Management and Organizational Structure Issues Essays

Management and Organizational Structure Issues Essays Management and Organizational Structure Issues Paper Management and Organizational Structure Issues Paper This document presents responses to the discussion questions posed in chapter 8 (O. C, Geoffrey Linda, 2009). The chapter discusses about organization structure, teamwork, and communication. Organization structure is the form of an organization that is evident in the way divisions, departments, functions, and people link together and interact. Organization structure reveals vertical operational responsibilities, and horizontal linkages, and may be represented by an organization chart. The complexity of an organization’s structure is often proportional to its size and its geographic dispersal. Business Situation Regarding Spectrum Brand The sections below pretend reference to the above business situation. How To Organize Spectrum Brands Using A Matrix Structure The matrix structure groups employees by both function and product. This structure is based on multiple employee reporting structures. It emphasizes both vertical organizational hierarchy and horizontal relationships. In other words, any employee within a matrix organization reports upwards to functional managers and, based on geographic requirements, may also report sideways to project managers. In this arrangement, employees are responsible to two managers- functional and project managers (O. C, Geoffrey Linda, 2009). Employees can be in one department and report to functional manager, but these same employees may be assigned to different projects and report to a project manager while working on that project. Therefore, each employee may have to work under several managers to get their job done. How To Organize Spectrum Brands Using Multidivisional Structure The multidivisional structure of Spectrum Brands can be broken down into three areas: product, market, and geographic. These are summarized as follows: Product structure: Each product division contains the functions necessary to that specific good. Product structure groups’ employee together based upon specific products produced by the company. Spectrum Brands, for example, can operate with its products such as pet food, pet supplies, grooming product, toys, novelty items, vitamins and veterinary supplies. The company can have a separate division for each product. Market structure: Market structure groups employees together based upon specific market in which the company sells. The company can sell its products to individual consumers and business consumer. So the sales and consumer customer service worked together, and corporate sales and corporate customer service worked together. Geographic structure: This structure groups each organizational function into divisions based on geographical basis. Each division within a divisional structure can contain all the necessary resources and functions within it. Divisions can be categorized from different points of view. Especially if the company is facing problem of controlling its activities on a national or international level is likely to use a geographic structure and group functions into regional divisions to service customers in different locations. Each geographic division can access to a full set of the functions it needs to provide its products. The Most Effective Structure For Spectrum Brands A multidivisional structure can allow Spectrum Brands to coordinate intergroup relationships more effectively than does a matrix structure. Since the company supplies pet products in 48 states and has more than 750 stores, departments can be formed on the basis of geography, customer, product, or a combination of these. This structure can also allow regional managers and employees to be close to their customers and, may develop more relationships that may give managers and employees extra incentive to perform well. Employees’ close identification with their division can increase their commitment, loyalty, and job satisfaction. Potential Communication Problems In Matrix And Multidivisional Structure Information sharing is important in companies like Spectrum Brands because several people may be required for the same piece of work. Because a matrix organization chart is working with more complex communication structure and hierarchy, it needs to be structured properly. One that isn’t properly thought out and executed can be dysfunctional in that it creates confusion rather that clarity. Confusing communication is always a detriment to the organization or a team. Matrix structure increase role conflict and role ambiguity. Reporting relationship in this structure makes employee vulnerable to role ambiguity. Two bosses making conflicting demands on two-boss employee relationships. This conflict and ambiguity can increase feelings of stress. Employees have difficulty in demonstrating their personal contributions to team performance because they move so often from one team to another. And there are limited opportunities for promotion, because most movement is lateral, from team to team, not vertical to upper management positions. Divisional structures normally have more managers and more levels of management than matrix structures have, communications problems can arise as various levels in various divisions attempt to coordinate their activities. As the companies grow and diversify, traditional line structures become difficult to coordinate, making communication difficult and decision making slow (O. C, Geoffrey Linda, 2009). Divisions may start to complete for organizational resources and may start to pursue divisional goals and objectives at the expense of organizational ones. Most Effective Level Of Centralization In Matrix And Multidivisional Structure Multidivisional structures permit delegation of decision-making authority, allowing divisional and department managers to specialize. They allow those closest to the action to make the decisions that will affect them. Delegation of authority and divisionalized work also mean that better decision faster, and they tend to be more innovative (O. C, Geoffrey Linda, 2009). A multidivisional structure makes it relatively easy for organizations to evaluate and reward the performance of individual divisions and their managers and to assign rewards in a way that is closely linked to their performance. Corporate managers can also evaluate one regional operation against another and thus shared ideas between regions and find ways to improve performance. Matrix structures provide flexibility, enhanced cooperation, and creativity, and they enable the company to respond quickly to changes in the environment by giving special attention to specific projects or problems. However, they are generally expensive and quite complex, and employees may be confused as to whose authority has priority (the project manager’s or the functional manager’s) Conclusions The information presented above leads to the following conclusions: 1. The matrix structure groups employees by both function and product. This structure is based on multiple employee reporting structures. It emphasizes both vertical organizational hierarchy and horizontal relationships. 2. In multidivisional structure, divisions (departments) can be formed on the basis of product, market, and geographic structure. 3. In multidivisional structures communications problems can arise as various levels in various divisions attempt to coordinate their activities. Matrix Structure increase role conflict and role ambiguity on two-boss employee relationships. 4. Multidivisional structures permit delegation of decision-making authority, allowing divisional and department managers to specialize. In matrix employees may be confused as to whose authority has priority (the project manager’s or the functional manager’s). Reference Ferrell, O. C. , Hirt, G. , Ferrell, L. (2009). Business: A changing world: 2009 custom edition (7th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill/ Irwin.

Alfred Hitchcock - Profile of the Famous British Film Director

Alfred Hitchcock - Profile of the Famous British Film Director Known as the â€Å"Master of Suspense,† Alfred Hitchcock was one of the most famous film directors of the 20th century. He directed more than 50 feature-length films from the 1920s into the 1970s. Hitchcock’s image, seen during Hitchcock’s frequent cameos in his own films and before each episode of the hit TV show Alfred Hitchcock Presents, has become synonymous with suspense. Dates: August 13, 1899 – April 29, 1980 Also Known As: Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, Hitch, Master of Suspense, Sir Alfred Hitchcock Growing Up with a Fear of Authority Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born on August 13, 1899, in Leytonstone in the East End of London. His parents were Emma Jane Hitchcock (neà © Whelan), who was known to be stubborn, and William Hitchcock, a grocer, who was known to be stern. Alfred had two older siblings: a brother, William (born 1890) and a sister, Eileen (born 1892). When Hitchcock was just five years old, his strict, Catholic father gave him quite a fright. Attempting to teach Hitchcock a valuable lesson, Hitchcock’s father sent him to the local police station with a note. Once the police officer on duty read the note, the officer locked young Hitchcock in a cell for several minutes. The effect was devastating. Although his father was trying to teach him a lesson about what happened to people who did bad things, the experience left Hitchcock shaken to the core. As a result, Hitchcock was forever fearful of the police. A bit of a loner, Hitchcock liked to draw and invent games on maps in his spare time. He attended St. Ignatius College boarding school where he stayed out of trouble, fearful of the strict Jesuits and their public canings of boys who misbehaved. Hitchcock learned draftsmanship at the London County Council School of Engineering and Navigation in Poplar from 1913 to 1915. Hitchcock’s First Job After graduating, Hitchcock got his first job in 1915 as an estimator for W.T. Henley Telegraph Company, a manufacturer of electric cable. Bored by his job, he regularly attended the cinema by himself in the evenings, read the cinema trade papers, and took drawing classes at London University. Hitchcock gained confidence and began to show a dry, witty side at work. He drew caricatures of his colleagues and wrote short stories with twist endings, to which he signed the name â€Å"Hitch.† Henley’s Social Club magazine, The Henley, began publishing Hitchcock’s drawings and stories. As a result, Hitchcock was promoted to Henley’s advertising department, where he was much happier as a creative advertising illustrator. Hitchcock Gets Into Filmmaking In 1919, Hitchcock saw an ad in one of the cinema trade papers that a Hollywood company named Famous Players-Lasky (which later became Paramount) was building a studio in Islington, a neighborhood in Greater London. At the time, American filmmakers were considered superior to their British counterparts and thus Hitchcock was extremely excited about them opening up a studio locally. Hoping to impress those in charge of the new studio, Hitchcock discovered the subject of what was to be their first motion picture, bought the book it was based on, and read it. Hitchcock then drew up mock title cards (graphic cards inserted into silent movies to show dialogue or explain action). He took his title cards to the studio, only to find that they had decided to film a different movie. Undaunted, Hitchcock quickly read the new book, drew up new title cards, and again took them to the studio. Impressed by his graphics as well as his determination, Islington Studio hired him to moonlight as their title-card designer. Within a few months, the studio offered 20-year-old Hitchcock a full-time job. Hitchcock accepted the position and left his steady job at Henley to enter the unsteady world of filmmaking. With calm confidence and a desire to make movies, Hitchcock began to help out as a screenwriter, assistant director, and set designer. Here, Hitchcock met Alma Reville, who was in charge of film editing and continuity. When the director fell ill while filming the comedy, Always Tell Your Wife (1923), Hitchcock stepped in and finished the film. He was then offered the opportunity to direct Number Thirteen (never completed). Due to a lack of funds, the motion picture abruptly stopped filming after a few scenes were shot and the entire studio shut down. When Balcon-Saville-Freedman took over the studio, Hitchcock was one of just a few people asked to stay on. Hitchcock became the assistant director and screenwriter for Woman to Woman (1923). Hitchcock hired Alma Reville back for continuity and editing. The picture was a box-office success; however, the studio’s next picture, The White Shadow (1924), failed at the box-office and again the studio shut down. This time, Gainsborough Pictures took over the studio and Hitchcock was again asked to stay. Hitchcock Becomes a Director In 1924, Hitchcock was the assistant director for The Blackguard (1925), a film shot in Berlin. This was a co-production deal between Gainsborough Pictures and UFA Studios in Berlin. Not only did Hitchcock take advantage of the Germans’ extraordinary sets, but he also observed the German filmmakers using sophisticated camera pans, tilts, zooms, and tricks for forced perspective in set design. Known as German Expressionism, the Germans used dark, moody thought-provoking topics such as madness and betrayal rather than adventure, comedy, and romance. The German filmmakers were equally happy to learn an American technique from Hitchcock whereby scenery was painted onto the camera lens as a foreground. In 1925, Hitchcock got his directorial debut for The Pleasure Garden (1926), which was filmed in both Germany and Italy. Again Hitchcock chose Alma to work with him; this time as his assistant director for the silent film. During filming, a budding romance between Hitchcock and Alma began. The film itself is remembered for the myriad of troubles the crew ran into during filming, including having customs confiscate all of their unexposed film as they crossed the international border. Hitchcock Gets â€Å"Hitched† and Directs a Hit Hitchcock and Alma married on February 12, 1926; she would become his chief collaborator on all his films. Also in 1926, Hitchcock directed The Lodger, a suspense movie filmed in Britain about a â€Å"wrongly accused man.† Hitchcock had chosen the story, used fewer title cards than usual, and tossed in bits of humor. Due to a shortage of extras, he had made a cameo appearance in the film. The distributor didn’t like it and shelved it. Stunned, Hitchcock felt like a failure. He was so despondent that he even contemplated a career change. Luckily, the film was released a few months later by the distributor, who had been running short on films. The Lodger (1927) became a huge hit with the public. Britain’s Best Director in the 1930s The Hitchcocks became very busy with filmmaking. They lived in a country house (named Shamley Green) on the weekends and lived in a London flat during the week. In 1928, Alma delivered a baby girl, Patricia – the couple’s only child. Hitchcock’s next big hit was Blackmail (1929), the first British talkie (film with sound). During the 1930s, Hitchcock made picture after picture and invented the term â€Å"MacGuffin† to illustrate that the object the villains were after needed no explanation; it was just something used to drive the story. Hitchcock felt he didn’t need to bore the audience with details; it didn’t matter where the MacGuffin came from, just who was after it. The term is still used in contemporary filmmaking. Having made several box-office flops in the early 1930s, Hitchcock then made The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934). The film was a British and American success, as were his next five films: The 39 Steps (1935), Secret Agent (1936), Sabotage (1936), Young and Innocent (1937), and The Lady Vanishes (1938). The latter won the New York Critics’ Award for Best Film of 1938. Hitchcock caught the attention of David O. Selznick, an American film producer and owner of Selznick Studios in Hollywood. In 1939, Hitchcock, the number one British director at the time, accepted a contract from Selznick and moved his family to Hollywood. Hollywood Hitchcock While Alma and Patricia loved the weather in Southern California, Hitchcock was not fond of it. He continued to wear his dark English suits no matter how hot the weather. In the studio, he worked diligently on his first American film, Rebecca (1940), a psychological thriller. After the small budgets he had worked with in England, Hitchcock delighted in the large Hollywood resources he could use to build elaborate sets. Rebecca won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1940. Hitchcock was up for Best Director, but lost to John Ford for The Grapes of Wrath. Memorable Scenes Fearing suspense in real life (Hitchcock didn’t even like driving a car), he did enjoy capturing suspense on screen in memorable scenes, which often included monuments and famous landmarks. Hitchcock planned every shot for his motion pictures beforehand to such an extent that filming was said to be the boring part to him. Hitchcock took his audiences to the domed roof of the British Museum for a chase scene in Blackmail (1929), to the Statue of Liberty for a free fall in Saboteur (1942), to the streets of Monte Carlo for a wild drive in To Catch a Thief (1955), to the Royal Albert Hall for an assassination misfire in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956),underneath the Golden Gate Bridge for a suicide attempt in Vertigo (1958), and to Mt. Rushmore for a chase scene in North by Northwest (1959). Other Hitchcock memorable scenes include a glowing poisoned glass of milk in Suspicion (1941), a man chased by a crop duster in North by Northwest (1959), a stabbing scene in the shower to shrieking violins in Psycho (1960), and killer birds gathering in a schoolyard in The Birds (1963). Hitchcock and Cool Blondes Hitchcock was known for engaging the audience with suspense, accusing the wrong man of something, and portraying a fear of authority. He also threw in comic relief, portrayed villains as charming, used unusual camera angles, and preferred classic blondes for his leading ladies. His leads (both male and female) portrayed poise, intelligence, underlying passion, and glamour. Hitchcock said audiences found classic blonde females to be innocent looking and an escape for the bored housewife. He didn’t think a woman should wash the dishes and go see a movie about a woman washing the dishes. Hitchcock’s leading ladies also had a cool, icy attitude for added suspense never warm and bubbly. Hitchcock’s leading ladies included Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, and Tippi Hedron. Hitchcock’s TV Show In 1955, Hitchcock started Shamley Productions, named after his country home back in England, and produced Alfred Hitchcock Presents, which turned into the Alfred Hitchcock Hour. This successful TV show aired from 1955 to 1965. The show was Hitchcock’s way of featuring mystery dramas written by various writers, mostly directed by directors other than himself. Before each episode, Hitchcock presented a monologue to set up the drama, beginning with â€Å"Good Evening.† He came back at the end of each episode to tie up any loose ends about the culprit being caught. Hitchcock’s popular horror movie, Psycho (1960), was filmed inexpensively by his Shamley Productions TV crew. In 1956, Hitchcock became a U.S. citizen, but remained a British subject. Awards, Knighthood, and Death of Hitchcock Despite being nominated five times for Best Director, Hitchcock never won the Oscar. While accepting the Irving Thalberg Memorial Award at the 1967 Oscars, he simply said, â€Å"Thank you.† In 1979, the American Film Institute presented Hitchcock with its Life Achievement Award at a ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. He joked that he must be about to die soon. In 1980, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Hitchcock. Three months later Sir Alfred Hitchcock died of kidney failure at the age of 80 in his home in Bel Air. His remains were cremated and scattered over the Pacific Ocean.

Organisational Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Organisational Analysis - Essay Example She meets with an accident, after which she asks Ed Masry, a lawyer to sue the person who hit her. Ed promises her to win the case, but as the only evidence is that of the testimony of Erin herself, the twice-divorced, unemployed single mother stands no chance against a socially respected doctor. In her desperation to find a job, she accuses Ed Masry of failing her and forces him to give a clerk’s job in his own office. Though she lacks the necessary skills and prior experience, she goes about picking her way through the job. While filing papers one day, she comes across a real estate case in Hinkley. What grabs her attention is the fact that there are medical records of the Jensens family amidst the various real estate papers. Taking the permission from Ed to dig further, she goes to Hinkley to meet the family. Her investigations unfold a large conspiracy by the billion dollar company PG&E. The company has been knowingly polluting the area around Hinkley by leaking a toxic chemical called Hexavalent Chromium into the underground water, which causes serious ailments like Cancer. To cover this up, the company had offered to buy the land around Hinkley, thereby resulting in the real estate case of Jensens. It soon becomes apparent to Erin that not just their client, but most of Hinkley’s residents are being affected by Hexavalent Chromium in one way or the other. Erin goes on to persuade Ed and the rest of the neighborhood to take on the mighty corporation through a legal suit. Her determined fight to win the â€Å"largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit†, forms the rest of the story. (Litoff 2011). Although the protagonist is not a typical employee nor does the story evolve around a big time organization, it is a story that is based on reality and has all the elements of an organizational life – individual goals and aspirations, social, cultural

Management report on Intel Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management report on Intel - Case Study Example It is essential that Intel move fast to close the gap in embedded segments in order to compete effectively and take advantage of the growing mobile and tablet segment. A company’s strategy should be directed at availing a product or service, which is distinctive from what the competitors are offering or establishing competitive capabilities that the rivals cannot match. Intel has also developed expertise and resource strengths, which have provided the company with competitive capabilities that are hard for the competitors to imitate. Intel has appreciated that winning lasting competitive edge over the rival necessitates that the company build competitive valuable expertise and capabilities, instead of merely having a distinctive product. Intel enjoys high reputation, economies of scale, and capability to innovate technological processes at low cost. Intel has encountered difficulties in its attempt to redefine itself in an era typified by stagnating desktop and net book PC unit. Although, AMD can be regarded as the only major competitor within the PC microprocessor market, Intel encounters intense competition from established firms using ARM technology such as Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, and Broadcom. Moreover, the number of processors within the devices are set t rise as the devices becomes more capable (Haberberg, 2014). Besides, Intel can no longer depend on the relationship it has built over the last two decades with firms such as HP, Dell, and IBM; hence, Intel will now be required to forge fresh relationship with cloud service providers (known to be aggressive and cost conscious). Intel has adopted a differentiation strategy as a mode of competition. This is manifest in the products and services possessing high to moderate prices since the majority of clients are ready to pay the premium so as to get the best, most efficient, the fastest, top of the line PC components. The campaign â€Å"Intel Inside† has helped to

Why America should choose to drill for oil in Alaska Essay Example for Free

Why America should choose to drill for oil in Alaska Essay Drilling for oil in Alaska has been one of the most controversial topics in the United Stated for many years. Many U. S geologists have confirmed that billions of barrels of oil lie beneath the Alaskan coastal plain. In the east of Alaska lies The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge considered to be the largest oil field of North America. It is essential for United States to take a plunge in Alaska and seek out this viable opportunity. These fresh barrels of US oil will break away the country’s dependency on the oil rich Middle Eastern countries especially Iraq. The House of Representatives approved drilling in Alaska by passing an energy bill in Aug 2001. This year, the President of United States, lifted the ban on oil and gas drilling in Alaskas Bristol Bay Prices of oil have risen dramatically in the last few years and the nation’s dependency is becoming too costly. It is estimated by the U. S Department of Interior that â€Å"nine to 16 billion barrels of recoverable oil† can be extracted from ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) in North America. This amount of oil is enough to last the entire United States eighteen months. While these statistics might seem trivial but if â€Å"the US consumes about 20 million barrels of oil per day, and at a rate of 1. 5 million barrels per day from Alaska, 7. 5% of Americas oil consumption could be met for over 20 years† (Muhawi). Prices of oil will dramatically fall. These lowered prices of oil could radically improve the economical scenario of United States. In addition to this, American oil imports will also reduce by 15% with the help of the Alaskan oil. American imports are over 25% from the Middle East. Environmentalists who fear that habitats of caribou, polar bears, wolves, and many other species will be destroyed should relax because only 8 percent (1. 5 million acres) is being analyzed for development. This development will cause negligible environmental damage. It is incorrect for media to show snowcapped mountains and polar bears as news footage because it misleads audiences and makes them believe that drilling will be in those areas. Areas that will be drilled are on a small part of Alaska where humans already live. Alaska consists of protected land of 141 million acres which is almost equal to the area of California and New York together. So, the rest of Alaska will remain preserved in its true form. The National Academy of Sciences reported lately that oil drilling had troubled some endangered species and made whaling difficult however it has neither caused huge oil spills nor a decrease in migration of caribou. Caribou herd that passes through ANWR is predicted to be harmed by the drilling of oil. However, people are often unaware that since drilling started in Prudhoe Bay in 1977 it has actually lead to an increase in migration of the caribou herd from 3,000 to 23,000. Many cutting edge technologies are also being introduced to reduce and eradicate the negative effects of the drilling. Thousands of jobs and opportunities will also be created from drilling in Alaska. It is estimated that 250,000 to 735000 jobs will be created. (Drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge). This particular development would help the Alaskans by providing them with greater incomes and purchasing power. It has also benefited Alaskans by providing them with better healthcare and schools and other positive societal and economic effects. People who oppose drilling argue that excessive consumption of United States is a bigger problem. They believe that we should rather focus our energies towards consuming lesser oil. This is a great idea yet very hard to follow. Oil, gas and coal are responsible for running eighty-eight percent of America’s transportation, businesses, and housing needs. No technology, conservation or alternatives can replace these important fuels. Many years of research and testing will bring an alternative or a solution to this problem. Till then we have to rely on our fossil fuels. Another insignificant opposing view is that drilling maybe risky because it might not yield anything. It is also believed to be our last resort and could be used when all our other sources of oil have run out. Both of these views are supported by sentiment and not facts. It is important for the average American to weigh the facts surrounding this controversy and then decide whether Alaskan land should be allowed for drilling oil or not and not be swept away by mere emotion. WORKS CITED â€Å"Making the case for ANWR development†. ANWR. ORG. 2005. Retrieved: 4th http://anwr.org/

Influence of Religion on Society during the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Cen

Influence of Religion on Society during the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries The undeniable power, force, and influence of religion stand out throughout history. However, according to J. Michael Allen and James B. Allen in World History from 1500, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, religion was exceptionally important, because it had a great influence on everything from government to social order and family relationships (16). Hundreds of years may separate these two time periods and the modern world, but the same positive effects of religion such as unity, security, and a social order are still basic ideals in today’s world. This is also true for the negative effects such as the conflicts that result in war and bloodshed, the separation of social classes, and the corruption throughout the church, especially the recent sex scandal in the Catholic church. In order to appreciate the impacts of religion during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the positive and negative effects of this era must be understood. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, religion gave people a sense of belonging. Belonging to a church was important during this time because it gave people a sense of security and support. This was important because it made it much easier to deal with everyday problems and issues. For instance, diseases and death were extremely common during this time period, because of the lack of medicine and technology. So, religion played an extremely important role in giving people a â€Å"guiding light† to pray for support, health, and help. People also had a sense of spiritual protection in everyday life and also in the afterlife. With a sense of protection, they lived a life with less fear of d... ...o this period, giving people the background of such problems. Works Cited Allen, Michael J., and James B. Allen. World History from 1500. New York: Harper Collins, 1993. Conquest of Paradise. Dir. Ridley Scott. Perf. Gerald Despardieu, Armand Assante, and Sigorney Weaver. Bravo Special Presentation. Class Film. HSS-212-003. Fall Semester. September 12, 2002. Conquistadors. Dir. David Wallace. Narr. Michael Wood. Maya Vision. PBS Presentation, 7 Aug. 2001. Class Film. HSS-212-003. Fall Semester. September 19, 2002. Joan of Arc. Written by Micahel Alexander Miller and Ronald Parker . Dir. Christian Duguay. Perf. Leelee Sobieski, Chad Willett, Peter Strauss and Peter O’Toole. Class Movie. HSS-212-003. Fall Semester. 2002 Mary, Queen of Scots. Nar. Star Jones. A&E Special Presentation. Class Movie. HSS-212-003. Fall Semester. September 26, 2002.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas- Critical Analysis

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by Alethea Chong (Ally) ~ Critical Analysis ~ The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a novel that was written by John Boyne. It was first published in 2006. John Boyne was born in Ireland 1971 and is the author of six novels. His novels were published in over 30 languages. Because people were inspired by The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, it has now been made into a featured film. The story The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas revolves around the friendship between a 9 year old German boy and a Jewish boy who is in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp.Bruno the German boy is at Auschwitz because his father is the Commandant of the camp. This story shows Bruno’s innocence and the friendship between him and Shmuel. It also reveals the brutality of the Germans to the Jews in World War II. There are many themes that runs through the story of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. I have chosen friendship brutality and fear as the themes I will discuss. Friendship is the most important among the three major themes.An example of the friendship between Bruno and Shmuel was shown by Bruno when he shared his food with Shmuel when he was hungry. Another example was when they played together and confided in each other. Thus a bond of friendship was developed. My final example of friendship was when Bruno helped Shmuel look for his Papa. Bruno had helped a friend in need. However, they did not succeed in finding Shmuel’s father. Both boys tragically ended their short lives in the gas chambers. Brutality is also one of the important themes in the novel.This is clearly defined when Lieutenant Kotler has beaten Pavel up just because he had spilled some wine on the Lieutenant. Also, an example of brutality would be when Lieutenant Kotler hits Shmuel as he was unfairly accused of stealing food.. This is very brutal as no one should ever abuse a child even if they are Jewish. The last exampled of brutality is the way the Germans treat the Jews. They locked th em up in death camps and concentration camps. The German were very brutal, they show no compassion or mercy to the Jews.The last theme that I believe is important is fear. An example of fear was shown by Pavel. He was afraid to disrespect the Lieutenant as he was easily provoked and might do something unpleasant to Pavel. Lieutenant Kotler was also feared by Bruno and Shmuel. They had to be very careful with everything they said to him. They would be in deep trouble if Lieutenant Kotler found out the truth about their friendship. The final example of fear is how afraid the whole world is of the Nazis because they were very powerful. No one dared go against the Nazis.In conclusion, I believe that this is an excellent and remarkable story. It shows how powerful friendship really is. It also demonstrates how brutal human behavior can be. Although the story’s ending was melancholy, there was always hope, friendship and love. I truly enjoyed this story, I learned something about h istory in a way that made me feel and sympathize for the innocent lives which were lost. The author did a terrific job by making the characters so realistic and interesting. The ending was very surprising and devastating.

Curriculum Development for Small Group Esl Essay

I. Description of Learners This private tutoring course has been developed for three elementary school girls, ages 8 – 11. They are sisters, recent immigrants from Saudi Arabia, who will be living and attending school in the U.S. for approximately two years. These students have been assigned a private English language tutor by Cartus Intercultural Language Solutions on behalf of Chevron Corporation, as part of their family’s transfer package. The students have a language background in Arabic, which is the primary language spoken in their home. They each attend a small, private, international school, where their teachers allow them certain â€Å"ESL modifications†. Information gathered from these students’ needs assessment evaluations (to be discussed in section three) showed them to be in the early production stage of English language development. They have limited listening and speaking proficiency, a firm grasp of the Latin alphabet, and the ability to read and write at about a kindergarten level. The students were very hesitant to speak English initially, which made assessment difficult. II. Course Rationale Cartus’ language trainers develop individualized programs to meet the needs of each participant, based on the results of the initial needs assessment process. Language trainers design programs for such practical applications as function-specific skills and vocabulary and conversational proficiency in order to increase your participant’s competency and confidence. Every aspect of the training program is customized. Considering this scenario, there is no standardized curriculum. Once students’ needs have been assessed, and reachable goals have been determined, then materials must be purchased in order to meet course objectives. The primary stakeholder is the children’s father, the students themselves are the secondary stakeholders, and their elementary teachers could be considered as tertiary stakeholders. III. Needs Analysis Cartus leaves analysis and evaluation up to the individual language instructor. An interview was conducted with the father over the phone to determine his goals for each child. During this conversation he also provided insight into each child’s personality and individual English proficiency. It was then discovered that a previous trainer had conducted an English language assessment while the children were still in Saudi Arabia. This assessment can be seen in Appendix 1. Considering the results of the previous assessment, the instructor conducted one on one interviews with each child trying to gauge their levels of proficiency in the following areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The instructor sought to identify any gaps between what students are able to do and what they are required to do at school. Low beginning level questions, such as the ones listed below, were asked in order to define both preliteracy and literacy skills the students possessed. These initial questions were asked orally. How many brothers do you have? How many sisters do you have? What is the name of your teacher? What is the name of your baby sister? How many fingers do you have? What is your favorite toy? In addition, during the course of the program, one of the children’s teachers was consulted in order to identify more specific goals. IV. Goals and Objectives The students’ father is the primary determiner of their educational goals. He stated, â€Å"They each need to be able to read passages at a faster rate and be able to speak and conversate.† (sic) In order to achieve these goals, the instructor took into account the students’ needs and abilities and set the following objectives to meet the father’s fairly broad goal: * Know the names and sounds of all the consonants and vowels * Understand phonics concepts such as consonant combinations * Follow along, reading, and summarizing simple stories with pictures * Demonstrate understanding of everyday vocabulary * Follow simple oral instructions * Demonstrate understanding of the most fundamental, specialized vocabulary in content areas (e.g., shapes, colors, alphabet, numerals, animals) * Understand nouns, verbs, and punctuation * Understand singular and plural * Understand common and proper nouns * Understand simple past, present, and future tenses. V. Course content Lessons are conducted in the students’ home for three hours four days a week. The instructor has purchased all study materials and supplies to be used for the program. The materials are kept at the students’ home for them to use on their own over the weekend. Occasionally a student will have a homework assignment that needs to be addressed by the language instructor. In those instances the subject matter is incorporated into the curriculum and each student will learn key aspects of the material in a situational capacity. Although the students are of varying ages, due to their intimacy and language background, lessons are often conducted as a small group. It has been established that they challenge one another to speak English and are competitive when it comes to reading and responding to questions in English. They have a positive effect on one another, so the occasional situational content can be either elaborated upon or simplified as needed. Over the first months of the program, lessons were focused on advancing the students from the silent period to initial stages of speech. The students were introduced to concepts of consonants, vowels, and phonics before additional topics were explored. Once students began to speak and read with increasing frequency, they began reading sentences and discussing stories. Recently they have been able to volunteer information about themselves, their day at school, and other activities. Below are examples of lessons on vowel sounds, consonant blends, rhyming, and reading VI. MaterialsThe instructor has purchased compatible study materials to be used and shared by all of the girls. There is no one overaching core book, rather many workbooks, puzzles, games, and story books are used throughout the lessons. In addition to some of the worksheets shown above, those materials include the following: This book introduces consonant combinations such as â€Å"sl†, â€Å"st†, and â€Å"sk†. Students read the instructions and follow the instructions to fill in the blank, match sentences to corresponding pictures, and fill in crossword puzzles. This book introduces consonant combinations such as â€Å"sl†, â€Å"st†, and â€Å"sk†. Students read the instructions and follow the instructions to fill in the blank, match sentences to corresponding pictures, and fill in crossword puzzles. This phonetic puzzle reinforces students’ understanding of long and short vowel sounds, and is also used to increase vocabulary. This phonetic puzzle reinforces students’ understanding of long and short vowel sounds, and is also used to increase vocabulary. This pack of cards is used to refresh student’s memory of past lessons, and also to make short sentences or phrases. This pack of cards is used to refresh student’s memory of past lessons, and also to make short sentences or phrases. These beginning reading books provide pictoral cues to accompany the sentences. Students are able to recognize animals and food in the books and learn their English names. They are also able to practice phonetic reading skills. These beginning reading books provide pictoral cues to accompany the sentences. Students are able to recognize animals and food in the books and learn their English names. They are also able to practice phonetic reading skills. Magnetic letters are used to create words and fascilitate reading phonetically. Students make rhyming words and create new words by adding â€Å"sneaky silent e† to the ends of short vowel sound words. Magnetic letters are used to create words and fascilitate reading phonetically. Students make rhyming words and create new words by adding â€Å"sneaky silent e† to the ends of short vowel sound words. VII. AssessmentBecause these students are not graded or scored, their knowledge and ability must be assessed in less structured, more organic ways. The students attend English language school every day and have certain anxieties in regard to tests and quizzes. Assessment is performed during every lesson to determine what tools and materials are meeting the students’ needs, as well as how the students respond to the materials. The students’ father, as well as comments from classroom teachers provide vital information that the language instructor uses to assess the students, to inform future lesson content, and to raise the bar for students’ objectives.Students are on a break for the holidays, but during their last lesson they were asked some of the following questions:What is a noun?Can you each name three common nouns?What is a proper n oun? How do you write a proper noun?If one is a â€Å"fox†, what are two called?If one is a â€Å"foot†, what are two called?Can you name three words that rhyme with â€Å"cat†?Can you name three words that start with â€Å"sk† like â€Å"skip†?The word â€Å"dime†, does it have a short or long vowel sound?What gives it that sound?How much is a dime worth?What is the opposite of â€Å"up†?What is the opposite of â€Å"hot†?If your body needs food you are _______If your body needs water you are _______Their answers were used to set homework assignments and to establish new goals once lessons resume in January.Observation and interview results have indicated that the students are progressing well into â€Å"high beginner proficiency† and are beginning to understand language and use it in a limited capacity. Typically, they memorize words and phrases and can comprehend and utilize language that they havebeen taught. The curriculum focuses on applying literacy skills to the development of new knowledge. In second language acquisition, social language usually precedes academic language development.Appendix 1. References Dept. of Education, State of Tennessee. 2005. ESL Curriculum Standards: Proficiency Levels. Retrieved December 22, 2012, from http://www.fentress.k12tn.net/ESL Cartus, 2012 Intercultural and Language Training Worldwide. Retrieved December 22, 2012, from www.cartus.comFerlazzo, L., and K. Hull Sypnieski. 2012. The ESL/ELL Teacher’s Survival Guide. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.FlashKids Editors, 2010. Phonics Blends. U.S. FlashKids Books.Magnetic Letters, 2012, Lakeshore Learning Materials.Richards, J.C. 2001. Curriculum development in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Sight Words, 2012, Lakeshore Learning MaterialsWho Lives at the Pond? Parents. Minibook. Activities: Science & Nature: Ages 3-6. Retrieved December 22, 2012 from www.scholastic.com Worksheets for Young ESL Learners. Retrieved December 22 from 2012,www.bogglesworldesl.com Vowel Sounds Match Ups,

Channel Firing Poem Analysis Essays

Channel Firing Poem Analysis Essays Channel Firing Poem Analysis Paper Channel Firing Poem Analysis Paper Essay Topic: Alice in Wonderland Thomas Hardy Poems Essay on Channel Firing by Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardys â€Å"Channel Firing† is a poem written in 1914, four months prior to the start of World War 1. This historical context is crucial to understanding the poem as it expresses the dark and sorrowful foreshadowing of the months before the war, creating feelings of tension, turmoil and unrest. There were, at the time, many young men who did not share the common unease, more so tension turned to excitement, turmoil to eagerness and unrest to anticipation. The split between society in the months leading up to the war is portrayed in Hardys poem. For example, the anonymous character Hardy embodies in this poem states how he â€Å"thought it was judgement day† as he hears gunfire, quite clearly depicting his fear. ‘Channel Firing’, is a dialogue carried out entirely by the occupants of a seaside cemetery, who confuse naval gunnery practice with the thunder of the Day of Judgment. As Fussell suggests, Hardy almost wrote the war before it happened. It is no surprise that Siegfried Sassoon, who wrote the sharpest satirical poems about war, acknowledged Hardy as his master. Hardy had, of course, written about war before this, and very powerfully. Allusions in Channel Firing Possibly an allusion to a childrens tale Alice in Wonderland in which the Mad Hatter is frozen in time and perhaps as a result goes insane, Hardy perhaps draws a comparison between this character and the leaders of humanity. The use of mad as hatters could also be a reference to humanitys aggressiveness and thirst for blood to be a detrimental mindset, or indeed it could depict the primal instincts of man. Another quote that is perhaps important to consider is â€Å"They do no more for Christà ©s sake†. This could be seen to have two meanings, â€Å"for Christà ©s sake† could itself be a curse as is used in modern day in anger or exasperation, or perhaps it could allude to an aforementioned point that humanity goes to war, fights and dies in Gods name, thus meaning that they no longer fight for God. With further reference to religion, the poem seems to allude to, through the use of humanitys unending cycle of violence, a powerless God or a God that does not care. The key way in which this poem slightly differs from other Hardy work is that he accepts Gods existence, even going so far as to introduce him as a character with a stanzas worth of dialogue, â€Å" Till God called, No†. A major factor to take into consideration when studying any of Hardys poems is his religious background.

How Women Became Part of the 1964 Civil Rights Act

How Women Became Part of the 1964 Civil Rights Act Is there any truth to the legend that women’s rights were included in the United States Civil Rights Act of 1964 as an attempt to defeat the bill? What Title VII Says Title VII of the Civil Rights Act makes it unlawful for an employer: to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Now-Familiar List of Categories The law prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex and national origin. However, the word â€Å"sex† was not added to Title VII until Rep. Howard Smith, a Democrat from Virginia, introduced it in a one-word amendment to the bill in the House of Representatives in February 1964. Why Sex Discrimination Was Added Adding the word â€Å"sex† to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act ensured that women would have a remedy to fight employment discrimination just as minorities would be able to fight racial discrimination. But Rep. Howard Smith had previously gone on the record as opposing any federal Civil Rights legislation. Did he actually intend for his amendment to pass and the final bill to succeed? Or was he adding womens rights to  the bill so that it would have less chance of success? Opposition Why would legislators who were in favor of racial equality suddenly vote against civil rights legislation if it also prohibited discrimination against women? One theory is that many Northern Democrats who supported a Civil Rights Act to combat racism were also allied with labor unions. Some labor unions had opposed including women in employment legislation. Even some women’s groups had opposed including sex discrimination in the legislation. They feared losing labor laws that protected women, including pregnant women and women in poverty. But did Rep. Smith think that his amendment would be defeated, or that his amendment would pass and then the bill would be defeated? If labor union-aligned Democrats wanted to defeat the addition of â€Å"sex,† would they rather defeat the amendment than vote against the bill? Indications of Support Rep. Howard Smith himself claimed that he genuinely offered the amendment in support of women, not as a joke or an attempt to kill the bill.  Rarely does a congressperson act entirely alone. There are multiple parties behind the scenes even when one person introduces a piece of legislation or an amendment. The National Woman’s Party was behind the scenes of the sex discrimination amendment. In fact, the NWP had been lobbying to include sex discrimination in law and policy for years. Also, Rep. Howard Smith had worked with longtime women’s rights activist Alice Paul, who had chaired the NWP. Meanwhile, the struggle for womens rights was not brand new. Support for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) had been in the Democratic and Republican Party platforms for years. Arguments Taken Seriously Rep. Howard Smith also presented an argument about what would happen in the hypothetical scenario of a white woman and a black woman applying for a job. If the women encountered employer discrimination, would the black woman rely on the Civil Rights Act while the white woman had no recourse?   His argument indicates that his support for including sex discrimination in the law was genuine, if for no other reason than to protect white women who would otherwise be left out. Other Comments on the Record The issue of sex discrimination in employment was not introduced out of nowhere. Congress had passed the Equal Pay Act in 1963. Furthermore, Rep. Howard Smith had previously stated his interest in including sex discrimination in civil rights legislation. In 1956, the NWP supported including sex discrimination in the purview of the Civil Rights Commission. At that time, Rep. Smith said that if the civil rights legislation he opposed was inevitable, then he â€Å"certainly ought to try to do whatever good with it that we can.†Ã‚  (For more information on Smiths comments and involvement, see Jo Freeman’s â€Å"How Sex Got Into Title VII.†)   Many Southerners were opposed to legislation that forced integration, partly because they believed the federal government was unconstitutionally interfering with states’ rights. Rep. Smith may have adamantly opposed what he saw as federal interference, but he may have also genuinely wanted to make the best of that â€Å"interference† when it did become law. The â€Å"Joke† Although there were reports of laughter on the floor of the House of Representatives at the time Rep. Smith introduced his amendment, the amusement was most likely due to a letter in support of women’s rights that was read aloud. The letter presented statistics about the imbalance of men and women in the U.S. population and called for the government to attend to the â€Å"right† of unmarried women to find a husband. End Results for Title VII and Sex Discrimination Rep. Martha Griffiths of Michigan strongly supported keeping women’s rights in the bill. She led the fight to keep â€Å"sex† in the list of protected classes. The House voted twice on the amendment, passing it both times, and the Civil Rights Act was ultimately signed into law, with its ban on sex discrimination included.  Ã‚   While historians continue to allude to Smith’s Title VII â€Å"sex† amendment as an attempt to defeat the bill, other scholars point out that presumably Congressional representatives have more productive ways to spend their time than inserting jokes into major pieces of revolutionary legislation.

Final Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Final Project - Essay Example Note that an appropriate number of significant figures should be used in the notebook (Thompson, 2008). Rules for Writing, Updating And Accessing Laboratory Protocols Lab protocols not covered in the wide laboratory protocol should be written in consultation with the faculty dean and the Laboratory Safety Committee. All protocols should be based on a reference and actual experiment procedure; recording all reagents, procedures, results and by-products. The updating of protocols should follow the ‘Good Laboratory Practice’ on how long to retain specimens and records depending on the specimen. All experiments should be clearly described and a separate copy made in A4 size plain paper addressed to the faculty dean through the lab assistant on the protocol intended for update; with a clear reference at the top for example; ‘Proposed protocol update to Protocol xxx; Filter and liquid assays 6/5/04’ with the date clearly stated. ... Laboratory safety Wear laboratory goggles or face shield, a white lab coat and gloves at all times. Do not wear open shoes when dealing with liquid or corrosive reagents/ solvents. Know the location of the safety shower or eye washers and how to use them. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) on title 10; Regulations number 19, 20, 30, 31, 33, 39, 40 and 71 which govern rules and regulations on the handling, transporting, storage and limiting ionization by radioactive materials. Use appropriate dosimeters to measure personal radiation before and after an experiment; if after an experiment your personal radiation is above normal; report immediately to the lab safety office (Refer to radioactivity standards index). Confine radioactive material, bromides, potentially infectious agents, live cultures and hazardous waste in tightly sealed containers and closed systems. When dealing with animals refer to appendix on available immunization to prevent against zootoxic pathogens (Bio-safety in th e Lab, 1989) Wear one glove when working with Ethidium bromide; the gloved hand should touch Ethidium bromide exposed material and the other hand should never be in contact with Ethidium bromide. Never eat, drink or chew gum when working with hazardous material Avoid pipetting anything by aid of the mouth or by bare hands. Know the recombinant DNA experiments that are not exempted and obtain prior approval from the Biological Safety Committee before commencing experiment (See non-exempt recombinant DNA experiments index). Inventory maintenance Refer to the lab equipment parts catalogue and maintenance periods from the equipment manager. They contain the equipment name and number; parts catalog numbers, maintenance practices and user manual.

Literature Review on performance management systems and their links Essay

Literature Review on performance management systems and their links with rewards plans - Essay Example That debate has been carried on for centuries and has been reinforced in the equity and tournament theories of motivation. This paper will evaluate the significance of monetary rewards and then go on to discuss the concept of equity in pay. The paper will also discuss the importance of non-monetary rewards as well as performance management as a good creator of motivation. The paper will conclude with discussing the importance of intrinsic motivation. Some of the greatest theorists like F. W. Taylor, Abraham Maslow and Herzberg have all emphasized the significance of monetary rewards. Taylor’s view is rather conservative in that he believes that money is the sole motivator of human work. He believed in the idea of the ‘economic man’, and said that people were only motivated by self-interest. Taylor, therefore, gave much importance to the idea of pay-per-piece, because he said that this would enhance the speed of work. This theory meshes in well with the research of Armstrong (2006). Armstrong (2006) conducted an extensive research on the relationship between pay and the performance of the employee. The following table shows the interrelationship between performance ratings and pay ranges. This empirical research conducted by Armstrong (2006) illustrates the positive relationship between the two variables and holds evidence to the fact that pay really does impact performance. However, pay is not the only source of return for workers, especially nowadays. Other form of non-cash rewards are used commonly by many firms to enhance motivation. Zeidner (2010) reports that gift cards or certificates are the most popular form of non-cash rewards and are used by 38% of the companies today. This is followed by other forms of rewards including merchandise (19%), dinners (19%), special trips (19%), trophies or plaques (18%), top-performer listings (12%), honorary sales clubs (7%) and special parking spots (2%). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is recognized as one