Drama Journal Entry

Wk6 Assign: Project 1 – Journal – Drama Part II 1. What is your reaction to this week's play: â€Å"Fences†? My reaction is that Troy Maxson has made a lot of mistakes in his life, but finally has settled on the right track. He has a wonderful wife, a son, and a steady job. But when Troy's son brings home a request that causes him to look back and dwell on the bitter racism in his unfulfilled past, Troy's stable life takes a downward spiral.As the Maxson family loses contact with each other and relationships change in the blink of an eye, each character must fight through their inner demons to overcome the conflict that has overtaken their family. 2. What do you feel is significant about this play? (Discuss possible themes and the author's intentions. ) Troy, being an uneducated black man living in the south had many challenges and obstacles to overcome.In the end, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Rose's character reminds us why our children need an education and woman rights need to be acknowledged and fought for. When she finds out her husband is cheating and at 54 he is going to be a father again. Rose has nowhere to go thick or thin, good or bad, Rose is stuck. 3. What do you think is the value of this dramatic piece and the form of literature it is written in? Why has this play become a classic, and why is it so highly regarded? ) Fences is one of those rare works of literature that is able to take a real-life situation and turn it into something deeply meaningful and important. It is one of the most accurate and intriguing depictions of relationships between people that I have ever read. August Wilson strikes a perfect balance of plot and dialogue and ends up with a definite home run. It was literature written in Drama.

Functions of Emotions Essay

By definition, emotions are short-lived phenomena in the psychological and physiological systems of rational beings that represent modes of adaptation to the dynamism of the internal and external environment (Fiske, Gilbert & Lindzey, 2010). Emotions are responsible for psychologically altering the attention and shifting behaviors in response to changing demands. They are therefore very instrumental in not only defining inter-personal relationships but also the lives of rational beings (Lewis, Haviland-Jones & Barret, 2008). In this research paper, the author seeks to explain and describe the social functions of emotions in a relationship. I will first identify the emotions that relate to relationships and then proceed to explain the functions they play. Examples of emotions that apply to relationships Emotions are complex and intricately related. There has been confusion in the usage of terms between emotions and feelings while the two are not synonymous. The word â€Å"Feelings† can be used to describe the sensitivity to emotions or morals. In other words, feeling is the passion or sensation of emotions and is therefore a component of emotion (Fiske, Gilbert & Lindzey, 2010). Each emotion leads to the exhibition of a corresponding set of behaviors, both in the movement of the body (emotional expression through skeletal muscles) and in other responses that do not include physical movements. In the context of relationships, very many emotions apply. To every emotion there is an opposite. Examples of emotions which are applicable in the development of interpersonal relationships include love and passion which are contradicted by hatred and disgust and happiness which is contradicted by the emotion of sadness. Pride as an emotion plays a significant role in the development of relationships between parents and their children, between lovers and also between casual acquaintances (Lewis, Haviland-Jones & Barret, 2008). Jealousy, gratefulness and empathy also play a major role in relationships. Emotions and the Capacity to communicate and influence people Emotions are communicated through verbal statements and non-verbal statements including facial expressions, postures or gestures. Most expressions of emotions have a direct and automatic effect on other people, and more so if these emotions are communicated non-verbally. The human conscience is programmed to naturally decode emotions in the action of other people (Fussell, 2002). Therefore, how well a person expresses his or her emotions goes a long way in determining how well other people understand him. People will usually respond to facial expressions and other gestures. Being able to effectively communicate one’s emotions so that they are representative of the feelings held inside plays a major role in either strengthening or weakening the relationship bonds between people. A person who relays his feelings (through emotions) genuinely is less likely to be misunderstood and is therefore more likely to get positive responses to his demands or requirements (Fussell, 2002). Take for example a person whose face lights up upon seeing another person. Such will definitely be interpreted as a reaction to the emotion of love or passion. Upon decoding this, the targeted party is also likely to develop affection for the other person. Strong relationships are founded on how genuinely people communicate their emotions (Knobloch & Solomon, 2003). Emotions are also useful in influencing the actions of others. Disappointment, for example in a parent for his or her underperforming child can trigger the urge to work harder in school so as to please the parent (Dunsmorea, Bensona & Bradburna, 2006). However, constant disappointment in people despite their exhibited desire to improve damages relationships as it induces guilt and shame. In other words, positive emotions most of the time build a relationship and negative emotions like anger, fear, sadness and disappointment will tend to destroy a relationship. Emotions negatively or positively impact on how people process information. They comprise an integral part of interpersonal communication and therefore define how people negotiate with other people or groups (Perlman, 2007). It is the relational problems an individual faces which give rise to emotions and emotions therefore become important in relationships as they define the way the individual navigates though the challenges that arise in the process of relating to other people. Emotions as a motivating factor The human psychological and physiological faculties are pre-programmed to automatically obey or respond to emotions (Fiske, Gilbert & Lindzey, 2010). Emotions on their part prepare and motivate people to act in a specific manner. For example, the emotion of love will prompt its bearer to show the person he or she is in love with the actions which will illustrate his or her passion. Perhaps love is the most instrumental emotion in relationships. It is love which makes people to be concerned with the welfare of other people in their environment and triggers responsible behavior that ensures the society moves towards a state in which the welfare of everyone within that specific society is protected (Perlman, 2007). Another example of emotions playing a part in relationship building is in the way they trigger actions which signify goodwill (Ryff & Singer, 2001). If a person sees his neighbor’s toddler moving towards danger, say in the path of traffic, he or she will feel obliged, through the action of the emotion of fear, to save it. The neighbor whose child has been rescued from imminent danger will be very appreciative of the other person, and through this appreciation their interpersonal relationship will become more cordial. Alternatively, when a person acts in a manner likely to suggest that he or she does not care much about the welfare of the people next to him or her, the relationship between him or her and those people suffers a setback. Emotions empower people to overcome obstacles in their environment and therefore end up defining the way a person reacts on the backdrop of specific circumstances. This ends up defining how a person relates to other people (Ryff & Singer, 2001). For example, before sitting an oral interview, a person will be overcome with the emotion of anxiety. He or she will then be obliged through automatic adaptation to prepare extensively to beat his or her fear. When the time comes, he or she will have garnered sufficient confidence and his or her response to questions presented is likely to be mature, clear and expressive. If this be the case, the interviewing panel is likely to feel attracted to the candidate and will most likely hire him or her to fill the vacancy. A new relationship then begins and will continue to grow based on the candidate’s continued state of emotional competence and capacity to adapt to new challenges. Adaptive functions of emotions within relationships Emotions provide an individual with the capacity to adaptively respond and cope with particular circumstances or situations. Every person is unique in his or her own way, and these fundamental differences in personality have characterized the human species since the beginning (Knobloch & Solomon, 2003). To forge and to maintain relationships, people need to tolerate this diversity, and emotional responses enable us to do so. For example, my friend, spouse or work colleague who looks depressed may be battling a certain stressing issue. If I take the time to encourage or cheer them up, I will have strengthened the bond between us. Emotions, through this adaptive function regulate the social interaction of people. By correctly identifying the emotions other people are feeling through their body language and facial expressions, an individual may be motivated to either move towards them or keep his or her distance (Oatley, Keltner & Jenkins, 2006). This way, relationships are strengthened, formed or damaged to some degree. Through the evolutionary process, members of the human species have learnt to express their emotions through art, poetry and literature to give more meaning to the sense of being human, and it is the celebration of this color or spice that enables people to live cordially with one another. The self-validating role of emotions Who people really are is, to a large extent, derived from their emotions (Fiske, Gilbert & Lindzey, 2010). Emotions are always valid even though they are not necessarily facts, and they therefore give a person the intuition to feel whether something may be right or wrong. The intensity of emotions expressed determines the probability of an individual’s needs being met. For example, a person who strongly feels the need to establish serious relationships with others is more likely to have healthy and objective relationships (Oatley, Keltner & Jenkins, 2006). People who decrease the intensity of their emotions are less likely to be taken seriously, and therefore their relationships are more likely to be weak. Emotions also function to put a limit to relationships and the levels of social interaction by virtue of their being self-validating (Lewis, Haviland-Jones & Barret, 2008). Take an example of a person who feels uneasy about attending a certain social event due to the feeling that something will go wrong. Nevertheless, he or she attends the event, and somewhere down the line, he or she disagrees with another person in attendance and decides to leave. Such a person will most likely develop the tendency to strictly follow their emotions while making decisions in other aspects of everyday life, including relationships. An example of this scenario is when an individual abstains from forming a relationship with another person in their social environment because of the feeling that he or she may not be a nice person, even though this may be totally wrong (Ryff & Singer, 2001). Conclusion In this paper, my objective was to explain and describe the function of emotions in relationships. I began by identifying various emotions which directly impact on relationships. Such emotions include love, hate, pride, jealousy, passion and fear. Secondly, I explained the role emotions play in communication. The ways in which emotions are communicated are verbal statements and non-verbal gestures including facial expressions, gestures or any other type of body language. Communication is a very essential part in the foundation of a relationship, and the role emotions play in communication therefore becomes defining in relationships (Fussell, 2002). I also discussed the function of emotions in adapting to the various challenges that occur regularly in relationships as well as how emotions inhibit people from forming or maintaining relationships based on intuition. In conclusion, emotions, besides adding color and spice to the art living greatly determine how people understand each other and therefore how they relate in the society. References Dunsmorea, J. C. , Bensona, M. J. & Bradburna, I. S. (2006). â€Å"Functions of Emotions for Parent Child Relationships within Dynamic Contexts: Introduction to the Special Issue. † Research in Human Development, 3(1) pp 1-5. Fiske, S. T. , Gilbert, D. T. , & Lindzey, G. (2010). Handbook of Social Psychology Volume Two. 5th Ed. John Wiley and Sons. Fussell, S. R. (2002). The Verbal Communication of Emotions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Lewis, M. , Haviland-Jones, J. M. , & Barrett, L. F. (2008) Handbook of emotions. 3rd Ed. Guilford Press.

Backwood Mail Order Case Essay

Backwoods is a mail order company that is into camping supplies and outdoor clothing. Gerald Banks, the operations manager of the customer service division, is interested in training his 40 employees in the customer orders group to be more effective in handling customer complaints and problems. The organizational structure is as follows: The customer orders division has 40 employees and four supervisors whereas the shipping division has 32 employees and 3 supervisors. The employees are evenly divided into two shifts – A day shift and a night shift. The customer orders division is responsible for recording customer orders and check availability of each item ordered. The orders are then transferred to the shipping division which is in charge of ensuring the product is shipped to the customers. The constraint to be kept in mind before designing the training program is that service should not stop to their customers. The problems as identifies by a needs assessment specify that majority of the errors resulting in merchandise return is because of incorrect entry of size in the computer. Based on this the goals of the training program include reducing merchandize returns and creating a positive image of backwoods in the minds of its customers and employees. Questions 1. Write several clear, measurable objectives for the training to be delivered to the employees in the customer order group. The needs assessment output indicates problems to be addressed according to the organizational and task analysis. Before setting measurable outputs, the company first needs to perform person analysis as well to identify whether there are some employees who are excellent with certain attributes but lack at certain different aspect. Since the customer order group is the main point of contact for the customers, it is imperative that the quality of customer interaction should improve. Apart from telephone etiquette training, the customer order group should also have deep knowledge about the product portfolio. Keeping this in mind, we suggest the following objectives for the training. a. Development of in depth knowledge about the product portfolio: This objective should make sure that every customer service representative is abreast on the products and the different SKU’s of that product. This will need interaction with the products team, and periodical evaluation will be required for the same. b. Ensuring better data entry by rechecking customer knowledge of sizes: Because 78% of the merchandise returns are due to problems with size, features, and/or color selections, representatives must be trained in data entry, as well as order verification. Most of the problems can be eliminated by order verification and probably a sample, or description of the product. Also a habit of being inquisitive needs to be inculcated amongst the employees so that they ensure that the customer is aware about the different sizes in the different products. c. Being polite and prompt in handling customer complaints: A polite and prompt response from the employee will help in improving customer experience and would thus aid in creating a better image of the company. Also this will reduce the clutter that is caused in the workplace which will  further increase productivity and improve order time. d. Improving the company image and boosting employee morale The company branding has to be improved among the customers so that there can be many more repeat orders. To this extent, representatives have to be trained on the discount/promotional offers, product superiority etc. Career opportunities have to be explained and performance reviews should be setup so that employees are content as well. 2. Develop a recommendation for the training plan that includes the training techniques that should be used and the length of training Since customer orders department interacts with customers on a daily basis, the training technique will primarily consist of an off the job training program conducted in batches so that customer orders can be simultaneously fulfilled. Off the Job training phase in batches: a. Simulation and Virtual Reality techniques are recommended with every employee getting a chance to face a simulated customer complaint call and on the basis of their performance, feedback would be given. b. The training program should have classroom instructions and role plays. This will be helpful in customer interactions, and telephone etiquette. The classroom training session should include representatives from the product department, wherein the participants have an opportunity to clarify real life questions. Role play would include dealing with difficult customers, call forwarding etc. Since each hour of classroom training would require 6 hours of designing, this is an ideal combination. c. It should have an e-learning component. This will include information on the product portfolio and product usage. This component can also include data entry techniques to facilitate timely feed and retrieval of data. d. There should be a peer training component too, wherein star performers in the job would be asked to train newcomers and freshers. e. Cross functional training should be offered to the order processing as well as shipping department, since each department should be aware of the processes in the  other. f. Rewards should be planned for in the training program for the most improved employee. This would help incentivizing the process. A batch plan is recommended, since at any point of time, we cannot have all the customer representatives busy in training. Identification of time slots with lesser load should be done, and batches of 5 would be ideal so that the floor wouldn’t be completely empty at any point in time. Given an 8 hour window, a training of 1 hour every day for two weeks would be ideal to cover the required objectives. This will then be followed up with the on the job component. On the job training phase: This is essentially a follow up phase wherein some of the calls of the employees would be recorded and feedback will be provided on the same. There will also be occasional surprise calls from HR posing as customers. Lastly cards with learning of the training program should be placed on the desk of each employee. This will also act as an effective way to evaluate the training program. 3. Offer a plan for evaluating the training program. Describe the criteria that will be used and the design you will employ. We propose the widely accepted four-level framework for evaluation of the training program. Phase 1: Reaction of trainees: A simple questionnaire can be used to record the response of the trainee with his ratings on the training program. A few sample questions could be: a. What were your expectations out of the program? Were they met? b. How would you rate the time allotted to the training program? c. How would you rate the instructor? d. How would rate the design of the program? Phase 2: Learning of the trainees: The performance of the trainees can be gauged and recorded before the training program. The evaluation criteria would be the average number of errors in the past month and knowledge about product. These scores can then be compared with post training scores to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program. Phase 3: Observation of trained employees: This can be done by recording some of the calls of the employees and occasional surprise calls from HR posing as customers. The improvement in their performance with respect to promptness and politeness of response can help in evaluating the training program. Customer interaction and communication effectiveness should also be evaluated by supervisors. Also feedback can be taken from customers as well. Phase 4: Return on investment: The return on investment can be measured by calculating the savings in cost due to reduction in the number of returns. Also increased number of orders due to better customer satisfaction can be considered in considering the payoff from the training program. This can then be compared with the cost of the training program to measure effectiveness.

Modern marketing now juggles two competing philosophies. The first is Essay

Modern marketing now juggles two competing philosophies. The first is the transaction approach epitomised by the 'Four Ps' o - Essay Example The ancient marketing strategies include direct marketing, the use of free samples, media marketing, sales representatives and Corporate Social Responsibility. In words by O'guinn (2008) the ancient marketing strategies form the basis from which development of marketing is achieved. The above factors shape the two major philosophies of marketing. The two are different in terms of their approach to the consumers. The transactional approach detects its target market then strategically pleases this specific group of consumers while the relationship approach is a generalized approach to the market (Howard, 1997). The approach seeks to impress the entire market by creating stable market with the society. The approach to marketing uses the implementation of the 4p’s of marketing. They are the price, product, place and promotion (Plunket, 2008). The price refers to the pricing of the commodity at a price that is suitable to the consumer are also gather the required profit. The produc t refers to the quality of the product supplied to the market and its presentation to the market (O’guinn, 2008). The place refers to the most suitable location for the sale of their products depending on the nature of the population or a particular area. Promotion refers to the tools of advertising used by an organization. In words by Plunket (2008) this philosophy is a definition of a typical modern marketing strategy. The author further argues that the decisions to research on every marketing aspect before indulging into a market is very important if a marketing strategy is to effective (Tapp, 2008). Additionally, organization using this strategy only put into consideration the most suitable way to lure and please a specific target market. The relationship philosophy dwells on creating lasting relationships with an entire market (Tapp, 2008). Different from the other philosophy, this particular one does not have a specific target market. According to Howard (1997) in imple menting this approach an organization is usually advised to practice an effective Corporate Social Responsibility. This includes participating in charity events, organization social activities like sports day, offering of significant discounts on specific days like holidays and developing infrastructure of a particular region (Plunket, 2008). In an argument by O'guinn (2008) this approach acknowledges the characteristic of human nature. The author argues that, pleasing consumers through incentives may attract the to a business entity faster than using a strategic market approach (O'guinn, 2008). In this case, an organizations success in marketing is greatly dependable on how well it satisfies the appraisal need of human nature. In the modern corporate environment, organizations apply both theories depending on the product the company indulges in, the nature of the consumer market and the competitiveness of a market. It is for this reason that business entities have incorporated the use of decision making theories

Design SSRD (single subject research design) in early childhood Essay

Design SSRD (single subject research design) in early childhood - Essay Example The child who participated in this study, Lulu, attends a daycare three days a week from 7am to 5pm. At the time of the study, Lulu was 24 months old. Lulu’s family has a diverse background. Her father is from Middle Eastern descent and speaks Arabic and English. Her mother is from European descent and she speaks Russian and English. In daycare Lulu is only exposed to English and baby sign. Lulu met the criteria for a normal developing child according to the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Lulu’s overall development is age appropriate in motor skills, social-emotional, and self-help. Lulu’s language is age appropriate. Lulu is very sociable and enjoys talking to other children and adults. Lulu knows that when she is around family she can speak either Arabic or Russian. She knows to use English at daycare and with new people that she meets The dependent variable was Lulu’s verbal language. Lulu uses several of Arabic, Russian, and English words. For example she says water in Arabic only (mai) and the ball she always says it in Russian (mathci). She says night night if she is sleepy and wants to go to bed in addition to Baba, Mama, bye, milk and auntie. Lulu uses around 100 single words and she uses two to three word phrases. Also, she uses sounds to point for things that she do not know their names or it is difficult to say such as, oi oi oi if she wants us to open something for her. After the study we would like to see Lulu continue expanding her verbal language The research team will observe Lulu for 30 days. The researcher will count the number of verbal words that she uses and the number of baby sign used. The measurement would be event sampling of parent use of baby sign language. The researchers will use a checklist of parent implementation of baby sign. The baseline would be Lulu’s use of verbal language with people without mom using baby sign. During the B condition (intervention) mom will use baby sign.

Violent Video Games and Increase of Aggressiveness Research Proposal

Violent Video Games and Increase of Aggressiveness - Research Proposal Example These games are violent in nature, some with parental warnings regarding violence, blood, and gore. Examples of such video games include titles like Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat, and Sega's Primal Rage. All of these games intertwine a character-driven storyline with adventures and quests, including personal combat which requires the player to fight with and kill, various adversaries in an extremely violent way. While earlier versions of such games, such as Quake or Doom, were more plot-driven and less gratuitously violent, many of the more recent industry offerings (known as "first-person shooter" games) have escalated the combat element in favor of increasingly difficult opponents, more sophisticated weaponry, and an unhealthy focus on domination. As Bok points out, "players are rewarded for slashing, gouging, or shooting their opponents...[and are able] to see with the eyes of the killer holding the gun." (1999, p. 37) In fact, other researchers have determined that in the most p opular games, harming other characters is the primary activity and that killing occurs at a high rate. (Cicchirillo and Chory-Assad, 2005, p. 436).

Unit 3 Discussion Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Unit 3 Discussion Board - Essay Example Every product goes through a particular life cycle and the strategy that must be applied will differ in each instance. For instance, during the early stages, company strategy must focus upon achieving competitiveness through judicious pricing, heavy marketing and expenses on R&D. During the later declining stage of the product life cycle, the emphasis is on broadening the product line and avoiding price cuts.(Wasson, 1974). On the basis of a product’s market share and growth based upon its life cycle, the BCG places the product portfolio of a Company into four different quadrants of a matrix, with the relative market share of the product ranked along the X axis and product growth ranked along the Y axis. Businesses in each quadrant will have significantly different tendencies to consume or generate cash. The appliances division of my Company has been placed in the upper right quadrant of the matrix, which represents the wildcat or question mark. This suggests that the division has a negative cash flow, requiring â€Å"large cash inputs that it cannot generate itself.† (Henderson, 1979, p166). Wildcat ventures are often fledgling operations and offer the promise of future generation of revenue. The major aspect to be addressed in the case of the appliances division is thus market share. Since the products may typically have a low market share because they are not well known, the recommended strategy would be to introduce a competitive price for the product as compared to similar products already in the market. It is also recommended that an aggressive advertising and promotional campaign is implemented, in order to increase sales of the product and improve its market share. In the event the market share of the product does not improve, then it may turn into a â€Å"dog† or become unproductive, and before that happens it is better to sell off the products or close up the division. Woo and Cooper (1980) have points

EBay Usability Testing Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

EBay Usability Testing Evaluation - Essay Example EBay Corporation offers online marketing for the sale e-commerce of goods and services. Moreover, this corporation offers platforms and online payment solutions to various community of businesses and individuals. The main purpose that usability is so important is because there are numerous websites, which are offering similar services that people will visit if the previous one is not operational. EBay Inc. depends on their web existence in the mandate to accomplish their online objectives. Likewise, a user of eBay website will articulate a judgment about that company, which is strongly associated with the manner at which they view its website. Moreover, operational websites escalate user satisfaction while websites which infringe usability agreements obscure users and cause in a loss of returns for other companies.Through enhancing usability, it is a great manner to motivate users to visit this website in its place of the websites that fit into its competitors. This is frequently a m ethodology that retains customers. High-quality websites are simple to use therefore, attracting users and give a specific site a competitive advantage. Some of individuals who create a usability test prudently create a situation whereby an individual accomplishes a list of responsibilities that a user who is using the services for the first time is likely to understand the functions. Someone else watches and pays attention to the individual who is carrying out the responsibilities while taking minutes.

How media influences people about disease---ALS and its ice bucket Research Paper

How media influences people about disease---ALS and its ice bucket challenge - Research Paper Example People who use Facebook and Twitter are for all practical purposes running little media houses, and face the problem of their much larger brethren, where will the next story come from? Originality is too time-consuming: emulation is inevitable. Fads ensue. What gets emulated? Anything that can contribute to social capital. The content must be easy to create but not as easy as photographing ones morning cappuccino. For example, someone in Toronto snapped a selfie with the controversial mayor Rob Ford. Overnight, hunting Rob Ford became a Toronto sport, and your face next to his became social currency across Canada. Its easy to write off these fads as simple stunts of digital narcissism, but they matter to marketing because they carry incidental meaning. It was not lost on Fords reelection team that media coverage on Facebook was as good as, perhaps better than, press coverage. Selfies with Ford carried the incidental meaning that he was one of the people, a fun-loving regular guy. He began to make himself selfie-friendly. Brands, too, ask how they can become incidental props in these viral stunts. The challenge that brands encounter, however, is that their involvement could come off as merely jumping on the bandwagon because spreadable stunts tend to carry no meaning beyond the stunt itself. Take "planking" for example. An early Facebook fad, planking is the act of lying face-down in an incongruous place. It is the epitome of digital narcissism and any hint of motive other than "look at me" just clouds the picture. By contrast, the ALS ice bucket challenge offers an example of a brand harnessing the energy of a narcissistic fad on social networks in service to the brand itself. The usual elements are there: an act that is incongruous, not easy to do, and screams "look at me." Yet here, the incidental meaning is not at all dissociated from the personal meaning. Im

SWOT Analysis for Isle of Wight Food Show Essay

SWOT Analysis for Isle of Wight Food Show - Essay Example The researcher states that the Isle of Wight (IOW) Food Show is jointly organized by Isle of Wight Tourism, Isle of White Chamber of Commerce, the Island Traders’ Association and Wiley Events. It is a two-day event taking place from 1 pm to 6 pm. Entry to the festival is free as per the Needles Park pays per attraction policy. Exhibitors are charged  £200 for the services rendered to them. Venue of the food show is Needles Park, Alum Bay in the North West of the island. Various stakeholders to the food show include accommodation providers, event organizers, transporters, visitor attractions, the local council, and DMO. Wiley Events has been the leader in the line of bespoke event management since 2001. Teddy Toddington and Pippa Powell, the partners of Wiley Events carry 20 years experience in event organizing. Both are experts in their own right and divide job functions as per their acumen into different event management functions. Wiley is also in an advisory role of offer ing consultancy services to other companies particularly in the areas of sales, operations, and administration. There are 21 specific touring sites, as identified by tourism data. Caravan sites also organize touring and camping, capturing 8% visitors of the event market. Summer is the peak season of tourism in the IOW when occupancy rate is 80%, which reduces to 37% in the spring and 19% in the autumn season. There are 60 worth-seeing sites, as per the Attractions, Mini-guide 2005 and places of interest could be 200, as taken from the Tourism Baseline Audit 2003. Measuring 23 miles by 13 miles, the Isle of Wight boasts of near about 2.6 million visitors each year with an approximate tourism spend of  £352 million a year, tourism being 24% of the Island’s GDP and the first tourism destination to encourage quality and supervised stay facility; Once reaching to the Isle of Wight, one finds the transport infrastructure fully customised for visitors’ comfort.

Communication and Learners Essay Example for Free

Communication and Learners Essay Much of my research was carried out online and I have included my written research notes and sources. Teacher net (2010) says â€Å"Adopting an approach to your teaching which draws on research and evidence should help you in reviewing and developing your practice†. With this in mind I considered Maslows Hierarchy of Needs motivational model which we often refer to in teaching, although the original model was designed as a business motivational tool. Maslow claims that needs 1-4 are deficiency motivators and are generally satisfied in order when the previous need is fully or partially satisfied (Businessballs, 2010). If the lower level needs of the model are met then I can begin to help the learner gain the top level and realise their own potential however, in order to help others reach this level I must first achieve this myself, by researching I am furthering my own knowledge and developing myself on an ongoing basis. 1a Negotiating With Learners – 753 words Gravells and Simpson state that â€Å"Initial assessment of you learner’s skills, knowledge and preferred learning styles should take place before you begin teaching the programme content.† (Gravells Simpson, 2010, P17). Here they are saying ‘before the program content’, so an initial assessment is valid even if it is at the beginning of the session itself. I do however slightly disagree with the necessity to always know the learners preferred learning style from the outset. If we accept that learners are different then we must accept that we will be teaching learners during each session with differing learning styles, and must therefore accommodate those differing styles. I usually do not get chance to assess my learners for learning styles before a session so I must compensate using a progressive style of assessment, this enables me to adjust my teaching methods and styles to suit and include my learners. It is therefore not so important to know what the learning style of an individual from the initial assessment but, it can assessed as the teaching progresses. Learners enter the learning environment with varying needs and expectations; it is my responsibility as the teacher/tutor, through processes such as initial assessment, to ensure that the learner is on the correct path/course or at the right level. Failing this then I should be able to help the learner choose a more appropriate path. According to Walklin â€Å"It is important to assess all people seeking access to education and training opportunities, the purpose being to help them to plan their future education and training programme. Initial assessment helps the provider and the learner sort out what it is they wish to achieve†, (Walklin, 1993, p.290). The initial assessment is a way of evaluating what the learner will need to achieve the goals set and indeed a way of setting future goals with the learner. I have recently experienced this myself when an experienced teacher found that I was in fact following an unsuitable path, he was then able to change the course I had appl ied for, to a more suitable and achievable course. Having an understanding of a learners previous experience is also beneficial to the teacher, I myself train professional drivers who often have many years experience within the industry. Using a short pre-session initial assessment which consists of an informal one to one chat and note taking, and group introductory sessions allows me to make a connection with these more experienced learners, who often feel disgruntled by the process of having to train within an industry they feel they already know. It is important then to be aware that experience will affect learning and that it may have a positive or negative influence. After an initial assessment I can ascertain what the learners knowledge and skills will be to date and a learning action plan can be completed, this plan is specific to each individual leaner to ensure their needs as a learner are met. A tutor should spend time with each individual learner and agree learning goals and further actions. Further actions may include additional help that may be needed, for a student with learning disabilities for example. Once the learners needs have been identified and agreed the trainer would focus on the teacher/training cycle, Kolb (1984) which is made up of the following 5 points, keeping in mind that this is an ongoing cycle. * Identify needs and planning * Designing * Facilitating/deliver * Assessing * Evaluating Further actions that should be agreed prior to the course commencing is the establishment of ground rules. Ground rules are commonly referred to as, â€Å"the minimum necessary conditions for getting learning work done in the class.† (Atherton, J S 2009). I agree with Atherton here and would add that, establishing ground rules in a learning group can also be negotiated between the learners and the teacher. WestOne (2010) discusses various strategies for negotiating with learners, it suggests that It can often be effective to give learners some responsibility for rules, such as what time breaks and dinner is taken, these small items of negotiation will give learners a sense of control within the environment and encourage them to take part in the learning process as they will begin to have shared ownership of it. I would say though that to give too much away to learners may lead to a loss of control for the teacher, one must always consider the fine balance here. I looked at a company called Novadata, they provide training similar to mine but also have a larger portfolio of courses. Their main initial assessment is carried out over the telephone or via an online internet form. While I will consider the option of the online form in the future I do think it may be a little impersonal and I would have doubts about getting the right quality of information, telephone based initial assessment is however a possibility that would allow me to connect with learners better. 1b Inclusive Learning – 748 words Gravels Simpson discuss inclusive learning and suggest that â€Å"inclusive learning is about recognising that each of your learners is different from other learners in many ways†, and â€Å"you should plan your teaching and learning sessions to enable all of your learners to take part†. (Gravells Simpson, 2010, P25). There are various methods to ensure this, we can for instance use different teaching methods to appeal to the different learning styles, for instance VAK or VARK(Visual, aural, reader and kinaesthetic), kinaesthetic learners prefer to touch whilst visual learners will prefer to see demonstrations and, aural learners will be more attuned to a discussion while readers prefer the written word. In all of these cases it should be noted that any given learner may have a preference for learning but will to differing degrees have traits of all styles. I use this as the basis for any planning but keep myself aware that it is just that, a basis or starting point f or a flexible plan. It is once we begin to understand that learners are individuals with varying needs that we realise that relying on the VAK descriptions alone is inadequate in order to be inclusive. Inclusion UWE states â€Å"The aim is not for students to simply take part in further education but to be actively included and fully engaged in their learning† (2008). It may be that a particular learner is a kinaesthetic learner but for one reason or another cannot take part in an exercise. In order to agree with the UWE statement I had to recently change the way I carried out a practical exercise as one of my learners could not look at a small computer screen for very long, by pairing him with another learner and allowing them to use a projector connected to the computer they were able to complete the exercise together thus ensuring inclusivity. But inclusivity goes further than just planning sessions and resources. Huddleston and Unwin discuss how teachers must no longer be concerned with their own subject and transmitting knowledge but, â€Å"as managers of learning, teachers will need to seek the help and support of other professionals in their college, including non-teaching staff.† (Huddleston and Unwin,1997, P117). While I do agree in principle with what they are saying, for example, a student with problems of childcare can easily be helped by being pointed toward crà ¨che facilities within the learning establishment, I would also have to point out that it is important to facilitate a solution rather than be the solution. I think a teacher must maintain a certain distance from the student, so it is better to offer information on transport subsidies than to offer a lift. Another example of how we can be flexible to promote inclusion recently happened to me, When I arrived at a site to carry out training many of the delegates found that in order to start for their working shift the following day, they would have to finish 45 minutes early, as the requirements for the training to be completed meant they had to carry out a full 7 hours of training I could not legally cut the course short. We then came to an arrangement whereby tea breaks would be taken as we carried out practical exercises thus allowing for the full session to take place. By making this small adjustment I was able to cater to the individual needs of a few of the learners which again placed them in a position where they did not have to worry about working the following day and, could continue the learning process. Preparing to Teach Inclusively states â€Å"There are many issues to consider when identifying a students needs, but it is important to remember that they may fluctuate from day to day. As the course progresses, try to review with students whether you are meeting their needs.† (2006). Students needs do change constantly, it may be that a bus service is delayed and a number of students will be late by 10 minutes or another may have employment difficulties, while it is not the job of the teacher to fix these problems, it is the responsibility of the teacher to make provision for them and to suggest agencies or information that can help. A solution can be as simple as asking another learner to take extra copies of handouts and pass them on, whatever the action, the aim is always to enable the student to return to a successful learning environment. 1c – Integrating Functional Skills – 557 words QCDA says that â€Å"Functional skills are practical skills in English, information and communication technology (ICT) and mathematics. They allow individuals to work confidently, effectively and independently in life† (2010). Functional Skills are often given different names such as â€Å"Key Skills† or â€Å"Minimum Core†, but they all amount to the same thing, the basic integration of Maths, English and Information Communication Technology. Petty states â€Å"The alternative to integrating key skills is to teach them separately. The problem with this approach is that students tend to see them as an irksome irrelevance to their main course of study†.(G Petty, 2009, P538) Whilst I agree with his point and I agree with the methods and reasons for teaching Functional Skills in this way, I also believe that this statement pays little attention to those of us who would thrive in a situation where those key skills are taught separately, people such as myself, I trained as a chef when I was young, attached to this course I did a CG in communicating and in computer programming. I enjoyed having a separate learning session for this and was able to gain another certificate to be proud of; in conclusion I would say that this is again an area where we can see how people differ in so many ways. Gravells and Simpson state that â€Å"As a teacher, you should be able to demonstrate your own competence in the areas of literacy, language, numeracy and ICT.† (Gravells Simpson, 2010, P59). As a teacher I believe it is important to have a good understanding of Functional skills, spelling and maths mistakes within a handout or presentation will be transferred to learners, why should they not believe you if you are the teacher. To this end it is important as a teacher to continually give consideration to improving my own Functional skill on an ongoing basis. The embedding of these skills within a teaching session is not difficult but should be given careful consideration at all times, for instance, I recently had a learner who was dyslexic, I try where possible to provide printed material on different coloured papers as this can often help people with this condition. It turned out that this was the first time this particular learner had come across this aid to reading, so instead of just ignoring the reading exercise he became interested enough to ask about further help. I was able to give him a contact at Learndirect. This particular learner now has the confidence to learn to read and write at higher standards than he thought possible. It is this gaining of confidence and belief in oneself that will cause the attitude change that is conducive to learning. In order to integrate Functional Skills into any given session you could consider exercises such as multiple choice quizzes for reading, discussion sessions for language skills. By adding in maths questions to a PowerPoint presentation you can elicit answers from learners, by watching the reaction of other learners it is often possible to see if anyone is struggling with these concepts thus allowing you to go over the question in more detail until you are sure the learner has grasped it. ICT can be integrated in just as many ways, for instance asking learners to find and print a particular style of picture for the next session. 1d – Communication – 677 words Just out of interest I typed into a leading search engine â€Å"verbal non-verbal communication†, within the first five listings I found the following (MinorityCareerNet, 2010): â€Å"Nonverbal Communication According to A. Barbour, author of Louder Than Words: Nonverbal Communication, the total impact of a message breaks down like this: 7 percent verbal (words)   38 percent vocal (volume, pitch, rhythm, etc) 55 percent body movements (mostly facial expressions)† This is a misquote that can be found time after time in books, on websites, and more worryingly within training courses. In fact, this statement is based on the work of Professor Albert Mehrabian in the mid to late 1900’s. The research actually concentrated on the communication of feelings and attitudes, it has since been misquoted to define all types of communication. It is somewhat ironic that his message has been so misused and misunderstood. I raise the point of this because I am guilty of using it in the incorrect context, assuming that because those that have taught me use it, then it must be so. It really does not matter how I contort my face wave my arms in front of learners, unless I explain verbally or with written instructions very few of them will understand what I am trying to communicate. Different people respond to different forms of communication, when we teach we give consideration to the varying types of learners, Visual, Aural, Readers, Kinaesthetic (VARK), we try to design our lessons to include all of the styles. I asked myself the question, â€Å"Why do people learn in these different ways?† My research results led me to investigate a condition known as synaesthesia, in which one sensory input produces unexpected results for example, a synaesthete may see the colour red when they see the number 2 and blue if they see number 3, in some cases sound caused a visual effect for the synaesthete. It occurred to me that this may go some way to explain why one person responds better when information is given in a verbal format, another responds better if it is visual and so on. The connections between these different sensory areas of the brain mean that we all have our own unique way of perceiving what is being taught or communicated (please refer to my micro teach for more information). For me the advantage of this seemingly odd line of research had the effect of allowing me to empathise with learners of different styles and gave me meaningful reason to consider how I communicate to learners with differing learning styles. â€Å"Communication is the art of successfully sharing meaningful information with people by means of an interchange of experience. The important word is ‘successfully’, which implied that a desired behaviour change results when the receiver takes the message† (Walklin, 1993, p.164). I think what Walklin is trying to tell us is that it is not enough to communicate the instructions, it is also important to deliver praise or constructive criticism in order to encourage and guide the learner into new discovery, if you ask the learner to complete a task a feeling of accomplishment will encourage behaviour conducive to further learning. This is important to me when teaching as my own learners can often be hostile to the learning process, feeling it has been imposed upon them. It is also important to listen to the students, if you set tasks that are above the student’s current abilities then you are likely to create a barrier to communication whereby the student will close in on themselves not wishing to admit they cannot continue and the learning process will cease. Achieving two way communications with our students is not straightforward. Barriers can often present themselves. It is crucial that a teacher can identify barriers and help students overcome them. Petty (2009) suggests that inappropriate level of work, jargon, vocabulary and other use of language, environmental factors, fear of failure and an inapproachable teacher can be barriers to students learning experience. Whilst I agree in principle to this, I also believe that introducing new vocabulary and language usage is essential to the student’s further development. ATHERTON J S (2010) Learning and Teaching; Ground rules for the class (Online) Available: http://www.learningandteaching.info/teaching/ground_rules.htm (Accessed: 03 January 2011) Anne Gravells and Susan Simpson (2010) Planning and Enabling Learning (2nd Edition), Learning Matters Businessballs (2011) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, (Online), Available: http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm , (Accessed: 15 February 2011) Inclusion Further Education (2008)(Online) Available: http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie/tmlnsn.htm (Accessed: 10 January 2011). Minority Career Network Inc. (2011) Non Verbal Communication, (Online), Available: http://www.minoritycareernet.com/newsltrs/95q3nonver.html , (Accessed: 15 February 2011) Open University (2006) Preparing to Teach Inclusively (Online), Available: http://www.open.ac.uk/inclusiveteaching/pages/inclusive-teaching/preparing-to-teach-inclusively.php (Accessed: 20th January 2011) Prue Huddleston and Lorna Unwin (1997) Teaching and Learning in Further Education (2nd Edition), Routledge Farmer. Petty G (2009) Teaching Today (4th Edition), Nelson Thornes. QCDA (2010) Introduction to Functional Skills (Online), Available: http://www.qcda.gov.uk/qualifications/30.aspx, (Accessed: 11 January 2011). Teachernet (2010) (online), Available:http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/research/Learning_about_research/ (Accessed December 15 2010), (Note-now removed) Walklin, A. (1993) Teaching and Learning in Further and Adult Education. Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes (publishers) Ltd. West One (2010) How to negotiate learning (Online) Available: http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox8/taa/elearn/toolbox/resources/e_space/e_sources/quickguides/interaction/negotiating/howto.htm (Accessed 03 January 2010)

British Airways Essay Example for Free

British Airways Essay I remember going to parties in the late 1970s, and, if you wanted to have a civilized conversation, you didnt actually say that you worked for British Airways, because it got you talking about peoples last travel experience, which was usually an unpleasant one. Its staggering how much the airlines image has changed since then, and, in comparison, how proud staff are of working for BA today. British Airways employee, Spring 1990 I recently flew business class on British Airways for the first time in about 10 years. What has happened over that time is amazing. I cant tell you how my memory of British Airways as a company and the experience I had 10 years ago contrasts with today. The improvement in service is truly remarkable. British Airways customer, Fall 1989 In June of 1990, British Airways reported its third consecutive year of record profits,  £345 million before taxes, firmly establishing the rejuvenated carrier as one of the worlds most profitable airlines. The impressive financial results were one indication that BA had convincingly shed its historic â€Å"bloody awful† image. In October of 1989, one respected American publication referred to them as â€Å"bloody awesome,† a description most would not have thought possible after pre-tax losses totalling more than  £240 million in the years 1981 and 1982. Productivity had risen more than 67 percent over the course of the 1980s. Passengers reacted highly favorably to the changes. After suffering through years of poor market perception during the 1970s and before, BA garnered four Airline of the Year awards during the 1980s, as voted by the readers of First Executive Travel. In 1990, the leading American aviation magazine, Air Transport World, selected BA as the winner of its Passenger Service award. In the span of a decade, British Airways had radically improved its financial strength, convinced its work force of the paramount importance of customer service, and dramatically improved its perception in the market. Culminating in the privatization of 1987, the carrier had undergone fundamental change through a series of important messages and events. With unprecedented success under its belt, management faced an increasingly perplexing problem: how to maintain momentum and recapture the focus that would allow them to meet new challenges. Crisis of 1981 Record profits must have seemed distant in 1981. On September 10 of that year, then chief executive Roy Watts issued a special bulletin to British Airways staff: British Airways is facing the worst crisis in its history . . . unless we take swift and remedial action we are heading for a loss of at least  £100 million in the present financial year. We face the prospect that by next April we shall have piled up losses of close to  £250 million in two years. Even as I write to you, our money is draining at the rate of nearly  £200 a minute. No business can survive losses on this scale. Unless we take decisive action now, there is a real possibility that British Airways will go out of business for lack of money. We have to cut our costs sharply, and we have to cut them fast. We have no more choice, and no more time . Just two years earlier, an optimistic British government had announced its plan to privatize British Airways through a sale of shares to the investing public. Although airline management recognized that the 58,000 staff was too large, they expected increased passenger volumes and improved staff productivity to help them avoid complicated and costly employee reductions. While the 1978-79 plan forecasted passenger traffic growth at 8 to 10 percent, an unexpected recession left BA struggling to survive on volumes, which, instead, decreased by more that 4 percent. A diverse and aging fleet, increased fuel costs, and the high staffing costs forced the government and BA to put privatization on hold indefinitely. With the airline technically bankrupt, BA management and the government would have to wait before the public would be ready to embrace the ailing airline. The BA Culture, 1960-1980 British Airways stumbled into its 1979 state of inefficiency in large part because of its history and culture. In August 1971, the Civil Aviation Act became law, setting the stage for the British Airways Board to assume control of two state-run airlines, British European Airways (BEA) and British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), under the name British Airways. In theory, the board was to control policy over British Airways; but, in practice, BEA and BOAC remained autonomous, each with its own chairman, board, and chief executive. In 1974, BOAC and BEA finally issued one consolidated financial report. In 1976, Sir Frank (later Lord) McFadzean replaced the group division with a structure based on functional divisions to officially integrate the divisions into one airline. Still, a distinct split within British Airways persisted throughout the 1970s and into the mid-1980s. After the Second World War, BEA helped pioneer European civil aviation. As a pioneer, it concerned itself more with building an airline infrastructure than it did with profit. As a 20-year veteran and company director noted: â€Å"The BEA culture was very much driven by building something that did not exist. They had built that in 15 years, up until 1960. Almost single-handedly they opened up air transport in Europe after the war. That had been about getting the thing established. The marketplace was taking care of itself. They wanted to get the network to work, to get stations opened up.† BOAC had also done its share of pioneering, making history on May 2, 1952, by sending its first jet airliner on a trip from London to Johannesburg, officially initiating jet passenger service. Such innovation was not without cost, however, and BOAC found itself mired in financial woes throughout the two decades following the war. As chairman Sir Matthew Slattery explained in 1962: â€Å"The Corporation has had to pay a heavy price for pioneering advanced technologies.† Success to most involved with BEA and BOAC in the 1950s and 1960s had less to do with net income and more to do with â€Å"flying the British flag.† Having inherited numerous war veterans, both airlines had been injected with a military mentality. These values combined with the years BEA and BOAC existed as government agencies to shape the way British Airways would view profit through the 1970s. As former director of human resources Nick Georgiades said of the military and civil service history: â€Å"Put those two together and you had an organization that believed its job was simply to get an aircraft into the air on time and to get it down on time.† While government support reinforced the operational culture, a deceiving string of profitable years in the 1970s made it even easier for British Airways to neglect its increasing inefficiencies. Between 1972 and 1980, BA earned a profit before interest and tax in each year except for one. â€Å"This was significant, not least because as long as the airline was returning profits, it was not easy to persuade the workforce, or the management for that matter, the fundamental changes were vital. Minimizing cost to the state became the standard by which BA measured itself. As one senior manager noted: â€Å"Productivity was not an issue. People were operating effectively, not necessarily efficiently. There were a lot of people doing other peoples jobs, and there were a lot of people checking on people doing other peoples jobs† . . . As a civil service agency, the airline was allowed to become inefficient because the thinking in state-run operations was, â€Å"If youre providing se rvice at no cost to the taxpayer, then youre doing quite well.† A lack of economies of scale and strong residual loyalties upon the merger further complicated the historical disregard for efficiency by BEA and BOAC. Until Sir Frank McFadzeans reorganization in 1976, British Airways had labored under several separate organizations (BOAC; BEA European, Regional, Scottish, and Channel) so the desired benefits of consolidation had been squandered. Despite operating under the same banner, the organization consisted more or less of separate airlines carrying the associated costs of such a structure. Even after the reorganization, divisional loyalties prevented the carrier from attaining a common focus. â€Å"The 1974 amalgamation of BOAC with the domestic and European divisions of BEA had produced a hybrid racked with management demarcation squabbles. The competitive advantages sought through the merger had been hopelessly defeated by the lack of a unifying corporate culture.† A BA director summed up how distracting the merger proved: â€Å"There wasnt enough management time devoted to managing the changing environment because it was all focused inwardly on resolving industrial relations problems, on resolving organizational conflicts. How do you bring these very, very different cultures together?† Productivity at BA in the 1970s was strikingly bad, especially in contrast to other leading foreign airlines. BAs productivity for the three years ending March 31, 1974, 1975, and 1976 had never exceeded 59 percent of that of the average of the other eight foreign airline leaders. Service suffered as well. One human resources senior manager recalled the â€Å"awful† service during her early years in passenger services: â€Å"I remember 10 years ago standing at the gate handing out boxes of food to people as they got on the aircraft. Thats how we dealt with service.† With increasing competition and rising costs of labor in Britain in the late 1970s, the lack of productivity and poor service was becoming increasingly harmful. By the summer of 1979, the number of employees had climbed to a peak of 58,000. The problems became dangerous when Britains worst recession in 50 years reduced passenger numbers and raised fuel costs substantially. Lord King Takes the Reins Sir John (later Lord) King was appointed chairman in February of 1981, just a half-year before Roy Wattss unambiguously grim assessment of BAs financial state. King brought to British Airways a successful history of business ventures and strong ties to both the government and business communities. Despite having no formal engineering qualifications, King formed Ferrybridge Industries in 1945, a company which found an unexploited niche in the ball-bearing industry. Later renamed the Pollard Ball and Roller Bearing Company, Ltd., Kings company was highly successful until he sold it in 1969. In 1970, he joined Babcock International and as chairman led it through a successful restructuring during the 1970s. Kings connections were legendary. Hand-picked by Margaret Thatcher to run BA, Kings close friends included Lord Hanson of Hanson Trust and the Princess of Waless family. He also knew personally Presidents Reagan and Carter. Kings respect and connections proved helpful both in recruiti ng and in his dealings with the British government. One director spoke of the significance of Kings appointment: â€Å"British Airways needed a chairman who didnt need a job. We needed someone who could see that the only way to do this sort of thing was radically, and who would be aware enough of how you bring that about.† In his first annual report, King predicted hard times for the troubled carrier. â€Å"I would have been comforted by the thought that the worst was behind us. There is no certainty that this is so.† Upon Wattss announcement in September of 1981, he and King launched their Survival plan— â€Å"tough, unpalatable and immediate measures† to stem the spiraling losses and save the airline from bankruptcy. The radical steps included reducing staff numbers from 52,000 to 43,000, or 20 percent, in just nine months; freezing pay increases for a year; and closing 16 routes, eight on-line stations, and two engineering bases. It also dictated halting cargo-only services and selling the fleet, and inflicting massive cuts upon offices, administrative services, and staff clubs. In June of 1982, BA management appended the Survival plan to accommodate the reduction of another 7,000 staff, which would eventually bring the total employees down from about 42,000 to nearly 35,000. BA accomplished its reductions through voluntary measures, offering such generous severance that they ended up with more volunteers than necessary. In total, the airline dished out some  £150 million in severance pay. Between 1981 and 1983, BA reduced its staff by about a quarter. About the time of the Survival plan revision, King brought in Gordon Dunlop, a Scottish accountant described by one journalist as â€Å"imaginative, dynamic, and extremely hardworking,† euphemistically known on Fleet Street as â€Å"forceful,† and considered by King as simply â€Å"outstanding.† As CFO, Dunlops contribution to the recovery years was significant. When the results for the year ending March 31, 1982, were announced in October, he and the board ensured 1982 would be a watershed year in BAs turnaround. Using creative financing, Dunlop wrote down  £100 million for redundancy costs,  £208 million for the value of the fleet (which would ease depreciation in future years), even an additional  £98 million for the 7,000 redundancies which had yet to be effected. For the year, the loss before taxes amounted to  £114 million. After taxes and extraordinary items, it totalled a staggering  £545 million. Even King might have admitted that the worst was behind them after such a report. The chairman immediately turned his attention to changing the airlines image and further building his turnaround team. On September 13, 1982, King relieved Foote, Cone Belding of its 36-year-old advertising account with BA, replacing it with Saatchi Saatchi. One of the biggest account changes in British history, it was Kings way of making a clear statement that the BA direction had changed. In April of 1983, British Airways launched its â€Å"Manhattan Landing† campaign. King and his staff sent BA management personal invitations to gather employees and tune in to the inaugural six-minute commercial. Overseas, each BA office was sent a copy of the commercial on videocassette, and many held cocktail parties to celebrate the new thrust. â€Å"Manhattan Landing† dramatically portrayed the whole island of Manhattan being lifted from North America and whirled over the Atlantic before awestruck witnesses in the U.K. After the initial airing, a massive campaign was run with a 90-second version of the commercial. The ad marked the beginning of a broader campaign, â€Å"The Worlds Favourite Airline,† reflective of BAs status as carrier of the most passengers internationally. With the financial picture finally brightening, BA raised its advertising budget for 1983-84 to  £31 million, compared with  £19 million the previous year, signalling a clear commitment to changing the corporate image. Colin Marshall Becomes Chief Executive In the midst of the Saatchi Saatchi launch, King recruited Mr. (later Sir) Colin Marshall, who proved to be perhaps the single most important person in the changes at British Airways. Appointed chief executive in February 1983, Marshall brought to he airline a unique resume. He began his career as a management trainee with Hertz in the United States. After working his way up the Hertz hierarchy in North America, Marshall accepted a job in 1964 to run rival Aviss operations in Europe. By 1976, the British-born businessman had risen to chief executive of Avis. In 1981, he returned to the U.K. as deputy chief and board member of Sears Holdings. Fulfilling one of his ultimate career ambitions, he took over as chief executive of British Airways in early 1983. Although having no direct experience in airline management, Marshall brought with him two tremendous advantages. First, he understood customer service, and second, he had worked with a set of c ustomers quite similar to the airline travel segment during his car rental days. Marshall made customer service a personal crusade from the day he entered BA. One executive reported: â€Å"It was really Marshall focusing on nothing else. The one thing that had overriding attention the first three years he was here was customer service, customer service, customer service—nothing else. That was the only thing he was interested in, and its not an exaggeration to say that was his exclusive focus.† Another senior manager added: â€Å"He has certainly put an enabling culture in place to allow customer service to come out, where, rather than people waiting to be told what to do to do things better, its an environment where people feel they can actually come out with ideas, that they will be listened to, and feel they are much more a part of the success of the company.† Not just a strong verbal communicator, Marshall became an active role model in the terminals, spending time with staff during morning and evenings. He combined these actions with a nu mber of important events to drive home the customer service message. Corporate Celebrations, 1983-1987 If Marshall was the most important player in emphasizing customer service, then the Putting People First (PPF) program was the most important event. BA introduced PPF to the front-line staff in December of 1983 and continued it through June of 1984. Run by the Danish firm Time Manager International, each program cycle lasted two days and included 150 participants. The program was so warmly received that the non-front-line employees eventually asked to be included, and a one-day â€Å"PPF II† program facilitated the participation of all BA employees through June 1985. Approximately 40,000 BA employees went through the PPF programs. The program urged participants to examine their interactions with other people, including family, friends, and, by association, customers. Its acceptance and impact was extraordinary, due primarily to the honesty of its message, the excellence of its delivery, and the strong support of management. Employees agreed almost unanimously that the programs message was sincere and free from manipulation, due in some measure to the fact that BA separated itself from the programs design. The program emphasized positive relations with people in general, focusing in large part on non-work-related relationships. Implied in the positive relationship message was an emphasis on customer service, but the program was careful to aim for the benefit of employees as individuals first. Employees expressed their pleasure on being treated with respect and relief that change was on the horizon. As one frontline ticket agent veteran said: â€Å"I found it fascinating, very, very enjoyable. I thought it was very good for British Airways. It made people aware. I dont think people give enough thought to peoples reaction to each other. . . . It was hardhitting. It was made something really special. When you were there, you were treated extremely well. You were treated as a VIP, and people really enjoyed that. It was reverse roles, really, to the job we do.† A senior manager spoke of the confidence it promoted in the changes: â€Å"It was quite a revelation, and I thought it was absolutely wonderful. I couldnt believe BA had finally woken and realized where its bread was buttered. There were a lot of cynics at the time, but for people like myself it was really great to suddenly realize you were working for an airline that had the guts to change, and that its probabl y somewhere where you want to stay.† Although occasionally an employee felt uncomfortable with the â€Å"rah-rah† nature of the program, feeling it perhaps â€Å"too American,† in general, PPF managed to eliminate cynicism. The excellence in presentation helped signify a sincerity to the message. One senior manager expressed the consistency. â€Å"There was a match between the message and the delivery. You cant get away with saying putting people first is important, if in the process of delivering that message you dont put people first.† Employees were sent personal invitations, thousands were flown in from around the world, and a strong effort was made to prepare tasteful meals and treat everyone with respect. Just as important, BA released every employee for the program, and expected everyone to attend. Grade differences became irrelevant during PPF, as managers and staff members were treated equally and interacted freely. Moreover, a senior director came to conclude every single PPF session with a question and answer session. Colin Marshall himself frequently attended these closing sessions, answering employee concerns in a manner most felt to be extraordinarily frank. The commitment shown by management helped BA avoid the fate suffered by British Rail in its subsequent attempt at a similar program. The British Railway program suffered a limited budget, a lack of commitment by management and interest by staff, and a high degree of cynicism. Reports surfaced that employees felt the program was a public relations exercise for the outside world, rather than a learning experience for staff. About the time PPF concluded, in 1985, BA launched a program for managers only called, appropriately, Managing People First (MPF). A five-day residential program for 25 managers at a time, MPF stressed the importance of, among other topics, trust, leadership, vision, and feedback. On a smaller scale, MPF stirred up issues long neglected at BA. One senior manager of engineering summarized his experience: â€Å"It was almost as if I were touched on the head. . . . I dont think I even considered culture before MPF. Afterwards I began to think about what makes people tick. Why do people do what they do? Why do people come to work? Why do people do things for some people that they wont do for others?† Some participants claimed the course led them to put more emphasis on feedback. One reported initiating regular meetings with staff every two weeks, in contrast to before the program when he met with staff members only as problems arose. As Marshall and his team challenged the way people thought at BA, they also encouraged changes in more visible ways. In December 1984, BA unveiled its new fleet livery at Heathrow airport. Preparations for the show were carefully planned and elaborate. The plane was delivered to the hangar-turned-theater under secrecy of night, after which hired audio and video technicians put together a dramatic presentation. On the first night of the show, a darkened coach brought guests from an off-site hotel to an undisclosed part of the city and through a tunnel. The guests, including dignitaries, high-ranking travel executives, and trade union representatives, were left uninformed of their whereabouts. To their surprise, as the show began an aircraft moved through the fog and laser lights decorating the stage and turned, revealing the new look of the British Airways fleet. A similar presentation continued four times a day for eight weeks for all staff to see. On its heels, in May of 1985, British Airways unveiled its new uniforms, designed by Roland Klein. With new leadership, strong communication from the top, increased acceptance by the public, and a new physical image, few on the BA staff could deny in 1985 that his or her working life had turned a new leaf from its condition in 1980. Management attempted to maintain the momentum of its successful programs. Following PPF and MPF, it put on a fairly successful corporatewide program in 1985 called â€Å"A Day in the Life† and another less significant program in 1987 called â€Å"To Be the Best.† Inevitably, interest diminished and cynicism grew with successive programs. BA also implemented an â€Å"Awards for Excellence† program to encourage employee input. Colin Marshall regularly communicated to staff through video. While the programs enjoyed some success, not many employees felt â€Å"touched on the head† by any successor program to PPF and MPF.

Growth and Lipid Production of L. Starkeyi Mutants

Growth and Lipid Production of L. Starkeyi Mutants CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Diesel is one of the components in fossil fuel. However, the over-use of diesel is producing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide gases which are the major elements leading to global warming. Hence, due to increase in demand and source limitation, biodiesel is introduced as a substitute for diesel fuel (Wild et al., 2010). Biodiesel is a diesel fuel substitute that is extracted from renewable biomass. Biodiesel can be produced from plant oils, animal fats and microorganisms. Traditionally, biodiesel is produced from plant oils which were transesterify with methanol (Dai et al., 2007). However, production of biodiesel from plant oils is not suitable due to the quality of tillable land (Li et al., 2008) and competition with food production (Wahlen et al., 2012). Furthermore, the increase in animal fats prices due to the increase in animal feed makes it not suitable as biodiesel feedstock (Li et al., 2008). Hence, oleaginous microorganisms have been introduced as good candidates for biodiesel feedstock. Oleaginous microorganisms can accumulate lipid up to 20% of its cell dry weight (Ageitos et al., 2011). Oleaginous microorganisms have the ability to utilize different carbon source (Ageitos et al., 2011). In this study, Lipomyces starkeyi will be used. This type of yeast has the ability to produce lipid up to 70 % of its cell dry weight (Wild et al., 2010). L. starkeyi can utilize different types of carbon as its sole carbon and it is flexible in terms of culture conditions (Ageitos et al.,2011). However, L. starkeyi is still not economically practical because of the limitations in the wild-type strains (Ageitos et al., 2011). Therefore, in our research, we will be using L. starkeyi mutants in an attempt to produce more lipid more lipid in the fungal cells. The L. starkeyi mutants will be cultured in modified media consists of glucose, (NH4) SO4, yeast extract, Na2HPO4.7H20, KH2PO4, MgSO4. 7H20, CaCl2. 2H20, FeSO4, ZnSO4.H20 and CuSO4 supplied with 2.5% (w/v) and 5.0% (w/v) of glucose and sago effluents in separated schott bottles. pH 5 and pH 6 will also be used in order to optimize the production of lipid. The temperature that will be used is room temperature ( ± 27 °C). In this experiment, sago effluent and glucose would serve as carbon source for L. starkeyi. The total carbohydrate that would be consumed by L. starkeyi will be tested using phenol-sulphuric test. Our objectives in this research are: To optimize growth and lipid production of L. starkeyi mutants To measure the amount of lipid produced by L. starkeyi mutants cultured in 2.5 % and 5 % of glucose medium To measure the amount of lipid produced by L. starkeyi mutants cultured in sago effluent CHAPTER 2:  LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Biodiesel Biodiesel consists of alkly ester of fatty acids or triglycerides. Conventionally, triglyceride is produced from soybeans oil with the addition of alcohol and acid or base catalyst. This process is known as transesterifications which will produce Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) (Wahlen et al., 2012). Basically, biodiesel can be derived from 3 sources which are plants oil, animal fat and microorganisms (Meng et al., 2008). Plant oils that involve in the production of biodiesel are rapeseed, palm oil, soybeans, cottonseed, sunflower and many possible crops (Perritano, 2010). However, the practical used of plant oils raises critical issues on the decreasing in quality of land that is needed to plant the crops could affect the quality of the crops produced (Li et al., 2008). In addition, it also competes with the food production (Wahlen et al., 2012). Animal fat is also not a good biodiesel feedstock due to economical reasons (Meng et al., 2008). Hence, oleaginous microorganisms stand out as a potential feedstock provider. 2.2 Oleaginous microorganisms Oleginous yeasts (OY) are known producers of single cell oil (SCO). SCO produced from this organism are triacylglycerides (TAG) that have long-chain of fatty acids and have similar properties with plant oils. TAG acts as source of energy and it assist in phospholipid membrane formation. OY also utilizes various its carbon sources from waste substrate thus the cost to culture this microorganism is low (El-Fadaly et al., 2009). There are four groups of oleaginous microorganisms that capable of producing biodiesel which are bacteria, algae, filamentous fungi and yeast (Kitcha and Cheirsilp, 2011). The genera of oleaginous yeast are Yarrowia, Candida, Rhodotorula, Rhodosporium, Crytococcus, Trichosporon and Lipomyces (Ageitos et al., 2011). The specific name for the most preferable candidates for production of lipid are Cryptococcus albidus, Rhodosporidium toruloides, Rhodotorula glutinis, Lipomyces starkeyi and Yarrowia lipolytica. These microorganisms are capable of producing intracellular lipid more than 20% of its cell dry weight (Tapia et al., 2012). The duplication rate of yeast is lower than 1 hour and it is easy to culture compared to other microalgae. Other than that, certain oily yeast also has the ability to produce lipid up to 80% of their dry weight, while utilizing different carbon source including the lipid present in media (Ageitos et al., 2011). 2.3 Factors affecting lipid accumulations in Oleginous yeast Lipid accumulations occur when yeast is cultured under high amount of carbon source but in limited source of nitrogen. This is due to the nutrient imbalance that helps in triggering the accumulation of lipid because the remaining substrate would be assimilated by the yeast’s cells hence convert it into fat for storage (Ageitos et al., 2011). The fat that accumulated could be extracted to produce biodiesel. In addition, the accumulations of lipid also affected by other factors such as the present of microelements and inorganic salts in media. These elements help in ATP (AdenosineTriPhosphate) citrate lyse which important in lipid production (Ageitos et al., 2011). 2.4 Lipomyces starkeyi L. starkeyi is one of the members of Saccharomycetales and considered as true inhabitant of soil which have a worldwide distribution (Ansschau et al., 2014). L. starkeyi have the ability to accumulate lipid up to 70% of its dry weight (Wild et al., 2010). It also has a high flexibility in utilization of carbon source and culture environment. Other than that, fatty acid produced by L. starkeyi is almost similar to the vegetable oil (Tapia et al., 2012). According to Wild et al. (2010), L. starkeyi need a high ratio of carbon to nitrogen in order to optimize the production of lipid. The lipid bodies (LB) of L. starkeyi will receive the excess carbon source in the form of triglycerides (TAGs) (Ageitos et al., 2011) 2.5 Sago effluent Sago effluent is a form of sago liquid waste. In normal processes, this effluent would be channeled into the river, thus polluting the river and environment (Awang-Adeni et al., 2010). The releasing of sago effluent into the river can cause decreasing in water pH and increase in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) (Ayyasamy et al., 2008) Sago effluent contains a high amount of organic materials and non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) (Awang-Adeni et al., 2010). NSP are made of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. In cellulose, the sub-components are 89% glucose and small amount of xylose, rhamnose, arabinose, mannose, fructose and galactose. In contrast to cellulose, hemicellulose main components are glucose and xylose accompanied with arabinose, galactose, rhmnose, fucose and uranic acid. Lignin functions in rigidity and stability of the wood. To sum up, sago effluent contains up to 66% of starch, 14 % fiber and 25 % lignin (Awang-Adeni et al., 2010). Sago effluents which flow from the sago mill usually have the ratio of carbon to nitrogen high which is 105: 0.12 (Awang-Adeni et al., 2010). As stated by Ageitos et al. (2011), L. starkeyi have the ability to utilize starch as its sole carbon. Hence, sago effluent is an excellent choice because it has a high amount of starch which can helps in optimizing the lipid production. 2.6 Phenol-sulphuric test Phenol-sulphuric test is the quantitative assays which often used in estimation of carbohydrate. This test could detect the presence of neutral sugar in oligosaccharides, proteoglycan, glycoproteins and glycolipids (Albalasmeh et al., 2013). When phenol-sulphuric is added, the glucose that presence in samples would dehydrate thus forms hydroxymethyl furfurax. It would yield a yellow-brown product and the OD could be checked at 490 nm (Albalasmeh et al., 2013). CHAPTER 3:  MATERIALS AND METHOD 3.1 Materials Modified media as suggested by Wild et al. (2010). Lipomyces Starkeyi mutants (LS R1 and LS R2) 2.5 % (w/v) and 5.0 % (w/v) of glucose (Ee Syn, Malaysia) 2.5 % (w/v) and 5.0 % (w/v) of sago effluent (Pusa, Malaysia) 80 % (w/v) of Glycerol stock (HmbG, Germany) 5 % Phenol (Nacalai Tesque, Japan) Hexane (Reagents, USA) Isopropanol (Amresco, USA) Microcentrifuge (Hettich EBA 21, England) Schotts bottles (Duran, Germany) 3.2 Glycerol stock A single colony of L. starkeyi mutants R3 will be inoculated into 100 ml of modified media. 800 ÃŽ ¼l of L. starkeyi mutants R3 that have grown will be transferred into vial that contained 1200 ÃŽ ¼l of glycerol stock. The glycerol stock steps of L. starkeyi will be repeated for L. starkeyi mutants R4. The solution will be stored in freezer at -20  °C. 3.3 Propagation of cell 1.5 L of modified media with pH 5 will be prepared into two Liter schott bottles and L. starkeyi mutants R3 and R4 will be inoculated in respective bottles (Wild et al., 2010). This step will be repeated for pH 6. For day 1 until day 6, three (3) falcon tubes will be autoclave and weight. After that, 50 ml of the cultured from first bottle will be transferred into each three (3) falcon tubes and it will be weighted again. The sample will be sent for centrifuge for 5 minutes at 5000 rpm. The supernatant will be discarded and the pellet with falcon tube will be weight again for its wet weight. The sample will be dry in the oven for 1 or 2 days. After that, the sample will be weight again for its dry weight. All experiments will be performed in duplications. 3.4 Standard curve for L. starkeyi 1 ml of culture which will be incubated for 3 days earlier will be added into 9 ml of modified media in test tube. Serial dilution will take place with the factors of 10-1 until 10-7. For factors of 10-1 until 10-7, their OD will be checked for 600 nm. For factors 10-5 until 10-7, 300 ÃŽ ¼l from each sample will be taken and poured onto plate count agar. The plate will be incubated overnight before colony counting will be performed. 3.5 Lipid accumulation stage for L. starkeyi mutants The L. starkeyi mutants culture will be incubated for 3 days (optimum growth) at room temperature. After 3 days, 750 ml of 10.0% (w/v) of glucose will be added into 750 ml modified media to achieve final concentration of 5% (w/v) in the schott bottle and it will be incubated further for 6 days. From day 1 to day 6, 150 ml of cultured will be harvested into each three (3) falcon tubes. This step will be repeated for pH 5 with 5.0% (w/v) of glucose and pH 6 with 10.0% (w/v) and 5.0% (w/v) of sago effluent. 3.6 Sampling biomass The samples will be weighted in wet condition before dry in the oven. After that, the samples will be dried in the oven for 3 days. The dried mass will be taken and weighted again for dry weight. 3.7 Lipid extraction Hexane: propanol in the ratio of 3:2 will be added into the falcon tubes consists of the dry mass. The mixture will be homogenized for 2 minutes. The homogenized sample will be incubated for 1 hour before centrifuge for 5 minutes. The supernatant will be taken and placed in an empty beaker and weight. The supernatant will be heated until the hexane and propanol solution have evaporated completely. The remaining oil will be weighted again. This step will be repeated for 5.0% (w/v) of glucose, 2.5% (w/v) of sago effluent and 5.0% (w/v) of sago effluent. 3.8 Phenol-sulphuric carbohydrate test Phenol test is used to detect the amount of carbohydrate that is not consumed by L. starkeyi. For each sample, phenol-sulphuric carbohydrate test will be performed by adding 0.2 ml of 5% (w/v) of phenol and 1 ml of 96% (w/v) of sulphuric acid. After that, 1 ml from each mixture will be placed into a clean cuvette and read at 490 nm in a spectrophotometer. EXPECTED OUTCOME By the end of this experiment, we expect to measure the amount of lipid produced by Lipomyces starkeyi mutants in 2.5% (w/v) and 5.0% (w/v) concentration of glucose and sago effluent at different pH. WORK SCHEDULE Project Activities 2014 2015 Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March Apr May Data collection à ¢-  Proposal writing and presentation à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢-  Bench work and sample processing à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢-  Progress report à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢-  Data analysis à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢-  Data validation: Statistical analysis à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢-  Report writing and presentation à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢- º à ¢-  Legends à ¢- º: In progress à ¢-  : End of progress REFERENCES Ageitos, J.M., Vallejo, J.A., Veiga-Crespo, P., Villa, T.G. (2011). Oily yeast as oleaginouscell factories. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnoogy, 90(12), 1219-1227. Albalasmeh, A.A., Berhe, A.A., Ghezzehei, T.A. (2013). Method for rapid determination of carbohydrate and total carbon concentrations using UV spectrophotometetry. Carbohydrate Polymers, 97(2), 253-261. Anschau, A., Xavier, M.C.A., Hernalsteens, S., Franco, T.T. (2014). Effect of feeding  strategies on lipid production by Lipomyces starkeyi. Bioresource Technology, 157, 214-222. Ayyasamy, P.M., Banuregha, R., Vivekanandhan, G., Rajakumar, S., Yasodha, R., Lee, S., Lakshmanaperumalsamy, P. (2008). Bioremediation of sago industry effluent and its impact on seed germination (green gram and maize). Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 24(11). 2677-2684 Awang-Adeni, D.S., Abd-Aziz, S., Hassan, M.A. (2010). Bioconversion of sago residue into value added. African Journal of Biotechnology, 9(14), 2016-2021. El-Fadalay, H.A., El-Naggar, N.E., Marwan, E.M. (2009). Single Cell Oil Production by an Oleginous Yeast Strain in a Low Cost Cultivation Medium. Research Journal of Microbiology, 4(8), 301-313. Kitcha, S., Cheirsilp, B. (2011). Screening of Oleaginous Yeasts and Optimization for Lipid. Energy Procedia, 9, 274-282. Li, Q., Du, W., Liu, D. (2008). Perspectives of microbial oils for biodiesel production. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 80(5), 749-756. Meng, X., Yang, J., Xu, X., Zhang, L., Nie, Q., Xian, Mo. (2008). Biodiesel production from oleaginous microorganisms. Renewable Energy, 34(2009), 1-5. Perritano, J. (13, December 2010). 10 top biofuel crops. Retrieved from HowStuffWorks:http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/biofuels/10biofuelcrops. htm#page=2 Tapia, E. V., Anschou, A., Coradini, A. L., Franco, T. T., Deckmann, C. (2012). Optimization of lipid production by the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi by random mutagenesis coupled to cerulenin screening. AMB express, 2(64), 1-8.

Comparing the Secular Humanist, Machiavelli and the Religious Humanist,

Comparing the Secular Humanist, Machiavelli and the Religious Humanist, Erasmus One can often identify a person's political, religious or cultural orientation by his or her reaction to certain words. A case in point is the expression "secular humanism." For religious conservatives those words sum up much of what is wrong with contemporary society. Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary gives several definitions for humanism, a word which made its appearance in 1832. The first is "a devotion to the humanities or the revival of class, individualistic and critical spirit, and emphasis on secular concerns characteristic of the Renaissance." Renaissance is capitalized. Another definition reads as follows: "a doctrine, attitude, or way of life centered on human interests or values, especially a philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and stresses an individual's dignity and worth and capacity for self-realization through reason." Ousted from power and in exile from Florence, the city where he had served as a diplomat, Niccolà ² Machiavelli wrote a famous how-to-do politics book called The Prince. That was nearly 500 years ago and yet it holds a prophetic relevance for own age. Machiavelli fits both parts of our definition of humanism. On one hand, he was versed in the classics and inspired by his study of the government of Republican Rome and his own experience; thus he fits into the Renaissance period. On the other hand, he could be called a secular humanist because he rejects the authority of religion; he trusts his own reason and informs us that he will deal only with "the truth of the matter as facts show it" (34). Most people today would agree with him that the state needs to restrict the power of the church. ... ...nt that held the political power. Machiavelli saw the need for liberation--liberation from religious ideology; what counted in politics was getting the job done. Religion was unnecessary, only to be used as a kind of smoke screen for the real business at hand. Erasmus' used scholarship and wit to attack ignorance and corruption. He did not give up on the establishment nor did he turn his back on his faith. Both blind religious faith and cynical secularism threaten us today. Because I live in a society that claims to be religious, but operates according to secular principles I suppose that I fear the latter more. The current disillusionment with politics shows all too well that Machiavelli has, in a sense, won. We assume that morality and religious convictions do not play an important role in politics. We are only beginning to reap the fruits of that victory.

The Human Breath is a Dangerous Weapon :: essays papers

"The Human Breath is a Dangerous Weapon" A Look at the Economic Conditions of Jamaica and the Lyrics of Reggae Music and Poetry The title for this paper is a quote taken from the poem, "Listen Mr. Oxford Don" Rastafarians use Reggae music and poetry to express themselves; one of their major themes for expression is economic oppression. Jamaica and the Rastafarians suffer more than their fair share of oppression, or as they would appropriately say, downpression, and poverty, yet they are still raising awareness, happiness, and hopefulness. The past and current struggles of the country give way to many powerful words either spoken or sung to the rhythm of Reggae. The General Economic Conditions of Jamaica Compared to Those of America The economic conditions of Jamaica lead to a hard life for many of its citizens. The percentage of the Jamaican population below the poverty line was 34% in 1997 ( 1999 World Development Indicators CD-Rom, World Bank). Like poor people all over the world, the poor people of Jamaica are oppressed, unhealthy, and worried. They do however; know what is going on. They know who their oppressors are, who is in control, who has money, and who has power. Economic numbers, ratios, and statistics can be hard to understand on their own; if they don’t bore you to death first, but once compared to something similar they start to make sense and become interesting. I decided to compare Jamaica’s economic and social indicators with the United States, for two reasons: 1. We are all familiar with the U.S., and the numbers will have more resonance, and 2. " Most tourists to Jamaica arrive from the U.S, which is also Jamaica’s principle supplier of imports and chief market for exports." ( 1999 ABC - CLIO, Inc. Kaleidoscope(Lexus-Nexus)) Some key economic ratios are the GDP and the GNP, these are a measure of income. The GNP(Gross National Product) measures the total domestic and foreign income claimed by a certain economy. It includes the GDP and the money spent in Jamaica by visitors, minus the payments Jamaican’s made in other countries. The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) measures the total output of goods and services; it is the sum of "gross value added by all resident and non-resident producers in the economy, plus taxes, minus subsidies not included in the value of the products. (1999 World Bank CD-Rom). The GNP for Jamaica was four billion dollars in 1997.