A Heart Of Darkness Essay Research Paper free essay sample

A Heart Of Darkness Essay, Research Paper A Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad tells the narrative of a adult male # 8217 ; s journey through parts of Africa while facing his frights of insanity, failure, decease, and cultural taint. The adult male, Marlow, being the supporter had to get the better of interior frights, the adversary. It begins with Marlow and a group of work forces with well-respected professions in a ship on the Thames River. He begins to talk about an experience he had in Africa. The narrative starts with his aunt helping him in acquiring a occupation with the Administration Department of a navigation, geographic expedition company that gathers tusk. Marlow was to replace a captain who was killed on a trip. Upon come ining the company office, he feels everyone looking at him with commiseration and the physician who administered his physical asked him if his household had a history of insanity. We will write a custom essay sample on A Heart Of Darkness Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This puzzles Marlow, but he does non believe much of it. The following twenty-four hours he embarks on a one-month journey to the primary company station. Along the trip Marlow notices that the African shores are dark, bare and anything but welcoming. He besides comes to happen out that one of the company members had late committed self-destruction. In the thick of the gloomy atmosphere, Marlow meets a well-groomed, well-thought-of adult male, who introduces himself as the Chief Accountant of the company. They become friends, until Marlow observes his pique. After a sum of 10 yearss with the adult male, Marlow departs for his 200-mile journey to the centre of the Congo, where he will work for a adult male named Kurtz. During the trip to run into Kurtz, Marlow tried to happen himself. The company finds their true egos through contact with the barbarian indigens. He finds that the deeper they travel into the jungle they go the more u nsettled wilderness he sees. Kurtz becomes a really of import character in the narrative, because of his similarities to Marlow. Both Marlow and Kurtz entered the Congo with good purposes, an English instruction, and a adult female waiting at place. However, at first it was rumored on the ship that Kurtz was sick, and so it was rumored that he had been killed in a battle with some indigens in the Congo. Marlow besides overhears his director and his director # 8217 ; s uncle say that they would wish to see Kurtz and his helper hanged so that their station could be eliminated as ivory competition. When Marlow eventually gets to run into Kurtz, he sees that Kurtz is really sick, and that because he had been separated from his civilization so long he had become corrupted by his power and purdah. Kurtz entrusts Marlow with all of his old files and documents including a image of his sweetie. The jungle had changed Kurtz greatly, because he had one time been considered an honest adult male. Kurtz had discovered his ev il side and gone insane. Marlow observed that Kurtz had human caputs displayed on stations that # 8220 ; showed that Mr. Kurtz lacked restraint in the satisfaction of his assorted lusts. # 8221 ; ( Pg. 221 ) Kurtz dies onboard the steamboat a few yearss subsequently, with Marlow holding attended him until the terminal. Marlow struggles with the struggle that he may go what Kurtz had become. He realizes that merely really near the clip of decease, does a individual grasp the large image of their life. With that, he returns to England, but the memory of his friend haunts him. He managed to track down the adult female from Kurtz # 8217 ; s image and she spoke about his fantastic personality and how she felt guilty for non being at that place in the terminal. Marlow lies and tells her that the last words Kurtz spoke were her name.

Red Supergiants are the Largest Stars in the Universe

Red Supergiants are the Largest Stars in the Universe Red supergiants are among the largest stars in the sky. They dont start out that way, but as different kinds of stars age, they undergo changes that make them big...and red. Its all part of star life and star death.   Defining Red Supergiants   When astronomers look at the largest stars  (by volume) in the universe, they see a great many red supergiants. However, these behemoths are not necessarily- and almost never are- the largest stars by mass. It turns out theyre a late stage of a stars existence and they dont always fade away quietly.   Creating a Red Supergiant How do red supergiants form? To understand what they are, its important to know how stars change over time. Stars go through specific steps throughout their lives. The changes they experience are called stellar evolution. It starts with star formation and youthful star-hood. After they are born in a cloud of gas and dust, and then ignite hydrogen fusion in their cores, stars usually live on something astronomers call the main sequence.  During this period, they are in hydrostatic equilibrium. That means the nuclear fusion  in their cores (where they fuse hydrogen to create helium) provides enough energy and pressure to keep the weight of their outer layers from collapsing inwards. When Massive Stars Become Red Supergiants A high-mass star (many times more massive than the Sun) goes through a similar, but a slightly different process. It changes more drastically than its sun-like siblings and becomes a red supergiant.  Because of its higher mass, when the core collapses after the hydrogen burning phase the rapidly increased temperature leads to the fusion of helium very quickly. The rate of helium fusion goes into overdrive, and that destabilizes the star. A huge amount of energy pushes the outer layers of the star outwards and it turns into a red supergiant. At this stage, the gravitational force of the star is once again balanced by the immense outward radiation pressure caused by the intense helium fusion taking place in the core. The star that transforms into a red supergiant does so at a cost. It loses a large percentage of its mass out to space. As a result, while red supergiants are counted as the largest stars in the universe, they are not the most massive because they lose mass as they age, even as they expand outward. Properties of Red Supergiants Red supergiants look red because of their low surface temperatures. They range from about 3,500 - 4,500 Kelvin. According to Wiens law, the color at which a star radiates most strongly is directly related to its surface temperature. So,  while their cores are extremely hot, the energy spreads out over the interior and surface of the star and the more surface area there is, the faster it can cool. A good example of a red supergiant is the star Betelgeuse, in the constellation Orion. Most stars of this type are between 200 and 800 times the radius of our Sun. The very largest stars in our galaxy, all red supergiants, are about 1,500 times the size of our home star.  Because of their immense size and mass, these stars require an incredible amount of energy to sustain them and prevent gravitational collapse. As a result, they burn through their nuclear fuel very quickly and most live only a few tens of millions of years (their age depends on their actual mass). Other Types of Supergiants While red supergiants are the largest types of stars, there are other types of supergiant stars. In fact, it is common for high mass stars, once their fusion process passes beyond hydrogen, that they oscillate back and forth between different forms of supergiants. Specifically becoming yellow supergiants on their way to becoming blue supergiants and back again. Hypergiants The most massive of supergiant stars are known as hypergiants. However, these stars have a very loose definition, they are usually just red (or sometimes blue) supergiant stars that are the highest order: the most massive and the largest. The Death of a Red Supergiant Star A very high-mass star will oscillate between different supergiant stages as it fuses heavier and heavier elements in its core. Eventually, it will exhaust all its nuclear fuel that runs the star. When that happens, gravity wins.  At that point, the core is primarily iron (which takes more energy to fuse than the star has) and the core can no longer sustain outward radiation pressure, and it begins to collapse. The subsequent cascade of events leads, eventually to a Type II supernova event. Left behind will be the core of the star, having been compressed due to the immense gravitational pressure into a neutron star; or in the cases of the most massive of stars, a black hole  is created. How Solar-type Stars Evolve People always want to know if the Sun will become a red supergiant. For stars about the size of the Sun (or smaller), the answer is no. They do go through a red giant phase, though, and it looks pretty familiar. When they begin to run out of  hydrogen fuel their cores begin to collapse. That raises the core temperature quite a bit, which means theres more energy generated to escape the core. That process pushes the outer part of the star outward, forming a  red giant. At that point, a star is said to have moved off the main sequence.   The star chugs along with the core getting hotter and hotter, and eventually, it begins to fuse helium into carbon and oxygen. During all this time, the star loses mass. It puffs off layers of its outer atmosphere into clouds that surround the star. Eventually, whats left of the star shrinks to become a slowly cooling white dwarf. The cloud of material around it is a called a planetary nebula, and it gradually dissipates. This is a far more gentle death than massive stars discussed above experience when they explode as supernovae.   Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Case Study 1, Priority Plastics Inc Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

1, Priority Plastics Inc - Case Study Example As a result, there was disagreement between the employees and the managers. In the previous trading years, the Company produced higher than industry average turnover which resulted in been granted an enormous contract from automobile manufacturers to provide several molded components that are supposed to be used in the interior of new cars. This three years contract requires several employees to replace outgoing ones and fill vacancies in several departments. Apparently, the HR manager is expected to come up with job descriptions that are accompanied by qualification to avoid the reoccurrence of employees leave as a result of being compelled to work on projects that they are outside their assumed job description and produce effectively on the contract. Of importance to note is that the HR department has the responsibility of ensuring that every employee has a job description since it is a professional duty and it further ensures that work is done effectively. The following should be practiced: Since Priority Plastics, Inc is a small company, it will be expected that only the major positions will be considered for advertisement on the Monster.com. Nevertheless, it is worth noting since this is Product Company there might be a requirement for minor positions as such casual workers who might be require to work occasionally on the emerging tasks in the Company’s plants. In most cases, these minor positions do not require any advertisement (Priority Plastics Inc, 2014). In this profession, the individual is expected to be at the company’s plant /plants and not at the main office. As such every activity in the plantation should be under his /her

The Abel Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Abel Corporation - Essay Example Our strong brand name and state of the art development capabilities are committed to providing our customers with the greatest value in power tool performance that is available. Our customers have come depend on our power tools to be there when it counts. They have come to know Able Corporation as the leading innovator in the power tool business. Whether it's home repair or an industrial application, if there's a job to be done, you will find Able doing it. Management Strategy I. Corporate A. One Year 1. Concentrate marketing efforts on most profitable lines a. Expand cordless lines 2. Generate greater communication between departments 3. Seek investors for plant upgrades 4. Concentrate on innovation a. Primarily battery design and hybrid B. Five Year 1. Develop brand recognition 2. Expand retail distribution a. Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowes 3. Seek new technology a. Batteries and Hybrid design 4. Complete the renovation and overhaul of manufacturing facilities C. Ten Year 1. Reach global markets 2. Become the recognized leader in power tool innovation 3. Reinvest in expansion II. Operational and Business A. One Year 1. Generate greater control over metrics 2. Set departmental goals 3. Research establishing Strategic Business Units B. Five Year 1. Have all departments working with the same data 2. Reduce costs by improving efficiency 3. Have scheduling systems in place for high volume production 4, Establish SBUs to meet expansion C. Ten Year 1. Integrate global operations 2. Develop employee expertise to approach new markets III. Functional A. One Year 1. Initiate market research a. Find out who is buying our products b. Target their needs 2. Develop a plant renovation/replacement plan 3. Upgrade IT system to facilitate consistent data between departments 4. Legal department strategy for protecting new designs 5. Human Resources develop a plan to stabilize the workforce B. Five Year 1. Target our market a. Enhance branding b. Improve distribution c. Research international potential 2. Concentrate on new product development a. Improved tool design and functionality b. Battery hybrid design 3. Arrange financing for expansion 4. Legal staff to gain international expertise C. Ten Year 1. International marketing campaign 2. Human Resources provides a diverse global workforce a. International sales force Bibliography Clarke, S. (2001). Information systems strategic management : An integrated approach. London UK: Routledge. Lasserre, P. (2002). Global strategic management. Gordonsville, VA: Palgrave Macmillan. Lawrie, G. (Ed.). (2004). Strategic performance management. Bradford, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Scalet, S. (2005, July). Five steps to an effective strategic plan. CSO . Retrieved February 4, 2007, from

The Influence of Words During Times of War Essay

The Influence of Words During Times of War - Essay Example The Power of Words in Wartime by Robin Lakoff (2005) is an article describing just how powerful words can be a weapon. The article centers around the history of words used in wartime, focusing on the descriptive words that are typically used to describe 'the enemy'; barbarians, infidels, Japs, Yankees, Frogs. The article suggests that these words help to bring one side closer together by grouping the enemy as something negative, something outside of themselves. It gives a sense of supremacy to one side, often focusing on physical or cultural differences between the enemy and the home side. Killing another person is murder, but killing a 'target' or a 'Hun' in the event of war is something different, and just shows how powerful words can be in changing the normal morals of an individual. Churchill's Powerful Words. As previously mentioned, Churchill and his powerful speeches have been considered one of the most important elements in the Allied win of the Second World War (Brekle, 1989 ). "Give us the tools and we will finish the job† (Churchill, 2003) are the famous words of Churchill to Franklin D. Roosevelt, allowing the nation to see the confidence of Churchill, bringing faith, courage and hope to the nation. It suggests that Churchill himself had a great amount of faith in the Allied forces, and it is sometimes this type of faith that is needed to give confidence to an army, confidence being something that is perhaps more important than technology in winning a war (Oliver, 1987).... Churchill's Powerful Words As previously mentioned, Churchill and his powerful speeches have been considered one of the most important elements in the Allied win of the Second World War (Brekle, 1989). "Give us the tools and we will finish the job† (Churchill, 2003) are the famous words of Churchill to Franklin D. Roosevelt, allowing the nation to see the confidence of Churchill, bringing faith, courage and hope to the nation. It suggests that Churchill himself had a great amount of faith in the Allied forces, and it is sometimes this type of faith that is needed to give confidence to an army, confidence being something that is perhaps more important than technology in winning a war (Oliver, 1987). Churcill is also famous for saying "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning† (Churchill, 2003). This again was a powerful quote at the time, stirring the forces and the nation into believing that there is so me hope that the tragedies of war would begin to end. In this quote, Churchill acknowledges the past, present and future struggles of the war, but does so in such a confident manner. There are numerous more quotes that can be used to show Churchill's rhetoric and how instrumental it was in instilling hope, but these serve to give evidence of his skill and its power during wartime. The Rhetoric of Roosevelt Roosevelt was also known for his skill in rhetoric. Whilst Churchill seemed more focused on giving the forces confidence on the battlefield, Roosevelt is possibly more associated with letting the nation know that the cause they were fighting for was the right cause. This is an important tool in persuading soldiers to sign up to fight; no-one wants to fight for

Roland barthes and his semiotic theory

Roland barthes and his semiotic theory Abstract Roland Barthes (1915 – 1980) is one of the most recognised names in the field of Semiotics. His Semiotic Theory has been the inspiration behind many aspiring students and teachers alike. His rise to fame coincided with the release of his 1957 book Mythologies, which was a collection of essays he had authored. The public was so fascinated by his ideas that his opinion was often sort in the public arena. Signs range from speech, body language and symbols to paintings, music and Morse code. Barthes Semiotic Theory broke down the process of reading signs and focused on their interpretation by different cultures or societies. According to Barthes, signs had both a signifier, being the physical form of the sign as we perceive it through our senses and the signified, or meaning that is interpreted. Barthes also believed that every ideological sign is either a Denotative sign system or a Connotative sign system. A Denotative sign, which is a strictly descriptive system, is the result of the signifier image and the signified concept combining. A Connotative sign is one that has lost its historical meaning. This could be due to a number of things including: changes in culture or terminology, an event, or even just evolution. Semiotic Theory is an ‘Interpretive theory that can be applied to most aspects of everyday life although most people would not realise it. Introduction Purpose The purpose of this report is to gain insight into the world of Roland Barthes in terms of a brief timeline of his life. Also of particular focus will be to gain a basic outline and understanding of his Semiotic Theory. This will include the key issues involved in the theory, along with its application in everyday life and an evaluation of the theory. A few of my own views on this theory will also be included. Scope This report will focus on the basic concepts of Barthes Semiotic Theory. It will only look into the most basic concepts as going into great detail would involve a much more involved and lengthy research process given its complexity. An attempt to gain an understanding of the theory will be sort in order to assess it relevance in todays society. Limitations In the process of researching this topic it quickly became apparent that it would be difficult to gain a clear and concise understanding of it. The availability of ‘easy to read information sources seemed few and far between, with the majority of available material worded in a nature that was at times impossible to decipher. It was also found that many of Barthes work is not freely available, access to it was more than once accompanied with a monetary contribution of some sort. Research Methods A number of different research methods were used in the acquirement of information for this report, all with varying success. The primary source was the internet because of its easily accessible pool of information. Using this method it was possible to gain immediate information on most topics, although it did occasionally have its limitations. The use of books was also another primary information source. Finding books that were easy to read was difficult but a number of them were of great aid. Periodicals were also used to acquire information although the available articles were of little use due to the nature of the language and terminology used. Structure of the Report This report will first outline the life and times of Roland Barthes including his upbringing and education. It will then go on to outline his Semiotic Theory and describe some of its most basic concepts. This will flow on into how the theory can be applied to everyday life as well as an evaluation. Literature Review Book Reference One Hall, S. (2007). This Means This, This Means That. A Users Guide to Semiotics. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd. Summary Although this book uses fairly basic language to describe the concepts it is trying to portray, it does not ‘water down the text so much as to make you feel stupid. Given that semiotics can be quite a difficult subject to explain, this book does a decent job of explaining a number of different concepts with graphical examples. The graphical examples it supplies helps to give a greater understanding of the idea/s that is being put across, and gives readers the opportunity to first interpret what they are viewing from their own perspective, before reading the explanation describing the theory behind the graphic, or sign. This interaction gets the reader involved in a lot of creative thinking which is a great way to re-enforce the points and concepts being laid out by the text. Given its graphical nature, this book will also be extremely useful for presentation purposes. Accuracy and Validity The author of this book, Sean Hall, is the Leader in Contextual Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. Although not a ‘big name in semiotics, his previous studies, academic status, and proven track record in research goes a long way to proving the accuracy and validity of his work. The extensive bibliography provided in this book shows that he has sourced many areas for his research and consulted many different individuals. Semiotics is a subject that has no body of knowledge to fall back on. For this reason it is difficult to determine whether or not any information is accurate as everything about semiotics is subjective and open to scrutiny. Book Reference Two Cobley, P., Jansz, L. (2004). Introducing Semiotics. (2nd ed.). Singapore: Tien Wah Press Ltd. Summary I found this book to be rather difficult to follow due to the nature of the layout. It is set out in almost a comic style, or storyboard type approach, which can be a little difficult to follow at times. This is also not helped by the absence of a contents page, forcing the investigation of particular ‘ideas to be located through the index at the back of the book, or else recalling exactly where in the book that it was originally read. It is difficult to determine exactly what information will be useful from this book. Some information, such as that about particular theorists, will be somewhat helpful; however, many of the other concepts covered may not be of any use due to the difficulty of finding it again – and the comic book type nature. One topic, which is covered at the beginning of the book, is a pre-history of semiotics. This information is extremely helpful as information of this nature has been difficult to locate. As previously stated, this book opens up with a brief history and a little about the very first researchers in the area of semiotics. It then goes on to outline how some of the earlier historical figures contributed to the early understanding and significance of signs. This is followed by an attempt to give an understanding of the concepts involved with semiotics and also includes reference to some of the more recent researchers of this field, including Roland Barthes. Accuracy and Validity Dr Paul Cobley, the man responsible for the text in this book, is a Senior Lecturer in Communication at London Guildhall University. He has authored as number of books in the area of Semiotics as well as Communication Theory, and his record in these areas is exceptional. I have found that a lot of his work has been used as reference by many of the other information sources I have used. This shows that his work is highly regarded by many in the field, and that the accuracy and validity of his work is widely recognised. Library Database Reference One Petrilli,S.(2008). On Communication: Contributions to the Human Sciences and to Humanism from Semiotics Understood as Semioethics.The American Journal of Semiotics,24(4),193-236.Retrieved August 7, 2009 from Research Library. (Document ID:1608836621). Summary This article was extremely difficult to decipher and not very helpful. For this reason I find it particularly challenging to review it as it made little to no sense to me. This article was chosen more out of necessity than anything else as finding useful database articles proofed to be difficult. Accuracy and Validity Susan Petrilli teaches Semiotics and Philosophy of Language at the Department of Linguistic Practices and Text Analysis at Bari University, Italy. Her list of studies and publications is extensive, as is her work in the translation of research done by Charles Morris and Thomas A. Sebeok from English to Italian. There is little doubt that information sourced from Susan Petrilli is viable, it is just a shame that in this case it was of little use as it was not valid. Library Database Reference Two Petrilli,S.(2008). The Relation with Morris in Rossi-Landis and Sebeoks Approach to Signs1.The American Journal of Semiotics,24(4),89-121.Retrieved August 7, 2009 from Research Library. (Document ID:1608836581). Summary This article authored by Susan Petrilli and featured in The American Journal of Semiotics, outlines the work done by Ferruccio Rossi-Landi and Thomas Sebeok, which in turn was based on the work of Charles Morris. Charles Morris (1901 – 1979), is quite a controversial character in the world of Semiotics. Some credit him with the recognition of Semiotics as a science field, and others accuse him of copying the work of another theorist, Charles Peirce. Either way, the work he did or didnt do was influential in the works of other theorists. It gave new direction and recognition to semiotics and helped pave the way for future study and research. Both Ferruccio Rossi-Landi and Thomas Sebeok have helped to advance the science of semiotics but it is important to highlight that the work they have done was in most cases an extension of Morriss research. This article highlights that fact and expands on it in much greater detail. Whether or not this article will directly influence my studies is debatable, it does however, give a greater understanding about the evolution of semiotics and how it came to be recognised. Accuracy and Validity Susan Petrilli teaches Semiotics and Philosophy of Language at the Department of Linguistic Practices and Text Analysis at Bari University, Italy. Her list of studies and publications is extensive, as is her work in the translation of research done by Charles Morris and Thomas A. Sebeok from English to Italian. Web Article Reference One Barthes, R (1957). Mythologies: The World of Wrestling. Retrieved 1 September, 2009 from http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/irvinem/theory/Barthes-Mythologies-Wrestling-1957.pdf Summary Having access to an actual essay by Roland Barthes proved to be a great help in the research process. This essay picked apart a wrestling event by applying his theories to it. It was an excellent way to explain certain aspects of the theory. This ranged from the physical appearance of the competitors and their general mannerisms, to the cultural or public interpretation of what was unfolding before them. It explained the theatrical side of wrestling and how it is catered to the needs of its audience. Everybody at the event knows what is going on because of the different signs expresses by the ‘actors. Accuracy and Validity Given that this report is based on Roland Barthes theory, the accuracy and validity of the information needs little clarification. Everything in this report is based on his ideas and concepts so the accuracy needs not be questioned. Web Article Reference Two Wikipedia.(2009). Roland Barthes. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Barthes Summary This article on Roland Barthes was a great starting point in the research process. Without being too technical it gave a nice brief outline about Roland Barthes including a little about his works and theory. Accuracy and Validity Not always an accurate source of information, I was initially reluctant to take any information from Wikipedia at face value. However, this did slowly change as my research went on and verification of the content was discovered. The great thing about Wikipedia is that it has its own references meaning that it paves the way for more in depth research. Findings Roland Barthes Roland Barthes is considered to be one of the biggest names in Semiotics and much of his work has been the primary inspiration and information source for many aspiring students, as well as teachers, in the field of Semiotics. Born in Cherbough, France, on the 12th of November 1915, Roland Barthes had what he called â€Å"Not an unhappy youth†. Less than a year after his birth his father was killed in a naval accident forcing his mother to move with him to Bayonne. Here he spent the early part of his childhood before moving again in 1924, this time to Paris. It was in Paris that he attended school at Lycà ©e Louis-le-Grand and Lycà ©e Montaigne, both being well renowned secondary schools in France. In 1934 he contracted Tuberculosis and spent a number of years in Sanatoriums. Although this often meant he was unable to undertake his doctorate studies, it did give him the time to pursue other interests, the most dominant being reading, â€Å"What else did you ha ve to do except read?† He also started to do a little writing and cofounded the magazine Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre populaire. There was one positive to come out of his ill health – it kept him out of military service during World War II. Barthes went on to study at the Historic University of Paris, or Sorbonne, where he received a degree in Classical literature, as well as in grammar and philology. This was followed by various teaching positions including appointments in France, Romania and Egypt. He had made an intentional avoidance of major degree awarding universities throughout his career which lead to these ‘unusual posts. In 1957, Barthes had a book called Mythologies released. In this publication Barthes used the concepts of semiotics to analyse myths and signs in contemporary culture. The release of this book coincided with the rapid rise of fame for Barthes. The ideas and concepts within the book seemed to strike a chord with scholars and the general public. This pop ularity lead to material from the book being referred to in newspapers, films, shows, and exhibitions. Auto manufacturer Renault found his work so compelling that they temporarily hired him as an advertising consultant. During the early 1960s, Barthes spent much of his time exploring the fields of semiology and structuralism. This was accompanied by various faculty positions around France and a continuation in the production of his more full length studies. During his career, Roland Barthes published more essays than substantial studies. He often presented his views in a concise, subjective way that differed from the theoretical approach used by the majority of scholars. It was this approach that not only made him a standout in various fields but also a somewhat controversial character. Many other academics and theorists had a love hate relationship with him. Roland Barthes died on the 25th of March 1980 from injuries succumbed from being hit by a van a month earlier. Outline Of Roland Barthes Semiotic Theory Among other fields studied by Roland Barthes, his Semiotic Theory is one of the most famous and well renowned. Although he changed his mind about the way signs work more than once over his career, most practitioners follow the concepts of his original theory. Semiotics, or Semiology as it is often referred to, is concerned with anything that can stand for something else. It is the study of sign processes, meaning what signs signify and how, what signs are communicating, as well as how meaning is constructed and understood. In short it is the study of everything to do with signs. Although arguably not a recognised field until the work of Charles Morris, Semiotics can be applied to almost every aspect of life because it is an interpretation of everything around us. Signs are not only the visual aspect that we all immediately think of but also extends to include areas such as gestures or body language, music, clothes, poetry, paintings, Morse code, food, and graffiti. These are all cons idered to be signs that fall into the category of Semiotics because they can all mean something other than the obvious. For example, an apple can mean healthy and a crown can mean king. These meaning are however, very dependent on the context in which they are referred too. Spots on your chest need to be deciphered in a medical context and road signs will be judged in a transport context. According to Barthes theory, every ideological sign is either a Denotative sign system or a Connotative sign system. A Denotative sign, which is a strictly descriptive system, is the result of the signifier image and the signified concept combining. In other words the apple is the signifier and healthy is the signified. A Connotative sign is one that has lost its historical meaning. This could be due to a number of things including: changes in culture or terminology, an event, or even just evolution. It is important to note that Barthes description of a sign as the correlation between the signifier and the signified came directly from the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. The best way to describe the difference between the signifier and signified may be to refer to Barthes essay ‘The World of Wrestling which was published in his 1957 book Mythologies. In this essay he describes the image portrayed by the wrestlers and the resulting portrayal by the fans resulting from the wrestlers image. As Barthes (1957) states: As soon as the adversaries are in the ring, the public is overwhelmed with the obviousness of the roles. As in the theatre, each physical type expresses to excess the part which has been assigned to the contestant. Thauvin, a fifty-year-old with an obese and sagging body The nausea voluntarily provoked by Thauvin shows therefore a very extended use of signs: not only is ugliness used here in order to signify baseness, but in addition ugliness is wholly gathered into a particularly repulsive quality of matter I know from the start that all of Thauvins actions, his treacheries, cruelties and acts of cowardice, will not fail to measure up to the first image of ignobility he gave me; I can trust him to carry out intelligently and to the last detail all the gestures of a kind of amorphous baseness, and thus fill to the brim the image of the most repugnant bastard there is: the bastard-octopus (p.2). This description of the wrestler Thauvin contains a number of signifiers. His physical image: â€Å"fifty-year-old with an obese and sagging body† accompanied by his general mannerisms, are all signifiers. The immediate impression gained by these signifiers lead us to the signified â€Å" all of Thauvins actions, his treacheries, cruelties and acts of cowardice, will not fail to measure up to the first image of ignobility he gave me†. The impression we gain of ugliness and evil by way of the signifier and signified form an image of a villain – which is the sign. This example of a Denotative Sign System is easily dissected because of its theatrical nature. The ability to clearly define the signifier and signified, and therefore the sign, is not always so easily achieved. Application of Theory Semiotic Theory can be applied to many aspects of everyday life and includes activities carried out by most people. Signs have become a part of everyday living and are everywhere. In many societies they are essential, for without them there would be chaos. A simple task such as driving from A to B could become a real nightmare without knowing where you are going, what the road rules are, or how fast your car is travelling. The application of signs in society gives us rules and order. But signs are not always so clearly displayed, read, or interpreted. A married couple can tell each others sad state of mind whereas anyone else may not realise that anything is wrong or out of place. A farmer can tell a sick animal from a healthy one, others will see absolutely no difference. A systems analyst will interpret the clients needs better than a programmer (in most cases). More often than not experience in reading or interpreting a sign is essential in gaining meaning to it and a better understanding of what it is trying to get across. If signs were always clearly interpreted, the number of system projects failing wouldnt be so great; a clear thorough understanding of what is needed would be more easily obtained. Evaluation of Theory Semiotic Theory seems to be based on a mainly Interpretive Approach but does include a small number of Scientific or Objective Approach qualities. The process of deciphering a sign involves many interpretive aspects. While a particular symbol may mean something in one culture, it may mean something different in another. It is how that culture interprets that symbol which determines its meaning. An example can be taken from ‘The World of Wrestling essay by Barthes, â€Å"As soon as the adversaries are in the ring, the public is overwhelmed with the obviousness of the roles.† (p.2). That particular culture (public) has a clear interpretation of what they think the wrestlers are portraying. This is clarified further on in the essay: â€Å"It has already been noted that in America wrestling represents a sort of mythological fight between Good and Evil (of a quasi-political nature, the bad wrestler always being supposed to be a Red [Communist]).† ( Barthes, 1957, p.3). This tells us clearly that it is the American publics interpretation of events which gives the desired meaning or effect. The same ‘show being played out in another culture will likely have very different results. This clearly shows an example of ‘Clarification of Values. Over the course of his career, Barthes reviewed his theory and even changed his mind about certain aspects. This ‘evolution as it has been referred to, shows that it was very much under scrutiny and social reform. Given that it in no way could be ‘scientifically tested, many other scholars or likewise had their own opinion on Semiotic Theory – some for and other against. Either way, it was all very much how it was interpreted. Conclusion Summary of Points Roland Barthes (1915 – 1980) is one of the most recognised names in the field of Semiotics. His Semiotic Theory has been the inspiration behind many aspiring students and teachers alike. His rise to fame coincided with the release of his 1957 book Mythologies, which was a collection of essays he had authored. The public was so fascinated by his ideas that his opinion was often sort in the public arena. Signs range from speech, body language and symbols to paintings, music and Morse code. Barthes Semiotic Theory broke down the process of reading signs and focused on their interpretation by different cultures or societies. According to Barthes, signs had both a signifier, being the physical form of the sign as we perceive it through our senses and the signified, or meaning that is interpreted. Barthes also believed that every ideological sign is either a Denotative sign system or a Connotative sign system. A Denotative sign, which is a strictly descriptive system, is the result of the signifier image and the signified concept combining. A Connotative sign is one that has lost its historical meaning. This could be due to a number of things including: changes in culture or terminology, an event, or even just evolution. Semiotic Theory is an ‘Interpretive theory that can be applied to most aspects of everyday life although most people would not realise it. A Critique of the Theory Roland Barthes often caused controversy because of his often non-scholarly point of view, and the subjective nature of his essays. Barthes 1963 study ‘Sur Racine was one such series of works that caused such controversy. Another ‘Racine scholar name Raymond Picard, took particular exception to this work and criticised Barthes approach in some of his work. In turn, Barthes responded by writing an essay which implied that criticism should become a ‘science. Generally such criticism of Barthes work was rare, and his approach often had fellow scholars intrigued. It is my opinion that this theory is an over-analysis of what should be a simple act of reading a sign. Constantly analysing every aspect of life would easily become very painstaking and I can imagine some ‘enjoyment of life would be lost due to this. The concept of the signifier and signified forming the sign seems relatively simple in theory and if left at that would be. The constant in-depth analysis of even the simplest of tasks seems to be rather pedantic and unnecessary – hence the reason I am not a Semiotic Theorist. Glossary Of Terms Amorphous – Having no definite form. Baseness – Despicable, Untrustworthy, Treacherous. Connotative – In Semiotics connotation arises when the denotative relationship between a signifier and its signified is inadequate to serve the needs of the community. Connotative Sign System – A mythic sign that has lost its historical referent; form without substance. Denotative In semiotics, denotation is the surface or literal meaning encoded to a signifier. Denotative Sign System A descriptive sign without ideological content. Ideology – Knowledge presented as common sense or natural, especially when its social construction is ignored or suppressed. Ignobility – Not noble in quality, character or purpose. Myth – The connotative meaning that signs carry wherever they go; myth makes what is cultural seem natural. Philology the study of literature and of disciplines relevant to literature or to language as used in literature. Sanatorium – an institution for treating chronic diseases, typically tuberculosis. Sign – The inseparable combination of the signifier and the signified. Signified – The meaning we associate with the sign. The idea or thing that that the Signifier represents. Signifier – The physical form of the sign as we perceive it through our senses; an image, object or word being referred too. References / Bibliography Amazon.com. (2009). Universe of the Mind: A Semiotic Theory of Culture. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://www.amazon.com/Universe-Mind-Semiotic-Theory-Culture/dp/025321405X Australia Donna. (2009). Susan Petrilli. Retrieved August 7, 2009 from http://www.australiadonna.on.net/english/prof/petrilli.htm Barthes, R (1957). Mythologies: The World of Wrestling. Retrieved 1 September, 2009 from http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/irvinem/theory/Barthes-Mythologies-Wrestling-1957.pdf Chandler, D. (2002). Semiotics: The Basics. Great Britain: Routledge. Chandler, D. (2005). Semiotics for Beginners. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem01.html Cobley, P., Jansz, L. (2004). Introducing Semiotics. (2nd ed.). Singapore: Tien Wah Press Ltd. Goldsmiths, University of London. (2008). Hall, Sean. Retrieved August 10, 2009 from http://www.gold.ac.uk/design/staff/hall/ Griffin, E. (2009). A First Look at Communication Theory. (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Hall, S. (2007). This Means This, This Means That. A Users Guide to Semiotics. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd. Halton, E. (1992). Charles Morris A Brief Outline of His Philosophy with relations to semiotics, pragmatics, and linguistics. Retrieved August 7, 2009 from http://www.nd.edu/~ehalton/Morrisbio.htm Liukkonen, P. (2008). Roland Barthes (1915 – 1980). Retrieved September 1, 2009 from http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/rbarthes.htm London Metropolitan University. (2009). Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design. Staff Research: Media and Communication. Retrieved August 10, 2009 from http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/jcamd/research/staff-research/mc/paul-cobley.cfm No Author. (1992). Websters Dictionary. (1992 ed.) United States of America: Leisure Entertainment Service Co Inc. Petrilli,S.(2008). On Communication: Contributions to the Human Sciences and to Humanism from Semiotics Understood as Semioethics.The American Journal of Semiotics,24(4),193-236.Retrieved August 7, 2009 from Research Library. (Document ID:1608836621). Petrilli,S.(2008). The Relation with Morris in Rossi-Landis and Sebeoks Approach to Signs1.The American Journal of Semiotics,24(4),89-121.Retrieved August 7, 2009 from Research Library. (Document ID:1608836581). The Stewardship. (n.d.). Semiotic Theory. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://the-stewardship.org/research/semiotics.htm Wikipedia.(2009). Roland Barthes. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Barthes Wikipedia.(2009). Semiotics. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiotics Wikipedia.(2009). Semiotic Information Theory. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiotic_information_theory

The Mentally Ill in Jail Essay -- essays research papers

The Mentally Ill in Jail The articles inform that more mentally ill people are in jail than in hospitals. According to statistics 159,000 of mentally ill are presently incarcerated in jails and prisons, mostly of crimes committed because they were not being treated. Some of them become violent and may terrorize their families and neighborhoods. Tragically, most of those instances of incarceration are unnecessary. We know what to do, but for economic, legal and ideological reasons, we fail to do it. The deinstitutionalisation of the severely mentally ill in the 60ties qualifies a as one of the largest social experiments in American history. In 1995, there were 558,239 severely mentally ill patients in the nations public psychiatric hospitals. In 1995, the number has been reduced to...

Earth is my mother Essay

The author’s purpose in writing was to understand for herself and to be able to present Navajo sandpaintings as â€Å"dynamically sacred living entities whose meanings lie in the process of their creation and use† (page xix). Sandpaintings, created from different colored sands and sacred objects, are not art. They are representations of mythical beings and legends created for the purpose of reestablishing someone’s health and harmony. The study of sandpaintings and their various meanings permits the reader considerable insight into Navajo land-tied religious beliefs, world view, creation myths, society, history, and even concepts of time. The author, Trudy Griffin-Pierce, provides little autobiographical information in the book. She mentions her rootless Air Force upbringing and how her early readings were devoted to books about Native American culture, especially the Navajo. Although she is distantly related to the Catawba Indians of South Carolina, she always felt a kinship with the Navajo and lived for a time with a Navajo family, learning their traditions, history, and language. This bond drew her to Arizona after she completed her undergraduate degree in art at Florida State University. N. Scott Momaday, in his â€Å"Forward†, adds that Ms. Griffin-Pierce is a very creative artist, capable of understanding and discussing the artistic dimension of the Navajo world. She makes the inventive and imaginative Navajo system of belief without our understanding. Ms. Griffin-Pierce received her doctorate in anthropology from the University of Arizona in 1987, where she is currently Assistant Professor in the Anthropology Department and teaches three courses. The information on her website at the University of Arizona reveals that this was her first published book. She has written four newer books, The Encyclopedia of Native America (1995), Native Americans: Enduring Cultures and Traditions (1996), Native Peoples of the Southwest (2000), and Paridigms of Power: The Chiricahua Apache Prisoners of War and Naiche’s Hide Paintings (in press); and two articles, â€Å"When I am Lonely the Mountains Call Me: The Impact of Sacred Geography on Navajo Psychological Well Being†, and â€Å"Navajo Religion†. All of her writings center on the history of Indians in the United States’ Southwest. She is currently studying aging and dementia among Arizona’s Native Americans. In Earth is my Mother; Sky is my Father, Ms. Griffin-Pierce details Navajo religious beliefs, world views, historical myths, societal structure, and astronomical concepts before she discusses the use and structure of Navajo sandpaintings. Basic Navajo religious beliefs are still followed by many Navajos who chose not to assimilate the tenets of Christianity presented to them in the 1800’s. There is no word for â€Å"religion† in the Navajo language. Spirituality, health, harmony, and beauty are inseparable. The universe is an all-inclusive whole where everything has a unique place and beneficial relationship to all other living things. God is the â€Å"Unknown Power† worshipped through His Creation. The Navajo also have a close relationship with the Holy People, with whom they interact daily. (page 34) Navajo religious beliefs are closely tied to their intense longing for and their love of their homeland, which they consider the â€Å"point in space from which all conceptions of the cosmos proceed†. (page xv) The land and the earth is their foundation of all belief, wonder, and meaning in human existence, and the four sacred mountains are the center. There are no permanent religious centers. The Native American Church is a local peyote visionary religion.    The Navajo have a circular concept of time that permits their mythic, spiritual world to coexist with their physical world. The author suggests that the Navajo sacred sandpaintings cannot be understood unless we accept the Navajo’s â€Å"mythopoetic context of layered time, space, and meaning†. (page 7) Navajo spirituality affirms humanity’s place in nature as a whole. Their ceremonies restore the interconnectedness of all life. They believe sickness results from failure to maintain reciprocal responsibilities with the environment, infringement of ceremonial rules, and transgressions against one’s own mind and bodies. Her purpose in writing this book is to share a more humane, more connected view of the world and its contributions in reestablishing humanity’s alignment with the universe. (page 9) Navajos still worship gods and goddesses of specific purposes. Their deities include the Sun; Changing Woman, who brings the earthly seasons; and their children, Hero Twins, Monster Slayer, Born-for Water, First Man and First Woman, First Boy and First Girl, the trickster Coyote, and the Speechless Ones, who cannot utter words. (page 34) These are often depicted in the sandpaintings. Navajos have a concept of the â€Å"Holy Wind†, reminiscent of the Christian Holy Spirit, as a being that exists everywhere and is in all living beings. For them this means that all living beings are related and that humanity has a responsibility to care for other living beings. Curiously, in Navajo Creation stories, the Holy People spoke, sang, and prayed the world into existence with their sacred words. Since everyone has an inner form and is part of the Holy Wind, each has a Holy Person located within. Oneness with the universe creates a responsibility to treat one’s fellow creatures with the same respect one has towards oneself. (page 73). The Navajos were among the last American Indians to migrate from Asia to North America and were late in arriving in the Southwest. They settled in the geographical area bounded by the four Sacred Mountains in the Four Corners area of the Southwest. Their geographical isolation protected them from diseases brought by the Spaniards and provided them with access to stealing their horses, sheep, and goats. They learned weaving from the Pueblos. The Navajo societal structure was and is matriarchal, clan, and family based, and they dwell in isolated family groups structured by the nuclear family, the matrilocal extended family, close relatives, and other relatives. Many Navajo live in frame houses today, but some still choose well-constructed hogans. (page 21) Navajo ceremonial healings involving sandpaintings are conducted by highly trained practitioners called â€Å"chanters† who have learned to sing the elaborate Navajo rituals. The Navajo chanter can cure witchcraft, exorcise ghosts, and establish immunity to illness.   A chanter is a priest, not a shaman, and never enters the shaman’s characteristic trance state. Most chanters are men. Women become diagnosticians, or shamans who acquire knowledge in a trance state. (page 39) Navajo ceremonials are rites (rattle is not used) or chants (rattle accompanies singing. The major rites (Blessingway and Enemyway) use drypaintings with pigments made from plants, including corn, pollens, cornmeal, flower petals, and charcoal. The author explains that Enemyway is a form of exorcism against the ghosts of aliens, violence, and ugliness. The chanting ceremonies (Holyway, Evilway, or Lifeway) use sandpaintings of different colors of sand, ocher and charcoal. Other sacred objects, vegetation, and bowls of water are incorporated into both types of ceremonies. (pages 40-41) There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different sandpainting designs. A sandpainting is a place of entry where supernaturals enter and leave, attracted by their likenesses in the painting. The establishment of this pathway lets the evil or illness in the patient be replaced by the good, or healing power of the supernatural being. (page 43) The healing ceremonies last for several days. It takes four to six people three to five hours to complete a sandpainting six feed in diameter. The workers begin in the center and work outwards. (page 45. The Navajos’ basic concept is that the powers of the heavens and earth are drawn into the sandpainting for the purpose of healing. Time is compressed so that powerful mythic events of the past coexist with the present and restore harmony and well being to the person being healed. (page 58) The sandpainted image is intended to let the sick person project his or her mind through time and space, rising above present earthly limitations.   The Navajo layered worldview becomes meaningless during a ceremony as all layers of heavens and underground become one. The Navajos study the constellations and star arrangements primarily for determination of seasons, and they are not part of the ceremonial core of sandpaintings, even though depictions of mythical gods of creation in the form of constellations may be used. (page 103) One of the more interesting myths is how Younger Brother went to the sky country and met an inner circle of hostile beings whom he left to stay with the friendly Star People in the outer dwellings. These friendly Star People, whom the Navajo call â€Å"The People†, and the hostile beings are still incorporated into sandpaintings. The author concentrated on the â€Å"Mother Earth, Father Sky† sandpainting because it is the most familiar to outsiders and presents the most detailed depiction of the Navajo heavens of sandpaintings in use today. (page 175) She describes the intricate, careful, detailed process involved in making a sandpainting. Mother Earth and Father Sky must be identical in shape and size. The act of creating a sandpainting is healing because it focuses everyone’s thoughts on the principles of balance and order. (page 177) The painting becomes â€Å"alive† to serve its transcendent purpose when the chanter strews sacred pollen on it and blesses those attending. (page 183). The sacred and blessed sandpainting forces the patient to reconnect in time and space to past and present sacred forces and reminds the patient of her connectedness to humans present physically or spiritually. (page 194) This book accomplishes the author’s stated purposes and does discuss the themes in detail. However, the information is disorganized and scattered, making the book itself hard to read. The author’s purpose was to teach the reader how to understand and appreciate the making, content, and purpose of Navajo sandpainting, which she accomplishes. Some of the information presented about Navajo religious beliefs is curiously similar to Christianity, and the author does not sufficiently discuss whether or not these were original to the Navajo who migrated to the Americas or picked up and changed a bit from what Christian missionaries tried to teach them. The Navajo ties to the religious symbolism of their land is remarkably similar to early Hebrew thought, but no mention is made of that. The textual sources used by the author are all documented research papers or books that are fairly recent in date. One would wish earlier sources had been consulted on some issues, but their availability is not known. The author combines quite boring detailed information with her myths and more lively text, making the book itself a challenge to complete. BIBLIOGRAPHY Southwest Studies Program. Biography of Trudy Griffin-Pierce. University of Arizona. http://web. arizona. edu/~swst/faculty/tgpierce. htm. Griffin-Pierce, Trudy. Earth is my Mother; Sky is my Father. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1992.

Free Essays on Effects Of The Internet

The Effects the Internet Has on Youth and Adults There are many effects, positive and negative, that the internet has on both youth and adults. One of the major negative effects that the internet has on youth is by far illegal downloading of movies, music, and also software. This has been an issue for the past couple of years. Also the internet gives easy access to pornographic material for the youth. Kids also don’t go and play outside anymore, they just sit home and play on the computer. Some of the positive influence that the internet has these days is easy banking access, which makes it really convenient for many people. People can also do all sorts of shopping through the internet. We can shop anywhere from groceries to electronics. People also don’t use the post office as much as they used to. Now the easier way is to send an e-mail which practically doesn’t cost anything. Communication is another positive aspect of internet. People who have families out of country do not have to use long distance calling anymore. Illegal downloading has been an issue for many years. Kids don’t go to stores and buy compact discs anymore, they download them on sites like kazza and they put them on blank C.D. which they get at any electronic store. This has caused a major problem for the record labels. The prices of many record labels have drop dramatically in the past couple of years. For example Eminems latest C.D. was available way before it was released in the stores because of illegal downloading. This made Eminem and the producers to release the album earlier than it was planed because of dramatic money loss that they feared. Many movie companies are loosing money as well because of illegal downloading such as New Line Cinema, 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios and so on. Movies would make more money if there was no illegal down... Free Essays on Effects Of The Internet Free Essays on Effects Of The Internet The Effects the Internet Has on Youth and Adults There are many effects, positive and negative, that the internet has on both youth and adults. One of the major negative effects that the internet has on youth is by far illegal downloading of movies, music, and also software. This has been an issue for the past couple of years. Also the internet gives easy access to pornographic material for the youth. Kids also don’t go and play outside anymore, they just sit home and play on the computer. Some of the positive influence that the internet has these days is easy banking access, which makes it really convenient for many people. People can also do all sorts of shopping through the internet. We can shop anywhere from groceries to electronics. People also don’t use the post office as much as they used to. Now the easier way is to send an e-mail which practically doesn’t cost anything. Communication is another positive aspect of internet. People who have families out of country do not have to use long distance calling anymore. Illegal downloading has been an issue for many years. Kids don’t go to stores and buy compact discs anymore, they download them on sites like kazza and they put them on blank C.D. which they get at any electronic store. This has caused a major problem for the record labels. The prices of many record labels have drop dramatically in the past couple of years. For example Eminems latest C.D. was available way before it was released in the stores because of illegal downloading. This made Eminem and the producers to release the album earlier than it was planed because of dramatic money loss that they feared. Many movie companies are loosing money as well because of illegal downloading such as New Line Cinema, 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios and so on. Movies would make more money if there was no illegal down...

Employee Performance in Management

Employee Performance in Management Introduction The management of employee or the human resource is very instrument towards success in terms of performance. Proper management makes the employees be motivated and feel that they are working in a friendly environment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Employee Performance in Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The performance management is affected by different factors that surround the employee. These range from social, economical and even work related reasons. The organization is supposed to reduce to the least attainable levels the factors that may affect an employee in order to realize the full potential of the same. A clichà © goes â€Å"a happy employee makes a happy boss†. The concept of performance management seeks to improve the general efficacy and the efficiency of human resource. An efficient and proper system of performance management can be used for several purposes. These inc lude communication of the organization goals, gauging the performance of the organization as well as giving feedback as to how to improve the current existing performance. Performance management is defined as: â€Å"a process used for establishing a shared understanding of what is to be achieved, and the approach to managing and also developing people in such a manner which increases the probability that it shall be achieved in the desired short and long term† (Armstrong Baron 19). From the definition, it is self evident that performance management is a key process in any organization. It plays an important in determining how fast an organization will grow. It is also important to the employee as it makes him be aware of his strengths and development during his career.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is not a single process. Neither is it a technique. It s a comprehensive set of process combined with philosophies that seek to determine the factors that can improve the performance of an employee and the way which these will be employed (Aslam 3). This means that performance management involves a deeper understanding of the employee and the factors surrounding his ability to perform a certain duty as well as coming up with a solution to remove these hindrances and develop an efficient employee. In order to ensure that the full potential of employee is achieved, step must be taken to ensure that performance is attained. The steps begin before the work is actually carried out and it continues even after the completion of the work. In pre planning, there are role setting and objective determination while in post work there is the employee appraisal (feedback) and the overall review of the employee performance. The steps involved generally include role definition, performance benchmarking, performance development and performance review. R ole definition and Profiling The first step in performance management is understanding the role and niche that the organization seeks to fill. In understanding this, the company then goes ahead and profiles. Here the managers sit and define the purpose of the organization as well as the priority of each. It is also during this step that the managers shall set the objectives of the organization and the purposes that the same shall seek to fulfil. The managers also clearly define the roles of the organization in accordance with the core values of the organization. The role is normally on tandem with what the objectives of the organization are.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Employee Performance in Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is comprehensive enough to include the mission and vision of the group. These are important as they set an overview of how an employee shall be expected to carry out his duties during the tenure of his employment. They also provide a general idea of how an employee shall conduct himself during the performance. Setting the Performance benchmarks In setting the performance benchmarks, there is need to understand the objectives and the goals that the organization seeks to achieve. In this stage the managers shall sit down and define the organizational objectives as well as how these objectives shall be achieved. In order to measure performance, there should be benchmarks against which the performance shall be measured against. The managers shall also determine the suitable management model that shall be applicable to the organization. There are different forms of management. It is therefore upon the managers to carefully interrogate these models and come up with one that fits the nature of performance that is desired by the organization. Steps involved in performance management The first important step that the line managers take is to have a meeting and set the objectives as well as the strategies. Performance management shall be aimed at attaining a certain objective. The sales manager shall have the objective of ensuring that the sales in a particular business increase by at least twenty percent. The strategic planning manager shall give his target objective and the strategy to ensure that that particular objective is attained.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In setting the objectives, the managers are required to be realistic. The managers are supposed to take a REAL (Realistic, Efficient, Acceptable and Long lasting) approach. An unrealistic plan or objective is likely to stress the employees and consequently reduce the input of the same. Furthermore, having unrealistic goals can end up demoralizing the management as failure is likely to occur. The objectives themselves are supposed to be SMART (Aslam 6). SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time framed. These are the core considerations that an organization shall bear in mind when deciding on the objectives. The second step involves brainstorming and coming up with how to achieve the objectives set in step one. In this step, the managers have to consider the different roles each department plays and employ relevant and corresponding tactics that will work out. One of the methods that shall be employed is the use of self managed teams. The rationale be hind this is that the employees in such a group have a sense of independence and also have team work bonding. The self managed groups, unlike the directed groups, are normally innovative, take initiative and own the organization goals (Elmuti 235). The third step involves competence assessment. Here the managers shall be involved in matching the employees to the duties that correspond with their skills. Competency also means assessing whether the organization’s human resource has the required know-how people to carry out the means set in step to achieve the objectives set in the first step. Competence assessment shall ensure that no employee is given a duty which beyond his capability. Assigning an employee a duty that is beyond his capability imposes stress and pressure and consequently reduces the performance. After the competence assessment is complete then the managers can now embark on duty allocation. Incompetence assessment the manager should look at the holistic stren gths and weaknesses of an employee. They should also consider factors such as experience and leadership skill of the same. Any mistake made in the allocation of the duties to the employees shall extend and contribute towards the performance of such an employee. Proper allocation of duties is likely to deliver better performance. Also worthy of note is that poor allocation of duties leads to waste of talent on the part of the employee and poor delivery to the organization. Staffing is therefore very important in increasing employee performance. Execution is the next step. During execution of a plan, there is need for constant monitoring and evaluation of how the employees are fairing. This is important in order to make sure that any mistakes are immediately corrected before they go deep into affecting the whole plan. The monitoring should take place at all levels and should be both horizontal as well as vertical. There should be a proper communication channel during the execution. Th e channel should be both upwards and downwards. The upward communication channel allows the employees to communicate the challenges they are facing. It is axiomatic that these challenges have an impact on their final performance. Downward communication is important to let the employees know whether they are performing a good job or not. Communication has a bearing on the performance of an employee and it is also a great instrument for passing the goals and targets of the organization. Lastly there is the process of performance evaluation. It is during this process that performance rating and grading. While rating and grading performance it is important to bear in mind the benchmarks, objectives as well as the goals that the organization sought to achieve in the first place. Performance evaluation and rating is the basis for performance review. In order to do a proper review, you need to compare your current grading to your former grading. It is also during the performance review tha t an organization can trace and find out where or what influenced poor performance in a certain organization department. From here, the managers shall then communicate the feedback and performance appraisal to the employees. Feedback to the employees is good for two main purposes. Worthy of note is that in an organization there are three levels of goals. There are the employee’s individual goals, the team or group goals and finally the overall organization goals. Good management need to delve into what the employees’ individual goals are. In order to motivate the employees in achieving the target company goals there is a need to synchronize employee goals with the overall goals. Sometimes within a team, ones individual performance appraisal can have the impact of interfering with the intended group goals and targets. This is mainly through emphasizing the individual (Wiese Buckley 234). Dealing with underperformance It is axiomatic that individual performance differs from one employee to another. What is important is that all the employees give their best and at least manage to attain the minimum target. In order to motivate the underperforming employees the company shall offer rewards and promotions to the performing employees. This will serve as an enticing gesture towards working hard. It will also motivate the workers. There is a connection between performance at work and the social life of an employee. The organization shall allow the employees to have a social welfare group. This shall be in charge of advocating and promoting the social welfare of the employees. An employee who is socially relaxed performs better than one who is disturbed. Another way of dealing with underperforming employees is to try and develop them in terms of expertise and technical ability. This can be done through sponsoring them to formal education. This can be done through sending them to seminars or even providing them with loans (at a lower interest rate) to fur ther their education. Setting semi-autonomous work groups are also helpful in terms of improving employee’s capability. When in teams it is easier for an underperforming employee to learn from others. However, important to note is that this shall depend on the level of bonding between the members. It is thus important for an organization to ensure that there is enough bonding sessions so that the employees can acquaint themselves to each other. Also during boning session, an employee who is seen as underperforming can have the chance to showcase his strengths. These strengths can be useful in other departments. As a result his underperformance in one department shall lead to his transfer to a department in which he has strengths and thereby improving his performance. Employee development It is important that an employee develops and not just stagnate in terms of his expertise. Development is important as the employee increases his know-how in both technical and managerial abi lities. Development can be done through training in seminars, workshops as well as through experience gained in the work. The best way to encourage employee development is to offer rewards through promotion. Another means of employee development is rotational responsibility. In this scenario, the leadership position in a group does not permanently rest on one employee but rather revolves around after a certain period of time. Through this, all the employees will develop in terms leadership as well as technical skills. Apart from that they will also appreciate the challenges being faced by the leaders and therefore respond more supportively whenever a challenging situation emerge. Having an ongoing dialogue platform is also a very important means to ensure the development of an employee. It is through constant dialogue that the management can find out means and ways to increase the efficiency of an employee. Dialogue also facilitates a route to feed back to the employee on his perfor mance. With that communication, motivation is built and the employee’s overall performance is increased. Involvement of employees in Strategic planning Strategic planning is important in the development of an organization. Involvement of the employees encourages direct contribution towards the plan. The employees feel involved and end owning the plan and not feel as if the plan has been imposed on them. Involvement can be done at different levels. For instance, a department manager may have a strategic plan meeting with the employees working under him. He gets the views from these employees on how to improve the plan. The employees feel that they are involved and end up giving their best in order to achieve the goals set in the strategic plan. The achievement of a goal is easy when the goals are set by the employee themselves than when the goals have been imposed on them. It is suggested that by allowing the employees to chip in when setting the goals they also get the opport unity to raise the potential challenges that might affect what they are to do in order to achieve these goals. This makes the manager as well as the employees have ample time to deal with matters which would otherwise affect the performance of an employee. Recommendations The creation of independent groups in the organization is recommended as it allows the members to increase their contribution and innovation. This is contrary to the traditional directed groups where innovation was limited and the members just waited to act upon directives given from managers. Direct groups are those traditional teams that work only upon the directive of their seniors. Here there is inhibition of innovation which is not good for the organization. Their contribution is limited and the motivation is also lacking compared to the self directing groups. A self directing group is independent and self starting. It therefore makes the performance of employees increase due to the presence of innovation. Ano ther recommendation is encouraging the employees to have a working social welfare within them. The welfare should be autonomous. Those shall form an avenue for social interaction and bonding. Bonding and social interaction form the main ingredients of successful teamwork. Giving bonus and other remuneration based benefits to recognize good performance is also a means by which an organization may use to motivate the performance of its employees. Encouraging team and communication is also recommended in improving the performance of the employee. Through communication the organization goals reach the employees and through the same the employees are able to communicate the problems that might affect their performance. Dialogue between the managers and the employees is the best way to clear all the hindrances that affect employee performance. Armstrong, Michael Baron, Angela. Performance Management: The New Realities, London: CIPD, 1998. Print Aslam, Hassan. â€Å"Improving Performanc e Management Practices in IT Firms of Pakistan.† Journal of Management Research 2.2 (2010): 3-6. Print Elmuti, Dean. â€Å"Self managed work teams approach: creative management tool or a fad?† Management Decisions 35.3 (1997): 233-239. Print Wiese, Danielle Buckley, Ronald. â€Å"The Evolution of The Performance Appraisal Process.† Journal of Management History 4.3 (1998): 233-249. Print

Network communications Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Network communications - Assignment Example it is networks, which connect computers located mostly in one building, WANs – are networks, which are farther than LANs, however, they connect computers in low distance through the telephone or radio channel, CANs – are networks, which located strictly on the one peculiar location, like the campus of university and so on and the last one is MANs – are the largest networks, which connect considerable quantity of computers, which located in the city. Such networks are very big and have many servers, routers, which allow their functioning (â€Å"What is,† 2013). There are measures of the networks efficiency and one of them is bandwidth. Considering the networks, bandwidth is generally data transfer rate, i.e. amount of some data that can be transferred from one location to another in some specified period of time, however mostly this period is set to one second. Bandwidth is expressed in bps i.e. bits per second. Many modern networks can allow millions of bits per second, and they express it with the Mbps(â€Å"What is,† 2011). Early computers had not access to the network without the special device, it is called NIC. This device allows computers to join the network through some of the channels like wire or radio. Modern computers have preinstalled Computer network interface cards, which are abbreviated to the NIC. Some of the NICs have both wire and radio channels to connect other computers. They belong to the PCI devices(â€Å"What is,† 2011). There are three wired and wireless media for the network transmission and wired ones are: twisted pair, coaxial cable, optical fiber and to wireless media belong: Radio waves, microwaves, infrared. All these media enable networks’ existence (What is, 2014). There is one situation where there was very hard to enable computers to communicate, I had usual local network connection with one computer and wanted to share my internet connection with it, however, I had PPoE connection and this kind of connection needs

The Implication of Legalization or Reduction of Punishment Severity Essay

The Implication of Legalization or Reduction of Punishment Severity for Drug Use and Drug-Related Offenses - Essay Example rmined researcher among those presenting estimates, Herbert Kleber, basically claimed that â€Å"if cocaine were legally available, as alcohol and nicotine are now, the number of cocaine abusers would probably rise to a point somewhere between the number of users of the other two agents, perhaps 20 to 25 million† (MacCoun & Reuter, 2001, 72). This study analyzes and reveals what is known about the effect of harsh prison sentences or the aggressive enforcement levels of drug prohibitions in contemporary America. This study makes two arguments. It is possible that harsh drug penalties could be significantly lessened without substantially escalating use and reoffending but also that legalization could result in considerable escalations in use and reoffending. The two arguments are not conflicting, nor is this study attempting to take up a guarded ‘neutral’ position. Significantly reduced user authorizations may have qualitatively diverse impacts than modifications in the legal position of drug production and sales. To a lot of people, it may appear apparent that reduction of harsh prison sentences or penalties would increase drug use and reoffending. But MacCoun (1993 as cited in MacCoun & Reuter, 2001) claimed that this may not be the case. Similar to the premises of this study, the article enumerated seven different processes by which drug penalties influence drug use and reoffending and analyzed the existing empirical and theoretical literature on each process. Most of these processes put off drug use and reoffending, but hardly any seem to really support it; they are among the numerous accidental outcomes of harsh drug penalties (MacCoun & Reuter, 2001). MacCoun (1993) asserted that lack of knowledge regarding the enormity of each these outcomes- in particular at the legal-illegal threshold—prevented any certain inferences about whether legalization would affect drug use and reoffending, much less the scale of any escalation. But from 1993 thereon, a