from those results, the project managers analyze the impact of the outcome on its actual beneficiaries; the shareholders (p.672). On the other h and, impact evaluation phase focuses on the larger group of beneficiaries over a long period of time. Here we can use formative evaluation and summative evaluation techniques for the determination of the effectiveness of the introduced organizational change in an out-patient setting. ... Similarly, it is suggestible for the project management team to assess the effectiveness of the change by considering its impacts on those employees who were affected by stress. It can be achieved by comparing the individuals’ level of performance prior to and after the implementation of the program. Their new ways of working behavior both as individuals and as team need to be evaluated for knowing whether the change takes a positive effect on them or not. This process of change management is termed as change curve which can be used for assessing the impacts of the implemented measures (Change management: Making organization change happen effectively, n.d.). It is important to evaluate the extent to which the measures being implemented are accepted by the workers and whether the measures are effective in helping employees to bring out their potential completely toward the work undertaken. It would be better to assess the rate of absenteeism before and after the execution of th e strategies. The record of employees’ medical leave would reflect the effectiveness of stress management measures, because stress- free life offers physical as well as mental stability. At the same time, the finest way is to judge how effectively employees involve in work and how well this is being reflected in their performance. It is better to evaluate the workers’ contribution towards the development of the organization as a whole. An efficient supervisor would assist the management to evaluate the individual performance frequently. The status of the organization also reflects the impacts of organizational change. To illustrate, it is essential to analyze the impact of the program on the economic interests of the shareholders. In addition, the progress of the organization and its stature