Audience agree Essay

Catherine says Eddie is â€Å"a rat† who belongs in the sewer. To what extent by the end of the play, does the audience agree with her? To begin with, the point at which Catherine says this, it is a very emotive moment; it’s at the climax of the play. It is the first time Catherine has confronted Eddie by telling him exactly how she feels. She is fed up of being controlled by him and is therefore unhappy with the way he treats Beatrice also. It annoys her that Beatrice is not defending herself and when Eddie does not allow her to go to Catherine’s wedding, she does not even answer back. This results in Catherine unusually insulting Eddie in an enormous way, â€Å"He’s a rat! †¦he bites people when they sleep!†¦ and poisons decent people, in the garbage he belongs!† Here Catherine is releasing all her anger and intense emotion which has been built up over the years, now she finally has found the courage and independence to let Eddie know he cannot make her decisions for her anymore, as if it is a threat. However while she says this, she is â€Å"weeping†, so it is unlikely she meant it. It is unusual for Catherine to disrespect Alfieri, as in the past she has a close relationship with him. She says to Eddie, as soon as he gets home, â€Å"I’ll get you a beer† and â€Å"I’ll light it(cigar) for you†, she likes to ‘fuss’ over him, this shows that she cares a lot for him, so she is a kind and caring person. This particular incident, when calling Eddie a â€Å"rat†, some would say is out of character. When she says, â€Å"Eddie go away please†, perhaps at this point she is regretting what she said before. The audience however may agree with Catherine, that Eddie is â€Å"a rat†, because of the way Eddie’s character has been portrayed. From the beginning of the play Eddie is the overprotective guardian who seems to be possessive over Catherine. â€Å"I promise your mother†¦. I’m responsible for you†, Eddie fells he is responsible for Catherine and misinterprets the role of a guardian. In Catherine’s eyes, he is â€Å"controlling her life, by not giving her freedom as she is growing up. Many people may argue that he has no right over her, as technically he is not her real father. He is unable to accept that she is growing up, some how he needs to realise that she is now seventeen and he can not continue to treat her like child. He does not let her make her own decisions, an example of this in the play is when he does not let her take the stenographer job, even though he knows how much this means to her, he is at first stubborn and does not let her take it. He says this is not what he has â€Å"in mind† for her, and he continuously says, â€Å"I want†, not once is he thinking about what she wants only the fact that it is not what he wants for her. Again he is trying to control her which is unnecessary, it seems like he is being selfish and the part of the reason why he does not want Catherine to take the job is because he would loose control of her, which is why he wants her to stay at school; where he can keep an eye on her! Beatrice at this point influences the audience’s view of Eddie when she says â€Å"she’s seventeen†¦. you gonna keep her in the house all her life?† this shows that she knows that Eddie is being unreasonable, and perhaps shows the audience an idea of what life was like for women in those days, women were not expected to work and many were not able to make their own decisions, only the ‘man of house’ had the rights. Therefore Beatrice encourages the idea of Catherine taking this job because it is not likely for her to be offered any thing like this again. This certainly encourages the audience to sympathise with Catherine, and see this as a negative aspect of Eddie’s character. Eddie perhaps changes his mind, only because he feels embarrassed and that Beatrice has insulted by saying this. He does not want her to think he is not being a good guardian to Catherine. Another example of Eddie’s bad character is when Catherine finds herself attracted to Rodolpho, this is clear to Eddie because of the way Catherine is giving more attention to him rather than Eddie. When Eddie stops Rodolpho singing â€Å"kid you don’t want to be picked up, do ya?†, it is clear that Eddie is getting frustrated and is just using the fact that Rodolpho’s singing could be suspicious to others, as an excuse. We know this because he keeps on trying to explain himself to Marco as though he is trying to convince himself as well as Rodolpho and Marco that he has a valid point, and that Eddie does not like the idea of Catherine and Rodolpho ‘getting close’. The reality is that Eddie is jealous of the attention Catherine gives Rodolpho, whereas normally it is Eddie who receives all the attention. This strange behaviour encourages us (audience), to assume that he has started to develop unusual feelings for Catherine, Eddie’s disapproval of Catherine and Rodolpho, many would say, is unnecessary and unfounded. Other evidence to support the assumption that Eddie has unacceptable emotions towards Catherine, is that because of these feelings, his relationship with Beatrice is also suffering, Beatrice says to Eddie, â€Å"when am I gonna be a wife again?† Eddie says, â€Å"I don’t feel good†¦I’m worried about her†. This shows that his feelings for Catherine are strong enough to confuse himself about his relationship with wife! If he were genuinely concerned for Catherine, it would not have interfered with his relationship with his wife. Their relationship problems pre-date the cousins’ arrival, so there is ‘something’ else which results in his lack of interest in Beatrice. ‘This is the aspect of Eddie’s character, which influences the audience the most, to describe him as a â€Å"rat†!

Managing and Developing People: Team Working and Management Styles

Unit 9: MANAGING AND DEVELOPING PEOPLE Task 2: TEAM WORKING AND MANAGEMENT STYLES Introduction As part of my unit 9, managing and developing people, I will be discussing and assessing the management styles and team work of a recent event I have been involved in. The event that I have chosen to base my assessment on is the Christmas disco. I have selected the Christmas disco as it was a recent event I have been involved in, where as a team we planned, organised and ran the event. By using this event, I am able to gather in depth data and draw on my own personal experiences. Team’s task The team’s task was to plan and organise and event that would be feasible within the school. The event held must make a profit, which would then be donated to a chosen charity. The event must be suitable for a school and its pupils. For this task, each member of the team was assigned and allocated a job role with each member having individual responsibilities. Team work in this assignment was vital in the organisation of the event as we not only needed to ensure that the event was successful, and that we provided and enjoyable experience for the pupils, but also we needed to make sure that we communicated well within the organisation. In order to ensure the event was a success, we also needed to work well with each other, which would create an enjoyable atmosphere for those attending the event. Brainstorm It was important for us to decide on the choice of event at an early stage, which would allow us to have plenty of time to research and organise before the event was staged. As a team we thought of a number of suggestions for an event that was feasible. After we had thought of the basic ideas we discussed each idea. This was important as we had to be sure there were good enough reasons for holding the event and that there wouldn’t be too many constraints during organisation process. Disco This type of event can cater for the whole school, which in theory could probably raise the most money. A disco can be held in the school hall as it is big enough, meaning that we don’t have to hire a venue which would be quite expensive. This event can be carried out any time of year and will not be dependent on the weather as the event will be held indoors. As well as selling tickets to the pupils to raise money, we can also sell snacks and drinks to increase the profits. We can also hold competitions for the pupils, and include the teachers in the entertainment. However for this type of event we will need extra staff to monitor the behaviour of the pupils at the disco. There will also be various health & safety procedures that will need to be followed, which is crucial to get right. Another issue is that it may be quite chaotic when the pupils are arriving at the hall and trying to take pupils tickets. This will have to be controlled and may need to stagger classes to avoid crowding at the doors. Also it may be quite expensive to hire a DJ and we may find it hard to cater for everyone’s music tastes. For this type of event there will need to be contingency plan put in place, encase we run out of snacks or drinks. Prom Prom is a very popular and enjoyable event that all involved look forward to. As this is an enjoyable event there will staff who want to attend and able to monitor the pupils. Also for this type of event we would be able to charge more for the tickets as it would be an exclusive event for the pupils. However, this event will only be available for year 11 pupils which would mean that we will not make as much money as the other events. We will also have a problem with the venue for the event. Prom is usually held at a different location, which could prove expensive or the usual venue may not want the pupils there. As it is only year 11 at this event, there is a chance that they may bring alcohol, or manage to get hold of alcohol at the venue as there is a bar. Teachers will have to attend the event to ensure that pupils do not misbehaviour at the prom. This type of event needs a lot of organising and will prove to be quite stressful and confusing. Fete For this type of event, we have the facilities available to us to hold the event, as we have a large school yard. As the event will be held on school ground there will be staff available to monitor the event and the pupil’s behaviour. We can easily make profit from selling confectionary. Also health & safety procedures can be monitored as all facilities needed are easily available through the schools caretaker. However, as this type of event will be held outside it will depend on the weather. There is a risk that we may not make money. We cannot ticket the event as it will be held on the school yard, which cannot be cordoned off and is too large an area. Also if nothing is sold at the fete we will not make any profit. Conclusion After we had looked at the reasons for and against organising each type of event, we decided that the most feasible event for us to hold would be the school disco due to the fact that business studies in previous years held one every year, and it was a successful event, with the majority of pupils attending. From this it showed us that it was an event that the majority of pupils at St. Albans enjoyed. Another reason for holding the school disco, is because we already had the facilities available and we would not have to spend money on initial equipment. We decided to organise the event around Christmas time, so we would be able to set up the Christmas disco for the years 7-11. We then created a name and logo for our chosen event. During a meeting, as a team we came up with a few suggestions and suitable logo ideas. The name and logo needed to symbolise and reflect the type of event we were going to organise. As a group we discussed all ideas and voted on a final logo design and name. We decided on the name ‘iDisco’ as it reflects what type of event we were organising and we feel plays on the idea of the well known mp3 product, iPod, as this is a musical product and music is the main feature of our event. As a team we believed that the name was different, simple and unique. Our logo is a combination of ideas. We wanted a logo that was simple but reflected our business. We agreed that our logo was eye catching and symbolised our business well. Teamwork Team working is relevant to all industries, from manufacturing to the service sector, and it is very useful in small businesses. Team working involves working cooperatively and making use of individual strengths within a group to achieve a common goal. Teams can be based around a particular product or be part of a process or service. They often cut across organisations' structural and functional divides and it is to an employer's advantage to try to recruit staff who works well in a team. Working in a team has many benefits and can give employees: * Exposure to a variety of tasks using several skills Autonomy in deciding the order or pace of work * Identity, as the task forms a whole job or a large part of the whole job * Responsibility, so team members are accountable to each other for what is produced * Valuable feedback on their work * Social contact and an opportunity to interact with colleagues * Balanced workload, as team members can help each other to even out peaks and trough s in their work * Clarity on their roles so the team can deal quickly with any problem of ‘who does what' * Achievement and satisfaction with a job well done Development opportunities, such as improving interpersonal or leadership skills There is no strict rule on the size of a team, but most successful teams have six to 15 members. If it is any larger, the team tends to split into sub-groups. Advantages of Teamwork Team working can increase product quality, encourage product innovation and make team members more autonomous and accountable. The varying skills of team members can better support the introduction of new technology and teams are often able to adapt to differing customer expectations. It can also boost employee morale, motivation, commitment and encourage employees to work collaboratively and share their skills and knowledge. As well as improving productivity, team working can maximise team members' strengths, improve delegation and reduce some levels of management. Teamwork is often introduced when costs are being cut and the workforce is being reduced, for example because of redundancies in a recession. For more information see our guides on reorganisations, restructurings and other major changes and making an employee redundant. Features of the team From the start of any enterprise, it is important that all the participants are allocated clear responsibilities for various aspects of the operation. These roles do not have to be set in stone for the whole life of the project, but can be changed around so that everyone gets experience of more than one area of responsibility. There needs to be someone who is clearly in charge, someone who chairs meetings, has the final say on decisions and to whom all the other members involved in the event. Someone must also be allocated responsibility for the role of secretary – the really important role of keeping a record of all meetings, setting agendas and communicating between all members of the enterprise. Finance is also an important area of responsibility that must be clearly allocated and managed meticulously from the outset. Other areas of responsibility might include market research, sales, publicity, logistics (booking the venue, checking electricity supplies, checking the availability of equipment and organising the post-event clear-up), catering and any other areas that are key to the event’s success. If a role is particularly large or an area of high risk such as finance then more than one person may wish to take on the role so that the area is always covered even if one member is unable to make a key team meeting or take care of an activity. Within each role, there ought to be a clear set of responsibilities. The team member carrying out that role should be set objectives and targets. There should also be regular opportunities for team members to reflect on how well they are meeting their individual targets and how they can improve their performance. Individual roles Managing Director – Aron Roden A Managing Director is the person responsible for planning and directing the work of a group of individuals, monitoring their work, and taking corrective action when necessary. For many people, this is their first step into a management career. Managers may direct workers directly or they may direct several supervisors who direct the workers. The manager must be familiar with the work of all the groups he/she supervises, but does not need to be the best in any or all of the areas. It is more important for the manager to know how to manage the workers than to know how to do their work well. Sales Manager – Christie Watkins Irrespective of the kind of business being carried out, an effective and efficient sales manager is required for higher sales values and ultimately higher profits. Be it the food industry, control panel accessories, cosmetic, automobile or even insurance industry, they all depend on the efficiency of their sales managers as they form the face of the company and are the ones dealing with the final consumer. This is why this position holds a very important place and is a crucial one for the future of the company. However, what exactly does the job description for sales manager entail. * Setting Objectives * Planning and Organizing * Overseeing Sales Team * Inventory Control Production Manager – Dominic Rowles The term â€Å"production†, is mostly linked to engineering industries and factories, and production managers are related to the management, co-ordination, planning and successful execution of the production plan, so that productivity of the firm increases and production targets are met in time. No doubt that production manager’s are key people who have the responsibility of overseeing the production process, managing the budget, ensuring the supply of raw materials and monitoring the quality of the products. Production managers can decide about the purchase of the equipments and the instruments for a firm, if they're need replacement. A production manager is involved in all the stages of production. Be it the pre-planning stage or the stage of production control and evaluation of the plans. Legal Officer – Jason Roynon Legal officers fulfil an important duty of viewing, interpreting and deciphering legal documents. Legal officer’s work within government legal departments, as counsels for corporations, and within profit and non-profit organisations. Legal officers are tasked with reading legal jargon and providing advice to the company they work for on a course of action in legal cases. In some instances, they handle court cases on behalf of their employer. They oversee real estate purchases, compliance with tax laws and state regulations, draw up contracts, and in some cases oversee company budgets and projects. Finance Manager – Wing Hong Lau A financial manager is responsible for providing financial advice and support to clients and colleagues to enable them to make sound business decisions. Financial considerations are at the root of all major business decisions. Clear budgetary planning is essential for future planning, both short and long term, and companies need to know the financial implications of any decision before proceeding. In addition, care must be taken to ensure that financial practices are in line with all statutory legislation and regulations. Secretary – Sophie Price A secretary or administrator provides both clerical and administrative support to professionals, either as part of a team or individually. The role plays a vital part in the administration and smooth-running of businesses throughout industry. Secretaries/administrators are involved with the co-ordination and implementation of office procedures and frequently have responsibility for specific projects and tasks and, in some cases, oversee and supervise the work of junior staff. Human Resources Manager – Jordan Meaney Human resource management is concerned with the development of both individuals and the organization in which they operate. HRM, then, is engaged not only in securing and developing the talents of individual workers, but also in implementing programs that enhance communication and cooperation between those individual workers in order to nurture organizational development. HRM consists, often with the help of other company areas, the nature and responsibilities of various employment positions. This can encompass determination of the skills and experiences necessary to adequately perform in a position, identification of job and industry trends, and anticipation of future employment levels and skill requirements. Staffing is the actual process of managing the flow of personnel into, within (through transfers and promotions), and out of an organization. Once the recruiting part of the staffing process has been completed, selection is accomplished through job postings, interviews, reference checks, testing, and other tools. Marketing Manager – Joe Norris Marketing executives are involved in developing marketing campaigns that promote a product, service or idea. The role includes planning, advertising, public relations, organising events, product development, distribution, sponsorship and research. The work is often challenging, varied and exciting. The responsibilities of a marketing executive will vary, depending on the size of the organisation and sector, and whether the focus is on selling a product or service or raising awareness of an issue that affects the public. Why the needs of individuals and teams conflict Sometimes the individual needs and motivating factors of employees may conflict with the needs and aims of the business. For example, in a small business there maybe few opportunities for promotion. There will be therefore be little incentive for people whose main motivation is career development. However, if the business can provide valuable experience and skill development, perhaps through job rotation, then working for that business might be seen as an important step in a career. Conflict may also arise when employees look for higher salaries and wages. Labour is often one of the largest costs of a business. If a business is trying to reduce expenditure, it may keep increases in salaries and wages to a minimum, which can have an adverse effect on employees’ motivation. Management Theorists In practise, management styles do not always fit neatly into the tree categories of autocratic, democratic or laissez-faire. There have been many other attempts to characterise different management styles and to offer advice to managers on how they can adapt their approach to get the best from their staff. Rensis Likert (1903 – 1981) Dr Rensis Likert has studied human behaviour within many organisations. After extensive research, Dr. Rensis Likert concluded that there are four systems of management. According to Likert, the efficiency of an organisation or its departments is influenced by their system of management. Likert categorised his four management systems as follows; Exploitive authoritative – system 1 In this type of management system the job of employees/subordinates is to abide by the decisions made by managers and those with a higher status than them in the organisation. The subordinates do not participate in the decision making. The organisation is concerned simply about completing the work. The organisation will use fear and threats to make sure employees complete the work set. There is no teamwork involved. Benevolent authoritative – system 2 Just as in an exploitive authoritative system, decisions are made by those at the top of the organisation and management. However employees are motivated through rewards (for their contribution) rather than fear and threats. Information may flow from subordinates to managers but it is restricted to â€Å"what management want to hear†. Consultative – system 3 In this type of management system, subordinates are motivated by rewards and a degree of involvement in the decision making process. Management will constructively use their subordinates ideas and opinions. However involvement is incomplete and major decisions are still made by senior management. There is a greater flow of information (than in a benevolent authoritative system) from subordinates to management. Although the information from subordinate to manager is incomplete and euphemistic. Participative – system 4 Management have complete confidence in their subordinates/employees. There is lots of communication and subordinates are fully involved in the decision making process. Subordinates comfortably express opinions and there is lots of teamwork. Teams are linked together by people, who are members of more than one team. Likert calls people in more than one group â€Å"linking pins†. Employees throughout the organisation feel responsible for achieving the organisation’s objectives. This responsibility is motivational especially as subordinates are offered economic rewards for achieving organisational goals which they have participated in setting. Likert’s Ideal System Likert believes that if an organisation is to achieve optimum effectiveness then the â€Å"ideal† system to adopt is Participative. Meredith Belbin (1926 -) In the 1970s, Dr Meredith Belbin and his research team at Henley Management College set about observing teams, with a view to finding out where and how these differences come about. They wanted to control the dynamics of teams to discover if – and how – problems could be pre-empted and avoided. As the research progressed, the research revealed that the difference between success and failure for a team was not dependent on factors such as intellect, but more on behaviour. The research team began to identify separate clusters of behaviour, each of which formed distinct team contributions or â€Å"Team Roles†. The co-ordinator. Any group needs a leader, an overall chairperson who can co-ordinate the efforts of all members in the team. This role calls for someone who is an effective and well disciplined organiser. The co-ordinator must be able to communictae well with others, to focus their minds and efforts on the objectives of the group as well as the job in hand. They must be able to work with and through other group members. In formal project and work teams, the co-ordinator is often appointed before a team is formed, although in informal groups a leader or co-ordinator is likely to quickly emerge. The shaper. In many ways, the shaper acts as the co-ordinator’s second-in-command, and will often take charge in their absence. The shaper can be the catalyst who turns plans or ideas into action. The role of shaper suits someone with an outgoing and dominant personality, ideally a person who is committed to the successful performance of the group and enthusiastic about the task. The plant. The innovator of the group, the plant tends to be intelligent and imaginative. It is the plant who comes up with original ideas, suggestions and proposals. Often the role of plant suits a more introverted personality who needs to be encouraged in order to contribute fully. The monitor-evaluator. Someone who analyses the ideas and plans of the group to point out inconsistencies, difficulties and flaws. The monitor-evaluator may remain on the periphery of the group, stepping into make a contribution before final decisions are made. The resource investigator. Someone who identifies and locates the resources needed to complete a task, often from sources and contacts outside the group. The role of resource investigator suits an extrovert personality keen to take on the ideas of the group. The implementer. An implementer is usually a good organiser and administrator. The implementer sees to the practical planning and scheduling of the task. The teamworker. By themselves, teamworkers do not take a leading role in a group, but rather support and encourage other group members in their roles by listening and helping. A teamworker will often help to smooth things over if there is a disagreement within the group. The completer. The group member who consolidates the effort of the group as a whole. It is the completer who ensures the group meets its targets, both in terms of time and quality. The completer is usually finicky about details, checking that the task has been completed fully and on time. The specialist. People with the specialist knowledge and skills required for the task or parts of the task. Belbin stresses the importance of each role being fulfilled in a group. If too few of the roles are fulfilled, there will be a risk that tasks may not be completed satisfactory. In small groups with a few members each member may have to fulfill more than one role. Fred Fiedler (1922 -) Fred Fiedler, an American management consultant, suggested that the ability of a manger or leader to manage or efficiently depends upon the situation facing the team. According to Fiedler, there are three critical â€Å"dimensions† or factors which have to be taken into consideration: * Position power – the power and authority given the leader by the organisation. * Task structure – the extent to which tasks and outcomes can be clearly defined to * those responsible for carrying them out, as opposed to tasks that are unclear or ambiguous. * Relations between the leader and the other team members – the extent to which the members of a team like and trust their leader, and are willing to follow his/her lead. Fielder also identifies three conditions (or sets of conditions) which can affect the effectiveness of management styles. Condition 1 where position power of the manager is high, the task highly structured and relationships with team members are good. Fiedler suggested that in this condition an authoritarian, task-centred management style is most appropriate, as relationships are already good and the manager is able to maintain control. Condition 2 in which the position power of the manager is relatively low, the task is poorly structured or ambiguous, but relationships between the manager and the team members are moderately good. In this condition, Fiedler suggested that a democratic, employee-centred management style is more appropriate in order to maintain relationships and to enable the manager to exert some influence. Condition 3 where again the position power of the manager is low and the task poorly structured, but relationships between the manager and team members are also poor. In this condition, Fiedler suggested that an authoritarian, task-centred management style is more appropriate, giving rise to more positive action and better performance than a more conciliatory democratic, employee-centred style. Victor Vroom (1932 -) An alternative contingency theory has been proposed by the US psychologist Victor Vroom. In his model, Vroom identified these five stages of management from which mangers can choose the most appropriate to their situation. 1) The manager makes all decisions and solves problems without reference to team members. 2) The manager obtains relevant information from team members, and them makes the decision or solves the problem. 3) The manager consults team members individually for opinions and suggestions, and then makes the decision or solves the problem. ) The manager consults with a group as a whole, and then makes the decision or solves the problem. 5) The manager consults with the team, and a decision is taken or the problem solved by the team as a whole. Team’s Management There are many management strategies that a business can choose to run its organisation by. However many of these strategies focus on the authoritative figure, (managing director), of t he organisation. Within the team, communication is key to ensure the success of the business, allowing information to reach all members of the team, in particular with management. Rensis Likert’s theory asserts that the most successful leaders are those who are able to establish work teams that are fully co-operative and have a high level of job satisfaction. Relating to his theory, the teams management strategy could be seen as consultative. All major decisions were first of all made and discussed by the team, but ultimately made by the managing director. This showed the confidence and trust the managing director had in the team. Using meetings to make constructive use of team members ideas and opinions, allowing participation in decision-making from the team. In this instance communication is two-way between the managing director and the rest of the team. However the strategy I agree that represents the team’s management the most, is Likert’s system 4, participative. This team management strategies states that the manager demonstrates complete trust and confidence with the team. Also through meetings, full use was made of team participation in decision-making and setting targets, as we regularly used our gantt chart to set deadlines, and discussed the issues we faced to resolve them effectively. I felt there was a supportive atmosphere as the managing director helped and advised rather than dictating and commanding. As communication flowed freely in all directions, responsibilities for decisions and performance were shared throughout the team. Meredith Belbin’s theory identifies nine basic roles which must be fulfilled for a group to be fully effective. Team roles are rarely allocated through a conscious decision process. Some roles are adopted because a member wants that particular role, either because they feel most comfortable in it, or because it fits in with their personal agenda. Other roles are adopted by members subconsciously, because their personality or temperament best suits them for the role. During our first team meeting job roles were allocated, and with many of these job roles can be instantly related to Belbin’s team management theory. The co-ordinator was instantaneously adopted by the managing director as he was an effective and well disciplined organiser. As the co-ordinator, the managing director communicated well with the team, to focus on the objective of the group as well as the job in hand. The monitor-evaluator, I feel was adopted by the sales manager as she analysed ideas and plans of the group and pointed out inconsistencies. Also the sales manager adopted the role of the plant, as she is an intelligent and imaginative individual who came up with original ideas and suggestions. Logically I think the role of the implementer was taken on as the secretary, myself. I feel as the implementer I had good organisation and administrative skills, and I planned and scheduled team tasks. The role of the shaper was taken by the production manager as he stepped in if the managing director was absent. I feel that the shaper was committed to the successful performance of the group and enthusiastic about the task. I would regard the finance director as the specialist within the group as he used his specialist knowledge and skills required for the task. The teamworker was a role that was adopted by the human resources manager. Although he did not take a leading role within the group, he supported and encouraged others in their roles. Furthermore the teamworker often helped to defuse any difficult situations or disagreements. The legal officer, I believe, took on the role of the resource investigator as part of his job was to locate resources from outside contacts, such as contracts and insurance policies. Finally, I would consider the role of the completer was adopted by the marketing manager. One of the marketing managers tasks was to create the logo for the team. Using the teams ideas, he consolidated their work to produce the logo. He ensured that the group met deadlines and checked quality of the teams work. However I feel that Belbin’s roles could have applied to each individual member of the team. Many aspects of his theory could have applied to individual tasks as well. On the other hand, I see the significance of these roles, as it allows team members to be identifiable and recognise their roles. Teams and Management Styles Ultimately, the performance if the team is the responsibility of the leader. However, any team is only as effective as the combined efforts of its members, and all members must play their part. A leader must therefore be aware of and sensitive to the varying needs of the organisation, the team and individual members. So a team leader must draw out contributions from all members by co-ordinating their activities and by making sure that they work positively towards the team’s objectives. A good leader will listen to the opinions, ideas and concerns of members. If conflict exists, the leader must decide on a course of action that is in the interests of the team and organisation. The style of leadership or management adopted by managers has an impact on employees. It can affect employee motivation and morale, and therefore affect their work, with consequences for the performance of the organisation. Obviously, any business organisation wants to get the best performance out of its workforce. A considerable amount of research has therefore been undertaken into the effectiveness of different management styles and approaches to business leadership. The underlying goal of this research is to find the style – or styles – of leadership which is more likely to encourage subordinates to work better. Theories of management have usually contrasted three styles: Autocratic In an autocratic management style, power and authority are exercised by the manger without reference to others within his or her department or team. The autocratic manger plans and controls the activities of the team, dictating what is to be done and spelling out how it should be done. Autocratic management tends to be task-centred, and more focused on the satisfactory completion of the task than on the welfare or motivation of employees. Democratic In a democratic management style, on the other hand, while power and authority still lie with the manager, plans and decisions on future activities are made by the team as a whole. A democratic manager may even delegate some power and authority for making decisions to others in the team and may encourage staff to take some independent action. Democratic management is employee-centred, being based on the theory that employees will be more motivated and work better when they are involved in decision-making. Laissez-faire A manager who adopts a laissez-faire management style allows members of the team to carry out their functions and tasks without interference. This type of manager will remain in the background, co-ordinating and supporting the work of the team members, and representing them at management settings. Leadership style analysis Initial, my first analysis of the leadership style for the team would be that our Managing Director adopted a very laissez-faire style. As this was the first team we had worked in a team with each other, but we all knew each other from the previous year, the leadership style was quite laid back and everyone was left to carry out their roles and responsibilities. Yet through regular meetings, as a team we were able to come together, review our work and our managing director was then able to co-ordinate our work. However I would now say that there was more of a democratic leadership style by the managing director. Although the managing director was the authoritative figure within the team, everyone is given a seat at the table, and discussion is relatively free-flowing. The ideas and decisions were discussed openly and final decisions were made as team. This style meant facilitating the conversation, encouraging the team to share ideas, and then synthesizing all the available information into the best possible decision. I believe that this type of leadership allowed the managing director to trust the team to make their own decisions. Through our meetings we knew what our tasks were, and our deadlines as they were organised by the managing director, yet I felt that we were encouraged to make our own decisions with our work and we were not required take their ideas. Also I felt that as a team we all involved in making the decisions and it was our company, not just the managing directors. Because of this, I believe that our business was more of a success as we were all motivated to achieve more than was expected. Meetings A meeting are called together to discuss or investigate problems, give information, consult the views of others, take decisions or plan courses of action, when more than one person is involved. As methods of communication, involving employees in the management of the business, and spreading information, meetings have an important part to play in motivation. They are, therefore, an important management tool, and any manager needs to have the skills and experience to use meetings. Meetings are an important part in the management of any business and are called on several levels. * At director level, meetings are called to discuss and take decisions on the future strategy of the business and to set aims and objectives. * At senior management level, meetings are called to decide on plans of action to implement strategy and achieve objectives. * At department or team level, meetings are called to disseminate or given information, investigate problems or ways of doing things, consult the views of team members, and plan the work of the team to achieve its targets. As with any team activity, the effectiveness of a meeting is also affected by the style of leadership and decree of control exercised by the person chairing the meeting. ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- Below is a copy of the minutes from a team meeting. 1st October 2010 Meeting started at 2:30 – ended 2:40 Agenda 1. Decide food 2. Questionnaires 3. Welsh Bac group. Present at meeting -All. Food discussed. Discussed what food and drink we want to supply at the disco. With each ticket purchased, pupils will be provided with a free drink and packet of crisps. Prices of products have been researched, as a group have decided to purchase the cheapest product. Have decided that we will not be giving fizzy drinks as the free drink, but will be selling them throughout the disco. Also we have decided to offer other crisps, chocolate and sweets, although products will need to be checked for nut allergies. Questionnaire discussed. Production manager to produce a questionnaire to find out what pupils want at the disco. We have decided to issue two questionnaires, one for lower school and one for upper school. By doing this we can cater the for both disco’s effectively. Welsh Bac group discussed. Along with the disco we need to include a Welsh Bac group for their business enterprise. We have decided on a group who will be selling glow sticks at the disco. All profits made from sales of their products will be added to total donated to our chosen charity. Date of next meeting: 12th October 2010 ————————————————- Detailed discussion of meeting Throughout our task, we regularly held meetings on a fortnightly bases. This enabled the team to review the task and deadlines. During meetings the team were able to communicate ideas and discuss problems. In the meeting included above, the reasons for holding the meeting were to discuss the agenda: * Decide food * Questionnaires * Welsh Bac group. During this meeting we were able to decide that we would give pupils a free drink and packet of crisps with their ticket purchase. We all agreed that this would be an incentive for the pupils to attend the disco, and thought that it was fair to provide one free drink and one free packet of crisps as the disco would only last an hour and a half. After looking through research from the production manager, we decided that the free products would be the cheaper of our stock. From the research we concluded that we would be purchasing small squash cartons and space raider crisps, as the free products. As these were the products that all pupils would be given, we decided that they shouldn’t be full of additives, like a fizzy drink or sweets. As well as the free products, at the disco we sold additional snacks and drinks. We decided that these products should be named brands and widely recognised by the pupils, which we felt would persuade the pupils to purchase them. At this meeting we decided that extra research was needed to guarantee all products sold would not contain nuts, ensure we would not cause any allergic reactions to any of the pupils. The second topic on the agenda was the questionnaires. We needed to gather data and primary research for our event. We concluded that the best possible way to do so was through a questionnaire, getting answers directly from the target market it was aimed at. During this meeting we discussed what types of questions needed to be included in our questionnaire. To begin with we discussed what needed to be included in the questionnaire. We wanted to find out what products the pupils would want to purchase at the disco and if the products we were researching would be suitable. Also we wanted to ask the pupils what types of music they wanted to listen to at the disco, and if they would like to hear Christmas songs at the disco, as this would enable us to cater for all their music tastes. We had previously discussed inviting a band to our event, but we needed to know if the pupils wanted this along with any items they would like available at the event. As we were having two discos’ we needed to cater for both. We decided that we would need to produce two questionnaires, for both upper and lower school. This would allow us to design the discos around the pupils. After discussing the questions, the managing director delegated the task of producing the questionnaire to the marketing manager. We all felt that he was the right person for the task. We have been approached by a Welsh bac group, who as part of their course need to include business enterprise. This group would like to be a part of our disco, and wish to sell glow sticks during the event. As a team we decided that glow sticks would be an ideal product to sell at a disco, and agree that the pupils would enjoy them. We agreed as a team and with the welsh bac group that the profit they make will be contributed to our total, and donated to our chosen charity. Analysis of the meeting It was important to have regular meetings through our task, as it allowed us to come together as a team, to evaluation our work and organise tasks. I would consider these meetings beneficial to the team, as it motivated us to work together and focused us on the job at hand. The advantages of the above meeting: * Analyse individuals work. * Make decisions as a team. * Able to keep track of progress. Resolve problems as a team. * Discuss future tasks. * Easy way to communicate within the team. * Problems resolved quickly and efficiently. * Agenda was met. The disadvantages of the above meeting: * Meetings quite short. * No future deadlines set. * New ideas were not discussed. * No alternative agenda’s were discussed. * Welsh bac group was discussed without their presence. * Meetings were not set on regular bases. Even though I regard our team meetings as an effective means of communicating within the team, I feel that there are areas that need to be reviewed and improved. Initially the length of the teams meetings is an area I believe could be improved. The majority of our meetings would last 10-15 minutes. I personally believe that this was not enough time to discuss all topics on the agenda, and allow team members to raise additional topics. Also by having meetings at 2. 30, didn’t leave us much time in a normal school day to get tasks done that have been discussed. If we held all our meetings first thing in the morning, it would leave us the rest of our lesson (and free lessons) to address issues raised in our meetings. On many occasions deadlines were set during meetings, however this did not happen at all meetings. I believe that by not setting team deadlines during meetings, team members did not know what their tasks were or how to address them. Also this meant that progress was slowed, which lead to work being rushed as we came closer to the event. If we had set deadlines and tasks during every meeting, I feel that progress could have been made earlier, allowing us to concentrate on the more important issues. Furthermore it would have enabled team members to identify their progress what they need to do next.

Understanding & Analyzing Competing Values Framework Assignment

Understanding & Analyzing Competing Values Framework - Assignment Example Through these processes, the organization eventually achieves stability and control. Open Systems Model (OSM) emphasizes adaptability, growth, organic system, resources acquisition, and external support. The Rational Goal Model (RGM) emphasizes rational action with the major aspect being the realization of profit. The primary assumption of this quadrant is that planning as well as goal setting lead to outcomes namely efficiency and productivity. Human Relations Model (HRM) is founded on morale and cohesion with special emphasis on capacity building and human resource management (Cameron & Spreitzer 2012). Members of an organization act as cooperating members and not alienated individuals of a common social system. The Research/Study The efficiency and value of the models that help in understanding the structure is the primary goal of the research. The study further attempts to scrutinize and evaluate how various structures of the organization operate towards accomplishing the set obj ectives in the short term and long-term basis. Apparently, every business enterprise has distinct rationale and composition that helps in tackling fundamental challenges that have considerable chance to hamper the efforts and goals already set out by the management and employees (Cameron & Quinn 2011). The essential facet of the study was to establish suitable ways of inventing the framework. This would help in making the rationale become more effective notwithstanding other invisible challenges or factors. Understanding the task of the framework has become even much easier following discovery of two vital dimensions of efficiency in an organizational framework. The potential dangers and disapproval because of the contemporary criteria was another... This essay stresses that the efficiency and value of the models that help in understanding the structure is the primary goal of the research. The study further attempts to scrutinize and evaluate how various structures of the organization operate towards accomplishing the set objectives in the short term and long-term basis. Apparently, every business enterprise has distinct rationale and composition that helps in tackling fundamental challenges that have considerable chance to hamper the efforts and goals already set out by the management and employees. This paper makes a conclusion that The co-worker perceives me as someone who works productively, facilitates a more constructive working environment, manages stress and time, and develop and communicate vision. The co-worker has further developed firm conviction that I can set vital goals and objectives; prove to be instrumental in design and organization, project management, designing work, managing across functions, and controlling information overload, process and deliberate on management with critical thinking. Other skills include developing employees, effectual communication, understanding and appreciating people around as well as my efforts, conflict management, and team building. These self-assessment instruments have considerable influence on my capacity to improve personal output as well as efforts to integrate fresh ideas into the organization. Finally, the instruments would facilitate the process of building positive relationships with co-workers and the management notwit hstanding the realism about multiplicity of roles.

Network security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Network security - Essay Example This firm is emerging as a huge business set-up with a head office located in New York. In the past few years, TAS has got massive popularity and now it has 10 stores in the area. The staff of TAS comprises more than 500 people. In order to connect its different stores the business has implemented a wide area network (WAN). However, the internal activities are performed by using local area network (LAN), which is established by using cables and other hardware devices. The implementation of this network has brought a number of advantages and improvements to business, however; in order to run its business operations effectively the firm has implemented an effective security mechanism. The firm has mixed a wide variety of security techniques to improve its network security. In this scenario, the business uses different security techniques to ensure the maximum security of its network. This paper discusses some of the important aspects associated with its network security. ... In addition, the absence of a network security can create many security challenges for a firm for instance a competitor or a hacker can gain access to private or vital information, which can destroy the entire business or personal information related to a specific system or data loss. In this scenario, an organization can implement effective network security when its employees and staff members have knowledge of network security. In simple words, in an attempt to ensure effective network security system users must follow organization’s security guidelines (Kaminsky, 2012; Ray, 2004; Laudon & Laudon, 1999). Athlete’s Shack (TAS) makes use of a wide variety of security techniques to ensure the security of its network and business data. Some of the important techniques are outlined below: Username and Password Based Access: Each employee is provided with a username and a password which they use in order to access and use the system. For this purpose, they have an IT Centre , which is responsible for determining the access type for the organization’s employees. Firewalls A firewall can be implemented in both hardware and software format as they are designed to stop illegal access to or from a private network. In addition, firewalls stop illegal Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, in particular intranets (Indiana University, 2012; Rouse, 2007). Since the different stores of the Athlete’s Shack (TAS) are connected using the Internet so they have implemented firewalls to secure their computers and network. Antivirus Software An anti-virus program stops viruses from entering into the computer network. In this scenario, TAS is using the latest version of Avira Antivirus1 that is very

Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Capitalism - Essay Example In the political context, capitalism is the system of  freedom and legally it rules of law  opposed to rule of man. Economically men’s freedom is applied to the sphere of production. In the modern time, economists argue that capitalism works as a system of natural forces with the supply and demand that tends toward equilibrium. Governance here serves as the main distortion of capitalism and any opposition to capitalism is equal to the opposition to the markets. While Scott (2006) argues about the capitalism to be defined as an economic system with private actors to own and manage the use of property, the pricing mechanism coordinates supply and demand in the markets in the best interests of society. Government, in this view is responsible for tolerable taxes. In the simple word, Murray (2012) considers capitalism lifted the world out of poverty since it gave people to be richer as they create value and reaping the rewards. Thus, the concept of capitalism is perceived as th e indirect governance for economic, political and administrative relationship where organized markets exist with the set of institutional foundations with various rights and responsibilities that are created and regulated under the protection of a political authority (Rand, Branden, Greenspan & Hessen, 1986). While capitalism is taken for granted for many people, Wright (2007) states that certain behaviors of economic policies of the government may receive great criticism where capitalism as such is able to develop the negative consequences. Some bad effect of capitalism involves human misery and thwarted lives (Wright, 2007) and in general capitalism generates unnecessary human suffering. It raises the question of greed with exaggerated single-minded pursuit of self- interest which is in the context of capitalism to be the economic system that is driven by the profits.

Career Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Career Theory - Essay Example The individual brings into the environment specific abilities and as such, certain needs that are necessary for him or her to be successful in that a given setup. This theory provides the counselor with the information necessary to assist an individual in making changes that lead to correspondence between him or her and the prevailing situation, depending on whether the individual has the ability to change a situation as well as his or her perception of the situation. This theory strives to answer the question as to whether individuals perform better an environment which befits their values and as to whether they are faced with problems and challenges if the environment they live in does not conform to their felt needs. This conformity of environment and the person concept is what is known as person environment fit. For instance, if the school environment is achieve-ment oriented, and then students will most likely, value achievement, thus achieving a high person environment fit. Con sequently students in a university may change subjects in order to make the person environment fit more favorable hence increasing the person environment fit. In cases of correspondence between individuals and environment there is no big demand for person change. This theory is usually concerned with personal characteristics such as traits, and skills which some times are referred to Vocational Personality. As people are uniquely different, no particular approach is good for all as it may not suit someone else; therefore a blend of various techniques is more ideal. Instances where by a school may apply Person/environment/Correspondence Counselling.This theory can be applied whereby students exhibit any or one of the following characteristics; Indecisiveness in career path, sudden change of behavior, excessive drinking, difficulty in learning and in cases of drug abuse and also when handling disadvantaged students.Counselling aims at basically connects students to resources so that they can become more aware of themselves and the opportunities out there whether jobs or occupations as well as making them into better decision-makers in terms of choosing future careers which matches their interests, core values, and abilities. Non Directive counseling .This technique can be used by a number of professionals including teachers on behavior change. This technique, associated with Carl Rogers, and allows individuals in emotional problems to speak about the problems and resolve difficulties with a minimum of direction being provided by the counselor. This technique assumes that everyone is motivated enough to change into a better person. School counselors can apply this technique according to certain guidelines while the student explores and analyzes the problem and devises a personal solution. This technique encourages the student to feel comfortable in the expression of feelings and thus facilitates positive change but it is also limited in that it is time consuming and often slows to bear positive results. According to Rogers this technique helps others to resolve internal conflicts and feelings hence reducing undesired behavior. This technique is useful with individuals who are cooperative but it becomes less effective if individuals are uncooperative and unwilling to change. For this approach to work well there is a need t for privacy and use of non punitive persuasive methods as well as

Honor System a Professional Responsibility Essay - 1

Honor System a Professional Responsibility - Essay Example They cannot afford any blunder in their behavior which may lead others to think anything in contrast to the behavior and belief which was expected of that person. This set of rules, this guideline that is there to direct members on how to act or more specifically, how NOT to act, is called the honor code. In simple terms, it is there to uphold the honor of the community by avoiding any action which goes against its teachings. There are majorly two types of honor codes. One is academic and the other is for forces. The academic honor code is highly evolved into becoming perfect now. All major colleges and universities have their own honor codes which have been perfected to their own standards by trial and error. Students have found loopholes in each one of them and when discovered, the holes were filled by re writing the code for the new students. The result is that the present honor codes, though different, are very well defined and do not give any excuse to any student to behave in a way regarded as unacceptable. The honor codes for forces are present for all three, the Naval, Air Force and Military. At the heart of these honor codes, is the military honor code. Being trusted by the public for the welfare and security of that whole country, the military honor code is well defined and comprises of the essence of responsibility. It reads that "A cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do." (USAF Academy, 1985) This is all very interesting. Surely it shows how thoroughly the code encompasses the whole idea of the organization. The soldier knows by reading the code what his duties and responsibilities are and how to go about fulfilling them. This will help shape his life at the academies. From the very start he knows what is required of him and he will be following a clear cut path towards becoming the sort of soldier and commander that is required and expected of him by the nation.

Religious Teachings and Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Religious Teachings and Business Ethics - Essay Example The Utilitarian approach holds to the idea that societies should strive for the best for the most people. Jeremy Bentham eighteenth-century philosopher wrote, "The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation" (Fisher & Lovell 2003, p. 95). The writer/philosopher John Stuart Mills also wrote extensively on Utilitarianism (Daft 2005). Individualism is viewed as the essentially opposite of Utilitarianism. The Individual approach maintains that right moral choices lead to what is in the best long-term interest of the individual. German economist and sociologist Max Weber's influential essays on capitalism emphasized individual efforts and the accumulation of personal wealth (The Free Encyclopaedia 2007). The Moral Right approach values fundamental human rights and identifies six moral subcategories; free consent, right to privacy, right to freedom, of conscious, right to free speech, right to due process and the right to life and safety (Daft 200 5). Finally, the Justice approach promotes the idea of moral decision making and is based on standards of equity, fairness, and impartiality. Daft identifies three distinct forms of justice(2007). Distributive justice governs the right of people to be treated fairly without discrimination based on arbitrary characteristics. Procedural justice proscribes that rules should be applied consistently and compensatory justice argues that people should be compensated for injury and loss (Daft 2007). Certainly, all four of these perspectives can be identified in most major world religions. In order to set a proper stage for the discussion of religion and its place in business ethics, it is important to provide an overview of the historical influences on the matter. One of the first moral codes to impact mankind stemmed from the religious society of Judaism. In the books of the Bible, there are plentiful references as to how the faithful should conduct themselves in relation to their neighbors, family, and friends. The figures in the Old and New Testaments of Bible; Solomon, David, Moses, and Jesus of Nazareth; were most certainly well known for their ethical teachings. Important philosophers and ethical teachers can be identified throughout human history.  Ã‚  

Measuring the Enthalpy Change for the reaction Essay Example for Free

Measuring the Enthalpy Change for the reaction Essay Observation: 1) To start with, the copper sulphate solution is transparent blue colour. 2) At the fourth minute, using the glass rod to stir the solution as the Zinc powder is placed into the solution, the colour changes into dark turquoise and the solution fizzes due to the chemical change. 3) The Zinc powder then dissolves in the solution. 4) As I stir the solution, the colour changes to grey with black precipitate. 5) Then, the solution gradually changes from grey to black with black precipitate. At the twelfth minute, the black precipitate dissolves yet the solution continues to fizz showing the chemical reaction is still taking place. After collecting the data and recording my observations, I then draw a linear graph in order to work out the temperature rise which occurred at the fourth minute. I decided to draw my graph landscape as I figured out that drawing the graph landscape is the best method to draw the conclusion and working out the temperature rise as the data are more spread out so I can draw out a more accurate measurement. After working out the change in temperature from the graph, I will then use the value to calculate the heat given out (in Joules) during the experiment. The equation that I will be using is: q = mc ?T Hence, q = 4.18 x 28.1 x 50.0 = 5872.9 J Moles of aq copper sulphate used in the experiment: Volume x concentration = 50.0 x 0.500 = 0.0250 moles 1000 1000 Moles of Zinc power used in the experiment: Mass = 4.761 = 0.07283 mr 65.37 =0.0728(3s.f) In the method given, I was asked to weigh out the mass of the Zinc powder between 4.5g and 5g. This shows that the reagent Zinc is in excess as the mass of Zinc does not effect the outcome of the results. The limiting reagent for this experiment is copper sulphate solution. Hence, I will be using the moles of copper sulphate to work out the rest of the calculation in the experiment. I will then use the values that I have worked out from the previous calculation to work out that molar enthalpy change for the reaction: ?H = -q = -5872.9 = -234.9 Moles x 1000 0.0250 x 1000 = -235(3s.f) Note: This is assuming that the experiment is under standard condititions. During this experiment, I must also consider the errors into account as they could affect the overall results. The apparatus that I used for this experiment is the most likely cause of error for example, transferring the Zinc powder from the weighing boat to the polystyrene cup is an error as there would be Zinc powder leftover on the weighing boat but in this investigation, it would not be the case as Zinc powder is in excess so the error would not take into account. First of all, I will work out the maximum percentage error in using each piece of the apparatus. This is to ensure that I have include all the possible errors in the apparatus and so that I can comment on whether if the apparatus contributes in affecting the overall results. The maximum percentage error in apparatus: Error in balance = à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.001g = 0.001 X 100 4.761 = 0.02100 %( 4s.f) Error in the thermometer = à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.2 = 0.2 X 100 28.1 = 0.7117 %( 4s.f) Error in 50ml burette pipette= à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.05 = 0.05 X100 50.0 = 0.1% Overall maximum percentage error= 0.8327% = 0.833% (3s.f) Hence, after working out the maximum percentage error, I can use the figure to estimate the degree of uncertainty in my enthalpy change. The enthalpy change is -235 in 3s.f. I have decided to use 3s.f as an appropriate degree of accuracy so the maximum percentage error 0.8327% will be 0.833% in s.f. In my opinion, the maximum percentage error is small so therefore I dont think it will effect my enthalpy change to an extent as the smaller the number of the maximum percentage error, then the more accurate my enthalpy change will be. I also thought of including the error of the stopwatch but it wouldnt affect the maximum percentage error much so therefore I decided to exclude it from my calculation as the error is tiny and can be discarded. Conclusion The reaction between Zinc and Copper Sulphate solution is an exothermic reaction meaning that the reaction releases heat to its surrounding. Therefore, theoretically, the temperature of the solution would increase when the reaction is taking place. This is proven in my results table as when I added the Zinc powder to Copper Sulphate solution at the fourth minute, the temperature dramatically increase from 19.2à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C to 40.2à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C. The reaction is spontaneous as the temperature increase very rapidly and then gradually slowing down in the later time interval. From my graph, I have drawn the best fit line for the data that I plotted onto the graph to show a trend that the temperature gradually decrease after a set amount of time. The best fit line proves the accuracy of my results as the best fit line crosses most of the data that I plotted which shows that the data that I collected is reasonably reliable. The best fit line also helps me to identify the anomalies of my values as I can clearly distinguish the anomalies from my values by using the best fit line. However, I must also take into account of the two anomalies which I circled on the graph and these points do not respond to the trend of the values. This may be due to the possible errors that could have taken place during the experiment. For example, at the fifth minute after that Zinc powder has been added, the temperature that I collected (40.2à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) is an anomaly as it does not fit into the best fit line. This may be due to the fact that I havent stirred the solution properly with the glass rod so the heat may not spread through some parts of the solution so by recording the solution with the thermometer, I may receive an unreliable value so therefore I must take into account that it is important to stir the solution vigorously to ensure that the heat is spread out throughout the solution and to ensure that the precipitate has completely dissolved and no sludge remained. In order to see how well the performance of my results are, I will need to use the theoretical value of the enthalpy change and compare it with the value of my enthalpy change so that I can see how far my value is from the correct value. The theoretical values that I used are from the chemistry data book; JG Stark, H G Wallace, 1982, Chemistry data book, page 57. The values that are used for Copper aq and Zinc aq are: By using the Hess Law, I will work out the theoretical enthalpy change by using these values from the data book. = -(+64.4) + (-152.4) = -216.8 Kjmolà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ I will then compare my value with the theoretical value of the enthalpy change. To do this, i will work out the percentage difference between my experimental value and the theoretical value. This is to see how big the percentage difference between my value and the theoretical value as the smaller the percentage, the more accurate my value will be to the theoretical value. So first, I will work out the difference between my experimental value and the theoretical value. -216.8-(-234.916) = 18.116 Kjmolà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Then, I will use this value to find the percentage difference between my experimental value and the theoretical value.

Electric Cars Are Going to Be the Future Essay Example for Free

Electric Cars Are Going to Be the Future Essay Nearly every household in America owns a gas powered vehicle, which pollutes our environment daily. Our society needs to consider furthering its knowledge and use of electric cars. Pollution of our environment must come to a halt in every situation possible in order to save the future of our atmosphere. I believe that the switch from gas-powered cars to electric cars is a very necessary and reasonable approach to save the environment. Several different car manufacturers have already began making efforts to adapt their vehicles to become more environmentally safe products. Although our country runs off oil and its proceeds, we can still attempt to make conversions that will lead to an overall positive impact on the United States. Making the switch to electric cars that run solely on renewable energy is a very wise economical and green decision. Our environment is long overdue for help in making it a better place for living in. The way we plan to make the environment better for living is by eliminating pollution altogether. The world annually emits approximately 8. 3 billion tons of carbon and about four billion tons will remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years. The switch to electric cars is an easy accomplishment because the technology is already at the tip of our hands. The United States will benefit a great deal after the switch from gasoline cars to electric cars is achieved. After learning the facts, the reasons are oblivious as to why electric cars are more efficient than hydrogen cars. The technology is already prepared for mass production. The negative environmental effects of production and driving the car are minimal. Manufacturers have already succeeded at innovating designs and specific features into the vehicles to assure the public’s satisfaction. With all of this in mind, it is vital to realize that the main goal of individual transportation is to enable people to get where they need to be when they need to be there. Ideally, there should be extremely limited environmental consequences when transporting in a perfect world, there would be none. Therefore, engineers and car manufacturers are not fixing the problem as a whole with their efforts to revolutionize automobiles, but every step forward counts. Instead of being content with the advancements, car manufacturers and engineers should continue to explore the world of environmentally safe opportunities to bring forward into the public eye. One of the most widely known alternatives to gasoline in America is hydrogen or biodiesel. Some might argue that hydrogen-powered or biodiesel-powered cars are more efficient than electric-powered cars, but they are not even close. Hydrogen cars are more expensive to fuel. The hydrogen car costs about three dollars per gallon, which totals around fifteen cents per mile, while the electric car pays in kilowatt-hours, which totals about two cents per mile. The average hydrogen car costs about one million dollars and the technology is just not there yet. It would cost excessively much to install hydrogen fueling stations and biodiesel pumps when it would be much easier and more reasonable to install a greater amount of electrical outlets across the world. Although, electric cars are more expensive to buy off the dealership lot they outperform the regular gasoline cars physically and economically. The electric car overall is cheaper to maintain, but unfortunately, after about ten years the lithium ion batteries start to drain out, but instead of buying a brand new car every so many years all you would have to do is replace the batteries. In the end, this will be a very good deal. The electric alternative technology is already here compared to other alternatives like ethanol, biodiesel, and hydrogen, yes, these are all great ideas, but the technology is just not readily available to us. Therefore, we should not even bother with these alternatives at all. Lastly, the gasoline cars that we use today waste power by constantly burning gas when the car is not in motion, whereas electric cars do not waste power when the car is not in motion.

The communist ideology

The communist ideology The main events of the latter half of the 20th Century remain a topic of intense debate with the reasoning behind these events still a source of speculation. This essay will examine the key events in Soviet Foreign policy through the four leaders of the period between 1945-1991; Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev and Gorbachev and will be contrasted against the teachings of Communist ideology in an effort to determine whether ideology had greater influence in the foreign policy decisions made by said leaders or if state interests played a more significant role. Marxism-Leninism was the ideology of the Soviet Union. Thus, Marxist-Leninist ideas influenced foreign policy. For a Marxist-Leninist, the world is divided into classes rather than individual states and in strict Communist doctrine, the key objective of foreign policy was the ultimate achievement of world revolution by the proletariat. As a result, Marxist-Leninism has no theory of international relations. It was well expressed by Trotsky[1] when he was appointed Peoples Commissar for Foreign Affairs in 1917, I will issue a few revolutionary proclamations to the peoples of the world and then shut up shop. Revolution would displace the state system and end the need for diplomacy. On the other hand, failure of a world-wide revolution to take place meant that the sate interests of the USSR quickly acquired great importance for Soviet foreign policy-makers. The Soviet Union increasingly turned to building a Communist society at home, believing that strengthening Communism within the USSR was the way to ensure a Communist society outside of its borders: Socialism in One Country, and that once strengthened, the Soviet Union would prove strong enough to lead the whole world to Socialism. There are other Marxist-Leninist ideas that strongly influenced foreign policy, one of which was the necessary antagonistic nature of Communism towards Capitalist states, which Stalin strongly believed would inevitably lead to war[2]. Related to this idea was the concept of correlation of forces the Russian equivalent to our balance of power- where the overall strength of capitalism was measured against communism. The idea that capitalism suffered from such profound contradictions; states competing for resources, economic problems, led Communists to believe that their system would prevail and therefore were always on the look out for the correlation of forces to change in their favour. It also reinforced the effect of the Leninist conception of imperialism. Lenin held the view that war would bring the prospect of revolution as the ruling classes became demoralised by the burdens placed by war on the states concerned and the working classes plummeted into misery. As previously mentioned, communism was not adverse to war if the outcome would be revolution. This was a belief strongly held by Lenin. Alternatively, Stalin, was more interested in war that served his interest. An example of which is the Second World War officially known in the Soviet Union as The Second Great Patriotic War. He reasoned that World War I was brought about by capitalists, who inflicted damage and destruction on each other, but is seen as positive as it led to the emergence of the USSR. After the Second World War, the USSR was left absolutely devastated, the class struggle also had to be balanced with the desire of the Soviet population for peace so that they and their country could recover. Soviet leaders were aware of this desire, which tempered any revolutionary ardour they may have felt. Nevertheless the years to follow were also years of great triumph for the USSR. The destruction of the German army meant the USSR was the only great European military power, had b ecome a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and it had broken out of the capitalist encirclement of having allied states on its borders. Stalin sought to increase Soviet power beyond what the Tzars had accomplished now that he had Communist ideology driving him. He was the dominant creator of Soviet foreign policy, the subject of which remains under dispute by several historians. One such historian, LeFeber entertained the notion that (Stalin) displayed a realism, a careful calculation of forces, and a diplomatic finesse that undercut any attempt to explain away his actions as paranoia[3], while another criticises Stalins foreign policy as inexplicable in its parts as incoherent in its whole[4]. It has been argued that Stalins foreign policy from 1945 onwards was a direct result of material interests and power play with the United States of America, that the USA was now perceived as Glavny Protivnik (greatest adversary) and that Stalin was scared of war because of its strength. The exact origins of the Cold War remain under dispute, even with new archival evidence from former Eastern-bloc states. The role to which Stalins foreign policy played in the build up to the Cold War can be categorised in a small number of groups. The orthodox view, which entertained Stalins aggressive and expansionist policy, his desired expansion along all of the USSRs borders from the Pacific to the Atlantic, which can be argued to be in following with Marxist-Leninist theories of expansion[5], even though he permitted discussion on what governments could be formed within newly acquired states. It is interesting to note that Stalins aggressive and expansionist policy has been attributed to his own declining mental health. He had even been diagnosed, albeit incorrectly, in 1927 as a paranoid schizophrenic nevertheless this diagnosis was proved to be inaccurate. The revisionist view, perceived by Marxist and Marxist-Leninist historians, depicted the USA as an aggressive power, to t heir own people and others around the globe, imposing its empire on an unwilling world, ignoring the security interests of the Soviet Union and conforming to the classic Leninist model of Imperialism.[6] This view gained credibility later in the 1960s, partly owing to the Vietnam War. Other historians, not Marxist in inspiration, claim that the USA wanted to establish an economic system across the globe which would promote trade and economic growth from which the USA would benefit. Separate to the ideological views is the notion that the conflict was inevitable and thus both superpowers were responsible for it. That the Cold War was the natural result of a situation in which two superpowers with differing ideologies remained. Tactically speaking, the USSR had only three strategic enemies, of which Japan and Germany had been defeated and China was embroiled in a civil war. In addition, the Soviet Union had the largest army with mobilised resources, it was also geographically the larg est country in the world. The USA on the other hand was a massive economic power and its population had not been morally exhausted by recent war nor were they at odds with their own government. The resulting clash between the two would turn into a global disaster. At this time, it appears Stalin preferred to avoid a military confrontation with the USA and having determined that military probes into Europe would be too hazardous, Stalin sought to expand Soviet influence into regions where there would be less risk of confrontation with the USA and so he turned to Asia[7]. After repeatedly denying approval of North Korean leader Kim Il Sungs proposed military attack of South Korea, the Soviet Union unexpectedly began secretly providing large technological and military assistance to North Korea. This U-turn decision has been cited by both Gaddis and Westad to support their assertion that Marxism-Leninism was of crucial importance in Soviet foreign policy[8]. Westad also provided another theory to Stalins unexpected decision change in that Stalin had seen Mao Zedongs Chinese Communist victory and had been unnerved by it. Stalin therefore gave approval for the attack on South Korean when he realised his rival in Mao would support North Korea with Stalin or without and Stalin did not want to appear less revolutionary than Mao[9]. Regardless of the ideological reasons, be it enthusiasm in response to Maos ambitions or jealousy and an attempt to outmanoeuvre Mao by condoning North Korea, even an avoidance of the USA to prevent a catastrophic war, it is indic ated that ideology was a factor in Stalins foreign policy involvement in Asia. Stalin died in March 1953. He was succeeded by a collective leadership with Nikita Khrushchev soon emerging as the main figure. The new leaders quickly realised that changes in foreign policy were necessary; the main reason for this being the arms race which was now becoming more prominent in world events. In 1952, the USA had detonated the worlds first thermonuclear device followed in 1953 with the USSR testing its first hydrogen bomb. In the years that followed, both powers created and tested various delivery systems for these new weapons that resulted for the USSR in the creation of Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) which had the range to strike the USA. Khrushchev called these weapons the Gods of War[10]. The realisation of the enormous power of these new weapons caused Stalins successors to abandon key principles of Marxist-Leninist ideology. The precept of the inevitability of war between capitalism and communism, which in Stalins eyes, would be won by communism, had t o be discarded as a conflict would result in the mutual assured destruction of both the capitalist and communist states. In addition, the principle of revolution that, although perceived as inevitable and the only way to a Communist society according to Marxist-Leninist doctrine, could now be the cause of a war that would also end in complete devastation for the warring states and thus it was at the 20th Party Congress in 1956 that a set of initiatives were launched which came to be known as destalinization which established a policy of long-term peaceful cooperation with the capitalist world. The superpowers had inadvertently become partners, with the incentive to prevent thermonuclear war. Although there initially appeared to be a change of direction from Marxist-Leninist doctrine there were still elements of it that were pursued even with the new initiatives in place. The Party leadership was quick to introduce the idea that a peaceful transition to Socialism was still very much possible. The changes to foreign policy included the commencement of armistice talks in areas of conflict, for example, the Korean war. The Soviet regime also attempted to strengthen its satellite states in the bloc and draw them closer to the USSR. This all culminated in 1955 with the creation of the Warsaw Treaty Organisation. In addition, a massive amount of economic and technical assistance was given to the communist nation of the Peoples Republic of China. This assistance has been described as the greatest transfer of technology in world history[11]. The regime also encouraged trading and other forms of communication with the Western world, it opened up to tourism, Soviet citizens were pe rmitted for the first time to visit other states not in the Eastern bloc of which the reverse was also the same. Stalin, would have avoided this as, in his view, it would have potentially opened up the USSR to hostile foreign influences. Competing ideological tendencies and institutional interests allied with Khrushchevs own over-ambition in foreign policy were the prime factors resulting in his fall from power in 1964[12]. During the Khrushchev years, Brezhnev had supported the process of destalinisation but as soon as he became leader, Brezhnev changed direction and reverted to a more regressive, Stalin-type attitude, even taking the title General Secretary, which Stalins held until 1952. Brezhnevs overriding aims were to ensure the primacy of the USSR in the world communist movement. Establish strategic parity in the US and on that basis, to secure western acceptance of the post-war order in Europe while extending Soviet power in the developing world[13]. The first foreign policy crisis of the Brezhnev regime occurred in 1968 when reforms began sweeping through Czechoslovakia, initiated by leader Alexander Dubcek, that posed the reduction of importance of the ruling Communist party. The Soviet leadership attempted to limit the impact of Dubceks reforms through negotiation but their efforts proved in vain. Soon after, Soviet and Eastern bloc troops invaded Czechoslovakia tasked with restoring it to Marxist-Leninist doctrine. This became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine.[14] The doctrine was used to justify the invasion of Czechoslovakia, and also used to put an end to liberalisation efforts that had the potential to disrupt Soviet control within the Eastern bloc. The concerns of the Soviet Union fit an ideology based explanation of Soviet actions. It is interesting to note that while the western states heavily criticised the invasion, they were unable to challenge the Soviet military force in Europe without risking nuclear war. The events surrounding the collapse of Communism and the relatively quiet dissolution of the Soviet Union can be attributed to the euphemistically named Sinatra Doctrine. It was the name that the Soviet government of Mikhail Gorbachev used to describe his new policy of allowing the eastern bloc Warsaw Pact nations to determine their own affairs. This was a complete change of direction from the Brezhnev Doctrine which tightly monitored and controlled the internal affairs of the satellite states. For Wohlforth, once Gorbachev was in office, his perception of the USSRs relative decline grew steadily more pessimistic. He had to accept retreat after retreat from the Soviets great power commitments, which let to the sudden end of the Cold War[15]. Gorbachev had many issues facing him, one of which was the prevention of anti-Soviet violence from breaking out. Previously, any dissident uprising would have been resolved by military intervention, however if a crisis erupted now, then a massive amount of military intervention would be necessary. It was decided that Soviet policy should aim to achieve two basic goals: avoid direct military intervention at any cost[16] and for the rapid transition to a new political order to be achieved peacefully. Gorbachev obviously could not see that the changes he initiated would lead to the demise of the Soviet bloc, it can be argued that he was depending on like-minded leaders to emerge from the Communist groups in Eastern Europe.[17] The question of whether communist ideology played a role in the transformation of Soviet policy still remains. If Gorbachev had decided to maintain the orthodox Communist rule in the Soviet bloc and enforce the Brezhnev doctrine, the Soviet army would have ensured his success. It appears that it was Gorbachevs own choices, on domestic priorities and a desire to lay to rest all remnants of Stalinism'[18] that led the Soviet Union down the path to disintegration. While it is undeniable that the ideological differences of Capitalism and Marxism-Leninism provided the Cold War with a catalyst, it is not outside the realm of possibility that differences between the two superpowers left in the power vacuum after the Second World War would not have provided the fuel to ignite the conflict themselves. Some of the specific policies adopted by the Soviet leaders could have just as easily been pursued by a non-communist government responding to a tense global situation, however that does not mean ideology had no relevance. It appears that the USSRs state interests were themselves influenced by Communist ideology and thus influenced the foreign policy decisions of the leadership. Bibliography Craig Nation, R. Black Earth, Red Star: A History of Soviet Security Policy, 1917-1921 (1992) Fink, C., Junker, D. Gassert, P. (eds) The World Transformed :1968 (1998) Gaddis, J.L. The Emerging Post-Revisionist Synthesis on the Origins of the Cold War (1983) Khrushchev, S. N Memoirs of Nikita Khrushchev Volume 1: Commissar, 1918-1945 (2000) Kramer, M. Ideology and the Cold War Review of International Studies (1999) Kramer, M. (ed.) The Collapse of the Soviet Union (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, (2000) LaFeber, W America, Russia and the Cold War, 1945-1992. Rosser, R.F. Introduction to Soviet Foreign Policy (1969) Taubman, W, Khrushchev: The Man and His Era (2003) Tompson, W. The Soviet Union under Brezhnev (2003) K zasedaniyu Politbyuro 6/X-88 g. 6 October 1988 (secret), reproduced in Tsena svobody: Refornatsiya Gorbacheva glazami ego pomoshchnika (Moscow: Rossika-Zevs, 1993) Westad, O.A. Cold War and Revolution: Soviet-American Rivalry and the Origins of the Chinese Civil War, 1944-1946 Wohlforth, W. Realism and the End of the Cold War. International Security, 19:3 (1994/5) Craig Nation, R. Black Earth, Red Star: A History of Soviet Security Policy, 1917-1921 (1992) p.1 Rosser, R.F. Introduction to Soviet Foreign Policy (1969) p.74 LaFeber, W America, Russia and the Cold War, 1945-1992. p.20. Westad, O.A. Cold War and Revolution: Soviet-American Rivalry and the Origins of the Chinese Civil War, 1944-1946, p.55 Rosser, Introduction p.80 Gaddis, J.L. The Emerging Post-Revisionist Synthesis on the Origins of the Cold War (1983) p.172 Kramer, M. Ideology and the Cold War Review of International Studies (1999) p.542-543 Kramer, Ideology p.541 Kramer, Ideology p.542 Khrushchev, S. N Memoirs of Nikita Khrushchev Volume 1: Commissar, 1918-1945 (2000) Taubman, W, Khrushchev: The Man and His Era (2003) p.337 Tompson, W. The Soviet Union under Brezhnev (2003) p.28 Tompson, W. The Soviet Union under Brezhnev (2003) p.28 Fink, C., Junker, D. Gassert, P. (eds) The World Transformed :1968 (1998) p.163-8 Wohlforth, W. Realism and the End of the Cold War. International Security, 19:3 (1994/5) p.109 K zasedaniyu Politbyuro 6/X-88 g. 6 October 1988 (secret), reproduced in Tsena svobody: Refornatsiya Gorbacheva glazami ego pomoshchnika (Moscow: Rossika-Zevs, 1993) p.368 Kramer, Ideology p.569 Kramer, M. (ed.) The Collapse of the Soviet Union (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2000)

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - Conflicting Ideals Essay

Conflicting Ideals in The Great Gatsby  Ã‚      Throughout the world, societies can become cruel and unjustified machines. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the morality of a society is clearly revealed through the choices and consequences its characters experience. The two societies within the novel, West Egg and East Egg, create an atmosphere of mixed ideals and morals, so completely opposite of each other. Three examples will be given to support the above thesis. Firstly, Jay Gatsby, arguably the main character, is involved in a number of criminal activities. Secondly, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, are a true symbol of how the morals of their society are revealed through their actions. Finally Nick Carraway, the narrator, is truly and innocent in a society gone mad. These three points will be elaborated below. Firstly, Jay Gatsby, formerly known as Jay Gatz, is a figure of the the corruption of the American Dream. He is an illegal bootlegger, an acquaintance of gamblers and con artists. His activities are constantly denounced by Tom Buchanan throughout the novel. His criminal activies reveal the morality of yesteryears society. His lavish and extravagant parties are another symbol of the morality of his society. Early in the evening, people are happy, dancing the night away, and are generally having a good time. But, the facade of the party quickly departs, and the true nature of these events are revealed. People get drunk, douse themselves in the pool to sober up, spouses fight and bicker over nonsequential items. And when all of this is over, the floor is covered with orange rings, spilled cocktails, along with other party nostalgia. All of this is a setup, so that Gatsby can get Daisy's at... ...saddened by the coldness of the people who do not care unwillingly to the funeral. Out of all the people who attend the parties, four join the funeral. So, the choices and consequences of Nick's experience clearly define the morality of the two societies. To sum things up, the morals of a society are revealed by the actions of its inhabitants. Firstly, Jay Gatsby, is involved in a number of criminal activities, and is the father-figure of the corruption of the American Dream. Secondly, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, are a true symbol of how the morals of the East Egg society are revealed by their actions. Finally, Nick Carraway, is truly an innocent in a myriad of scheming, cheating con artists. Therefore, their unjustified beliefs truly define the morality of a society which is clearly revealed through the choices and consequences of its characters from within.   

Comparing Reactions to Industrialism in Frankenstein and The Communist

Reactions to Industrialism in Frankenstein and The Communist Manifesto      Ã‚   The radical changes of the nineteenth century were unlike any the world had seen before. A sense of these changes were felt by all in many aspects; not just politically, but in social and cultural means as well. When Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was published in 1831, it was clear that many general elements of the romantic era were well reflected. Similarly, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels' The Communist Manifesto appeared in 1848, a time of great national political revolutions throughout Europe. While textually these historic nineteenth century texts have little in common, it is clear however that they both are strong reactions to previous movements of European society. Underlying Shelley's Frankenstein are strong uses of romanticism, whereas The Communist Manifesto is undoubtedly opposing the consequences of the industrial revolution in Europe; both reactions of the past, yet effective in starkly different ways.    Frankenstein, like other English Romantics, placed great emphasis on the power of nature. The Arve Ravine, and the Valley of Chamounix exemplify the harmony and beautiful serenity of nature, and add to the romantic quality of the novel while sharply contrasting with the chaos of Victor's troubled mind. The Romantic movement can be seen as a protest against the rapid industrialization that was occurring in England at the time of Frankenstein's publication. While many interpretations are plausible, the novel depicts the fear that technology (and the human obsession with technology) would ultimately prove disastrous. The characters of Walton and Frankenstein are shaped by Romantic idealism, as manifested in their ... ...r a classless, productive, industrial society that was beneficial to all, the mere recognition of strength in numbers and class solidarity were fundamentally effective and paved the way not only for future governments but for future laborers.       Works Cited    Lowe-Evans, Mary.   Frankenstein: Mary Shelly's Wedding Guest. New York:   Twayne Publishers, 1993.    Marx, Karl. Communist Manifesto. Birth of the Communist Manifesto. Ed. Dirk J.   Ã‚   Struik. New York: International, 1971. 85-125.    Oates, Joyce Carol.   "Frankenstein: Creation as Catastrophe." Mary Shelly's Frankenstein.   Ed. Harold Bloom.   New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.    Shelly, Mary.   Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus.   New York: Penguin Books, 1978.    Tropp, Martin.   Mary Shelly's Monster.   Boston:   Houghton Mifflin, 1976.