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The Day the Noise Stopped :: essays research papers

A lady is sitting in her old, covered house. She knows she’s alone on the planet on the grounds that each other living thing is dead....

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Managing and Leading Quality Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Managing and Leading Quality Services - Essay Example The policy that selected to audit is ‘Promoting Positive Behaviour’. My workplace caters for children with Additional Support Needs (ASN) and these children often display a range of extremely inappropriate behaviours such as spitting, hitting, kicking and throwing. Both in terms of individuals and as part of such an establishment, we have a duty of care and a responsibility to ensure the safety of the children as well as the staff members. With this in requirement mind it is clear to me that it would be appropriate to audit our current policy of ‘Promoting Positive Behaviour’. This is a generic policy published by the local authority and it does not take into account the varying needs of children whom my organization serves. There are some issues arising from the absence of a clear policy or guidelines on how to promote positive behaviour imbedded into the practice of my establishment. The Rationale, Justification and Purposes: Rationale: Proper discipline i s a mandatory prerequisite for facilitating good learning. No matter the nature or extent of indiscipline, it is an obstacle to both teaching as well as learning. At the organisation, I think that every child has a right to access the best education which can be offered in partnership among school, community and the parents. The organisation’s Positive Behavior Policy forms part of â€Å"Safeguarding Policy Portfolio† (Promoting Positive Behavior n.d.) and exhibits our commitment to safeguarding the welfare of all students. Thus, our organization needs to focus on reliable, strong and fair management of learner behavior to establish a safe, congenial and purposeful atmosphere in which every child may develop his or her complete potential. Providing such a high quality learning atmosphere is a significant precondition for learners to attain the maximum possible levels of achievement. â€Å"Parents, teachers, and students work together to create an environment that is s afe and supportive and that promotes learning. It encourages children to think and learn actively and to be hopeful, trusting, loving and healthy† (Positive Behavior Policies and Procedures 2010, p. 2). Every child will also be asked to conform to the principles and rules of the school and parents will be kept educated so that they can support and encourage the use of system. The policy for promoting positive behavior is mainly based on encouragement through recognition of the positive aspects in children. This, in turn, will inspire them to mould their behavior appropriately. Also, when other children observe such encouragement, it will motivate them to imitate such behavior. The policies of the organization must reflect the policies and guidelines of the present local authority and government. At the same time, as procedures symbolize an accomplishment of policy and must evolve over time as new apparatus emerge, new processes will be planned, and the risks connected with an area modified in response to changes in the external or internal environment. Justification: There have been numerous initiatives and investigations in the UK over the last several years with regard to promoting and encouraging positive approaches to behavior and actions. Schools report that their chief concern relates to low level interruption although there are some schools and students that experience severe problems. â€Å"The school needs to be confident that its policies and practices in relation to behavior are positive and

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Courageous woman Essay Example for Free

The Courageous woman Essay As a woman leader, Elizabeth Blackwell strived to become someone in life. She influenced mothers, children, wives, and sisters and showed them how strength could lead them to their dreams. Her family and friends discouraged her, but she kept going in her own direction. They told her how impossible it would be to become a woman doctor and she asked them why she should not be a doctor. They had no reasons to tell her, but even if they had one, it was not useful, so she still kept going no matter what the challenge and hard times she faced. After all what she went through, Elizabeth Blackwell accomplished her dream by becoming the first woman doctor. Elizabeth influenced women to become more confident in their own ideas and skills. Like other women who followed Elizabeth Blackwell’s idea, I am inspired by her persistence in life; even if I face hard ways, it is good to follow my dreams and travel by my own destination. I want to attend Regina Dominican High School, because I want to be like Blackwell and pursue my goals without hesitation and fear of other people’s discouragement. Elizabeth’s strength has had an impact on me because she is the kind of woman who proved that women are not the bottom of society; they are the top of society and equal to men. Her impact on me is that women can become whatever they want and equal with everyone. As a woman leader, Elizabeth’s strength will help me to develop my dexterity, put out my creativity in front of people, and follow my dreams to become a doctor. As long as I am doing what is expected of me, even if people are putting me down, I just have to be persistent to fulfill my dreams. To develop as a global leader, use any chance I get to disprove people who may have the wrong impression about me. Regina Dominican High School has its own belief in its students, and I am 100% sure that if I attend the Regina Dominican High School in the next four years, I will be like Elizabeth Blackwell and achieve my goal.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Abortion: One Of The Most Controversial Topics Today Essay example --

Abortion: One of the Most Controversial Topics Today In the early American Colonies, English Common Law was adopted by the United States, which declared abortion forbidden. The procedure was ruled a misdemeanor if performed before quickening, which meant â€Å"feeling life,† and a felony if performed after quickening. In the early 1800s, it was discovered that life begins at conception and not when the mother â€Å"feels life.† Eighty-five percent of the states had laws that made all abortions a felony. Between the 1800s and today, many arguments have taken place regarding when life begins for a fetus and to what extent the mother has a right to terminate her pregnancy (Fast Facts: History of the U.S. Abortion Laws, 2003). There have been numerous attempts to change the current laws and/or add to them and the majority of these attempts have failed. The most famous law of them all resulted from the case of Roe v. Wade , is still in effect today and forms the basis for abortion laws and arguments. Important Court Cases   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most important dates in abortion history is January 22, 1973. On this date, the Supreme Court struck down all state abortion laws and legalized abortion in all 50 states for the full nine months of pregnancy. A mother’s right to abortion is known as the outcome of Roe v. Wade and falls under a woman’s right to privacy. More specifically, the court ruled that the government could restrict abortion access after the first trimester with laws intended to protect the woman’s health. Also, late-term abortions need the approval of a licensed physician to judge the procedure necessary to protect the mother’s health (Roe v. Wade: The 1973 Supreme Court Decision on State Abortion Laws, 1973) .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to an article written by Michael W. McConnell, â€Å"the reasoning of Roe v. Wade is an embarrassment to those who take constitutional law seriously, even to many scholars who heartily support the outcome of the case (p. 136).† The first reasoning behind the decision is based on the â€Å"right of privacy† and that it is broad enough to encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy. But the right of privacy is nowhere mentioned in the Constitution, as many would agree. Connell says that judges have found at least the roots of that right in the First Amendment, Ninth Amendment, ... ... No one ever thinks that rape will happen to them, but if it did, your decision now and your decision at that time may be different. Ultimately, should a woman have the right to choose between terminating her pregnancy and a potential life, or continuing with the pregnancy? Bibliography Fast Facts: History of U.S. Abortion Laws. (2003, January 21). FoxNews Channel Online. Retrieved February 12, 2005, from http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,881,00.html McConnell, Michael M. (1998). Roe v. Wade at Twenty-Five: Still Legitimate. In R. M. Baird (Ed.), The Ethics of Abortion: Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice (pp. 135-138). Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. Roe v. Wade: The 1973 Supreme Court Decision on State Abortion Laws. (1973). In R. M. Baird (Ed.), The Ethics of Abortion: Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice (pp. 63-72). Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. Thomson, Judith Jarvis. (1971). A Defense of Abortion. In R. M. Baird (Ed.), The Ethicds of Abortion: Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice (pp. 241-256). Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. Webster v. Reproductive Health Services. (1989). In R. M. Baird (Ed.), The Ethics of Abortion: Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice (pp. 73-92)., Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Literature and Cinema Essay

Life is a Theme of Literature, Literature is the expression of Life. Life fashions Literature and Literature moulds Life. The intimate relation between Literature and Cinema is one of the common place truths which have been illustrated again and again, both Social and literary life history. Literature is the most fascinating creation of a literary artist based on the style and stategy of life. Life and reality are the basics of Literature. It’s a product of creation of a literary artist, accompanied with his theoretical and practical knowledge, intellect, thoughts and imagination, where an artist creates his own animated world with realistic events and incidents. As through the words of Mathew Arnold â€Å" Literature is the best record that is thought and Known in the world†, in the words of Satyajit â€Å"Literature was another avenue for the expression of his creative talents†. Cinema, an art of showing life of human beings and the respective happenings in life, which literature glorifies, not only the actual occurances but also reflects in an idealized form, the standards of social thought and morality. Cinema/Movies, the most remarkable, illuminating & fascinating discovery of Science and Technology, where the credit goes to the American scientist ‘Thomas Alva Edison’. The tone of literature changes with the stages of society, life style and the respective incidents, which portrayted & given a clear view by means of perfect moulding in mode of Films. These film/Vedio tapes are chosen out of the American experimental tradition to exemplify the various techniques of marrying the two arts â€Å"Literature & Cinema†. Every natural incident before the poet, around him, in world is the only source of utterance, arouses out his inspiration & his creative energy that rests upon the core of reality. This what further transformed into poems, speeches, songs and novels respectively. The poet presents his skillfulness, an admirable creation of his imagination and fancy in the mind of the readers, but in Later Middle Ages with the growth and development of drama led the people to exemplify another form of art, their intense fascination on gestures and acting, Various forms of drama were performed based on different scripts gives a clear evidence from the popularity of â€Å"Miracle† and â€Å"Morality† plays and â€Å"Interludes† before the advent of Elizabeathan drama and playwrights. The dramatic performances were based on antiphonal singing, dialogues were written and the possibilities were in Roman Catholic Church, with the advent of Elizabeathan drama, various plays of Shakespeare, Marlowe, Dickens and others followed, enriching the English literature. Considering the nature of work of literature can be comprehended by means of two stages, the art of reading and the art of showing, in which the later transforms poetry, novels, short stories into Cinema. The major distinction between them lies as poetry belonging to the art of utterance, while cinema/movies the art of showing, but on the whole they both don’t make easily a good couple. These films and the vedio makers have taken up the challenge anyway to make a way of responding the poet’s work, creating original cinematic writing, gradually leading to the magical, amusing world of entertainment and the fantasy in films. Cinema, A proportionate to the style of language as when a novel, short story transformed into a film, the first note worthy part comes the script. The script writer may or may not mould down the language of the novel in order to make an easy communication and understanding to the audience, mainly applicable in commercial films. In case of commercial films the novel or short story may be taken as a script but it may be modified according to the flavour of audience. The director Overrules the whole cinematographic sequence and drives away his workshop, tackling all barriers, creating a view of life and reality, giving a colourful portraiture of a dream world mingling with comic and tragic sequences with distinct and dancing, stepping on toes, wooing each other with charms of mouth, eye and mind. Finally ending with an admirable climax. Thus listening and reading a poet’s work is equally proportional to viewing and listening film maker’s work. Infact, Movies/Films are a director’s medium, as they reflect director’s own vision and his thoughts, but a fact acts as a contradiction and though debateable, how can a cinema be its truly literaray genius ? As when a great work of literature is adopted and placed on the screen by a director, whether it will be true or equal to the writer’s vision, as while transforming it into a celluloid. With the inception of Cinema, Literature has attracted all the creative film makers, pioneers in the world of cinema such as Pramathesh Barua, Debaki Basu have based their films on the eminent works of Sarat Chatterjee, Tarashankar Bandhopadhyay and others. Satyajit Ray’s â€Å"Pather Panchali† was the first which brought International Acclaim, was wholly based on the great work of literature of Bibhuti Bhusan Bandhopadhayay, Other than his Imaginative Creation Of Feluda, a Private Investigator, His nephew and literary artist Jatayu, together making â€Å"The Three Musketeers†, roaming different places, solving cases purely based on intellect also placed on the screen- â€Å"Sonar Kella†[The Golden Fortress], Joy Baba Felunath [Mystery of the Elephant God] and many more. His Creation Of Professor Shonku a Scientific, mystery thriller and Tarini Khuro, an adventurous, mystery sequence bring us to his imagination, art and literacy. Film Meastro Tapan Sinha in his film â€Å"Kabuliwallah†, which is wholly based on Tagore’s story, have also struck the writer’s vision. Eminent film makers as Mrinal Sen, Kumar Shahani and Adoor Gopala Krishnan were criticized ruthlessly when their literary works are adopted but distinguished from the original work. Mrinal Sen’s Oriya film â€Å"Matira Manusya† in 1965, the first Oriya film with an extraordinary literacy but had to face criticism due to the differentiation of literacy work with the film. Godrad and Mrinal Sen always based their films on the recreation of literacy classics. In this case the ideas and statements of the film makers get dwarfed in order to be true to the literary classics. Now lifting the veil of literary classics, there are many other eminent countless good Indian films were made simply by translating the works of Sarat Chatterjee, R. K Narayan, Banophool, Premchand, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhayay, Manik Bondhopadhayay and many more. It is indeed a credit of the director, translating these fabulous works into films by enhancing the appeal of the novel, doing a perfect justice to the writer’s work, possibly contributing a commercial support. Apart from this there are also enough contribution of the film makers of abroad. Films/Movies based on Shakesperean Comedy drama â€Å"Romeo and Juliet, â€Å"A Midsummer Night’s Dream†, â€Å"Twelfth Night†, â€Å"The Merchant Of Venice† etc. Even Shakespeare’s tragedies are transformed in Movies- ‘Macbeth’, ‘Hamlet’, ‘Othello’, ‘King Lear’ ‘Tempest’ etc. Marlowe’s ‘Edward II’, Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’, Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’, Charles Dicken’s ‘Great Expectations’ and many more have been moulded and given a new look, quite popular to our present generation. Penny Gay interested in film ‘adaptation’ of classics, particularly of Shakespeare and Jane Austen: she is enthusiastic about free, imaginative, and wide-ranging rather than literalist attempts to translate these works to the screen. She has supervised several Honours dissertations in this field, and has taught a unit of study called ‘Shakespeare in the City’ which is entirely based on film versions. A close analysis on the films of Premchandra and Saratchandra, we find the characters and the situations are created in such a way, it seems it appears from modern day. Mordern world are in the urge of horror, mystery,thriller Stories, suspence thriller, brutal murders, death sequences centering round a single cause – may b a human being, living dead or alive, beasts and insects, by any cause of scientific or natural disaster, take a major role in the world of Cinema. Commertialy they usually do a huge amount of business. â€Å"Species 1& 2† shows how natural concequences takes a major part in creation of a new species, a living organism with in human beings. â€Å"Spiders and its Offsprings† â€Å"Arachnophobia†, Eight legged Freaks† gives a proper evidence of how a simple carelessness can turn into a terror of death, an unstoppable end. Similarly in movie â€Å"Final Destination†It is seen a different style of terror resulting death and its consequent horrors, with a superb touch of realism, blood hell and unyielding spirit of revenge paralysed the audience with terror. Mrinal Sen said â€Å"Cinema is never overawed by Literature† as he never based his films on any literary piece of work nor he translated any literary work into films, but he never moved away from literature. The Joyous elements of literature always attracted his vision. A small synopsis of the work or novel is enough for him to produce a film, as he belived â€Å"Cinema is a joint form of art, as a new form of art, borrows ideas from the old, creating a new way out from its curves and leads the path of progress as a medium. † Kevin Bacon Says â€Å"A good director creates an environment, which gives the actor the encouragement to fly†, Hector Babenko said â€Å"Curiosity doesn’t matter any more. These days people don’t want to be transported to emotional territories where they don’t know how to react. † -Robert Bresson said â€Å"My movie is born first in my head, dies on paper; is resuscitated by the living persons and real objects I use, which are killed on film but, placed in a certain order and projected on to a screen, come to life again like flowers in water. † The Script for making a movie always comes from literature, Pratical incidents, Realism, Beauty, Nature, Romance, comedy, Tragedy, Soliloque are the common facts of both literature and cinema. Cinema is Solely indebeted to literature, either partially or completely. Though the world of literature never ends, each moment of life, makes a literary artist discover new ideas and thoughts, a debateable question, indeed both literature and cinema are interconnected to each other, Literature can turn into a Cinematic view/cinema, but a cinema can never turn into literature. To a Literary genious, Literature is a view of life, a mode of survival, thinking, communicating, expressing his thoughts, but to a Director, film the only mode of communication. A question arises whether cinema should be a true literary genius, it depends on the director as he should be given complete freedom of cinematizing the literary classics in his own view. Cinematising, creating a celluloid of the great classics of literature reflects the vision of the writer and the ideas of the director simultaneously, Still remains unquestionable Literature is bound to cinema or Cinema is bound to literature ?.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Infanticide and Mother- Daughter Relationship in Toni Morison’s Beloved

Infanticide and Mother- Daughter Relationship in Toni Morison’s Beloved * Dr. (Mrs) Monika Gupta Reader, Dept. of English H. N. B. Garhwal University, Srinagar (Garhwal) Uttarakhand, 246174-India e-mail- [email  protected] com Beloved (1987) is Morrison’s most sensitive novel till date. It deals with the forgotten era of slavery and the pathos of black slaves. The most striking element is the heart wrenching story of a black female slave, Sethe, who kills her own daughter to protect her from the horror of slavery.Morrison has always excelled in creating her female characters. Her novels show a deep sense of bonding between the female characters. In Beloved, the female bonding and the multiple layer of meaning in their relationship makes the story emotionally appealing and it is the story that, â€Å"†¦penetrates perhaps more deeply than any historical or psychological study could, the unconscious emotional and psychic consequences of slavery† (Schapiro 194 ). The story touches the social, psychological, philosophical and supernatural element of human life. Sethe is the heroine of the story.She is a black slave who lost her mother at a very early age. She was brought to the Sweet Home Plantation as a slave where she marries Halle Suggs and bears four children from him. She suffers the most inhumane treatment at the plantation by the white masters. She is whipped mercilessly and milked like a cow. The whites, â€Å"†¦sucked her lactating breasts† (Peach 109). This incident traumatizes Sethe to an extent that she decides to run away from the plantation. She gathers all her courage and escapes to take refuge in the house of her mother-in-law at 124 Bluestone Road.She is soon traced and finding no hopes for freedom takes the most horrific step of killing her own daughter to show resistance towards slavery. She is imprisoned for seven years for her crime and later secluded by the community and declared an outcast. Her own family deserts her. Her two sons escape the situation, Baby Suggs eventually dies and her daughter Denver withdraws herself from her mother. 2 The story of Sethe is a true story of Margaret Garner, a slave who in January 1856 escaped from her owner of Kentucky, crossed the Ohio River and attempted to find refuge in Cincinnati.But when caught by the owners she looses all hopes of freedom, and kills one of her daughters with the butcher’s knife. But Morrison has beautifully developed this true story with the background of slavery. The slave women have always suffered a lot at the hand of both black and white men. They were robbed of every possession – even their motherhood. Mothering and motherhood were denied, as black women were regarded as breeding stock only. Since the rights offered to the black women were negligible therefore she did not stand at the position of a decision maker.Sethe was not supposed to love her children. That is why Sethe’s act of destroying her own creation becomes the subject of controversies. Whether a mother has a right to stop the heartbeats of her child or is it a crime to put an innocent life to end? Such questions resonate in the entire story. American public considered Margaret Garner and other slave mothers who killed their children, criminal. There have been numerous examples in the American history where mothers have killed their infants to remove the extra burden on them.For instance, Mary Montgomery escaped the plantation with her child but when she found it difficult to escape with a baby in tow, she left, â€Å"her sucking infant behind to die† (Drew 49). Infanticide was a punishable offence and Sethe and her real life counterpart had to face harsh consequences of the crime. Economic reasons more than any others had led to the killing of infants in the slavery era and have continued to exert an unfortunate influence even down to our own day. The African – American setup is the example where ec onomic factors led to the sorrowful phase of the Black community.Infanticide, shown in the novel is of many forms. It is not just a murder in literal sense but also murdering an infant mentally or psychologically by curbing the desires and rights. Beloved is a documentation of all such infanticides, the most pathetic, being the murder of Beloved by her mother by cutting her throat. Apart from these instances it is shown that Sethe’s mother also committed infanticide when she threw her children at birth, â€Å"without names† (Morrison 78). Another instance of infanticide is when Ella, another black slave admits that she too killed the children born from her white masters.The author has given different views on infanticide 3 through the mouth of the characters. Sethe asserts that she, â€Å"†¦ couldn’t let all that go back to where it was, and I couldn’t let her nor any of ‘em live under schoolteacher. That was out† (200). Baby Suggs could not frame any judgment and silenced her views to such an extent that it eventually led to her death. Paul D initially accuses Sethe for her rough choice but later accepts the situation considering her circumstances. Infanticide has always been the background of the slave age. It sometimes showed resistance and sometimes mercy killing.But child abuse and especially girl child faced the most terrible consequences of slavery. In the words of Linda Brent, â€Å"Slavery is terrible for men, but it is far more terrible for women†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (405). Denver is also a victim of child abuse. The initial years of her childhood are spent in prison along with her mother. She is mocked by the society for the crime committed by her mother. Her mother never reveals her past to Denver which makes Denver loose faith on Sethe. The rest of her childhood is spent in fear of being killed by her mother. She is a psychologically scared child.Denver speaks for herself, â€Å"I spent all of my outside se lf loving Ma’am so she wouldn’t kill me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (255). She waited for a miracle to happen, so, she could be away from Sethe. Sethe is declared culprit by law and even by the society. But what compels her to take such cruel action is the fear of slavery and exploitation for her daughter. The owners of the Plantations, schoolteachers and his nephews violate her motherhood by stealing her milk from her bosom. All these incidents constitute Sethe’s past and they are reconstructed in the novel through the discourses of Sethe and Paul D, co-victim of slavery.Memory forms a most important part in Morrison’s novels. â€Å"For memory exists as a communal property of friends, of family, of a people† (Middleton 159). Though Paul D realizes Sethe’s pain as a mother he knows that she was â€Å"†¦not a normal woman† (50). Sethe’s story is debatable on two grounds. On one side it is the â€Å"maternal loss† (Matus 109) where the plight of the helpless mother under slavery is revealed. On the other hand it crosses the limits of maternal violence. Infanticide committed by Sethe is analyzed under these two terms. The narrative enacts a circling or repetition around the 4 traumatic events† (Matus 112). Infanticide in Beloved is analyzed with close reference to Sethe and her daughters as it is the most affected relationship. Slavery has done a psychological damage to a mother-child relationship. Morrison has shown many angles of mother-daughter relationship in the novel. The first relation is that of Sethe and Beloved. It is the most unique relationship. Here a mother is the killer of her own blood. Sethe had enough reasons to prove that her act was just not crime but a mercy killing.She was perplexed with the horrific side of slavery and could not bear her daughter in a similar condition as hers. Therefore, she decides to free her from the impious birth of being black. â€Å"I took and put my babies where they’d be safe† (201). Though the act of infanticide is the most monstrous act for a mother to even think of but Sethe was too reluctant to turn towards slavery again with her children. As a mother Sethe’s act can never be justified. She attempted the most unnatural thing. Killing was not the only alternative. She could have killed the slave owner, or even herself.The supernatural existence of Beloved proves that Sethe’s act was guilty of the murder and was to be condemned. Therefore, Sethe becomes the monstrous women in the novel with a streak of madness in her nature. Beloved, is the mirror which reveals the past of the character that comes in contact with her. She comes back to possess Sethe. She tells Denver about her plans that, â€Å"She is the one I need. You can go but she is the one I have to have† (93). This obsession for her mother makes Beloved’s identity mysterious. Her appearance and disappearance add an element of supern aturalism to the painful story of Sethe.She appears mysteriously from water. â€Å"She had new skin, lineless and smooth, including the knuckles of her hands† (63). The reappearance of Beloved from water is symbolic in the sense that it depicts the entire process of child birth. It is like emergence of new born baby from the fluid of the mother’s womb. Sethe takes Beloved as a living being and not as a ghost. It is Morrison who presents Beloved, â€Å"gothically monstrous† (Matus 119) so that Sethe feels calm after relieving herself from the burden of the past. Beloved is in true sense the ghost of past which is trying to find its place in the present.Just as her appearance was sudden, her 5 disappearance left a lot of unanswered questions. In the end she appears as a naked pregnant lady which according to the community ladies, exploded in air. Sethe shares a similar relation with her other daughter Denver. She is the eye witness of the bloodshed of her sister. She also drank her mother milk mixed with Beloved’s blood. She is the only permanent member of 124 Bluestone apart from Sethe. Both of them share an unspoken relationship. Denver blames her mother for killing her sister. She isolates herself from the community and from her mother.Her alienation leads to her attachment with Beloved when she takes her for her dead sister. Her act of drinking the milk of her mother mixed with the blood of Beloved symbolizes that Sethe and her family made the death of Beloved their life and her blood their nourishment. â€Å"Beloved is my sister. I swallowed her blood right along with my mother’s milk†(252). Beloved is determined to wage a war against her mother. Denver on the other hand keeps the grudges in her heart. But her love for her mother gradually grows when she sees her mother suffering under the tantrums of Beloved.Denver comes to rescue her mother. She is a link between Sethe and the community. Sethe understood Denverâ⠂¬â„¢s solitude but never disclosed the past to her. She only reveals the half truth. â€Å"As for Denver, the job Sethe had of keeping her from the past that was still waiting for her was all that mattered†(53). This silence in the mother – daughter relationship widened the gulf and made Denver â€Å"secretive†(121). She lived in the secret company of Beloved until she actually appeared in flesh. Beloved and Denver have an intensely possessive nature. Beloved makes Sethe her important part.She wants complete attention of Sethe. She fixes her eyes on Sethe. At this part of the novel Sethe and Beloved are viewed as one soul. A similar possession is seen in the nature of Denver but towards, â€Å"her ghost sibling† (Matus 118). The growing intimacy of Beloved and Sethe gives threat to the security of Denver and she feels â€Å"marginalized† ( Matus 118) in their company. In Beloved, both the daughters appear to be aggressive but the maternal violence of Sethe overshadows their aggression. In the end there is also a role reversal seen in the character of Denver. She hates her mother in the beginning.She seeks the company of Beloved and wants to protect her sister from her 6 mother. But later she becomes sympathetic towards Sethe and wishes to protect her from the ghost of Beloved. This is the growth in the character of Denver where she is able to frame her own opinions about life. Guilt is the most integral part of the healing process. It follows crime. Guilt may be internal or exposed but crime is always accompanied by the feeling of guilt. This guilt is what Beloved stands for as for as Sethe is concerned. Sethe’s rash act of killing her daughter gave a huge blow to the psychological state of Sethe.She never wanted to speak of her past but arrival of Paul D and then Beloved confirms her belief that Beloved was her own daughter whom she killed. This guilty self makes Sethe surrender fully to the demands of Beloved. She f eels intensely insecure in the presence of Beloved and offers her the best at the cost of her job, house and health. Sethe’s guilt, frames Beloved as the dead infant. She keeps on justifying the infanticide to Beloved. The ultimate note of Morrison seems that, â€Å"Guilt and the past must not be avoided. They must be taken up and possessed† (Carmean 91). The slave women were never designated for being mothers.They were considered only as the breeder. â€Å"Their infant children could be sold away from them like calves from cows† (Davis 7). Sethe’s mother-in-law does not even recall the faces of her eight children. Similarly, Sethe was never nursed by her mother. But Sethe’s attempt to be a good mother hinted at the dangerous consequences of mother love. Even Paul D recognizes that mother-love for a slave is too risky. To quote: â€Å"Risky, thought Paul D, very risky. For a used-to-be slave woman to love anything that much was dangerous, especial ly if it was her children. She had settled on to love (56).When Paul D accuses Sethe of having â€Å"thick love†(202) she replies that, â€Å"Love is or it ain’t. Thin love ain’t love at all†(202). This means that Sethe has a very desperate and obsessive kind of nature. It cannot be called the unselfish motherly instinct. Sethe’s relation with her daughter Beloved is selfish. She used Beloved as a scapegoat to show resistance to the institution of slavery. This fear of getting revealed haunts her psychologically. Beloved appears as a girl in flesh from the water to avenge her death, â€Å"Sethe was trying to make up for the handsaw; Beloved was making her pay for it† (308). Sethe and Beloved share an intense relationship which breaks the bond of time, space, culture, community etc. She believes that death is nothing but continuations of life in another form. Both share a common feeling of being haunted. Sethe commits an evil and Beloved beco mes evil. And their union creates the mystery that is most horrific in the story. Infanticide puts Sethe’s motherhood at stake but a closer evaluation of the real life situation of black slaves in general and females in particular, leave no other option other than death or suicide. Most of the females had this suicidal tendency to escape from brutality. Slaves were treated no better than animals.Morrison’s female characters have a shade of grey in their personality. For example Sethe’s attempt to kill makes her a merciless lady. Paul D remarks that, â€Å"†¦you got two feet, Sethe, not four† (202). Similarly the eccentric character of Beloved shows that she is the embodiment of evil. Beloved tries to seduce Paul D. She tries to strangle Sethe and makes Denver a mere puppet in her hand. Beloved is an extremist in the sense that on one hand she nearly chokes Sethe to death and at the very next moment she soothes Sethe’s bruised neck with her sof t fingers. Beloved’s highly dominating and demanding nature causes enough pain to Sethe.She gives up everything she had, to please Beloved so that her crime is forgiven. A similar wildness is also seen in the character of Denver. She blames her mother for the infanticide and mentally proves to be a torture to Sethe. Denver’s alienation from her family increases Sethe’s isolation and Denver plans this deliberately so that her mother realizes the pain of being killed. However, Denver proves to be a great help to Sethe in the end when she realizes that Beloved has totally possessed her mother. The psychic trauma of infantile abandonment is also seen in Sethe.Slavery broke the bonds of Sethe with her mother before she could even speak. This denial of parental claim exaggerates Sethe’s role as a mother and she consider her sole responsibility towards the well being of her child. Her act of infanticide also reveals her attempt to reconstruct her own past where her mother was hanged and she was left all by herself. She confesses, â€Å"My plan was to take us all to the other side where my own ma’am [Sethe’s mother] is,† (250). Sethe’s own experiences of life and the cultural preaching of the blacks made her believe that life as a female slave was worse that death. For the blacks, â€Å"death was anything but forgetfulness† (4). This hatred for the present birth and hope of a better life in the new birth makes Sethe confident on her decision of infanticide. Sethe’s crime, if considered morally, is highly condemnable. It is unapproved by any religion or community to commit infanticide. Even Sethe realizes this when the community rejects her. Baby Suggs, who is the moral preacher, could not react to the incident and succumbed to death. Sethe knew that she was to be blamed for the death of Baby Suggs.At the social level Sethe is declared an outcast who tries to be a rebel by breaking the set of norms o f the society. This develops a communication barrier between the community on one side and Sethe’s household on another. Denver is also the victim of the feeling of alienation. But Sethe needs the support of the community to overcome her guilt. â€Å"In Beloved life is hell, but togetherness, shared experiences and brotherly/ sisterly love helps the characters to survive, if not to forge better lives for themselves† (Mbalia 91). In the end of the story the entire community joins to drive Beloved away of the Bluestone Road.Morrison proposes solidarity as the only viable solution to the problems of the black community. Infanticide is also criticized politically when Sethe is sentenced to seven years imprisonment for the act. Supernaturalism is the prominent element of Beloved. The first line of the novel draws the attention towards the mysterious world. It says, â€Å"124 was spiteful. Full of baby’s venom† (3). Morrison’s prime concern is to develop the unique culture of Africa so that the ghost stories introduced appear real and alluring. The hostile environment of America and the white community adds to the haunted environment of the novel.The ghost tales are common to the blacks as death for them is no longer the issue of fear. Baby Suggs admits that her own dead children must be, â€Å"†¦worrying somebody’s house into evil† (6). Therefore the character of Beloved and even her presence as a ghost in Sethe’s house appears justified to the modern readers. â€Å"Morrison’s clan is a complex of values and mythologies† (Holloway 160). Morrison has also projected supernaturalism as the consequence of disturbed psychic state of a person. Frustration and suppression often leads to the formation of an imaginary world and imaginary characters. This is another angle of justifying the element of supernaturalism. Morrison connects the two worlds of living and dead through Sethe and Beloved. The bl ack community is also well equipped with the methods of separating the physical and the supernatural world. This is how the community is able to drive Beloved to her right place. Sethe seems to be out of focus. Without the guidance of a mother, she has missed out on the actual mother-daughter relationships. Circumstances of sexual exploitation seem to have marred her psychologically and the base animal like nature of a human being seems to have overtaken her personality.Sethe seems to be ridden with a problem of the mind. No mother however cruel can resort to killing her own child. Even if she feared that her daughter would be a future victim of abuse, she could have given her child away to someone she knew. Sethe stopped thinking beyond a point and terror and fear have made her act in such a manner. Though she feels she has done the right thing she is guilty of doing injustice by killing her child. Morrison does not aim at giving the judgment on the act of Sethe. It is left to the readers to analyses her decision.Infanticide was condemned by the society but Sethe is forgiven in the end by the same the society. Since solidarity is the proposed solution to the humiliations suffered by the blacks, therefore, the crime of Sethe cannot be viewed as an isolated decision. The community is also directly and indirectly involved in the execution of the infanticide. That is why the community also shares the burden of guilt along with Sethe. But it is not forgetting of the past that the author propagates it is actually living the past to overcome it.Works cited Brent, Linda. â€Å"Incidents in the life of a Slave Girl†. The Classic Slave Narratives. Henry Louis Gates. ed. New York: American Library, 1987. Carmean, Karen. Toni Morrison’s World of Fiction. New York: Whitestone Publishing Company,1993. 10 Davis, Angela. Women, Race and Class. New York: Random House, 1981. Drew, Benjamin. â€Å"The Refugee: A North-side View of Slavery†. Four Fugitive Sl ave Narrative. ( Reading MA : Addison Wesley, 1969). Holloway, Karla and Stephanie D. New Dimensions of Spirituality A Biracial and Bicultural Reading of the Novels of Toni Morrison. New York: Greenwood Press, 1987. Matus, Jill. Toni Morrison Contemporary World Writers. New York: Manchester University Press, 1998. Middleton, David. Toni Morrison’s Fiction: Contemporary Criticism. New York: Garland Publishing, 2000. Mabalia, Doreatha Drummond. Toni Morrison Developing Class Consciousness. : Selinsgrove: Susquehanna University Press, 1993. Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Signet, 1987. (All the subsequent references are quoted in the parenthesis of the text) Peach, Linden. ed. Toni Morrison. Macmillan Press: London, 2000. Schapira, Barbara. â€Å"The Bonds of Love and the Boundaries of Self in Toni Morrison’s Beloved†. Contemporary Literature 32: 2, 1991.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Cover Letter Sample English Teacher Job

Cover Letter Sample English Teacher Job SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Teaching's a competitive field, so a stand-out cover letter's a must for serious applicants. In the sample below, the applicant is applying to teach English as a Second Language to international students. Read on to see why the writer thinks he'd be a great match for the position. Then continue scrolling for an analysis of what this sample cover letter does well. Cover Letter for English Teacher Position Jon Snowman1 Wall Road, North Reading, MA 01864606-060-6066 âÅ" ´ jon.snowman@gmail.com May 1, 2016 Lucia GomezSchool Director English Learning Center60 Center St.Boston, MA 02108 Dear Ms. Gomez, I was excited to find your posting for an English as a Second Language teacher with English Learning Center on Craigslist.com. Upon researching your school, I strongly identified with its mission of cross-cultural communication and global citizenship. I am confident that I would make an excellent addition to your teaching team because of my passion for helping students, my teaching and cultural experiences, and my TEFL qualifications. I taught ESL to beginner, intermediate, and advanced students of various cultural and linguistic backgrounds in Madrid for one year. Before stepping into this role, I earned my TEFL certification after completing an on-site 120-hour course. Through my teaching experiences and TEFL studies, I developed critical pedagogic and classroom management skills, along with a passion for teaching English. I'm equipped with the Communicative Teaching Method, a philosophy that I’m excited to see you use at English Learning Center. I apply this method in the classroom through interactive, student-centered activities that maximize â€Å"student talk time.† I scaffold my lessons so that they include pair and group work, as well as movement around the classroom. By engaging students in speaking, grammar, writing, listening, and reading and appealing to diverse learning styles, I help them improve their accuracy and fluency across key skill areas. After living in Spain, I understand both the excitement and the challenges that accompany learning a new language and living abroad. In my classes, I typically set aside five to ten minutes at the start of each class for students to share their â€Å"highs† and â€Å"lows† for the week, a ritual that mystudents have appreciated as they adapted to new surroundings. I aim to support students’ social-emotional well-being as they learn English and deepen their global awareness. I look forward to speaking with you to discuss your specific needs at English Language Center and my ability to meet them. I'd be thrilled to join a team of globally-minded educators dedicated to high-quality language instruction. Please feel free to contact me at 606-060-6066 or jon.snowman@gmail.com. Thank you very much for your consideration. Sincerely, Jon Snowman Jon Snowman Will this cover letter help Jon get an ESL teaching job stateside? ESL Teacher Cover Letter: The Breakdown Jon is applying to an ESL teaching position with English Language Center. In his cover letter, hereflects an understanding of the school by referring to its mission statement in the first paragraph. He also shows that he knows it uses the Communicative Teaching Method as the basis for its curriculum, a method with which he’s familiar. Jon describes his skills and qualifications in terms of his TEFL certification, lesson planning abilities, and efforts to establish a comfortable classroom environment. He specifies that his lessons focus on pair and group work to maximize conversation among students, and he gives an example of a â€Å"high/low† activity he uses to support students emotionally as they adapt to a new culture. By giving specifics, Jon illustrates his instructional skills and teaching methodology. His letter is clearly organized and provides insight into his experiences. Overall, Jon's cover letter shows that he’s a thoughtful teacher dedicated to ESL instruction. Before heading to the next sample, consider one important note about the letter's format. A Note on Format The letter above features a traditional format with Jon's name, address, and contact information at the top, followed by the date and the name and address of the hiring manager. He also signs and prints his name at the bottom. This format is spot on for cover letters sent as a hard copy or as an attachment in a Word document. These days, though, lots of jobs have applicants send their cover letters in the body of an email or pasted into a text box on their application site. If you're sending a cover letter in the body of an email or text box, then you usually don't have to worry about these headers. You can just start right in with the salutation (e.g., Dear Ms. Wassername) and type your name at the end. Make sure to read and follow any application instructions so you know exactly how to send your materials. In addition to being thoughtful about your cover letter's content, you can be intentional aboutyour letter's format and overall look. What's Next? Do you need a degree to be an English teacher? Learn more about the qualifications you'll need to teach in the U.S. with this article. Ready to read another sample? Check out this sample cover letter for the job of Marketing Manager! Are you looking for our full cover letter guide? Head back to the complete guide here with links to five more cover letter samples. Are you starting at the beginning? This guide has a universal cover letter template to guide your writing, along with great tips to produce the best cover letter you can.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Essay on Aspen Ski Case

Essay on Aspen Ski Case Essay on Aspen Ski Case If I held the position of Executive Director of Sustainability for Aspen Skiing Company, I would have advised CEO Mike Kaplan to not sign onto the Greenpeace led Kimberly-Clark boycott. There were definite benefits of supporting the boycott such as being able to make a meaningful impact on the green initiatives of another company but the negative attention that ASC would receive from attaching their name to this campaign would outweigh any benefits that would have been gained. Supporting the boycott had the risk of inviting unwanted media attention and accusations of â€Å"greenwashing†, which is when companies would try to portray themselves as being environmentally proactive while actually doing very little for the environment. ASC had its own challenges to deal with, including a project to expand one of its ski areas by 500 acres as it faced strong push back from the local community and wildlife advocates. Even though ASC had made huge strides in reducing their carbon footp rint and were being as environmentally sustainable as possible, they consumed enormous amounts of energy because of the nature of the ski industry; this could be seen as controversial because a company that uses massive amounts of energy and clears large portions of forests for its operating activities cannot blame another company for not being sustainable. Also I feel that they should be focusing their resources and efforts on what they are renowned for, providing a luxurious and world-class skiing

Sunday, October 20, 2019

How the 2016 Republican Primaries Worked

How the 2016 Republican Primaries Worked The 2016 presidential election was notable for many reasons, not the least of which was the outcome. Major changes to the Republican primary system made in the wake of the 2012 election were intended to speed up the candidate-selection process. But it didnt quite work out that way. What Happened in 2012 Party rules put in place before the 2012 presidential election  lengthened  the amount of time it took the eventual nominee to secure the 1,144 delegates necessary for the nomination. The top three candidates,  Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and  Newt Gingrich, were locked in a tight race until the very end, when Utah held the last of the primaries in the nation on June 26. The party convention was held a month later in Tampa, Florida. That November,  Romney  lost by a wide margin to President Barack Obama, giving Obama a  second term in the White House. Two years later, Republican Party leaders met to draft rules for the 2016 primaries. Their chief concern was avoiding another drawn-out primary battle that would force the eventual nominee to spend too much time and money defending himself from attacks by members of his own party. Republican National Committee Chairman  Reince Priebus put it this way in 2014: We have been saying for months that we were no longer going to sit around and allow ourselves to slice and dice for six months, participate in a circus of debates, that we were going to take hold once again of our responsibility at the Republican National Committee because we are the custodians of the nomination process, he said. The 2016 Primaries Per tradition, Iowa Republicans voted first; they caucused on Feb. 1, 2016, and gave Texas Sen. Ted Cruz a slim win over Donald Trump, 28 percent to 24 percent. A little over a week later, New Hampshires GOP held the nations first primary on Feb. 9. Trump won a commanding 35 percent of the vote. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who would dog Trump throughout the campaign, took second place with 19 percent of the vote. South Carolina and Nevada voted later that month, and Trump won both states. But Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz also did well. The ground was set for a fast, brutal primary fight leading up to the July 18 beginning of the national convention.   Because Iowa and New Hampshire guard their first-in-the-nation status so dearly, the GOP rules made sure that any states that tried to vote earlier than these would be punished by losing delegates at the national convention. Victories in these early states would also give an early boost to the winners. Once March began, the pace quickened. States holding their primaries between March 1 and March 14 had to award their delegates on a proportional basis, meaning that no one candidate could likely win the nomination before late-voting states held their primaries. States voting on March 15, 2016, or later could award their delegates on a winner-take-all basis, meaning candidates will likely pay more attention to them.   As the weeks wore on, the contest came down to Trump and Cruz, with Kasich a distant if vocal third. By the time the Indiana Republican primary took place on May 3, it was apparent that Trump would win the nomination after Cruz came in second in that contest and subsequently dropped out of the race. Trump officially crossed the delegate threshold of 1,237 when he won the North Dakota primary on May 26. Aftermath Donald Trump went on to win the presidential election that November ​and the Republican Party maintained its control of both houses of Congress. Yet even before the election, some party leaders were already talking about changes to the 2020 primary system. Among them was a proposal to allow only registered Republicans a vote. Trump won primaries in both South Carolina and Nevada in part because both states permitted independents to vote. As of August 2017, the GOP hasnt yet implemented these reforms.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

As a Mercerian, what do you consider the most importasnt leadership Essay

As a Mercerian, what do you consider the most importasnt leadership quality and why - Essay Example Intelligence appeals to me as the core leadership quality because it arouses and supports all the other requisite qualities for successful leadership. It is out of intelligence that a leader would be able to communicate sense to the audience, understand the desires of the followers and appeal to their support for the intended course. It is intelligence that would give a leader the confidence to communicate to with followers and earn confidence in whatever decisions made. Indeed, intelligence could be attributed to the success of many leaders be it in political, social, professional or religious circles. For example, Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc., a leading international technological company, was endowed with intelligence that not only enabled him innovate the most marketable technological gadgets but also appeal to employees of Apple Inc. to live to the vision of the organization. It is the intelligence of Nelson Mandela, the first president of independent South Africa, which saw the country attain independence from colonialists and in addition unite the people of South Africa after apartheid regardless of their background. Therefore, I am certain that intelligence is the most important leadership

Friday, October 18, 2019

Marketing plan for Grey Goose Company Case Study

Marketing plan for Grey Goose Company - Case Study Example petitive price and extra ordinary taste, its level of preference is extremely high among the middle class of the society and so its brand value and market share is also quite high as compared to many other rival players such as Smirnoff, Skyy etc in the market of America. In spite of extreme aggressiveness, the demand and preference of Grey Goose Vodka is extremely high in the market of America as compared to other rivals. This is mainly due to the utilization of the special customized technology, which mixes potatoes in a unique way so as to present a unique quality and taste. Thus, due to this unique feature, the level of preference of Grey Goose Vodka is extremely high in the market. Moreover, as the vodka of Grey Goose might be consumed in both neat as well as in mixed way, so its level of demand is extremely high as compared to others. Thus, due to these above mentioned features, the sustainability and position of the organization of Grey Goose increased to a significant extent in this age of competitiveness. Positioning is the process of locating a specific product within the minds of the customers among many other rival brands in order to improve its total sale and market position. The organization of Grey Goose might try to re-position itself as a premium brand offering a wide range of superior and healthy malt spirits such as Grey Goose La Poire, Grey Goose L’Orange, Grey Goose Le Citron and many others. However, in order to improve its demand and customer base, it promoted itself as a healthier drink with superior quality, sophistication as well as modernity. Furthermore, in order to improve the sustainability and market share, all the products of Grey Goose are prepared from finest quality of ingredients that increased its level of preference among the adult section of the society. Hence, in spite of being a premium brand, its market share and total sale is quite high, due to its healthier taste as compared to others as presented below. Thus, from

Superstition & Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Superstition & Science - Essay Example Neville discovered that the infected beings possessed both the human and vampire-like characteristics and only came out after dawn (Matheson 17). The other characteristic trait was that they could be repelled using garlic. It became a constant battle of survival for this resourceful man who had to go against extreme odds to get what he aspired. At one point Neville captured Ruth, a creature possessing both human and vampire characteristics and one that could go out during the day. Neville’s reaction was that there was nothing eye-catching about them during the day (Matheson 30). Neville was suspicious as to whether Ruth was truly human as she portrayed herself adding to the fact that she was opposed to killing of vampires. Ruth and Neville soon became companion to a point where it developed into a relationship. On his quest to identify the cure for the disease, Neville and the readers discovered that Ruth’s blood samples were indeed infected. Ruth left Neville and revea led that she lived in colony of people who were infected and planned to rebuild their lives. Given that Neville had formed a habit of killing many of Ruth’s kind, he only seems to be in their way and had to be converted before he destroyed her people. The novel concludes by depicting the final thoughts of Neville before he was executed. Part 2: Argument Using the evidence put into play by Richard Matheson, in connection with the 1940s and 1950s timelines, it is clear that there were universal human fears among the American public in 1954. The fear could also be directly linked to the existing, cultural conditions and existing custom of individual identity. From the timelines given, year 1940 to year 1954, it is clear that the American public was fearful of the Cold War and the effects it had on individuals, their health and social aspects. Vampires represented American’s xenophobic fear which manifested with time and was made worse with the onset of a few films made in New York for entertaining the Elite. Hence, most Americans were not fully reassured that the vampire syndrome would come to an end. The sale of surplus war material in 1940s posed a serious risk to the lives of Americans who were at war with other nations. Vampire-like symptoms can be indirectly compared to American public’s fear of the devastating physical changes, illness and decreasing faculties when exposed to biological war materials that were used by their enemies. The public was fearful of loss of individuality as a nation. The manifestation of decaying being that still lingered in the world can be compared to the individual fear of being incapable of recognizing and preventing oneself from encountering pain and suffering that was inflicted once a loved one was lost in the war. The drinking of blood as depicted in Matheson’s book, page 10, of Vampires’ craving to drink Neville’s blood represented the public’s fear of re-occurring problems w hich surfaced during the Second World War. It reprieved the public off its financial and emotional aspects of life. The compelling universal fears manifested in an average American’s mind in 1942 and 1943 where there were atomic bombs being developed as a form of weapon. This may be compared to the views of Americans in regard to Vampires in the society. When the world war two occurred, most countries were affected on a global scope and so was Neville’

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Economics Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics Issue - Essay Example Korea as well as India may take the initiative of lessening tax rates for addressing and mitigating the above stated issues by a considerable extent. Based on the journal, which mainly depicted one of the problems facing by the economies across Asia concerning about diminishing inflation rates, it can be affirmed that then above nations must remain quite vigilant in keep the inflation rates under greater control. This might aid in attracting the investors and also the other stakeholders to take necessary and appropriate measures about solving such a crucial economic issue (Wright, â€Å"Economies across Asia Face Falling Inflation Rates†). With this concern, the essay intends to address the aforesaid economic issue with determining its impact on the economies and identifying the measures to address and mitigate such a crucial economic issue. In relation to Asian countries, Japan took the initiative of lessening consumer expenditures and making substantial investments for mitigating the problem of dipping inflation rates. In recent times, Japan experienced the crucial concern of rising prices in the form of monetary as well as fiscal stimulus. In this particular scenario, the economists anticipate that the inflation will fall below at certain rates in future. Apart from Japan, the inflation rate in Indonesia can also be apparently noticed below 8 % at the end of the year 2013 and the economists expect that inflation rate will be higher in subsequent years. This might be due to the reasons of increased level of globalization, gaining momentum of internationalization and most importantly increased level of customers’ expenditures among others (Wright, â€Å"Economies across Asia Face Falling Inflation Rates†). As per the article presented in Wall Street Journal, it can be ascertained that the respective governments of Asia have mainly relied on the debts for

Performance in Drama and Poetry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Performance in Drama and Poetry - Assignment Example In addition, the poem evidently demonstrates unity of action in that the activities are focused on one plotline and the illiterate protagonist. Unlike the more epic novels, spanning several plots, geographical locations, and historical eras, drama and poetry are far less overarching. For instance, in the play, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Drobot (2012) said the story revolves around the protagonist, Blanche DuBois who is depicted as constantly bearing the brunt of ill-treatment, especially at the hands of Stanley. However, the other characters are depicted as playing subsidiary roles throughout the play. In light of the focus on a single item, the resulting drama and poem would always be performative. Plays and poems employ characterization, plot and mood to develop the themes, which are inherent throughout the literary piece in question. As a reader, I have noticed that unlike the narrative novels which tend to be â€Å"telling† the story from the narrator’s or the author’s view, plays and poems generally show readers the events as they unravel. As the result, I do have a feeling of a participant when reading plays and poems than when reading

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Economics Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics Issue - Essay Example Korea as well as India may take the initiative of lessening tax rates for addressing and mitigating the above stated issues by a considerable extent. Based on the journal, which mainly depicted one of the problems facing by the economies across Asia concerning about diminishing inflation rates, it can be affirmed that then above nations must remain quite vigilant in keep the inflation rates under greater control. This might aid in attracting the investors and also the other stakeholders to take necessary and appropriate measures about solving such a crucial economic issue (Wright, â€Å"Economies across Asia Face Falling Inflation Rates†). With this concern, the essay intends to address the aforesaid economic issue with determining its impact on the economies and identifying the measures to address and mitigate such a crucial economic issue. In relation to Asian countries, Japan took the initiative of lessening consumer expenditures and making substantial investments for mitigating the problem of dipping inflation rates. In recent times, Japan experienced the crucial concern of rising prices in the form of monetary as well as fiscal stimulus. In this particular scenario, the economists anticipate that the inflation will fall below at certain rates in future. Apart from Japan, the inflation rate in Indonesia can also be apparently noticed below 8 % at the end of the year 2013 and the economists expect that inflation rate will be higher in subsequent years. This might be due to the reasons of increased level of globalization, gaining momentum of internationalization and most importantly increased level of customers’ expenditures among others (Wright, â€Å"Economies across Asia Face Falling Inflation Rates†). As per the article presented in Wall Street Journal, it can be ascertained that the respective governments of Asia have mainly relied on the debts for

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Article question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article question - Assignment Example One of the major disadvantages of structured programming is redundancy of code. Since the program code is divided into modules therefore, there is a high possibility that the same code can be repeated in different modules. The perceived preference of object oriented languages over the more structural programming languages in industry today is due to some chief attributes of the object oriented programming paradigm. These attributes are encapsulation, information hiding and inheritance. These characteristics make programming easier in this paradigm. The object oriented programming model better reflects the human way of thinking and conceptualizing. The reason is that several objects are made while coding a program. For instance, a class is made on â€Å"person†. Then from this class different objects can be made like student, teacher, employee etc. this is similar to the thinking of mankind. 1. Information Hiding: Through information hiding dependencies among modules is reduced. It means that if in a home two children are given separate rooms and they are restricted to enter in the other’s room then each of them are only concerned with their own room and they don’t know the things of the other. 2. Encapsulation: It is communication between different things. For example if a person goes to a restaurant and orders rice to waiter. Then there is no communication between the person and cooker but through rice they are linked to each other. 3. Inheritance: The technique of â€Å"inheritance† is analogous to the inheritance of biological traits from parent to child in that certain characteristics and physical structures carry from one generation to the next. 4. Polymorphism: It means implementation of same thing in different ways. For example a kid asks his mother for meal. One way to is that mother serves the meal on the table while the other way is

Monday, October 14, 2019

Text & Cases Problem Essay Example for Free

Text Cases Problem Essay 16 to 30 150,000.00 0.94 9,000.00 31 to 45 75,000.00 0.80 15,000.00 46 to 60 45,000.00 0.65 15,750.00 61 to 75 15,000.00 0.50 7,500.00 Over 75 15,000.00 15,000.00 Total 51,750.00 15,000.00 a. Appropriate balance for AFDA is $ 51,750.00 (equals to Allowance Amount in the Aging Schedule) b. Presentation of Accounts Receivable in Balance Sheet: Accounts Receivable 735,000.00 Less: Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 51,750.00 Net, Accounts Receivable 683,250.00 c. Dollar Effect of Bad Debt Expense: AFDA, Beginning Balance 37,500.00 AFDA, Write-Off (15,000.00) AFDA, Movement 29,250.00 AFDA, Ending Balance 51,750.00 Dollar Effect of Bad Debt Expense is $ 29.250.00 (equals to movement amount of AFDA) Case 5-1: Question 1 Stern Corporation General Journal (in USD) Date Account Dr. Cr. 2010 Dec 31 Accounts Receivable 9,965,575.00 Sales 9,965,575.00 31 Cash 9,685,420.00 Accounts Receivable 9,685,420.00 31 Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 26,854.00 Accounts Receivable 26,854.00 31 Accounts Receivable 4,594.00 Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 4,594.00 31 Cash 2,108.00 Accounts Receivable 2,108.00 31 Cash 1,566.00 Accounts Receivable 1,566.00 31 Bad Debt Expense 29,886.00 Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 29,886.00 Case 5-1: Question 2 (in USD) Account Beginning Balance, 2010 Movement, 2010 Ending Balance, 2010 Cash 671,344.00 9,689,094.00 10,360,438.00 Accounts Receivable 988,257.00 254,221.00 1,242,478.00 Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 29,648.00 7,626.00 37,274.00 Sales 9,965,575.00 9,965,575.00 Bad Debt Expenses 29,886.00 29,886.00 a. Accounts Receivable balance as of Dec 31, 2010 is $ 1,242,478.00 b. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts balance as of Dec 31, 2010 is $ 37,274.00 Case 5-1: Question 3 1 Current Ratio Current Asset = 13,574,107.00 = 9.4915 Current Liabilities 1,430,132.00 Current Asset: Cash 10,360,438.00 Accounts Receivable 1,242,478.00 Allowance for Doubtful Accounts (37,274.00) U.S Treasury Securities 274,060.00 Inventories 1,734,405.00 Total Current Asset 13,574,107.00 2 Acid Test Ratio Current Monetary Asset = 11,839,702.00 = 8.2787 Current Liabilities 1,430,132.00 Current Monetary Asset: Cash 10,360,438.00 Accounts Receivable 1,242,478.00 Allowance for Doubtful Accounts (37,274.00) U.S Treasury Securities 274,060.00 Total Current Monetary Asset 11,839,702.00 3 Days Receivable Accounts Receivable = 1,242,478.00 = 45.5071 Days Sales / 365 27,302.95

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Management Style At Marriott Hotel Commerce Essay

Management Style At Marriott Hotel Commerce Essay Contingency management is the most prevalent of all management concepts for the simple reason that it provides the necessary flexibility to develop strategies which pertain to each individual organisation. Adopting a flexible management style allows an organisation to be more adaptable to changes in both the micro (internal) and macro (external) environments. Leicester Marriott has adopted a form of contingency management which revolves around the human relations approach, whereby past studies have shown that certain variables are instrumental to employee satisfaction. Marriott gives tremendous importance to its associates, as they ultimately are the reason why the brand has been successful for so many years. Associate opinions are highly valued by members of management, so they are often required to attend brainstorming sessions where key issues are discussed. Such involvement should make way for improved productivity and efficiency, as having an input in the decisions taken in ones department is fundamental to happiness at work, which may also have a positive effect on other aspects of associate life. Members of management know that to maximise profitability, employees must be awarded a level of responsibility within the organisation, and most importantly, be respected and treated as integral members of the organisation. The five-star Grand Hotel Excelsior (GHE) in Malta is not owned or run by any hotel chain, but is privately owned by a British family. It started operations approximately four years ago, and has since risen to become one of the best hotels on the island, troubling the likes of Hilton, Westin and Le Meridien which dominate the luxury accommodation Market in Malta. The Excelsior is affiliated with the Iprefer group, which offers subscribed members numerous benefits such as special discounts and offers for Iprefer hotels throughout the world. At the Excelsior, divisions between upper management and their subordinates are generally noticeable, a trait which is reminiscent of bureaucratic management. However, utmost respect and gratitude is shown to employees when tasks are carried out successfully, and the general manager often stresses the fact that the hotels success is owed to its employees. Unlike Marriotts tried and tested approach to management, the Excelsiors directors and managers had to devise a management style which fit the organisations requirements. In doing so, training has been given top priority and is carried out by in-house specialists, as well as by some of Maltas leading consultation companies. Through personal experience, soft management is very much present within the rooms division as managers are aware that adopting hard management will not be beneficial. The employment of hard management may make employees fear their superiors, to the extent that absenteeism may increase, and employees may seek job opportunities elsewhere. However, this does not mean that managers should not, when necessary, show authority. Task 2 Using an organisation where you have worked evaluate the role and function of at least one manager. Compare and contrast the leadership style of your chosen organisation with one of the leaders in the case study. At the Grand Hotel Excelsior, Front office employees are the first to interact with guests, and must therefore project the hotels image of luxury and professionalism by being well groomed, well mannered, professional, and hospitable. The lobbys classic dà ©cor and warm lighting ensure that guests feel welcome and relaxed, particularly after hours of travel. Upon arrival, guests are greeted and assisted by the porter, and are then directed towards the front desk where they are offered a complimentary welcome drink, after which the check-in process begins. The front office manager manages all front of house operations to ensure that guests are offered an Iprefer experience. The roles and functions pertaining to this position are vast and crucial to the establishments success. The primary role of the front office manager is to develop and retain professional relationships with guests and non-guests, with the aim of having them return time and time again. However, he is aware that the only way to provide a seamless guest experience is to ensure that his team is, first and foremost, treated respectfully. Front of house operations pertaining to the front office manager include but are not limited to; reviewing the hotels room availability status and special guest requests, resolving guest complaints, reviewing comment cards, participating in the daily head of department (HOD) meetings, assisting his team members at the front desk when it gets busy, and when necessary, greet VIP guests and ensure that their check-ins go as smoothly as possible. He highly values his teams input and often sets up informal meetings to discuss any issues which they have faced or are facing, and asks for suggestions to mitigate such issues to ensure that the front office operates as efficiently and effectively as possible. Performance management and employee motivation are closely linked to leadership. The front office manager adapts positive leadership to his management style, which is crucial to ensure that employees adopt a positive attitude towards work and are not passive towards their duties. Performance management and motivation also ensure that profit forecasts are reached, services are consistent, and the overall environment is positive. Ultimately, guests expect value for money, and must therefore be offered an experience which meets, or more appropriately, exceeds their expectations. Performance management at Leicester Marriott Associate performance is fundamental to any organisations success. Potential associates at Leicester Marriott must undergo a three day induction before commencing work, to discuss key areas ranging from an explanation of the companys organigram to disability discrimination awareness. The techniques adopted range from lectures to audio-visual presentations in the form of corporate films. Once management is satisfied with their performance, they are cross trained by their department managers. The case study stresses that the pace of development within the company is solely up to the individual, so they must learn how to manage themselves accordingly. This happens to be a key characteristic of the human relations approach. Once a month a meeting is set up between associates and their managers to discuss and deal with any issues before they lead to any declines in customer satisfaction and other inconsistencies. By reducing staff turnover, the quality of the services rendered, the profitability obtained, and the ability of staff to progress within the organisation to higher positions will be a lot more likely. In-house as well as online programmes are offered to employees who wish to improve their skills and performance, whilst managers are trained at other Marriott establishments. This would allow managers to observe how different establishments undergo their daily business, and how although each Marriott hotel aims to provide a quality experience, each establishment has unique features which make them attractive, such as unique dà ©cor, unique entertainment, or unique members of staff, for instance. Performance management at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Online and session based courses are offered free of charge to members of staff on a monthly basis, whereby skills such as cultural appreciation and awareness, and numerous others can be enhanced. Training is constantly offered to members of staff in-house, by hotel employees as well as professional consultation companies. Management believes that it is crucial for employees to receive the best training possible so as to be able to provide a seamless experience to guests and non-guests. Induction training is typically one day long for those opting to work at front office, and this takes place in a meeting room on the premises. Being such a fast paced industry, most training occurs on the job. During the first few weeks of employment, employees at front office must log down their progress in a progress file, and take any necessary notes. Any issues which are encountered should be dealt with immediately to avoid unnecessary errors in the future. After the fundamental factors of cross training have been covered, employees must undergo a test whereby the skills obtained are examined. Motivation at Leicester Marriott Marriott believes that there are other means of motivation for staff other than receiving a salary at the end of the month. Employees should feel as though they are valued for their contributions to the organisations success. Staff is incentivised through numerous schemes such as discounts and exclusive offers when staying at Marriott properties. They may alternatively opt to receive vouchers for high end shops instead of making use of their Marriott stay. Although other motivators often overshadow working conditions, conditions at work may indeed lead to de-motivation. To avoid this, management provides quality canteen services, easy access to uniform, extensive taxi benefits, as well as other basic factors. Other motivators come in the form of team building exercises, where employees can get to know each other better and develop stronger professional relationships, as well as departmental outings, barbeques, dress parties, Oscar parties, employee of the month and special person awards ceremonies, as well as appreciation week. Motivation at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Motivation is a fundamental part of leadership, as all those who form part of a team must be rewarded in some way or another for their efforts. Maslows hierarchy of needs plays an integral part in ones performance at work. It states that for a person to live a fulfilling life there must be the necessary foundations in place. The satisfaction of the basic physiological requirements such as food and shelter are required to be able to work our way towards self-fulfillment. It is understandable that organisations are unable to cater for all the factors listed in Maslows hierarchy because of financial and/or other limitations. At the Grand Hotel excelsior, employees are offered good quality canteen facilities for breakfast, lunch, tea time and dinner. The hotel also provides free accommodation for foreign students working at the hotel as well as for employees who work around the clock to prepare for large events. This is done to avoid employees having any unnecessary road accidents whilst driving home from work. A sense of safety is provided by constant 24 hour CCTV surveillance, as well as security officers, whilst a sense of belonging is evident in the group work that is required to successfully deal with everyday situations. Management at the Excelsior rewards staff for their contributions to the success of the organisation mainly through special rates for themselves and close friends and family, a free weekend break at the end of each year for each employee and a partner, a good bottle of foreign wine for the member of staff with the highest up selling score, bonuses for every up sell which takes place, such us upgrading guests to a Sea View or Sea Front room from an inland view room, as well as certificates which are awarded to the best performing members of staff during the IXL (I Excel) Awards ceremony. Besides these, there are numerous other departmental activities and events which are organised throughout the year. Employees may also benefit from easy uniform access from 6 am till 6:30pm, taxi discounts, and other basic factors which staff need to be happy in their workplace. Task 3 Evaluate the leadership skills required to ensure effective management of the staff of the two organisations. The main aim of a manager is to maximise the output of an organisation and simultaneously maximise profitability. To do so however, it is more often than not required to have positive leadership skills when working in the services industry. Employees often seek the guidance or assistance of their superiors, and their ability to perform well may be hindered by the inability of their superiors to lead by setting the right example. Effective leadership is therefore fundamental for the management of the staff of the two organisations. Performance management For both organisations to remain competitive and successful, they must ensure that employees are given the best possible training. Although it is difficult to provide perfect services in an industry full of variables, perfection must be aimed for nonetheless. A measure of performance must be established to be able to analyse areas which have been improved as well as those which await improvement. To be able to improve performance; Current performance must be analysed and compared to a set target. Plans must be devised to be able to improve current performance and bring it in line with targets. The devised plan must be implemented, The implemented plan must be assessed, and The methods of measurement must be re-assessed and re-formulated if it is required to do so. Motivation Maslows hierarchy of needs happens to be one of the most straightforward theories in psychological and motivational studies, which states that every human being has the basic requirements of food, drink and shelter, and it is only when these are satisfied that we are able to work towards self-fulfillment. Employees are motivated through the provision of certain elements from this hierarchy. Employees should be incentivised to adopt a more positive attitude towards their duties, as well as to improve their performance. They need to know that they are of value to the organisation, as working in the hospitality industry requires a lot of time, energy and patience. It also happens to be one of the lowest paying industries, yet the input that is required for operations to run smoothly is phenomenal. Employees would expect to be motivated in other ways other than just receiving a salary at the end of the month, as this is a very short-lived motivator. They need to feel valued and respected by their superiors and by others, something that the new front office manager at the Grand Hotel Excelsior is highly capable of. He offers that reassurance that he is there for everyone, and that everyone should approach him when they have any difficulties. Most importantly, he knows that to develop as a team and overcome obstacles, he has to build a strong, reliable and trustworthy team. Ethical leadership Ethics is a branch of psychology which allows us to distinguish between, and understand the concepts of right and wrong. Leading by setting the right example is crucial for employees to feel secure at work. Unethical leadership can cause harm to employees on a psychological level, and this may spread to other aspects of their lives. Ethics is a complex subject and employees unfortunately face numerous difficult situations at the work place, where they may disagree with the actions of their superiors, but are often afraid to confront them because it may ultimately cost them their job. Action-centred leadership Taking immediate action on issues which must be addressed is important to ensure that professional relationships with employees are strengthened and not lost. Managing others requires a lot of patience and experience, and it is through positive leadership that much of it is possible. John Adairs action-centred leadership model deals with three crucial responsibilities that managers should possess. Depending on the difficulty of the task, the managers input may not be required until after the task is carried out. On the other hand, the manager may have to manage a team, group, or individuals if the task at hand requires detailed planning and foresight. Below are the three processes of Johns Adairs concept: achieving the task managing the team or group managing individuals Successful leadership also relies on effective communication, counseling, stress management and unwritten psychological contracts. Communication and counselling Communication is important for the smooth running of any organisation. It allows for the clarification of messages up and down as well as across an organigram. Communication may take virtually any form, ranging from verbal to virtual discussions. Improved communication will allow for fewer hiccups in the services being rendered, meaning that guests will undoubtedly have a better experience. Managers often have to counsel team members with issues or difficulties that they are facing. These may range from discussing past performance to discussing difficulties that they are having in relation to their work or personal lives. Stress management Stress is very often work related, and this may result in relationship problems at home and at work, as well as health problems, if it is not appropriately administrated. The effects of stress differ from person to person, and some people may be more capable of dealing with stressful situations than others. Excessive stress may reap havoc on a team, and may limit its ability to perform in line with targets. This is the reason why motivating employees is crucial to ensure that they develop a positive outlook on their duties at work, which would significantly decrease the perception that work and stress are correlated. Psychological contract The psychological contract is an unwritten contract that is the basis of a professional relationship that exists between employees and their employers. An employer would expect to be respected by his team, and an employee may in turn expect good working conditions and respect from the employer. Even though the psychological contract is unwritten, it is the least that is expected by employees and employers at work, and this forms the foundation upon which professional relationships are built and strengthened. Task 4 Examine a team in which you have worked and write an account of the nature and behaviour of the group A team is a group of people that works together to reach a common target or objective. This objective can only be achieved with the combined efforts of each team member as the human input required is often too much for one person to handle, particularly when deadlines are involved. Working at the front desk requires constant team work. The effectiveness of a team depends on how well each team member understands their roles, and how well they know each others characters and working methods. It is a fact that no one works in the exact same way as we all have different personalities; thinking patterns and methods of achieving the same objectives, and it is through such differences that we are able to provide a refreshing experience, one which is unique and special, yet professional. Although the team work required at front office is often not for specific projects, such as for instance coming up with a new up-selling strategy, we unconsciously consider every shift to be a project. The teams common objective is to ensure that all guests are satisfied with what they have purchased and that what we are providing them with meets, or exceeds their expectations. The people I work with at the front desk are undoubtedly important to me, and the way I work. They certainly ease the stress of having to deal with every guest on your own, but more importantly, you know that there is someone who is in the same position as you are, dealing with similar issues and problems. When I see that my colleagues are having difficulty dealing with a specific issue, I do not hesitate to assist them, and vice versa. The typical shift is eight hours long, so it is in everyones best interests to get to know each other well by communicating openly and sharing ideas and thoughts, with the aim of developing trustworthy and positive professional relationships. Bruce Tuckman (1965) developed four critical stages for team development. These stages describe how teams are developed, and how issues are dealt with to reach a common objective. The first stage is forming, which deals with the actual getting together of group members. Once my skills developed through training at the Grand Hotel Excelsior, the responsibilities given to me increased, and I was therefore more capable of working as part of a team. The second stage is storming, whereby the team analyses its objectives, and clearly defines the responsibilities of each team member. When problems arise at work, we discuss all of the possible ways in which we can solve them. We then select the most effective and efficient solutions which are in line with hotel policy. The third stage is norming, whereby team members work conjunctively to reach their targets, mainly through the creation of guidelines and rules. As team members work together, they will develop stronger relationships and will therefore develop trust. Through work I was not only able to develop professional relationships with my colleagues, but I was also able to develop strong friendships. It is through such friendships that we are able to work successfully with one another. The final step is performing, whereby team members understand each other and their work, and their utmost concern is getting the job done. Working in a hotel is immensely fast-paced and there is little time to be wasted. The main objective of a front of house agent is ultimately to get the job done efficiently and professionally, in order to assist our next guests. Task 5 Discuss how the traits and characteristics of the individuals within this team influence their behaviour at work Individuals who form part of the front office team have cheerful personalities, and their cheerfulness is visible in the way they work to ensure that guests are greeted and treated welcomingly. Guests enjoy meeting members of staff who are approachable, and they often stop by the front desk for a quick chat. As a team, we know each others basic traits and characteristics well. The true personalities of team members break free during break time, or after work, as working in a five star hotel requires one to behave in a certain manner. As a team, we know each others basic traits and characteristics well. The true personalities of team members break free during break time, or after work, as working in a five star hotel requires one to behave in a certain manner. Personal characteristics typically include visual aspects such as gender, race and age, social and cultural characteristics such as religion and sexual orientation, and psychological characteristics such as motivation and attitudes. It is through such personal characteristics that we develop particular beliefs or preferences, such as religious or political preferences, for instance. Delicate subjects may be openly discussed between team members because of the friendships that have develop over time. However, such delicate subjects are never discussed with guests as they may project a negative image of the individual, as well as the organisation. The most prominent traits of individuals are said to be the big five personality traits, which include conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness and extroversion. My team mates undoubtedly possess a mixture of these five traits, and numerous others. It is impossible for people to have the exact same character as others, as ones character is ultimately a product of their life experiences. Perception is an important subject when dealing with traits and characteristics. Individuals may make certain traits visible, such as agreeableness and conscientiousness, but are able to hide other traits which they feel should not be visible, such as neuroticism. It is normal to feel anxious when stressful situations arise, and the level of anxiety which is experienced by an individual depends on what their threshold for anxiety tolerance is. In such a case, a guest may perceive the member of staff to be calm and composed, when he/she is in fact feeling anxious. Task 6 Compare and contrast the structure of Leicester Marriott with an organisation where you have worked/have researched. To be able to deal with all the processes required to operate a hospitality establishment such as a large capacity hotel, company directors and managers must employ specialised teams to ensure that all work is done efficiently and effectively, with the highest precision, and where possible, the lowest cost. As the Leicester Marriott Hotel and the Grand Hotel Excelsior are both relatively large establishments they require formal structures with specific roles and responsibilities. Every manager is responsible for a particular department and team. This in theory should allow for greater efficiency as the work is divided amongst those who are most experienced in their respective fields. The Grand Hotel Excelsiors functional structure is similar to that of Marriott, as they both have a General Manager, department managers, supervisors, and Employees. As the Grand Hotel Excelsior has 427 rooms, and the Leicester Marriott has approximately half as many, the GHE should in theory have more positions and therefore more employees. The span of control that each manager possesses varies depending on department. For instance, the front office manager at the GHE is responsible for the front office team as well as the housekeeping department, which happen to be the largest departments within the hotel. On the other hand, the accounts department is one of the smallest, employing a few specialised individuals. The organigram below gives a detailed breakdown of the different roles at the Grand Hotel Excelsior. An official Marriott PDF document found at www.docstoc.com states that the organisation believes strongly in the benefits associated with departmentalisation and unity of command, whereby only one person reports to one manager. In this case it must be the supervisors who report to their department managers. Below is an example of what the Marriott organigram may look like in its simplest form. As is clearly evident, the main structures of both organisations are fairly similar. One of the major differences however is that the Excelsior has many more facilities and amenities than the Marriott hotel, and would require larger departments to ensure that all operations run smoothly, particularly during peak season. General Manager Department Manager Department Manager Department Manager Associates Associates Associates Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Microsoft Word (2003) Task 7 Describe the culture of the organisation at the Leicester Marriott Hotel and explain how it impacts on the success of the business The Leicester Marriott promotes a strong brand identity, one which guests have grown to love and trust. A loyal guest would expect the level of service at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square to be of as high a standard as the Leicester Marriott hotel as both establishments have the same high expectations from their staff, and both hotels share the same core values and objectives. Members of staff at Leicester Marriott are all considered to be associates, a term which the organisation believes adds further purpose to their roles. Marriot currently places 82nd on CNNs top 100 list of best companies to work at for the year 2010, a claim which has remained true for many years. However, the recruitment process does not appear to be simple. Only those people who fit the organisations mindset are eligible to join as management believes that it is not easy to teach people how to develop the right attitude which is required to progress within the organisation. This appears to be a characteristic of a relatively closed organisation, and may as a result give it a more prestigious image in the job markets. The organisations culture is successful because it allows associates to develop trust, collaborate, and be creative. The culture is reinforced through numerous activities such as Staff barbeques, department outings, parties and other activities which allow them to get to know each other better, develop relationships, and ultimately, provide better quality services to guests. They are also given the opportunity to share ideas during the weekly departmental discussions, where the weeks most challenging moments are discussed, and feedback is exchanged. The organisations core values are the main driving forces behind its culture, as stated in the corporate information section of the Marriott website. Its culture influences the way it treats associates, loyal clients, and the community, which it strongly supports. Motivation is certainly a major part of the hotels culture as management knows that the only way to make guests happy is to ensure that associates are equally happy. Task 8 Discuss the communication channels of the firm in the case study and explain the importance of effective communications within organisations. Communication skills are crucial within any organisation. The inability to communicate effectively will result in a negative guest experience and will eventually lead to some form of negative publicity. The organisations team building exercises may make way for improved communication between members of staff as well as departments. Guests tend to vent their anger on websites such as Trip Advisor when their holidays or business trips do not go as planned as a result of inefficient communication. The deliverance of any product, be it a good or a service, requires proper communication skills, particularly if the organisations in question wish to retain customers. Leicester Marriott knows that communication is crucial, and it therefore gives extreme importance to all communication channels. Verbal communication is the main source of communication during departmental meetings which are held once a month, whilst once a quarter members from all departments are gathered to discuss hotel performance and receive organisation updates and recognition awards. Daily shift meetings are also organised amongst HODs to discuss important events, and interdepartmental meetings are held every week to discuss the weeks challenges. Such communication allows employees to effectively tackle internal issues and, when possible, conjure up immediate solutions. One of the main corridors in the back of the hotel is purely dedicated to communication between associates, where one can find staff notice boards containing written information about internal and external job vacancies, social activities, special hotel offers, health and safety procedures, employee of the month information, and numerous others. Such information must be visible and easily accessible to all associates, as well as regularly updated to keep the interest alive. Associate newsletters are published and distributed to all staff on a weekly basis to ensure that they are updated with the latest hotel issues. During break time, events and other activities, associates are free to chat and catch up on work and non-work related gossip, which is important to ones happiness. Hospitality organisations utilize almost every communication channel. Written methods of communication may take the form of reports which are written up by management for hotel directors, letters which are sent by personnel from the accounting department to banks, emails which are sent by employees at the reservations office to potential guests, and notices which are put up on the staff notice board in the main staff corridor. Spoken methods such as face to face encounters are constantly experie