Willa Cather a Lost Lady Essays

Willa Cather a Lost Lady Essays Willa Cather a Lost Lady Paper Willa Cather a Lost Lady Paper In Willa Cathers A Lost Lady, we are confronted with many examples of love and personal growth, two themes that Cather seamlessly intertwines by utilizing her technique of elucidation of complex emotion through use of nature and landscape throughout the novel. In this essay, I argue that Cather defines love and personal growth of Marian Forrester through three distinct scenes: the drunken long distance call between Mrs. Forrester and Ellinger after she learns of his elopement, the story of how Mr. nd Mrs. Forrester met and fell in love (told at the boys dinner party after the death of Captain Forrester), and the scene where Neil discovers that Mrs. Forrester found a happily ever after, after all. I chose these specific scenes because they explicate Mrs. Forresters romantic ideals of love and her personal growth as she struggles in vain to find the life shes looking for, that is, a life of both wealth and true love. Though some may view Marian Forresters long-standing affair with the masculine Frank Ellinger as a fatal character flaw, I contend that its existence and its abrupt demise via long distance telephone call illustrate a vital stepping stone along her journey of personal growth, and give us an important piece of the puzzle that is her evolving ideal of love. As soon as Marian Forrester storms into Neils house in the middle of the night, we learn that she has braved the rain, mud, and (especially), the ford crossing that was â€Å"up to a horses belly† with flood water (Cather 123). In her drunken state, nothing will distract her from her present mission, which is, to give Frank Ellinger the telling off hell never forget for betraying her trust. Presumably, she had meant to marry Ellinger herself, after the death of Captain Forrester, but Ellinger had been forced to choose otherwise when a mysterious feminine illness – that is, pregnancy – happened to befall the very lady whom Mrs. Forrester had been the source of introduction. We learn of this only through Mrs. Forresters end of the conversation, where she remarks, â€Å"Where shall you go on your honeymoon? Oh, Im very sorry! So soon you must take good care of her† (Cather 127). Of course, Ellinger may also be referring to an illness, as some excuse not to come see Mrs. Forrester. Either way, it becomes clear that Ellinger is forgetting the promises he made to Mrs. Forrester, and making his final attempts to be rid of her forever. It is the beginning of night at this part of the story, and ne may also conclude that this is the beginning of a sort of â€Å"night† in Marian Forresters life as well. It is following this point that Mrs. Forrester begins to sink into a deep depression, and allows herself to fall from the high esteem in which everyone in the community has held her. But there is also a glimpse into the personal growth that will occur from that point on, for this was not the first time that Marian Forresters ideal of love had gone terribly awry. Following the death of Captain Forrester, Marian slowly gains back a bit of her determination; indeed, she is determined to no longer let love stand in the way of the life she seeks – that is, a life of wealth and consequence. Twice before, her ideals of love had not turned out the way shed hoped. After her husbands death, we finally catch a glimpse into how it came to be that Mrs. Forrester was married to a man so much older than she. After being taken to the mountains to avoid publicity over her fiances murder, she fell almost to her death during a hiking trip. All night in the bitter cold, she laid there. But then, Captain Forresters party came to her rescue. It did not escape her that â€Å"she suffered less when Captain Forrester carried her, and that he took on all the most dangerous places on the trail himself† (Cather 158). In his arms, she felt secure, saying to those listening that â€Å"I knew that if we fell, wed go together; he would never drop me . . . when he asked me to marry him, he didnt have to ask twice† (Cather 158-159). She thought that he would never drop her, never let her down in life. That is why she consented to marry him. At nineteen, she was not in a position to understand what she was getting herself into. But as we meet with her in the novel, we see that she is starved for something that she had likely never known shed have to leave behind when she said yes to Captain Forrester at the sprightly age of nineteen: companionship with those on the same social level. Captain Forrester did indeed let her down, by isolating her from her natural habitat of socialization, like an exotic tropical bird locked away in a cage in distant northern mountains. After telling her story, Marian â€Å"drew her finger-tips absently across her forehead, as if to brush away something, – the past, or the present, who could tell? † Marian was brushing away those foolish ideals of romance and the heroic triumph of true love. She was embracing her own power and independence, to effect change in her own life, without waiting for change to present itself. Marian was preparing herself to shed her former romantic self, to do what she had to do to get what she wanted, indeed, what she had been starved of so long through her own foolish pursuit of love. Indirectly, we discover the result of Marians struggle to redefine herself. â€Å"Oh yes,† we learn, â€Å"she was married again, – to a cranky old Englishman; Henry Collins was his name† (Cather 165). Marian has found once more her natural place in society, she is discovered at a banquet, in a big hotel, â€Å"all done up in furs, with a scarf over her head† (Cather 164). Her husband, we learn, cannot really truly love her, and nor can she truly love him. However, she has found at last the sort of life she was looking for, if only by shedding her true identity. She was a good deal made up, of course, like most of the women down there; plenty of powder, and a little red, too, I guess. Her hair was black, blacker than I remembered it; looked as if she dyed it† (Cather 165). Like most of the women of her age, and certainly, of her era, she had to cover up her true self in order to exert her power and independence in the pursuit of happiness. Indeed, he r remarkable comeback stuns Ed Elliot, who states that â€Å"It was remarkable, how shed come up again. She seemed pretty well gone to pieces before she left Sweet Water† (Cather 165). Of course, any one who truly paid attention to Mrs. Forrester throughout her journey could never have been truly surprised at her outcome. Mrs. Forrester, though sometimes allowing herself to be carried away with the strong emotions she faced, always maintained willful independence and control over the opinions others may have of her. She had faced her night, with the death of her husband (who she once, I believe, truly did love dearly), and with the marriage of Ellinger, whom she never loved truly, only believed she did. She makes peace with both, by forgetting the latter entirely, and by paying her respects to the former, â€Å"wherever she was, she always sent a cheque to the Grand Army Post every year to have flowers put on Captain Forresters grave for Decoration Day† (Cather 166). She understands the role they played in the development of her character, and especially, her own understanding of the extent of her resolve. While her new husband Collins seems deliberately misplaced, (an Englishman whom she met in America before moving to South America), Marian is quite at home. She has finally found her place in life, by conquering her foolish ideals of romanticism in exchange for something she loves still more – comfort and consequence. In the end, Marian makes peace that she is not destined to have both true love and a comfortable life of wealth, and is contented with the fact that she must choose. We follow her through three distinct life stages. At first, she is an idealistic young woman, who believes that she is attaining love and comfort in her choice of Captain Forrester. As her comforts slowly wear away to nothing, and her romance along with it, she discovers that she made the wrong choice in Captain Forrester. Her passionate mid-life encounter with Ellinger finalizes the blow that she received from Captain Forrester, and that is that love can be fickle and decietful, and cannot be trusted with something as important as the rest of ones life, sending her into a proverbial â€Å"night,† where she is clouded by darkness and feels miserable. At the end of her life, she learns to trust in something far more substantial – herself. She gives up her pursuit of love, and instead pursues only comfort in life. She finds what she is looking for, and with that, she is contented. Only with distant nostalgia does she look upon her life in Sweet Water, because she knows that it was a life as unsustainable as it was unsupportable. Just as Sweet Water is cleared away to make room for industrialization, Marian clears the ideals of romantic love from her existence. Though she learns to live practically, and to find happiness in her life without love, she never forgets the life she led before, and the love she knew. Through the encounter with Ed Elliot, where she states â€Å"if you ever meet Neil Herbert, give him my love, and tell him I often think of him,† and by her respect toward her husband, through the decoration of his grave, she reveals that she looks upon her life of love without regret (Cather 165). Through her personal growth, we find that Marians ideals of love must evolve over her life based on the circumstances with which she is faced, and we come to understand her as an individual with both the power to change her own circumstances and the ability to love deeply, whether or not she chooses to pursue that love.

Factors that determine your success as a kid

Factors that determine your success as a kid 13 Things You Need to Be A Successful Kid! Want to be successful and trying to determine some dependencies, which can make you such a person? Or are you a loving parent and want to make everything possible to bring up a prosperous person? Scientists have made thousands of investigations, directed on the examination of parent and children relations, behavior patterns and other facts. There is no doubt that parents and family environment are the determinants for kid’s further life. Children are absorbing all behavior and emotional patterns, so they are like a mirror of their parents. The scientists prove that even small habits and parent’s actions matter for kid’s success. So the most common things, which are characteristic for successful kids are: Doing chores Scientists prove that children, who are made to do chores, are more organized and disciplined. These children are more successful at school than the kids, who do not perform some kind of household duties. When a kid understands that he/she has the range of certain responsibilities, it is easier for them to adapt for educational or real life environment. Sufficient social skills As follows from the scientific research, one more success factor for kids is represented by the social skills, which they have developed due to their parents. If parents have active social positions and have quite a big circle of contacts, their children have all chances to develop their social skills and have more effective results in the communication. Parents with high expectations If parents feel reliance upon their children and plan their college education or carrier, this will motivate their children. In such a way kids make more efforts and feel more responsibility. Indifferent and not caring parents usually have less successful children with poor number of achievements. Healthy relations with parents When parents and children are friends, children have fewer reasons for deviant behavior.   Healthy relations with parents make children happier and more capable to cope with different situations, always feeling the support of their relatives. Parents with higher educational degree If parents have completed education in higher institution, their kids are more likely to do the same. And higher educational degree correspondingly means more chances for success in professional sphere. Scientists assure that the percentage of successful kids with certified parents is distinctively higher. Learning math from early on It was noticed by the meta-analysts, that children, who have background knowledge of numbers and their order, have better study results further. Besides, kids gain high achievements not only in math, but in other subjects and gain reading and writing skills faster. Warm and developed relationships with parents Thus, relationships with parents are the determinative factors for kids’ lives. That is great when kids ask advices, share their problems and have trust-based communication with their parents. Such kind of relations gives confidence and provides a moral support. Less stress The emotional state of parents is absorbed by their kids. So when parents have less stress situations, it is reflected positively on their children. Less stress gives more emotional strength and effectiveness by reaching different goals within the kid’s life. Effort to avoid failure When kids strive to avoid any sort of failures, using their abilities or making efforts to develop new ones, it is great if parents appreciate this. In such a way their parents create an image of persons who achieve success, no matter what failures and misfortunes are on their paths during lives. Working mom If a child has a mom who spends much time working and earning money he or she generates an example of the person who knows the value of a labor. Also such life conditions provide more time for children to develop independence and more â€Å"adultery† view on life from an early age. Higher socioeconomic status No wonder that the higher socioeconomic status of a person is, the more abilities for his or her children are accessible and there are more ways in life to follow. It is sad that people possess different socioeconomic statuses, but anyway, for those who set their goals and try to realize them, there exist no obstacles that can stop them. Authoritative parents Authoritativeness is best for the children bringing-up process. In such a way they learn from their closest people how to behave in a correct way without letting others do inappropriate things and perform not strict, but right control. Learning ‘grit’ â€Å"Grit† is the ability to achieve the goal on long-lasting terms, and if the children possess such a quality, they can more easily and possibly reach their goals, that they set for themselves. This feature is essential for those who want to bring their dreams into reality, no matter what.

Conflict Management In The Area Of Public Management Essay

Conflict Management In The Area Of Public Management - Essay Example Conflict management is an art, and when dealing with public issues, this becomes a major challenge. In the broad context of defining conflict management with the tag of public issues, the scope moves beyond the office set-up and can involve, for example, union-management issues, public-counsel issues, etc. Seemingly, these words are fairly common terms used in the English language, but the gurus of the language speak themselves that at times, the most common terms are the most difficult ones to describe. Following the same, it is essential to describe these key terms with reference to the given topic. Logical sense generally implies, understanding a certain issue in a manner that it makes sense via the route of logic i.e. the explanation contains logic and has substances, and makes sense. For example, raising salaries can deteriorate profits makes perfect logical sense, but the solution is not not-raising-salaries, but rather a good way out can be introducing performance-based bonuses because salaries are fixed and bonuses vary with relation to the profits. Arguments are the cross-charge statements whereby one entity disagrees to the viewpoint of the other and presents its statement of disagreement. Managerial advice is simply put the advice placed to the management, and likewise any other entity getting advice, the management also needs to comprehend and analyze various factors including the outcome of the application/implementation of the advice. The three terms described by far can be combined together to comprehend that the arguments, when presented to the management should make logical sense for the application. However, in line with the given statement for discussion, it is difficult to make logical sense out of the arguments presented to the management.

Trends in Mining Industry Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 98

Trends in Mining Industry - Case Study Example Aluminum cost is going even lower in China beyond much of other countries. This is due to the funding by the Chinese government which has now reduced competition for the aluminum product from China. Silver and copper are amongst those expected to drop as well, however, this may not be immediate but rather gradual. Diamond and gemstone are the minerals whose mining are expected to experience a boom realizing the largest industry growth in Australia. The mining industry in Australia has experienced a tremendous growth over time and is thus expected to affect a change in the mining industry. However, explorations or mines are in a downturn. There is slush in companies’ exploration budgets. Additionally, there is a plummet of about 30% in the exploration of non-ferrous metals. Thus the focus is shifting away from the exploration of minerals to production. The nursery sector of mining is shrinking due to a rise in troubled small miners. Small miners are experiencing problems due to lack of economies of scale. Costs are likely to careen beyond control due to the resultant pullback in the budgets for exploration threatening to widen the rift between supply and demand. The mining sector is in a decline falling with over 7.5% in 2014. The effects of these challenges have subsequently made companies mothball their projects as well as cap capacity. Therefore only an adoption of new ways of business will break this cycle. Nonetheless, CIBC world Market projects a likely rise in gold at about $US1383 per ounce as silver on the other end is to fall to about $US22.81 per ounce similarly, copper will experience a drop to $US3.17 per pound. A critical evaluation of Dicores customers and Dicores competitors shows the table below using strengths, weakness risks and opportunity (Amin, Razmi, & Zhang, 2011).

The Solar System Essay Example for Free

The Solar System Essay Astronomers have found a new dwarf planet far beyond Plutos orbit, suggesting that this distant realm contains millions of undiscovered objects — including, perhaps, a world larger than Earth. The newfound celestial body, called 2012 VP113, joins the dwarf planetSedna as a confirmed resident of a far-flung and largely unexplored region scientists call the inner Oort Cloud. Further, 2012 VP113 and Sedna may have been pulled into their long, looping orbits by a big planet lurking unseen in these frigid depths. These two objects are just the tip of the iceberg, study co-author Chadwick Trujillo, of the Gemini Observatory in Hawaii, told Space. com. They exist in a part of the solar system that we used to think was pretty devoid of matter. It just goes to show how little we actually know about the solar system. [New Dwarf Planet Photos The orbits of Sedna (orange) and dwarf planet 2012 VP113 (red). Also shown are the orbits of the giant planets (purple). The Kuiper belt is the dotted light blue region. Illustration: Scott S Sheppard/Carnegie Institution for Science Astronomers have increased the size of the observable solar system after spotting a 450-km wide object orbiting the sun. The lump of ice and rock circles the sun at a greater distance than any known object, and never gets closer than 12bn kilometres – 80 times the distance from Earth to the sun. If its size is confirmed it could qualify as a dwarf planet in the same category as Pluto. Researchers said the discovery proves the existence of the inner Oort cloud, a region of icy bodies that lies far beyond the orbit of Neptune – which at 4.5bn kilometres from the sun is the most remote  planet in the solar system. Until a proper name is decided upon, the body is known only as 2012 VP113. According to the science journal Nature, the team that discovered it call it VP for short, or Biden, after US vice president Joe Biden. Its pink tinge comes from radiation damage that alters the make-up of frozen water, methane and carbon dioxide on the surface. Though exciting in its own right, the discovery raises a more tantalising prospect for many astronomers: that a Super Earth up to 10 times the mass of our planet orbits the sun at such a great distance that it has never been seen.

Pastoral Ministry Essay -- Religion, Christ, Church, God

Christ is the leader of the Church, Paul in Ephesians 1:22 said â€Å"God placed everything under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the Church† however, God entrusted the authority to lead to his servant whom he set them aside to lead the community. Pastor as a public Leadership is to lead community. A person who is called by God to lead public has a responsibility to be in the community, with the community and for the community. One of best questions raised in the class during public leadership discussion was â€Å"How we can be a community pastor rather than just a church pastor?† This really a kind of question we are to consider as pastor especially as rural congregation pastor. In most cases when pastor are called to ministry, especially the first call, what is in pastor’s mind is not the community in general but only the congregation he/she is going to serve. As a pastor we are not just called to deal with the Spiritual life of p eople in the Church, we are also responsible to take part in the leadership of socio-economic, political, cultural and others aspect of the whole community we are called to. God calls pastor through congregation, whenever God calls it is not because who we are but because whom God is. Jesus does not says to the eleven disciples, all authority has been given to you, therefore go†¦ what is said was all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matthew 28:18). All the power and the authority belong to God, however, God entrusted his authority to us to go and be a servant. Who is going to be a good leader? Leading does not demand perfectness; the only perfect leader of his people is God. Paul did not pressed on the perfectness of young Timothy we he gave for public l... ...ng out and proclaims the gospel for unchurhed, and pastors should focus on internal evangelicalism. It is hard to evangelize other before we got evangelized ourselves. Most Churches tries to evangelize other by giving away their resources, being a good steward is good to promote the work of evangelism; however, pastor should focus first on evangelizing the members of their congregation. Today majority of Church goers do not understand their bible. When God ordered Moses to build the Tabernacle, its construction started from the inner most of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:10), the last work to be done to finish the Tabernacle was the outer parts ( Exodus 40:33). Here I want to indicate that the Pastor should start the work evangelism from the pew to the community. To produce good evangelist the pastor should work on making his congregation biblical well versed.

Mental Models About a Person’s World Essay

INTRODUCTION: Meeting a person for the first time, can either be a positive or negative experience and the way someone interacts with this person can also show both positive and negative behaviours. So the question is, how can mental models about a person’s world, both aid them and also limit their perceptions when meeting a person for the first time. Through exploring how and why these perceptions can be assisted and limited, we can start to question the reasoning behind our mental models. MENTAL MODELS Throughout the years, academic literature has defined a mental model in many ways, however the best way to understand what a mental model is, is the deeply imbedded ways of thinking or even certain images, that trigger assumptions and generalisations, ultimately affecting the way a person responds too or behaves in the world, be it towards a person or a life situation (Senge 2006). A good example of a mental model is, the generalization that only rich people live in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. This generalisation may be true in some cases, but in other cases, other people may live there because they have lived their all their lives, and so, we can see this particular generalisation or â€Å"mental model† has not be thought through. Not questioning mental models, can often lead to false generalisations, this situation can also arise when meeting a person for the first time. When meeting a person for the first time, our mental models can help us both understand and ultimately get along with the person or they can limit our perceptions, meaning we make assumptions or generalisations that eventually alter our perceptions about this person or how we act towards them. Very often, we see that we are not consciously aware of our mental models and the affects that they can have on our behaviour (Chermack 2003), this in turn, restricts our perceptions. Mental models are often vague, incomplete and imprecisely expressed (Karp 2005) however, once believed, mental models are extremely difficult to change (Chermack 2003). This is highly due to the  fact that people are unaware of their own mental models, and the only way for a person to change their mental model, is for them to acknowledge that they have one to start with. Mental models can be useful as they can help us to process information and make decisions quickly (Unknown 1997) and they can also be imperative foundations for building knowledge about the world we live in (Karp 2005). For instance, when an individual has a mental model that all take away food is bad for their health and wellbeing, when given the option of either having take away food or a healthy meal at home, the individuals mental model will therefore lead them to quickly decide to eat a healthy meal at home. However, very strong mental models can hinder active thinking and the acceptance of new ideas (Unknown 1997), and often arise problems when they are tacit, meaning that they are below the level of awareness (Senge 1992). Using the example of the Detroit auto maker, not recognising that they had the mental model that all that customers cared about was styling, believing that â€Å"all people care about is styling†, evidently shows us that their mental model had become tacit. This mental model continued to be unexamined, and because this mental model remained unexamined, the model remained unchanged, and thus as the world changed the gap grew between the mental model of this Detroit automaker and the world (Senge 1992). Clearly, mental models can perform as filters that screen incoming information that come to us, limiting our ways of thinking and also our perceptions (Unknown 1997). An individual’s mental model represents their view on the world, it also provides them with the context in which they view and interpret new material and also new people in which they meet for the first time (Kim 1993). It not only helps us to make sense of what is going on around us, but it can also restrict our understanding of a certain situation. For example, when someone has been labeled as not a nice person, with never questioning the validity of it, people create a mental model that, that person is not nice, and so when they do or say something nice it goes unnoticed, and therefore, the behaviour does not fit with the mental model people have towards this  certain individual. These untested assumptions or mental models can eventually cause conflict and misunderstandings between people. Developing skills in reflection and inquiry can aid us in realising our mental models and also with dealing with others. When we use skills of reflection we slow down our ways of thinking and acknowledge how our mental models are formed and how they affect our behaviour. Where as skills of inquiry, is concerned with how we operate in face-to-face situations with others, especially when we are dealing with complex and conflictual issues (Senge 2006). Together with the tools and methods used to develop these skills these constitute the core of the discipline of mental models, which consists of; the distinctions between espoused theories and theories-in-use, recognising â€Å"leaps of abstraction†, exposing the â€Å"left-hand column† and balancing inquiry and advocacy (Senge 2006). When an individual says that they value or desire something, that is known as espoused theory, however, what they actually say or do, is known as theories-in-use (Bocham 2010). Acknowledging the gaps between what we say and what we do, can be seen as an effective reflective skill in becoming more aware of our mental models. Someone may profess their view (espoused theory) that people generally are trustworthy, but their actions (theories-in-use) show differently, as they never lend out money and keep their possessions to themselves (Senge 2006). As evident in the example above, there is a gap between the individual’s espoused theory and their theory-in-use. By recognising the gap between espoused theory and the theory-in-use, learning can occur, as we as individuals question whether or not we really value our espoused theory (Senge 2006). When we meet a person for the first time, we can quickly jump into generalisations as we never think to question them. For example, when we meet a person and they say that they are a doctor, we automatically assume that they are smart, as it is a generalization that all doctors are smart we never seem to question this mental model. These are known as â€Å"leaps of abstraction†. â€Å"Leaps of abstraction† occur when we move from direct observations to generalisations without questioning them, this ultimately  impedes learning because it becomes axiomatic, as what was once an assumption is now treated as a fact (Senge 2006). Therefore, this becomes another limitation, in which mental models can have on our perceptions when we meet people for the first time. However, these â€Å"leaps of abstraction† can easily be identified when people ask what their generalisation is based-on and whether or not the generalisation is inaccurate or misleading (Senge 2006) Senge (2006) identifies the â€Å"left-hand column† as a powerful technique whereby individuals begin to see how their mental models operate in differing situations. This exercise can show individuals that they indeed have mental models and show them how those models play an active part in sometimes negative interactions with people, not only do these people become aware of their mental models, but they begin to acknowledge why dealing with these assumptions is imperative (Senge 2006). In order for good communication between individuals to arise, people need to recognise that in order for the communication process to be effective, mental models must be managed properly, this is done by balancing advocacy and inquiry (Peggy & Bronn 2003). Advocacy is the process of communicating an individual’s ways of thinking and reasoning in a manner that makes it clear for others (Peggy & Bronn 2003). When there is advocacy without inquiry, it only leads to more advocacy, and therefore leads to two individuals stating their ways of reasoning and thinking, they both are keen to here the others views, but do not inquire into what they are saying because they believe that what they are saying is ultimately the best way of thinking. A way to tackle this, is through the process of inquiry. Inquiry engages two individuals into the communication process in a joint learning process (Peggy & Bronn 2003). Here the objective is to understand the reasoning and thinking of the other individual, this can be done by asking them questions in order for them to determine the origin for their conclusions and statements (Peggy & Bronn 2003). Individuals can do this by asking questions such as; â€Å"What is it that leads you to that position?† and â€Å"can you illustrate your point for me?† (Senge 2006). Thus, it is evident  that grasping the skill of balancing advocacy and inquiry, is highly advantageous in interacting with other individuals, especially those you meet for the first time. CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is imperative and highly advantageous for us to question our mental models in everyday situations, such as meeting people for the first time, as it will deter us from automatically making assumptions and making generalisations. Through acknowledging ‘leaps of abstraction†, using the â€Å"left-hand column† technique and also personally mastering the skill of balancing advocacy and inquiry, we can learn to question these mental models, and thus questioning whether or not they really do hold their value in our world. Thus, when we meet a person for the first time, before we make assumptions and generalisations, we may need to recognise our imbedded mental models and learn to question them, therefore aiding the process of communication to be a positive experience. REFERENCE LIST: Bochman, DJ & Kroth, M. 2010, â€Å"Immunity to transformational learning and change†, _The Learning Organization,_ vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 328-342. Chermack, TJ 2003, â€Å"Mental models in decision making and implications for human resource development†, _Advances in Developing Human Resources,_ vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 408-422. Karp, T 2005, â€Å"Unpacking the Mysteries of Change: Mental Modelling†, _Journal of Change Management,_ vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 87-96. Kim, DH 1993, â€Å"The Link Between Individual and Organizational Learning†, _Sloan management review,_ vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 37-37. Peggy, SB & Bronn, C 2003, â€Å"A reflective stakeholder approach: Co-orientation as a basis for communication learning†, _Journal of Communication Management,_ vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 291-303. Senge, P 2006, â€Å"Mental Models†, _The fifth discipline: the art and practice of learning organizations,_ rev. edn, Doubleday, New York, pp. 163-190. Senge, PM 1992, â€Å"Mental Models†, _Planning Review,_ vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 4-4. Unknown 1997, â€Å"What are Mental Models?†, _Sloan management review,_ vol. 38, no. 3, p. 13.

Why Study Organizations?

In order to answer an essay question, first of all, we need to understand what is meant by the term ‘organization’ from the sociological point of view. Then we need to understand what role organizations are playing in our life and why it is essential to study them. As we can imagine, there are different types of organizations. All of them have their own structure and purpose. In this essay I would like to focus on business organizations: how they appeared and developed; how employees’ relations were changing, etc. I would like to pay the specific attention to such department as Human Resource Management – how this term appeared and why it is so important nowadays. So, why do we actually need to study organizations? This question, from my point of view, has a very easy and obvious answer: we need to study organizations for the same reason we study the world around us. We are intelligent and curious people. We always need an explanation of what is happening, how the things are working, and what place do we take among other people. Organizations are the huge part of our modern daily life: we either study or work for them, or we are obtaining goods and services from them. We are interacting with organizations all the time, so it is not surprising, that we want to study them; and it does not matter if you are a manager or consumer – you are still involved in it and you want to be aware of what is happening around you. What is organization? In sociology term ‘organization’ has a very general meaning. This â€Å"is basically a structure for carrying out a particular social activity on a regular basis† (Fulcher and Scott, 2009; p. 542). All the organizations have such features as specific goal, defined membership, rules of behaviour, and authority relationships. This is also important to mention, that all organizations have the characteristic of continuity. This means that personnel can be changing, but the organization will still exist. There is no clear definition of what social units come into the category of organizations. Some of them are easy to define, other will bring us some difficulties. For instance, business corporations, schools, hospitals, trade unions are definitely organizations, as they all have the characteristics mentioned before. On the other hand, communities, social groups, and class are not organizations, as they do not have rules of behaviour or specific goals. The problem can occur, when we come across the term ‘institution’. The first thing we need to understand here is that organization is not an institution. Institution is â€Å"an established practice that regulate the various activities that make up social life† (Fulcher and Scott, 2009; p. 543). The most common examples of institutions in daily life are weddings and funerals. Although, these are two different terms, there is one class of organizations which is called total institution. Most of the organizations leave people with their separate private lives, but it is not the case with total institution. It is characterised by such features as disappearance of private life, planned and supervised activities, sharp division between staff and inmates, the mortification of the self. The biggest examples of the total institution are mental hospital and prison, where people are isolated from the outside world and society. Now we know what defines organizations, but we still did not get to the point why do we need to study them. From my point of view, it is essential to look at the historical background of organizations. We need to understand how they were appearing and developing trough the time, in order to understand how they are functioning nowadays. In this essay I have decided to look specifically at one type of organizations – business corporations. Weber (1914) said that modern society is distinguished from the earlier one by the appearance of the multiplicity of administrative tasks and the need to expertise and carry them. He called it â€Å"the increasing complexity of civilization†. Weber said that this phenomenon is caused by growing size of organizations, greater wealth and increasing social problems. If we would refer to the history of organizations, we can see the significant changes in structure, polices, employee relations, values, etc. The first interest in organizations appeared in the 19th century, which was driven by industrialization. Industrial revolution was caused by development of technologies, which completely changed the structure of most of the organizations, and lead to the transformation of society. The introduction of manufacturing process completely changed the employment relations. Discipline was the key feature of the new organization, as it helped to control and organize people more effectively – this lead to the process of bureaucratization. New industrialists were looking for the profitable production. In order to achieve it, they needed punctuality and uninterrupted work during fixed hours from their employees. These targets were achieved by bureaucratisation, which was central to the administrative revolution. These rganizations were highly rational, they functioned in a discipline and unemotional manner, their activities were calculated, systematic and predictable. This approach helped the manufacturers maximize the return on their capital. This new manufacturing process was the beginning of the new era of employment relations. Bureaucracy is a systematic approach; all the workers had their duties and were paid respectively. But, as many other theories, this sys tem did not work so smooth in the real life, as it seemed on paper. Employers’ main purpose was to increase the profit, in order to do so, they were underpaying their employees. At the beginning people were happy just to have jobs, but the time passed and workers started to understand and fight for their human rights. This situation caused the appearance of the new type of organizations called ‘trade unions’. Trade union is an organization of workers, who tied together in order to achieve better working conditions. It is suggested that the origins of trade unions lay in the failure of the early Factory act to protect children and women at the work place; as a result many began to work together, forming unions to agitate for change in the law and greater respect for the workers (BBC). As we can see, relationships between employers and workers were getting more and more complicated. In order to keep company’s profitability, employers had to meet workers’ conditions – this brought the necessity of new management approach, which was called scientific or personnel management. This approach was first introduced by Frederick Winslow Taylor in the late 19th century. Personnel Management was an administrative record-keeping function; it attempted to maintain fair terms and conditions for employees. This was the beginning of the employee relations. Its main idea was to pay people for their productivity, the new reward system was introduced. In other words people were paid for the amount of time they worked and for the quantity of items they produced. This was the beginning of new era of management. Lately Personnel Management evolved into the Human Resource Management, it was again caused by the employee’s unsatisfied demands. People were paid properly, but it was not enough anymore. Workers were tired of being treated as machines, they were demanding for more personal attitude. It was the time when Human Resource Management was introduced. It was concerned with carrying out the same functional activities traditionally performed by the personnel function, such as recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, etc. But HRM approach was looking at employees from the point of view, that they are the main organizational assets. It was seeking to achieve the competitive advantage trough the strategic development of highly committed and capable work force. In other words, employers were trying to create the comfortable and friendly working environment, in order to keep the best employees in the company. As we can see from the historical background, there were massive changes in the organizational structure; and these changes appeared in a relatively small amount of time. We are living in the world of progress, where everything is developing so fast, that it is sometimes very hard to catch up. By ‘everything’ I mean every aspect of our lives: technologies, government, countries, and of course people. People is the most important cause of all these changes: organization, on the first place, is all about its employees – without them it wouldn’t exist. Thinking about personal development, I would like to mention Maslow Hierarchy of needs: This pyramid clearly explains how workers’ needs were changing through the time: first of all they needed job to earn money for living; when they got it they needed to be secure that their income would be stable (Trade Unions appear); then they needed to feel comfortable in their working environment (Personnel Management); the top two requirements consider the personal recognition and the opportunity for development (this is what HRM is dealing with). Summarising everything said above, we can finally try to answer the question: â€Å"Why do we need to study organizations? † Organizations are imprescriptible part of our life: we are dealing with them practically in any aspect of our lives. We all study at the University at the moment, which means we are all part of this organization. In the future we are going to find the job and, most likely nowadays, going to be the part of another organization. As we can see, we cannot avoid this component of our life. As the Latin saying claims: â€Å"Forewarned, forearmed†. Studying organisations gives us an opportunity to know more about the world we live in, to know our lives and grab our chances. As we can see from the history. It was people, who changed the structure of organizations – simple workers, who was looking for better life. The world has changed a lot and it keeps on changing. Organizations nowadays have to be more flexible and open-minded, in order to attract the best ‘human assets’ and remain competitive; enormous amounts of money are spent on the Human Resource Development. There is prediction that the relationship that individuals will have with organizations will change: there were no longer be fixed working lives. People still need to earn money, but they do not want to be tied up with their jobs. Humanity is developing, we are having different demands and priorities from our predecessors. To go with the times, we need to study the society we live in, and organizations is one of its biggest and important parts nowadays. References 1. BBC/Learning zone Broad Band. Why Did the Trade Unions Come About? Available at: < http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/why-did-the-trade-unions-come-about/11082.html> Accessed: 20/03/2011 2. Bratton, J. & Gold, J. (2007) Human Resource Management: Theory & Practice (4th edition). Palgrave Macmillan: Basingstoke. 3. Clegg, S. and Hardy, C. (1999), Studying Organizations: Theory and Method. London: Sage. 4. Clegg, S. Kornberger, M. and Pitsis, T. (2008) Managing and Organizations: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. London: Sage. 5. Fulcher, J. and Scott, J. (2009) Sociology (OUP, 3rd edition). Oxford University Press. 6. Giddens, Anthony. (2009) Sociology (6th edition). Cambridge: Polity Press. 7. Storey, J. (1995), Human Resource Management. London: Routledge.

Free Essays on Postomodernism

Postmodernism. The term postmodernism is used in a variety of ways. On one hand, it has a common language usage, which is so broad and imprecise as to be effectively meaningless. On the other hand has also a rigorous usage which itself seems to have two variants: one as a term used to describe perceived conditions of the contrary world, the other, a term denoting an epistemological critique of modernism. In relation to strategy, the term postmodernism is a useful illustrative device used to suggest that it is a management and/or the world, which has changed, but what has really changed is our understanding of them. The locus of its ideas has been Europe, and of its development, application, and polemic has been the USA, and beyond that international. Virtually all the hundred-or-more contributors are American academics. For me, postmodernism is infuriatingly multi-dimensional but uniquely represents the paradoxes and reflexivities of modern living, bringing together a range of exciting disciplines to explain and explore experience, meaning and truth. The influence of postmodernism on management According to Norman Jackson and Pipa Carter, the influence of postmodernism on management is the emergence of three distinct conceptualisations of the â€Å"fact†. They have in common only their rejection – intentional or otherwise- of the modernist conceptualisation of formally logical truth, of the transcendent fact, and the consequent abandonment of a unitary management knowledge rooted in science. In this they offer, on the one hand, a resolution of the embarrassing paradoxes, which have inhibited management thinking in its modernist way, and, on the other, a plurality of approaches to post-modern management Features of post-modern way of living The modern and post-modern can be defined through contrasting sets of antinomies (Featherstone, 1988). The post-modern appears to represent a break with the modern, which is defined as being... Free Essays on Postomodernism Free Essays on Postomodernism Postmodernism. The term postmodernism is used in a variety of ways. On one hand, it has a common language usage, which is so broad and imprecise as to be effectively meaningless. On the other hand has also a rigorous usage which itself seems to have two variants: one as a term used to describe perceived conditions of the contrary world, the other, a term denoting an epistemological critique of modernism. In relation to strategy, the term postmodernism is a useful illustrative device used to suggest that it is a management and/or the world, which has changed, but what has really changed is our understanding of them. The locus of its ideas has been Europe, and of its development, application, and polemic has been the USA, and beyond that international. Virtually all the hundred-or-more contributors are American academics. For me, postmodernism is infuriatingly multi-dimensional but uniquely represents the paradoxes and reflexivities of modern living, bringing together a range of exciting disciplines to explain and explore experience, meaning and truth. The influence of postmodernism on management According to Norman Jackson and Pipa Carter, the influence of postmodernism on management is the emergence of three distinct conceptualisations of the â€Å"fact†. They have in common only their rejection – intentional or otherwise- of the modernist conceptualisation of formally logical truth, of the transcendent fact, and the consequent abandonment of a unitary management knowledge rooted in science. In this they offer, on the one hand, a resolution of the embarrassing paradoxes, which have inhibited management thinking in its modernist way, and, on the other, a plurality of approaches to post-modern management Features of post-modern way of living The modern and post-modern can be defined through contrasting sets of antinomies (Featherstone, 1988). The post-modern appears to represent a break with the modern, which is defined as being...

Learn About the Applications of Fiberglass Composites

Learn About the Applications of Fiberglass Composites The use of fiberglass started during the Second World War. Polyester resin was invented in 1935. Its potential was recognized, but finding a suitable reinforcing material proved elusive – even palm fronds were tried. Then, glass fibers which had been invented in the early 1930’s by Russel Games Slaytor and used for glass wool home insulation, were successfully combined with the resin to make a durable composite. Although it was not the first modern composite material (Bakelite - cloth reinforced phenolic resin was the first), glass reinforced plastic (‘GRP’) quickly grew into a worldwide industry. By the early 1940s, fiberglass laminates were being produced. The first amateur use – the building of a small dinghy was in Ohio was in 1942. Early Wartime Use of Glass Fiber As a new technology, resin and glass production volumes were relatively low and as a composite, its engineering characteristics were not well understood. Nevertheless, its advantages over other materials, for specific uses, were apparent. Wartime metal supply difficulties focused on GRP as an alternative. Initial applications were to protect radar equipment (Radomes), and as ducting, for example, airplane engine nacelles. In 1945, the material was used for the aft fuselage skin of the US Vultee B-15 trainer. Its first use of fiberglass in main airframe construction was that of a Spitfire in England, though it never went into production. Modern Uses Almost 2 million tons a year of the unsaturated polyester resin (‘UPR’) component are produced worldwide, and its widespread use is based on a number of features besides its relatively low cost: low technology fabricationdurabilityhigh flexing tolerancemoderate/high strength/weight ratiocorrosion resistanceimpact resistance Aviation and Aerospace GRP is used extensively in aviation and aerospace though it is not widely used for primary airframe construction, as there are alternative materials which better suit the applications. Typical GRP applications are engine cowlings, luggage racks, instrument enclosures, bulkheads, ducting, storage bins and antenna enclosures. It is also widely used in ground-handling equipment. Automotive For those who love automobiles, the 1953 model Chevrolet Corvette was the first production car to have a fiberglass body. As a body material, GRP has never succeeded against metal for large production volumes. However, fiberglass has a big presence in the replacement body parts, custom and kit auto markets. Tooling costs are relatively low as compared with metal press assemblies and ideally, suit smaller markets. Boats and Marine Since that first dinghy in 1942, this is an area where fiberglass is supreme. Its properties are ideally suited to boat building. Although there were problems with water absorption, modern resins are more resilient, and the composites continue to dominate the marine industry. In fact, without GRP, boat ownership would never have reached the levels it has today, as other construction methods are simply too expensive for volume production and not amenable to automation. Electronics GRP is widely used for circuit board manufacture (PCBs) – there is probably one within six feet of you now. TVs, radios, computers, cellphones – GRP holds our electronic world together. Home Almost every home has GRP somewhere – whether in a bathtub or a shower tray. Other applications include furniture and spa tubs. Leisure How much GRP do you think there is in Disneyland? The cars on the rides, the towers, the castles – so much of it is based on fiberglass. Even your local fun park probably has water slides made from the composite. And then the health club – do you ever sit in a Jacuzzi? That’s probably GRP as well. Medical Because of its low porosity, non-staining, and hard wearing finish, GRP is ideally suited to medical applications, from instrument enclosures to X-ray beds (where X-ray transparency is important). Projects Most people who tackle DIY projects have used fiberglass at one time or another. It is readily available in hardware stores, easy to use (with a few health precautions to be taken), and can provide a really practical and professional looking finish. Wind Energy Building 100’ wind turbine blades is a major growth area for this versatile composite, and with wind energy a massive factor in the energy supply equation, its use is certain to continue to grow. Summary GRP is all around us, and its unique characteristics will ensure that it remains one of the most versatile and easy to use composites for many years to come.

Comparing and contrasting Odyssey by Homer to movie O'Brother, Where Essay

Comparing and contrasting Odyssey by Homer to movie O'Brother, Where Art Thou - Essay Example works of art, several characters in the film have names similar to the characters in Homer’s work and the protagonist in the film, Ulysses Everett McGill, shares his name with the protagonist in Odyssey, i.e. the Latin form of the Greek name Odysseus which is Ulysses. Similarly, Odysseus and Ulysses Everett McGill both seem to have several enemies and few friends in these stories and an analysis of these characters in relation to the protagonists can help one in realizing the ultimate relationship between the film and the ancient epic poem. Thus, Athena is Odysseus’ friend and Poseidon, his enemy, while God is Ulysses’ friend in the film and the man with the dark glasses and dog (i.e. policeman) is his enemy. This paper undertakes a reflective analysis of why each one either helps or hinders Odysseus or Everett, what methods each person uses to accomplish his or her purposes and the overall efficacy with which these persons either oppose or aid Odysseus and Evere tt. A profound character analysis of Homer’s Odyssey confirms that Athena  , the daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, has one of the most helpful friends of the protagonist Odysseus and she assists him with divine powers all the way through the epic. Thus, a careful reader of the epic realizes that Athena  implements significant methods to assist her friend and she is the one who raises her voice for Odysseus in the councils of the gods on Mount Olympus. In one of the most noticeable strategies to assist her friend, Athena  frequently accompanies Odysseus in disguise as Mentor, an old friend. The major reason for why she helps Odysseus is that she is fascinated by the brave and wily character of Odysseus. â€Å"As goddess of wisdom and battle, Athena naturally has a soft spot for the brave and wily Odysseus. She helps him out of many tough situations, including his shipwreck in Book 5 and the mismatched battle of Book 22. She does not merely impart sense and safety to h er passive charge, however.