Existential Lit Final Paper Essay

Part I 1. In Thomas Nagel’s â€Å"The Absurd† (1971), he begins by addressing the standard arguments for declaring life to be absurd. The first argument he points out is the idea that nothing humans doing in the present will matter in the distant future, or as Nagel says, â€Å"in a million years† (Nagel 716). People believe that what they do now won’t matter at all in a million years, and that they are just one person living in the now that will soon be gone and will therefore not matter and don’t matter. Humans see this not mattering as a reason why life is absurd, since if nothing matters then the point of life is questioned. The second standard argument Nagel looks at is the idea that humans â€Å"are tiny specks in the infinite vastness of the universe† (Nagel 717). This idea focuses around space and time, and how individual humans only live for an extremely short amount of time in a tremendously vast universe. People see this as a reason why life is absurd, looking at their lives as such short increments of time, especially on the large scale of the universe. Since humans are so small and take up such little time with their lives, this is seen as a reason life is absurd. The third argument Nagel looks at is about not being able to justifying all of life’s activities, since humans could die at any moment and will eventually. People go through sequences in life, one thing leading to the next, to accomplish something each step of the way, and therefore it is justified. However, eventually, life must end, and the chain of sequences will be cut off in the midst of one of the activities, and therefore will end without justification. â€Å"All of it is an elaborate journey leading to nowhere† (Nagel 717). These are the three standard arguments for explaining why life is absurd that Nagel discusses. Nagel, however, disagrees with these arguments and finds each invalid for specific reasons. When looking at the idea that nothing humans do now will matter in a million years, Nagel objects this with the realization that it doesn’t matter now whether or not what we do now in a million years will matter or not. Whether what humans do now will matter in a million years or not is not important, because either way it wouldn’t change how people feel now. â€Å"If their mattering now is not enough to accomplish that, how would it help if they mattered a million years from now? † (Nagel 716). If now doesn’t matter in the future, than the future must not matter now, and therefore this explanation of why life is absurd is invalid. The second idea, focusing on life being absurd because of how small and short lived human’s lives are, is contradicted by Nagel’s idea that if humans were larger presents in the universe they’re lives would still be just as absurd and that if humans lived for longer, or forever, there lives would just be absurd for that much longer, or even infinitely absurd. This thought of humans as living for such a short amount of time and being so tiny in the universe is clearly not what makes life absurd, even if life is absurd. These facts, if anything, would make humans’ lives more absurd, if they were larger presents in the universe or lived forever then the absurd would be even larger or last for eternity. Therefore, this is not a valid argument in saying that life is absurd. Looking at the third argument, which focuses on death preventing the justification of human lives and its many sequences, Nagel shows that this idea is actually false as life does not consist of these sequences that all have purposes and continuous justification. â€Å"Chains of justification come repeatedly to an end within life, and whether the process as a whole can be justified has no bearing on the finality of these end-points† (Nagel 717). Many things we do in our daily lives are already reasonable and do not need further justification, such as taking aspirin for a headache, Nagel points out. However, even if someone wanted to further justify any of life’s activities, this further justification would also have to end somewhere, as all things must. â€Å"If nothing can justify unless it is justified in terms of something outside itself, which is also justified, then an infinite regress results, and no chain of justification can be complete† (Nagel 717). All reasoning must end at some point and must be accepted as it is instead of looking at it as incomplete, because if it is looked at as incomplete then reasoning is impossible. With Nagel’s profound contradictions to these three arguments, he shows that these are not valid reasons to say that life is absurd. 2. Though Nagel discards the standard arguments for stating that life is absurd, he nonetheless says that life can be seen as absurd, just for different reasons than the previous ones discussed. He states that life is absurd because of the clash between humans’ tendency to take their lives so seriously and the ability of humans to doubt these things which they take so seriously or view them as arbitrary. Humans take their lives seriously, as seen through the idea that many things are necessities for living and that humans’ actions, such as making choices, are very important. However, humans also are capable of seeing things outside of their lives, which then creates doubt about the things that are taken so seriously. This idea that human’s cannot live their live without this seriousness, yet can have a point of view outside of their lives that makes this seriousness doubtful, is why life is absurd. â€Å"It is absurd because we ignore the doubts that we know cannot be settled, continuing to live with nearing undiminished seriousness in spite of them† (Nagel 719). There is a clash between what people think is happening in life and what is truly happening, and because humans are able to have a point of view outside of their own life, they can see what is truly happening and therefore become doubtful of what they think is happening. However, they continue on with what they think is happening, or with this seriousness of life, even with the doubts from seeing what is truly happening. These two viewpoints, one within our own lives and one outside our lives, are both unavoidable yet clash with one another, and this, according to Nagel, is why life is absurd. Nagel states that humans take their lives seriously whether they live in a serious manor or not, and regardless of what their primary concerns in life are. â€Å"Human life is full of effort, plans, calculation, success and failure: we pursue our lives, with varying degrees of sloth and energy† (Nagel 719). Humans can reflect, make choices, question things, and decide what to peruse and what to avoid and who they want to be or become. This alone is signified, but when it clashes with humans’ ability to think outside themselves and survey this seriousness, it creates absurdity. â€Å"Yet humans have the special capacity to step back and survey themselves, and the lives to which they are committed, with that detached amazement which comes from watching an ant struggle up a head of sand† (Nagel 720). This ability to step back creates these doubts and questions about this seriousness life is taken with, doubts and questions about things that seem so sure before stepping back. Nagel explains: We step back to find that the whole system of justification and criticism, which controls our choices and supports our claims to rationality, rests on response and habits that we never question, that we should not know how to defend without circularity, and to which we shall continue to adhere even after they are called into question† (Nagel 720). According to Nagel, life is absurd not because humans are capable of this stepping back and reflecting on the seriousness of life, but because they then continue with their lives and taking them so serious even after doubts about the seriousness have been identified. 3. Nagel focuses on the idea that humans live absurd lives because of their self-consciousness, and therefore their ability to see themselves as humans and create this clash between seriousness and reality. With this, it can be said that God, all-knowing and self-aware, also lives an absurd life. The mouse Nagel refers to cannot have an absurd life because he is not self-aware, so he does not know he is a mouse and does not have the ability to reflect on this and create doubts about it. God, however, knows he is God and therefore has the ability to step back and have doubts. Being self-aware means that you doubt, and that every justification is doubted. This means that God, self-aware, doubts justifications, just like humans, and has an absurd life with the clash between these. When Nagel describes how the mouse’s life would be if he was self-aware, he says, â€Å"†¦ he would have to return to his meagre yet frantic life, full of doubts that he was unable to answer, but also full of purposes that he was unable to abandon† (Nagel 725). This sentence is applicable to God’s life being absurd, as God has a life full of doubts without answers due to his self-consciousness, but also has great purposes that he is unable to abandon, since he is the higher power that humans rely on. Also, like humans, God cannot refuse this consciousness, because to refuse it would mean he is aware of it, and it therefore he would already be self-aware. Since God cannot escape this self-consciousness, he is trapped, like humans, in this clash between his self-awareness and the seriousness that is taken with it and the doubt that comes with self-awareness where he reflects and doubts all justifications. This makes Gods life absurd, just like humans’ lives, as he too experiences the clash between self and reality. 4. Nagel stresses that absurdity is one of the most significant things that makes humans humans, and that it is essentially incurable. With this idea in mind, it can be seen that religion cannot cure the feeling of absurdity, and religious people live absurd lives just as all humans do. Humans’ lives are absurd because they have life goals and strive for things, which is the aspect of taking life seriously, but they also can step back and reflect on things and this causes doubts, which happens regardless of religion. â€Å"What makes doubt inescapable with regard to the limited aims of individual life also makes it inescapable with regard to any larger purpose that encourages the sense that life is meaningful† (Nagel 721). Believing in something larger does not allow escaping to occur, as it can be doubted in the same way that individual life can be. People use a higher being for comfort and to give their lives meaning and justification, however, as pointed out before, justifications end and humans no longer look any further. Moreover, religious people still have the humanistic qualities that all humans do that eventually lead to reflection and doubt. Another way of portraying religious people’s life as absurd just as nonreligious lives is to look at the idea of being self-conscious leading to absurdity and that this is a natural part of being human. â€Å"The only way to avoid the relevant self-consciousness would be either never to attain it or to forget it—neither of which can be achieved by the will† (Nagel 725). Religion does not change this unavoidable self-consciousness, and therefore life it still absurd with religion. The idea of religion is to provide meaning to life, however, if all humans are prone to this inevitable doubt, than this meaning will be doubted in the same way that life without meaning is doubted, or may even be doubted even more and therefore this creates a more significant contradiction, and may mean that religion makes life even more absurd. The gap between seriousness and reality is even larger in a life with religion because life is taken more serious, as there is this idea of more meaning, but still has the contradiction with reflection and doubt, hence a life with religion abets absurdity. Nagel’s main focus about religion is that it does not cure the feelings of absurdity because, regardless of being religious or not, humans cannot avoid this inevitable doubt of their seriousness, and therefore creating this clash which makes life absurd. â€Å"There does not appear to be any conceivable world (containing us) about which unsettlable doubts could not arise† (Nagel 722). Nagel’s idea about facing this absurdity is, rather than believing in something higher that gives life a certain meaning that does nothing but encourage absurdity, view life as ironic. He says to â€Å"approach our absurd lives with irony instead of heroism or despair† (Nagel 727). Heroism, as seen in religion, means to value life too much, whereas despair, seen in the depressed or suicidal, means to not value life enough or at all. However, to look at the absurdity of life with irony allows humans to live this contradicting life, aware of this contradiction, but continue to live it without denial, torment, or resentment. In Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot (1953), this concept of absurdity seen from continuing seriousness even after doubting it is portrayed. Vladimir and Estragon have chosen enslavement to an authoritative figure, Godot, and though they have yet to see Godot or even get confirmation that he will eventually come, they still continue to wait for him. This is the same idea that religion brings to humans, as they can live their lives without signs from God or true meaning from religion, yet they still believe because it gives them a sense of purpose. However, this creates absurdity because, for religious people, they also doubt all of this purpose and meaning they are waiting for, and for Vladimir and Estragon, they doubt Godot will ever come. Towards the end of the play, it is clear that Vladimir has doubt about Godot and has a realization that he has been waiting for a long time and will continue to wait, possibly for eternity. He has this realization and doubt about his seriousness for waiting, yet continues to wait. This clash is what makes Vladimir and Estragon’s lives absurd, and is the same clash that is seen in religious lives as well. 5. According to Nagel, atheistic existentialists, such as Sartre and Camus, dwell on and blame the fact that God doesn’t exist as the reason life is absurd. They believe that without God, our lives lack the meaning which they demand, and without this meaning our lives are meaningless, and therefore absurd. However, Nagel has already pointed out that this is not why life is absurd and that whether our lives have meaning or not does not change this clash between the seriousness which we take our lives and the reality that causes us to doubt the seriousness that is the true creator of absurdity. These atheistic existentialists view absurdity of humans’ lives as a problem, as something that needs a solution or to be fixed. Camus’ advice on dealing with this â€Å"problem† of absurdity is defiance. Nagel looks at Camus’ proposal, and says, â€Å"We can salvage our dignity, he appears to believe, by shaking a fist at the world which is deaf to our please, and continuing to live in spite of it† (Nagel 726). This, of course, will not rid our lives of absurdity, as this is not possible as long as we are self-aware and able to reflect, but Camus believes it will give humans at least a more fulfilled life. Nagel disagrees with these ideas, and says that the absurdity of human lives isn’t even a problem at all. He falls back on his idea that absurdity is one of the most significant things that makes us human, and humans’ lives are only absurd because they posses the ability of a kind of insight that other species do not. â€Å"If a sense of the absurd is a way of perceiving our true situation (even though the situation is not absurd until the perception arises) then what reason can we have to resent or escape it? † (Nagel, 727). Nagel says that it is important that humans are aware of this absurdity, yet do not try to avoid it as it is not possible to do such a thing and one will only dwell on this attempt their entire life. Instead, as mentioned before, Nagel suggests the only way going about absurdity is to approach it with irony. It is important to not let this absurdity become torturous, but is also crucial to not allow it to force an avoidance or attempt to surpass the absurdity. The acknowledgment of the clash between seriousness and reality is important in acceptance and living life in between heroism and despair. If humans can look at their absurd lives with irony, the absurdity will be acknowledged, but will not effect their lives as to cause anything actually problematic from happening. Nagel also states that this absurdity is important because it exposes our human limitations and allows humans to understand these, so there is no reason to try to escape this. Nagel’s argument helps make sense of these atheistic existentialists’ works. For example, in Camus’ The Stranger (1942), the ending is very clear because Camus didn’t believe in the idea of approaching absurdity with irony, so he did not end his book like this, and instead ended it with Maurseult approaching the absurdity with the dramatic feeling that Nagel discourages. Maurseult is unable to find irony in his absurd life, and blames God’s nonexistence for his inability to justify morals. It is clear that this happens because these are Camus beliefs, and Nagel portrays these as making a problem out of absurdity that shouldn’t be a problem at all. Jean-Paul Sartre, also an atheistic existentialist according to Nagel, falls back on the idea that existence proceeds essence, and in that way humans achieve absolute freedom. However, this idea is contradicted by Nagel when he says that humans are born into absurdity and there is no escaping it, as it would have to have been never attained or forgotten, which is impossible to do if its part of humans from the start. Nagel’s ideas about absurdity, such that it is unavoidable yet not necessarily a problem, contradict these atheistic existentialists’ ideas, and he ends with he belief that contrary to what these existentialists say, humans must approach their absurd lives with irony, because if nothing matters, than it wouldn’t matter to do anything other than this. Part II a. â€Å"Existentialism Is a Humanism†, by Jean-Paul Sartre (1946), focuses on freedom as the bases of morality. Sartre defends existentialism as being a moral philosophy by contradicting arguments against this idea with his own thoughts. The first idea that Sartre rejects is that which claims existentialism allows people to â€Å"dwell in the quietism of despair† (Sartre 1). In his argument against this he focuses on the concept that existence proceeds essence, where humans first exist before anything else, such as defining themselves. â€Å"Man simply is. Not that he is simply what he conceives himself to be, but he is what he wills, and as he conceives himself after already existing—as he wills to be after that leap towards existence† (Sartre 2). This is what Sartre refers to as the first principle of existentialism. The next idea Sartre argues against is that existentialism is a pessimistic view, however, he says that existentialism actually reflects severe optimism. He gives the example of the way an existentialist looks at a coward and sees him as personally responsible for being a coward, as something he chooses and commits to, which is an optimist way of looking at such a thing. Sartre then looks at the idea of subjectivity, which is argued as a negative aspect of existentialism as it is seen as living a solitude and therefore selfish or egotistical life, and conveys two meanings for â€Å"subjectivism†. One meaning he points out is the freedom of an individual, and the other meaning refers to man unable to further himself beyond human subjectivity. This is a further look at existence proceeding essence, as it shows that humans do not choose being human but they do choose their actions after becoming humans, and by choosing for one’s self, one chooses for all humans. This shows, therefore, that existentialists view humans as not individuals whom are selfish, but rather that their actions speak for all humans. The last argument Sartre rejects is that existentialism denies reality and the seriousness of humanity. However, according to Sartre, existentialism is humanist when looking at a fundamental definition of the word. â€Å"Man is all the time outside of himself: it is in projecting and losing himself beyond himself that he makes man to exist; and, on the other hand, it is by pursuing transcendent aims that he himself is able to exist† (Sartre 13). Existentialists believe that there is no human action that doesn’t have an explanation, and if an action has an explanation it is human. These ideas portray Sarte’s position that existentialism is a moral philosophy and that it is a humanism. However, his ideas are not enough to make this statement. He focuses deeply on the idea of freedom and that because humans are free as seen by existentialists, existentialism is a moral philosophy. For existentialism to be completely moral, however, it would have to compliment Sarte’s idea of freedom with other values, such as charity, kindness, and serving our duty to the world and others, as this is what is truly moral and humanitarian. Complimenting freedom with something else though would take some freedom away and therefore his idea of the moral system being based on freedom is invalid. One example Sartre provides to express this idea of freedom being the basis for existentialism, and the reason it is moral, is about a man facing a moral dilemma. He must choose between either staying with his mother, whom has been abandoned by everyone else in her life and only has this one son left, or leaving her, alone and empty, to go join the Free French Forces. He looks at this as a moral dilemma, however, this is not a moral dilemma because both choices are good. A moral dilemma is one where an individual is faced with two options and picks the one which is good and leaves the other which is not good. However, whether this man stays with his mother or goes to fight for a cause, he is choosing between two goods and therefore is not making a moral decision. Sartre also looks at the idea that existentialism leaves you uncertain and that all moral decisions operate with a degree of uncertainty. This, to an extent, is true, and it is not wise to base decisions on certainty of the future. However, there are actions that are possible, and should be, taken based on their consequences. For example, the question of whether one should push another individual off an enormous cliff seems very certain. It is true that life is uncertain, but there is quite a high chance that that individual, if pushed off the cliff, will fall and die. The immediate and certain consequences seen in life are not mentioned and are ignored in Sartre’s moral system of existentialism, and therefore is not enough to make this claim. Sartre focuses on this idea that freedom is what makes existentialism a moral philosophy, however, true morality limits freedom, and there is so much more to morality than what Sartre mentions. b. Ivan Ilytch and Meursault both experience an epiphany at the end of their lives, and therefore die as happy men. Both men lived selfish lives, unaware of what life truly was about. They both lived under an idea of what they thought was the right way to live, with Ivan attempting to live a normal life, fitting into society, and Meursault living a life in effort to embody the universe. Both of these life styles were structured and allowed the men to just follow guidelines which they believed was the right thing to do. However, this was selfish as it led to them ignoring the rest of the world, such as their families and other aspects of true happiness. Meursault went through life seeing it as meaningless and therefore claims he believes in nothing. However, the fact that he in so deeply devoted to this meaningless shows that he believes in this meaninglessness. This becomes clear when Meursault is talking to the priest and realizes that his uncertainty was just as strong as the priests certainty about everything, and when he says that the priest was living like a dead man he realizes that it was really him who was doing such a thing. Meursault comes to terms with the fact the he so deeply believes that nothing matters and life is meaningless, and in doing so he looses his temper and becomes emotional and passionate about something for once in his life. This same insight about realizing that life is not so structured and that it is about existing and having fulfillment is seen in Ivan when, as he is laying on his death bed, he becomes aware that there is no goal in life. He spent his whole life chasing something, but finally realizes that this is not what life is about, as he already had things in his life that could have given him fulfillment, such as his family. As he looks at his son and is overcome by this realization, he is finally happy. Meursault also was pursing something in life, that of embodying the universe, but he too sees that this is not what life is about. Soon before he dies, he really sees the world for the first time in his life, the smells and sounds that it holds, and is happy. He even thinks about his mother and shows a side, lacking selfishness, that he had never shown before. With this thoughtfulness, as well as recognizing that nothing matters and there is no meaning, he finally gives himself the fulfillment that life is truly about and feels happiness. c. In Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot (1953), two men wait for an authoritative figure to appear and convey a message, telling them what to do and what to live for. This is a constant part of society, where humans continue â€Å"waiting† and spend their entire lives hoping the universe will tell them something. The play symbolizes this human waiting and longing for something more in many ways throughout it. Estragon cannot take his shoes off, symbolizing that he is stuck on earth and nothing can be done as he cannot escape. Vladimir looks at his hat, as if to find something in it that tells him something or gives some sort of sign, but finds nothing and continues to gaze at the horizon, which holds hope and something more than this life they’re stuck in. However, as trapped and unhappy as they are, as they even considered suicide, they do not give up hope. In fact, they decide against suicide because they must wait for Godot to come and see what he offers, and then they will decide what to do from there. Vladimir and Estragon cannot stop their wanting to live as they want to live for something, so they are hoping that Godot will give them something to live for, even though he already is just from the hope that he might come. They have lost track of time and are unsure of whether they were here yesterday, as waiting tends to make people lose track of time since it is just what humans do and is inherent in our human condition. In metaphysical time, it is always just now, and waiting is eternal. When two new characters enter the scene, Pozzo and Lucky, the main characters become puzzled. Lucky, who is seemingly not so lucky, carries Pozzo’s bags for him, but he never puts them down, and he obeys Pozzo’s every command. Vladimir and Estragon wonder why this is, and why Lucky even puts up with Pozzo. Lucky, however, is not much different from Vladimir and Estragon, as he just seeks authority. He wants this enslavement, where he is told what to do and think and how to live. Vladimir and Estragon have their own symbolic bags that they too refuse to put down, as seen through their choice to continue to wait for Godot, with no one telling them they must wait but it being their own decision to do so and continue to do so. When Vladimir and Estragon find themselves worried that Pozzo wants to get rid of Lucky and leave him behind, it symbolizes that they too are worried of being left behind by Godot. This constant desire for authority is something seen in this play as well as in society, as humans are very frightful of being alone or without someone to tell them what to do or how to live. Though Vladimir and Estragon’s decision to wait is questionable, it does however give them something to do and comes from a command from authority. As mentioned before, though Godot isn’t there, Godot is still ruling over them and gives them the authority that is so desperately sought for. This enslavement to Godot seen in Vladimir and Estragon is actually rather admirable, as it shows their devotion and commitment. The patience seen in their servitude conveys their faith and religious spirit. It brings them hope and a sort of comfort to continue this faith and commitment. When the boy comes the second time to deliver Godot’s message, Vladimir seems to know that the same thing happened yesterday, and that it will continue to happen, but he still continues to wait. The boy does not tell Vladimir that he will convey his message to Godot and does not give Vladimir his desired recognition that this is real, and Godot has not shown up, yet Vladimir and Estragon still continues to wait and do not lose hope. This idea that they are not just existing as humans but are devoting themselves to this higher authority shows that their existential journey leads beyond existentialism, as they continue to wait by choice but are being controlled by the idea of something more.

Blackness and The Black Experience

The experience of being black, like the experience of having any other skin color, is left wide open to the personal viewpoint of the individual. Still, with the black race, there is a legacy of being forcibly removed from their homeland and enslaved, and this legacy probably affects the outlook of every black person in some way. In the ancient world, an individual with â€Å"black† skin was not considered inferior. The Greeks, for example, did not regard skin color as an impediment to coordination in social order. They instead judged a man based on his integrity, his word, and his ability. â€Å"What is blackness? † â€Å"What is the black experience? Blackness is defined as the property of being black in color, but that is a raw definition that has no context in human experience. While the ancients seemed to have little or no problem with color, the idea of race difference has been a struggle for modern societies everywhere. Scholar W. E. B. Du Bois calls it â€Å"the problem of the twentieth century. † Du Bois contends that the supposed ugliness exists fundamentally in the psyches of the cutting edge spectators. What that means to me is that, whatever prejudices may exist in the minds of leaders then translates to the attitudes, and more critically the laws, of everyday citizens. In England color turned into the premise of segregation. In the United States, the institution of slavery was the central argument in a states’ rights debate that erupted into the bloodiest war of the 19th century. Even after the Civil War, racial segregation, violence, the KKK, and the struggle for equality marred the next one hundred years. How black people perceive their own â€Å"blackness† today, as opposed to 1863, when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, is sure to be different. Blackness must have a completely different meaning in 2013. In fact, the very word â€Å"black† is no longer used as often, having been replaced with â€Å"African-American. † The idea of â€Å"blackness† must have made drastic leaps for the better when this country elected a black president. This is a sharp contrast to the self-image blacks had during the years of slavery (in this country and others, including their own native continent). As the decades pass, one would hope that the legacy of slavery, mistreatment, bigotry, and inequality has waned, and become a historical acknowledgement rather than an influencing factor in the psyche of modern individual blacks in the world. I believe that this trend will continue. In dealing with the black people I know, I don’t hear them talking about being mistreated or discriminated against as much as what I’ve read about in our country’s history. Black people seemed to be more present in prestigious jobs and government positions. At least in America, black people are being given more and more opportunity, and society continues to try and fulfill its promise of equality and equal protection. If this continues, I hope that the idea of â€Å"blackness† is one of promise, hope and pride, and not despair.

New Driving Laws in Queensland, Australia Essay

New Driving Laws in Queensland, Australia - Essay Example The essay "New Driving Laws in Queensland, Australia" talks about the relevant legislations impacting the new driving laws in Queensland, Australia, and the major provisions of the various Acts and their relevance to the issue. Drivers in Australia require a valid driver's license. Licenses from other countries may be accepted for limited stays in Australia; details vary by State. Typically, foreign licenses in English are considered valid for driving in Australia for visitors with visitor's visas. In other cases, an International Driving Permit is required, issued in your home country before arrival in Australia. Also, you are permitted to drive an American (left-hand drive) car in Australia, providing that you have the license to do so. Use of seat belts is compulsory in Australia for drivers and all vehicle passengers, and infants must be secured with approved safety capsules and harnesses. Seatbelt laws are strictly enforced, and the onus is on the driver to ensure all passengers are buckled in. Penalties apply to the driver of the vehicle and include demerit points, license suspension, and heavy fines. The road rules are strictly enforced in Australia, especially speed limits. Speed limits vary depending on road conditions, area and State. Speed limits change at regular intervals so keep an eye out for them. The road rules are strictly enforced in Australia, especially speed limits. Speed limits vary depending on road conditions, area and State. Speed limits change at regular intervals.

Remote sensing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Remote sensing - Essay Example 239) have defined the remote sensing as a field of science or art that makes use of energy reflected from the Earth that is later processed, evaluated and applied in order to assist one in retrieving information regarding the surface of Earth without physically having to be on it. Sun is the fundamental source of energy for all the creatures on earth. Sun rays falling on earth are partly reflected which are captured by the satellites for generating information. The first condition without which, the process of remote sensing can not take place, is the provision of electromagnetic energy as waves to a specific place or to a study area. Although there are many electromagnetic energy sources, yet the sun is fundamentally the best source of energy. Basically, the energy travels from a source to a target through a medium or vacuum. When it comes to the earth, the energy interacts with the atmosphere, and this interaction gets repeated when the energy is reflected from the study area to the sensor. After the electromagnetic waves have passed the atmosphere from some source, they interact with the study area. This interaction depends on the characteristics of the study area and also on the electromagnetic radiation sent to it. After the electromagnetic waves interact with the study area, part of them is absorbed and the rest is reflected back to the space. Recording and collecting the reflected electromagnetic waves requires a special type of sensor which is familiar with the reflective waves. The last step of this operation is to understand, disclose and apply the information that has been retrieved from the study area. The problem can be solved by conducting its comparison with the real information. In 1864, the British physicist Clark Maxell predicted the existence of electromagnetic waves and supposed that the magnetic and electric fields work together to produce radiant energy. In addition to that, he described the visible light to be composed of

Climate and Air Pollution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Climate and Air Pollution - Assignment Example The government should introduce tax incentives for companies that adopt the green energy (Dornbusch 62). There should steeper penalties for countries that pollute the environment like oil and gas exploration companies. The Government can open up its market for products produced organically and using green energy. The strategy will encourage companies to shift to green energy to access the market. The strategies will influence the economies differently. Green energy creates jobs encouraging employment of more people (McNamee 108). The trade incentive will encourage more good to be produced to meet the large market demand. Educating the public is crucial. Once people are educated on the importance of green energy, there will be inventions that are beneficial to the economy (Petersons 120). Once green energy is fully adopted effects of global warming will reduce and the money used to tackle disasters channeled

Law Enforcement and E-Government Transnational Issues Research Paper - 1

Law Enforcement and E-Government Transnational Issues - Research Paper Example Moreover, the paper will discuss the methods of government intervention while dealing with cyber threats, especially with regard to the laws that the government has set up. In addition, the paper will discuss the impacts of government regulation on national security. #1 The private industry is vital in the provision of national security, in the United States. This is because the private sector is involved in the development of advanced security systems. Companies in the private sector are engaged in the research and development of security mechanisms, as well as gadgets that help in improving the country’s security. The National Security Agencies rely on information from the private sector to develop the security mechanisms in the country. The knowledge acquired from the research conducted is used as the basis for enhancing the country’s security. In this regard, the government has an obligation to tell the private sector what they can set up and improve their cybersecu rity (Theohary, 2010). There are several ways, which the government can use in order to tell the private sector how to improve their cybersecurity. One of the ways in which the government can justify such an action is through introducing trusted internet connections, which will benefit all stakeholders in the private sector. ... Through the use of this approach, cyber threats are reduced since the government will monitor the flow of information, as well as the messages exchanged via the internet (Theohary, 2010). The government can also justify involvement in issues that relate to cybersecurity is through regulation of the information market. Market regulation plays a crucial role since it reduces the vulnerabilities, and the threats caused by market failure. The government should guide the private sector on how they should set up their cybersecurity since when the private sector is left alone to implement such provisions; competition in the market may result to poor quality services. The government should regulate how the private sector sets up cybersecurity in order to ensure that there is adherence to the set standards. Government intervention is always crucial since the private sector cannot follow standards if they are left alone to implement cybersecurity (Powner, 2010). There tends to be certain socio -political reasons and motivations, which precipitate the government to take part in cybersecurity. The most fundamental reason why the government takes part is because of the threat posed by terrorism. Since the September 11 attacks, the United States government has strived to ensure that all sectors are protected against terrorism. Terrorism is an issue of concern in the United States. The department of homeland security strives to ensure that all threats posed by terrorism are prevented. On this regard, therefore, the government intervenes in ensuring that the private sector does not become vulnerable to threats of terrorism. The other socio-political reason for the intervention of the government

Comparison of Sculptures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparison of Sculptures - Essay Example The first work of art was created in 1430s using bronze metal. The graceful form and decorative details of the statue distinguished it from many other statures created by other artists of that time. If we analyze the style of this statue, we can see a manly and victorious look all from head to toe. The statue is almost completely nude as there is only a hat on its head and armor shoes on the legs. The appearance of the statue reveals existence of a male dominated society in which men used to praise their bodies by resembling them with protective shells.The second work of art was created in 1623 using marble. The sculptor has created the state in a position that shows the climax of some action. â€Å"Expanding upon Michelangelo's fascination with the human body, Bernini added torsion to create a dynamic figure that extends into the viewer's space†. Made by marble, this artwork reveals a true understanding of the way features can be used to express actions. The color of the uppe r body of the statue is whitish grey. This statue is also semi nude but the amount of cloth shown on the statue distinguishes it from the other statue we discussed earlier.The main differences between the two artworks include standing position of the sculptures, amount of cloth, and use of metal. Dontello’s sculpture is in standing position looking downwards, whereas Bernini’s Statue is look straight and is in climax of action.There ios no cloth on the body of Dontello’s statue, whereas the sculpture made by Bernini is seminude.

Royal Caribbean Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Royal Caribbean - Essay Example The current system does not allow for the ship crew to effectively keep track of their passengers. This proposal will offer the development of a DSS to assist in the activity of decision making by providing a list of possible options and tools to improve the ultimate effectiveness of the decision outcome. The DSS will help be helpful in decision making through its capacity to process large information that were encountered during the course of decision making. This proposal identifies the goals and problem definition of the proposed DSS. The proposed DSS will require a decision rule in order to select among alternatives and solution to the problem. This decision rule requires gathering of data and information such as: customer satisfaction surveys, estimated cost of each alternative, feasibility estimations, initial customer feedback regarding each alternative, and current rates of missing passengers Royal Caribbean is mysteriously losing passengers during the trip and while at port. The current system does not allow for the ship crew to effectively keep track of their passengers. This is causing lost goodwill with current and future customers as well as bad publicity. ... The publicity of passengers not boarding the boat at time of departure can have a negative impact on ticket sales, revenue, market share, etc. 2. A relevant improved situation. The proposed DSS will assist Royal Caribbean in deciding among four possible alternatives.. Once a selection has been done, this new system will eliminate the current major problem that the company is facing, and thus will encourage more sales and revenue, and regained its reputation as one of the best company in the shipping industry. 3. The differences between the current and an improved situation. The company have identified four possible alternatives in order to cope with the current problem. A decision has to be made on which among the four options will have the best result in terms of overall effectiveness, based on organized data collections and models. 4. Possible (feasible) changes available to the organization. There will be changes in the overall company procedures and guidelines within the organization. Implementation of the DSS to support the decision making process is a big change among the organizations and its passengers. The best way to avoid resistance to change is to clearly explain the reason for the change and respect the viewpoints of other people. A clear vision and strategy for implementation will have a positive support and avoid restrictions within the organization. 5. A succinct, goal oriented problem definition statement. To design a DSS to determine the best way to keep track of passengers on and off the ship is the company's goal oriented problem definition

Boulder Colorado limiting new construction and population growth Essay

Boulder Colorado limiting new construction and population growth - Essay Example The differentiation of being able to pay and the willingness to pay are vastly poles apart because if a household has the ability to pay then it means that the breadwinner is earning more than the average office worker and is spending less than thirty-five percent (35%) of his or her earnings in paying for the house. Willingness to pay on the other hand means that the household is ready to comply with the payment requirements but there is no actual proof that the breadwinner has the financial resources to pay the monthly mortgages on the home aside from the simultaneous expenses needed for daily living. When these types of scenarios are taken into great consideration, it is without a doubt that urban sprawl is usually weighed down with issues regarding racial and social class discriminations (Wright Realtors). It is typical for urban sprawl to include the development of the suburban outskirts that are most often way pass the city limits. The major setbacks of this include high car de pendence, insufficient health and cultural facilities, higher per-person/ per capita costs, disorganized street plans, and pollution.

Eiserhowers significance in civil rights Essay Example for Free

Eiserhowers significance in civil rights Essay How significant was Dwight D Eisenhower in improving civil rights for African Americans during his presidency (1953-1961)? Eisenhower was both partially significant and not, regarding improving civil rights during his presidency. Reason being, Ike was criticized for a variety of decisions he made. Arthur Larson emphasised that he had a â€Å"failure to speak out†. However, David Greenberg believed Eisenhower was significant and stated that it â€Å"was his judicial nominees who made the revolution possible†. Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States (1953-1961) and presided during key moments xin the civil rights movements including the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Brown v Board act, The Little Rock 9 and the Civil Rights Act of 1957. He was a republican and believed that each state should have their own laws and cases shouldn’t have to be dealt with by the president. These events lead to many historians and people to question whether Eisenhower was effectively managing the cases and how significant he was to change in Civil Rights for African Americans. Although Eisenhower’s significance was strongly opposed by many, he clearly played a huge part in improving civil rights for African Americans. The judgement of the Brown v Board case was really significant in improving civil rights for African Americans. Eisenhower’s appointment of Earl Warren as Chief Justice of Supreme Court was really significant. Earl Warren was pro civil rights and desegregation and stated that â€Å"separate educational facilities are inherently unequal†. This statement was due to the fact that blacks weren’t being given the same opportunities as white children at school. He knew they had the same potential but weren’t provided with mutual resources. This was in favour Oliver Brown’s case and the Supreme Court was in favour of equality in both races. This progress meant that Eisenhower made huge significance towards improving Civil Rights as it was him who appointed Earl Warren and this wasn’t the first time that there were equal opportunities for black children in school. However, Ike described appointing Earl Warren as â€Å"The biggest mistake I ever made†. This suggests that he wasn’t happy about the outcome of the case and that he had conflicting ideas in comparison to Earl, regarding the Civil Rights. This signifies that Eisenhower was disappointed that the case had finished at a quick pace and didn’t like the changes that actually happened. Although he said he regretted it, he still did an extremely significant thing by employing Earl Warren as it helped improve Civil Rights. Going back to a previous quote, Smith stated that his â€Å"judicial nominees who made the revolution possible†. In this case, Smith is obviously referring to Eisenhower’s appointment of the judge Earl Warren as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Earl Warren was an extremely respected man and was given a big role in being responsible to fight for Oliver Brown’s case. This reinforces the fact that Eisenhower’s employment of Earl Warren was a major factor in improving Civil Rights. Another key event that was important throughout Eisenhower’s presidency was the intervention at Little Rock. Eisenhower stated that the â€Å"mob rule cannot be allowed to override the decisions of our courts† which was encouraging as it meant that he wouldn’t allow African American’s to be threatened in school, a place where people should learn and feel safe, not terrified. This was hugely significant as it proved that Eisenhower was determined to desegregate schools and have a positive change for African Americans. Eisenhower also stated that â€Å"leniency can encourage defiance†. This also showed that Eisenhower was motivated to lure everyone into changing their racist ways as he demanded everyone to stay strong. This shows improvement to Eisenhower’s attitude. This is significant as, since he was the President, the fact he said this would have encouraged everyone to be brave and fight discrimination. However, Eisenhower confronted that â€Å"our enemies gloated over this incident† which shows that Eisenhower only acted due to the fact of the Cold War and he didn’t want other Countries to see America in a negative perspective. This shows that Eisenhower didn’t act from free will, he was concerned about other people’s views and so reacted. Overall, in regards to the intervention at Little Rock, Eisenhower was extremely effective. On the other hand, Eisenhower also acted in ways that weren’t significant in improving Civil Rights for African Americans. In key events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Sit-ins and Freedom Rides he didn’t act at all however in Little Rock 9 he was forced to act due to the opinions of other countries and people regarding America which was shown when he stated â€Å"our enemies are gloating over this incident† as he intervened due to other’s opinions. He also had the opinion that â€Å"there is a state law on boycotts†. This shows that he was a republican and believed all cases should be dealt with by the government, not the president. This links with the fact that Eisenhower was quite laid back as he believed it wasn’t his responsibility to deal with problems. James Farmer stated â€Å"we planned the freedom rides with the intention of creating a crisis† which shows they wanted to provoke a reaction from Eisenhower. This did alert Eisenhower, however, because of his laid back attitude he didn’t intervene which caused a delay in the improvement of civil rights, showing he wasn’t significant. Eisenhower wasn’t significant because of his personal beliefs. He privately stated that â€Å"making people do things by force is plain nuts†. This shows how Eisenhower had an attitude that people should do what they want without people interfering. This shows that Eisenhower wasn’t significant because if he had used his power as president correctly he could have made a big difference. This is seen in the quote by the historian David Greenberg the â€Å"Fight for civil rights†¦ demanded the use of the bully pulpit† which shows that historians consider his failure to intervene to have been a massive set back to the civil rights movement. Historian Roy Wilkins said â€Å"if he fought the Second World War like he fights for civil rights, we would all be speaking German right now†. This shows that Eisenhower is not the best person to have in a position of authority. This clearly states that he didn’t put in much effort regarding fighting for civil rights. Showing he wasn’t a good leader and so is insignificant. To conclude, after analysing a range of sources, both negative and positive, we can see that Eisenhower was significant in improving the lives of African Americans during his presidency. He presided over key events, most importantly, the appointment of Earl Warren and The Little Rock 9. Although, some may say he only acted due to pressure from other countries, this does not change the fact that he played a huge part in improving civil rights for African Americans. Under the presidency of Eisenhower things did change, no matter if he was forced to do it or not, he still helped improve Civil Rights for African Americans which is all that matters. As Roy Wilkins stated, â€Å"if he fought the second World War like he fights for civil rights, we would be speaking German right now† which shows he didn’t put in much effort in improving Civil Rights for African Americans.

Organizational Structure Of Virtusa Commerce Essay

Organizational Structure Of Virtusa Commerce Essay The purpose of the report is to identify the practices within organizations in Sri Lanka. The report consisted of tasks that required the need to visit both a public and hence Virtusa and Softlogic were chosen. First the main organizational structures and cultures prevailing in an organization are mentioned with relation to the organizations chosen, and the influences of the organizational structure and culture on the business performance are investigated. Thereafter the management approaches practiced in the companies are investigated and thereafter the personality characteristics of employees which should be understood by managers are identified too. Thereafter three motivational theories were taken into consideration with regard to the two organizations. 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Virtusa Virtusa was established in September 1985 under the Chairmanship of Deshamanya H.K.Dharmadasa with the objective of establishing it as a center of excellence in high technology diagnostic and curative facilities. Healing of the sick being the primary objective, Healing with Feeling became this Hospital of tomorrow. Located at Union Place, Colombo 02 in very close proximity to the business centre and within easy reach from the General Hospital and other many commercial establishments. 1.2 Softlogic Established in 1902, Perera and Sons Bakers, is the biggest bakery in Sri Lanka, producing over 75,000 bakery products including nearly 150 birthday cakes per day and attracting over 15,000-20,000 customers daily. Run by the fourth generation today, the business consists of 58 outlets and three bakeries. 1.3 Organizational structure of Virtusa The strategic level managers have used process of grouping activities which are similar in nature. Departmentalization has used here by function structure. This organization structure is more efficient. Through this employees get more experienced and well committed to their duties. As for an example under finance director there are purchasing and accounting managers. They are mastered in each sector and no need to find out about other operations. So the specific duties have been given. This is an advantage for them as they can concentrate on their own department and can offer a better efficient service. Each and every manager is responsible for their own duty. Therefore accountability has developed. Each department concentrates on their own work and that can be a disadvantage for the customers who expect a quality service. Competition among the departments can lead into conflicts as all the departments concentrate on winning the war than attending to overall business objectives. Directors should maintain the flexibility among employees who work in different departments to make the effective use of this structure. Advantages of the structure: There can be seen a decentralized structure. It enables decisions to be made closer to the operational level of work. Accountability and responsiveness is higher. Always make higher performances. More keeping with developments and more flexible structures. Effective motivation and encouragement can be done. Time is managed efficiently various duties and responsibilities have distributed. Disagreements are less because decision making is done with other partys involvement. It provides opportunity for training and development in management. Disadvantages of the structure, Functions can be isolated due to some failures of communication and technological issues. This is not stable for urgent situations. There can be occur competitions among each department than concentrating the overall achievement of the organization. 1.3 Chain of command in Virtusa Chain of command can be described as the way of authority and responsibility pass from the hierarchy. Authority is who have power to make decisions and who have authority to supervise subordinates. In Virtusa mainly strategic level managers such as general manager and board of directors have authority to make decisions and they are passed to the each level through the hierarchy. Responsibility is the obligation to carry forward an assigned task to a successful conclusion. In this case authorized person can delegate his duties to his assistance but to delegate his responsibility is not permitted. 1.4 Span of control in Virtusa Span of control is the number of people who report to one manager in a hierarchy. In Virtusa there can see a narrow span of control. There have four layers and five levels. Few employees can be seen under each manager. It allows them to communicate quickly with employees under them and controlling is easier. Also close supervision can be done and feed back can be getting effectively. It will reduce grievances and conflicts among employees. Also can be reduced getting complex of work. Productivity will get increased and resources can be utilized effectively as well. 1.5 Organizational Culture of Virtusa Culture is a collective programming of the mind which distinguished the members on human group from another. When it comes to an organizational culture it is a pattern of beliefs and expectations shared by the organizations members. These beliefs and expectations produce norms that powerfully shape the behaviors of individuals and groups. Virtusa works according to role culture. Top level managers decide the bulk of duties should be done by employees and they are distributed among employees. Employees are assigned for a particular role. They are specialized in each job. So the commitment and dedication can be increased due to this. So to make maximum use of it managers should their skills. The management can make them work better and hard to improve the companys performance effectively. 1.6 The Organizational Structure of Virtusa The structure of Virtusa is created with some levels based on functional department wise. This hierarchy has four layers managed by four main chief managers. In this structure the importance of role determines the position in hierarchy. It can be seen wide span of control. One manager controls large number of subordinates compared with Virtusa. Therefore managers communicate with employees quickly but it is not easy to guide and to control them. More effective feed back can be received from workers. Also it is essential to have management skills to control greater number of employees simultaneously. Grievances and conflicts will be either less or more. They depend on the situation. Close supervision is not easy to be done so productivity can be change. The process of this culture is according to their values which are integrity, care, passion, teamwork and service. Probably centralized management can be seen here. Communication between employees may less in this structure as the work is specialized. This can be an advantage to the organization as the man power and time is being saved. There can see disadvantages as well as advantages. The role of each individual is well determined but the chain of command is one way, top level to lower level. Advantages of the structure: Costs less and company does not need to employ as many managers. Easy to communicate and coordinate. Decisions are taken by top level managers and they are effective and fast. Conflicts and mistakes are less. Greater of specialization. New technology and new methods can be trained easily without higher costs. Managers can meet and pass massages easily to employees. Disadvantages of the structure, Difficult to control without proper management techniques. There is no opportunity to low level employees for their ideas. Less access to new ideas. Sometimes it can be costly. Difficult to have close supervisions. Hardly get opportunity to discuss complexities with managers for low level employees. 1.7 Chain of command in Softlogic Chain of command is the way of passing decisions from strategic level to operational level as mentioned before. Similarly the long term strategic decisions are taken by top level managers such as CEO and other officers like chief managing officer, chief people officer, chief financial officer and chief operational officer. So the officers have authority to take decisions of each sector under them. When it come to responsibilities there have around four mangers under one chief officer. So duties can be delegated easily. But each manager has different schedules and work to be done. So they are not responsible for others duties. This means they are specialized in each sector. So responsibility can not be delegated. 1.8 Span of control in Softlogic In Softlogic there can see wide span of control, which means that one authorized manager have large subordinates to control. But this is larger than Virtusa. In the hierarchy layers are lesser compared to number of levels. As for an example one chief officer is responsible to control four managers. So he should have mastered in more than one section. So mistakes can be happened easily. It is easy to pass messages though it is a flat structure. Also it costs less money to run a wider span of control because the company does not need to employ as many managers. But there are disadvantages as well from this horizontal management structure. 1.9 Organizational Culture of Softlogic Culture is the specific collection of values and norms that are share by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside the organization. Role culture and task culture are common in Softlogic. Specific duties have given to each and every employee who comes from various backgrounds. All are driven towards a common goal. Softlogic is more concerned on team work rather than individual performances. They believe that satisfied employees excel in quality customer service. Softlogic also maintain commitment to stakeholders, and the environment. Softlogics corporate culture is to do the right thing for their employees, the community and the customers they serve. 2.0 The influence of the organizational structure and culture towards the organizations performance. 2.1 The relationship between the organizations structure, culture and the effects on business performance in Virtusa. Role culture is common in most organizations today. The decisions are taken by top level managers are implemented by tactical level and operational level employees. So each member has specific goal. It leads to success of the organization. Also this has a flexible environment. It helps the employees to understand organizational events and buildup strong relationship among employees. The staff of Virtusa benefits from specialization. Also training programs are conducted to improve the personality skills and the attitudes of employees. The structure and the culture of this organization teach about organizational activities. They involve with specific work rather than spending time to find out the expected job to be done by them because they are well educated and with developed skills. This reduces wastage of time and man power as well. This can help to improve company performances. Here has departmentalized according to function structure. Human resources, sales and marketing and Finance are some of main departments in Virtusa. The employees in each section can get more experience and it leads to improve the company performances and they provide best customer service too. 2.2 The relationship between the organizations structure, culture and the effects on business performance in Softlogic Softlogic operates according to corporate culture. Decisions are taken by top level managers and other employees are never involved with it. Probably decisions in Softlogic are long term and they are stable. So subordinates never get a chance make decisions when top level managers are absent. In Softlogic the range of decisions are basically to maintain standards and to offer a best customer service The employees have built strong relationships among them and they can work friendly and helpfully when they work together. By working friendly they get motivated and try to do their best. There should have a good customer service as well as providing quality food items. So this can be an advantage to customers as well because the customers are always looking for best service. Employees work in Softlogic have work shops to develop personality skills as well as to improve staff relationships. The structure of Softlogic is more effective for their success. Few levels can be seen and it helps to improve its company performances by doing more work under guidance of each manager. Communication is easy and not costly. So the culture and structure of the organization affect the performance of Softlogic and all the employees are likely to make it effective. 3.0 The different management approaches in Virtusa and Softlogic 3.1 How Management theories are applied in Virtusa. Classical approach to management Division of Labour Division of labour is one of the key features, mainly applied in the Virtusa. They have separated the service procedure into various elements, with each part allocated to a particular employee or set of employees. It is based on the thought that employees can reach a high degree of effectiveness if they are classified to one particular service Centralization There is one central position in the hospital that manages the control over all the divisions. Centralization had made easy consultation and communication among subdivisions, mostly those at the centre; as these days with technology, electronic and computer control, centralization has its desirability. This approach is mainly practiced in the department of IT and administration. Chain of command That is, the chain of superiors ranging from the top to the lowest. Unluckily, this has become a lengthy process in large organizations, such as this Virtusa and therefore problems can arise. This chain of command approach is applied in almost all the departments of the hospital. Remuneration Payment is a significant motivator though by analyzing a number of possibilities. In this hospital all the employees are fairly paid in accordance with their contribution. This approach is applied in the human resources department basically. Discipline. Employees must obey their superiors, but this is two-sided: employees will only obey orders if management plays their part by providing good management. 3.1.1 Behavioral approach to management Human relations approach As in every organization human relations approach is basically applied in the human resources department in the Virtusa. This is an attempt to make managers more responsive to their employees requirements. There is a better understand of human behavior at work, such as motivation, expectations, and enhanced productivity. Systems approach to management The systems approach to administration is a thought which views a company as an interconnected purposive system that consists of numerous business sections. It is a management approach which enables the  managers  to serve the company as an incorporated part or a major section of the larger outside commercial environment. Contingency approach to management Since, the contingency approach to management is based on the thought that there is no one finest way to administer and that to be effective, planning, organizing, leading, and controlling must be customized to the particular conditions faced by an organization, Virtusa is also practicing the same thing. As organizations, people, and conditions differ and change over time. Virtusa has identified environmental change and improbability, work technology, and the size of a company as environmental factors impacting the efficiency of it. 3.2 How Management theories applied in Softlogic 3.2.1 Classical approach to management Division of Labour At Softlogic., Specialization allocates the person to build up experience, and to constantly improve his skills. Thereby he can be more dynamic. The maximum development in the productive powers of employment, and the greater part of the skill, handiness, and judgment with which it is anywhere aimed at, or applied, seem to have been the effects of the division of labour. Remuneration This company believes that payment for work done should be fair to both employees and employers and employees must be paid adequately as this is a key motivation of employees and consequently greatly influences output. Equity They also believe that workers must be treated kindly, and fairness must be enacted to make sure a just workplace. Managers should be fair and independent when dealing with employees. Encourages staff to be trustworthy and to be dedicated workers. 3.2.2 Behavioral approach to management Human relations approach This company uses Human Resource Management theories focus on techniques of recruitment and selection and highlight the advantages of interviews, general assessment and psychometric testing as employee selection procedure. 3.2.3 Systems approach to management The systems approach is not practiced in this company. 3.2.4 Contingency approach to management Company is concerned about the changes in the trends and they are producing new kinds of food items in order to stay firm in the competition. According to the contingency perspective, constant environments suggest mechanistic structures that highlight centralization, formalization, standardization, and specialization to achieve efficiency and consistency. 4.0 different motivational theories and how they could be exercised to motivate employees/individuals in an organization to achieve organizational goals. Motivating each of the individuals requires recognition on your part that each employees motivation needs are different, and motivating the team requires a different approach from motivating the team members. It is unlikely that you will ever manage a team where everyone is adequately trained. It is even more unlikely that any leader has a team that never needs coaching. You need to be able to identify the training needs of your team members and be able to get that training for them. Motivation theories are mainly of two types: Content (need) theory Process theory 4.1 Content (need) Theory: This theory mainly focuses on the internal factors that direct and enhance human behaviour. The following are some of the major content theories: Maslows hierarchy of needs Aldermens ERG theory Hertzbergs motivator-hygiene theory (two factor theory) 4.1.1 Maslows Hierarchy of human needs Of the different types of content theories, the most famous content theory is Abraham Maslows hierarchy of human needs. Maslow introduced five levels of basic needs through his theory. The Hierarchy of Needs is as follows: 1. Physiological Needs: basic issues of survival such as salary and stable employment 2. Security Needs: stable physical and emotional environment issues such as benefits, pension, safe work environment, and fair work practices 3. Belongingness Needs: social acceptance issues such as friendship or cooperation on the job 4. Esteem Needs: positive self-image and respect and recognition issues such as job titles, nice work spaces, and prestigious job assignments. 5. Self-Actualization Needs: achievement issues such as workplace autonomy, challenging work, and subject matter expert status on the job Just like Maslows hierarchy of needs, through dual factors theory, Hertzberg describes certain factors in the workplace which result in job satisfaction. 4.1.2 Hertzbergs two factor theory: According to Hertzberg, he basically identified two separate groups of factors that had a strong impact on motivation. His first groups of factors were the hygiene factors which consisted of factors such as working conditions, quality of supervision, salary, status, company policies and administration.  Having said that, the   second group of factors   identified were known as the motivating factors which consisted of factors such recognition, achievement, responsibility, interesting job and advancement to higher level tasks as and growth etc. 4.1.3 Process Theory: Process theory of motivation is a cognitive rational process and concentrates on psychological and behavioral processes. This basically motivates individuals and focuses on how workers needs influence their own behavior. Main process theories include Vroom Expectancy theory Adams Equity theory Needs Goal Setting theory Vroom Expectancy theory efforts linked not just to the desire for a particular outcome, but moderated by an evaluation of the likelihood of success. Here motivation strength is determined by the supposed value of the result of performing a behavior and the supposed probability that the behavior performed will lead the result to materialize. The conclusions that can be strained from this theory are, Individuals will only act when they have a reasonable expectation that their behavior will lead to the desired outcome. Effort alone is not sufficient. It has to be accompanied by ability and skill. Job satisfaction results from effective job performance rather than the other way round. Job design is therefore of crucial importance.   4.2 The effective implementation of the above theories and to motivate employees in order to achieve the organizational goal in both Virtusa and Softlogic: In order to achieve this objective and to keep the employees motivated the first two levels of Maslows hierarchy can be used as follows Physiological needs: The basic pay of the employees can be increased or in addition to the basic pay an over time rate can be paid. The facilities such as a balanced meal can be provided during the time they are on over time as to encourage them. This shows the organization is concerned about the employees and will lead to motivation. Safety needs: While they are at work, they can be provided with necessary instruments and equipment to keep them safe such as face masks, gloves and etc. en the number of accidents during working hours will be reduced. Rather than providing safety only to workers, their families can also be looked after by providing medical schemes, life insurance as well as health and safety insurance. Along with Maslows hierarchy of needs, Herzbergs two factor theory can also be applied to motivate the employees. Hygiene factors: Increment in salary would be a factor which motivates the employees. As discussed above, over time payments, salary increments and pension schemes can be provided to the employees of this company. Motivating factors: The employees can be paid much more attention and can be given more recognition. In order to give them more recognition and to make them feel as part of the organization, the company can can allocate a certain part of the profit to its employees. Once they have achieved a given target they can be appreciated. The workers should be given targets which they are capable of achieving and leaders can be appointed among the employee groups to make them responsible for related jobs As mentioned above process theory can be applied in order to motivate the employees in this company. Mainly goal setting theory and expectancy theory can be used to overcome these crises. The employees in the organization should be able to achieve the given goal within the given time period. Therefore it is essential for task to of easy achievability and also to the team members should be with positive attitudes and focused on the organizational goals rather than individual interests. As for an example the workers should be given goals which they can achieve. According to the scenario demand for grains has been increasing and fertilizes and grains are complements. Therefore the supply of fertilizes also need to be increased. In order to increase the supply of fertilizes, the workers should be motivated and their productivity should be increased. It is discussed in the expectancy theory that employees should have the ability and skills to do the specific tasks. Therefore effort alone is not enough. They should be satisfied in order to gain maximum contribution from them. This is one of a crucial event which can be seen in any organization. 5.0 The relationship between leadership and motivation, and how the management practices are influenced by these two factors: 5.1 Different Leadership styles in management Many people consider that leadership is just being the first, largest or most powerful. Leadership in organizations has a special and more meaningful explanation. Very basically put, a leader is interpreted as somebody who sets direction in an attempt and influences people to pursue that direction the people can be oneself, another individual, a group, an organization or a society. How they set that direction and influence people depends on a variety of factors that well consider later on below. There are also plentiful theories about leadership, or about carrying out the responsibility of leader of an organization. Such leadership styles used by this company and their advantages are as listed below. 5.2 Leadership styles practiced in the organizations Autocratic Leadership The autocratic  leadership style  is considered as an aged fashioned method with the following distinctiveness: Manager tries having the most power and control in decision making. Manager tries making as many decisions as possible. Managers are less worried with spending their own leadership improvement, and desire to basically work on the mission at hand.   Manager tries retaining accountability rather than utilize complete allocation. The autocratic leadership is still used by many leaders across the world in many companies. The cause autocratic leadership carries on, even if it is old-fashioned, is for the reason that it is spontaneous, carries instant advantages, and comes natural to many leaders. Many leaders who begin pursuing leadership improvement are often trying to develop upon their organizations autocratic leadership style. The benefits of the Autocratic Leadership Style and their impact on employee and company performance In spite of having many opponents, the autocratic leadership styles recommend many advantages to managers who use them. These comprise: Decreased pressure due to increased control.  Where the manager finally has important legal and personal accountability for a project, it will relieve them and reduce their pressure levels to know that they have control over their providence. A more productive dynamic group whilst the leader is watching.  The delay that an autocratic manager maintains over a team improves their working velocity and makes them less likely to relax. This is perfect for inadequately motivated workers who have little concern or attention in the excellence or speed of work performed. Improved logistics of operations.  Having one leader with serious participation in many areas makes it more likely that tribulations are spotted in advance and deadlines met. This makes autocratic leadership perfect for one-off projects with fixed deadlines, or complex work environments where well-organized cooperation is the key to accomplishment. When is the Autocratic Leadership Style effectual? Following on from the qualities listed above, the autocratic leadership style is useful in the following work circumstances: Work environments where spans of control are broad and complex so therefore the manager has little time to allot to each employee.   Business where workers need to perform low-skilled, droning and recurring tasks and normally have low levels of motivation. Projects where the work executes wishes to be accomplished to exact specifications and with a tight deadline. Democratic Leadership Democratic Leadership is the leadership style that encourages the distribution of accountability, the exercise of allocation and frequent discussion. The style has the following distinctiveness: Manager makes discussion on all major issues and conclusions. Manager efficiently hands over tasks to employees and give them full control and accountability for those tasks.   Manager welcomes comment on the outcome of initiatives and the work environment.   Manager supports others to become leaders and be occupied in leadership improvement. The benefits of the Democratic Leadership Style and their impact on employee and company performance. Positive work environment.  An ethnicity where subordinate workers are given fair amount of accountability and are permitted to challenge themselves is one where workers are more encouraged to work and enjoy what they do. Creative thinking.  The free flow of ideas and optimistic work atmosphere is the ideal catalyst for creative thinking. The advantages of this arent just appropriate for creative industries, because creative thinking is necessary to solve tribulations in every single organization, whatever its nature.   Reduction of friction and office politics. By allowing subordinates to use their ideas and even more outstandingly increase credit for them, you are carefully reducing the amount of nervousness workers generate with their manager. When autocratic leaders reject to listen to their employees, or deliberately pay no attention to their ideas, they are efficiently asking for people to talk behind their back and effort to undermine or succeed them. Reduced employee turnover.   When workers feel authorized through leadership improvement, a company will observe lower rates of employee turnover which has many benefits. A company that spends in leadership improvement for its workers is investing in their future, and this is valued by a large majority of the workforce. When is the Autocratic Leadership Style effectual?   Democratic leadership is practical to a level in the industrialized industry, to allocate workers to give their ideas on how processes  can  become leaner and more inventive. While Fordism is still functional in some factories across the country, truth is that production managers are now actually starting to tie together the motivational bonuses associated with not treating workers like robots anymore. Democratic leadership is successful in professional organizations where the importance is obviously on training, professional leadership improvement and quality of work performed. Democratic events are basically just one cog in the successful leadership mechanisms firms. Nonprofit organizations also terrifically

Economics in One Lesson By Henry Hazlitt Essay example -- Economics in

Henry Hazlitt’s book, Economics in one lesson, brings to perspective numerous topics that are mainstream issues in the economy today. His book breaks down in detail specific concepts that have their effects on the economy. Hazlitt explains topics such as war and the expenses, the tariff system, and productivity and the minimum wage laws.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One concept Hazlitt emphasized on was how economics was viewed for temporary needs, versus more permanently viewed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"In addition to theses endless pleading of self-interest, there is a second main factor that spawns new economic fallacies every day. This is the persistent tendency of men to see only the immediate effects of a given policy, or its effects only on a special group and to neglect to inquire what the long-run effects of that policy will be not only on that special group but on all groups. It is the fallacy of overlooking secondary consequences† (Hazlitt p15-16).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This simple fact that Hazlitt brought up is the dominating factor that separates good and bad economics. A good economist will look at the effects a certain policy will have on all groups, while a bad economist will only see the effects that a policy will have on a particular group. This ties in with the long-run effects because if a group is only looking at how a policy will affect itself then in the future another group that was affected could lose their business because of the way the first group viewed a policy. For example if a clothing company decides to increase revenues by selling more products at a lower price, it will cause the company that has to supply the materials for the shirt to have to increase the amount of materials they need to use in order to keep up with the sales the clothing company makes. If the shirt company acted in the best interest of all the groups they would make sure the company that is supplying the materials is able to increase pr oduction instead of making the decision on their own. The bad economist believes that tomorrow is not as important as what is at hand today. â€Å"Nine-tenths of the economic fallacies that are working such dreadful harm in the world today are the result of ignoring this lesson. Those fallacies are stem from one of two central fallacies or both: that of looking only at the immediate consequences of an actor o proposal, and that of looking at the consequences only for a particular g... ... that were not as clear, and not as strong. The broken glass itself is not a blessing, but because it helps the economy overall, that can be a blessing. Hazlitt made a good point explaining this in great detail. He also thoroughly explained how war does increase production but only to the point where everything goes back to normal. Jobs do open up for people as long as there is war, but as soon as it is over the economy usually goes right back to where it started before the war. Hazlitt also made a good point about employment and how full employment does not exactly make the situation better for that person because there are many institutions that have full employment and there are no benefits for the employer. In dealing with credit system, Hazlitt pointed out how a person that is having trouble economically seems to have a better chance to get yet another loan that will most likely not get paid back, as opposed to a person that can pay it back immediately does not usually recei ve one at first glance. Overall Hazlitt did a great job, especially emphasizing on the long-run economics as the best way to handle things and not the short, quick, and temporary way of handling business.

The Economics of Despair :: essays research papers

Since the late 1970s, social science researchers, the media, private foundations, and policymakers have directed considerable attention to the labor market problems of young adults and their families. Most of this attention has focused on high school dropouts, the poor, minorities, and inner-city youth. But an equally troubling—and broader—problem has received comparatively less notice: the steep and sustained decline since 1973 in the real (inflation-adjusted) earnings of young men and women generally. Even adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, the labor market problems of young workers are disproportionately severe—they include higher than average unemployment and relatively low earnings when employed. This sustained drop in earnings has been especially dramatic for young adults with no postsecondary school education. Most proposed remedies have emphasized the quality of the labor supply. But improving education and training, while often worthwhile and necessary, is not by itself sufficient to raise earnings. If this downward trend, which has persisted through recession and recovery alike, is to be reversed, then policymakers and educators must address the demand side as well as the supply side. Raising young adult wages will require not only better academic performance, training, apprenticeships, and school-to-work programs, but also full-employment policies, changes in the configuration of jobs and careers, and larger young adult union membership. Prior to 1973, the annual and weekly earnings of both young adults and older workers had been improving markedly. Between 1967 (the year the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking weekly earnings of wage and salary workers) and 1973, the real median weekly earnings of 16- to 24-year-olds rose by approx i mately 8 percent. Since 1973, however, the ea rnings of young adults have fallen almost continuously. Between 1973 and 1979, the weekly earnings of young men working full time fell by 7 percent. Young men experienced a 19 percent decline in earnings (a real value of $72 per week) between 1979 and 1989. This decline cannot be attributed solely to business cycle contractions. About half of the 19 percent decline did take place during the recessionary period of 1979-1982. But between 1982 and 1989, a period of strong overall job growth, the weekly earnings of young men fell by another $33, or 9 percent. Earnings declined still more between 1989 and 1994, dropping yet another 9 percent. The result of all this decline? A young man under 25 years of age employed full time in 1994 earned 31 percent less per week than what his same-aged counterpart earned in 1973.

The Bell Jar Essay -- Essays Papers

The Bell Jar People's lives are shaped through their success and failure in their personal relationships with each other. The author Sylvia Plath demonstrates this in the novel, The Bell Jar. This is the direct result of the loss of support from a loved one, the lack of support and encouragement, and lack of self confidence and insecurity in Esther's life in the The Bell Jar. It was shaped through her success and failures in her personal relationships between others and herself. Through life, we often lose someone we loved and cared deeply for and supported us through life. This is demonstrated by the loss of a loved one when Esther's father died when she was nine. "My German speaking father, dead since I was nine came from some manic-depressive hamlet in the Prussia." (Sylvia Plath page 27.) Esther's father's death had showed that she was in need of a father figure for love, support and to act as a model for her life. Esther grew up with only the one influence of a parent, her mother. Often times the loss of a friendship can be a great loss of support and confidence within our lives because we can lose them forever. This is demonstrated when Buddy Willard Esther's boyfriend break up. "He told me that his annual fall chest x-ray showed he had caught tuberculosis...in the Adirondacks" (Sylvia Plath pg. 58.) Buddy and Esther break up due to the fact that he was not very honest with her in many ways. He did not have the courage to admit to a certain side of his character and not only that Buddy was diagnosed with an illness but he had other relationships aside from Esther. Therefore Esther experienced another loss of a loved one. Within life, we gain the support from someone that helps us get through life but often times leaves us when we need them most. This is proven when Doreen; Esthers co-worker at the modeling magazine begins to lose contact with Esther through life "Doreen is dissolving... none of them mean anything anymore" (Sylvia Plath pg.17) Doreen begins to lose contact with Esther throughout life, just when Doreen had opened new doors to her. Esther was coming through a very difficult time in life, when Doreen started drifting away from Esther. Once again, Esther experienced the loss and support of a great friend and advocate. Ones' life is made up by framework. You gather friends and folks together and ... ...a Plath page 93) After finding out that she had not made the writing course, Esther thought to herself; that even before entering the essay, she knew she would not make the course. Proving that even before entering her essay for the college, she had no confidence in being accepted. After building confidence within herself, Esther decided to write an autobiography using herself as the heroine but she felt that she could not write a novel based on life because she felt she had not experienced it. "How could I write about life...baby or even seen anybody die." (Sylvia Plath pg. 99) Thus, this proves that Esther did not even have the self confidence within herself to follow through with her own ambition of becoming a writer. During a journey through life one starts with a foundation to build on and decide on framework of ones life. In order to sustain and maintain life one needs a basis of love, support, food for thought and life to breath, expression and experience. If an individuals life is shaped and directed by the successes or failures of human relationship, without substance, one might as well seal up their life with a vacuum lid and live in a glass jar.

Principles of Marketing Chapter 1

Marketing -Is the process of building profitable customer relationships by creating value for customers and capturing value in return -Satisfying customer needs 2 GOALS OF MARKETING †¢To attract new customers by promising superior value †¢To keep and grow current customers by delivering satisfaction MARKETING PROCESS 1. Understanding the Marketplace and Customer Needs 1. 1. Needs, Wants, and Demands 1. 1. 1. NEEDS – states of felt deprivation. 1. 1. 2. WANTS – the form human needs take as shaped by culture and individual personality. 1. 1. 3. DEMANDS – human wants that are backed by buying power. 1. 2.Marketing Offerings (Products, services, and experiences) – some combination of products, services, information, or experiences offered to a market to satisfy a need or want. †¢Marketing Myopia – the mistake of paying more attention to the specific products a company offers than to the benefits and experiences produced by these products. 1. 3. Customer Value Satisfaction – are key building blocks for developing and managing customer relationships. 1. 4. Exchanges and Relationships – the act of obtaining a desired object from someone by offering in return. 1. 5. Markets – set of all actual and potential buyers of a product or service. . Designing a Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy †¢ Marketing Management – the art and science of choosing target markets and building profitable relationships with them. 2. 1. What customers will we serve? (What’s our target market? ) 2. 1. 1. MARKET SEGMENTATION – dividing the market into segments of customers 2. 1. 2. TARGET MARKETING – selecting which segments it will go after. 2. 2. How can we serve these customer’s best? (What’s our value proposition? ) – is the company’s set of benefits or values it promises to deliver to consumers to satisfy their needs. 2. 2. 1. MARKETING MANAGEMENT ORIENTATIONS 2. 2. 1. . THE PRODUCTION CONCEPT – the idea that consumers will favour products that are available and highly affordable and that the organization should therefore focus on improving production and distribution efficiency. 2. 2. 1. 2. THE PRODUCT CONCEPT – the idea that consumers will favour products that offer the most quality, performance, and features and that the organization should therefore devote its energy to making continuous product improvements. 2. 2. 1. 3. THE SELLING CONCEPT – the idea that consumers will not buy enough of the firm’s product unless it undertakes a large-scale selling and promotion effort. . 2. 1. 4. THE MARKETING CONCEPT – the marketing management philosophy that achieving organizational goals depends on knowing the needs and wants of target markets and delivering the desired satisfactions better than competitors do. 2. 2. 1. 5. THE SOCIETAL MARKETING CONCEPT – a principle of enlightened marketing that holds th at a company should make good marketing decisions by considering the consumers’ wants, the company’s requirements, consumers’ long-run interests, and the society’s long-run interests. 3.Preparing an Integrated Marketing Plan and Program – consists of the firm’s marketing mix, the set of marketing tools the firm uses to implement its marketing strategy. †¢Marketing Mix (4Ps) a)Product b)Price c)Place d)Promotion 4. Building Customer Relationships – most important step in marketing process 4. 1. Customer Relationship Management – the overall process of building and maintaining customer relationships by delivering superior customer value and satisfaction 4. 2. Relationships Building Blocks: Customer Value and Satisfaction 4. 2. 1.CUSTOMER PERCEIVED VALUE – the customer’s evaluation of the difference between all the benefits and all the costs of a market offering relative to those of competing offers. 4. 2. 2. CU STOMER SATISFACTION – the extent to which a product’s perceived performance matches a buyer’s expectations. 4. 3. Customer Relationship Levels and Tools 4. 3. 1. FREQUENCY MARKETING PROGRAMS – reward customers who buy frequently or in large amounts. 4. 3. 2. CLUB MARKETING PROGRAMS – offers members special benefits and create member communities. 4. 4. The Changing Nature of Customer Relationships 4. 4. 1. RELATING WITH MORE CAREFULLY SELECTED CUSTOMERS True Mass Marketing – selling in a standard way to any customer who cares along. †¢Selective Relationship Management – targeting fewer, more profitable customers 4. 4. 2. RELATING FOR THE LONG TERM – serving chosen customers in a deeper, more lasting way to retain current customers and build long term relationships with them. 4. 4. 3. RELATING DIRECTLY – serving customers without going to a store – by telephone, mail order, catalogues, kiosks, and online. 4. 5. Partner Relationship Management – working close in other company or departments and outside the company to jointly bring greater value to customers. . 5. 1. PARTNERS INSIDE THE COMPANY – linking all departments of a firm in the cause of creating customer value. 4. 5. 2. MARKETING PARTNERS OUTSIDDE THE FIRM †¢Supply Chain – describes a longer channel, stretching from raw materials to components to final products that are carried to final buyers. †¢Strategic Alliances – strategic partners if they hope to be effective 5. Capturing Value from Customers 5. 1. Creating Customer Loyalty and Retention – the value of the entire stream purchases that a customer would make over a lifetime of patronage. 5. 2.Growing Share Customer – the portion of the customer’s purchasing that a company gets in its product categories. 5. 3. Building Customer Equity – the total combined customer lifetime values of all the company’s custom ers. 5. 4. Building the Right Relationships with the Right Customers CLASSIFICATIONS OF CUSTOMERS †¢Strangers – Little fit between company’s offerings and customer’s needs; lowest profit potential †¢Butterflies – Good fit between company’s offerings and customer’s needs; high profit potential †¢True Friends – Good fit between company’s offerings and customer’s needs; highest profit potential. Barnacles – Limited fit between company’s offerings and customer’s needs; low profit potential THE NEW MARKETING LANDSCAPE 1. New Digital Age – marketers must harness marketing technology 2. Rapid Globalization – take advantage of global opportunities 3. The Call for more Ethics and Social Responsibility – marketers must ensure that they set in an ethical and socially responsible way. THE GROWTH FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT MARKETING (Examples) †¢Colleges †¢Hospitals †¢Mu seums †¢Zoos †¢Symphony Orchestra †¢Churches