Okefenokee Swamp Essay

Swamps can be seen in various perspectives and can convey different atmospheres associated with the respective swamp. The two passages on the Okefenokee Swamp both convey two different atmospheres and tones for the swamp, almost as if it was two different swamps. The author use of diction, detail and figurative language conveys how the swamp in the first passage is more inviting and safe versus the swamp in the second passage which is displayed in a more malicious tone. The author’s use of diction in the first passage and the second passage regarding the swamp is extremely different from one another. Throughout the first passage the author uses diction such as â€Å"primitive†, â€Å"festooned† and â€Å"exotic† to describe the swamp. The author’s formal tone and word choice helps convey that the swamp is a peaceful and safe environment that is appealing to others as well as to the author. The diction helps support as if the author is trying to persuade others to come to this swamp and enjoy its beauty Unlike the first passage, in the second passage the author uses diction such as â€Å"unfathomable†, â€Å"unconquerable† and â€Å"misery of life† to convey the atmosphere of this swamp. The author sees the swamp in the second passage in a more malicious and dark light that almost seems to be repelling the reader. The tone the author holds is almost as if he is trying to repel the reader from coming and visiting the swamp. It is negative and does not display any of the attributes that are associated with the swamp; instead it is very critical and focuses on all the peculiarities of the swamp. The word choice that is used in both the passages varies from one another and conveys different atmospheres for the swamp. Detail is a major factor throughout the two passages that helps distinguish the swamps in the passages from one another. In the first passage the author uses detail that have positive context such as, â€Å"Saucer-shaped depression of approximately 25 miles wide and 40 miles long that covers an area of more than 600 square miles.† This detail holds a revealing and formal tone that relays a pleasant atmosphere. It also has an alluring tone that persuades the reader to come visit the swamp and explore its vastness. In the second  passage the author uses details such as, â€Å"Four hundred and thirty thousand acres of stinging, biting and boring insects.† Although the second passage is also describing the enormous land size it is presented in a much more malicious and unappealing way. The author uses various literary devices throughout the two passages to show that he appreciates one swamp more than the other. In the first passage the author uses personification to expand and emphasize the beauty of the swamp. It states, â€Å"Exotic flowers. Among them floating hearts. Lilies. And rare orchards abound†, the floating hearts help convey an atmosphere of peace and playfulness that attracts the reader’s attention as well as persuades them to come visit the swamp. In the second passage the author uses a simile to show the distaste and lack of appreciation they held for the second swamp. The author describes the swamp â€Å"like some hellish zoo† almost conveying as if the swamp was every readers nightmare. The figurative language the author uses in the second passage is primarily focused on repelling the reader and persuading them not to come to the swamp and stay in the comforts of their own home. Unlike in the first passage where the figurate language was solely focused on inviting the reader to visit the swamp and enjoy the beauty and serenity the swamp had to offer. The author holds two very different tones when discussing the different swamps. The author uses different devices throughout the passages to create and convey a certain tone for each swamp. In the first passage the swamp is seen as something that holds beauty and is inviting unlike in the second passage where the swamp seems more malicious and repelling. The author uses various levels of diction, detail and figurative language to convey the tone and attitude they had toward each of the respective swamps, almost making it seem as if it were two different swamps entirely.

Go Green Speech Essay

Introduction: According to the U.S Census Bureau, the world population is growing at a mindboggling rate. The world reached 1 billion people in 1800, 2 billion by 1922, and over 6 billion by 2000. It is estimated that the population will swell to over 9 billion by 2050. This means that if the world’s natural recourses were evenly distributed, people in 2050 will only have 25% of the resources per capita that people in 1950 had. Thesis: People need to start making changes to their lifestyles by making environmentally friendly choices to help save our planet. Body 1) The slogan â€Å"going green† is seen and heard everywhere, but so many people don’t understand why go green. A) There are only so many natural resources and with the population to reach 9 billion by 2050, there’s going to be a lot less to go around. B) Burning of fossil fuels and other emissions causes increase in Carbon dioxide that leads to global warming. C) Landfills are a rising cause because they are filled with trash that can take millions of years to decompose. D) Even such things as deforestation have taken a huge impact on our rain forests. E) Also we ruin animal’s habitats for our benefits causing many animals to become endangered. Transition: Although all these reasons are scary results of what could happen, many people still don’t make the changes to help our planet. 2) There are so many easy changes everyone can do either large or small that will make a significant impact on helping our planet. A) Recycling is such an easy option that everyone can do to help preserve our natural resources. B) There are also many ways to save energy which can be very helpful to our environment. C) Can send less fossil fuel into the environment by not using your car as much or even buying a hybrid car. D) We can save more water and even say goodbye to bottled water! E) Start reusing things instead of buying more unnecessary things we don’t need, even just using reusable bags instead of plastic is so helpful. F) Also things like start planting trees to help contribute to a greener environment. Conclusion: Those are just a few things you can do to help make an impact on our planet. Going green can be as simple as recycling or making sure to turn off lights when you leave. Or it can be as big as turning in your car for a new hybrid model that burns less fossil fuel. No matter how large or small the changes you are doing will make an impact on the plant. I challenge all of you to make one change today because as I mentioned before it is estimated that in 2050 people will only have 25% of resources per capita that people in 1950 had, do you really want this to be your future?

Hawaiian Tropical Reef Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hawaiian Tropical Reef - Research Paper Example This is a spectacle nature orchestrates for the continuation of the string of different life forms. There is a vibrant dominance of coral reefs that make life possible at the deepest part of it. This is due to the fact that the integral components of it are different species or diverse groups of aquatic flora and fauna in which each of them has elemental role to play for the success of maintaining the balance of life. Unacquainted about it, the tropical reef in Hawaii may be one of the most restless places on earth as life in there would never stop to transform. There would always be a perfect story of adaptation and survival. Change is eminent in this place as combined efforts of adaptation, survival and transformation have become integral components of making what Hawaiian tropical reef is all about. After all, it is an ecosystem where the perfect drama of life, story of survival, adaptation or migration takes center stage. In other words, Hawaiian tropical reef is a natural ecosys tem where there is a huge number of flora and fauna trying to benefit from each other. All forms of interaction can be observed in here. This ecosystem substantially covers the entire aquatic area of responsibility of Hawaiian geographic location. Coral reefs are formed from the fusion of calcium carbonate which would result to either hard or soft corals (Miththapala 1). Some corals take time to develop and others do not undergo a long process in their formation. However, all of these types of corals could be remarkably observed at the Hawaiian tropical reef. In other words, there are varieties of corals found beneath the captivating view of Hawaii’s ocean. One benefit of these coral reefs is that they have become home to a wide range and huge number of different microorganisms. In fact, Hawaiian tropical reef is loaded with tropical reef fish (Foster 54). These living organisms are just among the thousands and possibly millions of life forms of flora and fauna that seeks to find their survival in the Hawaiian tropical reef. There is a constant interaction between these organisms. As plants not only provide food for the primary consumers, they also give off oxygen for the benefits of those organisms requiring it for their breathing. In the same way, animals give off carbon dioxide for the benefits of the plants living as integral component of the coral reefs. It is of interest why Hawaiian tropical reef became a marvelous spot and perfect attraction not only among the locals, but substantial number of visitors all throughout the year. In reality, the Hawaiian Archipelago’s geographic location has something to do with this. Hawaii is located somewhere in the world where there is a perfectly combined atmosphere for subtropical climate which prohibits multiplication of coral reefs in a cool winter ocean water, but beneath there is also a need to encourage flow of its warmer counterpart that needs to take place for the whole year (Lau and Mink 227). In other words, the vast population of coral reefs in Hawaii could be largely attributed to the natural combination of both cool and warmer flow of ocean water which further could be ascribed to the subtropical climate. I really did enjoy reef walks at Hawaii tropical reefs; it would happen during the lowest tides of the month. At this moment, various creatures will be clearly visible

History of Comedy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History of Comedy - Essay Example Old Comedy, like Greek tragedy, has a singing, dancing chorus who are characters in the play. New Comedy, from the middle of the 4th century BC, all over the Mediterranean (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/amahoney/ancient_comedy.html). Greek drama from c. 320 BC to the mid-3rd century BC that offers a mildly satiric view of contemporary Athenian society (http://www.answers.com/library/Britannica+Concise+Encyclopedia-cid-10234587). Many extant examples are representative of these methods. Old Comedy was the mighty genius of Aristophanes grafted in Pantagruelism has influenced Cervantes, Swift, Voltaire and others (Bates 1906). Though the word Pantagruelism is means the characters are sustained by court fool. He exploited both of the spirit and mechanical appliances of old Greek comedy. He adopted the disguise of buffoonery to attack some prevailing hypocrisy. This is what Aristophanes did to master the chief characteristics of his prototype. In Old Comedy, the chorus becomes more separate, and often sings entr'actes that have nothing to do with the play; later, the chorus is dropped altogether. During New Comedy, the chorus and representative of forces reduced to a small band of musicians and dancers.

Human Sexuality Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Sexuality - Personal Statement Example An in-depth understanding of these aspects of human sexuality drew me to become a part of this class so that I can gain better knowledge with regard to this subject and pass it on to others. On a scale of 1 (very comfortable) to 10 (a significant amount of reservation or nervousness), where would you rank your level of current comfort or discomfort regarding what to expect while studying human sexuality? Why did you select the rating that you did? With regard to my expectations of studying human sexuality, my level of comfort on this scale is 4. Despite of the fact that I am interested in studying about human sexuality, I have been discouraged by a few members of my family as well as my peers. They provided me with reasons that this class is not very fruitful and it does not provide good learning. These account for a few reasons why I am nervous regarding my expectations of the human sexuality class. It is owing to my own interest and research with regard to this subject that I am still more than willing to become a part of this class. I believe that studying this subject will provide me with good knowledge regarding all the aspects of human sexuality and it is for this reason that I am joining this

Corporate Goal of Maximizing Shareholder Value Essay - 1

Corporate Goal of Maximizing Shareholder Value - Essay Example Enhancing shareholder value cannot be stretched beyond the limits that start breaching the fundamental requirements of corporate governance. Ireland (1996. pp289) established an empirical generalization that the legal existence of the company and the shareholders are entirely separate. Although acts like Sarbanes Oxley in the United States have made the leadership of the organization (CEO or CFO!!) legally responsible for the accuracy in accounting statements, many countries around the world still lack such acts. Moreover, the act does not make shareholders responsible always because in many companies the shareholders do not sign on accounting statements or manage the company operations. Sundaram and Inkpen (2004. pp353) argue that the shareholder value maximization should be considered after all the liabilities of the corporation has been fulfilled – including incentives of managers, contractual liabilities, payments of dividends, principal & interest payments to bondholders, supplier dues, wages, salaries, etc. The net value addition in shareholder wealth needs to be taken care of after all such liabilities have been fulfilled that can be effectively managed through corporate governance. The shareholder wealth maximization and effective corporate governance are conflicting objectives and hence need to be managed by different individuals to reduce the risk of conflict of interest. The non-shareholding stakeholders should be engaged in corporate governance whereas the shareholders should be engaged in wealth maximization and both parties should have a congenial environment to resolve conflict situations. These roles should be normally fixed in support of the argument by Sundaram and Inkpen (2004. pp355) that the transition from non-shareholding stakeholders to shareholders is easy but vice versa is very difficult.

Religion in China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Religion in China - Research Paper Example However, religion in China is actually considered pluralist. Meaning, religion in China is considered to be more family-oriented and does not strictly require observance by its members. This paper shall discuss religion in China, considering its application and the various practices seen in the country. Considering the pluralist nature of religion in China, various authors and scholars define religion in China as cultural practices, not actual â€Å"religions† (Taylor, 1982). Nevertheless, in the popular and contemporary context, various religions abound in China, including Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, among others. Buddhism is the most common religion in China and was first seen in the country in the first century (Landaw and Baudian, 2003). The Chinese folk religion known as Shenism is however China’s largest religion as it encompasses various religious traditions (Gargan, 2001). Shenism is a combination of various ethnic religions, including Taoism, the worship of the shens, heroes, ancestors, Chinese mythological figures, and local ethnic deities (Gargan, 2001). In the seventh century, Christianity in China was first seen; it re-emerged in the 16th century with the appearance of the Jesuit missionaries. As the 18th century saw the entry of Europeans into China, Western religions were eventually introduced in the country (Hughes, 2005). More religious freedom was seen in the 1980s and Taoism and Buddhism became an important part of their culture. In the current context, Shenism and Buddhism are considered the most popular religions in China, and smaller percentages of the population are Christians or belong to other religious groupings. In considering the historical beginnings of religion in China, it is important to note that before Chinese civilization was established, the ethnic and folk religious practices were practiced alongside shamans (Walter and Fridman, 2004). With the advent of Chinese civilization, the indigenous and folk religious practices slowly emerged and developed; and this saw the introduction of animism and Taoism into China’s culture (Walter and Fridman, 2003). It is very much supported by the Chinese people, with the firm recognition of the impact of these religions in their lives and t heir daily activities. The People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949 and it is considered atheist as it sees religion as part of foreign colonialism; it also strictly adheres to the separation of Church and State (Overmyer, 2003). In the mid-1960s, the Cultural Revolution firmly emphasized the elimination of religions; this period saw the destruction of places of worship. In the 1970s, the end of the Cultural Revolution saw improved tolerance in religions and the expression of these religions – with emphasis on the freedom of religions (Hughes, 2005). Their 1978 Constitution also emphasized on this mandate with Article 46 which emphasizes on religious freedom and the non-discrimination of citizens due to religious beliefs (Peale, 2005). There have been various programs to rebuild Buddhist and Taoist temples in the 1980s and these programs have helped in integrating religion as an important part of the Chinese culture. Buddhists in China are spread out all over the country. The Southern provinces are strong in Shenism and Taoism (Hays, 2010). Chinese folk religions are seen in the central regions and are hardly seen in the northern regions. The northern regions are atheist and agnostics with some Buddhists and Taoists mixed into the population (Hughes, 2005). Sichuan is dominated by Taoists and the eastern regions and coastal provinces are mostly Christians (Little and Eichman, 2000). Tibetan Muslim

Three part assingement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Three part assingement - Research Paper Example That notation provided by the program is often readily understandable among the management personnel, developers, and analysts. The main initial aim was to reduce the communication gaps that usually exist among various organizational departments or within enterprises. Moreover, it helps to ensure that Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents are designed for the execution by diverse business processes and such processes must remain visualized within the common notations. The diagrams that are developed through the BPMN programs are often assembled from sets of core elements; hence, making it easy for non-technical and technical observers to evaluate and understand the process involved in any given management process. These underlying core or primary elements are often categorized into three main groups known as the flow object, swimlanes, and connecting objects. The flow objects are geometric figures including rectangles, circles, and diamonds that usually denote specific event and activities (Brocke and Rosemann, 2010). These elements in the flow objects are often interconnected with connecting objects that usually appear as dashes, solid, or dotted lines that sometimes include arrows that show process direction. On the hand, swimlanes are geometric signs that resemble lane lines that are found in the Olympic swimming pool bottom. They are often denoted as straight lines that usually run lengthwise in the rectangle marked or known as pool. The main function of the swimlanes is to organize the diverse flow of objects into categories of similar functionality (Brocke and Rosemann, 2010). Regardless of diverse properties of the Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), it main function aims at simplifying the understanding of numerous and varied business processes. Question 2 Challenges Numerous businesses often face series of challenges especially when undergoing any form of organizational change since the business process improvement for businesses is sometim es inefficient. Nearly all the management process change often experiences a push back that might emerge through forms and criteria including prioritizing the work (Halpin, Selmin, Soffer, and Proper, 2011). The prioritizing the work often emerges when there are multiple opportunities thereby making it difficult for the management to identify the most vital opportunity to undertake. Additionally, the business may experience the avoiding scope creep as a challenge during an organizational process change. This often occurs when the change team veers away from the main or initial focus of the change being initiated. The management may also experience the getting engaged challenge. This often occurs when BPI has sponsored processes that in actual sense does not exist (Halpin, Selmin, Soffer, and Proper, 2011). There are numerous challenges that are often experienced by organizations when they are initiating or rolling changes in the organization or in an organizational process; therefor e, the change team must determine and analyze the possible challenges towards effective change initiation and implementation. How Information Systems Support Business Process The circulation of information is quite vital for the operation and management of business processes. The computer based type of management information system often aims at reducing cost and increasing organizational information processing capabilities (Halpin, Selmin,

Analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Analysis - Term Paper Example As the market is changing and including more and more firms in the business scenario, a proper screening of the environment is part and parcel of a firm’s success. ‘It is essential for a business enterprise to keep itself aware of surrounding environment because the success of business depends to a great extent on its awareness about surrounding environment’ (Jain et al. 2010, p.84) PESTLE Analysis In order to analyze the business environment for M&S we will first use the PESTLE analysis. ‘Political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental (PESTLE) analysis is an analytical tool for assessing the impact of external contexts.’ (Basu 2011, p.21) a. Political The UK retailer is faced with the changing setup in terms of the political environment. Although the company enjoys a fairly stable government with stable policies regarding the economy and the retail business as a whole, but changes have been brought into the system due to the rece nt terror vibes. However the efficient UK government has tapped this issue with proper security plans. The company is a part of the system where the tax net is not too high as compared to other countries. Also the international trade agreement with China for instance has been relaxed with the new double tax treaty that reduces taxes, thus facilitating opportunities of global trade. b. Economic The economy in which Marks and Spencer is operating is one of the largest economies of the world with a loose monetary policy and a stable employment scenario. The company does face the risks of sudden financial upheavals like the 2007-2009 financial crises that originated in the US mortgage market but influenced the entire world especially the larger economies. So M&S have to keep a continuous check on the global outlook and the UK’s economic indicators and their trends in order to fully capitalize on the economy. c. Social In terms of the social factors M&S has to analyze the local en vironment as well as the foreign territories in which the company operates. The company needs to take into account the youth as they are the lucrative target market for clothing and apparel. Its loyal customer base is now in the age bracket of 50 plus years. It needs to analyze the UK’s youth for their lifestyle which is independent and trendy and portray such vibes in their clothing line. d. Technological The company faces a technological lag as compared to its competitor. The company did not use the plastic money till the 2003 and had no loyalty card schemes for its customers. The company started these cards and schemes along with vouchers and reward points in 2003 much later than its competitors. The technological advances are the most speedy ones these days, with companies using technology in terms of product availability in the form of online deliveries for better customer service etc. M&S needs to keep on adapting to the technological change in order to compete well wit h the rivals. Also UK like other big economies is witnessing an era of online shopping frenzy and this hype needs to be catered through proper implementation of correct design of customer friendly website and the accompanying distribution strategy. e. Legal The laws in the UK are always changing for the better. M&S keep a check on all the new legislations through yearly training. Health and Safety laws, Packaging laws, commercial laws etc have to be maintained

Canadian Solar Essay Example for Free

Canadian Solar Essay However, with the global economic downturn in the recent years as well as changes in the government incentives in certain countries, the company has been struggling to stay on top in this competitive market, and needs to keep a competitive advantage against companies such as Sharp and Kyocera. This is a big problem to the company since it threatens their strategy and might put them out of competition. Which brings us to the question: What should Canadian Solar do to best compete in the increasingly â€Å"global† photovoltaic industry? Analysis External Analysis General Environment Most of the general aspects influence the PV industry relies on government incentive programs. Programs for green energy such as the FIT program, has a positive effect on the industry since it guarantees rates on certain projects. Other government laws such as the placement of a cap can have a negative effect on the industry. Therefore, since income levels vary for every country, this will affect the usage of PV technology. Moreover, society has a desire to â€Å"go green† and they highly value PV technology, although the implementation of PV technology can cause society financial harm such as in Spain, where the unanticipated installations caused taxpayers $26. 4 billion. Threat of new Entrants Barriers to entry are considered low since the PV industry requires low capital and medium to low technological knowledge to make PV module. The low barriers to entry are also due to

Chav Culture | Subcultures and Cultural Criminology

Chav Culture | Subcultures and Cultural Criminology The word chav is defined in the oxford dictionary as: a young lower-class person typified by brash and loutish behaviour and the wearing of designer clothes. It is described as an informal derogatory word in British slang. The website, www.urbandictionary.com, which is known for its definitions of British slang words, rather than define the word chav, depicts the image of a 12 year old boy wearing an imitation tracksuit whilst smoking a cigarette and simultaneously showing off his jewellery. The website describes young boys attitude as arrogant walking around as if he is 8 feet tall and mouthing off to strangers that walk by. This website does a great job of posing a truthful image of what a chav is deemed to be. The importance of cultural criminology lies within understanding human social behaviour through the recognition of cultural factors which enables theorists to view behaviour as dynamic rather than determined giving rise to different views on transgressive behaviour. The actions of the youth considered to be chavs on a daily basis can be deemed as part of their lifestyle, which has subsequently lead to the increase in the term chav subculture. The word subculture is used to describe a culture with qualities that differentiates them from a larger culture, for example the chav culture within British culture. The qualities that this chav subculture observes that differentiates are; a different fashion sense predominantly tracksuits and baseball caps; the wearing of lots of bling which is generally gold jewellery whether fake or real; and general loitering (hanging out) in public places such as street corners, town centres. Cultural criminology aims at looking at crime in the context of its culture. It aims to show the relationship between media culture, youth culture and crimes. It is the idea that the reason for committing an offence due to the thrill received. This may be due to excessive boredom meaning offenders have to resort to crime as their only source of pleasure. Cultural criminologists argue that offenders are influenced by media, and are in the mindset of that is the way to behave. In the context of the chav phenomenon they would argue that the chav phenomenon has occurred through choice, primarily for youngsters to fit in with their surroundings. An example of this can be seen through chav fashion and style. The Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies describes style as a means of resolving structural contradictions; however cultural criminologists, such as Martin, take this a step further and describe style as a way of connecting an individual to society. By following the fashion trends, and wearing designer gear, regardless of its legitimacy it is an attempt by chavs to connect with society. Fashion may be seen as a form of exclusivity, with the elite wearing exclusive designer labels; an art form with an agenda of keeping the non-elite at a distance. I believe that the subversive use of Burberry wear by chavs is undeniably an attempt by chavs at connecting with society; by separating themselves from normal fashion and creating their own rebellious trends. Taking into account Bennetts notions of lifestyle, I would argue that the choices taken by the working class youth are an effort to attain an identity, to be realised and accepted in a community in which they believed they are ostracised. This conclusion was also drawn by the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies who believe the chav phenomenon can be a reaction to analogous transformations in working-class identity, community and culture, now taking place in the context of consumer capitalism. Chavs tend to socialise or loiter in places which are public such as town centres, street corners due to boredom. The only form of entertainment available to them is shouting abuse at passers. This deviance is conceived as the thrill of transgression and self-transcendence as a way of overcoming the conventionality and mundanity typically associated with the banal routines and practicalities of everyday regular life. I believe the reason chavs walking around flaunting their designer gear a bid receive attention that isnt obtained elsewhere. The word chav is connected to communities that have suffered social deprivation. Lawler takes this a step further and describes them as the poor and dispossessed. Furthermore, Cohen and Ainley describe chavs as a post-industrial youth underclass. However I do not believe the words chav and underclass are entirely synonymous. I fear underclass is the word that has confused caused arguments regarding class prejudice. Skegg notes that terms such as social exclusion and the underclass have been cynically promoted and utilized by successive British Governments and policy makers, and have rapidly taken the place of terms such as working class. It is this point that illustrates the fact that despite post 1980s studies of culture that showed a decline in the analysis of social class; class distinctions have not disappeared rather they have been replaced. As the recognition of class inequalities has been buried so have class identities making the work on social class appear out of place. Howe ver the fact that the economic polarisation reached its pinnacle in the 1980s meant that the working class became the new underclass. This is echoed by Sayer who deems that the term working class has become one of embarrassment and shame after a decline into the issues of class equality. Moran asserts that the chav phenomenon surfaced as part of the 1980s turn towards neo-liberal thinking and enterprise culture. Moran claims society was perceived as groups comprising distinguished tastes and lifestyles, which further became known as yuppies, toffs, boffins and chavs. Despite various research about the declining importance of class, the creation of such groups has lead to stereotyping resulting in new classes. One way of distinguishing the lower classes is their crass and flashy style illustrated in the clothes they wear, the jewellery they wear and the music they listen to. News media has been one of the prime means through which the chav depiction has been composed and constituted. An example is an article titled Sites to check out if you chav what it takesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ which appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News 2004, in which writer Gina Davidson declares: And we will know them by their dress . . . and trail of fag ends, sparkling white trainers, baggy tracksuit trousers, branded sports top, gold-hooped earrings, sovvy rings and the ubiquitous Burberry baseball cap. In essence, writers such as this label and define the new underclass known as chavs. She writes, Call them what you will, identifying them is easy. In addition to this statement, she continues in a defaming manner by stating that the girls wear too much gold plated jewellery that they will end up putting H Samuel out of business. She labels them as the dole-scroungers, petty criminals, football hooligans and teenage pram-pushers. Davidsons description demonstrates how the chav label ha s become an umbrella which encompass a string of older stereotypes of the white working classes. However the media distinguishes the fact that the chav image possesses a characteristic that makes it unique from previous images of the underclass; the attention paid to the exaggerated use of consumer goods, examples of which include cheap jewellery, branded sports gear and the excessive use of Burberry wear. This has been acknowledged by Hayward and Yar who argue that the chav phenomenon reiterates the discursive creation of the underclass, while simultaneously reconfiguring it within the space of commodity consumption. Through descriptive illustration of chavs, the news media has created a profile, and a person who fits the profile or is similar to the profile will be characterized as a chav. The media has created a class from which people may be pigeonholed purely based on their foreground; with no regard whatsoever as to their background. Furthermore, theoretical writers such as Lawler , Skeggs and Tyler have laid emphasis on the fact that the portrayals of the chav plastered with a sense of disgust which leads to attempts of distinctions by the middle class who are insecure about being tarnished with the same brush as the lower class. An illustration of this antipathy is shown in a quote from a website regarding chavs: I am so glad I have money and am not forced to live in local authority housing. This image just makes me realise how lucky I am to be an educated, cultured member of the middle classes. This disregard for the background along with the sense disgust created by the media towards this new underclass is what separates the middle/upper class with the chav underclass. I commend Billigs critique that these unhelpful media accounts of chavs have an underlying intent to produce a disgust which is not simply reactive but is constitutive of social class. The expression of disgust within media portrayals of chavs must be seen as conscious and not unintentional. The chav figure has produced a boom of condescending scorn aimed at the lower classes by not only the upper class but the middle class as well. I would argue that from the view of cultural criminologists, it is this ostracisation that breeds the chav culture and influences the youth to act in such way that contravenes the conventional norm exhibited by society. These transgressions are what gives these chavs their identity. Modern studies on youth frequently put emphasis the notion that class has become less important in shaping young peoples futures has become a powerful argument in sociological writing on youth. But it is this notion of class itself that shapes the youth to pick a culture to follow. The chav culture is just new option that adds to the list of other youth cultures such as Goth, Emo and Urban. Taking the viewpoint of conventional criminologists, when analysing the new underclass they would take into account the fact that chavs predominantly come from neighbourhoods that exhibit community disorganisation and physical deterioration. The neighbourhoods in which chavs grow up are generally estates which are mainly owned by the local authority or areas or rented housing. These areas are high in proportion of single parent families. These areas also exhibit socio-economic deprivation. The parents of the youths in these areas are largely unemployed, a study for the Centre of Social Justice shows that between 1981 and 2006 the proportion of social housing tenants of working age in full-time employment halved from 67% to 34%. Parents also tend to have histories of drug or alcohol abuse and backgrounds relating to criminality. Families living in these areas tend to lack good relationships between children and their parents with the parents lacking good parental skills resulting in d ysfunctional families with high tendency of family breakdown. In turn the children of the parents have as a result of poor parenting and social upbringing been left with no or little social skills or work ethic and may be impossible to educate. These youths display a number of individual factors such as hyperactivity, impulsive reactions, mental and/or physical health problems and a low self esteem. It leaves these youths with poor academic performances in their schools, due to constant time wasting through disruptive and aggressive behaviour. Their lack of discipline and organisation can lead to poor attendance in schools and early leaving. Edwin H. Sutherland put forward the notion of differential association which asserts that criminal behaviour is learned through interaction, it emerges when a person is exposed to more social message favouring conduct than pro-social messages. He argues that criminal behaviour is an expression of general needs and values the same as non criminal behaviour. If we remove the criminal factor from this theory, it can be applied in the context of chavs; the reason for their behaviour such as loitering or the reason they conform to a dress code is because chavs would like to express themselves just as the upper classes do. They too feel the need to follow a fashion, trend or culture just as much as everyone else. Another theory that can be applied to the chav phenomenon is the theory of anomie and strain developed by Robert K. Merton. This theory when applied to the chav phenomenon would suggest that chavs divulge in transgressive behaviour as a result of culture and the structure of society itself. He echoes the fact that all of society shares the same values and goals. The theory asserts the reason for chav behaviour is due to a retreat from social norms as a consequence of unequal social opportunities causing the youth to drop into deviant subcultures. Taking this theory a step further we could interpret the culture of chavs a rebellion, which aims to seek new goals, such as creating a new identity or culture solely to differentiate themselves from those who distance themselves from chavs due to ignorance. Furthermore, the theory of delinquent subculture could be applied, developed by Albert K. Cohen. He believes that the reason for delinquent behaviour was an uprising against the middle class societys perception of what society should be. He states the delinquent subculture, takes its norms from the larger culture, but turns them upside down. The delinquents conduct is right by the standards of his subculture precisely because it is wrong by the norms of the larger culture. In essence, I believe that the chav phenomenon as subculture has come about due to circumstance as well as choice. I believe that the choice to adhere to this subculture made by the youth does not come solely by free will, but is based upon the circumstances and factors that surround these youth, leading them to conform to a culture. This would lead me to say that the view taken by cultural criminologists that chav culture is a choice or a rebellion would not be true if taken out of the context of the argument put forward by conventional criminologist. I do not believe that chav label solely depicts someone following a culture. We have seen in the media, people who have come from chav like backgrounds are still regarded as chavs such as Jade Goody and Coleen Rooney. Although no longer displaying chav-wear, the fact that they come from chav backgrounds has permanently branded them as chavs with Jade Goody being regarded as the ultimate chav. The fact that the she moved out of the depr ived living conditions she once resided in the label has stuck with her despite her moving into a middle class society. I believe this has lead to a social labelling and almost social prejudice against people who come from areas populated with chavs. What people fail to see the is what is hidden behind veil known as chav , the real social underlying problems that have lead the youth to make those choices to follow this culture. Jade goody, labelled the ultimate chav, was ridiculed for her lack of general knowledge on national television, but a closer look at her background reveals that her upbringing was one of hardship and difficulty. She was brought up in an environment full of crime and violence, with her father was a chronic drug addict and her mother a thief, it was not an rearing full of values and ideals. Tyler and Bennet claim in their article on celebrity chavs that Media portrayals of these celebrities employ con- notations of the undeserving poor à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in order to generate accounts of the undeserving celebrity. In reality I believe there is more to the chav phenomenon than just a culture, it has been introduced into society as a class; a class that you are born into and cannot leave. A class that has been produced as a by product of the decline of class and fashioned to produce fluid identities and to compensate for the change in political strategies. A class that the youth choose to be in purely because they fit in no other class.

What does it mean to be an Individual? :: essays research papers

I am afraid that this is more a long question rather than an answer. What exactly does it mean to be an individual? Or are we even individuals? I suppose what is meant when we say we are individual is that we have individual thoughts, as really our actions throughout our life are far from individual or unique. They may seem to be but really they are not. If this is true though then we rarely get our individualism out, if what is seen is not individual. We think ourselves more individual than say an ant, but then is it possible for their to be a thing that would class itself as more individual than us, and if so in what ways would that thing be different and what would make it more individual? I said previously that maybe only our thoughts are individual, but does this even hold to be true? Our thoughts are there usually to fulfil a certain action, even if the most silly action. Take for example a fear of spiders as a thought. I suppose this isn't exactly silly but it does fulfil the action of protecting someone from what they see as a danger. Our thoughts may be slightly different and so too are our personalities, but really don't they seem to fulfil the same task, the highest up being to survive. Obviously this is taking a broad view, but since our thoughts lead to generally the same goal, then is it only the slight difference in thoughts to achieve the goal that make us individual, and if so, are we really that individual since ultimately our "individual" thoughts lead to the same thing? Since it is our actions that let us interact with others, such as in sports or other things, maybe it is that our individual side is alone, being away from others and only in our own thoughts. This may not be totally true since one can share their thoughts, but looked upon from higher up, say from a worldly view, then this is only the sharing of opinion, with many different means reaching the same end; growing closer to the other person through interaction and the show of individualism. Another example of such a thing is any type of art, be it music, painting, poetry or any other type. These kind of things are regarded by some to be the greatest show of one's individuality as they may think that each brush stroke in a painting shows some of your personality.

gatcolor Great Gatsby Essay: Imagery of Colors :: Great Gatsby Essays

The Great Gatsby:   Imagery of Colors  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   F. Scott Fitzgerald used the imagery of colors in his masterpiece The Great Gatsby.   The colors are used very frequently as symbols, and the hues create atmosphere in different scenes of the book.   White is a clean and fresh color, but the author shows how it can be tainted as well.   Next, yellow illustrates the downfall of moral standards of the people of West Egg.   Lastly, green, the most dominant color in the book, symbolizes wealth and Gatsby's unattainable dream. To Gatsby, Daisy represents innocence and purity; however, Fitzgerald uses different shades of white to veil her corruption.   Daisy is solely described as "dressed in white", she powders her face white, and she mentions her "white girlhood".   The millionaire describes this perfect princess figure to be "high in a white palace the king's daughter, the golden girl."   On the other hand, Fitzgerald portrays the way of life in West Egg as a wretched place when "four solemn men dressed in suits are walking along the sidewalk with a stretcher on which lies a drunken woman in a white evening dress.   Her hand, which dangles over the side, sparkles cold with jewels.   Gravely the men turn it at a house - the wrong house.   But no one knows the woman's name, and no one cares." Yellow stands out as a symbol of corruption and decay.   Materialism has corrupted the citizens of East and West Egg because they center everything on money. When Gatsby entertains this wealthy class, the orchestra plays "yellow cocktail music".   Even Gatsby believes that he can win Daisy back with his money - thus he is described as wearing a "caramel-colored suit" when he lies about his past to Nick.   The most important symbol, however, is Gatsby's car.   The car becomes the main topic of conversation among the townspeople after it kills Myrtle and a witness specified this "death car" to be yellow. Fitzgerald used green most frequently to symbolize Gatsby's love for Daisy Buchanan.   Daisy rejected Gatsby because "rich girls don't marry poor boys", so her philosophy compelled him to become wealthy.   Gatsby described Daisy's voice as "full of money" and he acquired millions of green dollars in the hope that Daisy would love him again.   Also, Gatsby moved into his mansion so that he could live near the Buchanans, and at night the millionaire watches "a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been at the end of a dock.

Diversity :: Title VI, Public Organizations, Race Relations

Diversity is an increasingly important factor in organizational life as organizations world-wide become more diverse in terms of the gender, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, and other personal characteristics of their members. By the year 2000, the American workforce is likely to be gender-balanced, with only 58% of the workforce comprised of White, native born Americans (Jackson et al., 1995). Due to the increasing globalization of business requires employees from different cultures to work together in cross-national teams. Firms are being forced to form cross-functional, inter-departmental, cross-divisional, and inter-organizational alliances in order to make maximum use of scarce resources and thus increase their competitive advantage. People tend to think of diversity as simply demographic, a matter of color, gender, or age. However, groups can be disparate in many ways. Diversity is also based on informational differences, reflecting a person's education and experience, as well as on values or goals that can influence what one perceives to be the mission of something as small as a single meeting or as large as a whole company. Diversity among employees can create better performance when it comes to out-of-the-ordinary creative tasks such as product development or cracking new markets, and managers have been trying to increase diversity to achieve the benefits of innovation and fresh ideas. Informational diversity stirred constructive conflict, or debate, around the task at hand. That is, people deliberate about the best course of action. On the other hand, demographic diversity can sometimes whip up interpersonal conflict. This is the kind of conflict people should fear.

Analytical Essay – Lochie Leonard

Awkwardness, rudeness and moodiness are stereotypes which are used to represent teenagers. In his novel â€Å"Locke Leonard the Human Torpedo', Tim Wanton explores the emotional development of teenagers. In the novel he represents teenagers as reckless. This is achieved through Locale's inappropriate actions, rude behavior and his bad language. The novel displays teenagers as reckless through their inappropriate behavior.In the chapter ‘Getting Serious' Locke and Vicki are alone in her house and they engage n sexual activities disregarding the possible consequences. This is also shown later on in the book in the chapter ‘Ocean Beach' where they again act without thinking. The two chapters give the reader a clear example that teenagers can be reckless due to their inappropriate behavior. At school Locke displays rude behavior towards his teachers.In the chapter ‘Everybody's Favorite Spread' Locke is in class studying his least favorite subject, Math, and is rude to his teacher by omitting to call him sir (pap-18). Also in the chapter ‘True Torpedoing' Locke is in his woodwork class and once again displays dude behavior and insolence to his teacher by suggesting that the teacher ‘does his block (pap-31). This insulting comment could enrage an already hostile teacher even more and is therefore reckless.In the first two weeks Locke has already acquired a bad reputation for himself. Locale's rude behavior is very risky. Teenagers are represented as reckless due to their use of inappropriate or bad language. Locke has been influenced to use bad language after reading a book about sexual development. In the chapter ‘Everyone's Favorite Spread' Locke is being bullied. Whilst being bullied he retaliates by calling them ‘a bunch of yellow vulvas! (pap), which might provoke them to attack him, rather than trying to calm them down, which would be more sensible. Locale's use of language clearly represents teens as reckless. In this novel Tim Wanton represents teenagers as reckless because of their inappropriate actions, rude behavior and bad language. He has focused on emotional development in adolescents. While this is only one aspect of the challenges faced by teens, the author has represented common stereotypes in characters and their actions to describe teenagers.

Changing Behaviors by Changing the Classroom Environment Essay

Many teachers face disruptive behavior in their classrooms. They are left with the question; how can they identify and change the problem areas in the classroom environment in order to change the behavior? By collecting data on students’ engagement during instruction, disruptive behavior, and teacher observations, teachers can identify which physical aspects of their classrooms need to be improved. One of the challenges teachers face is disruptive behavior in their classrooms. A survey conducted in 2004 showed that 75% of the teachers noted that they would spend more time teaching effectively if they had less disruptive behavior in their classrooms (public agenda, 2004). Examples of these disruptive behaviors include, speaking without permission and getting out of the seat. Another challenge for the teachers is to find classroom management strategies that are proactive, preventative and relatively easy to implement and which provide minimal disruption to the classroom. There are different steps to changing the environment of a classroom. The first step is to observe: Finding out things like what types of behaviors occur in your classroom, when are most disruptive behaviors occurring, the time of day and under which type of circumstances? Where is disruptive behavior occurring? Are students able to work at desks without distractions? Are students able to work in group areas without distractions from the surrounding environment? The second step is to modify: This entails providing areas for personal space (Hood-Smith & Leffingwell, 1983, Visser, 2001), changing or decreasing placement of stimulating visuals, making clear pathways between students and high trafficked areas (Visser, 2001; Weinstein, 1979), addressing acoustic quality in the classroom by eliminating objects that produce background noise, modify classroom climate by adjusting lighting, air flow, and temperature. The last step is following up: these include questions like, are you using the modifications correctly? Are the modifications being used consistently? Do any modifications need rearranging, changing, or removal? Do you need to implement additional modifications? Investigations have been done by researchers on the relationship between the classroom environment, student behavior and academic engagement (Hood-Smith & Leffingwell, 1983; Visser, 2001). A well organized classroom permits more positive interactions between teachers and children, reducing the probability that challenging behaviors will occur (Martella, Nelson & Marchand-Martella, 2003). In addition, modifying the classroom environment may serve as a direct intervention for children who demonstrate ongoing disruptive behavior (Conroy, Davis, Fox & Brown, 2002). Although the well designed classroom has proven benefits, there is little research on the impact environmental modifications have on behavior and learning (Guardino,2009; Schilling &Schwartz, 2004). Modifications of the environment are preventatives, whole class approach that may decrease chronic behavior problems, prevent behavior problems for students who are at risk, and allow children with minimal behavior to access learning without interruption. Although environmental modifications are an essential part of classroom management, many teachers are not aware of the process of implementing them. A case study was done on Ms. Thompson a fourth grade teacher and her class. The students exhibited high levels of disruptive behavior. During the baseline phase, data on the overall classroom academic engagement and disruptive behavior was collected. Ms. Thompson helped in defining academic as purposeful attention such as raising a hand or answering a question and disruptive behavior as speaking without permission, getting out of seat or non compliance to the teachers directions. During the two weeks of data collection academic engagement and disruptive behavior was measured. Ms. Thompson directed a mini-reading lesson, after which students worked independently. The observation sessions were 15 minutes long; during this period some instances were noted where one or more students were not academically engaged during any 15 seconds interval. After the observation, discussions on how to improve the environment were done with Ms. Thompson; for example, seating arrangement, creating group space etc. These changes were put in place and beginning the following Monday data was collected for 4 weeks. Ms. Thompson also filled a questionnaire regarding her perception of the effectiveness of changing the classroom environment to improve student behavior. After the classroom was modified academic engagement increased and stayed at or 45% as compared to the previous 3%. Before the intervention disruptive behavior occurred almost 90% of the time but after it reduced but was inconsistent during the final observations. Both the questionnaire and a follow up interview relayed Ms Thompsons’ satisfaction with modifying her classroom environment to improve student behaviors. With the results gotten from the case study, it is with no doubt clear that modifications to the classroom environment increased academic engagement and decreased disruptive behavior. References Martella. R. C. Nelson, J. R. , & Marchand-Martella. N. E. (2003). Managing disruptive Behaviors in the school. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Schilling. D. L, & Schwartz, I. S. (2004). Alternative seating for young children with autism spectrum disorder: Effects on classroom behavior. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 34, 423-452. Visser, J. (2001). Aspects of physical provision for pupils with emotional and behavioral difficulties. Support for Learning. I6 (2). 64-66 Weinstein, C. S. (1979). The physical environment of the school: A review of research. Review of Educational Research. 49, 577-610. Conroy, M. A. , Davis, C. A. , Fox, J. J.. & Brown, W. H. [2002). Functional assessment of behavior and effective supports young children with challenging Behaviors. Assessment for Effective intervention, 2 [4j, 35-47. Guardino, C. (2009). Modifying the environment to improve student behaviors: A closer look at classrooms with students who have a hearing bss. Manuscript in preparation. Hood-Smith, N. E. , & Leffingwell, R. J. (1983). The impact of physical space alternation on disruptive classroom behavior: A case study. Education. ?04. 224-231. Public Agenda. (2004). Teaching in Wrnipted: Do discipline policies in today’s public schools foster the common good? New York, NY: Author. Retrieved fromhttp://commongood. org/assets/attachments/ 22. pdf.

Management and Organizational Behavior Essay

This is a reaction paper on the book ‘Leadership and Self Deception: Getting out of the Box’, by the Arbinger Institute. This will therefore discuss how I felt about the topic in the book and the reasons why. The book is about self deception which is described in dialogue between Tom Callum, a new employee for senior management position Zagrum Company, with Bud Jefferson, the executive vice president of the same company. An excerpt of the dialogue is quoted below with Bud Jefferson talking to Tom Callum saying the following words: â€Å"The bigger problem was that I couldn’t see that I had a problem. † Bud paused for a moment, and then, leaning forward toward me, he said in a lower, even more earnest tone, â€Å"There is no solution to the problem of lack of commitment, for example, without a solution to the bigger problem—the problem that I can’t see that I’m not committed. † Bud also added: â€Å"Tom, there’s a technical name for the insistent blindness I exhibited in San Francisco. Philosophers call it ‘self-deception. ’ At Zagrum we have a less technical name for it—we call it ‘being in the box. ’ In our way of talking, when we’re self-deceived, we’re ‘in the box. ’ From the above the word self deception is defined. We will use the meaning in the following paragraphs. If self deception is incapacity to see the reality of the problem, the next question is: Could it happen to everyone? Dr. Peck said â€Å"Life is series of problem. † If there is truth in what Dr. has said then self-deception could happen to everyone because every body will really have a problem. Hence the issue should be to become aware of the problem so that solutions could be made accordingly. Hence Dr. Peck suggested that discipline is the basic tool we require to solve life’s problems. He argued that without discipline we can solve nothing and that with only some discipline we can solve only some problem and with total discipline we can solve all problems. Given that problem solving is a reality, failure therefore to see that there is a problem could be a dangerous or pathetic situation. To illustrate, I had a friend who just did not know that he is sick and that he is dying of cancer which he failed to detect earlier. Before he realized to do some prevention he was already dead. In the case of every living thing, failure to recognize the problem is the most damaging because that would mean wrong use of freedom and intelligence bestowed to us. This applies to business organization since they also have life to sustain. They must continue to serve their customers otherwise these organizations are sick or in danger of dying. What could be the consequences of self deception? Not knowing what the problem is, one cannot solve the problem. Not being able to solve the problem will cause the problem to create more pressure and the greater the pressure the less are the available choices. In psychology we have the so called neurosis and character disorders which are the result of the result not balancing responsibility. When one assumes too much responsibility he is neurotic, while the one with character disorder assumes little. That could be also the consequence for people who will assume too much problem and those who simply cannot see that there is a problem. In the book that we are reacting upon, character disorder as a consequence would be the closest thing to happen. The consequence for failing to heal the disorder is delay in emotional maturity. If we apply that to Zagrum, that would be restricting the normal growth of the company that could amount to killing the company slowly. How then to solve self –deception? Discipline through openness and transparency is the best solution. People must be ready to accept accusation especially if they are true since that is the only way where one would not have him self-deceived. We need the eyes of other to reflect what is hidden in us. Socrates said that we should know ourselves and that could be found in disclosing about ourselves to other so that they get reflected to others who will help us see the truth in us. This is one of the lessons of the book on Self-deception as dreamed by Bud for the Zagrum Company. Bud was quoted saying to Tom: â€Å"At Zagrum, Tom, our top strategic initiative is to minimize individual and organizational self-deception. † Bud did have good experience about self deception which he wanted to impart to Tom. He realized that problem would be most damaging. Self deception may not be easily recognized by some or they may get hidden because of stubbornness, pride and simply ignorance. Although an open person is vulnerable, there are more advantage to self-disclosure than self-deception, the consequences of which are simply damaging. To conclude, it may be stated that a problem that half well define it half solved. Wrongly defined problem is not solving the problem. Avoiding the problem will cause problem to run after you. A health organization accepts the reality of problems because of objectives set. Objectives-attainment involves series of problems that must be anticipated and solved. A problem in life is bound to arise and the reality is that life is difficult. Indeed life is a series of problem to be solved, hence by not acknowledging the problem, there is an attempt to escape what is reality and to escape reality would be more painful in the long run. Work Cited: Peck, S. The Road Less Traveled, Simon and Schuster, 1978 Arbinger Institute , Excerpts of Leadership and Self Deception. Getting out of the Box’, {www document} URL, http://www. arbinger. com/C2/ArbingerHome/default. aspx? Page=Home, Accessed October 30,2006

Key Attributes of the Transformational Style of Leadership Essay

The key attributes of the transformational style of leadership are as follows: Task versus Relationship Working together in organizations is increasingly the norm, yet the challenges of working effectively are considerable. One challenge is conflict—the process resulting from the tension between team members because of real or perceived differences. Empowerment versus Control The empowerment leadership style calls for delegation and collaboration of the team, while control is about the competitive style of conflict, which is task oriented—taking a firm stand and operating from a position of power. Getting Results versus Building Capacity Getting results and building capacity should work hand in hand but can be at odds as well, depending on strategy and objectives. To gain results, a leader must build capacity of the team; however, building capacity takes time and resources away from getting results. Shared Vision Shared vision is related to the traditional concept of goal-oriented implementation and consensus building in strategy and leadership (related to products, technologies, or markets), and values are developed by strong, charismatic leaders and imbued in the organizations they create. A shared vision is imperative in that it is communicated and developed as the organizational culture. Self versus Team Interests Self versus team interest affects or is highly influenced by the organization’s culture. How does the team or organization achieve its objectives and goals? Does the company promote and incentivize individual effort in lieu of team objectives? With one person excelling and the team suffering, does the entire organization succeed? Many times, individual goals or incentives must be sacrificed for the good of the team. One example of a transformational leader is Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, who often visited Wal-Mart stores across the country to meet with associates to show his appreciation for what they did for the company. Sam Walton gave â€Å"rules for success† in his autobiography, one of which was to appreciate associates with praise (Walton, 1996). Wal-Mart leaders embrace a philosophy called â€Å"servant-leadership,† which simply means that if you are a leader you need to put the needs of your people first. Said another way, company leaders need to serve their employees (associates). When you boil it all down, the secret to Sam Walton’s leadership philosophies is servant-leadership. His belief was that to truly be an inspirational leader, you must serve those whom you lead. In this regard, Sam was as much an amateur psychologist as he was a merchant (Bergdahl, 2004). There are 4 components to transformational leadership, sometimes referred to as the 4 I’s: Idealized Influence (II) – the leader serves as an ideal role model for followers; the leader â€Å"walks the talk,† and is admired for this. Inspirational Motivation (IM) – Transformational leaders have the ability to inspire and motivate followers. Combined these first two I’s are what constitute the transformational eader’s charisma. Individualized Consideration (IC) – Transformational leaders demonstrate genuine concern for the needs and feelings of followers. This personal attention to each follower is a key element in bringing out their very best efforts. Intellectual Stimulation (IS) – the leader challenges followers to be innovative and creative. A common misunderstanding is that transformational  leaders are â€Å"soft,† but the truth is that they constantly challenge followers to higher levels of performance (Riggio, 2009). References Bergdahl, M. (2004). What I Learned From Sam Walton : How to Compete and Thrive in a Wal-Mart World. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/ehost/detail?sid=2a112ec6-1217-47cc-8f02-3e3e27a41db7%40sessionmgr10&vid=5&bk=1&hid=22&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=nlebk&AN=119365 Kouzes, J. (2007). The Leadership Challenge (4th ed). Jossey-Bass. Retrieved from http://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/books/9780470633397/Root/0 Riggio, R. (2009). Cutting-Edge Leadership. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/200903/are-you-transformational-leader

Air Arabia Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Air Arabia - Term Paper Example There are four types of growth strategies, such as vertical integration, horizontal integration, concentration and diversification that can be adopted by the management of the organization in order to grab the market share of this particular market segment. It is important for the organization to consider diversification growth strategy in order to improve the performance of business class segment. The organization is already focusing on the concentration strategy as the organization maintains its low cost strategy for the passengers of economy class segment (Abed, Hellyer & Vine, 2006). In addition to this, the organization does not face any kind of management problem. Therefore, the organization should avoid the adoption of both horizontal and vertical integration strategy. Therefore, it would be effective for the management of the organization to consider diversification strategy in the business operation process in order to improve the performance of the in-flight business class segment. First of all, the management of the organization needs to consider some important aspects before the implementation of diversification growth strategy in the development of business class segment. The management of the organization should ensure the just-in-flight comfort to all the business class passengers. ... It is highly important for the organization to ensure appropriate space for each and every passenger in the business class segment (Doganis, 2005). Effective care and follow up of the passengers in the flight can help the organization to meet the satisfaction and needs of the target customers. Now-a-days, each and every passenger is preferring high quality customer service from the airlines against their paid ticket fare. The business environment around the globe is becoming highly competitive as the demand for differentiated valuable products and services is significantly increasing among the people around the globe. Therefore, the leading organizations are trying to expand their business operation activities in several emerging global market places. Therefore, the organizations are developing aggressive business operation strategies for global market place in order to increase the market share and financial stability of the firms. Therefore, the organizations motivate their managem ent team to handle the global business operation activities by assuring effective facilities. The leaders of the leading global organizations used to offer facility like travel in business class and stay at five star luxurious hotels for better global business performance. On the other hand, the countries of UAE is achieving significant economic growth rate due to presence of several leading organizations. The regions of these countries are enriched with enormous oil and gas resources. Therefore, UAE is gaining significant economic growth rate as the oil and gas are considered as the major energy resources in this world. Therefore, the business activities of several leading organizations are increasing in these regions as the organizations are trying to

All the description are in the attachments Essay

All the description are in the attachments - Essay Example There is a discrepancy between the 1776 July 4th independent America and the current America. The writer’s arguments are persuasive since; for instance, he asserts that America in July 4th 1776 was composed of farmers. In contrast, in the current time, Americans live in metropolitan and residential areas. He continues to mention that a minority of Americans living today are descendants of the founding fathers and the slaves who were alive in 1776, whereas, the majority of Americans originated from Germany, Ireland, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Furthermore, Krugman continues to assert that American society is full of hypocrisy (Krugman 2). In my essay, I feel that I have brought out the thesis statement in an explicit manner. In addition, I have identified the points that strongly support my thesis statement, through identifying the discrepancy that arises when the 1776 July 4th independent America is compared to the current America. I could improve my essay by adding more reasons that support my thesis statement. In essence, I will use the reasons to justify how the act of Americans celebrating July 4th does not correspond with what the founding fathers considered as

Ideas and Religious Belief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ideas and Religious Belief - Essay Example What if religion confuses political power with the will of God which many preachers and men of church say we have to abide to to maintain the state of which God wants on earth,in England,to match the Elizabethan age's understanding of the ladder of being or the chain of being and how it occupies what the world in God's eyes should be like and be used to by people This idea is occupied in all cultures politically and has been an arguable discussion for people throughout the nations. Should the political powers be religious and under the church's supervision or should be secularthis rises with another fundamental question:should people accept the facts stated to them in a democratic country or should they accept the facts given them as forceful manner of living which they could and could not accept whether it is involving their union with the power's opinions of what is supposed to be in the state or should it be forced and the state of the country be 'the democracy of discussion and the dictatorship of opinion'in other words,should people when getting involved in elections and understanding the stated means of ideas by the intellect get involved or should their ideas be seen as a restricted form of understanding which does not elevate to those who are in power's understanding of the future of the country and state and what it carries from und erstandings for th people's welfare and what they see to be what everyone in the state wants for the nation (depending on who is stating what the 'nation' means and who 'everyone stating it 'is) A nation (nationa) is understood to be a group of disobedient or the least intellectual groups of people to govern in a state or country which are better known and notioned as those 'governed',since they least 'care','understand','have intellect' to be able to take a role in forming the understandings and the formulae of which the nation takes to progress forwards. Then who takes this form of understanding up and deduces and induces the laws In religions it is God and His propehst. In secular states it is the intellect of the mos intellectual. These people understand and under-0estimate what could be frivolous being in a better state of affairs and understanding and education being exposed to the highest and best types of education around the world which ensure a decent growing up of morals and understandings which inform the rest of the populated country's people how things should be working in a 'civilized' manner. This understanding forms the wake of the nation and the differences between the 'plates' of the 'grounds of understanding the ways and means of living' which the nation's youth and grown ups fight to obtain for various reasons. If this is true,the chain of being then has to be a way of controlling the world and understanding the frame of thinking that puts philosophers and political people on the top or middle of

Apples Work-life Policy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Apples Work-life Policy - Assignment Example Fr communication to be effective, it must be accessible and readily available, which is not the case, at Apple.com (Lockett, 2012). However, the firm does an impressive job I am articulating the company’s work-life policy. Apple business values are entrenched I treating its employees and others with honesty and respect. The values that inform the work-life policy are clearly articulated on the company’s website (Lockett, 2012). Apple places a huge emphasis on work-life balance. In apple when an individual works hard, they get to enjoy some free personal time. Employees get to enjoy both vocational and family leave policy during Thanksgiving and Christmas (Lockett, 2012). The other work-life policies that the firm adopts include healthcare and contribution to retirement plans or pension. This is in-line with Apple Inc. A motto, which that ‘we love working at Apple, we work hard, nevertheless, when it is all said and done, go enjoy your life. Apple’s motto summarizes its work-life policy as â€Å"employee focused; customer focused and innovative.† Apple has a stimulating and challenging workplace, Amazing workplace, culture, and it is customer-focused (Lockett, 2012). This is a company that I would like to work for (Lockett, 2012). Apple is envied as being a start-up in a big organization. Employees at the firm are offered a chance to contribute to the satisfaction of customers across the globe with the novelty of its products (Lockett, 2012). Even with its huge salaries and benefits, the satisfaction that employees feel when they contribute in changing the nature and lifestyle of many people across the globe is mind-blowing. At Apple, employees work with very smart people, this enhances employees to work somewhere else (Lockett, 2012). The company has always endeavored to maintain its bureaucracy to as low as possible.

Herbert Hoover Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Herbert Hoover - Article Example The Efficiency Movement of the United States, was a major part of the Progressive Era. The ideology championed by those who supported this movement, was that the society, government and the economy contained unwanted elements that bogged things down. In order to cleanse the system, experts must be appointed to identify the errors and to fix them. Hoover was a prominent figure who championed this movement. He held the view that the economy could be fixed and made better by coming up with technical solutions. However, it so happened that the Great Depression started in 1929, during the first year of Hoover's tenure as President. Since his ideology that the economy could be fixed, could not work in such a situation, he was the centre of criticism and mistrust. Herbert Hoover was a reformer and believed in improving the condition of livelihood of the citizens. He denounced the laissez-faire system and believed in regulating bills through Congress. In addition to this, he also supported volunteerism.

Research Proposal (Measure the relation between motivation and Essay

Research Proposal (Measure the relation between motivation and effective performance management) - Essay Example Performance management, in the same context, is a human relations approach to organisational goal-setting which distributes company strategy and identifies employee productivity factors leading to employee discipline or reward. There are, conceptually, five standard steps used in the performance management process that include communicating clear organisational goals, applying managerial practices that encourage employee performance, identifying actual performance levels, producing positive or negative outcomes to employee performance, and evaluating whether organisational goals can be met through the current level of employee productivity. It is proposed that a successful performance manager be aware of the circumstances that affect employee motivation from a psychological standpoint and apply a rather clinical methodology in distribution of productivity feedback for the employee targeted for increased motivation. Essentially, an organisation cannot meet its strategic goals without the assistance of employee talents, therefore, a performance managers role in satisfying employees needs directly impacts company outputs. How does a performance manager, then, handle the role of satisfying employee needs without sacrificing organisational objectives? This study of performance management versus impact on employee motivation will first examine the psychological aspect of human nature by observing Abraham Maslows recognised Hierarchy of Needs. According to Maslow, each individual possesses five main principles that affect intrapersonal satisfaction. He proposes physiological needs (basic elements of survival) as a first step toward fulfilment. Following forward in motivation is the need for safety and security, moving next to love and belonging, then creating a positive self-image, and finally reaching a level of self-actualisation in which the person develops complete satisfaction with overall existence. Maslow

Case report review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case report review - Essay Example This just shows that when a group people agree on certain norms and communicate effectively, almost any endeavor is possible. Also, we observed that aside from playing different roles, we developed deeper relationships as friendships. We also understood the meaning of individual differences and tried to work around it. There were many times that some members expressed their different opinion and we have to find a way to compromise. Although we had difficulty in resolving conflicts, the more important thing is that we realized in a hard way that we need one another ( interdependence) to be able to achieve the goals. The worst experience that we had is not finding the right time to meet. This has been a struggle since we all have different schedules. The windows live messenger was helpful in aiding us when communicating but the scheduled live meetings were difficult. Most of the time, one group member was not available due to other commitments. This was hard for all of us since we agreed at the start to prioritize the group meetings. Another unpleasant experience was when a group member cannot perform his tasks as expected. Actually, this was a consequence of not being able to attend meetings since the absent member has no idea how to keep up with the pace of the group. It is very important that group members work together as a team since one member’s absence affects the other group members in performing their assigned tasks. Because of this, we have to scold the group member and make him realize the importance of agreements. Honestly, I became a matured person because of this experience. I used to do things in my own style and time before but I realized that when one is a member of a group, he must conform to certain rules that the group agreed upon. One of the challenges for me was coming on time for all meetings which was hard to do but I was able to manage my time well. I also learned to sacrifice some personal activities

Organisational dialouge Essay Example for Free

Organisational dialouge Essay Question 2: A range of authors (e.g. Gerard and Ellinor 2001; Isaacs 1993, 1999; Schein 1993; Senge 1995) suggest that dialogue can positively transform organizational cultures. Do you agree with this assessment? Why? Why not? Engage with relevant academic literature in developing your argument. Student Name: Nguyen Vu Hoang Dung Student Number: 11477445 In organization people spend 80 percent of their time to communicate (The British Psychological Society 2012). Communication is a key tool to share information, foster different opinions and build alignment and trust. According to Gerard Teurfs (1995), the process of dialogue is an invitation to create organization cultures through conversations. It acts as a learning environment that shifting individuals to â€Å"a deeper understanding of collaboration in groups, and a new way of sensing their connections to others throughout the organization† (Querubin 2011, p.19). It brings all the ideas together and suspends judgment so people will have a greater chance to understand each other (Brayman, Grey Stearns 2010). This essay will analyze the role of dialogue in transforming organizational cultures positively and all the benefits it brings. However, it will also examine the challenges of implementing dialogue. Organizational culture includes shared values and beliefs that guide behaviors of all members and determine the way things should be done in the organization (Sergiovanni 1984). Company has its own culture usually indicates higher performance. The role of dialogue is not only to spread the common values and meanings that company wants its employees to follow but also allow everyone to express their own interest. According to Gerard and  Ellinor (2001), the main purpose of dialogue is to produce collective understanding. Firstly, they compared the differences between dialogue and discussion. In discussion, people tend to protect their own thoughts and do not truly concern about other’s opinions and needs. They play as a speaker’s role rather than as a listener. It might leave the remainder out of discussion with frustration, isolation and disrespect. Decisions could be made by the person who has the most power and influence in the group (Gerard and Ellinor 2001). Hence it weakens the aim of enhancing organizational cultures. In contrast, when employees participate in a dialogue, their role as a listener is more important than as a speaker. They desire to hear what others want to say. They try to fit all different perspectives into a common value. Therefore, if issues occur, they listen to deeply understand other’s thoughts and opinions (Gerard and Ellinor 2001). By doing that, employees are getting closer to each other and conflicts are minimized. They help their team or their department to build shared culture. Secondly, Gerard and Ellinor (2001) stated five skills of dialogue including suspension of judgment, listening, reflection, assumption identification and inquiry. They defined the meaning of suspension in dialogue is not to stop one’s judgment about a problem. Instead, they have to aware what their judgments are and â€Å"then holding them lightly so they can still hear what others are saying† (Gerard and Ellinor 2001, p. 7). After listening carefully to other’s ideas, they need to reflect their own assumptions. Therefore, to revising whether those assumptions are linked to the organization or not. If they cannot understand the differences, they must inquire for more information. Hence, this process of dialogue enables each employee to foster different views and converge them together to become one unique aim. Organizational culture is enhanced. In agreement with Gerard and Ellinor, Isaacs (1999) analyzed four principles of dialogue based on Bohm’s research in 1996. They are listening, respecting, suspending and voicing. Firstly, Isaacs had compared listening skill in dialogue to listening to music. He stated a single note of music could not deliver the meaning of the whole song. It is similar to one’s role in a conversation. A single idea is not sufficient to set purposes and  cultures for the whole organization. Hence, dialogue is an excellent practice to give people a chance to listen deeply and get into the nature of the conversation. Secondly, he defined respecting as getting to know more about one person and figure out what sources or circumstances has created their particular thinking. Based on this understanding, people in an organization will pay more respect to each other. The main goal of respecting in dialogue is not to seek decision but to tolerate difference, gap and conflict (Isaacs 1999). The third principle of dialogue, suspending, is determined similar to Gerard and Ellinor (2001). And the last principle Isaacs mentioned is voicing. He suggested people should listen internally so as to select what should say and what should not say in a circumstance. Sometimes keeping silence and listen can achieve the best result. Therefore, the purpose of voicing means people contribute their speech, not only for themselves, but to the whole idea. Overall, these principles are considered having positive effects on organizational learning. They emphasize group and organization achievements rather than an individual accomplishment. In Schein’s study (1993), he described dialogue as â€Å"talking around the campfire† (p. 391). He used â€Å"campfire† as a metaphor to explain how decision is made through dialogue. In the past, people sat around campfire during meeting and shared their own opinions. Arguments would never come up as people just simply expressed their thoughts without any discussion or debate. Through that, they were aware themselves which idea was acceptable and were unacceptable (Schein 1993). This process allowed enough time for each person to listen to a deeper layer of other’s opinions then reflect on their own assumptions. Moreover, Schein introduced the check-in concept. At the beginning of the meeting, each person will respectively contribute his or her ideas, views and feelings to the group as a whole, and therefore, â€Å"has helped to create the group† (Schein 1993, p. 392). Lastly, Schein stressed the limitation of eye contact. This makes people feel ea sier to suspend disagreements and concentrate on listening. Senge (1995) determined dialogue as a facilitator for team learning. Based on his research, team is the key unit to build culture in an organization. By applying dialogue into team learning process, it develops shared vision and  brings result every member truly desires. It also creates teamwork and shares equal leadership to each member in the group. Through sharing a common pool of meaning, culture is positively transforming from individual to group values and beliefs. Although dialogue is proved to have a great effect on organizational culture, there are challenges in implementing it into organization learning system. The first challenge is due to hierarchy level in an organization (Raelin 2012). Dialogue requires equal say and sharing from each member of the organization. However, employees tend to afraid of expressing their true views in front of their managers. They leave decision making to people at higher position. In top-down companies, upper levels of management have full knowledge of desired targets, goals and norms. They have the right and ability to create and change organizational culture. They enforce rules and duties on their employee. They usually do not spend time to listen to individual’s opinion and feeling. Hence, it is very challenging to apply dialogue into this type of business. Furthermore, if the organization involves a cross-culture, that employee come from different culture backgrounds, there is a need for a more lengthy and complicated process of dialogue (Schein 1993). In this type of organization, people use different languages and operate from different mental models. Organization needs to design a dialogue that enables all these people to communicate effectively. Thornhill, Lewis Saunders (2000) also emphasized there is may be a need to â€Å"re-designing of performance appraisal systems and reward systems† and â€Å"the re-definition of job roles to induce employees into accept the new behavior expected from them† (p. 27). Hence it is costly and time consuming. Finally, dialogue may not be suitable to apply to all organizations cultures in the world. For example, Western culture is different from Eastern culture. As dialogue encourage the limitation of eye contact (Schein 1993), people from the West will consider this as impolite or even disrespectful (Spindler 1990). In addition, in Western countries people prefer confrontation whereas Eastern people prefer to say what they feel most  appropriate in this circumstance or least hurtful to the others (Schein 1993). Therefore, dialogue must be selective so it is suitable for each particular organization. In conclusion, dialogue has played a key role in positively transforming organizational culture. It acts as a learning environment that shifts individual to group thinking. It leads each employee to recognize the essential of collaborating in a group. Querubin (2011) demonstrated that dialogue enables members to â€Å"become open to diversity and lose an â€Å"us vs. them† paradigm so prevalent in task-oriented cultures† (p. 19). Hence, group achievement is more important than individual accomplishment. Moreover, dialogue includes suspending of judgment, listening, respect, reflection, assumption and voicing. Through all these principles, dialogue creates collective understanding and leads all members of the organization to higher commitment. However, the implementation of dialogue still faces several challenges, including hierarchy levels, time consuming and different cultural backgrounds. Therefore, selective approach of dialogue must be considered to apply to specifi c organization. REFERENCES Bohm, D. 1996, On Dialogue. Ed. Lee Nichol, Routledge, London New York. Brayman, J., Grey, M. Stearns, M. 2010, Taking Flight to Literacy and Leadership, Rowman Littlefield, viewed 16 December 2010, Ellinor, L. Gerard, G. 2001, Dialogue at Work: Skills at Leveraging Collective Understanding, Pegasus Communications, Waltham, MA. Ellinor, L. Gerard, G. 2001, Dialogue at Work: Skills at Leveraging Collective Understanding, Pegasus Communications, Waltham, MA, pp. 7. Gerard, G. Teurfs, L. 1995, Dialogue and Organizational Transformation, 1st edn, Sterling Stone, Inc., San Francisco. Isaacs, W. 1999, Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together: A Pioneering Approach to Communicating in Business and in Live, Currency, New York. Querubin, C. 2011, ‘The effect on the organization’, Dialogue: Creating Shared Meaning and Other Benefits for Business, pp. 19, Raelin, J. 2012, ‘Dialogue and deliberation as expressions of democratic leadership in participatory organizational change’, Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 25. Schein , E. H. 1993, On dialogue, culture, and organizational learning . Organizational Dynamics, pp 391-392. Senge, P. M. 1995, The spirit of personal mastery, MN: Charthouse International Learning Corporation, Burnsville. Sergiovanni, T. 1984, ‘Leadership and excellence in schooling’, Educational Leadership Journal, vol. 4. Spindler, G. 1993, The American Cultural Dialogue and Its Transmission, Psychology Press, The British Psychological Society 2012, Dialogue: How to create change in organizations through conversation, viewed 14 May 2012, http://www.bps.org.uk/events/dialogue-how-create-change-organisations-through-conversation-1 Thornhill, A., Lewis, M. Saunders, M. 2000, Managing Change: A Human Resource Strategy Approach, Prentice Hall, London.

The dissolution of empire has been critical to the growth of world cities Essay Example for Free

The dissolution of empire has been critical to the growth of world cities Essay King (1990, page x) argues that the dissolution of empire has been critical to the growth of world cities. How far does this apply to London? Modern patterns of development and growth have been shaped and influenced by the historical context of colonialism. Within this context relationships between capitalist and pre-capitalist states or colonies helped forge a world economy, which would later lead to processes of globalisation and the current economic world order. Expansion in the world economy has been exacerbated by the freer flow of labour, goods, services and capital, which are features of the post-war, post-colonial world. King contends that these factors have been critical to the growth of world cities. (King, 1990: x) Urbanisation in many post-colonial states has been rapid, supported by trade with a greater number of nations compared with that of the colonial period. Indeed, many colonial nations have now followed their own paths of industrialisation, instead of relying primarily on their export of natural resources such as timber; their economies are becoming more diverse and are now linked within a global network of trade and commerce that is enabling them to develop significantly. Existing at the heart of these states are primary cities, the administrative and economic centres for their new global roles. World cities can be defined by their size, population and area; they are usually the economic hub of the country in which they are seats of power and dominate in the cultural arena with their iconic architectural distinctiveness and the importance of their historical roles. World cities lie at the junction between the world economy and the territorial national state. (Friedmann and Wolff, 1982) The city of London fills these criteria perfectly, its former position as the centre of the British Empire made London the imperial metropolis of the world. H.G Wells described his impression of imperial London: Its a great place. Immense. The richest town in the world, the biggest port, the greatest manufacturing town, the imperial city the centre of civilisation, the heart of the world. (Wells H.G, 1908:73) In this essay I will be discussing the significance of Kings argument with reference to the city of London. Imperial London will be introduced followed by a discussion of Londons decline and its patterns of modern growth in order to ascertain how far Kings argument applies to the City. Different types of growth are included, but emphasis is largely placed on the geographical and economic dimensions of Londons change and development. Londons imperial role was crucial to the expansion of its fortunes. Growth was inextricably linked with the colonial empire and took place in several key areas during the colonial interlude. Londons Docklands represented a melting pot of colonial trade and commerce and were a critical facet of Londons (and Great Britains) economy that fed aspects of growth into the city centre and enabled it to thrive. In 1700 London handled 80% of the countrys imports and 69% of its exports. Trade with colonies in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and the Indian Sub-Continent brought in tea, china, rice, tobacco and spices to the City and in 1799 the West India Company began to build docks on the Isle of Dogs for over 600 ships. The importance of Londons Docklands lies in their influential role as conduit of wealth to the City and their symbolic nature as gateways to the empire from its thriving commercial centre. Trade flourished, and London became a market-driven commercial and financial hub for world trade. Manufacturers established themselves in the city centre and markets developed around them supported by a growing number of banks. The city centre, therefore, was a series of markets and had few residential zones; warehouses formed a prominent part of the landscape. Imperial London also witnessed the growth of a market in stocks and shares located at the London Stock Exchange, and the establishment of large insurance companies such as Lloyds of London. Londons rising financial sector was represented by the Bank of England, which issued loans to new colonies whilst giving security to the blossoming economy of Great Britain. The Citys role as a cultural centre was represented by huge investment in museums and theatres and its dominant global position was expressed through monuments depicting colonial glories and exhibitions showcasing British power. Whilst there was growth of commerce alongside growth of the Citys financial sector, trends later developed in the form of rapid suburban growth aided by improved infrastructure in and around London. The London County Council (LCC) took on numerous housing projects peaking at 16,000 units that gradually expanded outwards form the City and were facilitated by improvements in communications, a tramway system and the electrification of the railways. As the new century dawned, Londons position at the hub of the worlds largest empire gave work to half a million in the docks and in import-related occupations.London continued to grow; between 1911 and 1939 its population increased from 7.25 to 8.73 million entirely in the outer ring beyond the LCC boundaries. (Porter, 1994:32) Urbanisation during this period was undoubtedly fed by the provisions created by empire, manifested in a country with a confident and specialised role in the world economy. In this system, London occupied the nodal point of a colonial urban system in which the economies of the metropolis and of such distant cities as Calcutta or Sydney and their respective hinterlands complemented one another and were heavily interdependent. (Sheppard, 1998:313) The testing of imperial Londons power by two world wars and the following dissolution of empire were to dramatically change the face of the City. These influences forced upon London the devastating effects of The Blitz and the processes of relinquishing power to the colonised nations, which had for so long been the source of Londons wealth. Inevitably Londons power began to decline and it was challenged with finding new ways to rebuild and to grow. [London] was sustained by surplus extracted from the colonial economy. With the demise of the colonial power, it lacked the economic base to meet the social costs it generated. [This resulted in] problems of housing, a shortage of economic resourcesand a lack of the institutional infrastructure to deal with social, administrative and political needs. (King, 1990:45) Disappearance of hegemonic power systems took place, and the nation-state grew in significance as a unit of analysis. Within these nation states the seats of power were able to control their own destinies and determine growth within their own political boundaries; this growth was facilitated by the freer flow of goods and capital through the nation states principal cities. The dissolution of empire and the effects of the Second World War led to a dramatic shift in the nature of Londons economy which ultimately affected its growth. The collapse of the manufacturing industries is a case in point, and from the mid-1950s people began to suffer job losses in this area. Between 1971 and 1975 19 per cent of manufacturing jobs disappearedbetween 1978 and 1981 some 98,700 jobs in manufacturing and production were lost. (Coupland, 1992:26-27) Commerce also declined in central London and as unemployment rose a deprived inner city began to emerge. Londons problems were exacerbated not only by the housing problems caused by wartime damage, but by the closure of the docks, which had survived the war but could not survive the break-up of empire. The Empirehad long ensured Londons position as the worlds premier port [.] Independence, however, loosened old trading ties; no longer was trade automatically routed through London, and new nations created trading preferences of their own, selling direct to America, Germany and Japan. During the 1960s Commonwealth trade was halved, and London shrank as an entrepot. (Porter, 1994, 348) The closure of this critical dimension of Londons power represented symbolic as well as industrial and demographic decline. Moreover, while disintegration of manufacturing in London can be attributed to varying factors such as economic recession, the closure of the Docks are inextricably linked to the dissolution of the British Empire. The closure also affected activities linked to the Docklands: transport, warehousing and food processing industries and systems were damaged and the Citys economic woes took shape in the form of rapid demographic change. As people moved outward from Greater London the population began to decrease, from 8,600,000 in 1939 to 6,300,000 in 1991, a trend which continues today. The unemployment rate in the industrial areas of inner-London rose to 14 per cent in 1981, while a new trend of mass immigration from the Commonwealth changed the ethnic composition of Londons population and reflected Londons increasing diversity. The dynamics of Londons decline began to influence new processes of growth, both physical and economic. The new industries that grew up in London were connected to its role as an information city and there was an escalation in the significance of the cultural production sector. Tourism became a major source of income for London. Systems of land-use planning began to determine Londons physical growth, with the establishment of the Green Belt designed to fix an area of permanent countryside around the city in a policy to shift 1,033,000 Londoners and workplaces beyond its boundaries. This policy may have hindered urban sprawl, but it has also led to new types of growth in the form of an Outer Ring, as towns on Londons periphery have had to adapt and grow due to the population exodus from Greater London. Altogether, this Outer Ring added nearly one million to [Londons] population in the decade 1951-61, representing two-fifths of the net growth of the British population. (Hall, 1977:24) The growth of the Outer Ring coincided with various strategies by the LCC including the development of tower-block estates, a move that would later lead to rising social problems in the areas in which they were built. There continued to be a rise in office space in the inner city, as Londons financial sector remained strong alongside an influx of the middle classes into inner-suburb precincts. Consequently improvements in housing took hold mainly in areas such as Notting Hill, Paddington and Mile End. The 1960s were witness to the increased significance of London as a cultural centre and the City became an international heart of fashion, music and design. [T]he City grew impressively from the 1960s, thanks to a combination of accident, expertise, language and geography. (Porter, 1994:374) Redevelopment of London began with the comprehensive reconstruction of Tower Hamlets and in more recent times with the controversial redevelopment of the Docklands. The scale of redevelopment of the Docklands is characterised by the construction of Great Britains tallest building: Canary Wharf. The area creates office space for 40,000 to 60,000 workers and symbolises the emergence of a new and modern London, one that is predominantly concerned with business and finance, and one that continues to exude success due to these sectors. From this discussion we can clearly see the importance of Londons imperial status in relation to its growth. Dissolution of empire has indeed been critical to the growth of world cities as they have become more freely exposed to the processes of globalisation and have had greater control of their position in the world economy. This contention can be exemplified by the current position of world cities, such as New York and Singapore in the economic world order and the growth of former colonys capitals as they engage in directing their own futures, levels of trade and spatial organisation. London, however, is an exceptional case. As an imperial city it was largely dependent on its colonial territories for sustaining its own growth and power. Whereas eighty or ninety years ago, London was at the core of the world system, a generator of powerful economic, political and cultural forces pushing out to the periphery, today it increasingly contends with equally powerful economic, political, and cultural forces pressing in from outside.'(King, 1990:73) This change has increased the vulnerability of Londons economy. All other world cities havehad to adapt to the internationalization of the world economy Paris and New York, for instance; but what distinguishes London is the degree of its former imperial dominance, and the extent to which internationalization has brought foreign ownership, and hence dependence. (Sheppard, 1998:359) Modern London now has to compete with other primary cities which have not had to undergo such a dramatic transition in their character and global position. Significant redevelopment has taken place in recent years and London continues to exemplify the world city. Its prominent role in Europe, its historical importance, imposing architecture, economic wealth and position as seat of power all contribute to make London one of the major cities of the world. The importance of dissolution of empire to many world cities is demonstrated by the increased flow of capital, labour, goods and services which have enabled them to grow. Imperial London already contained these processes which were fundamentally linked with its dominant global role, it is therefore, increasingly dependent and vulnerable within the new world economic order. However, the disintegration of its imperial role has not been completely negative to Londons growth, the City has just had to find time and method to help adapt and reposition itself within a new global system. Within this system London has now found a specific function as a global centre for banking and financial trading, which increasingly determine its international role and its patterns of modern growth. Bibliography. Coupland, Andy: Every Job an Office Job. And Docklands: Dream or Disaster? In Thornley, Andy (ed) (1992) The Crisis of London. Routledge. Friedmann, J and Wolff, G. (1982) World City formation: an agenda for research and action., International Journal of Urban and Regional Research: 6. Hall, P (1977 2nd edition) The World Cities. Weidenfield and Nicholson, London. Ch 2. King, AD (1990) Global Cities: Post-Imperialism and the Internationalization of London. Routledge. Porter, Roy (1994) London: A Social History. Penguin, London. Shappard, Francis (1998) London: A History. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Wells, H.G. (1908) Tono-Bungay. London: Oldhams Press.