MATH, SCIENCE, AND PINK COLLARS GENDER STEREOTYPING AND...

High school and college are both important institutions in many peoples lives. These academic institutions are seen as places where identities are forged, friendships are made, important basic lessons are learned, and ideally, plans are made regarding both near and distant futures. High school and college are toted as places where post-pubescent adolescents are supposed to find out what exactly they want to do with their lives – a period of four to eight or more years where the groundwork for the rest of your life out in the â€Å"real world† is laid out. Whether you want to be a social worker, a chemical engineer, or a teacher, high school and college are the places where you can learn about what you are interested in as well as where you†¦show more content†¦Kenkel and Bruce A. Gage explore the idea that women from low-income backgrounds were more likely to aspire to what are seen as female-specific jobs while they were in high school. Gage and Kenkel menti on the the fact that â€Å"in American society, there is a pronounced gender-typing of occupations with the result that most people know which jobs are feminine, which are masculine, and which may appropriately be filled by either men or women.† (Kenkel, Gage, 1983, p. 129-130) Kenkel and Gage also cite many studies that have found alarmingly similar patterns in women and girls ranging from preschool to college age when it comes to their job aspirations and goals. Preschoolers and six year olds are highly aware of gender stereotyping when it comes to jobs, as are women in college and high school. They also mention studies that suggest that an increase in social class and education level comes with less occupational gender stereotyping – which is right in line with studies conducted by other parties that have found that the higher aspirations an individual has, the less likely they are to succumb to gender stereotyping when it comes to their careers. (Kenkel, Gage, 1 983, p. 130) According to Kenkel and Gage, women have a much narrower range of jobs that they tend to choose from than their male counterparts. They point out that there are four occupational areas that girls usually pigeonholeShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesOB Model 23 An Overview 23 †¢ Inputs 24 †¢ Processes 25 †¢ Outcomes 25 Summary and Implications for Managers 30 S A L Self-Assessment Library How Much Do I Know About Organizational Behavior? 4 Myth or Science? â€Å"Most Acts of Workplace Bullying Are Men Attacking Women† 12 An Ethical Choice Can You Learn from Failure? 24 glOBalization! Does National Culture Affect Organizational Practices? 30 Point/Counterpoint Lost in Translation? 31 Questions for Review 32 Experiential Exercise Workforce DiversityRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 PagesManagement Course: MBA−10 General Management California College for Health Sciences MBA Program McGraw-Hill/Irwin abc McGraw−Hill Primis ISBN: 0−390−58539−4 Text: Effective Behavior in Organizations, Seventh Edition Cohen Harvard Business Review Finance Articles The Power of Management Capital Feigenbaum−Feigenbaum International Management, Sixth Edition Hodgetts−Luthans−Doh Contemporary Management, Fourth Edition Jones−George Driving Shareholder Value Morin−Jarrell LeadershipRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 PagesBureau of Labor Statistics, http://stats.bls.gov/ecopro.table6.htm GLOBAL COMPETITION One major factor affecting these shifts is the globalization of economic forces. As seen the past few years, the collapse of Asian economies had significant effects on U.S.-based organizations. One estimate by U.S. government statisticians is that over 25% of all U.S. manufacturing workers hold jobs dependent on exporting goods to other countries. This is particularly true with more highly skilled, technical

Commemorative Speech Free Essays

Commemorative Speech October 27, 2008 the day the city of Philadelphia finally could breathe a sigh of relief. On this date the Philadelphia Phillies won the 2008 World Series, breaking the city’s long 25 years of heart breaks since the city’s last major sport championship. They beat the Tampa Bay Rays in 5 Games in the best of 7 series. We will write a custom essay sample on Commemorative Speech or any similar topic only for you Order Now Four days later the city’s dreams of a parade down Broad Street finally became a reality. On October 31st, 2008 instead of costumes and Halloween candy the city was painted red. Everywhere you could see, everyone was celebrating the World Championship of our Philadelphia Phillies. The city took a day off. Whether it be from school, work, or even a day full of errands, the city shut down to be a part of this great memory. Hundreds of thousands poured into the heart of the Philadelphia. As the parade marched on down Broad Street, fans lined the street 40 to 50 rows of people deep. The sea of red shirts flooded Broad Street, but was then separated by the flatbed trucks that carried our beloved champions. The roar of the crowd chanting, â€Å"Let’s Go Phillies! echoed throughout the entire city just like the Liberty Bell used too when it rang so many years ago. The parade ended in Citizens Bank Park with a sellout crowd. As they held up the trophy the place erupted in cheers. Today there was no sadness. There was no anger. There was no pain. Nothing but smiles and happiness, for today we were number one and the whole world knew it. News channels portraye d our parade as one of the largest in history with the total attendance coming in around what some sources say just about 2 million people. Today the city was one. Everyone, no matter who, came together to rejoice. There were no enemies today. The rich partied with the poor, the criminals with the police for today we were all friends. For once happiness rang throughout every household. When thinking back to this day I can’t help but see the symbol of unity. Unity is defined as: â€Å"The state of being united or joined as a whole; Harmony or agreement between people or groups. † The Philadelphia Phillies united the great City Of Brotherly Love and lifted a huge cross off our backs. Not only did they give us a championship, but they gave us a break from our overworked lives and to enjoy a simple game. This was the city’s first major sport championship since 1983. It was a long 25 years filled with heart breaks and disappointments. Some people believed it was the â€Å"William Penn Curse† that caused this drought for championships, but whatever it was the 2008 Phillies overcame it. Fans throughout Philly are relieved to finally have a team of their own that they can call champions. Everyone could agree on one thing, without any arguments, that on this day October 31st, 2008 we stood together in celebration for our team, our city, and ourselves and will forever hold these memories in our hearts. A quote that’s most fitting and I would like to end with is from Fred Shero, a former Philadelphia Flyers head coach who took his team to the Stanley Cup in 1974 and won it. He said as a pregame speech to the Stanley Cup Championship â€Å"Win together today and we’ll walk together forever. † The 2008 Philadelphia Phillies changed the demeanor of the city and gives us hope for more championships to come. How to cite Commemorative Speech, Papers Commemorative Speech Free Essays Today, I’m going to tell you why I’m proud to share the history of the Soccer Ball and the love of the beautiful game. Ill. Most of you are familiar with the proud heritage that the game of soccer has grown to be not only in our country, but around the world. We will write a custom essay sample on Commemorative Speech or any similar topic only for you Order Now ‘V. Today, I am going to commemorate the Soccer Ball and the love for the beautiful game of Soccer. I want to share with all of you about our proud history and heritage, and discuss personally what working and living with you guys has meant to me these past three years. Transition: First, I would like to share with you the amazing history of the game of Soccer. ) Body l. Through out history, humans have enjoyed kicking a ball or something like a ball. A. According to historical references and legends, early balls ranged from human heads, animal or human skulls, to animal bladders. B. It wasn’t until 1855, when Charles Goodyear designed and built the first rubber soccer ball. C. Since then, every four years a new ball is designed specially for the World Cup. II. B. Due to their specialized training, the men of 2nd Ranger Battalion were chosen to conduct operations on June 6, 1944 during the Invasion of Normandy. ll. The Invasion of Normandy is arguably one of the most famous and greatest feats the men f 2nd Ranger Battalion gained notoriety for. A. During the Invasion of Normandy, the 2nd Ranger Battalion was split in two and sent on two different missions. Ill. One of these groups was send to Omaha Beach. attempt to complete the mission their country asked of them. B. They faced heavy gun fire, mortar attacks, and heavy casualties as they ran up the beach to subdue the German bunkers. IV. The other group of men were tasked with scaling the cliffs of Point Du Hoc to destroy 1 55 mm guns. A. These men scaled cliffs using grappling hooks and rope ladders while gunfire and hand grenades rained over them. B. Once these men reached the top of the cliffs, they held their position for two days against heavy German counter attacks while only a third of them were left standing at the end still able to fght. V. Both of these instances give pride to the organization. A. These men stared death in the face and fought against it for the greater good. B. Despite being heavily overwhelmed with the odds stacked against them, these Rangers used their training, ingenuity, and courage to complete the mission. (Transition: When I think about the history I have Just discussed and look at all of you tanding here, I see the same type of man in front of me that I have Just described to you. ) l. Since I can remember, I have watched a soccer ball being kicked around. A. Every Sunday, I would wake up and soccer would be on TV. I would sit by my dad and watch the games with him. B. There were times when we would go and kick the ball around instead of watching it on TV. C. This was our father daughter time and I loved it. D. Even now, being far from my father, we still bond through soccer whether it be talking about games or when I come home and visit go watch a game. E. It is a ymbolic figure and representation to the best nations in the world 1. No other sporting event has the same impact as the World Cup. Entire countries grind to a halt to watch games. 2. Even those who arent fans can and should appreciate that the World Cup is far more than a mere competition. During the next year, hundreds of millions of people will celebrate a shared passion and, because of it, perhaps fret a little less over the things that drive them apart. That is a beautiful and all-too-rare thing. Even if we don’t speak each other’s languages, don’t always appreciate and espect each other’s cultures, religions, politics and lifestyle choices, â€Å"Goal! is a word that resonates Joyfully and is understood from Beijing to Bogota, Sydney to Seattle. No other sport speaks to so many. The game’s cross-border, cross-culture, cross- division universality is what makes the World Cup so special, a celebration not of 22 players on a pitch but of all who watch them. F. In the end, all I can say is that you all hold my deepest and most sincere admiration. (Transition: I feel pride not only because I am part of an organization with such an enduring and proud history, but because of the men standing in front of me right Conclusion 1 . The World Cup is an event filled with personal stories, national pride, and heart wrenching moments, and next year in Brazil will be no different. Although these have been the hardest and most miserable times of my life, I wouldn’t change it for anything. A. To be be part of such a proud organization, and to have spent this time with you guys is irreplaceable. B. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve in 2nd Ranger Battalion and to have served next to the finest and bravest people I have ever met in my life. C. Thank you for the memories. II. Rangers Lead The Way! How to cite Commemorative Speech, Papers

The Black Sox Scandal free essay sample

The Black Sox Scandal A shady and mysterious event, the throwing of the 1919 Baseball World Series, involving the notorious Chicago White Sox, greatly impacted the lives of those involved with the scandal. Many factors caused the throw, including the greed of a crafty gambler, the poor wages of several players, and all-over bad attitude towards an owner of a team. Although unjust and unfair, the scandal was explainable and understandable. It affected those involved in both positive and negative ways. The World Series of 1919 was held in Cincinnati, home to the Cincinnati Reds. The Chicago White Sox had suffered through eight years of fruitless games and tournaments, after winning the World Series in 1911 (Asinof). The team was owned by Charles Comiskey, who paid all his players very poorly (Asinof). Due to this, the players resented him, which gave all who partook in the throw, Eddie Cicotte, Claude Williams, Buck Weaver, Chick Gandil, Fred McMullin, Charles Risberg, Oscar Felsch and Joe Jackson, even more of a reason to agree to the proposal to throw the series Everstine). We will write a custom essay sample on The Black Sox Scandal or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The man responsible for the initiation of the scandal was Joseph Sullivan, a notorious gambler in his early thirties, Just years away from retirement, and although betting on baseball games wasnt allowed within the ballparks, it was common anywhere else (Bennett). Sullivan offered Gandil, a first baseman of the White Sox, $100,000 for participation in the scandal (Everstine). Gandil demanded an upfront payment, which Sullivan borrowed from another gambler by the name of Arnold Rothstein (Asinof). The series was successfully thrown; the White Sox made it o the finals, faced the Cincinnati Reds and purposefully lost (Asinof). A year later, the public found out about the throw, every player was put on trial, and they were known as the Black Sox from then on (Asinof). The Jury of the trial concerning the throw of the World Series took two and a half hours to decide on a non-guilty verdict, because many written confessions turned up missing (Bennett). Williams, a couple days before his testimony, was visited by a henchman of Rothstein and threatened his life, as well as his wifes, to stay silent hroughout the trial (History Files- Chicago Black Sox). During the trials, Comiskey, the owner of the White Sox, held several paychecks from the previous season, as leverage over the players to testify (Oregonian). Although they were banned from the league, several of the Black Sox were unwilling to entirely give up on the sport they loved and the only profession they had ever known (History Files- Chicago Black Sox). While some of the players distanced themselves from baseball, Joe Jackson, Eddie Cicotte, nd Charles Risberg continued to play in outlaw leagues or semi-professional teams.

You Dont Have To Be a Straight-A Student To Write a Great College Essay

Its a popular notion that college is only for straight-A students, but thats far from true. While grades are an important factor, your college application essays are also an important element that can show admissions counselors that you’re more than just your GPA. Take it from these students at Emerson College, UIUC, Brandeis, NC State, SUNY Binghamton, Rutgers, UC Davis, UCF and Xavier! They may not have been straight-A students, but still wrote moving, successful college essays that caught the attention of admission counselors:Emilyelainet, Class of 2019Emerson College (Boston, MA) The scents and sounds of coffee have always been comfortable constants in my life. My kitchens tiny coffee pot is always overworking itself to fuel my households four busybodies. The local Starbucks is the only comfortable hangout spot in my one-square-mile hometown. Now, for the past year and a half, the busy whirring noises of coffee machines have been mixing with guitar chords, mysterious lyrics, trombone loops, piano improvisation, slam poetry, beat-boxing, and the occasional mandolin at my favorite place in New Jersey: Cool Beans Cafà ©. Read on. Jango88, Class of 2019 University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign (Champaign, IL) I refuse to be underestimated by anyone. Although my classmates perceive excellence as a definitive trait, I argue that it is quite malleable because excellence is shaped progressively. View profile. 876476275760045FB, Class of 2018 Brandeis University (Waltham, MA) Being a student in the 21st century is rough. The cold hard truth is that society has developed in such a way that to be a great student in the eyes of many, one has to get As for grades. We are products of a number or a letter grade that often times do not really reflect our level of comprehension and ability on a particular matter. Looking back on my high school career, I believed in the omnipotent importance of an A for a long time. Continue reading. Tessarose, Class of 2017 North Carolina State University(Raleigh, NC) They called me Mini-Mom. I would wait for my brother and sister at the bus stop each day, carrying their backpacks as they sprinted home. I would then go through the procedure of helping them wash their hands, unpack their backpacks, and begin homework. I would give them treats when one of my siblings achieved a high test grade, and some nights I would make them dinner. I was ten years old. Read on. Anaik8, Class of 2015 SUNY Binghamton (Binghamton, NY) The dark red letter etched into the top left corner of my Algebra test seemed to grow bigger and bigger the more I looked at it. Disbelief and anger ran parallel in my head. Naturally, the first thought that came to my mind was to assume that our teacher had not covered the material well enough. You see, I was that kid who would throw a pitch 5 feet off the plate and say that the umps strike zone was too tight. I would slip and fall and somehow end up blaming the grass. Essentially, I was someone who could easily divert the blame of anything onto something else. It was a trait that I never really realized until later in my life. View profile. Niathuravil, Class of 2020 Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ) I was introduced to Model UN in my ninth grade, when I attended my very first environmental conference. I was nervous at the opening ceremony, and listening to the grand speeches made by the chief guests did little to relieve my anxiety. I tried my hardest during the two days of intense debate, supporting relief operations and countering accusations and arguments only to have it all pay off in the immense satisfaction I felt after the conference closed. I felt like I had achieved something tremendous, and had enjoyed it while doing so. Read on. Rogeryang15, Class of 2019UC Davis(Davis, CA) It’s my first day of third grade. I love my life, my family, going to school and doing my homework. I love playing the piano and violin, going to my tennis, soccer, basketball and swimming lessons. I don’t feel the same way about my after school tutoring or Chinese school, but it helps me learn more than my classmates do, and I love staying ahead.Continue reading.Annalisediana, Class of 2019 University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL) â€Å"Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results, not attributes.† This quote resonates with my beliefs in leadership in a few ways; I do not believe being liked is necessary, I believe that attributes are interchangeable, and that results are the best definitive measure of an individual’s leadership abilities. Although all of these are important ideals in my opinion, for the purposes of this essay, I will focus on the statement that results are the best measure of a leader’s capability. View profile. Muskies 4 the Win, Class of 2017 Xavier University (Cincinnati, OH) My path to college wasnt always so clear or certain. My high school started with my mom, who had been my best friend throughout grade school, leaving my father and my family for another man, my house being foreclosed on, and my dad constantly having his hours cut back. While I had three older brothers, they were all moved out, living their own lives now, and here I was in the middle of the world as I knew it falling apart and crushing me beneath it. I had always been a happy kid, the one who answered every question, did every assignment, Aced every test, played every sport, always had a smile on his face, and was always trying to help others and make them happy. This all came to an instantaneous, earth-shattering stop going into my sophomore year. Continue reading. Found these college essay intros helpful? Create an account andaccess 60,000+ successfulcollege application filesuploaded by college students (they get paid when you view them). is a community of students helping students. Our goal is to bring much-needed transparency to higher education.

Student High School and Student Council Essay

Student High School and Student Council Essay Student: High School and Student Council Essay Student Council Adopt a Family The student council at Staunton River HS in Moneta, VA, adopts a needy family from one of its feeder schools each year for the holidays. Each student who wishes to participate must raise at least $50 to contribute to the project. The group typically raises between $800 and $1,000. On the designated day, student council members sing carols at a local nursing home and visit with the patients. Afterwards, they go shopping for their adopted family and wrap the gifts. Someone then delivers the gifts to the family that day. "All this is done anonymously," says Margaret Petty, student council adviser. "The family may know our student council members are the donors, but our students never know the recipients." Rolling Out the Welcome Mat Some people just know how to make someone feel at home. When the parents of one freshman at Germantown HS in Memphis, TN, realized that their son probably wasn't the only student new to the area, they asked the principal for the names and phone numbers for all the high school students who had recently moved to the area. They invited the students and their parents to a pizza party at their house before the first day of school and gave them an opportunity to meet their classmates before walking into the classroom. The party was a rousing success. The next Monday every new student had someone they could eat lunch with and laugh with. Benchmark Bash Instead of providing the usual advice for students prior to standardized testingget a good night's sleep, skip questions you don't know and come back to them, bring an extra pencilthe student council at Goza MS in Arkadelphia, AR, decided to get ready for its round of spring tests with a Benchmark Bash that involved both students and parents. The Bash was a school dance and a question and answer session for parents on the Benchmark Exam, a state-mandated test that measures students' proficiency in math and literacy. All students at the middle school were invited to attend the dance and the entry "fee" was to bring a parent. Students went to the cafeteria for a dance while parents were able to choose from a variety of presentations on topics related to the testing such as four-year planning for eighth graders, test preparation, and how the test affects students in special education classes. The sessions were videotaped for parents who were unable to attend and would like the informati on. Night at the Oscars The stars come out at Kankakee Valley HS in Wheatfield, IN, each spring as the student council treats the school to a night at the Oscars. A week before the event, the student council members put out a call for nominations in such categories as

Introduction to the Economic Term Supply

Introduction to the Economic Term Supply In economics, the supply of a particular good or service is simply the quantity of the item that is produced and offered for sale. Economists refer to both individual firm supply, which is the quantity that a single firm produces and offers for sale, and market supply, which is the combined quantity that all firms in the market together produce. Supply Is Based on Profit Maximization One assumption in economics is that companies operate with the single explicit goal of maximizing profits. Therefore, the quantity of a good supplied by a firm is the amount that gives the firm the highest level of profit. The profit that a firm makes from producing a good or service depends on a number of factors, including the price that it can sell its output for, the prices of all of the inputs to production, and the efficiency of turning inputs into outputs. Since supply is the outcome of the profit maximization calculation, its hopefully not surprising that these determinants of profit are also the determinants of the quantity that a firm is willing to supply. Implicit Time Units It doesn’t really make sense to describe supply without mentioning time units. For example, if someone asked â€Å"how many computers does Dell supply?† you would need more information in order to answer the question. Is the question about computers supplied today? This week? This year? All of these time units are going to result in different quantities supplied, so it’s important to specify which one you are talking about. Unfortunately, economists are often somewhat lax about mentioning the time units explicitly, but you should remember that they are always there.

Motion against Provision of Aid to Developing Nations Coursework

Motion against Provision of Aid to Developing Nations - Coursework Example They will not develop the resources they have because they know they will get aid when they need it. Secondly, most of the aid given does not accomplish its task. It is lost in corrupt deals. Governments swindle the money meant for development of infrastructure and put it into different uses other than the expected ones (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009:350). The goal is to have the money reach the poor, but in most instances, the poor remain poorer. Thirdly, the countries giving aid will place the recipient countries under too much pressure. These countries have to change their political and economic policies to suit the needs of their donating countries, and this shows that the recipient country owes the donating country a favor (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009:351). Fourthly, the donating countries may have it as a condition that foreign companies need to manage the funds given, denying the hosts a chance to make their decisions. Since the developing nation needs the money, it is very easy to have them agree to such terms, but it will hurt its economy owing to the amount sent abroad rather than invested in the country (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009:352). The fifth point is that the amount of money sent or the form of aid given could benefit large-scale projects while the common citizen who can only handle the smaller projects remains a spectator. The goal is to develop the lowest earning person to become self-sufficient, but the use of aid denies them this chance (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009:350).

High Budget Deficits and the Growth of the Economy in the Future Term Paper

High Budget Deficits and the Growth of the Economy in the Future - Term Paper Example High budget deficits are usually needed when the economy needs a boost or it may have been in a recession. In my opinion, this is a vital move as a recession can damage an economy if it lasts for several quarters. 2 Firstly due to the budget deficit, government spending will increase. Government spending is a component of aggregate demand. Aggregate demand is defined as the total demand for all goods and services within the economy.3 It consists of Consumer spending, investment, government spending and exports, and imports. Therefore when demand aggregate increases as shown in the diagram, the price rises from r0 to r1. Therefore in the short run, we will be internationally uncompetitive in regards to prices. Therefore other countries will benefit and take our buyers. In addition to this, we will become more dependent on other countries for certain goods and services.4 This is because when we become uncompetitive on a certain good or service, we will eventually stop making it. Conseq uently, we will worsen our current account by increasing our imports. Imports are defined as goods and services that are made outside the country while exports are sold outside our country from us. As a result, our economy will not grow to as much as it can as it will lose a large amount of its export market. However, the multiplier should be taken into consideration as it will affect the magnitude of the increase in aggregate demand. Overall this is known as demand-pull inflation. Increasing government spending may cause a budget deficit but it also has some benefits. For example, the government may choose to create jobs in certain areas. Therefore these people may no longer be relying on the government for money. This seems to reduce government spending in the form of benefits. As a result, that type of money can be put to better use such as children’s education or investments. Furthermore, jobs are created so people have more consumer spending. Consumer spending is defined as the amount of spending spent by each household. Consumer spending is the largest portion of aggregate demand. Also if taxes are lowered then people have more money to spend. When people spend money the shops make the profit. Profit can either be given to shareholders or it can be invested. Now in the short run prices will rise. However if firms invest carefully and on the right things, then prices can be reduced. Firms can spend money on new machinery or training programmes for workers.5 By doing this it will reduce their production costs and lowers the prices of goods and services. As a result, we will be more internationally competitive and will be able to export a lot more goods and services. As the diagram shows that investment shifts the aggregate supply curve to the right, cause the prices levels to fall from Pt to Po. In addition output increases. High Budget deficits entail the characteristics of the fiscal policy. High government spending and lowering taxes causes budge t deficits.

Analysis of Characters of Chaucer and Austen Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Characters of Chaucer and Austen Essay In contrast, during the Hanoverian period during which Austen lived, society was based on the material possessions of an individual (or their future inheritance), family connections, and marriage. Chaucer outlines his time period through his characters: the church body through the Friar, and the working class through the Plowman. Likewise, Austen uses her protagonist, Mrs. Bennet, to mock how people of her own social class behaved during her era. Chaucer uses the Friar to demonstrate the immoral nature of the church during his time. One of the groups of people that Chaucer satirizes is the clergy. Amongst them, he attacks the character of the Friar as corrupt and dishonest. Historical evidence shows that friars were more often than not very corrupt and schemed to obtain worldly goods such as money. Many friars â€Å"came under wider criticism for worldliness and immorality† (Christianity†¦). They acted as if they had no money, but were in actuality living a fairly luxurious life. Chaucer compares the coat of Hubert, the Friar, to that of â€Å"a lord or like a pope. Of double worsted was his semi-cope† (Chaucer 8). Hubert was also â€Å"rounded like a bell†, indicating that he had enough food to eat, and did not necessarily have to beg for sustenance (8). Once at the house of a crippled man, the Friar asks for food. Now, dame, said he then, je vous dis, sans doute, Had I of a fat capon but the liver, And of your soft white bread naught but a sliver, And after that a pigs head well roasted (Save that I would no beast for me were dead), Then had I with you plain sufficiency. I am a man of little gluttony. My spirit has its nourishment in the Bible†. (313) This statement by the Friar epitomizes the relationship of the common people to those of the church at this time: while pretending to not have or need a lot, the clergy will steal from the lower class. â€Å"[The Friar] uses his position in the church to get money† (The Frior†¦). The middle class however, does not mistrust the church body as shown by the Plowman. In contrast to the corrupt church, Chaucer demonstrates the honesty and piousness of the middle class through the Plowman during the Post-Classical period*. Even though the church was trying to extract money and goods from his class, the Plowman â€Å"paid his taxes, fully, fairly, well, / Both by his own toil and by stuff he’d sell†, meaning that he trusted the church and was honest (Chaucer 15). â€Å"Chaucer here negates the commonly held perception of the peasant’s supposed hatred of the church† (FREE study†¦). Chaucer writes that the Plowman was a good Christian follower as he uses the two greatest commandments to describe the Plowman: â€Å"He loved God most, and that with his whole heart/ †¦ / And next, his neighbor, even as himself (Chaucer 15). The Plowman also â€Å"[lived] in peace and perfect charity†, another allusion to the teachings of Jesus Christ as written in the Bible. Another example of his piousness is shown when Chaucer writes that â€Å"[he’d] thresh and dig, with never thought of pelf, / For Christ’s own sake, for every poor wight, / All without pay, if it lay in his might† (15). The fact that the Plowman did not think of pelf, or money gained in a dishonest way, shows how he was not materialistic like the clergy. Chaucer also states that the Plowman would work (without thinking of gaining money) for the sakes of Jesus Christ and those poor, and less fortunate without receiving money. Although people of this period could live while not thinking about money for the sake of charity, money was one of the main focuses for people, especially women, in Jane Austen’s time. Austen demonstrates through her character, Mrs. Bennet, the narrow-mindedness of women of this era. Jane Austen was born into a family of the landed gentry: a social rank consisting of landowners who did not have to work, and could live solely off the rent income. Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, was written about those in this social class, and their interaction with others in society. Mrs. Bennet directly personifies the women of her time as â€Å"she [had] five daughters, and finding them husbands [was] ‘the business of her life’† (Reef 88). â€Å"[Marriage] was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune † (Austen 106). As Mrs. Bennet was very much occupied with seeing her daughters married, she â€Å"seemed incapable of fatigue while enumerating the advantages of the match† (124). This match refers to her eldest daughter possibly getting married to a man who has recently rented a house near Mrs. Bennet’s own and was â€Å"so rich† (124). From today’s standpoint, this point of view and way of living seems very materialistic, it is actually a very practical way to think for this time period. As property at this time was only passed down to male heirs, it is very understandable that Mrs. Bennet was so focused on marrying her daughters off to rich men because she and her husband (Mr. Bennet) had five daughters and no sons. This meant that the family property and money would go to a male cousin once Mr. Bennet died, and the females of the family would be turned out onto the streets. Another example of the time being reflected by Mrs. Bennet is the fact that she took her daughters to balls. Balls were common social events and a place where many women went for entertainment and in hope that they might find a husband. Because they learned from their mother, Mrs. Bennet’s daughters â€Å"[talked] of nothing but soldiers and balls† (Reef 90). Popular culture was also reflected through Austen’s character. Both Austen’s character (Mrs. Bennet) and Chaucer’s characters (the Friar, Hubert, and the Plowman) use traits of how different people acted in different times to show an in-depth picture of society at that time. It is through writing that readers and historians alike can catch a glimpse of what the social order looked like at the time. This thought provokes the following question: Which author(s) will the future generations read and what will they tell us about our society?

welfare reform :: essays research papers

divorced, deserted, and minority mothers and their children. Few private and government retirement pensions existed in the United States before the Great Depression. The prevailing view was that individuals should save for their old age or be supported by their children. About 30 states provided some welfare aid to poor elderly persons without any source of income. Local officials generally decided who deserved old-age assistance in their community. The emphasis during the first two years of President Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" was to provide work relief for the millions of unemployed Americans. Federal money came to the states pay for public works projects, which employed the jobless. Some federal aid also directly assisted needy victims of the Depression. The states, however, remained mainly responsible for taking care of the unemployables (widows, poor children, the elderly poor, and the disabled). But states and private charities, too, were unable to keep up the support of these people at a time when tax collections and personal giving were declining steeply. In his State of the Union Address before Congress on January 4, 1935, President Roosevelt said â€Å"the time has come for action by the national government" to provide "security against the major hazards and vicissitudes [uncertainties] of life." He went on to propose the creation of federal unemployment and old-age insurance programs. He also called for guaranteed benefits for poor single mothers and their children along with other dependent persons. By permanently expanding federal responsibility for the security of all Americans, Roosevelt believed that the necessity for government make-work employment and other forms of Depression relief would disappear. In his address before Congress, Roosevelt argued that the continuation of government relief programs was a bad thing for the country: â€Å"lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit . . ..† A few months later, on August 18, 1935, Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act. It set up a federal retirement program for persons over 65, which was financed by a payroll tax paid jointly by employers and their workers. FDR believed that federal old-age pensions together with employer-paid unemployment insurance (also a part of the Social Security Act) would provide the economic security people needed during both good and bad times.

Affirmative action in the United States Essay

Tanglewood may have difficulty filling their vacancies in the future because the company has a very large shortage with their sales associates. Even though Spokane has a high unemployment rate and they are able to supply a lot of people with jobs, the chances of closing the gap that is needed to fill the vacancies aren’t likely. Since the sales associates move up to shift leader, department manager, assistant store manager and then store manager then the company can fill the higher level vacancies easier. This then creates the huge shortage with sales associates. As time goes on Tanglewood will have difficulty filling vacancies just because there won’t be enough people that fits the requirements in order to be hired by Tanglewood as sales associates. Tanglewood should engage in a more specific strategy to change their recruiting and promotion practices so that they can target more women and minorities. Spokane doesn’t have a high number of minorities but if Tanglewood changes promotion and recruiting practices then this will help attract the minorities that do live in Washington. There is a high number of females so the company shouldn’t have trouble recruiting females but designing a new affirmative action will help solidify a higher number of female employees. I do believe that if the company promotes different and targets certain regions and areas through secondary schools and other employment agencies then the company can meet their affirmative action goals in a year. Pros and cons of using internal promotion versus external promotion would be that when you use internal promotion you are relying on your employees to produce the qualified candidates that fit the mold that your company is looking for. If you use external promotion then you are going to be able to do a lot more and find more people that have the qualifications. If you use internal promotion is may not take as long as  external promotion because you can give the employees an incentive to bringing in new employees. External promotion may take longer because it is based on who replies to the recruitment or who the employment agencies inform you of. There may not be as many females that aren’t already working in within the company that are going to meet the qualifications of a supervisory position. If the company looks to promote externally they may be hiring more white males into a management position over females and minorities. They may already have some females within the company that can be promoted to that level. 4. I believe that each individual store should continue to create an environment that allows the employees to bring innovation and their own voice to upper management. Each store should work well as a team and want to see each other succeed in order to meet the overall goal for the company as a whole. By incorporating an Affirmative Action plan and changing the Equal Employment Opportunity to better suit the company I feel as if each store will benefit greatly by bringing in people from a different background. The store managers should be responsible for focusing on the applicants qualifications in order for the company to continue the affirmative action. This should be followed up through training and when promotion is to be considered. Once this is set in motion the company will be able to fill the gaps in each position.

Appropriate behaviour Essay

a) Explain why it is important to promote appropriate behaviour and respect for others (ref. 2.2) As learning take place in a social enviroment it will be fundamental to create a good atmosphere helping everyone attending to feel at ease in a space where learners feel safe and comfortable to express their opinion. Each student may have different background, culture, beliefs, experiences and needs, so it is very important to be open minded and to establish ground rules so to avoid any animosity, unrespectful behaviour and any kind of discrimination. Any inequality and discrimitation should be challenged to guarantee fairness, decency and respect beteween students. Creating a safe and relaxed enviroment, learners will be more motivated and focused, able to participate, voice their opinions, ask questions and be actively involved in determining how they will learn, allowing them to use their potential and achieve their goals. b) Ways to promote equality and value diversity (ref. 1.3) Equality is about the learner’s rights to have the same opportunity, access and partecipate in their chosen course/training regardless of age, ability or circumstances understanding that everyone are different but have the same rights. Promoting diversity means value and respect differences between students regardless of age, ability, circumstances. An open discussion at the first meeting within students and teacher allows an opportunity for everyone to contribute and know each other bringing up cultural or behavioural differences which can be expressed and may raise issues not previously considered by some. Each person can write out for themselves which types of appropriate behaviour they believe more important. This will give the chance to evaluate each individual’s preferences and gives an overall view on how to maintain a level of courtesy and respect establishing ground rules adequate for the group. Being a teacher means also to be a role model and my behaviour will reflect on my students. For this reason I will treat my students with respect and dignity, ensuring to be non-judgemental, to give same attention to each learner and that particular groups will not be offended (i.e. faith or religion). When planning lessons or activities I might use pictures in handouts and presentations representing different cultures, gender, age and ability in order to embrace all aspects of equality and diversity. c) The importance of identifying and meeting the needs of learners (ref. 1.4) Identify learners needs is one of the most important aspect of teaching as it will allows to differentate lesson’s plans. Learners needs can vary, they may have specific issues like lack of finance or challanges like English as a second language, knowing this a teacher will be able to provide learners support suggesting them points of referral to get help and advice (i.e. interpreters; Citizen Advice Bureau). Some may have special needs like dyslexia or diabetes, others may need advice before enrolment to know if the qualification will meet their career aspirations. In certain case it can be important to find out those informations in advance avoiding some learners to take a course which is unsuitable for them. For this reason an initial/diagnostic assessment will be carried out before the programme starts ensuring learners are making the right choise towards their expectations, results become a teacher’s tool who’s gainig an overall understanding of learners capability, aim, knowledge and specific requirements enabling the teacher to plan and facilitate individual learning and so meeting individual needs. Other aspects to be considered, for instance, are the classroom facilities and accessibility (i.e. layout of tables and chairs) to guarantee safety and meeting the needs of a learner who’s a wheel chair user. Feedback and informal formative assessments can take place throughout the course to ensure learner needs and learning styles are met and satisfy at all times. d) Ways to maintain a safe and supportive learning enviroment (ref. 2.1) As it is likely that learners will be a diverse group of students (from various backgrounds, with different levels of prior learning and expectations, as well as different learning needs), once ground rules have been established, taking an inclusive approach when teaching will help to ensure that your teaching meets everyone’s need enabling students to learn effectively. An  inclusive approach to learning and teaching that aims to meet every individual student’s learning requirements would benefit all students, as a result learners will feel they belong in the classroom. Using an inclusive approach means the teacher will not exclude anyone directly or indirectly, learners will be treated with fairness and trasparency, called by name and making eye contact whenever possible. All students will be involved in activities which may see them working in pair or groups, promoting socialization, tolerance, equality and valuing diversity. ‘’A suitable learning environment is crucial for effective learning to take place. This involves not only the venue and resources used, but also your attitude and the support you give to your students’’ ( Gravells A. 2012, pg 24). Delivering lessons with passion can help to motivate learners, however making sure the environment is clean and safe, at the right temperature, being considerate and open doors or windows is important as much. The lesson’s quality will tells learners when teachers are professional and serious about their job. If there is a break time it is good practice to inform learners right at the beginning of the lesson when this will take place. Knowing this can help your learners focus on their learning.

SHOOK Surname Origin and Last Name Meaning

SHOOK Surname Origin and Last Name Meaning The surname Shook is a variant of the German surname  Schuck, derived  from  scouh, meaning shoemaker. Schoch is a common Swiss variation and Schook or Schoock are commonly found in the Netherlands. Alternate Surname Spellings:  SHUK, SHOCK, SHUCK, SCHOCH, SCHUCK, SCHOOK, SCHOOCK, SHOOCK, SCHOKE, SCHUCH, SCHUSKE Surname Origin: German Where In the World Is the SHOOK  Surname Found? According to Forebears, the Shook surname is most prevalent in the United States and Guam. The original German spelling of Shuck is still much more common in Germany, especially in the Rheinland-Pfalz region according to WorldNames PublicProfiler. Shuck is also a fairly common surname in Pest, Hungary. Germany-specific surname distribution maps at Verwandt.de identify the Schuck surname as being most frequent in Miltenberg, followed by Aschaffenburg, Berlin, Kusel,  Mà ¼nchen and Kaiserslautern.   Famous People with the SHOOK  Surname Edwin M. Shook - American archaeologist and Mayanist scholarTravis Shook - American jazz pianist Genealogy Resources for the Surname SHOOK Meanings of Common German SurnamesUncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to the meanings and origins of common German surnames. Shook  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Shook  family crest or coat of arms for the Shook surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Shook Surname DNA ProjectThis genetic genealogy project is open to all individuals with the surname Hahn and variants such as  Schoke, Schuch, Schuske, Shuck, who are interested in using DNA with traditional genealogical research to identify common Hahn ancestors. Shook Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Shook surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Shook surname query. FamilySearch - SHOOK GenealogyExplore over 500,000 results, including digitized records, database entries, and online family trees for the Shook surname and its variations on the FREE FamilySearch website, courtesy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. SHOOK  Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts a free mailing list for researchers of the Shook surname. DistantCousin.com - SHOOK Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Shook. GeneaNet - Shook  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Shook  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Shook Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Shook surname from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

A Study on Legal Position of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in Urban Development

A Study on Legal Position of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in Urban Development Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is one of the main features of urban area, which is always considered by urban planners. This issue has become as one of the major bases of urban development policy in Iran within the past recent years and been emphasized through the framework of several urban development plans. Therefore, a fundamental view in this regard is mandatory. The most important achievement of the current century in the field of urban development is considering citizens rights and qualitative aspects in this regard. Non-professional interference such as selling excessive FAR and uncontrolled and unplanned developments, especially for housing purposes in most major cities without considering the variability and difference of urban lands and merely for achieve earning for municipality and profitability of a limited group of investors have occurred, which resulted in a decrease in urban environment quality and lack of sustainability in the field of security, health and comfort of citizen s in environmental fields. Whereas effect of tall buildings on urban area and citizens in terms of physical, economic, social, urban development, etc. is undeniable, therefore, special focus on urban development laws is required. The purpose of this study includes recognizing effecting urban laws relating to FAR and controlling urban development through examining laws on FAR and tall building construction in some sample countries across the Globe, to identify variable and suitable solutions using global experiences. Eventually, through studying Tehran and New York, as two modern cities with roughly similar conditions and comparing the laws and manner to face issues of urban development and FAR, we understand the level of success of each in this regard and what are more suitable solutions. Study method in this article is combined, in a way that using research method and documented and library base studies, the relevant information is collected and further examined using quantitative and qualitative method. Introduction Almost all developed and developing countries face serious problems due to rapid and vertical growth of cities during the recent decades. The issues of this phenomenon not only extensively affected urban development policies, but also its consequences played a major role in economic, social, political, managerial and environmental issues of the societies. Concerns on this phenomenon caused that the developed countries, especially upon WWII, take certain measures to solve or control this crisis. The main bases of these measures include policies on tall building construction, mass development, changing taxation laws, enactment of land laws for optimized usage, improvement and renovation of old and central urban areas, plan on preparing lands of new locations, developing new cities, and above all, policy on increasing population density and FAR of cities. Through reviewing many of these polices, the undeniable role of FAR component in forming and physical aspect and form of the city may be perceived. In these plans, FAR is determined considering population expected for the plan horizon and urban development and urban region policies as well as considering environmental capacities, services and infra-structural urban installations and social, economic, and cultural characteristics. Therefore, focusing the important role of housing in the city and urban planning, focusing position of FAR in projects, its role and importance in urban area organization and factors and criteria affecting the same and legal discussion in this regard are essential. Various existing limitations in a city results in limitations to admitting population for that city and its suburbs, while due to the same reason, the regulations on level of permitted construction in urban development plans is known and therefore, the owners are prohibited to construct excessive building considering their construction permits. Study Purpose Identifying factors affecting FAR Clarifying FAR concept as urban development tool for housing projects Study Questions What are the effective criteria to determine FAR? Can the criteria effective in modern urban design be achieved through considering common legal aspects of FAR in the studied countries? Study Method Whereas this article is of analytical, quantitative and qualitative nature and collecting data has been fulfilled through research method and documented and library studies, which have further been studied, therefore, the study method in this article is of combined type. Position of FAR in Urban Development Fundamentals: In general, the concept of density in the urban planning literature in the context of land use planning under the category of zoning regulations is the subject dealt with the spatial distribution of elements, functions and activities in urban areas. (Flame, Urban Management Quarterly, 2008, p. 36). Concentration in urban design also has a great effect on all three aspects of the artifact environment, its function, its form and meaning. This effect is achieved through the level of user activity in the functional dimension, and the methods for controlling the volume, height and spacing of buildings, in the dimension of the form through the dimensions of performance and in the semantic dimension and artifact environment. Height: The height of buildings as one of the contiguous variables on FAR is one of the most important factors in organizing urban landscape. This criterion, in proportion to the number of building floors, is a more precise control tool that should be designed with regard to adjacent buildings and street features. The impact of building height on creating a sense of space enclosure is significant. The sense of being enclosed in space is essentially based on the relation between the eye distance from the height of the enclosing body of space. Building Mass and Volume: This is one of the other criteria controlling FAR, which plays an important role in urban form and view. This criterion focuses controlling volume and distribution of superstructure on ground area. Scale: It is one of the other variables dependent on density, which is a complex, multi-faceted and relative measure. So that it can be a mixture of the main criteria such as mass and volume, height, gradient etc. In this way, the effects of building density on the physical dimension are more pronounced. Disturbance in physical spaces and urban form and landscape is one of the negative consequences of increasing construction density. Floor Area Ratio (FAR) This is the ratio of the total infrastructure construction of a fragment to the total area of that piece. (Zo Eshtyagh, 1998.4) The index of construction density is shown as a percentage. The effects of increasing the density on the urban form include spatial skew, a cultural organization, mass and space. The effects of increasing density on urban landscape are as follows: Height line, bonding of the walls, scale, granularity, hemisphericity of buildings. Therefore, if increased construction density, without comprehensive planning, can cause disturbances in the citys space and body. The formation of the physical composition of urban bodies, without consideration of qualitative and quantitative aspects, will lead to the creation of discrete and unconnected urban areas and disparate and disproportionate towers. This is clearly visible in housing projects. Factors effective in Categorization Determine the density in each area according to its type of operation Determine the amount of land needed for important urban functions such as trade, industry, residential sector and other urban activities (Shokouti, 1994, p. 343) The height of buildings, the dimensions of segments, the street width, the supply area and the number of buildings in each building The location and capacity of the lines of installations and main streets (Zyari, 2009, p. 67) The theory of determinism (ecology) of the city, considering its size and population density and high buildings, causes the mental and emotional disturbances of the citizens, which in turn undermine social relations, Superficial, apparent, and so on. But combinators claim that ecological factors do not play an effective role in social relationships, and that differences in social behavior of individuals derive from their own characteristics and characteristics. Sub-cultural theory synthesizes two earlier theories that are more consistent with the reality of urban life. The existence of complications from various subcultures under conditions of consolidation can have the same strong links and sincere connections in urban areas and, in some cases, an abnormal phenomenon. In high-rise buildings, in addition to the effects of ecological factors, non-ecological issues also play a major role. In addition to numerous global experiences, research conducted in Iran, mainly composed of academ ic work.

Types of My Favorite Movies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Types of My Favorite Movies - Essay Example (5) findings, 44.9% of driving incidents in action movies are often shown. Driving, speeding and taking a break with screeching tires, sudden and quick breaking are among the risk behaviors depicted in action movies in which only a few of the risky acts appears to be followed by a crash of traffic. In such situations, the movies often show that, 2 people died on the spot, four escaped with minor injuries and no legal penalties were imposed on the driver. Thesis statement: Horror movies have one purpose that is clear. That is to develop the commercial credential of the movie director via portraying his skill and tactics at torture, brutal tracking and young women mutilation of screaming. Horror is a fantastic genre coupled with a science of fiction. The movies are significant in criticizing and projecting the issues happening in the current world. In addition to horror movies being scary, they often question gender and sex portrayal as well as capitalism role in the society. Despite their significance in the society, they have faced a lot of criticism. For instance, they have been perceived as harmful and misogynistic by film critics and feminists. On the contrary they are greatly consumed by audiences in particular to torture films. For instance, in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s some films were singled out as being extremely offensive despite their relevant accolades. Some of the films were such as the dressed to kill (1980), Halloween (1978) and maniac (1980). In these films, female characters were slain or brutally attacked when they indulged in sexual fantasies and situations (Joe 1). Comedy through humor helps in passing across various messages. Therefore, it helps individuals in defining there sense of people, world, societies, their desires, dreams and goals. Therefore, no matter how individuals interpret comedy messages, whether they disregard or accept them, to a great extent, they are socially influential. Comedy helps to portray the

Manegerial Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Manegerial Leadership - Essay Example Managerial and leadership development is becoming an increasingly recognized tenet of sustainable performance improvement in organizations both in the public and private sectors. Managerial leadership development can be discerned as a complicated function of training, evaluation, feedback and strategy that requires meta frameworks to be effective and traceable. Dubai Municipality is a public sector organization in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Its job descriptions involve planning and regulating permissions for business, construction and development activities. The Municipality is facing a massive demand for its services and is under pressure to deliver a high standard of services at a volume that satisfies the rising demand. This report will endeavor to discuss a process of implementing a managerial leadership development program for this organization, in order for it to stay in tune with the rising expectations. It is a widely recognized fact that effective managerial leadership programs can help employees become more effective in managing the scarce resources available and aligning them with company objectives, in environments that are becoming tricky to negotiate due to a confluence of factors such as globalization, heightened competition and increased levels of customer demands. Yet it is equally widely recognized, e.g. by Cook (2004) that most leadership development programs operate bereft of tracking and evaluation mechanisms. Nevertheless, evaluating the success of managerial leadership development programs is a very important step in understanding the effectiveness of these programs. Only by introducing an evaluation, monitoring, evaluation and feedback loop will it be possible for us to isolate the positive impact (if any) of specific managerial leadership development programs and to explore ways of improving their effectiveness in meeting the stakeholders' objectives . In the sections below, this paper will dwell on the concepts of strategic planning, evaluating, controlling and improving managerial leadership development interventions at the Dubai Municipality, and how these factors will help the organization to make its services more efficient. Models of management and leadership development: Leadership development is defined as "every form of growth or stage of development in the life cycle that promotes, encourages, and assists the expansion of knowledge and expertise required to optimize one's leadership potential and performance" ( Brungardt, 1996). The literature on management theories is extensive. As organizations realize that their employees may be ill equipped to become leaders in a fast evolving global scenario, organizations by and large are investing in programs to enhance employee managerial and leadership development skills (Collins and Holton, 2004). Moreover, there is evidence that managerial and le

Business Ethics Week 2 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business Ethics Week 2 - Term Paper Example â€Å"Eminent Domain shall not be exercised unless it substantially furthers an important Government interest, and with respect to housing unless it specially fulfills an overriding Government purpose† (Ryskamp, 2007, p. 31). One can accept Eminent Domain as a positive activity if done to take over a decayed or unused area, for constructing institutions like hospitals, schools and other inevitable human requirements, for real economic development of the land, which is in public interest. It will also open up employment avenues and increase revenue of the community. Thus, the final result will be the revitalization of the community around that vicinity. Eminent Domain right will negatively affect individual who are living in that area for a long time, or have been locating their business centre in that area over a considerable period of time. Obviously, their fear that it will affect their business negatively is justified. Therefore, they may not be willing to part with their properly. The confiscation of one’s property without his full will despite for being a ‘just compensation† relates to a person’s feelings and emotions. A person apart from the money worth has feelings and memories attached to a place because it might be his or her roots. Therefore, it hampers the individual’s sentiments when the property or place is confiscated without the full permission of the individual. Quality and professional standard will have distinguished improvement and professional entry will be restricted which will help both government and public to avoid malpractices and encourage healthy competition. Renuemaration and wages of the professionals will have positive changes. Demerits includes factors like consumer cost will be relatively higher and it will force the consumer pay more for specialized work. Besides, it will also restrain the mobility of practitioners.

The Organizations Own Evaluation Of Change Process Information Technology Essay

The Organizations Own Evaluation Of Change Process Information Technology Essay The main objective of this paper is to present the management change and business process change in PLIVA pharmaceutical industry, Incorporated (PLIVA pharmaceuticals, Inc). In this research, the advantages and the benefits (tangible and intangible), as well as the problems, of the BPR and the ERP implementation projects were analyzed, discussed and compared to the similar research. The impacts of information technology (IT) were also discussed. This study presents the results of research conducted on reengineering business processes. It also discussed about the selected aspects of the business processes and information modelling in PLIVA, together with the results of analysis of the status and characteristics of ERP systems in PLIVA. Introduction Type of Change: The type of the change in PLIVA is transitional change and development change i.e., ERP implementation and BPR projects. Transitional change is more intrusive than developmental change as it replaces existing processes or procedures with something that is completely new to the company. The future of the organization is unknown when the transformation begins which can add a level or discomfort to employees. The outcome of transitional change is unknown so employees feel that their job is unstable and their own personal insecurities may increase. They provided education on the new procedures should be commenced at each stage of the new process. This allowed employees to feel that they are actively involved and engaged in the change. As an employees level of engagement in the new procedure increases, their resistance to change decreased. One of its main problems in business management was the availability of information. Until now the available information often failed to give an accurate picture of the current business situation. Today companies need up-to-date information in order to make the right business decisions. Impact of Change: Management is cognizant of the impact and stress of these changes will have on their employees. The company continued to inform the employees of their status offer support in helping them deal with the personal adjustments they will be forced to make (Vuksic Spremic, 2005). The impact of development change caused little stress to current employees as long as the rationale for the new process is clearly conveyed and the employees are educated on the new techniques. ERP implementation significantly impacts company culture, organizational structure, business processes, procedures and rules. Furthermore, ERP applications integrate many best business practices and much knowledge that could be worthwhile if included as a part of BPR projects. By taking the best practices inherent in ERP applications, PLIVA can change their processes simultaneously with technological change (Vuksic Spremic, 2005). As a result, PLIVA has to change their business processes to fit the ERP system requirements, and the possibilities of ERP systems have been used to underpin BPR. Background Information PLIVA is the largest pharmaceutical company by turnover in Central and Eastern Europe and continues to expand its operations with recent acquisitions of Pharmaceutical and RD companies in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, United Kingdom and USA. With increasing efforts concentrating on the global Pharmaceuticals market, PLIVA has divested its cosmetics, food and agrochemicals production units as standalone companies (Al-Mashari Zairi, 1999). Since its 1996 listing on the London and Zagreb Stock Exchanges, PLIVA has made notable advancements in internationalizing its business and implementing global and innovative strategies. PLIVA is a rather unique company with investments in both research and development. With over 400 patents in its possession, PLIVA has proven the high calibre of its RD capabilities, most notably through the discovery of its blockbuster azithromycin. This macrolide antibiotic, globally known as Zithromax (under license to Pfizer) or Sumamed (PLIVAs brand), is the top selling antibiotic in its class (Al-Mashari Zairi, 1999). PLIVA consists of 44 legal entities, has 5 major business divisions (research, fine chemicals, pharmaceutical, OTC, DDI) and 9 strategic/corporate divisions (development, regulatory affairs, finance, human resources, IT, quality assurance, legal affairs, corporate communications and engineering). PLIVA employs almost 7500 people in 33 countries (including 120 IT professionals not including out-of-house consultants), has 5 main production locations (Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany and USA) and 43 subsidiaries in 23 countries (Vuksic Spremic, 2005). Research Methodology We gathered information about PLIVA from different case studies, white papers, and websites. We have read those cases and understood how did they done their research before implementing ERP and BPR projects. As the cases said that they had sent some questionnaires to managers of 14 different companies in Croatia and got the feedback from those companies. We have discussed about the change process in the evaluation section and how much time they have take for the research. Description of Change Process Pliva needed to standardise their business processes to help enhance their productivity and flexibility and maximise the efficiency of the business processes across the entire enterprise. They also wanted to implement new business and growth strategies to grow their business worldwide. Updating and integrating their business processes with an enterprise system would enable Pliva to take on more business and grow in new directions. Pliva found that implementing SAP will help them standardize their business and prepare for acquiring other companies, thus enabling them to expand their business. Increase productivity Improve business process efficiency Increase revenues scale for growth and economic recovery prepare for mergers and acquisitions PLIVA decided to solve this problem using the experience of other companies from all over the world. The management team was well aware that there was no point in trying to find their own solution: It was better to purchase a packaged business solution from an internationally renowned and experienced software vendor. PLIVA wanted user-friendly software that would integrate all areas and levels of their business, and research on the worlds software market indicated that the most suitable solution would be SAP R/3. SAP R/3 would improve the efficiency of their business by giving them the functionality to enter the information only once and have it available everywhere (Vuksic Spremic, 2005). This gives PLIVA: A unique database More efficient management The ability to make business decisions in real-time An integrated solution that connects all business areas. Once the decision to implement SAP R/3 had been made, PLIVA appointed a team to manage the SAPLI project (short for SAP and PLIVA). The team included experts from PLIVA, Intelligroup Inc. USA, SAP AG and SAP Hrvatska, HP Hermes Plus (Al-Mashari Zairi, 1999). Since SAP R/3 includes many different modules, we decided to implement FI and CO first, said PLIVA.s IT Manager, Ms. Jasna Turkovic. FI is a crucial module that integrates all business information; the whole business cycle begins and ends in FI. Once we have implemented SD, PM, PP, QM and HR, all our business processes will be managed by information technology and any information entered into the system will be available everywhere in real-time. The implementation of the SAP solution took place in individual phases, with two modules in the area of cost centre accounting and profit centre accounting implemented in 1997. This enabled the better control of financial resources, forecasts and a new type of analysis. During the process of implementation, one of the major problems faced by Pliva was resistance to the change process mainly by the warehouse employees. The reasons for the resistance, Vuksic Sprenic (2005): the employees feel they dont require complicated system and the change is unnecessary they feel threatened and insecure about losing their jobs and lack of skill to use the new system In addition to resistance to change, the most significant problems in the system implementation were in the weak experience and quality of consultants who bid in the public tender, the lack of time and the specificity of the pharmaceutical industry. During the implementation of the IS, the consulting company Price Waterhouse Coopers conducted a reengineering project, or the reorganization of business operations aimed at determining the key sectors of future operations: the core business. Though these were two fully independent projects, they were harmonized at the level of the steering committee. The project team consisted of 25 members, all of whom were experts in their fields, said Mr. Damir Martinovic the SAPLI Project Manager. They were responsible for making all operational and strategic decisions during software implementation. Experts from our consulting agencies helped us get the best results from particular modules and consultants from SAP Hrvatska (Al-Mashari Zairi, 1999) provided support with technical issues and the software itself, particularly regarding Croatian legal requirements. The process of preparations and employees training and education lasted 4 months in 2 shifts, which included 700 employees (average training period of 7 days per employee). The transfer of operations to the new system (in the second phase of implementation) lasted 12 days, as the problem of shifting from the old coded system (taking over old data) needed to be resolved. During the transfer to the new system, operations were halted for 10 days, while inventory and a detailed financial harmonization were conducted. During the implementation of the new information system, and in running information systems in general, project organization with the usual participants stands out: the project sponsor, steering committee, project teams, team leader, functional teams and team members. An interesting organizational solution used in PLIVA are the validation teams, which are separated from the project teams, having the task of control the teams work, measuring harmonization with business plans and goals and coordinating the cross-functionality of teams. The validation team is led by a person from Quality Assurance (QA), responsible for validating the information system. The members of the validation team are also team leaders for the remaining teams in the project. It must be also pointed out that the IT Department in PLIVA has a strategic position in the company. It is directly responsible to the top management and is organized as a profit centre, meaning that daughter companies are billed for the transfer, implementation and use of the existing IS in the daughter companies (roll-out in 2003 in Czech Republic and 2004 in Germany). Considering that PLIVA has over 1500 SAP licenses, a help desk, ABAP programmers, highly educated employees (18 employees are SAP consultants) and an organizational management for user support, all the conditions have been set for PLIVA to become a SAP Customer Competence Centre, which would then reduce the costs of license maintenance on 20%. SAP modules were implemented through 4 phases: (Vuksic Spremic, 2005) 1) 1996-1997. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ SAP 3.0 modules: FI-Financials, CO-Controlling, BC-Basis components, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ UPGRADE SAP 3.0-3.1 H 2) 1998-2000. Modules: MM- Materials Management, PP Production Planning, QM-Quality Management, SD-Sales Distribution, WM- Warehouse Management, HR-Human Resources, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ UPGRADE SAP 3.1H-4.0B-2000 (JAN) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ UPGRADE SAP 4.0B-4.6 C 2000 (JULY) 3) 2001. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Modules: SAP PP-PI-Production Planning- Process industries-extension of PP module à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ QM module-advanced functionality of Quality control à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ PM-Plant Maintenance 4) 2002. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ International roll-out A thorough review of the information system according to SAP specifications and standards was also conducted, and the implementation of the following modules was planned in 2003: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ SCM- Supply Chain Management, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ BIW- Business Information Warehouse, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Project Systems, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Treasury The Organizations Own Evaluation of Change Process A research titled comparative analysis of program support information systems in Croatia was conducted in the month of November, 2000 to aid the companies implementing ERP by providing information regarding market status and allocation of expenses regarding training, development and other intangible and tangible aspects of implementation of ERP. The ministry of Science and technology assisted in compiling data for this research. The data was collected from fourteen companies who were in the process of implemented or had already implemented ERP. Ten other companies who were ERP users also participated in the study. For the evaluation phase, only 25% of the companies participated and Pliva pharmaceuticals fell in this group. For thorough evaluation each component was studied individually and was graded with a range of possible scores. The relevance and criticality of the component could be assessed by its expressed weighted factor. With respect to the change concerning the business process reengineering, a research was conducted by IT researchers from the Department of Information Science and Business Computing of the Faculty of Economics and Business in Zagreb (Croatia) in 2002.The main purpose being, examining all the possible issues and problems which arose while adapting BPR practices (Al-Mashari Zairi, 1999). A questionnaire was prepared and survey was considered the most appropriate research methodology for this study since it involved a large sample space of 400 of the largest Croatian companies. To determine the largest companies their annual revenues were considered. Another case study was conducted by Pliva on their own business processes. They implemented the ERP systems in phases by implementing the main key modules first and later upgrading their system and adding other modules (Al-Mashari Zairi, 1999). The results of the case study conducted by Pliva were compared with the results of the research that were done on ERP and BPR and the following results were concluded: Pliva had a proactive approach to the change process. The example of PLIVA shows that successful implementation of the ERP system must be accompanied by an appropriate BRP project. From this example, it is possible to conclude that the final results are positive, even when these are completely separate and independent projects. This shows that much attention was given to employee training with the goal of achieving maximal flexibility and readiness for constant organizational changes. This long standing cooperation has resulted in an internal training program which PLIVA employees carry out according to the methodologies of the Management Centre Europe. According to the research, the best supported components are Finance and Sales. From the results of the case study, Pliva disagreed with the research, for even though product planning and management were implemented in the beginning, there were no significant problems and very good results ensued. This indicates that good project management and coordination with the BPR project gives a good final outcome. The time taken to implement the ERP project was 3-4 years. The project was implemented in 4 phases. Although it was too long, the phase-by-phase approach used in the case of Pliva could be assumed as the critical factor of successful implementation. Pliva faced problems with finding a good quality consultant, consultants with experience in implementing the SAP system in pharmaceutical industries. High initial consulting costs. However, Pliva realised that initial consulting cost can be reduced by choosing employees to act as consultants. Although the project of implementing the ERP system and BRP project were independent, they were coordinated at the level of the project steering committee, which permitted proper execution of wide-reaching organization changes and contributed to the overall success of the ERP implementation. The results achieved by ERP and BPR projects in PLIVA improved the process performance in terms of time and costs and can be summarized as follows (Vuksic Spremic, 2005): Reduction of overall inventory by at least 30%, thus increasing the coefficient of Turnover, Reduction of product delivery time to the buyer from 4 days to 24 hours, Reduction of the number of employees by 20-30% in functions where the new system was implemented (redistribution of work meant savings), Reduction in the number of complaints due to mistakes in delivery (complaints reduced to a minimum) Reduction of time of payment by 30% with the implementation of the buyers credit Limit. Analysis of Change Process Lewins model has dominated change management theories for many years. In recent years it has been criticized for: being top-down driven; assuming a stable organizational setting; being suitable only for small organizations; and ignoring organizational politics. Lewin is still relevant to the modern world, the argument goes rather than being outmoded (Litzell, 2005). From diverse and seemingly unrelated disciplines models describing the change process has been gathered and analysed. In tracing their origin it was found that a majority of the models were following Lewins three-stage model (Litzell, 2005). In order to bring about a successful change of a groups performance the change must go through three stages as follows: unfreezing of the present level of performance should it be necessary; moving the group to a new level of performance; freezing the group on the new level of performance (Lewin, 1952). Unfreezing Destabilize old patterns. The key is to create dissatisfaction with the existing situation, which in turn creates anxiety and a need for change. The response to this need is to choose improvements in line with the vision of the new organization. This kind of mobilizing is necessary throughout the change process; a less intense force is needed though to keep the change moving than the initial substantial force needed to get the change in motion (Litzell, 2005). In the case of Pliva the management adds forces working for the change. To support it they tried to Develop a shared vision of how to organize and manage for competitiveness. (Litzell, 2005). The general manager employed towards the vision once there was a core group like the validation team committed to the ERP and BPE change. The vision defined new roles and responsibilities, coordinated information and work throughout the organization. An arrangement working through the formal structure and systems will create less resistance (Litzell, 2005).There are only a few people in any situation that are absolutely essential in making the change happen and the successful manager target these people at the beginning and try to win their commitment and involvement (Litzell, 2005). Moving Analyze, handle and steer When one attempts to change a social force field in equilibrium one has to consider all of the forces working to maintain this equilibrium. These forces may be groups, subgroups and members with different personalities, relations, barriers, communication and value systems etc. making up a social field. This social field has to be studied as a whole and reorganized in such a way that social events flow in a different way. One also has to take into consideration the economic resources available and the cultural values governing the group (Lewin, 1952). As mentioned earlier, Pliva faced to resistance to change from their warehouse employees. But Pliva was proactive to the change process. According to Brown Harvey (2003), resistance to change can be managed by: Move from reactive to proactive management Build a launching platform Diagnose the nature of the change Build a supportive climate Behavioral management of the process alongside strategy projects, start projects aimed at transforming culture and power structures Monitor and control the parallel development of new strategy and new capabilities. Pliva continuously monitored and were on the lookout for arising resistance sources. They developed techniques and effectively used power and communication to overcome resistance. They involved employees to participate and gave them the necessary skills and training. They also implemented a BRP project alongside the ERP project to facilitate change process. PILIVA generated support by displaying the behaviour of leaders. The management made sure that every action taken was in line with the change efforts. They developed structures to manage the transition by developing a step-by-step transition plan and set up an organization to manage and stimulate change. If employee competences are to be exploited the organization was able to structure and channel that competence which they required by allocating key people, use of consultants. Pliva followed the principal of third party consulting by creating validation teams, which consisted of various personnel from different departments. Through this they aimed at having open and effective communications and a standard level of power in order to handle confrontations which could arise between groups. They were established to help understand different perspectives and ideas and respect it. The team would use confrontation as a tool to sort tense situations. According to Brown Harvey (2003), Third-party Consultation uses a third party to help open communications, level power, and confronts problems between groups; Provides diagnostic insight, is non-evaluative, and is a source of emotional support and skills. aim to understand each others views/issues situations are often tense and emotional Confrontation is a basic feature of this Pliva also adapted BPR in order to facilitate the required changes to their operations to make it more efficient. The fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service, and speed Quantum leaps in performance (Hammer and Champy, 1993). Business process reengineering allows rethinking and making radical changes across the organisation. The changes would begin by redesigning the basic processes of the organisation. By doing so they could make their processes more efficient and add value to their enterprise. It could involve combining or removing certain activities. The most effective method could be using top down programme which is neutral, assuming that neither upward flow of involvement or consensus style of decision would help implementing the changes. According to Brown Harvey (2003), Business process reengineering, Seeks to make processes more efficient by combining, eliminating or restructuring activities; Top-down program that assumes neither an upward flow of involvement nor that consensus decision making will work to accomplish dramatic changes. Pliva used survey feedbacks as a method to evaluate their implementation process. Two surveys were done, one for ERP implementation other for BPR. This method would help them grade how successful they were and honest feedbacks would allow them to see places where they require to put in more effort and improve .It also helps them understand if they are heading in the right direction. Using this method they tried to bridge the gap between the current status and the desired status. This method also allows a participative approach through which all employees are engaged. Such approaches help them get a better understanding of the rationales and methods behind the change and they can come up with better strategies and mitigation plans in case of any problems. It also enables positive resistance which can benefit the company. According to CMOE (2000), Survey feedback is a tool that can provide a feedback to help leaders guide and direct their teams. Obstacles and gaps between the current status quo and the desired situations may or may not be directly apparent. In either case, it is vital to have a clear understanding of strategies for diagnosis and prevention of important organization problems. SURVEY PROCESS STEPS: Identify project plan and objectives Brief team leaders and employees about the process Administer survey Conduct interviews and focus groups Train leaders on facilitating team discussions Analyse the data and construct a report Provide feedback to leaders Team leaders conduct feedback action planning and meetings Leaders present reports on progress and results to Senior Management Follow-up by senior leadership to ensure progress and accountability Since the employers have been participating in the planning and implementation they got a feeling of accomplishment from seeing the change through. People develop a sense of ownership through participation (Litzell, 2005). Participation enabled PILIVA to make use of the employees full diversity of competence in the change process. By involving employees in the change work resistance is overcome and the lasting of the change is ensured (Litzell, 2005). Refreezing Continuous perspective. A change of a groups performance is frequently short lived. The change will soon return to the previous level of performance as attention shifts from achieving the change to coping with everyday problems. This indicates the necessity of including freezing of the new level of performance as an objective in the planning of change; it is merely not enough having to reach the new level of performance (Lewin, 1952). Each department in PILIVA elaborated the change and find its own application. This elaboration process helped create commitment to learn and adapt to the new organization (Beer et al., 1990a).When the new organization was in place and running properly, and the right people were in position, and the new approach was settled, then general managers considered how to institutionalize change. PILIVA carried out pilot testing and used the result as learning experiences which can be applied to the change in general. They set up systems ensuring that the change will last (Litzell, 2005). They monitored the revitalization process and adjust strategies according to emerging problems. The basic intangible benefits from the implementation of the new ERP system in PLIVA are (Vuksic Spremic, 2005): Better visibility of the workflow systems and their coordination, Secured forecasts of money flows and planning of available financial resources for a more rapid execution of all business processes, Centralized supply (6-7 employees for the entire company) as a result of the BPR project. Better (monthly) production planning (based on market needs and standing inventory) Better flexibility of the system with regard to business decisions, Automated warehouse (implementation of real warehouse with optimized selection and delivery of products) Well-informed decision making, new quality in planning and forecasting. Recommendation / Conclusion The implementation of a new ERP system will not bring the expected benefits if it is not accompanied by a change in human behaviour and in organizational regulations. There is no point in implementing a new ERP system if a business will then simply continue with its old, inefficient ways. Therefore, the implementation of ERP systems must be accompanied by a thorough change of business processes, procedures and rules. The top management support. Better planning before implementation of ERP. Vision should be communicated to each and every employee. Training for the employees. They can follow some OD interventions or action research theories which we have discussed in this case study. After the research we have done on Pliva there are some recommendations for them As when they are implementing they can follow some action research theories or some OD interventions to motivate the employees and make them to involve in the change. Yes but they got successful with the change but we say that it will be much better if so they had followed some organizational development interventions. Employees will naturally resist change but are more likely to accept the change if they view top management as keeping them informed and supporting them throughout the process. Employees will look for a rationale for the implementation of this major change. Top management should be prepared to involve employees in all phases of the transition. The results presented have outlined the problems of PLIVA in the implementation of reengineering projects, including a lack of preparation for large organizational changes, resistance to change, inadequate information, education of employees, lack of strategic planning and vision and a reactive role of the management. The problems associated with ERP solution implementation were also analysed, such as large initial investments, people need to adapt to software solutions and the long implementation period. This case study shows that with the right management decisions and actions, through simultaneous and coordinated projects of business process reengineering and the development of an integral information system. The poor effects of the listed problems can be minimized or eliminated, which is clear from the tangible and intangible benefits outlined in this case study.

The Darkened Tunnel :: Personal Narrative Writing

The Darkened Tunnel En route of my journey from home to my destination I came across something that caught my attention. A hole intruding into the side of a hill beckoned me to investigate. Curiosity drew me to the mouth of the tunnel where I was overcome by a dank odor. It wasn’t the most inviting of places, concrete walkway leading into the dark unknown and a large gutter extruding rainwater from somewhere within it. I stepped to the threshold to see what lay within. An old shopping cart sat in the gutter on its side shrouded by an old tarp. The scrawling on the wall revealed to me that I was not the first one here. Looking into the tunnel I could see it extend into darkness. Like looking into infinity, there was no end in sight. Who is to say what could be inside: maybe a friend, maybe an enemy, maybe knowledge, maybe love, maybe death, maybe nothing. The only light shown from the world outside, the world I knew. There I stood, on the threshold between light and dark, one world and the next, the familiar and the unknown. My curiosity was almost unbearable†¦ Confronted by the decision of whether or not to explore this tunnel, I couldn’t help but to ponder the importance of choice itself. What difference does this choice make? Life is choice, a long series of decisions made exclusively by the individual. We all have the power to determine the course of our own lives through the choices we make, every instant of every waking day. Think about the people you know, the clothes you wear or the food you eat, it’s all a matter of your individual choice. Every decision we make is linked to another moment in the course of life, be it significant or not, we may never know how important our individual choices really are. Examples of these life changing decisions can be seen everywhere, in any choice we make. The choice that my parents made to attend the same formal, in Middle America, where they met that one night in 1968, allowed for my existence today. So if it weren’t for that choice I wouldn’t even be cho osing my words. The Darkened Tunnel :: Personal Narrative Writing The Darkened Tunnel En route of my journey from home to my destination I came across something that caught my attention. A hole intruding into the side of a hill beckoned me to investigate. Curiosity drew me to the mouth of the tunnel where I was overcome by a dank odor. It wasn’t the most inviting of places, concrete walkway leading into the dark unknown and a large gutter extruding rainwater from somewhere within it. I stepped to the threshold to see what lay within. An old shopping cart sat in the gutter on its side shrouded by an old tarp. The scrawling on the wall revealed to me that I was not the first one here. Looking into the tunnel I could see it extend into darkness. Like looking into infinity, there was no end in sight. Who is to say what could be inside: maybe a friend, maybe an enemy, maybe knowledge, maybe love, maybe death, maybe nothing. The only light shown from the world outside, the world I knew. There I stood, on the threshold between light and dark, one world and the next, the familiar and the unknown. My curiosity was almost unbearable†¦ Confronted by the decision of whether or not to explore this tunnel, I couldn’t help but to ponder the importance of choice itself. What difference does this choice make? Life is choice, a long series of decisions made exclusively by the individual. We all have the power to determine the course of our own lives through the choices we make, every instant of every waking day. Think about the people you know, the clothes you wear or the food you eat, it’s all a matter of your individual choice. Every decision we make is linked to another moment in the course of life, be it significant or not, we may never know how important our individual choices really are. Examples of these life changing decisions can be seen everywhere, in any choice we make. The choice that my parents made to attend the same formal, in Middle America, where they met that one night in 1968, allowed for my existence today. So if it weren’t for that choice I wouldn’t even be cho osing my words.