Strategic Human Resource Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Human Resource Assessment - Essay Example It has to be mentioned in this context that the first and the foremost strengths which companies often intend to obtain in order to compete in the market is efficient workforce through the enforcement of effective HRM strategies. In the contemporary era, Strategic HRM (SHRM) has been introduced in order to link the strategic objectives of the business with its HRM functions with the sole intention to reinforce crucial changes into its workforce which can in turn enhance its strategic positioning and competitive advantages within the industry structure over its rivals by a large extent (Deb, 2006). Based on this understanding, this paper would intend to illustrate the role of strategic HRM in improving the performance of the company (i.e. Rio Tinto) by a large extent. The paper would further evaluate the importance of strategic HRM in Rio Tinto Group within the Australian context proceeding through a critical literature review based on the significance and role of SHRM in the contempo rary managerial practices. Company Overview Rio Tinto is one of global largest companies in locating, mining as well as processing of the mineral resources. The vision of the company emphasizes on developing its products in a way which satisfies the need of the customers and also improves the standard of living of people all over the world. The company has its operations in around 40 countries including Australia with a total number of more than 77,000 people as employees in its worldwide dimensions. The company’s mission has been to build as well as maintain good relationship with the stakeholders associated with it. It has also been noticed that the company always seeks to contribute positively towards the society to secure a healthy relation with the community members. It has further been noticed in this context that the SHRM policies of the company changes in accordance to the requirement of its determined organizational objectives. The company runs a graduate level progr am through which it recruits educated and skilled workforces as per the requirement of its strategic planning. It is in this context that Rio Tinto is known to provide a competitive as well as a coordinative working condition to its employees in return for assurance of an improved performance (Rio Tinto, 2011). Role of Strategic HRM (SHRM) in Improving Organizational Performance SHRM mainly aims to enhance the performance of the business or the organization on a whole by encouraging different people associated with the company to work for the welfare of the organization to obtain the determined organizational objectives through shared values. It has often been argued in this context that SHRM typically helps to determine the strategic goals of the organizations in accordance with its internal strengths related to the workforce and therefore, assists managers to bind the HRM practices with its competitive objectives (Armstrong, 2008). It has been further learnt that SHRM is a planned pattern that is use for developing the human resource operations as well as activities to enable organizations to meet the determined goals (Darwish, 2009). It is worth mentioning in this context that SHRM practices, as applied in the modern era, functions on the basis of few key principles. Its foremost principle states that the objective or the goals of the company would have to be achieved through the

First Day of School Essay Example for Free

First Day of School Essay The first thing I remember about this day was my mother; she woke me up early and started dressing me and combing my hair. I remember I was so excited that I got in the car while singing and dancing. I sat in the front seat and we drove off to the beginning of my life. My mom walked me in while holding my hand and just then I remember not wanting her to let go, I felt so safe with her by my side. Just then the class teacher comes up to us, and I remember her asking me my name, but I was too shy to answer. Then my mom explains to me that she had to go and that Im going to have so much fun here and make a huge amount of friends. I stood there watching my mom walk away with tears falling down my face; I have never felt so alone. But the teacher turned out to be so nice she immediately started to calm me down. That’s when she took me to this room filled with toys and beautiful pictures on the wall, I remember how noisy it was because kids my age were running around everywhere playing and laughing. see more:first day of school essay At the moment the feeling of missing my mom was completely gone and all I wanted to do is join the kids with whatever they were doing. I was shy at first, but then a group of little kids came up to me and asked me if I would count for them while they would all go and hide. I immediately agreed and just like that I was a part of the best hide and seek game in my 4 year old life. I remember how easy it was to make friends but how hard it was to memorize their names. It was an extreme problem for me then because I didn’t know how to call out to them while playing. The best activity of the day was when the teacher took us outside and we played on the swings and slides. The best of all was the sandbox, we would run to the back of the school yard where the water taps were, and fill our little buckets with water and spill it on the sand so this way it would be wet and perfect to make sand castles with. As the day came to end I remember not wanting to go home. But that all changed when I saw my mom in the front door of the class room ready to take me home, I was so glad to see her, as I had so many things to tell. I went on and on about what I had experienced, telling my story with a smile on my face. And when I got back home I repeated the whole thing to dad, everyone was glad I had such a wonderful day. I was looking forward on going back there again tomorrow, but this time with a mission, I was determined on memorizing all of their names, so I would know how to answer when someone asked about the names of my friends. I was officially the happiest kindergartner of all times.

Internal and External Influences on LOreal

Internal and External Influences on LOreal Globalisation is the system of interaction among the countries in the world in order to develop the global economy, through integration of economics and societies all over the world by involving technological, economic, political, and cultural exchanges which made possible largely by advances in communication, transportation, and infrastructure, (source: http://hubpages.com). A business firm which want to or operates in global environment needs to be aware that there so many to face in that business environment (internal and external), because the firm will operates across more than one country and across different social and culture issues, political and legal systems, economic system and technology. Stakeholders interest like community, politicians, other competitors, suppliers, employees, shareholders, will be more demanding across wider global business enviroment where the global firm will get involve in the business, and this will be more challenging to the firm. The product which a business company will offer to the market needs to be global products that will achieve competence against other competitors who operates in global business too. Task one The Analysis of primary internal and external influences to LOreal. Globalisation. There several primary influences to company like Loreal to go global like as follows bellow. Goverment drivers, like favorable trade policies, compatible technical standards, and common marketing regulations. Competitive drivers, like high import of goods, interdependence of countries, competitors from different countries, and globalisation competitors. Market drivers, influences by having global channels, transferable marketing, common customer needs, and global customers. Cost drivers, like low transportation costs, global scale economies, need for technology, steep experience curve, difference in country costs and high product development costs. According to casestudy shows number of influences to LOreal as subjected. In internal influence were about to build the organisation structure which can be global administration and cope with the external global environment by stabilising their available resources so they can be competent to gain the capability to compete against other competitors globally. They been able to build up the organisation strengths through carefully plans strategy of acquring other cosmetics companies so they can spread up their wings in the international markets by using strong and potential brands in their new and existing global markets ,which some of the brands were Loreal origin brands like lancome and other adopted brands like Matrix, Maybelline, Kiehls, SoftSheen-carson, Shu Uemura, Redken. Also moving business strategy from domestic strategy to international strategy that will enable the company to compete in global environment, The marketing failure during 1953 after entering U.S market through t he company formed licensee Cosmair Inc. to distribute LOreal products(pg3 on the case study) this made the corporate management of LOreal to structure their corporate plans from failure to success, But management did able to consider company redisign to gain key success through designing good distribution channels, flaxible management development of internal structure and culture so they can cope with outside business environment to maintain stability, example LOreal managent under Dalle able to take the company to public(1963), sold off the companys soap unit and also did able to respond in political issues of state control of frances top companies(pg3 on case study). The current organisational structure were doing well in terms of achieving goals in case study it shows they had good reputation and market share in france and also in europe even though they were selling their products to customers in premium price. Organisation were recruiting skilled and talented staffs who can able to run up the company to successful point in future time without looking location of individual, example Lindsay Owen Jones who was CEO british born(case study pg 4). Good allocation of resources to invest in foreign markets enables LOreal to gain other oppotunities apart from U.S market. Example Loreal management after bought the brand of Helena Rubinstein was best opportunity to go extra miles to gain other markets which are outside of U.S like Europe,Japan and Asia and brand has very good market awereness to its customers. Through acquisation Loreal company were able to access available resources from other company like distribution channels, skilled staffs. Because of global marketing environment Lindsay Owen Jones the CEO of LOreal he started to redisgn the corporate strategy so the company can able to cope with the international geographical environment of where will operates, below here shows the Strategic Choices of company can use four basic strategies to enter and compete when decide to operate in international market like follows:- Pressure for Local GLOBAL STRATEGY TRANSNATIONAL STRATEGY INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY MULTI-DOMESTIC STRATEGY High Cost pressure Low Low Pressure for local High Transnational Strategy. This strategy firms must exploit experience curve cost economies and location economies, transfer distinctive competencies within the firm and pay attention for pressures for localisation. To do this their need to be flows of knowledge from the parent to subsidiaries, flow from foreign subsidiaries to the home country, and from foreign subsidiaries to foreign subsidiaries, a process that known as global learning. The approach of transnationals is not appropriate in all situations, nor is it without costs. Where demands for local responsiveness are low, a global strategy may still be the most appropriate . The coordination and management challenges of a transnational also create higher cost and benifits than with one of the more traditional strategies. A transinational strategy makes sense when a firm faces high pressure for cost reductions, high pressures for local responsiveness, and where there are significant opportunities for leveraging valuable skills within a multinationals glo bal network of operation. In some ways companys that pursue a transnational strategy are trying to simultaneously achieve cost and differentiation advantages. As attractive as this may sound, the strategy is not easy to pursue. Pressure for local responsiveness and cost reductions place conflicting demand on a firm, being locally responsive raises costs. Global Strategy. Firms that pursue a global strategy focus on increasing profitability by reaping the cost reductions that come from experience curves effects and location economies. That can be called a company pursuing low cost strategy. The production, marketing and research and development activities of firms pursuing a global strategy are concentrated in a few favorable locations. Global firms tend not to customise their product offering and marketing strategy to local conditions because customisation raises cost, it involves shorter production runs and the duplications of functions. Multidomestic Strategy Compay pursue this strategy orient themselves toward achieving maximum local responsiveness. The key distinguish feature of multidomestic firms is that they extensively customise both their product offering and their marketing strategy to match different national conditions. Consistent with this they also tend to establish a complete set of value creation activities. International Strategy In this strategy company try to create value by transferring valuable skills and products to foreign markets where indigenous competitors lack those skills and products. Most international firms have created value by transferring differentiated product offerings developed at home to new markets overseas. Analysis of how globalisation influences policies and decision making in LOreal. LOreal able to increase acquisation to maintain market share against other competitors so the company can stay into its business. Value creation were made into LOreal products by renovate those brands they were so strong in the market and had very good perception to its customers because if there is more value in the product that means there is value and trust between two parties, firm and customer. Because of globalisation LOreal did able to design the Organisation structure which will fit on the global environment the firm is facing. Barlett and Goshal outline a range of organisation structures developed by multinationals to meet these global challenges, Like as follows below. Global Co-ordination Low High International Divisions Global Products Companies International Subsidiaries Transinational Corporational Low Local Independence And Responsiveness High International Divisions The structure is appropriate where there is little requirement for global coordination and little need to tailor products to local requirements. Global Product Companies The need for greater global integration has seen many multinationals moving towards global product structures with product divisions integrating activities on a world wide basis from component supply, through manufacturing to research and development. This structure creates many opportunities to achieve cost efficiencies and transfer resources that are dependent upon sophisticated planning and control systems. However the pressures to respond to local needs seem to be increasing in many global markets. In case study page 10, CEO Owen Jones said that Loreal to be truly global company they need to promote around the world American brands because that was other great alternative in the beauty industry and also they didnt accept only local brands, by trying to put all LOreal brand everywhere by selling United states to Americans, Japanese, Chinese and Italian elegance to the Japanese, French beauty to Africans, and also Japanese chic to Brazillians. International Subsidiaries Many organisations are structured around international subsidiaries that respond more closely to the needs of the local market, often at the expense of control from the centre and a uniform organisational structure. However, whilst this structure has been appropriate in the past, as global competition becomes more intense, there may now be a need to look at greater global integration. Transnational Corporations The increasing pressures of global competition upon companies to both globally co-ordinate activities and respond to local needs has led to the emergence of the transnational organisation . The traditional multinational structures are seen to be converging upon a new organisational structure that depends upon an integrated network of interdependent resources. Also LOreal company according to case studies shows the numbers of responds to change the products offering to its customers through understanding their customers and the life styles they have. By using Ansoff four strategic options, he claimed that in marketing we can only ever be talking about products and markets, and that these can only be old, or existing, and new, or potential. Below is a figure shows Ansoff Matrix model in strategic choice. Products Present New Market Penetration LOW RISK Product Development MEDIUM RISK Market Development MEDIUM RISK Diversification HIGH RISK Exist Markets New source: abe manual Market penetration On this strategy present product and present market will be appropriate when a market is growing and not yet saturated, example Loreal company when was marketing in France market before decide to go abroad market. By attracting non users of the product, or purchasing rate of existing customers. The strategy can be implemented through increasing activity on one or more of the mix elements. Example aggressive promotion, pricing, using more intensive distribution. Product development. The strategy deals with New product at existing market, an organisation develops a new product to sell at its existing market. Sometimes can be simply the product refinement, could be change of taste or packaging. Product development is most prevalent when branding exists. Promotional aspects will be emphasise the added qualities of the new product and link it specifically to the security of and confidence in the brand. This strategy builds up customer loyalty and the benefits to be gained by purchase and other mix elements like distribution may remain unchanged. Market Development On this strategy is about the company sells the existing product at new market, is often found when a regional business wishes to expand or if new markets are emerging because of changes in consumer habits. It can also occur when a new use has been discovered for an existing product. Implentention of this strategy involves appealing to markets sectors not currently catered for and many mean a repositioning of products, new distribution methods or channels. Diversification This strategy is where new product will be sold in the new markets sometimes introduced so that the firm will not become too dependent on its existing strategic business units (SBUs), this is kind of insurance for future of the company incase of any disaster that would happen due to drastic environmental changes in future where the company is operating it business. This can be considered as means of growth and expansion of power to against competitors. The new product can me totally innovated which has never been seen in the marketplace, or the product is new to the firm but has already been the in the marketplace. Diversification can be Horizontal integration acquisation of another organisation which has a desired features, the firm that is acquired mighty use similar production methods, its distribution channels may highly effective and prove advantageous or has got great capacity. Or Vertical Integration where involves acquisition of some other enterprises in the chain of distribu tion between manufacturer and customer,can be forward towards customer or backwards towards the source of materials. Other diversification also can be Conglomeration where moves a company away from the its existing product market situation into an entirely new area in order to satisfy a primary objective. Critical evaluation of the effectiveness of LOreal response to globalisation. Due to global environment has its complexity and uncertainties, LOreal did able to respond through building organsation which will cope with changes in business environment by competing with other firms operating in the same beauty industry, LOreal was selling a products (e.g Lancome in cosmetics and LOreal professional in hair care) which targeting in high income customers by selling their products in high price, which limited the company to expand into international markets. Also their brands where only potential in Europe and not USA and the price strategy they were using were not accessible. This made LOreal management to review their marketing strategies into global level. LOreal had market entry strategy in USA market, first was licensee to cosmair to supply Loreal products after the strategy didnt perfom better, then Loreal management did apply another strategy which was acquisition strategy. There are different entry strategy to foreign markets a business company can use, ent ry strategy can be Turnkey project, Exporting, Franchising, Licensing or Joint ventures. Licensing agreement is at arrangement where by a licensor grants the rights intangible properry to another entity (the licensee) for a specified period, and in return the licensor receives a royalty fee from the licensee. Intangible property includes patents, inventions, formulas, Trademarks, processes and designs. Acquisation is about one firm buys another firm. Hamills model, Motives for acquisation are economic motives, strategic motives, finance motive and behavioral and managerial motive. Economic motives can be synergy in value chain,economies of scale, improved efficiency, purchase of managerial skills and unique resources. Strategic motives this can aslo be diversification,competitive by gaining market control or remove competitors or both, buy rather than build market share, or instant growth. Behavioral and managerial motives also this can be increasing management utility and sales growth, personal goals of senior managers, separation of ownership from control. Financial motives is about Financial engineering,Valuation gap theory and increasing shareholder value. In Addition of popular American brands such as Maybelline, Redken, Matrix, SoftSheen-Carson, and Ralph Lauren Fragrances to its portfolio of french brands, LOreal had created an international brand portfolio for consumers with a wide range of incomes and tastes in 140 countries. Because the market in France and part of Europe maybe were seems to be saturated, and LOreal perhaps was facing a bit competition from rival companies in france and other part of Europe made it to seek other new attractive market which was USA market to extend its market share and increase the revenue. By using Boston Consultancy Group Matrix(BCG) theory based on Market share and Market growth rate of the Small Business Units(SBUs). Boston Consultancy Group Matrix. STARS QUESTION MARKS CASH COWS DOGS High Market growth Low Relative Market Share Source: abe manual. Question Mark Are products which have low market share and are in high growth markets. The product has not yet reached a dominant position in the market. Although it may be generating funds, it still requires a lot of investment for development and the company must decide if they to keep investing. Star If Question marks succeed they become stars, leaders in high growth markets. Stars are the providers of tomorrow and the company with no stars should worry. On the figure above shows two star products, one which has the leading share in its market and one which has only slightly more share than its leading competitor. Efforts should be made to increase the share of the second product in order to secure its future profitability, particularly as the market has a very high growth rate this could be where future earnings lie. Also this stage may involve investment in promotion and distribution incase of competition, and Star can also produce revenue and use resources which may lead to break even. Cash Cow When market growth reaches a stable level, Stars become cash cows providing they hold a leading share of the market. If they lose any market share to the competition they will slip into either being a marginal Question Mark or at very worse,a Dog or sometimes if a firm continued to support other categories and neglegeted its cash cow then its could eventually become a dog. Cash Cows produce good revenue, do not require high investment and often mean the economies of scale can be gained. The money earned from cash cows should be used to invest into other products. Dog Dogs have a weak market share in low growth or stable markets. These products can often take up more time than they are worth. They usually produce low profits and very often incur losses. They will always consume cash, even if it is just in the time taken to manage them. Can be dropped by firm but is not wise to do immediately because they might still poduce profit and can also be used retention to customers. LOreal responded by creating competitive advantage against other competitors in beauty industry. Michael Porter Generic Strategy explained how the company can gain competitive advantage through differentiation, differentiation focus, cost leadership, and cost focus. LOreal management were able to differentiate their products through product divisions ( Consumer, Professional and Luxury products division). Also Loreal used cost leadership and cost focus, by created products range according to consumer classes, by selling them with different range of price, based on ethinic life styles from white to black people. Also Porter Value Chain Analysis can be useful here to determine the response of Loreal beauty company to globalisation, Primary activities. Inbound logistics, dealing with storing, receiving and distributing the inputs to the product or service. Material handling, controlling stock and transport. Operations, concern of transform different inputs into final products or service, assembly and testing. Research and development, concerning about gathering useful information from the market like competitors in that market,customers, developing new product or lowering the cost of production ( LOreal, Research and development activities allowed the firm to reduce production costs). In the case study (pg11), Its says LOreal had strong commitment to research and development that many insiders considered to be among the firms most distinctive values and a comparative advantage over competitors. Through research and development they did able to discover the new hair Fructis shampoo product made from fruit sugar called fructose. Production can be creation of goods or services, example Fructis shampoo. Out bound logistics through local distribution channels which the company had control with it, acquisation enabled LOreal management to gain competence in distributing products to consumers. The Marketing and sales provide the means whereby consumers/users are made aware of the product or service and are able to purchase, Loreal provided product mix, enough advertising to their customers so the can be aware of their products offering to the market. Service, service includes all those activities which enhance or maintain the value product or service, such as training, installation, repair and spares. Support Activities in the value chain give inputs that allow the primary activities to occur, can materials management, human resource management by dealing with recruiting, training, development and rewarding people within the organisation, example in the case study Loreal hire people early in their careers and educate them so that they can become the future leaders of the company (i.e LOreal CEO, Lindsay Owen Jones and Kiehls president, Philip Clough). Information systems, and company infrastructure this can be the structure of organisation, control stystems and culture of the firm. Demonstration of some areas for improvement in the response of LOreal. LOreal as beauty company needs some area for improvement like as follows; There is need for Loreal to creat another range of products which will be different from cosmetics products through diversification, example house hold products or clothing, so can able to maintain the strong position in the market and gain more revenue. Because the Loreal profit seems to be low compare to other competitors, even though is leading company there is slightly difference in revenue and even in market share too. The price of Loreal products seems to be a bit expensive to developing countries in Africa and Asia where majority people are in very low income which the cant afford to buy the Loreal products only medium and high income people can afford to but them, compare with other competitors like Procter and Gamble or Uniliver which their products in area like Asia and Africa are quite cheap most people can afford them. Example Loreal did sue Bellure company for selling smelled perfume like a luxury Loreal perfume (htt://www.newlawjournal.co.uk), this shows that the Loreal products are potential in market but are more expensive which other company getting advantage by coping the products and selling them in cheap price. There is needs of improvement also in distribution channels so can allow easy accessibility of products to their customers, example Kielhls products part like Africa there is no kiehls store, like Asia which there is good ermerging market opportunities there only very few stores. Social resposibility according to book of Corporate Communication by Cornelissen pointed as corporate social responsibility is about the recognition of the need for business to deliver the wider societal value beyond shareholder and market alone (pg44). Loreal management doesnot gives information in how they are connected to their suppliers who supply the materials for fructis shampoo which made from fruit juice, but how the fruits are growing and there is any environmental concern that the major question, because probably this could be another source of environmental degradation. According to The Telegraph article Jan 30, 2008, Loreal was sued for using Shark oil to make cosmetics which they did stop to use to make major products but still their using shark oil to make lipstic brand type called Shu Uemura, which actually for Loreal needs to use other source of raw material like vegetable oil than Shark oil which this destroys natural resources in the environment. Loreal also through advertisiment by using female models this can be misleading to women because most women will respond to advert that there is beautiful model on it by thinking that they will be the same as like the model on the advert, source (http//loreal.exteen.com), this should be improved by selling only cosmetics generally than selecting small number of beatiful model women who can attract majority women in the world to buy products.

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Background: Office ergonomics as is the case with other disciplines in ergonomics all emerged in the 1940s during the world war (McCormick and Saunders 1993). Difficulties arouse from soldiers inability to handle technical equipment produced for the war due to physical incompatibility or lack of understanding of the equipment and when the advancements in technology was transferred to the civilian populous after the war, the same problems in human-machine system incompatibility were observed. This led to a study by military personnel, academics psychologists and physiologist all researching on solutions to the complications arising from the operation of the machines (Kumar and Cohn, 2013). In the year 1949 the term ergonomics was coined from the Greek words â€Å"ergo† meaning work and â€Å"nomos† meaning law in a meeting attended by distinguished psychologist and physiologist. The same group later formed the ergonomic research society (ERS) which was the first body in the world to study on ergonomics. ERS then evolved to the ergonomics society (ES) and then to the current Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (IEHF) (Omerley, 2103). Office ergonomics is part of this generalized evolution of ergonomics with it being a recognized discipline among the domains of ergonomics. Office ergonomics deals mainly in the office setting or environment and helps in averting injuries and adapting the work to the person rather than the person to the work. Development of office ergonomics Office ergonomics was developed in a bid to better the already good working environment (Lauren, 2006). This helps individuals operating machines give their best job results as well as maximizing production. As production is increased, risks of injury are greatly red... ...lementation of the solution by the committee. Worker compensation cost also reduced by 10%. This saved Quad graphics money that would be used in compensation and valuable days that would have been lost due to worker absence (Lauren, 2006). Conclusion/opinion Ergonomics is a great tool in increasing worker productivity and improving working conditions in work stations. Any organization that encompasses ergonomics in its operations is saving lots of money from time wastage and worker compensation. Organizations should not wait until their workers become injured or ill so that they introduce ergonomics. They should instead adopt it from the word go. By doing so, workers have confidence in the organization as they feel cared for thus will give their best while at work. The moment ergonomics becomes a way of life in all organizations, everything changes for the better.

Polonius has sometimes been presented Essay

There has been much debate amongst critics and directors alike on the depth of Polonius’s character, and his purpose in the play. There are those, such as critic Myron Taylor, who view him as a more sinister persona, arguing ‘his ineffectuality does not excuse his moral deviousness. Appearance has become his reality’, thus implying he is used for menacing dramatic effect. However others take a more sympathetic view, for example Elkin Calhoun Wilson; ‘that dotage repeatedly amuses us in his fondness for lecturing and giving advice, however sound, to his meandering young;’, therefore interpreting him as a more bumbling and comical element to an otherwise serious play. Despite understanding both these views I still, like Hamlet, see Polonius as a ‘rash, intruding fool’ [Act. 3Scene. 4 line33]and believe anything done that may appear enigmatic or ominous can only have occurred unintentionally (in the script) or through exaggeration in directing. Similarly to Wilson, I can see how Polonius would add light-hearted, comic relief to the play, especially when paired with quick-witted Hamlet, highlighting the cracks in Polonius’s delusional ‘wise’ role he has adopted. Polonius has traditionally been played as a sinister character, with exaggerations on his spying and sneaking around castles, as is portrayed in Franco Zeffirelli’s version, though many productions in the 20th Century have instead portrayed him as older and more bumbling to bring a comic element to the play. There are two sides of Polonius shown in Act 1 Scene 3 and Act 2 Scene 1. These focus on his relationships with Ophelia and Laertes, and to me portray him as foolish again, though not unintelligent. He appears authoritative ‘Look to’t I charge you; come your ways’ [Scene3 line. 135 to Ophelia] and gives further instructions to Laertes ‘Aboard, aboard.. neither a borrower nor a lender be’ [lines55+75]. This particular line enforces the idea he is comical/foolish; advising Laertes to leave else he’ll miss his crossing, yet proceeding to bombard him with a lengthy advisory speech that states what is obvious. It does seem that he is rambling here as well, as of course Laertes is returning to university, not just starting, making the well-meant advice effectively knowledge that Laertes already has. Both his offspring create an impression of having to be patient with him, replying in just short sentences as if to make up for time lost ‘Most humbly do I take leave my lord’ [Laertes line 81]. The audience’s knowledge that he isn’t as respected as he thinks himself to be can be humorous, developing an almost ‘bumbling’ man who is held in higher esteem by himself than even his long-suffering, and in the case of Ophelia, oppressed, children. With Ophelia, there is a significant difference their relationship than that with Laertes; Polonius seems highly insensitive to her feelings, and Ophelia’s replies become more restrained and subservient. When speaking to Ophelia, for example, Polonius advises her on her relationship with Hamlet ‘Do not believe his vows, for they are brokers’ [Act 1 sc. 3 line 127]; in Kenneth Branagh’s production of the play, Ophelia has already slept with Hamlet, and Branagh makes use of flashbacks in Ophelia’s mind of their sexual relations as she listens absent-mindedly to her father. This helps back up an image of Polonius as rather ignorant, especially as Ophelia’s reply is so submissive, building an impression of an advisor of little use to anybody, which in turn strengthens his role as a comic. However, this display of likeability could be argued to be compromised in Act 2 Scene 1 as Polonius plots to send spies after Laertes ‘put on him What forgeries you please,’ [Act 2 sc. 1 lines19+20], potentially revealing a darker side to him, yet for me this is ruined later on in dialogue ‘And then, sir, does’a this-he does-what was I about to say? ‘ suggesting he puts on an act whilst playing up his deviousness, as the inconsistency in language, dashes and faltering punctuation portray an inconsistent mind that runs away too easily and is not to be taken seriously; quite like the character itself: not intended to be a serious one. With relevance to Claudius, when both in a scene, Polonius can either be argued to be more devious or even more of a fool. The former view could have been picked up on because of the spying and meddling that occurs between the two of them, such as in Act 3 Sc. 1 ‘Her father and myself, lawful espials, Will so bestow ourselves†¦ ‘ [ lines 32+33] and to some may show a more sinister shade to his persona. In Branagh’s full-length version, Polonius is shown to be slyer, with the including of his (spying) scene with Reynaldo; a scene some directors cut out to enhance their own, more positive view of the character, due to his scheming. Polonius is in a superior position in the court, which has been argued to be deliberate to use his status power to a menacingly-inclined advantage, but is this because of his wisdom (as critic Harry Levin believes â€Å"[Polonius is] quotable because of the wisdom of his comments†), or because Claudius just needs a friend? There is a theory which might explain his position, interpreting him as someone who once had a great mind, but is now losing control of it. This is Polonius in a more tragic light, though Claudius evidently still relies on him and trusts him, as he follows Polonius’s advice regarding spying, but also agreeing to a meeting between Hamlet and the Queen before Hamlet is sent to England. The latter theory is the viewpoint that perhaps Claudius and Gertrude see him as a fool. When Polonius in Act 2 Sc. 2 gets carried away in his own wordiness â€Å"Why day is day, night night†¦ † [line 88] unintentionally, he is opposing himself to the idea of his speech â€Å"brevity is the soul of wit† [line 90], and Gertrude even remarks â€Å"More matter with less art. † [line 95], in other words, bluntly pointing out that Polonius’s act as a wise advisor is conjured by himself; that he is not the mind he thinks himself to be. Act 3 Scene 1 reconfirms my original theory, as Polonius guesses-incorrectly and slightly hypocritically-that the cause of Hamlet’s madness is down to Ophelia’s rejection, again giving Hamlet, and the audience, the upper hand ‘yet do I believe The origin and commencement of his grief/ Sprung from neglected love’. Even when it is confirmed that hamlet’s madness has nothing to do with Ophelia, Polonius sticks to his theory despite all evidence pointing to the contrary. Far from appearing sinister then, the two (Claudius and Polonius) together appear foolish, like puppets with Hamlet as their master, manipulating and playing their minds. This is demonstrated earlier in the play, as Polonius tells Ophelia not to believe his vows â€Å"for they are brokers† [Act 1 sc. 3 line 127], yet here, he himself is taken in by Hamlet’s performance. It is also worth noting that Polonius had previously told Ophelia ‘Affection? Pooh, you speak like a green girl’ [Act 1 Sc. 3, lines 127, + 101], showing he is proving to be stubborn on a matter he previously disagreed with-and seemed so ready to persuade Ophelia likewise of- himself. Polonius is often contrasted with Hamlet. It could be argued his place in the play is to emphasise Hamlet’s quick-wittedness and intelligent nature. He seems not to understand the Prince is teasing him conversationally; ‘I did enact Julius Caesar, I was killed I’ th’ Capitol; Brutus killed me’ [Polonius Act 3 Sc. 2lines 105+106] ‘It was a brute part of him to kill so capitol a calf there’ [Hamlet lines 107+8]. Scenes like this also help to contrast Hamlet’s sharp dialogue with Polonius’s slow, lengthy style of speech, particularly when he is with the King or Queen and uses it to impress: as Elkin Calhoun Wilson has noticed ‘†¦ and over-elaborating it [his ‘wisdom’] in speech with the King and Queen’. Hamlet further makes Polonius the butt of his jokes in Act 3 Scene 2 ‘By th’ mass and ’tis, like a camel indeed’ [Polonius line 375] ‘Methinks it is like a weasel’ [Hamlet line 376] and has more fun at the old diplomat’s expense. It also quite blatantly makes a joke out of Polonius, the laughs in the audience this time actually being against him, as he remains too involved in the sound of his own voice to properly register what Hamlet is saying, establishing him unarguably as a comic character. Hamlet is a character with an excellent command over language in the play though, and is naturally clever without striving to be, whereas Polonius speaks in dragging, slow bouts and wants to be considered wise. There is clearly little respect towards Polonius from Hamlet (â€Å"you are a fishmonger† [Act.2 Sc. 2 line 174], and, as he is the protagonist of the play, this sways the audience’s opinion towards him. He is almost too cruel towards him at some points though, e. g. â€Å"old men have grey beards†¦ they have a plentiful lack of wit† [Act. 2 Sc. 2 lines 197-201], clearly describing Polonius, and so perhaps enforcing the idea of him as a tragic character. Right until the end, Hamlet still treats Polonius as a second-class person; showing no remorse at his death and branding him a ‘rash, intruding fool’ [Act 3 Scene 4 line 33] which of course he was. The words ‘intruding’ convey a completely different meaning to ‘cleverly inquisitive’ and ‘rash’ doesn’t invite the praise ‘spontaneous’ would. He was then labelled a fool during his time in the play, and labelled a fool again upon his exit. It is ironic Polonius’s death should be so unceremonious [Act 3 Scene 4, stage directions ‘Exit Hamlet dragging in Polonius’ line 219] given that his persona in the play was one of elaboration and false grandeur. This is almost like a last, bittersweet laugh against him, exactly the opposite of how he would have liked to have exited, the word ‘dragged’ being of particular importance, as when performed on stage this would have been so undignified as to have crossed slightly into black humour territory, depending on the director (â€Å"I’ll lug the guts into the neighbour room†, Hamlet, Act. 3 Scene. 4, line 213)It is also exposing that Polonius should have been killed from behind the arras, and in a foolish way too. It would have been wiser to remain hidden, and so by shouting, symbolically, perhaps Polonius was revealing the shallowness there was to his ‘sinister’ persona. Hamlet’s reaction is one of brevity and disrespect ‘I took thee for thy better’ [line 134]. However, his death does act as a catalyst for the race towards the ending of the play; Hamlet is sent to England to meet his death, though Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are killed instead. This proceeds to him finally taking revenge on Claudius, and results in the murders of Gertrude, Hamlet, Laertes and Claudius. Whether this increases his worth or not in the play is open to interpretation. Elkin Calhoun Wilson decides ‘Polonius has a minor tragic dimension as well as a major comic’ boasting ‘[my] eyes catch a more embracive view of him than Hamlet’s possibly can’ and with this I can, to an extent, agree. It is tragic he should be cast off in such a way, and in him there was not just the ‘doddering old fool’, but also, as Elkin writes, a ‘comic appendage’. Overall then, looking at various views and studying the text thoroughly, I can stick by my judgement of Polonius as a foolish, though comic, character. Although considered unimportant by those in the play, I believe him to bring a welcome relief from the drama and tragedy entangled in the plot which would otherwise make for a very depressing production. Of course, it is down to personal interpretation how a director would present the character, but to me the lengthy and self-important dialogue is unavoidable, and the undignified death inevitable, making Polonius -arguably- doomed to lack credible menace void of irony and humour, and therefore set firmly as a foolish ‘prating’ character. 1999 words Sophie Mayall. Bibliography: Websites used:http://www. metroactive. com/papers/metro/02. 20. 97/branagh-9708. html http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Polonius www. jstor. org- Studies in English Literature 1500-1900: Vol. 8, No. 2, Elizabethan and Jacobean England www. jstor. org- Shakespeare Quarterly: Vol. 9, No. 1 (Winter 1958), pp. 83-85 Films: Kenneth Branagh’s film version Hamlet: 1996 Franco Zeffirelli’s film version Hamlet: 1990 Copies of the text: Cambridge School Shakespeare First Edition, published 1994 Heinemann Advanced Shakespeare, published 2000 Journals: Shakespeare Quarterly: Vol. 9 (winter 2005), Vol. 8 No. 2 (spring 1968).

Discuss how realism is created in the film drama Yasmin Essays

Discuss how realism is created in the film drama Yasmin Essays Discuss how realism is created in the film drama Yasmin Essay Discuss how realism is created in the film drama Yasmin Essay Yasmin, written by Oscar award winner Simon Beaufoy, is a topical drama focused around a predominantly Asian community in the north of England. Starring Bend It Like Beckham and East Is East actress Archie Panjabi, Yasmin, explores problems and prejudices faced by Asian people in the aftermath of the atrocities in America on September the Eleventh. Using characterisation, setting, camera, mise-en-scene and sound, director Kenneth Gleenan, creates a sense of realism through an accurate depiction of life in an Asian community after the terrorist attacks. In this essay I have chosen to focus on the opening scene, and I will discuss methods used in Yasmin to create realism through media and film-making techniques, and how successful Yasmin is in doing this. I will also look at the writers and directors representations of life for British Muslims after the tragedies of September the Eleventh. The narrative in Yasmin is set in modern day and tackles contemporary issues and prejudices that can be easily applied to a Muslim community. Based around events on September the Eleventh, the audience have a universal awareness of the actual events that it focuses around, however many of the problems surfaced by Yasmin are not exclusive to a Muslim community and are faced by many minorities of other cultures, religions and minority groupings. So the problems portrayed in Yasmin are a representation of a wide scale issue faced by minorities in post 9-11 world where racial tensions are often high. The story follows the journey of a typical British Muslim, Yasmin, through the time before, during and after the attacks in America. It looks at all aspects of Yasmins life from her daily goings on to family problems, culture clashes and the hostility she faces from the people close to her as well as ordinary people on the street and the police. Torn between the traditions, customs and values of her Asian upbringing and the way of life the Western world has taught her; Yasmin is a troubled, young British Muslim struggling to find her true identity. The director, in the opening scene, makes this fact very clear in the short section when Yasmin hides so that she can strip herself of her traditional Muslim clothing in favour of typical Western fashions; taking refuge in a field just outside the town in which she lives. Through costume and lighting, the Mise-en-Scene in this section is a medium used powerfully and effectively to accurately portray the personal problems Yasmin faces whilst not making them so obvious as to allow the audience to draw some conclusions and personal opinions themselves. Through costume, by placing on a pair of tight jeans, realism is displayed, firstly because Yasmin is a young girl, and she chooses to wear tight jeans that strongly define her feminine figure, something that would be considered a very normal thing to do for a young girl to do, even though a slight stereotype. Secondly, the jeans can be read as a symbol of her rebellion against her traditional values, and the restrictions they place upon her as a female. They are symbolic of true problems, faced by many people. The use of costumes in the opening scenes quickly establishes Yasmin as a gritty TV drama; indeed, Yasmins cheap and ill-fitting jeans are a far cry from the glamorous designer outfits modelled by A-list celebrities in glossy, over-produced Hollywood productions. Instead, Yasmin attempts to accurately portray problems faced by people who are torn between cultures whilst avoiding patronising or offending these people by being true to life. Apart from costume, lighting also plays a significant-role in the opening scene. The use of bright daytime light along with the grey and white clouds casts shadows around Yasmin, and can be seen clearly in the birds eye view shot that looks down on Yasmin as she drives down the road out of the countryside. The shadows could be seen to represent her emotions; her guilt and the demons she faces, and are created through a realistic use of light. The birds eye view shot also allows the audience to see the tranquillity of the setting in that there are no other cars or people in the scene. This is realistic in the fact that it becomes clear to the audience why Yasmin chooses to take cover there as it is tranquil, and she can be alone with her thoughts to consider what she is doing, the consequences, but also why she is betraying her family and traditions, or whether if she wasnt changing her persona through her clothes she would be betraying her true cravings to truly integrate and conform to British customs. Also illustrated in the car, and the fact that it is a sports car shows her want to escape, and the fact that it is old is realistic as it shows how Yasmin is young and in real life wouldnt be able to afford much else. To create a naturalistic setting, this scene is shot in daylight to create a muted colour to further emphasise the fact that Yasmin is a gritty TV drama, which contrasts the vibrant and melodramatic styles generated by Technicolor, as used in Hollywood productions. Whilst putting on her jeans, the character of Yasmin is framed irregularly on the left of the shot, and to her right are plants and trees. This could be seen as the directors representation of how Yasmin is only in her youth and is still young and naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve, and has not yet grown in to a tree. A portrayal of Yasmin being young and wanting to have fun and escape and shackles that she is faced with is realistic, believable ethic that I believe the Director is trying to represent. The sound in this section is often scarce, or dim at best. Birds twittering, wind blowing, are the distant digetic sounds that can be dimly heard by the audience. The silence in this section could be seen as a conscious decision made by the director to show Yasmins isolation and how she is lost amongst her own thoughts and own problems, and not by any specific pressures that are being enforced upon her by other outside influences, it can be read as being representative of her situation making her an int rovert. They are realistic sounds that are in context to the setting, and add to the effect of the peaceful tranquil atmosphere that I feel Yasmins character seeks in the country. As Yasmin drives away, some traditional Asian music plays, a non-digetic sound, into a point of view shot showing Yasmin looking at the road ahead, that could represent the path Yasmin will take, and in combination these two mediums create a question for the audience, what path will Yasmin take, a realistic problem someone in her scenario would ask themselves, am I British or am I what my father has made me, Muslim? The second part of the opening scene I have chosen to look at is the portion in which Yasmins elderly father, who maintains the local Mosque, and Yasmins brother, go to mosque to begin the mornings call to prayer. Like the scene with Yasmin, the director immediately outlines what the coming storyline will focus upon, however unlike Yasmins section of the opening scene, the father is faced with problems that arent as personal issues, but issues the local Muslim community are facing as a whole. As the father and brother walk around to the mosque, along littered streets with broken bollards, continuing to install realism into the setting, there is a long shot down one of the streets that is extremely powerful in creating a realistic setting in context with the financial state of the community and geographical setting as it is filmed on real streets, not a film set. There is a long shot of a row of houses, poorly maintained, shabby, poor looking with cars of a similar stature. This is ty pical of the northern England industrial areas, where houses were built quickly, all looking the same, and with it being set in northern England, this is typically a poorer area with the decline for manual labourers in the industrial sector, less jobs are available to people living there causing a higher rate of unemployment. Also, on nearly every house there is a satellite television receiver dish, which is a very strong symbol of a stereotypical average home in modern Britain, everyone sitting around watching their televisions all day. As if a neighbour looking out on the characters, there is also a high angle shot that creates a fly-on-the-wall effect for the audience, creating realism. In contrast to the other section of the opening scene, this scene doesnt have any non-digetic sound, and is filled with digetic sound that create realism, people talking, cars driving past, footsteps, children shouting on their way to school, typical sounds of people going about their daily routin es. The scene then cuts to the father and brother approaching the shutter that covers the entrance door to find graffiti spelling out a racist comment. Go Home Paki is in big letters across the shutter. This is hard hitting and very strong in showing realism in a number of ways. Firstly, it is powerful in the fact the racist term Paki is seen as a taboo and highly unacceptable, and shocks the audience, and provides a hook setting the atmosphere for rest of the story. Secondly, the language used is the type of comment a racist person would use, and would be specifically used to upset the victim by using racist derogatory language, but by also suggesting that the Muslim people dont belong in England, and raises a similar issue faced by Yasmin in the other section of the opening scene for the father, where is my home? Although his body language and facial expressions obviously express that he feels pain from the comments on the shutter, the fathers reaction is quite off hand suggesting that this is a regular occurrence, making the audience empathise with the situation and allowing the audience to familiarise themselves with the trials and tribulations the family are facing. A high angle- long shot, of the inside of the mosque, rich red carpets with ornate motifs typical of Asian design follows. It is a clever use of mise-en-scene to create an authentic and accurate setting inside the mosque. The carpet, with the high angle shot makes the father and brother look very small, almost engulfed by their traditions and culture, represented in the vibrant colours of the ornate carpet. The next shot is a low angle close-up shot upon the shoes of the two characters as the take them off. There is a great contrast in the style of footwear with the father wearing traditional smart black shoes, whilst the teenage son wears trainers. This is a contrast seen amongst many people from different generations, and is also realistic in the sense it shows that the Asian families are a little more relaxed in the boys mixing with the western culture a little more, whereas the girls are expected to stay traditional as if they were following Islam in Asia, and the use of the clos e-up shot emphasises this. The dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor in the mosque is old woodchip paper, beginning to peel from the walls, again symbolic and accurate to the people of the area and their financial status. Finally, the last major point that shows realism in this section of the opening scene, is the final shot where the father is cleaning the graffiti off of the shutter. The digetic sound of the son calling people to prayer over the loudspeaker is sustained in the background, realistic in its continuity, and as the father begins to clean the paint, he firstly begins to clean the word home. I found this slightly surprising as I would have believed that he would have erased the racist term, Paki, yet upon reflection I came to believe that this was a way the director represented to his audience what troubled the father, like Yasmin, the most, is that he doesnt know where home is anymore, he is torn between two cultures. His home, with his traditions and beliefs, or the culture he believed would bring him prosperity, but in the face of adversity he has grown accustom to. As I outlined when discussing this point before, this is a strong use of realism as it is a real and sensitive approach t o real problems and issues faced by Asian communities living in areas of Britain. Through camera angles and framing, using non-digetic and digetic sounds, mise-en-scene entwined within the narrative, Yasmin creates a powerful, accurate and audience sensitive depiction of problems and prejudices faced by British Asians within families, cultures and society, outlined by use of historical context in the form of events from September the Eleventh. I believe that the filmmaker and writers were trying to show how hard it is to find what normal is when you are trying to find a common ground seen as acceptable between two very different cultures built on different traditions and values. Speaking to an universal audience, and in my opinion acting as a voice for Asian people in particular, the Director is trying to emphasise the unfairness of the problems faced by minorities in our society post- September the Eleventh. Yasmin shows that minority communities should be strong and have dignity and pride in all of what they are, but it also provides a message for White British people, and racists, asking them to understand how hard life is for British Asian people.

Four Social Media Mistakes Could Keep You From Getting Hired

Four Social Media Mistakes Could Keep You From Getting Hired You often hear about how social media can be leveraged to help you get a job, but what about when the process backfires? It happens †¦ and more often than you might think. But this doesn’t mean you need to deactivate your Facebook account and swear off Instagram forever. Instead, read up on four common social media mistakes in order to avoid these pitfalls and enjoy a productive job search. 1. Leaving Your Profile PublicA whopping 77 percent of employers use social media networking sites during the candidate recruitment process, according to a 2013 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) study. Unless you’re up for completely whitewashing your entire social media presence in order to deliver a 100 percent professional impression, simply set your profile to private instead. With one click of the page, you remove the possibility that companies will stumble upon something on your Facebook page that could result in your elimination from consideration.2. Leaving  Unprofessional Content on Your ProfileEven if your profile is set to private, there’s no excuse for unprofessional photos. Take time to remove all potentially incriminating pictures and posts - from rants about your last boss to evidence of that one crazy night on spring break. These can only come back to haunt you.Also, keep in mind that your profile picture is visible to all - â€Å"friends† or not. Choose something professional: this photo may well be the first impression you make on a recruiter.3.  NegativityNegative or gossipy tweets and disgruntled Facebook posts about current and past jobs and bosses do not reflect well on you. This applies to those penned by you as well as others left on your profile. For employers looking to judge your work ethic, level of commitment, and sense of integrity, unprofessional comments on social media set off alarm bells.And skip the profanity while you’re at it: 63 percent of employers have reconsidered hiring candida tes based on encountering the occasional four-letter word in their profiles.4. Improper GrammarIf you think that your Facebook posts are immune from the grammar police, think again: a staggering 66 percent of recruiters factor spelling and grammar into consideration when checking out the social profiles of candidates.And don’t forget that your current â€Å"friends,† â€Å"followers,† and â€Å"connections,† are all potential future colleagues and/or employers. Careless posting

In the years 1603 25, the King was a tyrant who did not listen to the people and had no respect for the law Essays

In the years 1603 25, the King was a tyrant who did not listen to the people and had no respect for the law Essays In the years 1603 25, the King was a tyrant who did not listen to the people and had no respect for the law Paper In the years 1603 25, the King was a tyrant who did not listen to the people and had no respect for the law Paper Essay Topic: History The year in which King James VI of Scotland came to the English throne was a great time of upheaval. The much loved Queen Elizabeth, who had been the monarch over such victories as the Spanish Armada, was dead, leaving no direct successor, only her second cousin from Scotland who was a rough-mannered, coarse, paranoid Scot, with a Calvinistic upbringing. Despite the vast differences between the Scottish and English Courts, James still managed to rule the country reasonably well and with a degree of stability, up to his death in 1625. Many historians have placed blame of the persecutions of Catholics on James shoulders, thus labeling him a tyrant. However, this is not entirely true, as most of the persecution that took place wasnt due to orders from James, but under a law passed in Queen Elizabeths reign, called the Act of Uniformity. Under this act, all were required to attend Church, with a shilling fine if you refused. This was to discourage recusants. However in conjunction with this act, was the Act of Supremacy, which required all judges, Members of Government, Justice of Peace, and mayors to take an oath approving the Royal supremacy. This meant they declared that the monarch was the supreme governor of the church. Those that refused to do so three times were executed. This ruling carried on, well into Jamess reign. This meant that for any Catholics who refused to take the oath, they would be executed. Another fact to consider is that James had lead a very paranoid childhood, ripe with assassination attempts, and family intrigue. As such he was very wary of people in general and in particular the Catholics. This paranoia increased after the gunpowder plot of 1605, although there are suspicions that it was all planned by James himself, to increase his popularity, and decrease Catholic sympathy. James should not be blamed for the persecution of the Catholics, as although he disliked them, he also disliked the puritans. The puritans didnt endure any major injustices as they were strictly Protestant. James disliked the extremities of their faith immensely, but they were not persecuted. Therefore it is possible that any persecution of Catholics that took place during his reign, were not under Jamess orders but someone else, such as Robert Cecil, who was a firm Protestant with very anti-Catholic views. James was also called a tyrant, because his coarse Scottish upbringing did not fit in well with the English Aristocracy. He was unkempt, brash, and tactless. Ideal for the boisterous violent Scottish court, but unheard of across the border. Thomas Macauly said of him: [he was prone to] stammering, slobbering, shedding unmanly tears, trembling at a drawn sword, and talking in a style alternatively of a buffoon and a pedagogue. The stammering and slobbering were most likely due to the fact he had a huge tongue and badly deformed mouth (due to the years of inbreeding between the many monarchies of Europe). He had been incredibly well educated for royalty of those times, and was fluent in several languages, but still spoke as a simple man in his court. Most of the descriptions of James come from Sir Anthony Weldon, who was a civil servant of the time. He disliked some of Jamess views on the Catholic situation, and so effectively badmouthed him in his writings The Court and Character of King James. This is one of the few texts that remain from that era, so is a frequently used source about James by historians studying that period. However it is not very pleasant, and offers an anti-James view, leaving us with no other source of contradiction. It is true that, under Jamess reign, the poor remained as hungry and insignificant as they had ever been. James has been accused of not listening to the people, and while this is true of the 95% of the population, he listened to the remaining 5% who were the landed aristocracy. These were the people with power, and therefore the ones worth listening to. And while sessions of parliament were irregular and often only for one purpose such as approval of money, James instead used the opportunities of the Royal court to stay in touch with the differing political opinions of the time. This meant that those in court could not speak freely of their opinions of James himself, to the same extent that they could in parliament, because they didnt have the luxury of certain rights (freedom of speech, freedom from arrest etc.) This prevented James from getting a clear idea of the political opinions about himself, so to ensure peoples loyalty he gave rewards such as cash, lands and titles. This was not a complete success however as the Ambassador of Venice stated in 1607: [James did not] Caress the people nor make them that good cheer the late queen did whereby she won their loves. James was often compared to his predecessor, Elizabeth, as many of the political standings and foreign situations were similar for both monarchs. However, he also failed to live up to these comparisons, as Elizabeth was both a popular queen and one who governed of periods of great change and discovery. That is not to say that Jamess reign was without success. He governed over the first settlements of what was to become the United States of America, delayed open war both with other countries, and within itself. But although James was a successful monarch in these respects, he did not have the same charisma as the previous monarch. It is because of this that had handed out gifts so frivolously, hoping to gain favor with the court, but instead decreasing the worth of the titles and draining his already debt-ridden finances. James has been said to have no respect for the law. James believed in the Divine right of Kings, which meant that he derived his royal powers and prerogatives directly from God, therefore he was answerable to God and God alone. He was: . above the law as both the author and giver of strength thereto, yet a good king will not only delight to rule his subjects by the law, but even will conform himself thereunto; always keeping the ground that the health of the commonwealth be his chief law. This was a tract written by James and published anonymously five years before he became king of England. It displays his arrogance of being above the law, but also contains a condition that even though the king is above the law, if he is a good king, he will follow the laws he sets himself. This displays that even before he was James I of England, as James VI of Scotland he respected the laws that he set himself. He also wrote extensively about how a king should act in his book Basilcon Doron, setting guidelines down for his son. Another argument against James is that on his journey down from Scotland to be crowned in London, he stopped in the town of Newark. He was witness to a pickpocket being caught and ordered that the punishment be hanging. The obedient councilors did as James said, and after the deed had been done told him that in England the king did not have the power to put someone to death without a trial. This is not a case of James having no respect for the law, simply a case of not knowing the differences between the English and Scottish systems. In conclusion, James was an adequate and fairly successful king. He was not the tyrant sometimes described, and listened to the people that mattered at the time, the landed aristocracy. Although he did not charm them the way the former queen did, he managed to keep them satisfied by gifts and rewards for loyalty at the expense of his own pocket. And he respected the law as much as was possible to, by following the guidelines he set himself.

Merger For Success In The US Airline Industry Research Paper

Merger For Success In The US Airline Industry - Research Paper Example Prior to regulation, there were no reports of airline bankruptcy. However, since deregulation in 1978, bankruptcy has become commonplace.    Between 1978 and 2001, nine major airlines inclusive of America West, Braniff, Continental, Eastern, Pan Am and TWA and more than 100 smaller carriers declared bankruptcy or liquidated its assets (Kaps, Hamilton & Bliss, 2012). The irony is that deregulation was thought to be appropriate on the basis that previous concerns about distorted competition and monopolies had been unfounded (Kaps et. al., 2012).   As Kaps et. al. (2012) explained, government officials believed that the dynamics of the market would facilitate operations â€Å"approaching pure market competition without governmental economic regulation† (p. 7).  Prior to regulation, there were no reports of airline bankruptcy. However, since deregulation in 1978, bankruptcy has become commonplace.    Between 1978 and 2001, nine major airlines inclusive of America West, Bra niff, Continental, Eastern, Pan Am and TWA and more than 100 smaller carriers declared bankruptcy or liquidated its assets (Kaps, Hamilton & Bliss, 2012). The irony is that deregulation was thought to be appropriate on the basis that previous concerns about distorted competition and monopolies had been unfounded.   As Kaps et. al. explained, government officials believed that the dynamics of the market would facilitate operations â€Å"approaching pure market competition without governmental economic regulation†.† (p. 7). The terror attacks of September 11, 2001 introduced greater difficulties for an already struggling airline industry (Wensveen, 2011). Losses to the US airline industry following the September 11, 2001 amounted to an estimated US$17.7 billion. However, it has been argued that the failures in the airline industry cannot be entirely attributable

The interview about communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The interview about communication - Essay Example The first question I asked my friend is related to his view regarding the relations between communications and culture. He believes that communication and culture are closely intertwined with each other. In fact, my friend holds that the lack or non-existence of culture would result to the impossibility of the development of communication, historically and vice versa. He gives an example of the development of the human species. He explained that the earliest days of human beings were close to the culture of communication. Communication first started out as a necessity for collective survival of human tribes. Eventually, culture was developed as humanity developed communication skills. It came to a point wherein human beings formed different societies, created their own culture, and produced cultural distinctions and differences. This leads to the next question regarding the method behind communication as a means to bridging cultural differences. My friend answers that finding a bridge between the cultural differences of people requires understanding the culture of others. Man must look and understand another culture for what it is without any preconceived judgments or prejudices. There is no such thing as a general application of one cultural aspect to another. Each culture has its own perspective regarding different matters or points of view. According to my friend, there is a tendency for many prevailing cultures to insist that their point of view regarding any matter applies, or should be applied and adhered to by other cultures.

Experience in English 102 Class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 52

Experience in English 102 Class - Essay Example I am conversant with MLA, APA, Harvard, and Chicago writing styles and my fellow students could always ask me for assistance in these areas, a factor that helped me become even better. Through the various creative reading, writing and research assignments I have greatly sharpened my critical analysis skills, which involves a set of critical interrelated questions (Browne & Keeley, 2). I have learned to ask myself questions other than just follow what is written, this is translated to my researches where I write more analytically than I did before. This is a skill that I did not have at the beginning of this class; however, achieving it will be of great use not only in my academic work but also in work-related goals. One assignment that I did not enjoy was the group assignment, this is because some of the members in my group were not co-operative and we ended up wasting a lot of time and eventually doing the assignment in a rush. I believe this is what contributed to the low grade in the assignment. However, the individual assignment on creative literature was most meaningful to me because I was able to practice most of the skills that I had learned. The stories that I read for this assignment and many others helped me change my whole perception of humanity. I learned that people live in different conditions and may be going through other circumstances that affect their way of life. Therefore, we should never be quick to judge people’s actions. Generally, my experience in the English 102 class has been interesting as well as very educative. My teachers and fellow students have been very supportive in ensuring that all concepts being taught are well grasped. I have also made many friends hence improving my social life in addition to my academic

Leadership in Health Care Organizations Practicum Coursework - 13

Leadership in Health Care Organizations Practicum - Coursework Example b or task, which he or she wishes to pursue besides having interest in instead of guessing and giving that responsibility to a staff that may end up messing due to disinterest. Hence, ensuring effectiveness of a given workforce for the people assigning duties will be giving to an individual whom he or she knows would execute that task effectively. Additionally, knowing colleague’s professional goals is essential especially in offering right information concerning which direction they ought to take. This is essential when one may not be having adequate information on how to pursue his or her goals. Adequate information in this case implies knowing which appropriate institutions to enroll and realize those goals as well as have quality education. Since, much of the quality information relating to a certain profession the pursuer may be unaware about except through his or her colleagues (Couchenour & Chrisman, 2014). Therefore, in knowing a colleague’s career not only enables informing them where and at what extend they need to seek more knowledge in good institutions but also becomes easier for their respective mentors guide them as necessitated. Knowing a colleague’s is not only essential when assigning varied specific tasks but also helpful for a firm or any other specialized organization when undertaking its periodic appraisal exercises. Mainly, these exercises aim to develop employees with the intention of ensuring competent workforce not only during the present time but also in future, which is not easy without having interests in knowing one’s career goals. Hence, aiding the firm through its members manage to help others reach their targets with ease contrary to when an individual only focuses on own life and goals. The essence of knowing colleague’s aspirations helps one choose wisely based on interests whom to associate with especially in the case of joining efforts in future in pursuit of certain common goals. This is particularly critical in

Sex and Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective 333 Essay

Sex and Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective 333 - Essay Example Of course there are a variety of women who fall outside of these scenarios but if a woman chooses not to be the woman society expects, she risks being ostracized. Women have always been seen from their body parts instead of their intellect mainly because advertising has made it impossible for women to be seen in any other way. In the article, "Advertisements Stereotype Women and Girls", Katherine Toland Frith and Barbara Mueller present a series of viewpoints showing exactly how women and girls are made by the society in which they life. There focus was on the United States and they showed how the media forms the identity of women and girls to create goals for beauty that are impossible for them to attain. This focus on a beauty they cannot obtain forces girls as early as 14 year old to look for solutions to change their body to make it like what it is "supposed" to look like. Plastic surgeons report that many children of this age want to use plastic surgery to reshape them into the "ideal woman". The authors quote research that shows that college students who were shown pictures of beautiful models felt that they were to look like these models. Because they did not, their self image decreased. This is good example of how women are molded, shaped and brainwashed into accepting these stereotyped images and it gives them a lesser place in society than what men experience. Another study cited showed that males and females saw attractiveness differently. For adolescent girls self-perception declined over time but the boys kept their self-perception in tact. A reason for this that the authors gave was that boys tended to see their bodies as a work in progress and were able to see a bigger picture. Girls on the other hand focused on body parts because advertising tells them this should be their focus. This attitude form

Explain how blood diamonds have helped prolong conflict in Africa Essay

Explain how blood diamonds have helped prolong conflict in Africa - Essay Example mer Zaire (now conveniently known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC-Kinshasa) and from Sierra Leone to Liberia, diamonds have fuelled civil wars by armed insurgents seeking both revolutionary social change and vast riches through the illicit diamond trade. According to the United Nations, conflict diamonds are used to fund military action on behalf of insurgents and the trade of said diamonds is illegal. Seeking to explore the linkages between diamonds in Africa and modern insurgency, this essay will provide a holistic analysis of the conflict diamond phenomenon and will begin by defining conflict diamonds as well as explore historical antecedents to this trend. This will be followed by a brief discussion of the role of conflict diamonds in modern instances of civil war, including in Liberia, Angola, the DRC and Sierra Leone. Our case analysis will focus primarily on Sierra Leone and the role of diamonds in perpetuating civil war in one of the poorest countries on the plan et. We then turn to an exploration of the international response to conflict diamonds, including the Kimberly Process, and in the case of Sierra Leone, the establishment of international criminal tribunals to bring the perpetrators of armed conflict and extreme violence, often funded through the illicit diamond trade, to justice. By exploring efforts to curb the illicit trade of conflict diamonds, we hope to shed light on the international efforts and will conclude with questions regarding the future of armed conflict in Africa and the role that diamonds and other precious resources may play in fuelling future conflict (Goldsmith, 1987) The exploitation of Africa is a historical fact with its roots in the colonial enterprise and Western encroachment onto the continent. Colonialism has had a lasting impact on many countries of the developing world. Few countries of the world were immune to colonial penetration and the enduring influence of the colonial legacy can be found in

Leadership in Health Care Organizations Practicum Coursework - 13

Leadership in Health Care Organizations Practicum - Coursework Example b or task, which he or she wishes to pursue besides having interest in instead of guessing and giving that responsibility to a staff that may end up messing due to disinterest. Hence, ensuring effectiveness of a given workforce for the people assigning duties will be giving to an individual whom he or she knows would execute that task effectively. Additionally, knowing colleague’s professional goals is essential especially in offering right information concerning which direction they ought to take. This is essential when one may not be having adequate information on how to pursue his or her goals. Adequate information in this case implies knowing which appropriate institutions to enroll and realize those goals as well as have quality education. Since, much of the quality information relating to a certain profession the pursuer may be unaware about except through his or her colleagues (Couchenour & Chrisman, 2014). Therefore, in knowing a colleague’s career not only enables informing them where and at what extend they need to seek more knowledge in good institutions but also becomes easier for their respective mentors guide them as necessitated. Knowing a colleague’s is not only essential when assigning varied specific tasks but also helpful for a firm or any other specialized organization when undertaking its periodic appraisal exercises. Mainly, these exercises aim to develop employees with the intention of ensuring competent workforce not only during the present time but also in future, which is not easy without having interests in knowing one’s career goals. Hence, aiding the firm through its members manage to help others reach their targets with ease contrary to when an individual only focuses on own life and goals. The essence of knowing colleague’s aspirations helps one choose wisely based on interests whom to associate with especially in the case of joining efforts in future in pursuit of certain common goals. This is particularly critical in

Explain how blood diamonds have helped prolong conflict in Africa Essay

Explain how blood diamonds have helped prolong conflict in Africa - Essay Example mer Zaire (now conveniently known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC-Kinshasa) and from Sierra Leone to Liberia, diamonds have fuelled civil wars by armed insurgents seeking both revolutionary social change and vast riches through the illicit diamond trade. According to the United Nations, conflict diamonds are used to fund military action on behalf of insurgents and the trade of said diamonds is illegal. Seeking to explore the linkages between diamonds in Africa and modern insurgency, this essay will provide a holistic analysis of the conflict diamond phenomenon and will begin by defining conflict diamonds as well as explore historical antecedents to this trend. This will be followed by a brief discussion of the role of conflict diamonds in modern instances of civil war, including in Liberia, Angola, the DRC and Sierra Leone. Our case analysis will focus primarily on Sierra Leone and the role of diamonds in perpetuating civil war in one of the poorest countries on the plan et. We then turn to an exploration of the international response to conflict diamonds, including the Kimberly Process, and in the case of Sierra Leone, the establishment of international criminal tribunals to bring the perpetrators of armed conflict and extreme violence, often funded through the illicit diamond trade, to justice. By exploring efforts to curb the illicit trade of conflict diamonds, we hope to shed light on the international efforts and will conclude with questions regarding the future of armed conflict in Africa and the role that diamonds and other precious resources may play in fuelling future conflict (Goldsmith, 1987) The exploitation of Africa is a historical fact with its roots in the colonial enterprise and Western encroachment onto the continent. Colonialism has had a lasting impact on many countries of the developing world. Few countries of the world were immune to colonial penetration and the enduring influence of the colonial legacy can be found in

Year of Wonder Explores the Complexity Essay Example for Free

Year of Wonder Explores the Complexity Essay Year of Wonder explores the complexity of human nature and the consequences of human actions â€Å"He brought the wide world with him† Anna Frith admires George Viccars for being well-travelled but does not realise that he has brought not only his knowledge of the world but also the perils of disease with him. Silhouetted against the sepulchral backdrop of the blighted Eyam, Geraldine Brooks depicts a community caught in extraordinary times in her historical novel â€Å"Year of Wonder†. The novel conveys the complications and ramifications of human nature and human actions, interwoven with the cultural value of religion and beliefs in addition to the social value of trust. Brooks illustrates that the nature suspect and distrust has stemmed from the Plague, as well as the fact that to a degree, all humans have similar nature. Whilst some responded positively to these catastrophic turn of events, others suffered server negative impact to this result of human action. The similarities in nature between characters are evident in the novel. Through the first person narrative of Anna Frith, readers are invited to see the whole story from her perspective and insights on her own life and personality. As the intricacies of the plot unfolds, we began to see that, indeed, Anna was lost in an abyss of pain and suffering, yet in response to it, she has grown strong, no longer a child â€Å"to quail at terrors†. Since our first glimpse at her, Anna has proven herself to be a capable care-taker. Although her role is Michael Mompellion’s servant is quite circumscribed, she always goes beyond the restrict scopes of her duties in attempting to coax him out of his melancholia. She often takes on a mothering role towards Michael, as she says â€Å"treating him as if he was my child†. In result of her actions towards Mompellion, she saw the need to nurture others, even motherless child or plagued victims. As those around her starts to shrug off their responsibilities, Anna begin to shoulder more burdens then running a household and bringing solace to the afflicted. Just like Anna, Elinor Mompellion possesses a â€Å"sinewy mind† with a â€Å"driving energy†. She is a well-educated woman, whom, when first mentioned in the novel, is educating Anna on how to read. Elinor does not respect the division between â€Å"weak and strong, between men and woman, laborer and lord†, as Anna recalls â€Å"she never reminded me of my place (as a servant)†. Hence, the author’s ability to depict the complexity of human nature is evident in the novel as the personalities of characters are, to an extent, similar from each other. One of the fatal effects of the plague is that it breeds the human nature of mutual suspicion and distrust. It is possible that the plague is merely exacerbating tensions already present with in the village but it does so to an unprecedented degree. Thus, certain individuals of a somewhat antisocial and self-serving bent find their actions and inclinations magnified by the advent of the Plague. Josiah Bont, who is Anna’s abusive father, becomes a gravedigger, willing to pursue homicide as a stimulus to his profits; his wife, Aphra, shamelessly exploits the anxieties of her fellow villagers for monetary gain by pretending to be the ghost of the deceased Anys Gowdie. In what is, perhaps, a less culpable fashion, David Burton seizes the opportunity to advance his own interest at the expense of Merry Wickord, whose family mine has been left open to claim by the death of her parents. Instances such as these suggest that Michael Mompellion’s assertion that â€Å"the Plague will make heroes of us all†, however optimistic, is not well founded. Even more strikingly, the readiness of the villagers to turn against Mem and Anys Gowdie, whose service as healers have been much in demand, indicates that the plague deepens the rifts already exists in the community. As Jon Millstone comments, there is a grave danger that the time â€Å"will make monsters of us all†. Therefore it is the villagers own nature which acts as the catalyst for further tragic events. The onslaught of the plague has scarred numerous villagers in Eyam. As the plague creeps further into the village, people who begin to face corruption as they undergo catastrophic changes are omnipresent throughout the novel. Ever since the plague arrived, the villagers did not see it as an act of nature, but rather as a curse, as they are blinded by their own beliefs, relaying on superstition and living in the false reality of religion. In result, they saw the tailor, George Vicars, as the Devil and the architect of the plague. There for, they believed that Anys, who slept with George, as a witch and killed her. This was the first response to the crisis, a response of fear and panicking, as the villagers looking for a scapegoat for the cause of this problem. As Anna suffers the loss of both of her sons, she begins to seek comfort in the graveyard. She also begins to question â€Å"how can the just and merciful God take the life of innocents†. Soon after she became addicted to opiates and going as far as to stealing them, thus giving us insights on Anna’s weakness and the first crack in her religion. Others who are desperate in seeking sanctuary in such times also turned their backs on religion as they trust in the ‘ghost of Anys Gowdie’, who offers them demonic rituals, charms and spells in return for money. It is evident that in this novel, the certain characters walked the wrong path from desperation and resulted in unpredicted results. It is apparent however, that although the plague decayed the mind of almost the entire village, there are still those who fought for what they believed in and survived the corruption. After the arrival of the plague, it was always Mompellion who stands in front of the villagers and convincing in an optimistic tone that â€Å"trust in God to perform his wonders†. Such speech is the signpost the beginning to his leadership, which has also planted the seeds of discord between superstition and faith. His usage of God and trust are an obvious plot to influence the townspeople to trust and believe him. Through all the disorder, unexpected alliances are made. Mompelion confers with Puritan Thomas Stanley, a Purtian who quitted the parish three years ago. Thus showing that in times of crisis, religious differences can be overcome to unify for greater cause of human survival. Anna has encountered countless barrages alone the path, however because of her work and friend ship with Elinor, she was also able to rise from the adversity. After she discovers the truth about him and Elinor, she stands up to Mompellion as well as the Bradfords, thus breaking the social structure. Because of the plague, Anna metaphorically transformed from a simple, uneducated girl to a powerful, formidable woman. She escaped from her past and is able to create a promising future for herself and her children. Therefore, it can be said that a beacon of juxtaposition shines between those who survive and those who don’t, allowing the readers to see the different outcomes. In essences, the plague itself does not produce heroes or monsters, unity or division. It only amplifies the human natures which individuals already possess, in addition to the similarities and differences in nature between characters. Hence, there are those who like Anna, can emerge from the experience of the plague and responded with positive actions, and those that reached a breaking point in such times and suffered consequences as a result. The plague symbolises a test, just like in a furnace in which all must be melted to find the pure metal.

Barn Burning | Analysis

Barn Burning | Analysis The story Barn Burning is an example of coming of age story because the coming of age story entails the initiation of an individual into an enhanced level of self awareness (Coming of Age,29); in other words, coming of age story means that a person realizes something is wrong an tries to change it . By the end of the story Sarty feels loss and rebirth by loosing his family but gaining manhood, this is where he enters the level of self awareness. Sartys attitude changes because he starts growing apart from his father and his family; he also comprehends the big difference between what is right and wrong, and this realization brings Sarty to a higher sense of self awareness. There are accounts in this story where Sarty does not agree with his fathers actions, but he does not allow himself to think about them. Sarty seems tired of his family moving cities each time his father does something bad; Sarty says to himself, maybe hes done satisfied now, now that he hasà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ stopping himself, not to say it aloud even to himself(Faulkner 1957). Sarty still believes that his father will stop burning barns; he wants his father to really know what he is doing and that is wrong. Sarty has faith that his father would mature into a more reasonable person by thinking before acting. Abners actions make Sarty react and realize his father is doing wrong and he is not doing much about it because he is too close to his family and needs to be loyal to them. Sarty starts to mature when he realize that his father is doing wrong, and he decides he wants to do the right thing. For example when he decides to escape, he goes against his father by warning the Negro about h is father wanting to burn the barn, despite what might happen to his father and brother. We see Sarty running, knowing it was too late yet still running even after he heard the shot and, an instant later, two shots, pausing now without knowing he had ceased to run, crying Pap! Pap (Faulkner 1967). Sarty starts to mature and grow up by getting a sense of what his father was doing, he was tired of all his fathers actions and he decided to do something about it, Sarty knew that going against his family was wrong but he decided to do the right thing. Sarty does everything his father tells him to do without saying a word because if he doesnt Abner might beat him. Sartys father says, You got to learn to stick to your blood or you aint going to have any blood to stick to you (Faulkner 1958). These words were stuck into Sartys naive mind many times; that might be the reason why he always defends his father and does not betray him. He knows that lying is wrong, but he has not yet separated from his father, and knows that being silent in the courtroom would help his father. For example, while in the courtroom Sarty has to keep quiet in order to save his father because Sarty knows what his father has done, in the story his father says You were fixing to tell them à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ .He didnt answer. His father struck him with the flat of his hand on the side of the head, hard but without heat à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.(Faulkner 1958). At this point where most children would hesitate and tell everything, Sarty didnt. He face the trial like a man rat her than a boy by the way he behaved in the courtroom and taking things like a real man should. Throughout the story we see Sartys loyalty to be debatable. For example, outside the courtroom when Sarty hears some boys calling his father a barn burner, Sarty goes into his fathers defense, getting into a fight in which he sheds his own blood to protect his fathers good name . Sarty also provides the oil to burn the de Spains barn after the little rug incident; Sarty says, he wont get no the bushels neither. He wont get one (Faulkner 1964). These two examples show how Sartys loyalty towards his father seems to change because of his naive little mind; and he does not know what to do. Sarty is not sure if he should stick to his blood or not. In the end he decides to do the right thing and ends up betraying his father and family and runs away. This coming of age story shows us how an individual, in this case young Sarty, develops an enhanced level of self awareness that is either an end in itself or the psychological and emotional orientation necessary for indoctrination into the su rroundings (Coming of Age 29). In simple words, Sarty has courage and betrays the ones he love in order to do what is right, despite what his father says. This is a thing that not too many people do because of fear. Sarty overcomes that he went against his own blood, and do what is right; this makes the story a coming of age story. Work Cited Faulkner, William. Barn Burning The Norton Anthology: American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. New York. 1955-1967. Print. The Coming-of-Age Story. Short Story Criticism. Ed. Jelena Krostovic. Vol. 130. Detroit: Gale, Cengage Learning,2010. 29-146. Print.