Friday, January 24, 2020
Dillard and Thoreau Comparison :: Essays Papers
Dillard and Thoreau Comparison From the lone hiker on the Appalachian Trail to the environmental lobby groups in Washington D.C., nature evokes strong feelings in each and every one of us. We often struggle with and are ultimately shaped by our relationship with nature. The relationship we forge with nature reflects our fundamental beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. The works of timeless authors, including Henry David Thoreau and Annie Dillard, are centered around their relationship to nature. The love for nature is one that is formed when young. Thoreau shows evidence of early development of a lifelong love for nature that he would carry with him in everything that he did. As a young boy of ten he was fond of walking deep into the woods that surrounded his home in Concord in search of solitude (Salt 18). Thoreau expressed an interest in living at Walden Pond at the age of ten (Salt 19). His love of nature can largely be credited to qualities inherited from his mother (Salt 22). It would rightfully be his love of nature that he would be remembered for. Thoreau after graduating from Harvard College began to keep a journal that he filled with the many thoughts and observations that came to him on his daily walks about Concord (Richardson 7). These Journals would spawn into the many books that he wrote, the most prominent being Walden. Thoreau was a self-taught naturalist, who spent much of his time systematically studying the natural phenomena almost exclusively around Concord (Witherell and Dubrulle). His Journal contains these careful observations, such as the cycles of plants, of local water levels, and many other natural phenomena (Witherell and Dubrulle). These Journals help to impress the love that he held for nature. It is this feeling that has propelled him to be considered by many to be the leader of the environmental movement (Buell 171). Thoreau himself cared little for group activities, religious or political, and even avoided organized reform movements (Gougeon 195). The abolitionist movement did however bring Thoreau out and into the public forum (Salt 140). As he became further involved with his Journal and his examination of nature he began to develop into an environmentalist and natural historian (Buell 172). This is evident by his views represented in Walden regarding the progress that was taking place in Concord at the time (Witherell and Dubrulle).
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Biographical Analysis of John Mcwhorter
Han Bin Kim Comp II, Class B Assignment 2, Draft 1 February 23, 2013 John McWhorter Interview Over the years I have interviewed a good number of people, but there has never been anyone quite like John McWhorter. Upon reading the article ââ¬Å"The Cosmopolitan Tongue: The Universality of Englishâ⬠as published in the 2009 Fall edition of World Affairs, I found myself delighted by the mellow but powerful tone and the writer who could use it with such ease. Here was a man with brains, consideration, and humor.Lost in my reveries about what McWhorter would be like, I didnââ¬â¢t quite realize that I had somehow dialed his office number until a deep voice filtered through the receiver. ââ¬Å"Yes? McWhorter speaking. â⬠With a tingling sense of nervousness I had forgotten since my rookie days, I introduced myself and asked if he could spare time for a brief interview. He replied, ââ¬Å"Interviews, my dear sir, are rarely brief,â⬠and I could almost hear his smile. There was that brilliant wit which had inspired him to state that there were ââ¬Å"no feminine-gendered tables that talk like Penelope Cruz. (McWhorter, 251) After a turn or two of friendly wrangling, he gently suggested meeting Saturday afternoon at a quiet cafe we both knew. I agreed to the designated rendezvous and, unable to control the temptation, asked, ââ¬Å"How long have you said cafe like that? â⬠The way McWhorter pronounced the word was this: the ââ¬Ëcââ¬â¢ was sweeter and lighter, in the way Italians and Spaniards speak, and the ââ¬Ëfââ¬â¢ was said like a soft ââ¬Ëpââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬âsounding simply foreign. He said simply, ââ¬Å"Since I was very young. I already knew that he had ââ¬Å"taught himself languages as a hobby since childhoodâ⬠(McWhorter, 247), and unsatisfied as I was with his answer, I vowed that Saturday would be a new day. On Saturday afternoon I drove down a peaceful country road and walked silently into the cafe. A tall man stood wi th his back to me, gazing out the large French window, and without prologue asked, ââ¬Å"Isnââ¬â¢t that a beautiful poem right in front of us? Anne Shirley said it a century ago, but Iââ¬â¢ll take the liberty to repeat it.The lines and verses are only the outward garments of the poem; the real poem is the soul within themâ⬠¦ and that beautiful scene is the soul of an unwritten poem. â⬠I smiled quietly at his analytical but sensitive analogy, reminded immediately of his description of the word ââ¬Ëalââ¬â ââ¬Å"an evergreen branch, a word whose final sound is a whistling past the sides of the tongue that sounds like wind passing through just such a branch. â⬠(McWhorter, 247) I later asked him what his childhood nickname had been, and laughing, he confessed that he had most often been called ââ¬Å"poetâ⬠.Small wonder for a man who could condense a long, everyday sentenceââ¬âsay, for example, ââ¬Å"there are an innumerable number of books that c ould have summed up to no mean weightâ⬠ââ¬âinto three pithy, creative, imagery-filled words: ââ¬Å"Bookstore shelves groan. â⬠(McWhorter, 247) He folded his long self into the armchair, crossing his legs, and leaning slightly forward he told me to sit down. As I sat, I remarked, ââ¬Å"You look a great deal like I imagined you to be. â⬠His quiet question and intelligent gaze compelled me to elucidate.I had gathered much of the premises from his writing. The contrasting thoughts ââ¬Å"I hardly rejoice when a language diesâ⬠(McWhorter, 247) and ââ¬Å"Would it be inherently evil if there were not 6,000 spoken languages but one? â⬠(McWhorter, 252) could hardly have revealed themselves in a single piece of writing unless the writer was a man of exceptionally precise, cold logic. Thus I had already envisioned the deep-set, handsome eyes that flashed fire from under his brow, and the firmly set mouth. I had also imagined him to be a handsome man, and he was that, too.Humor saved the chin from tapering too sharply, the mouth from being dour: ââ¬Å"Spanish speakers do not go about routinely imagining tables as cooing in feminine tones. â⬠(McWhorter, 249) McWhorter laughed at my analysis, wryly telling me that I should have gone out for professional work in physiognomy, and handed me the menu which the waitress had left by his side. These little considerate actions which I had noticed during the phone call and the three minutes I had met him, inspired me to ask if he had always been so considerate. He looked surprised. I have never thought myself considerate,â⬠he said slowly, ââ¬Å"I am often told that I am too frank with my words. Before I make my opinion on something, I look at it from all perspectives to check that it is perfectly reasonable and logical. But once I make it, I say it without stopping to think if people who think otherwise will be hurt by my words. â⬠I protested. I had already known that he was a considerate person just by reading his article; namely, the welcoming way with which he drew his readers in: ââ¬Å"Most Americans pronounce disgusting as ââ¬Å"diss-kustingâ⬠with a k sound. Try itââ¬âyou probably do too. )â⬠(McWhorter, 248) The tall man leaned back in the armchair and laughed. ââ¬Å"My dear friend, every writer is obligated to welcome his readers. Readers are the laziest species that ever drew breath, and if they donââ¬â¢t feel welcomed, they wonââ¬â¢t read. As for being patient in littler thingsââ¬âwell, I donââ¬â¢t know if this is very relevant or not, but I read five versions of the Talmud, each one progressively harder, when I was in middle school. Iââ¬â¢m pretty sure junior high was when my interest in Hebrew peaked.The Talmud was a pretty good source of linguistic and cultural knowledge, and some of the moral standards made pretty logical sense, so I adopted them as my own. â⬠It was relevant. Being considerate in a gent lemanly way, however, was different from the deferential attitude that McWhorter always took on when dealing with other cultures. More curious was how completely he seemed to understand each language, from its origin to how the people felt about itââ¬âââ¬Å"Native American groups would bristle at the idea that they are no longer meaningfully ââ¬Å"Indianâ⬠simply because they no longer speak their ancestral language. (McWhorter, 249) McWhorter looked a trifle annoyed at first, but gradually his well-shaped face took on more complacent, amused lines. ââ¬Å"I am a writer, and I am a linguist,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"Both have to do with wordsââ¬âtheir denotation, connotation, nuance, and power. Knowing the power each word can wield automatically inspires you to feel a certain reverence for the English vocabulary in generalââ¬âIââ¬â¢m sure youââ¬â¢ll agree with me there, sirââ¬âand knowing the power each language can wield brings you on your knees before th e altar of all languages. â⬠ââ¬Å"But you donââ¬â¢t worship something you know absolutely nothing about,â⬠he aid, gazing out at the sunlit scene again. ââ¬Å"You first make sure that whatever it is, it is something that deserves to be worshipped. So you study the language. From then on, itââ¬â¢s rather like jumping into a river. Jump into the heart of the current, and you will be swept away like a stray autumn leaf. If you give yourself wholeheartedly up for the language to mold, the culture starts to mold you too. And as for the fact that I feel this way towards all languages,â⬠and here a small frown creased his brow as he turned to me again, ââ¬Å"well, it is a shame that this should be surprising, that is all.Each language has a rich legacy, albeit a legacy very different from our own, and they should be respected. â⬠McWhorterââ¬â¢s eloquence touched me, and we talked for two more hours, vacillating from common everyday things I caught glimpses of from his article to fascinating facts I had never dreamed about him. I learned that he had mastered Socratesââ¬â¢ syllogisms at the age of six and Hegelian dialectics at the age of twelve, and that the value he respected most in humanity was its reason.Judging by the cold shoulder he gave his so beloved minority languages in his concluding paragraphââ¬âââ¬Å"We must consider the question in its pure, logical essenceâ⬠(McWhorter, 252)ââ¬âit was hardly surprising. More interesting was the fact that he had no less than four dogs at home, each named after a rare language he had specially enjoyed. The latest addition to the family was a darling slender little Chihuahua named Ket, with triple the uncertain grace of awkwardness found in dogs of his species. In the middle of hearing about Ketââ¬â¢s antics, I asked rather abruptly, ââ¬Å"What art form is your favorite?Modernist? â⬠McWhorter looked at me, surprised. ââ¬Å"How did you guess? â⬠I laughed. McWhorter, for a man of such clear-cut logic, enjoyed impossibilities as far as reality allowedââ¬â ââ¬Å"The Ket language of Siberia is so awesomely irregular as to seem a work of art. â⬠(McWhorter, 250) It was only natural that he should enjoy Picasso, whose pictures showed sharper intellectual insight, over David or Michelangelo, whose works were but excellent facsimiles of lifeââ¬â¢s appearance copied onto canvas and marble.Four hours passed by in the blink of an eye and time came for McWhorter to leave. He stood up and cordially shook my hand. ââ¬Å"It was an honor meeting you, sir, though I dare say the interview was not short. â⬠I shook my head. ââ¬Å"No, it was an excellent interview. Thank you very much, Mr. McWhorter. â⬠ââ¬Å"Please, John,â⬠McWhorter smilingly said. ââ¬Å"If thereââ¬â¢s one thing I learned from studying languages, it is that names are the essence of culture. Iââ¬â¢ve seen many languages that are creative and fiendi shly difficult and randomââ¬âbut no language is ever simpler than the other.Each has rich names for the things they treasure most. Native Americans sometimes have odd names; did you know that they have to earn it? But in our culture, we place identification foremostââ¬âand thanks be, my name is John McWhorter; John for friends and Mr. McWhorter for editors who donââ¬â¢t like my articles. â⬠ââ¬Å"Arenââ¬â¢t there many Johns here? â⬠I teased, laughing, as I pulled on my coat. McWhorter shook his head. ââ¬Å"None like me, John McWhorter,â⬠he smiled, and treaded lightly out the door.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
The Irony of Geoffrey Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales Essay
To begin, I will catch you up on what has happened up until the prologues of the characters. Chaucer introduced to us the characters that are going on this big trip to Canterbury. A number of religious affiliated people went on this group trip. Having the religious people in the group had a major impact on the people. They were able to get to really learn the true attitudes are the way these people really where. So in the general prologue, all the characters introduced themselves and gave a little background on themselves. Now knowing that, you need to know that these people did not exist. The trip itself did not exist, it was all made up. Chaucer was able to use other people to say what he was thinking on the inside. This was a huge. Heâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦They donââ¬â¢t know that what the Pardoner is preaching is wrong so they are convinced he knows what he is talking about. The only thing he cares about is getting their money. Once they are dead, they can go down for all he cares. Now the Pardoner is telling everyone this! He is getting on the drunk side so he is opening up to what he is doing. The Pardoner says the following, ââ¬Å"Trust me, you need not to doubt my word. I wonââ¬â¢t betray you, Iââ¬â¢ll be trueâ⬠. The Pardoner is telling this to these people right after he was telling them about his secret manipulation of the people. The people listening to his tale are beginning to get furious! They are supposed to go to the Pardoner to repent of their sins, and by repent, it means pay him for it. This man doesnââ¬â¢t care, he doesnââ¬â¢t listen, he could care less about saving people. The Pardoner likes a good drink at the bar, a lady by his side, and money in his hand. The Pardoner use of satire is that Chaucer is telling the people exactly what preachers, like the Pardoner, where really doing. The Pardoner himself didnââ¬â¢t exist, however people like him did. That was the irony of the story. To continue on, the second use of Chaucerââ¬â¢s satire was in the tale, the Wife of Baths. During Chaucerââ¬â¢s time, men where aloud to beat their wives. Men where in charge and that was it. What a man said is what the woman had to do. Chaucer however did not agree with this. So he used satire through the Wife of Baths to show woman had their way aroundShow MoreRelatedEssay on Geoffrey Chaucer778 Words à |à 4 PagesGeoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer was a poet, a writer, and of course a diplomat. Geoffrey Chaucer was born in the early hours of 1340s to John Chaucer, a vintner and assistant to the kings butler. As a boy, he was a leaf to the Countess of Ulster. (Lombardi) Chaucer was the most famous for writing his unfinished Canterbury tales. (Geoffrey Chaucer) He was born in London, only problem is, the exact date and place are unknown. From his writings Chaucer emerges as poet of love, both worldly and heavenlyRead More Chaucers Canterbury Tales - Comparing The Pardoners Tale and The Nuns Priests Tale805 Words à |à 4 PagesIrony in The Pardoners Tale and The Nuns Priests Tale à Irony is the general name given to literary techniques that involve surprising, interesting,or amusing contradictions. 1à Two stories that serve as excellent demonstrations of irony are The Pardoners Tale and The Nuns Priests Tale, both from Chaucers The Canterbury Tales. Although these two stories are very different, they both use irony to teach a lesson. à à à à à à Of the stories, The PardonersRead MoreTones, Moods, and Irony in the Canterbury Tales833 Words à |à 4 Pagessetting, theme, and tone. Irony, however, is a tone in which the real meaning is contradicted by the words that were used. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a suitable novel for showing various examples of tone, mood, and irony through the many different characters, their personalities, and their narrations. As far as literary tone goes, it is basically the same as the tone used when verbally speaking. Chaucer balanced the serious and deathly tales with the tales set for comedy. In theRead MoreGeoffrey Chaucers The Canterbury Tales1030 Words à |à 5 PagesGeoffrey Chaucerââ¬â¢s The Canterbury Tales is a collection of several tales that are all told by different characters and all convey different messages. The story presented in the general prologue is that a group of pilgrims is traveling to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket, and during their journey they take turns telling tales and talking about themselves. Chaucer uses the pilgrims to express his beliefs, about religion, marriage, social class, and many other topics. One of the pilgrims is the MancipleRead MoreAnalysis Of The Canterbury Tales1157 Words à |à 5 PagesThe Canterbury Tales, written by English poet Geoffrey Chaucer, is arguably the most notable yet controversial work of British Literature. Known as the Father of British Literature, Chaucer ultimately revolutionized both the English language and literature by refusing to follow the status quo and writing his works in Middle English instead of the more widely accepted languages at the time, such as Latin or French. Chaucer used The Canterbury Tales to target and satirize society of the Middle AgesRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales : An Analysis Of Medieval Life By Geoffrey Chaucer939 Words à |à 4 PagesCanterbury Tales: An Analysis of Medieval Life by Geoffrey Chaucer The Canterbury Tales is strongly considered one of the greatest works in medieval literature. An admirer of Chaucer, and the author of Chaucer and the Fifteenth Century, H.S. Bennett describes Chaucerââ¬â¢s unique style as, ââ¬Å"No detail was too small for him to observe, and from it he could frequently draw, or suggest, conclusions which would have escaped many.â⬠While The Canterbury Tales was originally intended to be an epic poemRead MoreHypocrisy Revealed in Canterbury Tales891 Words à |à 4 PagesIn Geoffrey Chaucers The Canterbury Tales he reveals an underlying flaw in society. Chaucer portrays the Pardoner as hypocritical in order to get his message across to readers. The Pardoner is shown to be the exact definition of a hypocrite by preaching to others to lead a spiritual life, while not living by those preachings himself. In Canterbury Tales, Chaucer reveals hypocritical qualities in the Pardoner through vivid characterization, tone, and morality. In the Pardoners prologue, ChaucerRead MoreEssay Immorality in Chaucers Canterbury Tales1646 Words à |à 7 Pageswill ruin any relationship. In Geoffrey Chaucerââ¬â¢s The Canterbury Tales, he specifically illustrates through his pilgrimsââ¬â¢ stories some comical and realistic events that display immorality in the Middle Ages. There are several characters whose stories are focused on presenting the immorality within their tales. Like that of ââ¬Å"The Millerââ¬â¢s Tale,â⬠and ââ¬Å"The Merchantââ¬â¢s Tale.â⬠Chaucer utilizes these tales to display one specific immoral act, which is sexual sin or lust. Chaucer addresses the seven deadly sinsRead MoreGeoffrey Chaucers Experiences In the Canterbury Tales Essay1130 Words à |à 5 PagesIn the Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer describes the journeys and life lessons of thirty fictitious pilgrims. Scholars explain that only one of the thirty pilgrims was indeed Chaucer, but other characters in the Canterbury Ta les represent the struggles of Chaucer as well. Although the pilgrimsââ¬â¢ tales were pretend, they were based on actual events that Chaucer experienced throughout his lifetime. He represents his own insecurities and flaws throughout the array of the charactersââ¬â¢ tales. SituationRead MoreChaucer s The Canterbury Tales906 Words à |à 4 PagesIn the general prologue to Geoffrey Chaucerââ¬â¢s, The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer reveals his dissatisfaction of the distribution of power and how that power was maintained in the Medieval England estate system, through the use of his physical description of each of the pilgrims and by the personality of specific members of each caste. To portray these characters and the flaws that they represent in actual medieval society, Chaucer heavily relies on the use of irony to describe many of the travelers in
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
The Rise Of World War II Essay - 1478 Words
World War II is usually associated with genocide, atomic bombs, and Hitler. Often times the positive outcomes that came from such a deadly war between nations is forgotten in the musk of death and power. The instability in Europe created by World War I, set stage for the rise of Hitler. Germany at the time was economically and politically unstable. Due to them being blamed for the first World War and the harsh consequences enforced by the Treaty of Versailles, it made it easier for Hitler to rise to power. World War II began in 1939, when Germany invaded Poland without properly declaring war. The rise of America as a super power began when Japan surprisingly attacked a navy base in Pearl Harbor, two years into the war. The quick reaction and declaration of war from the United States displayed the nation as strong and prepared. To become a super power, a nation must have vast international political influence, an overpowering military and a growing indestructible economy. It was this war, which caused the United States to rise to such power. Though the United States was not involved in any form of warfare when the war first began in 1939, they did provide economic support to Britain, since their economy was struggling. ââ¬Å"During the war, it (United States) built a mammoth military establishment... it became involved in a host of complexâ⬠¦ economic, political, and military problems across the world.â⬠(Herring, 538). America emerged as a super power from World War II because ofShow MoreRelatedWorld War II : The Rise Of Communism1088 Words à |à 5 PagesWorld War II was a tremendously impactful war which was fought during the forties. It had many turning points and great changes that turned not only the United States but the world. One of the first events that occurred was the rise of Communism. With the rise of communism it caused panic in the country of the United States. The panic was inevitable because anyone could be suspected of being a commu nist. Also, with communism rapidly spreading in Europe it was hard for the United States to stay inRead MoreThe Rise Of Consumerism During World War II1020 Words à |à 5 Pagesand cars are necessities in homes in 2014. America was not always the consumerist nation it is now. With thousands of American servicemen returning home after World War II, the United States was filled with an energy that had long been repressed by an economic depression in the 1930ââ¬â¢s. By the 1950ââ¬â¢s, Americans were ready to move on from the war and start families. Thousands of jobs were created to accommodate all those retuning home, which caused the United Statesââ¬â¢ economy to flourish. Since more peopleRead MoreThe Rise of Western Culture and Economy in Japan After World War Ii1581 Words à |à 7 PagesThe Rise of Western Culture and Economy in Japan after World War II According to some scholars, a societys culture determines its economic destiny. Before 1860, Japan had been isolated for over two centuries, and it was not until the aftermath of World War II when Japan was forced to ration food to extreme measures (Hiesinger 39), the Japanese peoples fear of become a Western sub-colony coupled with ââ¬Å"their flexible attitude towards cultural variance (Sparke 10),â⬠ushered them into economic andRead MoreThe World War I And The Rise Of Germany801 Words à |à 4 PagesWorld War II plays a very important part in the history of the world. It still has effects that we deal with today. So, what events could have possibly started such a monumental world war? Well, the events are: World War I, Great Depression, expansion of imperialism, Versailles Treaty, and the rise of Germany. This was a dangerous chain reaction of events that lead to the devastating effects of the war. What really set the tone for the start World War II was actually the effects World War I itselfRead MoreWorld War I And II1057 Words à |à 5 Pages20th century, World War I and II, left a lasting impact on society economically, politically, and socially. As we have read in detailed archives on both world catastrophes, the nature in which violence shaped society after the war varied greatly. Ernst Jà ¼nger in Storm of Steel shares his heroic memoirs from fighting on the German front in World War I. Art Spiegelman tells the very personal and emotional story of his father, a survivor of World War IIââ¬â¢s Holocaust. Throughout the war, Ernst remindsRead MoreThe Causes Behind The Atrocities Experienced During World War II1166 Words à |à 5 PagesWhen evaluating the causes behind the atrocities experienced during World War II, many reasons for these events can be found in the conditions occurring beforehand. Beyond this, many of these causes can be applicable contributions to eac h World War. In terms of cause, World War II can be considered an inevitable continuation of the first World War. It erupted due to Hitlerââ¬â¢s extreme desire for expansion and hostile foreign policy, war was immediately declared upon German militarization of Poland. HoweverRead MoreWorld War Ii and America944 Words à |à 4 PagesThe worldââ¬â¢s greatest war, World War II began in 1939 and lasted for almost six years. It was between two military alliances. On the axis powers were Japan, Germany and the Kingdom of Italy. While the allies were lead by United Kingdom, China, Soviet Union and The United States of America. America was not directly involved in the war in the early stages. The necessity increased after the fall of France, the Pearl Harbor incident but mainly when Hitler declared war on U.S. This led to Americaââ¬â¢s directRead MoreThe World War II : A Evolutionary Change Within Societal Structure1462 Words à |à 6 PagesWorld War II sparked an evolutionary ch ange within societal structure as womenââ¬â¢s influence grew and they entered the workforce. Efforts on the homefront brought more job opportunities for women, but the role that they developed was challenged as soon as the men returned. American society expected everything to return to normal when the war finished, and men to return to the factories and women to return to housework. Contrary to popular belief, women took this opportunity to fight against socialRead MoreThe Major Events Of The 20Th Century Were Characterized1612 Words à |à 7 PagesThe major events of the 20th century were characterized by devastating political experiences of wars and totalitarianisms that were born out of the shifts in philosophical, social, political and economic ideologies and movements across many regions of the world. During this time in history, communism took root in many states where people took control of the economies in order to establish a communist society that was based on a social economic order that was structured upon common ownership of theRead MoreWorld War II to the Gulf War by Stephen E. Ambrose1667 Words à |à 7 PagesRise to Globalism: American Foreign Policy Since 1938 is an alluring analysis of Americas outside approach of World War II to the Gulf War. The author, Stephen E. Ambrose, received a Ph.D. in history from the University of Wisconsin. He is known for his accomplished writing. He has written fifteen books on military history, foreign policy, and quite a few biographies on our own past United States presidents. Besides his career as an author, Ambrose has taught several history classes at various locations
Monday, December 23, 2019
A Breif History of Rome - 1051 Words
Rome is a fascinating place to visit. The ancient history is very interesting to many people. Rome also has a new world that appeals to visitors. Many people go to visit Rome each year. Rome today has a population of 3,351,000 people. It is located 41degrees 54ââ¬â¢N 12 degrees 30ââ¬â¢E. It has an elevation 20m (70ft).Rome is located mid-way down the boot along the Tiber River and lies west of the Apennine Mountains. It is called the seven hills city because there are some hills that are part of a volcanic ridge. The rest is mostly marshy land. The foundation of Rome goes back to the early days of civilization. Today Rome is known as the ââ¬Ëeternal cityâ⬠because the citizens in ancient time were strong and they believe Rome could survive anything. Historians believe that the Romans founded Rome in about 625 BC. Historians believe that early Rome was governed by kings. After about they had seven kings, the Romans decided to take power of their city and ruled themselves. Then after that they had a council known as the ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢senate.ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ The senate then ruled the citizens of Rome. The richest people in Rome got elected for senate for a one year term. The Roman Republic was a very successful government in Rome. It is successful because it lasted from 510 BC until 23 BC. That is about 500 years. In comparison to the United States it lasted 250 years more. Thought it was successful, it faced many challenges. Under this type of government two elected consuls shared the head of government.
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Interpersonal Roles Free Essays
Lamond, D. (2003). Henry Mintzberg vs. We will write a custom essay sample on Interpersonal Roles or any similar topic only for you Order Now Henri Fayol: Of Lighthouses, Cubists and the Emperorââ¬â¢s New Clothes. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 8(4), 5-23. This article talks about Mintzbergââ¬â¢s and Fayolââ¬â¢s theories regarding managerial work. It is mentioned that Fayolââ¬â¢s managerial function and Mintzbergââ¬â¢s managerial roles can be connected with one another. (Tsoukas 1994, as cited by Lamond, 2003) ââ¬Å"the logical links between Fayolââ¬â¢s functions and Mintzbergââ¬â¢s roles are demonstratedâ⬠. This article explains the interrelation between managerial functions and managerial roles in particular group so that the management in organisation can run effectively. This article is useful for the authorââ¬â¢s research as it gives explanation about the importance of interpersonal roles in relations with managerial functions while Robbins et al. (2003) book only provides the basic theoretical managerial roles without further relate with any other managerial components. Mintzberg, H. (1975). The managerââ¬â¢s job: folklore and fact, Harvard Business Review, 53(4) 49-61. Mintzbergââ¬â¢s (1975) article shows how interpersonal roles play important part for managers to make decisions and strategies; it also describes the importance of how interpersonal roles are integrated with other roles to achieve effectiveness of managerial work. Mintzberg (1975) suggested that ââ¬Å"Three of managerââ¬â¢s roles arise directly from his formal authority and involve basic interpersonal relationship. â⬠(p. 54). This article is useful for the authorââ¬â¢s research as it gives an insight towards the importance of interpersonal roles for manager to avoid misunderstanding between the modern and traditional managerial works. This article is better compared to Pavett and Lau (1983) about managerial workââ¬â¢s article because it provides several examples that support the importance of international roles by providing evidence in reality such as the modern and traditional managerial works that have been misunderstood by society. Pavett, C. M. , Lau, A. W. (1983). Managerial work: The Influence of hierarchical level and functional speciality. Academy of Management Journal , 26(1), 170 ââ¬â 177. Through this article, Pavett and Lau (1983) show the influence of hierarchical level and functional speciality on managerial roles. (Mintzberg, 1975, as cited in Pavett Lau, 1983) ââ¬Å"differences in managerial work involve the relativeââ¬â¢s importance of the roles across hierarchical level and functional specialityâ⬠. The research focuses on the integration between hierarchical level and functional speciality with managerial roles. This article is useful to the authorââ¬â¢s research topics as Pavett and Lau (1983) give a relevant statistics about how hierarchical level, functional speciality and managerial roles are integrated, especially when the interpersonal roles are dominantly seen in hierarchical level and functional speciality as an essential part compared to the book written by Robbins et al. (2003) which only mentioned about the theory without justified examples to support it. Robbins, S. P. , Bergman, R. , Stagg, I. , Coutler, M. 2012). Management 6 (6th edition). French Forest NSW, Australia: Pearson Australia. Robbins et al. (2012) contains a brief explanation about Mintzbergââ¬â¢s interpersonal roles with its duties and responsibilities. Robbins et al. (2012) suggested that ââ¬Å"All managers are required to perform duties that involve people (subordinates and persons outside the organisation) and other duties that are ceremonial and symbolic in natureâ⬠. The study explains that interp ersonal roles are more likely involve outsiders. This book is beneficial for the authorââ¬â¢s research topic, as Robbins et al. (2012) gives plenty explanations about the benefit of interpersonal roles and how each roles are linked well together. The main limitation of the article is that the authors do not put sufficient details and examples about each roles compared to the article of Mintzberg (1975) which mentioned the clear evidence regarding interpersonal roles in everyday life by providing explanation about the modern and traditional way in defining managerial works. How to cite Interpersonal Roles, Papers
Friday, December 6, 2019
Business Management Several Provisions for Extrinsic Additional Facto
Question: Describe about the Several Provisions for Extrinsic Additional Factors for Business Management. Answer: Introduction Marriott International group of hotels is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland in the United States, with more than 5,700 properties and operating in more than 110 countries. The total revenue of the selected company was observed to be $ 14 billion in the fiscal year 2015 (www.marriott.com. 2016). Objectives: The research aims to show the weakness in the HR management practices of Marriott International group of hotels. The main objectives of the research are listed below as follows: Analyses of the drawback of the HR practices of Marriott International group of hotels Motivational concerns among the employees of the company Implementation of HRM improvement process Rationale for the study The rationale for the study will explain the weakness in the recruitment process and increasing turnover of the organization. The research will also depicts the opportunities for better employee satisfaction and making necessary improvement in retaining of the employees hotel. Scope of the research The scope of the research will be based on studying the HR Practices in the selected organization. The limitations will be seen through the application of motivational theory such as Douglas McGregors X and Y theory and Maslows Hierarchy of Needs to study the reasons for the weakness prevailing in the motivation among the existing employees. The improvement process will be shown with the application of SWOT analysis of the collected information. The research will show both primary and secondary method for the data collection process. The report will be designed to analyze the findings based on graphical representation and charts. The latter part of the report will highlight the important issues for the weakness in the HR practices and the make the necessary recommendations and guidelines to improve the HR practices in the Marriott International group of hotels Questionnaires: The questions, which will be addressed in the research study, are stated below as follows: What are the issues concerning employees motivation and turnover at Marriott? What are the reasons for the weakness of HRM at Marriott? What are the developments, which can make to train and retain the present employees of the hotel? Literature Review According to Zhang, R et al. (2013), in the year, 1960 Douglas McGregor was known to propose a two-factor theory related to employee motivation. This theory was divided into two categories, namely theory X and theory Y. Theory X - The theory X employees are defined as those, who tend to avoid task and dislike the responsibilities assigned to them. The theory also stated that in order to promote effectiveness in work and motivation among employees the management needs to enforce the relevant rules and give punishments or take strict actions (Latham 2012). Theory Y - The theory Y of the motivational theory is directly related to the concept and contrast of the theory X. This theory states that the employees are internally motivated and they work better themselves. The theory further states that the employees do not need constant supervision of the management to stay motivated and perform better in the organization (Olkin and Marshall 2016). Hierarchy of Needs Theory According to Nordstrom and Renforth (2015), in the year 1943, Abraham Maslow proposed a theory consisting of five tiers to shape the motivation style in an organization. The theory suggested five different factors responsible for employee motivation; the theory further suggested that a company should look forward to move up the pyramid to ensure all the desired needs are met. The bottom of the pyramid consists of the physiological needs like sleep, shelter and food. The safety need is proposed to make up needs of second tier and third tier. The top of the pyramid included the need related to Esteem and self-actualization among the employees (Zavei and Jusan 2012). Figure 1: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (Source: Lester 2013) Strength, weakness, opportunities and threat (SWOT) analysis SWOT analysis is a planning tool to evaluate the four elements (Strength, weakness, opportunities and threat) of a particular business venture. The analysis can be performed on a product, person, company or a place. The overall analysis involves the process identifies the internal (Strengths and weakness) and the external (opportunities and threats) factors to achieve a specific objective (Suh 2014). Strength: It shows the characteristics of the business project, which shows the advantages of one policy or framework over others (Lin 2016). Weakness: This shows the characteristics of a particular place or a particular business venture, which shows the relative disadvantage in a particular project (Yu, Byun, and Lee 2014). Opportunities: These are elements, which a business should implement to exploit the areas of improvement in a particular venture. Threats: These are related to elements in the environment, which can possess trouble to a particular business or project (Lehr 2015). Figure 2: Model depicting SWOT analysis (Source: Hollensen 2015) Research Methodology The main objectives of the research process have been explained with the use of qualitative methods. This method explores the different types of idea behind the opinions, rationale and motivation behind the research data. The stages and description of the research methodology has been depicted with a diagram shown below as follow: Stages Description Identification of the data collection procedure 1) Primary data has been collected through conducting questionnaire from the employees of Marriott International group of hotels 2) Secondary data has been sourced from website of Marriott International group of hotels, books related to employee motivational theories and the management theories to overcome the relevant issues. Sources stating the secondary data 1) Internal sources of the secondary information have been collected from the annual report of Marriott International group of hotels. 2) External sources range from the books related to motivational theories, Newspaper, articles and company website Means of collection for different types of the primary data The primary data has been collected in form of interviews from the employees and managers of Marriott International group of hotels. Consideration of the Sampling Frame The main sampling frame has been taken through the employer and managers of the company. Size of the sample The sample size consists of a total of 2 Managers and 2 employees of Marriott International group of hotel Data Analysis procedure The data analysis has been done based on the qualitative analysis procedure Resources The resources are seen in form of the implementation of Time, Personnel and various types Financial requirements Milestones for the Improvement process Description Timeframe Identification of the HR issues at Marriott International 12.11.2016- 16.11.2016 Identification of factors for motivation of the employees 16.01.2017-20.03.2017 Conducting the questionnaire process 21.03.2017-22.04.2017 Implementation of theory X and theory Y 23.04.2017-25.07.2017 Implementation of hierarchy of needs 26.08.2017-27.08.2017 Implementation of the improvement process 28.08.2017- 30.09.2017 Gantt chart showing the appropriate timeframe of the research specifications: Data analysis and findings Primary data analysis Theory X and Theory Y The analysis of the different types of the analysis of the weakness in the HRM practices clearly states that the employees at Marriott international has to go through authoritarian style of management where the work pressure is considerably high during the peak seasons and hence the lack work life balance. It can be observed that at present the management is following Theory X as a motivational tool for the employees. Hierarchy of Needs Theory The various responses collected from the participants shows that the employees at Marriott International group of hotel suffered mainly due to the love and belonging needs. These needs are directly relevant to the tier 3 needs of Maslows hierarchy of needs model. The responses collected from the interview clearly shows that the employee lack interpersonal and needs related to belongingness. The overall analysis clearly states that the employees at Marriott international group of hotel lacking terms of time for work life balance, friendship, intimacy and family. SWOT Analysis Strengths As per the responses given by both managers and employees at Marriott international reported, the main strength of the company is seen in form of financial benefits provided for our performance even during the peak seasons. The employees have a significant amount of extrinsic motivation within the organization Weakness The weakness is seen in form failure to inculcate intrinsic motivation. The weakness in human resource management is also seen in terms of increased amount of turnover among the employees. Poor training provided to the new joining employees is also seen as a weakness in the HRM. Opportunities The organization has shown several scopes of opportunities in terms of providing better training facilities and better facilities for emphasizing on social life of the employees. The company should also work on providing better health insurance benefit to the existing employees of the organization. Threats The main threats are seen in form of increased employee turnover rate if correctional measures are not taken at the earliest. The employees may also join other renowned hotels such as hotels such as Armani Hotel, Auberge du Soliel, Nobis hotel Stockholm and Ritz carlton. Secondary data analysis The secondary data analysis is based on website, books, annual report and journals is shown below as follows: Theory X and Theory Y Based on the various information collected from websites and journals it has been found that the company applies Theory X for deciding employee motivation. This is evident from the fact that the management is a significant role during the peak season by offering several performances and even bonus for better customer service and extension of services. Hierarchy of Needs Theory As per the model of hierarchy of needs, the company mainly lacks in the third tire, which is related to Love and belongingness needs. Several journals have stated that the most significant reason for increased employee turnover was due to lesser opportunities given to the Marriott employees for spending adequate time with their family members, which deprived them of work life balance. SWOT Analysis Strengths The strength of the Marriott Group of hotel lies in the high brand value of the company. It is also known for making several technological improvements in its current business process. Marriott International hotel has 5700 hotels and is situated in more than 110 countries all across the globe. The hotel is further known for having various ranges of the brands from attainable to aspiration related. Weakness The weakness of the company lies in lower employee motivation and the competition faced from the several hotels such as Belmond Ltd, Hyatt International, Eldorado resorts etc. The shares of the aforementioned companies have been found to be higher than the Marriott International group of hotels. Opportunities The main opportunity is seen in terms of providing better employee motivation and better amenities to the existing employees. The several types of the opportunities in the hospitality have been seen with then emerging markets dealing in similar line of the business. Threats The most noted threat includes the entry of several international brands along with the most established brands of hotels such as Armani Hotel, Auberge du Soliel, Nobis hotel Stockholm, Ritz Carlton, The Table Bay hotel. The present threat of then hotel industry also lies in the stagnant growth and competitive process in of the several groups of five start hotels on the world. Conclusion and recommendations The analysis conducted both on primary and secondary data clearly shows that although the company gave several provisions for extrinsic additional factors such as performance incentives, employee bonus and better financial growth, it significantly lacks in terms of providing intrinsic motivation to the employees. The company needs to adapt to the style of theory Y of motivation, which will involve lesser interference of the management and employees, will be able to perform freely and stay motivated in a better way. The organization should give the opportunity for recognizing intrinsic motivation among the existing employees. The company also needs to provide high quality training to the new joining employees so that they are able to get acquainted with the company policies and framework at a very initial stage. The human resource management practices should further ensure that the employees are given better facilities for health insurance and gave more number of leaves to the employe es so that they can fulfill their love and belonging needs as per stated by the hierarchy of needs theory. Reference list Hollensen, S., 2015.Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Latham, G.P., 2012.Work motivation: History, theory, research, and practice. Sage. Lehr, D.D., 2015. An analysis of the changing competitive landscape in the hotel industry regarding airbnb. Lester, D., 2013. Measuring Maslow's hierarchy of needs.Psychological reports,113(1). Lin, X., 2016.Strategy Analysis of a Boutique and Lifestyle Hotel: A SWOT Analysis(Doctoral dissertation, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona). Nordstrom, R.D. and Renforth, W., 2015. Hierarchy of Needs in Transition: A Theory of Business Motivation. InProceedings of the 1983 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 282-288). Springer International Publishing. Olkin, I. and Marshall, A.W., 2016.Inequalities: theory of majorization and its applications(Vol. 143). Academic press. Suh, J., 2014. Theory and reality of integrated riceduck farming in Asian developing countries: A systematic review and SWOT analysis.Agricultural Systems,125, pp.74-81. www.marriott.com. (2016).About Marriott Hotels | Marriott Corporate Business Information. [online] Available at: https://www.marriott.com/marriott/aboutmarriott.mi [Accessed 12 Nov. 2016]. Yu, Y., Byun, W.H. and Lee, T.J., 2014. Critical issues of globalisation in the international hotel industry.Current Issues in Tourism,17(2), pp.114-118. Zavei, S.J.A.P. and Jusan, M.M., 2012. Exploring Housing Attributes Selection based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,42, pp.311-319. Zhang, R., Liu, X., Shang, X., Cheng, C., Lu, Z. and Ma, Y., 2013, July. Quantitative simulation and qualitative analysis of theory X, Y and Z. InService Operations and Logistics, and Informatics (SOLI), 2013 IEEE International Conference on(pp. 215-219). IEEE.
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