Cultural Perspectives of the Country of Italy Essay

Italy has been a democratic republic since 1946 and it has a population of about 58 million. It is surrounded by Tyrrhenian Sea on the west and Adriatic Sea on the east. France, Austria are some of the countries that border Italy to the north. Italy is covered by sea and mountains â€Å"While Italy has a huge range of climates and natural features, ideal for mining, cultivation of crops, fish, livestock, and other natural resources, the majority of raw materials its industries require are imported† . The country of Italy has gone through many changes throughout its history and has been in the forefront of the European economic and political unification for a long time now. Though it has faced many obstacles, it has however remained patriotic and keen for union. Culture and lifestyle of Italy Italians are warm and welcoming people, who adore relaxing, celebrate and socialize with family and friends. Their celebrations and relaxations regularly happen around the table either at home enjoying their cuisines or out in a restaurant. â€Å"One thing visitors in Italy notice right away is the people’s openness and sociable nature. Italians have a love of life and enjoy life’s pleasure to the fullest† (Winter & Jermyn, 2003) Family is the guiding force and the focus for loyalty and this make the family very fundamental. Many families put a side a special day to spend time with other relatives for a special meal. The father is always regarded as the provider of all needs and interests and maintained his powers with firm orders. The mother was seen as subordinate and had the right to be heard in family plans and meditated between the father and often numerous children. The Italian’s family structure, food, native costume, music, and religion all play a major role in creating a definite culture that allows them to convey their behaviors in the general public as a whole. Italy is a country in Western Europe that is well known for its food and it is no accident that Italian cooking is so popular due to its rich flavor cuisine. Italians value home cooking so much and especially their pasta as their favorite cuisine. â€Å"Italians remain the largest known European consumer of pasta and cereals. â€Å"They have greatly eliminated such culprits as fats and animal proteins from their diets, as well as reduced their annual consumption of alcohol† (Mure. N. S. , 2008). Italians value the way they dress and it is a priority to them; their dressing is normally very conservative for both men and women. These dressing are always accompanied with elegant accessories which compliments their costumes very well. Religion The Romans worshipped many gods and goddesses before Christianity gained a firm grip on the Italians and that’s when the Roman Catholic Church came into existence and became the most powerful church in Italy. Catholic is the major religion with a majority of 85 percent of the population and just about 20 percent attend worship services unless there I any religious celebrations. The head of the church is the Pope who has full lawful, executive, and judicial powers and at the same time lives there. Their constitution allows for the freedom of religion and worship which is respected by the government. There has been a good relation among religions which has highly contributed to religious freedom. The history of the Roman Catholic Church is based as much on politics as it is on religion, and in some ways this holds true today. To expand the faithful, the catholic Bishops were confident to make their existence known among the ordinary people, and there were more urge to train more clergy and build more churches. â€Å"Though the mixture of religion with all the common events of life is anything but an error yet I could not avoid regretting that like heathens ancestors, the modern Italian had supplied the place of one great Master mover by a countless host f inferior agents† (Blunt 1823). The Vatican City is the head of the Catholic Church in the world that gave the region both spiritual and temporal power and that makes majority of Italians Roman Catholics though very few of them attend mass regularly. Rome has the most beautiful art of architectural and the best ancient churches are situated there. Cultural Holidays and the celebrations Italians always have a reason to celebrate in, whether it’s an historical event, holiday, or other festival. Italy has a large number of public holidays during the year and some of these have a religious background. The way they celebrate their holidays is one of the greatest tourist attraction worldwide. All this festivals are always accompanied by their cuisine which is always an essential part of the celebration. Sacred holidays like Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving Day usually have their special foods that have been practiced over the generations. Same applies to other holidays that have also developed their own cuisine based on their tradition. These festivals are marked not only with indulging in good food but also share with the less fortunate in the society. Compared to other countries in the world, Italians public holidays are celebrated with parades that color the country and display their patriotism. Economy of Italy During the years, Italy’s economy has extremely prospered in that the country is able to import raw material for the countries industrial sector which has encouraged labor flexibility. â€Å"An economic miracle has indeed occurred in post way Italy, manifested by on of the highest growth rates in the world unbroken in its advance for nearly two decades and unmatched in its vitality in any previous period in its industrial history†(Hildebrand, 1965) Even though inflation has usually been a key test for Italy, it has been able to bring it down to levels that can be managed. Italy has very little to boast in agriculture but its economy has been highly lifted by the services and industrial sector which contributes the highest percentage of the economy. Growing family owned business has been the backbone of the economy and the northern part of the country concentrates with capitalistic economy, where the private sector companies account for the total productivity and profitability. Italy has the best world paintings which they exhibit and has been a good boost to the economy. †Venice is a beautiful sight to behold. Anyone wanting to linger in its romance, architecture and canals can find themselves immersed in Venice through the eyes of artist Marco Sassone† (Mure. N. S. , 2008). Industrialization of modern Italy from it inception until today, has been a classic case of even development. Italy has been known to be the largest producer of selected wines. People are invited to the wine tasting event which has attracted many people around the globe just to come and enjoy the art of grape cultivation and processing of the wines. Being a member of the European Union, Italy has taken an active role in European trade and has been the chief trade partner of majority of the European countries as well as America. Italy has the most favorable conditions for business investments and trading that has been able to attract many investors even though much of it is curbed by high levels of corruption and the mafias. Though since Italy adapted to the economic and monetary union requirements, it has experienced very low inflation rates. â€Å"Metals, fuel oil & railway equipment are fastest-growing Italian exports to U. S. while pharmaceutical preparations & precious metals lead American imports into Italy† (Workman 2007). Employment services have been customized recently and government has enacted a law that different organizations have to act as employment offices. Most Italians work for low wages and without any social benefits and protections; the most affected are women and the youth who experience higher rates of unemployment. This is going to create an aggressive room for the employment service and advocate to the public employment services to increase their effectiveness and to create networks with private organizations. Italy has a very well-organized and modern infrastructure and it has failed to come up with subways and more railways to facilitate the movement of goods. While most goods in Italy are always transported by road, the upgrading and improvement of the systems is a major interest to the government. â€Å"The government of Italy has began to address reform on the rail sector and has advanced more quickly than many European countries† (O. E. C. D. 2001). The railway system is also highly developed and this has made it the most preferred way of travelling for its punctuality, comfort and affordable to all commuters. The country’s impact on the US It is generally normal these days for other countries to adapt to the American culture and the introduction of this western culture to Italy has been very pervasive. Italy and America enjoy a warm and friendly relationship because of their efforts to fight terrorism. Most of the Italians have welcomed the American culture but despite all that they have been able to save their cuisine from the changes because they believe that their foods are healthier than the fast foods. Fast food restaurants have gained the peak in Italy which was mostly a common place in America. Italians have also tried to change their dressing and fashion which is most fancied by the young generation. Italy holds the most famous fashion designers in the world but despite all they still go for the American fashions because their clothes are very expensive for every citizen to afford. Most Italians went to America to escape poverty and they believed they would find a better life for their families and other went to work in search of better jobs to get enough money to go back to Italy. The ones that settle were able to completely mix with the Americans and were able to change their cultural behaviours in a way; some turned to criminals especially the mafias who decided to settle in America. There is so much to learn about Italy, their welcoming spirit and the wonderful and the architectural beauty of the country. The many musicians, the operas and even the painting are some of the things that make Italy a beautiful county. References Mure S. N (2008). Abbondanza: Specifically for those with a Passion for Everything that is Italian p. 1 Winter K. J. & Jermyn L. (2003). Italy: Cultures of the world, Volume 4 p. 57 Hildebrand H. G. , (1965). Growth and structure in the economy of modern Italy, p. 3-4 Workman D. (2007). Top Italian Exports & Imports: Most Popular Products Traded Between Italy & America. Retrieved December 9, 2009 from http:// international-trade-leaders. suite101. com Blunt J. J (1823). Vestiges of ancient manners and customs, discoverable in modern Italy and Sicily p. 2 Kwintessential: How Italian holidays are celebrated in Italy. Retrieved December 9, 2009 from http://www. kwintessential. co. uk Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2001). Regulatory reform in Italy, p. 31

Compare/Contrast two friends Essay

In this world we need to know and to make a difference between a good friend and a bad friend. In this world we see the friends are useful, helpful, and happiness. Per person point of view; for example, people are like to make friends, and some their do not like to make a friend who are solitary of the people. First, friends are teaching us in this world, and we need who trusts their in our life. We have to talked to our friends who are we comfortable with and talk a privately that is a wonderful friends, and he keeps everything in his life without talking out. A greet friends are always together whatever times and they are one hand, which is mean lovely, helpful, and greatness to find them. On other hand, we know some people have a bad personally. They we have to keep way from us. They who makes us a bad gay, useless, unhappy, dangerous, and always their have a trouble; whatever times, a bad friends have dangerous idea and they are a big different between a greet friends and a bad friends. We have to call them enemy because they are usually make us in troubles and they do not have anything to trust in this world. Also, if we have to compare between a abusive friends and a good friends, we find a lot of difference and they are dissimilar because the a good friends always honest with themselves and a bad friends take you to dangerous way and they are lying with themselves. To sum up, compare from a good friends are difficult, but it is not difficult between a bad friends and a useful friends. In my opinion, in this world we need to experience with friends until we have to find a greet friends that can makes us happiness, trust, and comfortable with ourselves.

Impact of Selfishness on Personal Life Essay

Every day, people make several decisions that more or less influence their live. However, it is necessary to consider other people and results before the decisions were made, since selfish decisions can cause lots of problems. The selfish choices that selected by the main characters in both â€Å"On the Rainy River† and â€Å"A Pair of Silk Stocking† cause regret and raise conflict between the main characters and themselves . Regret can be caused by selfish decisions. On the one hand, O’Brien, the narrator of the â€Å"On the Rainy River† felt guilty and worried about his families during the way to Canada because he fled away from the war: â€Å"I would go to the war–I would kill and maybe die –because I was embarrassed not to. That was the sad thing† (O’Brien 12). Clearly, O’Brien explained why he decided to go to Canada and continued his life without contradicting his own beliefs. Here he lost his chance at having personal happiness and would have to live with regret from then on. Even though, O’Brien went back and join the army in the end, he still could not get away from the guilt that rose by his decisions: â€Å"I survived, but it’s not a happy ending. I was a coward. I went to the war† (O’Brien 14). Unlike most people, O’Brien did not regarded surviving form the war as a fortunate thing for him, instead, O’Brien considered himself as a coward and did not forgive himself for making the inappropriate decision from now on. On the other hand, Mrs. Sommer, the major character of â€Å"A Pair of Silk Stockings† also felt guilty about her family, for the mother used up all the fifteen pounds to purchase accessories and entertained herself instead of buying â€Å"so and so many yards of percales for new shirt waists for the boys and Janie and Mag†(Chopin 1). The fifteen pounds were supposed to spend on the clothing of their children according to Mrs. Sommers’s plan at beginning, but she spent all for herself. By the end of day, she did not want to go home: â€Å"in truth he saw noting—unless he were wizard enough to detect a poignant wish, a powerful longing that the cable car would never stop anywhere, but go on forever† (Chopin 3). Mrs. Sommers’s thought reflected her regret since she wished the cable can run forever, so that she did not need to go back home and face her families. Obviously, personal happiness cannot be achieved by selfishness, doing this can create nothing but regret that will follow a person through their life. Furthermore, the selfishness gives raise to conflict between people and themselves. In â€Å"On the Rainy River†, on the one side, O’Brien felt he was â€Å"too good for the war. Too smart, too compassionate, too everything† (O’Brien 3) since the war is completely unreasonable for him. He did not want to be killed or kill anyone else. On the other side, he found himself is completely irresponsible for both his family and country, for the simple reason that he neither supported his country nor protected his family during the most dangerous time. Due to his strong sense of morality and the honourable values like bolstering his own country, O’Brien struggled with two conflicting forces in himself. Similarly, Mrs. Sommers struggled against herself to repress the urges and temptation of the luxury items. At first, she planned to spend the money on her children. However, as soon as she entered the department store, she had a powerful desire for a moment of luxury. She tried to hide the desire because of her economic situations. Eventually â€Å"she went on feeling the soft, sheeny luxurious things—with both hands now, holding them up to see them glisten, and feel them glide serpent-like through her fingers. Two hectic blotches came suddenly into her pale cheeks† (Chopin 2) and undoubtedly she succumbed to her desires. By the end of the short story, Mrs. Sommers was extraordinarily desperate for the luxurious life to never end â€Å"a poignant wish, a powerful longing that the cable car would never stop anywhere, but go on and on with her forever† (Chopin 3). The cable in some way symbolized her dream life since at that time only wealthy people were able to afford cable. Her wish represented she still wanted to enjoy the feeling of that unrealistic luxurious life and was unwilling to return back to reality. Ultimately , being selfish leads to the conflicts between people and themselves and annoyance in their life. Overall, the two short stories namely â€Å"On the Rainy River† and â€Å"A Pair of Silk Stockings† emphasized the negative impact of selfishness on human life. Both O’Brien and Mrs. Sommer suffered the regret and conflicting forces that rose by their selfishness. Therefore it is necessary to consider the result before making a decision since selfish decisions, in long term, cannot bring any happiness and self-satisfactory.

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 33

Leadership - Essay Example I also have leadership traits such as motivation. Although I may not always be the best choice as a leader, I have desires to become one because I know I have abilities and capabilities which could be useful in such a position. I have the initiative to start projects or activities however, my self-esteem often fails me especially when I am dealing with other cultures. I may not have the best integrity as well but I know that when it comes to character, I am a qualified leader. One of the reasons why I am pursuing my education here in the United States is to gain a reputation that could propel to my dreams of becoming a leader someday. When it comes to behaviors, I could say that I am more focused on performing a task than maintaining a group. I am also good at participating in decision-making especially in groups where I can freely and articulately express myself. With the aforementioned skills, traits and behaviors I have, I know that I still have to improve on my self-confidence be cause it is very important in leadership. Moreover, I also have to increase my knowledge about the business and work on my supervisory leadership. With that said, I see the need for experience so I look forward to opportunities in class or organizational

Homeland Security - Response & Recovery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Homeland Security - Response & Recovery - Essay Example It is then vital that upon actual operation, when all responding personnel come face-to-face with the families of the deceased, to understand that emotions are at their extremes. To assist everyone with this matter, keep in mind that there are five (5) processes or stages involved in dealing with their grief and loss. Remember the acronym DABDA; where D stands for denial, A stands for anger, B stands for bargaining, D stands for depression and A stands for acceptance (Kubler et al, n.d.). The first stage which is denial often makes everybody wonder if the situation really happened and why it did not happen to someone else. Denial makes an individual less perceptive about his or her surroundings and usually cannot relate with continuity because they are still in a state of shock. Most people who undergo this stage wonder if it is still possible to go on because the loss is quite unbearable to think of and survival is out of the question at the moment (Kubler et al, n.d.) The second st age of the psychological process of having to deal with death is anger. When in grief and in despair, a person usually forgets to be rational and throws caution to the wind. Feeling angry about the loss is often displaced to somebody else, making that person a target of emotional outbursts. Anger is a way of trying to reconnect and acknowledging the pain a person is feeling. While it may seem that this strong emotion can go on and on, it will dissipate in time and healing starts to set in. So when someone is angry due to a loss, it is advisable to just let the person rant on because suppressing it will only delay the natural healing process that the grieving person is unconsciously seeking for (Kubler et al, n.d.). The third stage is bargaining. This phase is characterized by asking the question â€Å"What if?† The â€Å"ifs† is the grieving person’s way of saying that he or she really just wants to remain in the past. It is a feeling that craves for the normal pattern of life the person was used to. It is also means to cover the guilty feeling of being alive, while his or her loved one has passed away (Kubler et al, n.d.). After bargaining, the grief stricken individual enters the fourth stage which is depression. This emotion must not be interchanged with the mental disorder depression since losing somebody to death is naturally depressing. Having a mental disorder of depression on the other hand is being saddened or dismayed for no particular reason at all. Depression is a normal feeling a person will have after the death of a loved one that will normally be forgotten after sometime when the healing process is completed (Kubler et al, n.d.). The fifth stage is acceptance. When reality really settles down, a person does not have any choice except to go on for there is nothing anyone can do to change what has happened in the past. While it may seem that the dead loved one is being betrayed by having to live on and continue to enjoy life; the fact is that life must go on. It is about time to start picking up the pieces and being at peace with the knowledge that life must be lived without the presence of the dead loved one (Kubler et al, n.d.).. Having explained the emotional and psychological aspects responders will be encountering at the

Post-War Development of the German Economy Research Paper

Post-War Development of the German Economy - Research Paper Example There was a little hope of a revival because a considerably large percentage of the German population of working age was dead at the end of the war and at that time Germany was looking at the outside world for all kinds of aids for the restoration of its economy. There is no doubt about the fact that German economy was badly hit by the war, but the years of preparation also contributed to the devastated condition of the economy. Adolf Hitler imposed price controls on German population in 1936 in order to start his preparations for the war and acquire commodities and war materials for the army at the cheapest prices; 3 years later, rationings were also imposed on the German population. Conscription was also imposed on the German population in order to gather up a large military which drastically affected the labor sector and the non-military industries could not find labor to keep their plants running. After Nazis defeat and Hitler’s death, the Allied Control Authority which wa s formed by the succeeding allied forces under the governments of the United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union, to run the affairs of government in Germany. The Allied Control Authority retained some of the policies of the Nazi Germany for the restoration of the economy; these policies included rationing, price controls and conscription of all types of resources for ensuring rapid economic recovery (Bidwell). An astonishing fact was the low rise in the cost-of-living index, which was only 31 percent high as compared to the values in 1938. The reason behind this was the fact that price controls had been imposed in Germany for the last 12 years by then. Another important observation in this regard was the fact that the amount of wealth in the German economy was also five to six times higher than the amount in the years before the war. So the main concern about the economy was production levels which had fallen to drastically low values. A wealthy economy in terms of money, price controls intact and low production levels; all these factors pointed towards one major problem _ shortages (Smith). During the war and post war years the Germans were only producing weapons, equipments and materials required for the war; the industrial and agricultural production was very low. During the war years, the main source of food for the Germans was the supplies seized from the occupied countries. Moreover the foreigners were also brought to German lands for farming purposes. This ‘system’ of food production served the German population and the military well during the war years but as soon as the war ended the German rationing system was left with very low supplies of food; incredibly insufficient to fulfill the needs of the German population. The United States Army contributed by dispatching large shipments of food to feed the prisoners of war and the German population, however this was not enough and more aid in terms of food was required for meeting t he food demands but the international community was not willing to provide aid to Germany at the time when there were more deserving and innocent people in the world who were also affected drastically by the war. The other factors which contributed were the dissolving of the German Red Cross, whereas the International Red Cross and other international aid agencies were not allowed to work independently

Quantum mechanics of atoms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Quantum mechanics of atoms - Essay Example This paper hence sets basis on the comprehensive and extensive discussion of the concepts behind this entire topic. It tries to bring out the general understanding as well as the practical application of this ultimate topic. Quantum mechanics of Atoms refers to the scientific study of smaller segments of scientific principles ascertaining on the behavioral properties of matter and their ultimate relations with energy based on the atomic scale as well as the subatomic particles [2]. The Classical physics describes energy and matter on a given scale that is recognizable to the human experiences such as the behavior regarding the astronomical bodies. It is the key element towards measurement for the greater part of the technology and modern science. However, scientists have since discovered the phenomena in both macro and micro worlds that cannot either be explained by classical physics. The Scientific Revolutions structure that often comes to terms with such limitations has led to major revolutions within the physics concept thereby creating a shift regarding the original paradigm involving the relativity theory and the quantum mechanics development [6]. This paper hence describes the way various physicists revealed various limitations of the classical physics as well as the development of the primary concepts regarding quantum concept that restored it in early 20th century decades. Quantum generally refers to the minimum quantity regarding any form of physical entity that is involved in a process of interaction. Light often behaves like particles at times and like waves in other respect. Matter thus refers to the particles including the atoms and electrons, and also tends to exhibit a wavelike behavior on the other hand. Some of the light sources that include the neon lights usually emit certain discrete light frequencies. The Quantum mechanics indicates that light as well as

Operations Management - An Integrated Approach Case Study - 4

Operations Management - An Integrated Approach - Case Study Example The bank is concentrating on a customer-based change, in a bid to exacerbate its competitive advantage. Staffing, layout, and facilities are the critical targeted aspects in the customer service pursuit (Dan Reid & Sanders, 2005). The operations management should further account for an all-around treatment of operations components. These are quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, and cost (Dan Reid & Sanders, 2005). Since the bank is concerned with the customer aspect, the cost factor does not count in the required changes. However, it is important for the management to ensure that the bank operates within budget. The bank’s strategy to enhance its competitive advantage should target quality of its financial services, the speed of service at all levels, institutional dependability and flexibility of financial services to suit the different customers served. Facility upgrades will also complement these undertakings. A strategy tailored towards cutting costs rather than promoting customer service would require operational adjustments and re-adjustments where possible. Cutting on costs means that no additional costs can be incurred, and the already observed budget should be on the verge of declining. The improvements aforementioned in question two may need to be re-evaluated. The primary concern would be to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the already functioning system in the bank. Facility upgrades may not be employed, but the quality, speed, dependability and flexibility aspects can be redesigned to become more efficient at the current or even lesser  budget.

Obesity and How the Media and Society Play a Major Role Research Paper

Obesity and How the Media and Society Play a Major Role - Research Paper Example The best measure for defining obesity is using the body mass index. With the help of a person’s height and weight, BMI is calculated. Often people think that obesity is a cosmetic consideration. It is not just a cosmetic consideration, but there is more to it. It is a chronic disease which often leads to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, gallstones and various other chronic diseases. It is not easy to treat because the relapse rate of obesity is very high. Within a span of five years, 95 percent of people who lose the weight regain it. The treatment of obesity is not short termed even though medications and diets can be helpful. It has to be a lifelong process with a commitment to proper diet habits, increased physical activity and regular exercise. One should always concentrate on living a healthier lifestyle, rather than focusing on having an ideal weight (Balentine 2012). In this paper we will extensively talk about obesity in the children how does media and soc iety contributes to it. Increasing trends among obesity in children represents an unprecedented burden on their health. the medical complications which are commonly found in overweight children includes hypertension, type 2 diabetes, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problem, troubles in sleeping and depression. According to research, there is a variety of unrelated media factors, which contribute to obesity among children. These may include a reduction in physical education classes, after-school athletic programs have reduced, public schools have started supplying sodas and snacks. We can also see the increasing number of fast food restaurants, the concept of ‘super sizing’ of food portions and the increasing number of high calorie and high fat grocery products which are easily available. The potential costs that are associated with childhood obesity is considered to be as surprising by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The other potential contributor in the rising ra tes of childhood obesity is media. There has been an explosion in the media channels and shows which targets to children during the same period in which trends of increasing childhood obesity are observed. In addition to this, there has been an increase in videos, specialized cable networks, video games, internet websites and other computer activities. An average of five and a half hours are spent by children today on media. This time spent is equivalent to a full time job. This time spent is more than an average person spends on anything apart from sleeping. Same is the case with the pre-school children. They spend more time with screen media: which includes TV, video games and computer games, than playing outside. Much of the media that targets the children is laden with elaborate advertising campaigns, which mostly promotes candy, soda and snacks. Studies show that on an average, a child watches 40,000 ads a year on TV alone. According to the theory of experts, pediatricians and media researchers, media contributes largely to childhood obesity. Firstly, the time which a child spends using media displaces the time which they could spend on physical activities. Secondly, the advertisements, which are related to food, influences a child in making unhealthy food choices. Moreover, the food products are made more attractive when some famous TV character or a cartoon character is the ambassador of that product. This encourages children to buy and eat

Las Meninas and Allegory of Painting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Las Meninas and Allegory of Painting - Essay Example The essay "Las Meninas and Allegory of Painting" compares Diego Velasquez's 'Las Meninas' and Jan Vermeer's 'The Allegory of Painting'. These two paintings are clearly Baroque art pieces. Las Meninas was made on 1656 and The Allegory of Painting was made on 1666 to 1668. Their subjects are slices of life, one in the castle and one in a non-specific room. Both paintings use light and shadow very well, providing depth and dimension to both paintings. Both evoke the same feelings of the viewer being in the room with the subjects, as the paintings are all open. However, they are also indifferent at the same time. They both have the element of mystery. They also feature the painter character in the painting. In Las Meninas, it is clearly identified that that character was Velazquez but in The Allegory of Painting, the painter is turned back, so positive identification of the subject is impossible. Both paintings tackle everyday life. In Las Meninas, it features the scene in the castle. Ac cording to various literature, it is in a room of the palace of King Philip IV of Spain. There are many characters in it, like the young Princess Infanta Margarita Teresa together with her maids of honor, chaperone, bodyguard and two dwarfs. However, there is the mirror element at the back wall of the room reflecting the images of the King and Queen of Spain. That implies that the painter is painting the King and Queen, and that the King and Queen are in the place of the viewer, out of the painted space.

The Operations and Performance of the Hilton Hotel Case Study

The Operations and Performance of the Hilton Hotel - Case Study Example The purpose of the Hilton Hotel is to provide adequate accommodation facilities, quality food, and drinks along with recreational facilities to their visitors. The hotel aims to be constantly pleasurable to the visitors, invest in their workers and innovate better and newer products for their visitors. They also intend to augment their owners' value and reinforce their loyalty to their constituents. The manager considers the management of supplies to the hotels the most difficult challenge he encounters. This is because the products have to meet certain standards before the business makes their purchases. There are also many suppliers willing to provide their supplies to the hotels and this makes the approval of their tenders a tiresome activity. The products have to undergo several tests to determine their quality and safety before they are purchased. The process of getting approval for the funds to be spent is also very long. These tenders have to be approved by the management comm ittees before the funds are released. This also takes a lot of time and hampers the operations of the hotel. The Hotel’s profits have been on the rise over the years and their financial performance is relatively good. The shareholders of the hotel also receive substantial dividends on their investments. This is because the hotel accommodates many visitors throughout the year from all around the globe. The business owns over three thousand hotels in seventy-four countries that have a very good reputation for their services and products. The financial condition of the hotels enables the managers to effectively carry out the activity of running the business. He is able to pay the workers, purchase supplies on a regular basis for the hotel and renovate the premises regularly. The profitability of the organization has enabled the hotel's management to open up new branches across the globe.

Monopoly vs. oligopoly Essay Example for Free

Monopoly vs. oligopoly Essay Monopolies and Oligopolies are both marketing situations that are present in today’s economic system. Many people are aware of what a monopoly is and the federal government has even taken steps to make monopolies in the United States illegal. However many are unaware of the many oligopolies operating in the US economic system today. Monopolies and Oligopolies are similar but not the same, this paper will explore their similarities and differences, and provide examples of both operating in today’s economic system. A monopoly is where one cooperation or business controls the supply of a particular good or service. In monopolies these firms or cooperation’s not only try to control their respective industry but go out of their way to stop others from entering with heavy restrictions, low price costs, and strategic marketing plans. The business dictionary defines oligopoly as; a few or single supplier effectively controlling the supply and therefore the price of a particular product or service creating a seller’s market. These two situations as defined are similar in the fact that one or few corporations or businesses control the industry and its prices. The consumer is the target in both situations; you see where its one or few the consumer is forced to pay the prices set by these controlling corporations. Monopolies and Oligopolies differ in a few ways. In a monopoly you have one cooperation that controls the price and supply of the said product or service, allowing for no competition. Or in other words allowing them to charge consumers whatever price that want and even the opportunity to raise prices at any time for no reason thus in a way holding the consumer hostage. In oligopolies there is more than one major player and this allows for some competition in the industry. It also gives consumers more than one option. If one company lowers the price a consumer may choose to switch companies. The most evident difference as stated above is that monopolies are illegal and mandated by the US government where oligopolies are a common market situation in the United States. A great example of an oligopoly is the US Automobile industry. There are a variety of manufactures to choose from,however most Americans will agree the major players are Ford, General Motors, Honda and Toyota. These major players in the industry control the actions of each other and their competitors. In 2005, GM offered customers employee pricing. This affected the whole industry, Ford, Toyota and other manufacturers were forced to do the same thing or offer something better in order to match the prices of GM to generate profits in the industry. This is a common marketing strategy for automobile manufacturers, the use these tactics to anticipate the next move of their competitors. It also can cause smaller manufacturing companies to go out of business as they can no longer compete with these large companies. Monopolies are a little harder to explain in today’s economic system as they are illegal. However they do still exist, for example utility companies usually operate in specific areas where they do not have competition. Consumers are forced to use them do to the region, city or district in which they live. They do not have choices and are required to pay whatever prices their utility company charges for the service. Another good example would be DirecTV, while there are other cable and satellite companies to choose from they offer a service no other company can; NFL Package. They are the exclusive owner of this service and football fans have no other option that offers them every game anytime at their fingertips. Most notable in recent history was Microsoft, who was inevitably fined and regulated by the US government in 1998. While monopolies and oligopolies have their similarities and differences the consumer is the target of both and is a victim to these multimillion dollar corporations and industries. Monopolies even if illegal still exist and operate in today’s economy. Oligopolies are very prevalent and still allow corporations and businesses to operate at will against the consumer as long as there is competition among the various players in the industry. Whether a monopoly or an oligopoly the consumer has little to no say in the market situation and one or few businesses are allowed to dictate prices and supply of their respective products and services. Works Cited Evans, K.(2013, 02 21). Monopoly Vs. Oligopoly. Retrieved from E How Money: http://www. ehow. com/about_4795365_monopoly-vs-oligopoly. html Site contributor. (2013). Dictionary . Com. Retrieved 02 21, 2013, from Dictionary. com: http://dictionary. reference. com/ Stein, T. (1999, November 6). Microsoft Ruled a Monopoly / Court finds firm abused its power. Retrieved from SanFransico Chronicle: http://www. sfgate. com/news/article/Microsoft-Ruled-a-Monopoly-Court-finds-firm-2899336. php.

Different Styles of Leadership in different Situations

Different Styles of Leadership in different Situations In this project we have selected a case of Pakistan International Airline and applied different styles of leadership that could be implemented according to different situations PIAC is a government organization under the influence of bureaucratic leadership. they follow one way communications. Decisions are always made by higher management and then announced to the lower staff to follow without considering their consent or agreement. This leads to an increase level of dissatisfaction in work force followed by absenteeism and lack of concern. There is severe lacking of target oriented approach in the employees. Their level of productivity and quality services tends to reduce day by day which is persistently taking the organization to huge loss. As compared to the productivity level there is a significant number of overstaffed workforces which are not even providing low services but also demand for high salaries. If we talk about customer services or flight operations we see a huge gap between the mission statement and the actual practice We have recommended different leadership styles to take the company out of that chaos like retrenchment, downsizing. Hire more qualified and efficient staff, empowerment of subordinates, decentralization of decision making process, two way communication between upper and lower management, motivating the employees. Building self confidence, reducing their dissatisfaction, giving them authority to achieve the objectives their own way, assign a common objective in their favor and for the company as well. After taking all these necessary measures pia current situation will definitely be improved and it would be able to attain the best position as I was supposed to be. Currently they are enjoying the benefit of monopoly in air traffic industry in Pakistan but later on when market gets saturated with new private companies in future it might get impossible to with stand the competition with current practices Intorduction This Report is to discuss Leadership style and recommend Pakistan International Airline best style in situations. The Company Established in 1955, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is a national airline with a vast experience in the industry and runs a fleet of forty aircrafts. It operates passenger and cargo services covering eighty-two domestic and foreign destinations.. PIA is a huge corporation with more than 17,000 employees. This organization is divided into following departments: Human Resource and Administration, Marketing, Corporate Planning, Information Services, Finance, Flight Services, Flight Operation, Engineering, Procurement and Logistics, Customer Services, Training and Development, Quality Assurance. The organogram of the organization follows, with the Chairman at the top and directors of departments reporting to him. The structure is centralized with the top-level management making the decisions. Vision To be a world class airline exceeding customer expectations through dedicated employees committed to excellence. Mission As a Symbol of National Pride, We aspire to be a Choice Airline, Operating Profitable on Modern Commercial concepts and Capable of Competing With the Best in the International as well as Domestic markets Values Customer Expectations: Convenience, Care and Competitive Tariff Service: Personalized and Courteous Innovation: Cherishing new ideas, Translating into actions Reliability: Loyalty and Consistency Safety: Passengers, Employees, Environment and Health Cohesiveness: Respect of individuals, Teamwork and effective communication Integrity: Business ethics, Accountability and Transparency. Culture The vision and values of PIA communicates the distinct culture to the organizational members and the customers as well. Despite of being beurucratic organization, bearing cultural similarities with other government organization, PIA is improving its practices, to meet its objectives. Organizational Attributes Organizational Attiributes PIA focuses on goals rather than focusing on the ways to accomplish it. The behavior of its employees and the overall business generation is a rational outcome of the oganization attributes and characteristics. PIA needs radical changes in the way it focuses their objective. It needs to intensify the focus on means of achieving it. The Companys Leadership The Companys Leadership is structured through the hierarchy, which is governed by the Board of Director and Chairman, going through the director down to the Middle Management. We can say it is much more Centralized. Situation Analysis PIAC is a Public sector organization, which has a decision making process down the hierarchy. The company is oversizedn upto 17,000 eployees. Employee Attitudes: At PIAC, every employee is expected to behave responsibily and prevent direct clash with the organizations interest. In case of abnormal behaviour, administrative actions are taken by the standing rules of PIAC against the employee. All HR problems are resolved according to the POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, which cover a complet scope of employee behavior, however being a part of Public Sector, the policies leaverage the employee more than necessary. Employee Dissatisfaction: PIAC believes that employees dissatisfaction affects the productivity level of employees and the root causes of such factors are identified. On the emergence of genuine reasons, the employees are helped in rectifying factors. If they are unable to do so, then the employee might get a letter of warning. Employees at PIAC expresses their dissatisfaction through the Suggestion Boxes, which are placed at various location. Whereas, employee co-ordination meetings (ECM) are organized, to allow all employees to share their views with their bosses as well as their subordinates. Recruitment and Hiring: In HR Adminstration Department, there is a Recruitment and Selection. Regarding the attribute rewuired for a position, decisions are taken by the top management at PIAC. Recruitment and hiring process is also influenced by the political situation of the country. Employee Promotion PIAC believes that experienced employees have the knowledge and expertise, gained over years, to handle diverse employees and unprecedented situations. Sharing information: Relevant Information Sharing systems has been improvised and rebuilt with a more candid approach. However, information through grapevine still exists. Influence of groups in decision making: PIAC has various formal and informal group due to its sheer size. There is an influence of the informal groups on the decision making process to some extent due to the nature of the workplace. These informal groups are formed because of many reason, one of which is that many employees sharing common interests, are in the organization for several. SWOT What is Leadership Leadership derived from the word LEAD, a person who motivates the people and show out the path to a group of people towards the accomplishment of their common goals is called a leader. And a process by which leader moves a group of people to their organizational objectives is said to be the leadership. Leader vs. Manager Many of the organization workers didnt understand the difference between leading and managing, there fore they were in a state of misconceptions which will not compel them to perform their jobs in proper directions. The simple differences between these two are manager is a career and leadership is calling. For leadership you dont need to be good looking, very well dressed, very well spoken and you dont have to have a very special something is inside you. But for leadership you have to have well defined convictions and most importantly you have courage in your visions to manifest them into reality. Managing is much broader in sense then leading which focuses on narrowing issues. Like mangers are looking for the issues related to the non behavioral as well as behavioral characteristics while if we talk about leader then it emphasize only on behavioral issues. Make it clear that not all mangers are leaders but most effective mangers over a long period of experiences will become leader. Situational Approach Situational approach is also known as contingency theory; it was given by Herbert Spencer in (1884). He said in his theory that the time and the situation makes the person a leader and not the other way around. This theory suggests that different situations calls different style of characteristics of leader. According to the Herbert spencer, in this theory of groups none of the single psychographic profile of the leader exist. The theory defines the two types of the leader one is Relationship oriented and other one is Task oriented. In relationship orientated the leader must achieve their task and objectives by holding good relationship with the group, while on the other hand in task oriented the leader have its prime concern to carry out the task himself. According to the theory there is no ideal leader, in both the situation the leader can be effective if and only he fits in the situation. Situations and Decisions As it is obvious that one of the most important part of the leadership is to make smart decisions. So The Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum wrote an article in 1995 which deal with the study of leaders appropriate decisions along with the behavioral characteristics of leader. That model defines the whole range of manager decisions and the situations where they use and got the best result out. The following are the decisions situational behavior of the leader: The manger make the decision and announces it In that situation the leader will follow these steps: Identify the problem. Analyze the different alternatives. Select the best alternative. Require the workers to implement the decision on the chosen one. The Manager sells the decision As it was mention above that the leader will identify the problem and find out the subordinator to implement the decision, but some time leader want to persuade the subordinate to accept the decision. The manager presents the ideas and invites questions- This situation of the decision allows the sub ordinate to raise the question on the decision that manger took himself in order to implement the solution of the problem. The manager presents a tentative decision that is subjected to change- Here in this situation the manager is subjected to change the decision accordingly, in that process the decision will not be the one side the subordinators are also the part of it. But the final decision will be taken by manager. The manager presents the problem, gets suggestions, and then makes the decisions- The manger will allow his co-worker to compliment on the problem and make the decision based on the suggestion given by the subordinators. It is the better solution of taking decisions. The manger defines the limit and asks the group to take the decisions In that situation the subordinators are subjected to take the decision with keeping in mind the problem, but the limits are also defined already so that no one can cross it. In that way a democratic decision came into being and it is very effective and efficient way of taking decisions. Forces influencing Managers Decision Making There are many factors that influencing in manger decision making some are briefed below: Individual forces Organizational forces Environmental forces Cross interactions forces. The above mentioned forces are few that influenced in a decision making process. Firstly the individual forces, as it was observed that there is a diversification factor in every organization. That diversification influences the impact on decision that is taken by the managerial staff because every one believes to have the decision in their benefits. The second factors is organizational forces, In that force the factors that effect are individual attitudes towards change, organization culture, expectations of the embodies that are responsible for openness, changes and risk taking. The last forces are assumed to be relevant because innovation adoption is likely to vary depending on the type of business and the nature of the competitors landscape. Fources influenceing Managers Decision Making Forces in Manager There are four factors that manager should feel inside them, without them the manager is not emphasize on a proper direction by which he has a chance to solve the problems efficiently. The first factor is managers values, as the manager in any department is the most responsible person who is able to take decision accordingly and who is responsible for the growth of efficiency, growth of subordinate, and company profit. Therefore it is very important to find out your position in an organization. The second factor is the level of confidence on your subordinates. It is obvious if you trust more in your subordinators the decision style will be more relevant to the democratic style, and if your lesser believers in your co-workers then the decision will be one sided which is not good. The third factor is personal leadership strength. Manager should find out the strength in them and ability to work in a worst situation very effectively. If manager is not clear with his piece of mind then he or she would not be able to direct their subordinate in a correct way. The fourth factor in the manager is tolerance for ambiguity. Being a manager it is his responsibility to take decision after listening to their subordinates but if the situation is exactly opposite to it then the style will be converted from boss centered to subordinate centered style. A manger who is disturbed by this loss of certainty will find him self in a complete ambiguity situation and will not be successful as a subordinate centered leader. Forces in Situations There are many situational factors which force the manager to take decision. In an organization to work in group are beneficiary factors to all. In order to achieve the organizational common goals it is to be required to work as one team. The second factor that influences in a situation is effectiveness of a group. As manager want to take a decision then first manager should analyze the performance of their subordinate either they are effective to achieve that goal or not. The third force of situation is the problem to be solved. It is required in an organization to be co-ordinate the groups with each other in order to get the best result com up with. And if the question is to solve the problem then it is to be sure that every one pays deep attention to solve it. The fourth situational force is the time available to make decision. It is obvious that group can took a long time to accomplish a task rather then individual can do it before. So before taking decision there has to be time defined. Empowerment Distribution What does empower mean: to give authority taking or seizing power Process of gaining profit by giving strength. Empowerment is a Process by which individuals and groups gain power, access to resources and control over their own lives. After doing so the workers will attain the power and strength to attain their highest personal and objectives goal of an organization. Empowerment can be distributing the following factors: Resource Consultant role Sensitizer role Cooperator role Firstly we discuss resource consultant role: Linking subordinators to resources so that they enhance their self-esteem and problem solving skills. Linking co-workers to resources so they can also work towards achieving their own independence and own control over their lives. Secondly sensitizer role: Helping the subordinates to gain the knowledge which is necessary to take control of their own lives. Empowered person and reliable workers recognizes and identifies their own strengths and the strengths of others. Finally Corporate role: Subordinators are the one who is self-determining in achieving self-efficacy and empowerment. Connecting empowered person to others who share common histories, issues, and barriers. Limits of Authority As it was discussed above that there is the manager who defines the limits of authority to every subordinator. If the limits are not defined then every one will be the manager of the company or concerned department. So there must be applying of limits in each and every post of the organization. Types of Leadership Autocratic Leadership This kind of leader ship involves absolute power over team members. even if the concern and involvement of team member is important but it is not considered all the decisions are made solely by leader. It is normally applicable to control the unskilled work force and to take instant control over chaos in the organization Characteristics These leaders have following characteristics they take the whole responsibility on themselves and make the team members to accomplish the task appropriately they feel that the close monitoring and supervision of team is required they normally take the team members inexperienced and unable to fulfill the task independently they only make the decision and announce it in team they only rely on themselves to meet the objectives of organization Situations In PIAC current situation the level of task orientation is low where as aggressiveness of work force is also lacking .here is a gap between the level of productivity and skills of the employees. It seriously needs an autocratic leader who would lead the organization by his own decision and take full responsibility over himself in order to achieve the organizational objectives. At the same time he would monitor the whole working structure closely and with complete vigilance. As the staff currently working is not capable to take the organization out of such chaos. Beurucratic/Transactional Leadership It is quiet a mechanical sort of leadership as it involves only the designed rules and policies made by the organization that has to be followed at any cost by followers. Regardless of the fact that they accept it or make them feel comfortable or not. Such kind of leadership is applicable for those leaders who are leading factory workers involving machine handling and jobs involving precautionary measures Characteristics they show the supremacy of their powers on their followers and they have to obey they try to maintain strict and systematic discipline in the followers they promote the followers who are able to conform to the rules they need their followers to accomplish the task just according to specified rules Situations Currently bureaucratic leadership is being practiced in the whole organization it should be confined to only engineering department as p.i.a deals with air traveling and may face technical issues in the aircrafts mostly due to malfunctioning of machinery in planes. there are many planes in p.i.a that are still not operational. if they assign any bureaucratic leader to achieve the task of fixing up the impaired machinery by the mechanical staff and engineers he can definitely make them accomplish the task efficiently and within the defined period of time. he would make them follow the safety rules and policies of the company with full acceptance. it would be helpful in increasing the fleet of p.i.a and hence increasing the number of flights and thus productivity levels and profits are also increased Democratic/Pedagogical Leadership This kind of leadership attains the maximum level of satistfaction and motivation from the followers as it involves the decision making process to be done not only by leaders but also the followers participate in it.team members feel equal importance and take the ownership of the task to be accomplished.it emphasizes on team work Characteristics they help the team members to express their skills by open invitation to take part in decision making process they improve the productivity by emphasizing on team work they focus on the quality of end result to be achieved regardless of time they believe that financial rewards are not the only source of motivation but making them feel self governing is a major source Consultive Persuasive Situations In PIAC the employees face situations in which teamwork is mainly required for instance Human resource department plans a meeting to revise the hiring policy. Finance department decides to amend the obsolete salary structure. Marketing department plans to launch a new promotion to attract the customers. All these activities require team work effort rather than centralized decisions.If the whole department officials give their input in the decision making process it would definitely give a better picture of final objective The level of concern of team members will also be increased that enhance the overall performance of organization Laissez-Faire It is derived from French phrase leave it be.it involves the full empowerment of team members to achieve the task on their own.it is normally practiced to those teams in which every team member is a self starter and experienced indivisual Characteristics they rely mainly on their team member and normally dont take the whole responsibility of task accomplishment on their own they only communicate the requirement and then leave the members to perform the task their own way they may loose the control over the team by giving them complete authority they sometimes take the feedback of what is being achieved or to which extent Situations In PIAC this kind of leadership only applies in a situation where we hire highly experienced and qualified group of employee that doesnt need any kind of strict supervision and include mainly self starters and motivated individuals. it seems quite an ideal situation in p.i.a as its employees are dissatisfied with the current salary structure so competitive salary packages should be assigned for them so work with complete satisfaction and ownership Corrective Leadership It involves the empowerment of group members in order to facilitate the collaborative and synergized environment. it results in equal participation of leader with employees in the process of task accomplishment Characteristics They treat the team members equally and fairly They work with them as a team member to increase their motivation level They standby the group members at every step to show his concern as a team Situations In PIAC there is a total one way communication from upper management to lower staff. there is a serious need of manager who better take themselves as team player rather a dictator as the decision making process is centralized here so rather than imposing the goals on subordinates and just over see what is being done they better work along with them in order to motivate and get better results from them. Suppose if you are manager finance in p.i.a so you should not only make decisions to design the budget, cost cutting etc. but also participate with team to implement that in an appropriate manner Creative Leadership It involves facing new challenges, and recognizes and track new opportunities through bold innovations. Experimentation with changing the current practice involves a factor of uncertainty in the success of outcomes. Risk taking attitude is important in creative leadership Characteristics They are good at generating new ideas to change commonplace thing They try to experiment with those ideas which seems to be affective by their judgment They are quiet independent and require less approval from subordinates They have ability to manage the consequences of those experiments They often change the working pattern of group by introducing new ideas They have strong imagination to foresee how things would be after innovation Situations In PIAC if there is a situation that market gets saturated with competitors so marketing department requires a creative leader who can design an innovative plane to capture new customers and retain the old customer by taking many creative steps and experimenting new promotions and offers to capture the market share ,enhancing the quality of services and products etc Bridging/Synergical Leadership It involves the bridging of leader and follower relationship with confidence, trust and empathy by effective communication of leader with follower. It results in boosting the confidence level of group members thus motivating them to face the difficulty or challenge Characteristics They try to create a friendly relationship with employees by identifying their social need They counsel the team members to help them get rid of any personal issue They appreciate their achievements hence enhancing their confidence level They try to create an environment of trust and coordination within the whole group Situations In PIAC if there is a huge gap between managers and subordinates thats needs to be filled. They seriously need a bridging leadership style to gain the trust of employees and reduce their turnover. Issue like absenteeism which is due to lack of satisfaction of employees can be resolved by their counseling and seriously try to understand and resolve their internal issues. it would definitely help to improve the organizational environment and the overall impact would be positive in terms of employee performance and loyalty Change Leadership This style of leader ship involves supporting the alteration in current rules and policies. This results in thinking beyond resolving a single issue or individual concern and hence improving the whole system or whole organization Charateristics Such leaders focus on improving the current environment of organization They dont focus only on minor issues with in a specific department They tend to change the rules and policies of organization in its benefit They make decisions that affect the whole organization Situations If PIAC face severe deficit and over sizing of staff so it seriously needs a change leader that leads to change the policies of organization that emphasize on improving the current situation by making alteration in obsolete rules and restructure almost every department of company. Retrenchment and downsizing to recover the organization from further deficit might be one of the altering measures. there are some other modifications needed to improve the current condition of PIAC Leadership Styles Transformational Leadership In this type of leadership organizations success is achieved by profoundly affecting followers beliefs and values such as justice and integrity. Through this style of leadership a sense of duty is created, it promotes learning for organization and new ways of handling problems are encouraged. Working as a Transformational Leader is a wonderful and uplifting experience. You have to put passion and energy to achieve success. Charactersitics Task of Transformational Leaders First the leaders creates the awareness about organizations issues among followers by inspiring them to follow you and the way to get things done is by injecting enthusiasm and energy among the followers. Than they create a vision of the future that will excite and convert potential followers. The Transformational Leader should be very careful in developing the trust for him among followers, and their personal integrity is a very important and critical part of the package that they are selling. Their role is to be at front and central during the action. They are always visible and will stand up to be counted among others. Their attitudes and actions clearly reflects how everyone else should behave. Transformational Leaders make consistent efforts to motivate and rally their followers. Situations PIA needs transformation from the image of a white elephant, just making heavy losses to a profitable public organization as it had been in the past. Employees should be made aware of this need and he should always keep in mind what are the main goals of his organization. But employees needs, aspirations and interests should be fulfilled first only than he will be motivated to focus on achieving organizations goals. Coaching Leadership Its a style of leadership in which followers are instructed to how to meet the special organizational objectives. Coaching is a one to one relationship where coach instructs the followers to focus on and achieve what is important. Charactersitics Coaching is defined at four levels First its a belief system, coaches starts from making their followers to believe that their issues will be addressed and they will be solved . Coaching in a well defined Leadership style, where leaders seeks to keep the ownership of issues and problems faced by their followers. Third, coaching is defined by a set of tools and models like the GROW problem solving model so that they understand it better. Finally, there is a coaching skill-set which is deployed at followers very skillfully coaching them their tasks Situations In engineering, cabin crew and customer service department heads should instruct their followers to meet PIACs goal of better customer care and service. As a leader he should have good listening skills, insight, concern of welfare and patience towards followers to be able to lead them. Only by having good communication skills and attitude towards his employees he would be able to effectively instruct them Superleadership In this style the leader, leads his followers by showing them how to lead themselves. If he succeeds he develop followers who are very productive and needs minimum assistance from their leader in future. Charactersitics Here the leader teaches his followers how to think in different situations on their own and act constructively and independently. An organization cant succeed unless its members become proficient in leading themselves and thus today it is one of the very basic requirements of any organization. It is the job of the super leader to develop such followers who have these qualities in them. Situations Senior directors and other senior managers at PIAC could be best to act as a super leader as they have vast experience and they have performed in several critical situations they can make decision on their o

Natural vs Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Polymer

Natural vs Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Polymer Concrete technology as a branch discipline of technology requires increase in the degree of specialization and consolidation of the fiber material in the cement matrix form composite materials. It requires knowledge of the concepts related to the interaction between the fiber and adhesive cement, mortar or matrix concrete that influence the production and nature of the product. The scientists and engineers have been actively exploring to find the materials that will be used as replacement of conventional materials that can provide a feature best new design and innovation to enhance the material. The development of fiber technology is in the line with the development of knowledge of the material. Following the high demand and innovation in applying fiber, the fiber technology has produced various kinds of fibers potential for commercialization. Participation fiber reinforcement in concrete, mortar and cement adhesive work to improve the engineering properties of many based materials such as fracture resistance, bending strength and resistance to fatigue, impact, thermal shock or chipping. Consolidation of materials in the form of cement mortar or concrete has become an attraction as a building material because it is inexpensive, has the resilience and has a compressive strength and stiffness sufficient for restructuring. However, the disadvantages are located on fragile nature, tensile strength and impact of the weak as well as receptive to moisture movement. Hence, reinforced by fibers that have enhanced capabilities offer a suitable alternative, practical and economical to overcome the lack of features of conventional concrete or mortar. Elements of a fiber is a continuous filament in the form of an express term sheet or spreadsheet form. Fibers can generally be categorized into three types : synthetic fibers, natural fibers and mineral fibers. Synthetic fibers are man-made fibers. It is based chemicals such as petrochemicals and synthetic fibers derived mostly from nylon, polyster, aerylic polymer and polyacrylonitrile fibers used to make fiberglass. There is also a bundle of fibers that make the polymer chain is as strong as aramid and chain bond length as dyneema. While natural fiber derived from natural sources, from plants and animals. Plant fibers are cellulose and lignin-based stacks such as cotton, jute, coir, oil palm bunches, flax and so on. It can be obtained from seeds (cotton, kapok), leaf (pineapple, banana), leather plant (jute, kenaf, rattan, hemp), fruit (coconut, palm) and straw (rice, wheat, barley, grass). Next, animal fibers derived from protein particles like silk and wool. For mineral fibers, it derived from the earths crust and it happens naturally. It is based on asbestos fibers (chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, anthophyllite), ceramic fibers (glass wool, quartz, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide) and fiber-metal (steel, aluminum). However, both of natural and synthetic fiber reinforced concrete have their own challenges and weakness. Nothing is being done without deficiencies. Synthetic fiber however has more challenges than natural fiber because of its production. Future development of natural and synthetic fiber reinforced polymer concrete will make us want to investigate more about them. OBJECTIVES To know about polymer concrete and why fiber being reinforced in it. To describe the characteristics of natural and synthetic fiber reinforced polymer concrete. To describe the challenges in environment while using both composite materials in construction. To describe the future development in both composite materials. LITERATURE REVIEW POLYMER CONCRETE AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS Polymer concrete is a composite material in which the binder consists entirely of a synthetic organic polymer. It is variously known as synthetic resin concrete, simply resin concrete or plastic resin concrete. Because the use of a polymer instead of Portland cement represents a substantial increase in cost, polymers should be used only in applications in which the higher cost can be justified by superior properties, low labor cost or low energy requirements during processing and handling. It is therefore important that architects and engineers have some knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of polymer concrete materials in order to select the most appropriate and economic product for a specific application. Polymer concrete consists of a mineral filler such as an aggregate and a polymer binder which may be a thermoplastic, but more frequently, it is a thermosetting polymer. When sand is used as a filler, the composite is referred to as a polymer mortar. Other fillers include chalk, gravel, limestone, crushed stone, condensed silica fume (silica flour, silica dust), quartz, clay, granite, expanded glass, and metallic fillers. Generally, any dry, non-absorbent, solid material can be used as a filler. To produce polymer concrete, a monomer or a pre-polymer which mean a product resulting from the partial polymerization of a monomer, a hardener (cross-linking agent) and a catalyst are mixed with the filler. Other ingredients added to the mix include plasticizers and fire retardants. Sometimes, silane coupling agents are used to increase the bond strength between the polymer matrix and the filler. To achieve the full potential of polymer concrete products for certain applications, various fiber reinforcements are used. These include glass fiber, glass fiber-based mats, fabrics and metal fiber. Setting times and times for development of maximum strength can be readily varied from a few minutes to several hours by adjusting the temperature and the catalyst system. The amount of polymer binder used is generally small and is usually determined by the size of the filler. Normally the polymer content will range from 5 to 15 percent of the total weight, but if the filler is fine, up to 30 p ercent may be required. Polymer concrete composites have generally good resistance to attack by chemicals and other corrosive agents, good resistance to abrasion, have very low water sorption properties and good marked freeze-thaw stability. Also, the greater strength of polymer concrete in comparison to that of Portland cement concrete permits the use of up to 50 percent less material. This puts polymer concrete on a competitive basis with cement concrete in certain special applications. The chemical resistance and physical properties are generally determined by the nature of the polymer binder to a greater extent than by the type and the amount of filler. In turn, the properties of the matrix polymer are highly dependent on time and the temperature to which it is exposed. The viscoelastic properties of the polymer binder give rise to high creep values. This is a factor in the restricted use of polymer concrete in structural applications. Its deformation response is highly variable depending on formulation ; the elastic moduli may range from 20 to about 50 GPa, the tensile failure strain being usually 1 percent. Shrinkage strains vary with the polymer used. For example, high for polyester and low for epoxy-based binder. It must be taken into account in an application. A wide variety of monomers and pre-polymers are used to produce polymer concrete. The polymers most frequently used are based on four types of monomers or pre-polymer systems : methyl methacrylate (MMA), polyester pre-polymer-styrene, epoxide pre-polymer hardener (cross-linking monomer) and furfuryl alcohol. Table 1 : General Characteristics And Applications of Polymer Concrete Products Poly (methylmethacrylate) General Characteristics Low tendency to absorb water. As a result, high freeze-thaw resistance ; low rate of shrinkage during and after setting. Outdoor durability and good chemical resistance. Typical Applications Used in the manufacture of faà §ade plates, stair units and sanitary products for curbstones. Polyester General Characteristics Good adhesion to other materials, relatively strong, good chemical and freeze-thaw resistance but have high-setting and post-setting. Typical Applications Because of lower cost, widely used in panels for public and commercial pipes, buildings, floor tiles, stairs, various precast and cast-in applications in construction works. Epoxy General Characteristics Strong adhesion to most building materials, low shrinkage, good creep and fatigue resistance, superior chemical resistance and low water sorption. Typical Applications Epoxy polymer products are relatively costly. They are mainly used in special applications including use in mortar for industrial flooring, skid-resistant overlays in highways, epoxy plaster for exterior walls and resurfacing of deteriorated structures. Furan-based polymer General Characteristics Composite materials with high resistance to chemicals which most acidic or basic aqueous media, strong resistance to polar organic liquids such as ketones, aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated compounds. Typical Applications Furan polymer mortars and grouts are used for brick such as carbon brick and red shale brick, floors and linings that are resistant to chemicals, elevated temperatures and thermal shocks. Source : Blaga, A. and Beaudoin, J.J., (1985). Polymer Concrete. Canadian Building Digest published November 1985. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FIBER AND TOUGHNESS CONCEPT Characteristics of fiber in use to hardened concrete : Fibers should be significantly stiffer than the matrix which has a higher modulus of elasticity than the matrix. Fiber content by volume must be adequate. There must be a good fiber-matrix bond. Fiber length must be sufficient. Fibers must have a high aspect ratio. Means that they must be long relative to their diameter. Toughness is defined as the area under a load-deflection (or stress-strain) curve. Adding fibers to concrete greatly increases the toughness of the material. That is, fiber-reinforced concrete is able to sustain load at deflections or strains much greater than those at which cracking first appears in the matrix. NATURAL FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER CONCRETE AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS Potential use of natural fiber reinforced concrete in the application of natural fibers has long attracted the attention of researchers. Various researches has been conducted in many countries for a variety of mechanical properties, physical performance and durability of materials reinforced by natural fibers. Natural fibers are categorized as organic waste from plants such as fiber coconut, sisal, bagasse, jute, wood dust and so on. Natural fiber reinforced concrete is essentially a special concrete where it contains fibers with a small diameter, independently and randomly distributed in the cement matrix. Uniform distribution in the cement matrix, contributing to an increase in the tensile and resistance to cracking, impact and improved the ductility values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹for the good aspects of energy absorption. Although many types of fibers were used as reinforce material in concrete, the use of natural fibers had long been in existence and there is a lot of evidence of the usage of these fibers in the history of civilization. Nature has given human the fiber reinforced material in the form of wood, bamboo and other plants. The use of straw in mud bricks and horse hair in the mortar has the potential of natural fibers. Only in the late 1960s and early 1970s, research began to study the potential use of various types of natural fibers as reinforcement material in the slab concrete and cement-based composite materials. Natural fiber reinforced cement or concrete products that use fibers such as coir, sisal, sugar bagasse, bamboo and so on have been produced and tested in more than 40 countries. For economic reasons in developing countries where natural fibers is so much available, it is demanding for construction industry players to enhance the usefulness of these resources in an effective and economical as to introduce composite materials for residential use and others. Basic needs use of natural fibers as reinforcement material in concrete matrix is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹tensile strength and high elastic modulus, the bond between the matrix and fiber, good chemical composition, stable geometry and good durability. SYNTHETIC FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER CONCRETE AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS Synthetic fibers are man-made fibers resulting from research and development in the petrochemical and textile industries. There are two different physical fiber forms: monofilament fibers, and fibers produced from fibrillated tape. Currently there are two different synthetic fiber volumes used in application, namely low-volume percentage (0.1 to 0.3% by volume) and high-volume percentage (0.4 to 0.8% by volume). Most synthetic fiber applications are at the 0.1% by volume level. At this level, the strength of the concrete is considered unaffected and crack control characteristics are sought. Fiber types that have been tried in concrete matrices include : acrylic, aramid, carbon, nylon, polyester, polyethylene and polypropylene. The characteristics is depend on the types of synthetics used to reinforced with polymer concrete. Different fiber has different properties. Adding carbon fiber decreased the unit weight of polymer concrete. Carbon fiber provides much higher compressive strength, flexure strength and ductility of polymer concrete. PVC and polypropylene fibers did not significantly influence the compressive strength and gave the lowest pulse velocities and modulus. NATURAL VS SYNTHETIC FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER CONCRETE : CHALLENGES The challenges of polymer concrete are the monomers of polymer can be volatile, combustible and toxic. Initiators, which are used as catalysts, are combustible and harmful to human skin. The promoters and accelerators are also dangerous. Natural fibers are emerging as lightweight, low cost, and more environmentally rather than synthetic fibers in composites. This is because : natural fiber production has lower environmental impacts compared to synthetic fiber production. natural fiber composites have higher fiber content for equivalent performance, reducing more polluting base polymer content. the light-weight natural fiber composites improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions in the use phase of the component, especially in auto applications. end of life incineration of natural fibers results in recovered energy and carbon credits. A compound reinforced with natural fibers is not only low density, low-cost, and abrasion resistant, it also offers an absence of toxicity and better dimensional stability. Polyester raw material releases high amounts of carbon dioxide. This rapidly increases global warming, which is why polyester and other synthetic fabrics are widely discouraged. The other reason is that some synthetic fabrics come from non-renewable resources such as oil. Eventually rise of these synthetic fibers usage have been causing environmental problems such as dumping and recycling. In addition, glass fiber can cause acute irritation of the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Mainly concerns have been raised for long term disease such as cancer and lung scarring. Moreover, when released, glass fiber does not decompose and hence again it results in environmental pollutions, as well as, threaten animal life and nature along. Therefore, one of the solutions is using natural fibers instead of synthetic fibers in developing composites materials as they are renewable. Also the consumption of renewable resources would provide positive image for sustainability of green environment. Natural fibers are less harmful to the environment and the society because they are derived from plants and animals which are more eco-friendly. Products which manufactured from natural fabric eventually dissolves into the earth. Plant and animal based fabrics are a part of the evolutionary process of life. They return to the earth to return once more to life. Synthetic fibers are more harmful to the environment because they are enhanced with chemicals. Polyester and nylon fabrics are made from a substance which creates nitrous oxide. Materials that are labeled petrochemical, flame retardants, nylon, acetate and non-wrinkle are all chemically treated. Chemicals which used for the manufacture of synthetic fabrics is harmful and can enter into the water supply and cause health problems. Also workers who are continuously exposed to dangerous chemicals are at risk for developing auto-immune diseases and disease of the lung. Products made from petrochemicals take years to break down, creating a constant need for landfills. Synthetic products that are disposed into the ocean are a threat to marine life. The threat to aquatic animals will eventually precipitate a food shortage. Although, synthetic fibers may offer softer fabrics and more durable materials, the long term effect on the environment far outweigh any advantages. The high cost of petrol along with global awareness of how natural fibers improve overall quality of life will help motivate manufacturers to find more innovative ways to utilize natural fibers. NATURAL VS SYNTHETIC FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER CONCRETE : FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Synthetic : Although not investigated extensively, the use of two or more fiber types in the same concrete mix is considered promising. The decision to mix two fibers may be based on the properties that they may individually provide or simply based on economics. Considerable improvement in the load deflection response was observed mixing steel with polypropylene fibers. In a more recent study, steel micro-fibers (25 microns in diameter and 3 mm long) and carbon micro-fibers (18 microns in diameter and 6 mm long) both in mono- and hybrid- forms were investigated. In the mono-form, steel fiber provided better strengthening than the carbon fiber and carbon fiber provided better toughening than the steel fiber. Interestingly, in the hybrid form (in combination), they both retained their individual capacities to strengthen and toughen. It appears possible, therefore, that by properly controlling fiber properties and combining them in appropriate proportions, one can actually tailor-make h ybrid fiber composites for specifically designed applications. Natural : Environmental awareness and depletion of the petroleum resources are among vital factors that motivate a number of researchers to explore the potential of reusing natural fiber as an alternative composite material in industries such as packaging, automotive and building constructions. However, their applications are still limited due to several factors like moisture absorption, poor wettability and large scattering in mechanical properties. Among the main challenges on natural fibers reinforced matrices composite is their inclination to entangle and form fibers agglomerates during processing due to fiber-fiber interaction. So, the research on natural fiber is being done by mercerization treatment on mechanical properties enhancement of natural fiber reinforced composite or so-called bio composite. It specifically discussed on mercerization parameters, and natural fiber reinforced composite mechanical properties enhancement. It was found that the most parameters used in merc erization treatment were alkali concentration, fiber soaking temperature and fiber soaking duration. Although similar types of reinforced fiber are used, it could give different values in its final composite mechanical properties due to different parameter setting during a mercerization treatment process. Therefore, there is a significant need to conduct further work focusing on main effect and interaction effect of mercerization parameters setting toward enhancement of natural fiber reinforce composite mechanical properties. CONCLUSION In conclusion, natural fiber reinforced polymer concrete has more environmentally characteristics than the synthetic one. But, in the context of advantages, synthetic fiber reinforced polymer concrete has more than natural. Both of them have their own advantages and disadvantages. Because of several characteristics of natural fibers such as moisture absorption, poor wettability and large scattering in mechanical properties, thus it makes reinforcement with polymer concrete a bit less advantageous. Future works will be needed to improve the properties of both natural and synthetic fiber reinforced polymer concrete included with environment impacts.

Theme and Setting in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

Theme and Setting in Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness is a novella that is one story being told by Marlow within the actual story by Joseph Conrad. The novella is set on a boat, the Nellie, on the Thames river in England, but the story that Marlow tells is set in the Belgian Congo. When relating the theme of this novella to the setting it has to be looked at from both the Thames and Congo rivers. Heart of Darkness shows the superiority of whites over blacks in a context where the blacks are considered to be savages and whites are supposed to be civilized. Marlow is telling the story to his friends in the dark of night on the Thames river. As he begins the day is just ending "in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance." It is a very sombre and dull atmosphere and as the calmness begins to fade it becomes more profound. At one point Marlow stops and is interrupted by the unknown narrator who describes the setting on the Nellie. "It had become so pitch dark that we listeners could hardly see one another. For a long time already he, sitting apart, had been no more to us than a voice....I listened, I listened on the watch for the sentence, for the word, that would give me the clew to the faint uneasiness inspired by this narrative that seemed to shape itself without human lips in the heavy nightair of the river." As the story ends the setting on the Thames river is once again described by the unseen narrator. "The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds, and the tranquil waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed somber under an overcast sky-seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness." The superiority of whites over blacks in the novella faces the harsh reality that the whites are there not to colonize the Congo but to conquer it. As Marlow puts it "They were no colonists; their administration was merely a squeeze, and nothing more, I suspect. They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force-nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others. Theme and Setting in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays Theme and Setting in Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness is a novella that is one story being told by Marlow within the actual story by Joseph Conrad. The novella is set on a boat, the Nellie, on the Thames river in England, but the story that Marlow tells is set in the Belgian Congo. When relating the theme of this novella to the setting it has to be looked at from both the Thames and Congo rivers. Heart of Darkness shows the superiority of whites over blacks in a context where the blacks are considered to be savages and whites are supposed to be civilized. Marlow is telling the story to his friends in the dark of night on the Thames river. As he begins the day is just ending "in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance." It is a very sombre and dull atmosphere and as the calmness begins to fade it becomes more profound. At one point Marlow stops and is interrupted by the unknown narrator who describes the setting on the Nellie. "It had become so pitch dark that we listeners could hardly see one another. For a long time already he, sitting apart, had been no more to us than a voice....I listened, I listened on the watch for the sentence, for the word, that would give me the clew to the faint uneasiness inspired by this narrative that seemed to shape itself without human lips in the heavy nightair of the river." As the story ends the setting on the Thames river is once again described by the unseen narrator. "The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds, and the tranquil waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed somber under an overcast sky-seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness." The superiority of whites over blacks in the novella faces the harsh reality that the whites are there not to colonize the Congo but to conquer it. As Marlow puts it "They were no colonists; their administration was merely a squeeze, and nothing more, I suspect. They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force-nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others.

Gender Bias in the Classroom Essay -- essays papers

Gender Bias in the Classroom RESEARCH IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND THEORIES OF LEARNING Gender inequity is not only learned and accepted in the socialization process that starts at home, but is also present in the school environment form the very early years. Parents and teachers consciously or unconsciously reinforce sex stereotypes. In 1992 Olivares and Rosenthal's research findings examined three areas: 1-interactions in the classroom that are both teacher-to-student and student-to-student 2-instruction features involving relation between classroom activities and the gender of the students assigned to perform the activities 3-the perceptions of gender roles through teachers modeling of sex stereotypes in the classroom. There are fundamental elements of the school environment develop and reinforce inequity: teachers may be unaware of their gender bias; there is a lack of school textbooks and other instructional materials are sex-bias free; and children may interact according to strongly stereotyped gender blueprints. There are teachers who promote gender equity and believe all students should receive the same opportunities to classroom resources and participation an activities. A number of teachers believe the cause of gender equity is best served through a approach of extending equal opportunities to all students and being sensitive to the special need of the groups perceived to be "at risk." Commeyras et al. (1997) stated that teachers generally agreed the there is a need for implementing gender-fair strategies, yet feel uncomfortable actively addressing gender issues in their classrooms. They are often unsure how much authority they should exert in determining the content and direction of students' talk during classroom discussions. Singh (1997) states educators need to decide upon a philosophical position to follow. Teachers need to be aware of their role in shaping gender perceptions among learners. In 1995 David and Jacqueline Sadker found that females were being shortchanged in classrooms. Girls received less praise, help, and intense instruction that creates academic confidence and success. Boys attracted more attention by calling out and acting up, demanding more teacher time and talent. The well-behaved girls became spectators as... .... [http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed328610.html](9/18/00). Dickman, C. B. (1993). Gender differences and instructional discrimination in the classroom. Journal of Invitational Theory and Practice, 1993. Vol. 2, No.1.lycos.com.[http//www.uncg.edu/ced/iais/journal/v21p35.htm] (9/18/00). Manjari, S. (1998). Gender issues in the language arts classroom. ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading English and Communication Bloomington IN. [http://www.edgov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed426409.html] (9/18/00). Rothenberg, D. (9/95). Supporting girls in early adolescence. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary Childhood Education Urbana IL. [http://www.edgav/databases/ERIC_Digest/ed386331.html] (9/18/00). Sadker, D. & J. (11/1/95). Equity update. lycos.com. [http://www.lycos.comsrch/more.html] (9/18/00) Sadker, D. (5/6/99). Gender equity: Still knocking at the classroom door. Educational Leadership 56 no7 22-6 Ap‘99.[http://vweb.hwwilsonweb.com/cgibin...GT.&SP.URL.P=(H9Z7)J(0O00041 061)& (10/10/00) Sanders, J. (5/97). Teacher education and gender equity. ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education Washington DC.[http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed408227.html] (9/18/00)