Dr. Clark s Biko Cry Freedom ( Bos Par - 1061 Words

Ten years after the death of Stephen Bantu Biko (1946-77), South Africa’s â€Å"Daily Dispatch† journalist, Donald Woods, wrote Biko: Cry Freedom (Bos par. 1). His book was subsequently adapted for film and produced by hollywood director: Richard Attenborough (Bos par.1). The film was released on the heels of South Africa’s nation-wide declaration of a â€Å"state of emergency† in 1986 (Clark and Worger xvi). Though some claim Attenborough’s film is a biographical look at the life, trial, and death of Biko, this claim strikes me as problematic. Told mainly from Wood’s perspective, the film touches on the formation of the South African Students’ Organization (SASO) under the co-leadership of Biko. Initially, viewers learn about Biko’s work with the Black Community Programmes (BCP), as illustrated in the scene where Biko gives a well-received speech at the illegal gathering for the Black People’s Convention (BPC) (Clark and Worger xx). It is only through Woods that the audience finds out that SASO gathered support from students fed up with the apartheid rule law-abiding National Union of South African Students (NUSAS). For his dedicated advocacy work, Biko is banned in 1973 as an attempt to silence and isolate him from his community. Frantz Fanon’s chapter, â€Å"Concerning violence† in The Wretched of the Earth (1961), speaks to the disappearance of individualism under colonial rule. Fanon indicates that the â€Å"colonialist bourgeoisie† thrusts the ideology upon the â€Å"native

Natural Law versus Utilitarian Law Free Essays

Abortion and Homosexuality, for many years, still remain one of the most crucial social and ethical issues of modern times. It has divided societies. Advocates and opponents continue to collide over debates, rallies, and violent confrontations trying to exert their rights to these practices. We will write a custom essay sample on Natural Law versus Utilitarian Law or any similar topic only for you Order Now Both sides have valid arguments that led to legal battles and state legislation. Abortion is legal in 54 countries while it is illegal in 97 countries. Approximately 46 million abortions are performed worldwide every year, averaging 126,000 a day. In the United States, 1,370,000 occur annually. Since its legalization in 1973, there are more than 40 million cases reported. Many women use abortion as birth control while others because of rape or incest. Women decide to abort in order to postpone childbearing, cannot afford a baby, too young, will disrupt education or career, risk to fetal health, and risk to maternal health. Each year almost 26 million women obtain legal abortions while 20 million others obtain it illegally in countries that prohibit the practice. Moral considerations in abortion include: Is the fetus a person? What stage of development does it become human? Does the pregnant woman have the right to decide whether she wants the baby or not? Not allowing a woman to end her unwanted pregnancy violates her human rights? Are laws controlling abortion violates privacy? Would abortion be allowed to women who are victims of rape or incest? On the other hand, homosexuals are well-known throughout history and now becoming a phenomenon these days. Their fashionable lifestyle is now acceptable. Recent studies show that the prevalence of homosexuality in adult males of Western societies ranges from 2% to 8%, indicating that a significant number of the population have homosexual tendencies. Homosexuals are now found in all walks of life, in all kinds of families, in many religions and races. Homosexuality is illegal in 80 countries, 42 of these outlaw male-to-male sex. The legal status of homosexuals varies. In some countries, homosexual acts are prosecuted under morality law or public indecency and even put to death. In 2001, Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriages followed by Belgium in 2003, Spain and Canada in 2005, and the US State of Massachusetts in 2004. Among the strongest issue against homosexuals is that they are obsessed with sex, having little self-control or morality. Their promiscuous living enables them to have multiple partners as many as 100, making them vulnerable to and carriers of sexually transmitted diseases. Homosexuals continue their struggle for recognition. They fight for equal rights to employment opportunity, better access to health and insurance, freedom to marry, legislation for child custody, and the repealing of laws that ban transvestitism and cross-dressing among others. Considering these scenarios, different views and laws come into play, for or against: The Natural Law versus the Utilitarian Law. Both sides are trying to justify the actions. Natural law uses the principle of Double Effect wherein a person may lawfully perform an action from which two effects will follow, one bad, the other good. This principle states that evil must never be willed or voluntary or used as an end or means to an end. To determine whether the action is right the act itself must be morally good or neutral, the motivation may not positively intend the bad effect but may permit it only to attain the good effect, the good effect must be desired to compensate for allowing the bad effect, and there must be serious reason to allow the evil effect. The Utilitarian, in contrast, uses the principle of Utility that such action is right or moral when it promotes happiness or pleasure, and decreased the unhappiness or pain of individuals affected by the action. This principle is commonly known as achieving the greatest good for the greatest number. The law believes that all individuals are equal when determining the consequences of any given action and decides which action to take, of all the possible actions, to do the right thing. Abortion and the Utilitarian Law. The central arguments of this law in favor of abortion is that the woman has the right to control her own body, that abortion is a just exercise of this right, and that the law should recognize the right of choice. Denial of this right encourages illegal abortion and causes psychological anguish for women, especially those who are victims of rape or incest. The fetus, according to this theory, only becomes a person when it is viable in 23 weeks. At this time, the fetus has no legal rights. The rights only belong to the woman who can decide if she wants the baby or not. Reproductive freedom is a basic right. Abortion is justified if done within the period when the fetus is not fully developed. In this case, abortion is only terminating the pregnancy, not killing a child. Under its guiding principle of maximizing total happiness, denying a woman to end her unwanted pregnancy will cause her unhappiness and increase her pain. In addition, the baby will inflict physical and psychological harm as well as affect the woman’s mental health. If she is forced to care for the child, it will be a burden because she is not ready for the responsibility. She will be distressful in the future. Along the process, the child may suffer. Unhappiness will rule the lives of both mother and child, and the people around them. This law also compares abortion to self-defense. That if the baby poses a threat to the life or health of the woman, abortion will be the best possible action to take out the threat. Abortion and the Natural Law. The central arguments of this law against abortion is the notion that human life begins at conception, that abortion is a deliberate act of killing the life in progress, and that the law must prohibit unjust violations of the right to live. Nature has provided women wombs to create life, eliminating life would be unnatural. The act of abortion is evil because its motivation is willful and pre-meditated in terminating an innocent being. Under this theory, undergoing an abortion procedure is not allowed. However, other medical procedures could be morally good if only to save the life of a mother even if it resulted in the unintended death of the unborn child. The death of the child is not intentional but allowed to happen as a by-product of the action. Good acts must not be accomplished by evil deeds nor evil must not become an element in achieving the good. Abortion should not be used for family planning or prevent birth defects. If during treatment of a deadly disease such as cancer, through chemotheraphy or hysterectomy, the unborn child dies. The death of the child is not a mean to cure the illness. If there is a choice in getting the good effect without the bad effect, then this must be taken. If the action will result in lesser good and greater evil, the evil will be considered accidental or incidental. If a woman aborts her child to avoid embarrassment or maintain a shapely figure, this is not a reason of unintentional death but a planned one. All possible acts must be pursued to preserve life, but during the course of action one life is lost, the act is permissible and acceptable. Homosexuality and the Utilitarian Law. Referring to its principle that such action is morally right if it produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, then homosexuality would be acceptable because homosexuals generate a lot of pleasure to a lot of people. As stated earlier, their practices allow them to experience various relationships with different partners. To this extent, homosexuality should be acceptable. This theory has three features on the issue: consequence, welfare, and sum-ranking. The act is moral if its consequences contribute to the happiness (welfare) of many people (sum-ranking). On this account there is no action that is neither right nor wrong. Homosexual acts are moral as long as they maximize happiness. All that matter is that their actions are right if it pleases everyone. The law also believes that homosexuality is a normal human condition not only brought about biologically or the environment but can affect early childhood. It covers every culture and age. Homosexuality and the Natural Law. In this theory, homosexuality is not acceptable because it simply does not conform in accordance with nature. A man and a woman are designed to complement each other in sex and marriage, to produce offspring and raise a family. Their bodies are intended for that purpose. Homosexuality defeats that purpose but only abuses the human body. Two men or two women cannot reproduce. Thus, it is considered unnatural and immoral because it destroys the essence of family life. Through adoption, gay couples may have the possibility to raise their own families. However, as a consequence, the children will grow up in an inappropriate living condition, bombarded by intrigues and unusual behavior of their so cold parents. Definitely, their way of thinking and behavior will likewise be influenced.   In this set up, the act imposes bad effects for the children. Conflicts may arise soon when the children reached the age of reason that perhaps will give way for separation and unhappiness. Legalizing homosexuality will affect the conduct and judgment of children as well as spread immorality. Its acts contradict all conditions of the double effect principle. There is no good effect, only evil effect. Homosexual act by itself is not good and its motivation is for self satisfaction not for the benefit of others. The gay ideology only reduces the human dignity. Their promiscuous acts not only create scandals that shook institutions like the church or government but give rise to a number of diseases that plague many nations. The practice of homosexuality presents lethal consequences to other people. As a result, the act results in a number of sexually transmitted diseases.   The Center for Disease Control cited that homosexuals make up 80% of all AIDS cases in America. People with same sex attraction are said to have personality problems and deserve to be treated. References Grisez, G.G. (1970). Toward A Consistent Natural Law: Ethics of Killing. (Reprinted). The American Journal of Jurisprudence. Vol. 15. [Electronic version]. Retrieve May 9, 2006, from http://faculty.msmary.edu/Conway/PHIL%20400x/Grisez%20Toward%20A%20Consistent.pdf#search=’the%20utilitarian%20law%20on%20abortion’ Alstad, D. Abortion and The Morality Wars: Taking The Moral Offensive. National Abortion Rights Action League, 1997. Retrieve May 9, 2006, from http://www.rit.org/editorials/abortion/moralwar.html Hinman, L.M. (2000). Contemporary Moral Issues: Diversity and Consensus. (2nd Ed.). Prentice Hall College Div; 1 edition (December 22, 1995). University of San Diego. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2000 Smart, J. J. C., Williams, B. (1973). Utilitarianism : For and Against. Cambridge University Press. United Kingdom. Finnis, J. (1980). (Natural Law and Natural Rights. Clarendon Law Series. Oxford University Press, USA (March 20, 1980). Ruse, M. (1993). Homosexuality: Right or Wrong? Free Inquiry. Volume: 13. Issue: 2. Spring 1993. Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism, Inc. How to cite Natural Law versus Utilitarian Law, Essay examples

Red Bull Social Media Analysis Viral Marketing

Question: Describe about the Red Bull Social Media Analysis: Viral Marketing? Answer: Introduction: This assignment analyses the social media presence of Red Bull. An energy drink was established in the year 1987 In Austria. Red Bull has maintained its highest position in selling energy drink within the world. Different products of Red Bull are Red Bull energy drinks, sugerfree drinks, drinks of zero calories, tropical fruit drink, blueberry drink, cherry drink etc. There are other products of Red Bull that is involved in Red Bull cola and Red Bull energy etc. Red Bull uses different digital marketing strategy for marketing different products. Strengths and weakness of Red Bull products: As discussed by (Botha and Reyneke), strengths of Red Bull are involved in its iconic brands, leadership within the industry, entertainment value. On the other hand, Weaknesses of Red Bull are involved in niche market segment and lack of innovation of products. However, marketing strategy of Red Bull is involved in avoiding different traditional techniques of marketing and advertisement. Red Bull has focused upon different cultural events and social media in order to market its products to the customers. Social media marketing strategy of Red Bull: Media house of Red Bull deeply focuses upon different types of digital as well as social media marketing techniques. This company fully integrates its every marketing project into different existing and popular social medium. Marketing managers of Red Bull use social medium and digital medium in order to gain cost effectiveness within the competitive sector of market. Red Bull has been experienced in the process of creating successful digital media campaign for its products within the market. Red Bulls strategy is fully different from other soft drink companies. Red Bull has 35 million followers within different social mediums or channels. Red Bull has also used viral advertising technique (Kozinets). Therefore, technique of viral marketing of Red Bull has become very successful in order to conduct viral marketing techniques. Red Bull has also demonstrated its different contents in video via YouTube photos via insta gram and content via face book and twitter. Red Bull demonstrates videos via face book and other social medium also. The video content of Red Bull seeks to highlight different popular athletes as well as sports persons. Red Bull has developed its effective strategy of content marketing in order to market its products among the targeted customers within the competitive sector of the market. As Red bull provides energy drinks seeks to engage different extreme sports persons; air biking, snowboards etc. Every aspect of advertisements of Red Bull provides visual contents of sports, athletics, music etc. Red Bull has focused upon providing effective pictures of energetic sport persons for convincing the customers that Red Bull can provide lots of energy to overcome any dangers. Red Bull communicates its core messages of energy through different strategies of content marketing. Most popular posts of Red Bull within different social mediums are involved in the innovative photos and videos. The tagline of Red Bull is Gives you wings. It has truly maintained in the creative videos and photos of Red Bull. Red Bulls face book page has gained more than 30 million likes. Red Bull focuses upon the demands of its customers while providing advertisements of its products (McKay-Nesbitt and Yoon) Social media presence of Red Bull: Face Book: Unlimited posting Different content related to adventure, sports, music Regular update of contents Twitter: Timely posting in pages Updated information about new events of sports, adventures and music However, it has been surveyed that Twitter has not got enough views from the customers. Twitter contents related to text has not been updated regularly (Twitter.com) Google+: Updating contents within 2 days per week Contents of music, adventures, sports Posts have effective engagement among customers Insta gram: Photos of sports, adventures on timely basis Different related activities of photos on activities of sports From 8 April to 22 April, different types of photos have been uploaded in the Insta gram. Different adventures pictures have been uploaded daily for the audiences (Instagram.com) You tube: Video uploading based on time Live video recording Updated video uploading Contents those are related to adventures, sports and music Videos have decent views Target audience analysis of Red Bull: Demographic segmentation of Red Bull is involved in the process of age segmentation, gender, and psychographic segmentation. Age group of target audiences of Red Bull is from 16 to 30 years old. Customers of below 16 mostly buy different lines of products of Red Bull soda. On the other hand, middle-aged customers mostly buy other zero calories products of Red Bull(Tang, Wang and Norman). This company mostly focuses on male customers. However, Red Bull does not reject group of women within the databases of customers. Red Bull can be considered as luxury products among the customers within the competitive sector of the market. On the other hand (Pletikosa Cvijikj, Dubach Spiegler and Michahelles) stated that, psychographic segmentation is very much necessary as well as essential in order to distinguish the trends of customers. Red Bull knows the trends of the customers. Within psychographic segmentation, buyers are involved into different ways; those are as follows: Lifestyle: Students, business executives, working class executives Occasions: Special as well as regular Personality: Adventurers, ambitious, open to gather new experiences Social status: High status User status: Regular user Attitude of customers to the products: Enthusiastic and adventurers Loyalty status: Customers are not so loyal to this company. This industry is not a loyalty-based industry Benefits: Quality On the other hand (Tkachenko) argued that, Red Bull also has maintained its geographical segmentation through area, region and city of the customers. Red Bull has concentrated upon the urban and semi urban sector of different countries. Conclusion and Recommendation: As discussed by (Wolny) Red Bull is the highest seller of energy drinks among the competitive sector of the global market. Red Bull has focused upon the social media marketing technique to focus upon the young customers. Therefore, Red Bull has tried to project its different products through different social mediums. On the other hand (Xu and Li) discussed that, Red Bull can face issues in order to provide effective social media campaign. Face book page is often not updated with regular information. Random posts of Face book is often handled with poor handling techniques. Red Bull only shares images and videos to insta gram. There are no provisions of user tagging for the customers of Red Bull. Recommendation 1: However, (Young and Merritt) discussed that, Red Bull has not developed innovative products for the customers. Red Bull only shares photos, videos in different social mediums for the customers. Red Bull can change techniques of approach by the help of different marketing experts of Red Bull. Recommendation 2: Red Bull can develop different effective techniques as well as strategies of content marketing for attracting the customers. Red Bull can acquire different techniques of content marketing; those are involved within info graphics, slide share presentation, e-books, e-mail marketing, and pr techniques. It has been investigated that Red Bull is lacking from effective PR campaign. Therefore, Red Bull can provide effective information by initiating newsletters and other pr tools for customers. Recommendation 3: The presence of Red Bull in insta gram is low. Therefore, Red Bull should focus upon this platform to gain marketing effectiveness. Red Bull needs to update pages of Insta gram on daily basis. Daily update is very necessary for this company. Recommendation 4: Red Bull mainly targets male players and male adventurers. Therefore, it should include women in the advertising process. It should portray the image of an adventurers woman. Reference lists Botha, Elsamari, and Mignon Reyneke. 'To Share Or Not To Share: The Role Of Content And Emotion In Viral Marketing'. J. Public Affairs 13.2 (2013): 160-171. Web. Instagram.com,. 'Red Bull (@Redbull) Instagram Photos And Videos'. N.p., 2015. Web. 6 May 2015. Kozinets, Robert V. 'Creating Sustainable Digital Experiences'. GfK Marketing Intelligence Review 6.2 (2014): n. pag. Web. McKay-Nesbitt, Jane, and Sukki Yoon. 'Social Marketing Communication Messages'. Journal of Social Marketing 5.1 (2015): 40-55. Web. Pletikosa Cvijikj, Irena, Erica Dubach Spiegler, and Florian Michahelles. 'Evaluation Framework For Social Media Brand Presence'. Soc. Netw. Anal. Min. 3.4 (2013): 1325-1349. Web. Tang, Fengchun, Xuequn Wang, and Carolyn Strand Norman. 'An Investigation Of The Impact Of Media Capabilities And Extraversion On Social Presence And User Satisfaction'. Behaviour Information Technology 32.10 (2013): 1060-1073. Web. Tkachenko, Yegor. 'Optimal Allocation Of Digital Marketing Budget: The Empirical Bayes Approach'. J Market Anal 2.3 (2014): 162-172. Web. Twitter.com,. 'Red Bull (@Redbull) | Twitter'. N.p., 2015. Web. 6 May 2015. Wolny, Julia. 'Marketing Transformations: Re-Thinking Marketing, Digital First'. J Direct Data Digit Mark Pract 16.2 (2014): 150-151. Web. Xu, Guandong, and Lin Li. Social Media Mining And Social Network Analysis. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference, 2013. Print. Young, Joyce A., and Nancy J. Merritt. 'Marketing Channels: A Content Analysis Of Recent Research, 20102012'. Journal of Marketing Channels 20.3-4 (2013): 224-238. Web.

Oscar Torres Essays (219 words) - , Term Papers

Oscar Torres Professor Johnson English 105 September 12, 2017 1315 E 9th St The sweet aroma of Long Beach's abundant sea of palm trees gently kissed my nostrils once again. It was another beautiful morning in the only home I knew was mine 1315 E 9th St the location where I grew from a young, innocent, and dependent boy to the man I am today. My home the only thing I knew every nook and cranny to; from the leaky rusted pipes behind the porcelain throne to the differing pattern in the tiles over the kitchen sink. Ninth Street was where I made some of the longest and ongoing connections to this day. A house is not a home until you are surrounded with the ones you love. This saying is one I slowly began to grasp like a growing vine tangling around a mailbox. In this house I was raised and introduced to my parents who even at an early age of my life it was transparent that they want nothing but the best for me especially being their first born. For as long as I can remember I met my first real friend in that house. It was my cousin who coincidently lived upstairs. She was a small, dark haired, and scrawny Hispanic girl a year younger then me. I was

Interpersonal Communication Essay

Interpersonal Communication Essay Interpersonal Communication Essay Kristen Simmel September 14th, 2014 Communications 203 Odenweller Interpersonal Communication Analysis and Critique Scenario: The situation that I observed was a conversation between my two roommates Kayla and Nicolette. The conversation took place in our apartment located on Beechurst Ave. It was a cool day saturday afternoon when the conversation was taking place. Nicolette and Kayla ended up arguing about a problem that has been going on in our apartment since we moved in. Nicolette was disappointed in Kayla leaving the kitchen a mess. She was also upset with Kayla by her not cleaning up after herself. This included dirty dishes that filled the sink, leaving the garbage full and her not cleaning up her explosion in the microwave. Nicolette was furious and ended up speaking up for herself, by telling Kayla that she can’t live like this any more. Kayla didn’t know that this was happening and she felt very alone. Nicolette ended up telling Kayla that if she doesn't clean up after herself there is going to be consequences. Nicolette was on the verge of finding another roommate that can clean u p after herself. The argument went on for about 30 minutes. At the end of the conversation both Nicolette and Kayla started to cry. There was a lot of tension in our apartment. Nonverbal Communication: Nonverbal communication is any symbolic activity that communicates a message other then words. During the conversation between Nicolette and Kayla. I observed many concepts of nonverbal communication. It started off by Nicolette giving Kayla the silent treatment. They made no eye contact and things started to get â€Å"weird† around the apartment. Being the third roommate, I was even concerned about what was going on between them. I felt awkward walking into my own apartment because Nicolette and Kayla weren’t talking for the past few weeks. The dynamic aspect of nonverbal communication was portrayed by Kayla and Nicolette not making any eye contact. Nicolette was giving Kayla â€Å"dirty† looks behind her back. Including shaking her head and rolling her eyes when Kayla wasn’t looking. Nicolette’s tone of voice also changed into a deeper tone. This caused Nicolette to become more upset and angry with Kayla because of the mess she keeps on making. Th is brought out her expressions that she is bothered by Kayla not cleaning up after herself. The static aspect of nonverbal communication was portrayed by Nicolette leaving the kitchen a mess and waiting to see when the next time Kayla will clean up after herself. Nicolette also left the living room a mess because she was mad that Kayla wasn’t contributing to the â€Å"cleanliness† of the apartment. There were a lot of symbols that made it clear the Nicolette was upset with Kayla. Nonverbal communication was a big part of the conversation between my two roommates. Expectancy Violation Theory: During the interaction between Kayla and Nicolette, the Expectancy Violation Theory was shown during their conversation. Expectancy Violation Theory is a communication theory which tries to explain the unexpected behaviors of human beings while interacting. It also relates to reactions with other people and other people violating another person’s personal space. This theory works because humans have a natural expectancy outlook on life, which causes their expectations to be violated at times. This conversation showed the Expectancy Violation Theory. Nicolette is afraid to confront Kayla about her filthy living habits. She is terrified Kayla will destroy her belongings and blow up in her face. Nicolette just keeps using her side of nonverbal communication by giving her looks behind her back and the silent treatment. I’m tired of living with this awful tension between my two roommates. It has caused me to become so upset that I don’t even want to go home to my own apartment. It has also made things very awkward around the house. I thought about what was going on for a while and tried to figure out a way to stop

About Jhumpa Lahiri

She graduated from South Kingstown High school and later achieved multiple degrees in Boston university. In 2001, She married Alberto vourvoulias –Bush, A journalist who was then a deputy editor of â€Å"The Times†. Interpreter of maladies Lahiri’s short stories faced rejection from publishers for years. But, Finally in 1999, Her first short story composition was released. The short stories address sensitive dilemmas in the lives of Indians. Including themes such as miscarriages and martial difficulties. Also, the disconnection between first and second generation United States immigrants. It was highly praised by American critics and sold 600,000 copies. Also, it received the 2000 Pulitzer price for Fiction The namesake â€Å"The Namesake† was Lahiri’s first novel and was published in 2003. The story spans over thirty years in the Ganguli family. The Calcutta born parents emigrated as young adults to The United States Of America with their children Gongol and Sonia where they experienced the constant generational and cultural gap. Lahiri made herself as a cameo â€Å"Aunt Jhumpa†. Unaccustomed earth â€Å"Unaccustomed Earth, Her second collection of novels was published on 1 April, 2008. It went to the number 1 spot just few days after it’s release on the New York best-seller list. It was praised a lot by all critics and masses and sold thousands and thousands of copies. Achievements and awards * 1993 – TransAtlantic Award from the Henfield Foundation * 1999 –  O. Henry Award  for short story â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† * 1999 –  PEN/Hemingway Award  (Best Fiction Debut of the Year) for â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† * 1999 – â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† selected as one of  Best American Short Stories * 2000 – Addison Metcalf Award from the  American Academy of Arts and Letters * 2000 – â€Å"The Third and Final Continent† selected as one of  Best American Short Stories 2000 –  The New Yorker’s Best Debut of the Year for â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† * 2000 –  Pulitzer Prize for Fiction  for her debut â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† * 2000 –  James Beard Foundation’s M. F. K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award for â€Å"Indian Takeout† in  Food Wine Magazine * 2002 –  Guggenheim Fellowshi p * 2002 – â€Å"Nobody’s Business† selected as one of  Best American Short Stories * 2008 –  Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award  for â€Å"Unaccustomed Earth† * 2009 –  Asian American Literary Award  for â€Å"Unaccustomed Earth† About Jhumpa Lahiri She graduated from South Kingstown High school and later achieved multiple degrees in Boston university. In 2001, She married Alberto vourvoulias –Bush, A journalist who was then a deputy editor of â€Å"The Times†. Interpreter of maladies Lahiri’s short stories faced rejection from publishers for years. But, Finally in 1999, Her first short story composition was released. The short stories address sensitive dilemmas in the lives of Indians. Including themes such as miscarriages and martial difficulties. Also, the disconnection between first and second generation United States immigrants. It was highly praised by American critics and sold 600,000 copies. Also, it received the 2000 Pulitzer price for Fiction The namesake â€Å"The Namesake† was Lahiri’s first novel and was published in 2003. The story spans over thirty years in the Ganguli family. The Calcutta born parents emigrated as young adults to The United States Of America with their children Gongol and Sonia where they experienced the constant generational and cultural gap. Lahiri made herself as a cameo â€Å"Aunt Jhumpa†. Unaccustomed earth â€Å"Unaccustomed Earth, Her second collection of novels was published on 1 April, 2008. It went to the number 1 spot just few days after it’s release on the New York best-seller list. It was praised a lot by all critics and masses and sold thousands and thousands of copies. Achievements and awards * 1993 – TransAtlantic Award from the Henfield Foundation * 1999 –  O. Henry Award  for short story â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† * 1999 –  PEN/Hemingway Award  (Best Fiction Debut of the Year) for â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† * 1999 – â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† selected as one of  Best American Short Stories * 2000 – Addison Metcalf Award from the  American Academy of Arts and Letters * 2000 – â€Å"The Third and Final Continent† selected as one of  Best American Short Stories 2000 –  The New Yorker’s Best Debut of the Year for â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† * 2000 –  Pulitzer Prize for Fiction  for her debut â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies† * 2000 –  James Beard Foundation’s M. F. K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award for â€Å"Indian Takeout† in  Food Wine Magazine * 2002 –  Guggenheim Fellowshi p * 2002 – â€Å"Nobody’s Business† selected as one of  Best American Short Stories * 2008 –  Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award  for â€Å"Unaccustomed Earth† * 2009 –  Asian American Literary Award  for â€Å"Unaccustomed Earth†

PM Company (International Business Practices) Essay

PM Company (International Business Practices) - Essay Example The balance between two types is an effective method for PM Company, because it is closely related to delegation of authority and is concerned with what should be transferred down, what policies are needed to guide actions and the need to train and select people and control their actions. Decentralization is closely related to delegation, but it includes all areas of management and requires a great deal more than handing authority to subordinates. In contrast to centralization, decentralization will help to avoid duplication of efforts, and overcome lack of sufficient flexibility to permit immediate reactions to local problems. New strategy will require additional spending and staff, a new department of international trade and opening new offices abroad. Organizational activities should be organized into separate product businesses, each having its own market and responsible for its own profit or loss. In general, this strategy will help PM Company to penetrate new markets faster and attract wider target audience delivering a wide range of the company's products. Using this organizational structure, PM Company can extend its international expansion plans, and cover more foreign countries, for instance, European and Asian market.

The strategic management processes of KPMG Assignment

The strategic management processes of KPMG - Assignment Example This essay explores the Human Resource Management (HRM) practices of the company with focus given on the management of employee resources, employee voice and employee relations so as to understand the effectiveness of the management of KPMG in strategically managing the most significant resource of the organization which is the people resource. In relation to the study the company which has been selected is KPMG as one of the biggest professional services and consulting firm in the world. Along with Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte Touchà © Consulting, KPMG is one of the Big Four auditing companies in the globe. The headquarters of the company are located in Amstelveen, Netherlands. KPMG is one of the most famous and preferred employers in the financial services sector. Currently, the company employs more than 162000 people in more than 16 geographical locations. The company has three main divisions of service which are advisory, Tax and audio services. The audit s ervices account for 42% of the revenues as of 2014, the advisory services account for 37% and the tax services account for 21% of the total revenue generated by the consulting firm in the year 2014. The company has been able to establish and maintain an ethical, sustainable and responsible image for the business over the years of its operations through a number of strategic management processes including employee management and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.

Social theories help Essay Example for Free

Social theories help Essay Social theories help us to understand the world and the society in which we live in and to interpret why people behave the way they do in the context of the existing social norms. In sociology, rational choice theory and the institutional paradigm aid us in exploring various social aspects in clear detail. The key difference between the rational choice theory and the institutional paradigm rests on the focus of each of the theories. For instance, rational choice theory addresses the pursuit for self-interest of human beings and their capacity to make choices that are generally based on the costs and benefits of their individual actions. On the other hand, the institutional paradigm maintains the belief that social structures have important roles in social relations and that these social structures influence the behaviors of human beings in every possible way. Rational choice theory also asserts that even our most altruistic actions and decisions have their innate strands of self-interest despite the observation that such actions and decisions are seen as selfless. Moreover, the theory also seeks to understand why people are inclined to work as a group in meeting a common goal even though the realization of the goal or even the process of reaching that goal may become inconsistent with the personal welfare of each of these individuals. The theory also finds that issue intriguing in more complex and larger human organizations since the difficulties present become larger as well. While rational choice theory espouses the idea of individuals able to come-up with informed decisions which in turn lead to how the society becomes structured, the institutional paradigm gives room for â€Å"accidents† or unintended consequences. More specifically, the institutional paradigm asserts that even historical accidents can happen, outcomes that are not the results of the rational decision-making process of an individual or a group of individuals. There may be people who were simply at the right place and at the right time, thereby resulting to consequential decisions that are neither planned nor carefully thought of in a rational way. Another key idea of the paradigm is the idea that the social institutions created by human beings such as social rules are open to change since human beings can undo the things in the society that they have set forth for themselves. Both the rational choice theory and the institutional paradigm can explain the issue of the widespread influence of religion such as Christianity and its religious practices in the contemporary society since it began. Rational choice theory will argue that Christianity and its practices have survived the years because people have chosen to integrate the religious edicts into their lives based on how they promote the interest of the followers. People tend to devote themselves to religion in general because of the benefits they can get weighed against the costs of their decision to follow the religion. Without the benefits, people will hardly join Christianity or any religion in general. On the other hand, the institutional paradigm will interpret the influence of Christianity as a result of the force of social norms on people. The rulers at the time and the high-ranking officials at the time may have compelled their subjects to join Christianity and that force was carried over through the following generations until it became a social norm. People may not necessarily have resorted to their rational decision-making capabilities since they do not have the power to resist the social norm. As a result, individuals become simply inclined to become Christians or followers of any other religion even without depending on their rationality and their pursuit of self-interest. Work Cited â€Å"Thinking Sociologically†. 2009 February 5. http://www. sociologyonline. net/text/intro/main/c2e848w. htm#choice.

Learning from Mother Teresa Essay -- Graduate College Admissions Essay

Learning from Mother Teresa       Mother Teresa is the most important peace hero of the 20th Century. Many have focused on bringing peace by political means, both violent and non-violent. Though these means may bring temporary relief, they treat only the symptoms of violence. Mother Teresa addressed the root of all violence which is in the human heart. She believed in an active peacemaking and taught that "works of love are works of peace." (Collopy 14) Her power came from three things: a radical understanding of peace, unwavering devotion to victims of all types of violence, and the beautiful example of her life.    Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Albania, in 1910 (Vardey xx). In 1928 she joined the Loretto order to work as a teacher in India. Her true calling came in 1946 when, according to Mother Teresa, "I was traveling to Darjeeling by train, when I heard the voice of God... The message was clear. I must leave the convent to help the poor by living among them" (Sebba 46). Mother Teresa left the confines of the Loretto order to begin her own ministry. In 1950 she received papal permission to found a new religious order, the Missionaries of Charity (Associated Press, Highlights). Through the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa brought true peace and hope to millions.    Love is the most fundamental peace. Peace that comes from love is not simply the absence of conflict, it is active, living, and engages our truest selves. It is this positive peace that was Mother Teresa's radical vision. For Mother Teresa, peace was so much more than political stability. Nations do not suffer, individuals do. Nations cannot be at peace unless individuals are at peace. Mother Theresa said, "The whole... ...h all you meet. Remember, Works of love are works of peace." (Collopy 14). By valuing every human being, by finding Jesus even in the poorest of the poor, Mother Teresa was a hero because she gave peacemaking love to all she met, and taught others to do likewise by her example.    Works Cited    Associated Press. Mother Teresa in Her Own Words. 1997 http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9709/mother.teresa/quotes/index.html Highlights of Mother Teresa's Life. 1997 http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9709/mother.teresa/chronology/index.html CNN. "Saint of the Gutters". 1997 http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9709/mother.teresa/impact/index.html Collopy, Michael. Works of Love are Works of Peace. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1996. Sebba, Anne. Mother Teresa. New York: Doubleday, 1997. Vardey, Lucinda. Mother Teresa-A Simple Path. New York: Ballantine Books, 1995.

Pride And Prejudice Diary Entry

Dear Diary, Little did I know about Mr.Bingley and Mr.Darcy. I heard some good things about them but nothing really relevant. But it was my time to find out everything I needed to know about them at a small dinner party that someone organised. It doesn't matter how the party will be, I want to know who is going to be there, and most importantly, what will happen. I spent the whole day shopping for my dress, and some accessories. I bought a diamond necklace and I was ready to gossip about the new gentleman's in town. I enter the dinner without socialising to much, I didn't want to get distracted, I was keeping my prize. I saw one of the two dancing, how did I know it was them? Every single one of my friend was ‘spying' on those two guys. It must have been them. I get closer and closer and I just can't avoid to notice how one of the two looks so arrogant and bored. His face had no emotion, the little emotion he portrayed was negative. He was bored and wasn't even dancing. However, the other one had an endless smile on his face and he was undeniably having fun like a real gentleman. I go there and find out that the boring, arrogant looking one was Mr.Darcy. So obviously the other one was Mr.Bingley who was flirting with a girl. I couldn't be bothered to even look at the girl because I was so distracted from this amazingly fascinating man. Mr.Bingley stops dancing for a while and speaks to Mr.Darcy but I'm not near enough to listen to what they are saying. I see Mr.Darcy pointing at Lizzy and, Lizzy offended. Her eyes were full of tears. What did he say? Why did she cry? â€Å"She is tolerant; but not handsome enough to tempt me†. These are the words Mr.Darcy said about Lizzy. No wonder she got offended. His character was decided, he is an arrogant and exuberant person. I stop concentrating on Mr Darcy because he is too boring for me, I need some interesting things. Some gossip. I run to my girlfriends and they immediately point at Mr.Bingley. Yes, I knew he was dancing with a girl, but I looked at his eyes and I was shocked. His eyes fell in love. No wonder he had a huge smile on his face, he fell in love with Lydia. Meanwhile I notice that Mr.Bennet announces that he had already met Mr.Bingley. He didn't tell the wife or the daughters. Why? Well I don't really care. He probably did it to contradict his family. He is a nice man but he is always playing jokes and tricks on everyone. Especially the wife. I can't believe these two individuals are married, they are like day and night, two complete different things. I see the two of them discussing about inviting Mr.Bingley to dinner. The night was over. What will Happen Next? Only I know! And who am I? That's a secret I'll never tell, the only one.

Psychoanalysis of Iago Essay

In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, the character Iago lacks a superego which allowed his id to run free and this caused him to lack any form of sympathy and to become a sociopath. This led to him hurting everyone he could and to his eventual downfall. He also tried to justify his actions throughout the play to reinforce his righteous ego. First to understand Iago and his actions we must look at what the id, ego, and superego actually are. According to Freud these are different divisions that make up your mind. The id is the primitive side of your mind. Its only purpose is to seek out and obtain pleasure. The id will do anything it has to obtain it goals no matter how amoral or dangerous its actions may seem. Freud states that the superego is the complete opposite of the id. The superego’s goal is to apply moral values to obtain one’s wishes. The superego imposes guilt, shame, self-doubt, and anxiety to control one’s actions. The ego is the section of your mind you are most aware of. The ego’s goal is to compromise between the two other sections by using logic. It tries to satisfy both the id and the superego. Sometimes the ego becomes overwhelmed and to protect itself it must deploys defense mechanisms. This relates to Iago because he lacks a superego which tells him right from wrong. Since his superego is no longer functioning the ego does not have to compromise between the two sides. However his ego is not useless it still has a purpose. It uses logic to get what his id wants that’s why Iago always has a plan to obtain what he desires and it also justifies his actions. His ego also justifies his actions so he can live with himself. Therefore Iago’s id and ego are operating as they should and it is his superego that is absent. Without a superego and left with his id in control, Iago has all of the traits of a sociopath according to the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. The first trait that Iago has in common with a sociopath is deception. Iago constantly lies throughout the novel to just about everyone he meets. One example of this is when he is speaking with Montano and he says, â€Å"Tis evenmore the prolongue to his sleep. He’ll watch the horologe a double set If drink rock not his cradle.†(Othello II, III, 89). In this quote Othello is trying to spread a  rumor about Cassios’s drinking problem. Except Cassio does not have one. Iago is trying to ruin Cassio’s reputation. This example also leads to another trait of Iago’s which is his conning and manipulation. Like deception Iago uses manipulation throughout the play. For example Iago is talking to Roderigo and he says, â€Å"Thou art sure of me. Go, make money. I have told tee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate the Moor. My cause is hearted. Thine hath no less reason.†(Othello I, III, 53). In this quote he is trying to convince Roderigo that he into giving him all of his money because they share the same cause. However Iago is just trying to use Roderigo to obtain money. The final trait Iago has is that he lacks empathy and he lacks remorse. I excellent example of this is when Iago’s wife, Emilia, is about to illuminate Iago’s plan to ruin Othello. Iago stabbed Emilia, his wife, before she could elaborate and later on she died from her wounds. Iago felt no remorse for the death of his wife and showed no empathy towards her when he stabbed her. Sociopaths are very capable of self – control. Like Iago they use logic to take calculated risks and to blend in with society. Iago does this throughout the novel which is why he was known as honest Iago because he blended in so well that no one suspected that he was committing any amoral acts. Most of Iago’s actions throughout the novel can be associated with calculation, deception, Manipulation, and lack of empathy and remorse. These are the traits of a sociopath therefore Iago can be considered a sociopath. Iago’s traits and actions would cause most people to become guilt ridden even without a superego. However Iago does not because his ego deploys a defense mechanism. This mechanism is called rationalization. Iago makes up excuses and justifications for his actions. For example the whole point of him trying to make Othello jealous was to get Cassio fired. He felt that he was more deserving of Cassio’s position however once he has the position he continues to try to ruin Othello’s life. He also justified his actions against Othello by telling himself that Othello slept with his wife however this was just a rumor and was never proven. He justifications is how he is able to able to live with the things he had done. The plot of this entire novel is based on Iago’s sociopathic traits. Without any of these traits the plot of this novel would dramatically change. Iago is a direct cause for  most of the events in the novel such as Othello becoming suspicious of Desdemona or the deaths of some of the characters. Without these traits Iago would no longer act like a sociopath and therefore he would no longer be the antagonist. The character Iago is very much a sociopath. He lacks sympathy for others and will take advantage of them given the chance. His lack of a superego accounts for this because his id is allowed to run free without any restrictions. This leaves his ego to justify his actions and to make calculated decisions to satisfy the id without getting caught. However his id’s desires eventually lead to his and everyone else’s downfall.

Abraham Lincolns 1838 Springfield Lyceum Address

Abraham Lincolns 1838 Springfield Lyceum Address More than 25 years before Abraham Lincoln would deliver his legendary Gettysburg Address, the 28-year-old novice politician delivered a lecture before a gathering of young men and women in his newly adopted hometown of Springfield, Illinois. On January 27, 1838, a Saturday night in the middle of winter, Lincoln spoke on what sounds like a fairly generic topic, The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions. Yet Lincoln, a little-known lawyer serving as a state representative, indicated his ambition by delivering a substantial and timely  speech. Prompted by the murder of an abolitionist printer in Illinois two months earlier, Lincoln spoke about issues of great national importance, touching on slavery, mob violence, and the future of the nation itself. The speech, which has become known as the Lyceum Address, was published in a local newspaper within two weeks. It was Lincolns earliest published speech. The circumstances of its writing, delivery, and reception, provide a fascinating glimpse at how  Lincoln viewed the United States, and American politics, decades before he would lead the nation during the Civil War. Background of Abraham Lincolns Lyceum Address The American Lyceum Movement began when Josiah Holbrook, a teacher and amateur scientist, founded a volunteer educational organization in his town of Milbury, Massachusetts in 1826. Holbrooks idea caught on, and other towns in New England formed groups where local people could give lectures and debate ideas. By the mid-1830s more than 3,000 lyceums had been formed from New England to the South, and even as far west as Illinois. Josiah Holbrook traveled from Massachusetts to speak at the first lyceum organized in central Illinois, in the town of Jacksonville, in 1831. The organization which hosted Lincolns lecture in 1838, the Springfield Young Mens Lyceum, had probably been founded in 1835. It first held its meetings in a local schoolhouse, and by 1838 had moved its meeting place to a Baptist church. The lyceum meetings in Springfield were usually held on Saturday evenings. And while the membership comprised young men, females were invited to the meetings, which were intended to be both educational and social. The topic of Lincolns address, The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions, seems like a typical subject for a lyceum address. But a shocking event that occurred less than three months earlier, and only about 85 miles from Springfield, surely inspired Lincoln. The Murder of Elijah Lovejoy Elijah Lovejoy was a New England abolitionist who settled in St. Louis and began publishing a stridently anti-slavery newspaper in the mid-1830s. He was essentially chased out of town in the summer of 1837, and crossed the Mississippi River and set up shop in Alton, Illinois. Though Illinois was a free state, Lovejoy soon found himself under attack again. And on November 7, 1837, a pro-slavery mob raided a warehouse where Lovejoy had stored his printing press. The mob wanted to destroy the printing press, and during a small riot the building was set on fire and Elijah Lovejoy was shot five times. He died within an hour. Elijah Lovejoys murder shocked the entire nation. Stories about his murder at the hands of a mob appeared in major cities. An abolitionist meeting held in New York City in December 1837 to mourn for Lovejoy was reported in newspapers throughout the East. Abraham Lincolns neighbors in Springfield, only 85 miles away from the site of Lovejoys murder, certainly would have been shocked by the outburst of mob violence in their own state. Lincoln Discussed Mob Violence In His Speech It is perhaps no surprise that when Abraham Lincoln spoke to the Young Mens Lyceum of Springfield that winter he made mention of mob violence in America. What may seem surprising is that Lincoln did not refer directly to Lovejoy, instead mentioning acts of mob violence generally: Accounts of outrages committed by mobs form the every-day news of the times. They have pervaded the country from New England to Louisiana; they are neither peculiar to the eternal snows of the former nor the burning suns of the latter; they are not the creature of climate, neither are they confined to the slave-holding or the non-slave-holding states. Alike they spring up among the pleasure-hunting masters of Southern slaves, and the order-loving citizens of the land of steady habits. Whatever, then, their cause may be, it is common to the whole country. The likely reason Lincoln did not mention the mobs murder of Elijah Lovejoy is simply because there was no need to bring it up. Anyone listening to Lincoln that night was entirely aware of the incident. And Lincoln saw fit to place the shocking act in a broader, national, context. Lincoln Expressed His Thoughts on the Future of America After noting the menace, and very real threat, of mob rule, Lincoln began to talk of laws, and how it is the duty of citizens to obey the law, even if they believe the law is unjust. By doing that, Lincoln was keeping himself apart from abolitionists like Lovejoy, who openly advocated violating the laws pertaining to slavery. And Lincoln did make a point of emphatically stating: I do mean to say that although bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible, still they continue in force, for the sake of example they should be religiously observed. Lincoln then turned his attention to what he believed would be a grave danger to America: a leader of great ambition who would attain power and corrupt the system. Lincoln expressed a fear that an Alexander, a Caesar, or a Napoleon would rise in America. In speaking about this hypothetical monstrous leader, essentially an American dictator, Lincoln wrote lines which would be quoted often by those analyzing the speech in future years: It thirsts and burns for distinction; and if possible, it will have it, whether at the expense of emancipating slaves or enslaving freemen. Is it unreasonable then, to expect that some man possessed of the loftiest genius, coupled with ambition sufficient to push it to its utmost stretch, will at some time spring up among us? It is remarkable, that Lincoln used the phrase emancipating slaves nearly 25 years before he would, from the White House, issue the Emancipation Proclamation. And some modern analysts have interpreted the Springfield Lyceum Address as Lincoln analyzing himself and what kind of leader he might be. What is apparent from the 1838 Lyceum Address is that Lincoln was ambitious. When given the opportunity to address a local group, he chose to comment on matters of national importance. And while the writing may not show the graceful and concise style he would later develop, it does demonstrate that he was a confident writer and speaker, even in his 20s. And it is noteworthy that some of the themes Lincoln spoke about, a few weeks before he turned 29, are the very same themes that would be discussed 20 years later, during the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas Debates that began his rise to national prominence.

Organizational change management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Organizational change management - Essay Example The changes can be planned or unplanned .The change becomes important if it has some positive impact to the organization. Organizational change is important in the survival and success of the company which brings good and efficient development. This leads to formation of techniques of managing the organizational change (Aswathappa, 2007). There are external and internal pressures which need to be addressed. The external pressures include; fashion pressures, mandated pressures and geopolitical pressures. Moreover market decline where the current market begins to decline thus pressure to invent new and more viable markets (Blanchard, 2010). A hyper competition pressure caused by high intensified rates of business brings pressure for change at the organizational level. Reputation and credibility pressures caused by corporate governance issues which cause one to ensure they maintain good reputation and high level of credibility. Internal pressures include those activities that take place inside the organization; growth, integration and collaboration, identity, power and political pressures. Growth pressures come due to the fact that the existing processes and systems in the organization can no longer be applicable due to increase in the size of the organization. Integration and collaboration pressures due to integration and economies of scale can lead to change in the organization. Identity pressure due to unified commitment of staff in different departments of the organization can led to change due to difficult in management. New broom pressure that is change in senior management level mainly the CEO can lead to significant changes in an organization. Power and political pressures can lead to change the internal processes of decision making (Pride, et al., 2011). This is a formal design of managerial hierarchies within an

Delegating Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Delegating - Essay Example Delegating is a critical skill for supervisors. Ultimately, the supervisor retains responsibility for the attainment of the goals, but chooses to achieve the goals by delegating to someone else. In the Adult Training and Employment Services (ATES) at The Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation there are several Managers who delegate to their employees. In supported employment the supervisor delegates to three employment specialist. The supervisor assists in developing employees in order to strengthen the organization. Although the employment specialist job role is an emerging profession, few managers can refute the importance of these direct service staff to the overall performance of their supported employment programs. The supervisor in supported employment uses the three R's: risk, responsibility, and rewards in delegating staff. The three R's contribute to staff job challenges by setting in motion a supervisory style which encourages and rewards staff creativity, innovation, and governorship of their work. A risk adds an element of excitement to a job and encourages staff curiosity and learning. Supervisors can encourage their employees to take responsibility for their jobs by establishing measurable performance goals and operating guidelines. The supervisor takes every opportunity to promote the good works of the staff and assure they receive proper recognition for a job well done. The supervisor assists in developing employees in order to strengthen the organization. He or she gives up the authority to make decisions that are best made by subordinates. This means that the supervisor allows subordinates the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them. He or she does not supervise subordinates' decision-making, but allows them the opportunity to develop their own skills. The supervisor lets subordinates know that he or she is willing to help, but not willing to do their jobs for them. The supervisor is not convinced that the best way for employees to learn is by telling them how to solve a problem. This results in those subordinates becoming dependent on the supervisor. The supervisor allows employees the opportunity to achieve and be credited for it. Equally important to delegate is the idea that when a subordinate is given responsibility for a job, they must also be given the degree of how to perform the job and how to carry it out. For effective delegating the authority granted given to an employee must equal the assigned task. The key to delegating is to delegate gradually. When it comes to delegation, the manager can not delegate their duties to everyone they work with. They delegate their duties to responsible employees within the organization whom they can depend up that those duties will be attended to with a lot of professionalism. When one is delegated a certain task, he take full responsibility of performing it with diligence and ensures that they work hand in hand with other employees within the organization to ensure that organizational goals and objectives are achieved. Delegation is a term that was used even in the ancient days where someone was given full responsibility of certain activities or to run a certain activities on behalf the owner and in turn report to him, about all the activities that took place while he was away. For this case, when one delegates

Explaining a Concept Research Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Explaining a Concept Research Paper - Assignment Example Although that is the ideal set-up, taking the car to the garage every time for a simple oil change can actually add up in costs and rack up quite a bill for the car owner throughout the year. That is why it there are some do-it-yourself supporters out these who believe that the oil change, being a really simple process, can be done by the car owner him or herself. Doing the oil change yourself allows you to get to know the under pinnings and other parts of your car better while also giving you the bragging rights to being a master â€Å"oil change† mechanic. The purpose of this concept paper is to do exactly that, explain the reason, concept, and method by which a car owner can change his own car oil. It is important to remember that although changing the car oil is something that is relatively easy to do with the right tools and equipment, there is still a strong tendency to do it the wrong way. Done properly, the oil change you personally did will result in a purring engine. Do it wrong and you end up back at the garage paying for more than just an oil change. It is this possibility that usually sends most car owners to the nearest garage or gas station for a quick oil change. But with these shops continuing to raise their prices for simple services, having an oil change done professionally does not seem financially sound anymore (â€Å" DIY Car Maintenance - How to Change Your Car Oil Yourself†). In fact, learning to do the oil change yourself will save you not only money, but time wasted sitting in the client lounge of the local garage, waiting for the service to be completed in 3 hours when it should only take 20 minutes on average to do yourself. It would be best to allot an hour for changing the oil the first time that you set out to do the task yourself. This will allow you enough time to get to know the parts of your car and change the oil, inspect the oil plug, etc. without being pressed for time. The whole process should go relatively f ast provided you have the following proper tools and materials prepared beforehand: Wrench to remove the drain plug (box or socket) Oil filter wrench Oil drain pan Funnel Latex gloves Jack and jack stands (optional, depends on ground clearance) Oil Oil Filter Replacement drain plug washer (depending on application) (Edmunds, Dan â€Å"How to Change Your Oil) Now, before you go wrench crazy because you have all the tools you need already, and start to unscrew everything underneath your car, it is important to consult the car manual to make sure that you bought the correct oil and oil filter at the auto supply store. The wrong motor oil or filter will result in a major disaster for your little home project. It is necessary to check your car manual because the manual might require; ... other specific oil requirements as defined by the by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the International Lubricant Standardization Approval Committee (ILSAC.) Sometimes synthetic oil is express ly called for. Sometimes it's not necessary. And sometimes its use is implied by additional requirements (Edmunds, Dan â€Å"How to Change Your Oil). By following those aforementioned instructions as a diy person, you will ensure that the correct car oil will be used in your car. It is also necessary to make sure that you use the correct oil filter with your car because if; ... your owner’

Corporate Social Responsibality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Corporate Social Responsibality - Essay Example The need for organizations to undertake socially responsible activities has been discussed in literature and has been a topic of academic study for a number of years. The main objective of business is to produce the goods and services that society needs. But at the same time there is a mutual dependence between business and society so as to have a stable environment with an educated workforce. A business or enterprise only contributes fully to a society if it is efficient, profitable and socially responsible. That is the basic idea of CSR is that business and society are interwoven rather than distinct entities (Galbreath, 2006). There are various definitions of CSR. The ethical behaviour of a company towards society, management acting in a responsible manner its relationships with other stakeholders who have a genuine interest in the business and CSR is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while enhancing the quality of life of its employees and their families as well as of the local community and generally towards the society at large' are some of these definitions. The areas touched upon by advocates of CSR includes issues such as employee relations, corporate ethics, plant closures, human rights, community relations and the environment. According to CSR Europe, a membership organisation of large companies across Europe, in their guidelines emphasize on the following areas: community, workplace (employees), environment, marketplace (customers, suppliers), ethics and human rights. Whether or not business should undertake CSR depends upon the financial strength of the company that is adopted. Those who adopt the neo-classical view of the company would believe that the only social responsibilities to be adopted by business are the provision of employment and payment of taxes. A different view of the company following the behavioural theorists might look at corporate social activity from a viewpoint that looks at the political aspects and non-economic influences on managerial behaviour. Some of the key CSR principle areas that have been cited in recent times are: To carry out organizational functions ethically and with honesty. To treat all employees fairly and equally so that they become efficient. To help protect the environment for future generations. To be concerned about the surrounding community. To respect basic human rights. (02). Analysis 2.1. Stakeholder Theories The Stakeholder Theory of a company is used identify those groups to whom the firm should be responsible. The responsibility includes a responsibility for the natural environment. Decisions should be taken in the wider interest and not just the narrow shareholder interest. The company can be defined as a series of connections of stakeholders that the managers of the firm try to manage. That is any group or individual who can have an impact or is affected by the achievement of the company's goals (Clarkson, 1995). Stakeholders are normally categorised into primary and secondary stakeholders. Primary stakeholders are the ones whose participation is vital for an organization to sustain as a growing concern. They include the likes of employees, suppliers, investors, customers and shareholders together with what is

Political, Social, and Ethical Ideologies on Graphic Design

Political, Social, and Ethical Ideologies on Graphic Design Mythology vs. Modernity Political, social, and ethical ideologies on graphic design in the twentieth century Abstract The following dissertation will discuss whether mythology or modernity had the greatest impact upon the political, social, and ethical ideologies that were closely linked to or had an influence upon graphic design and artistic culture during the twentieth century. The main focus of this dissertation will be to describe the often-complex relationship between mythology and modernity in relation to political, social, and ethical ideologies with particular reference to Germany and, to a lesser extent the Soviet Union, essentially between 1914 and the early 1930s. Germany and the Soviet Union were chosen as the main case studies for this dissertation, due to them being the countries that had the most complex situations, and often they had a highly contradictory relationship between mythology and modernity in the political, social, and ethical ideologies that influenced graphic design. Germany is of particular interest due to the clash between mythology and modernity at the end of the imperial regime, throughout the short and turbulent Weimar Republic and most strikingly during the Third Reich. Imperial Germany had a government that was autocratic in nature, the Weimar Republic allowed greater cultural diversity, yet suffered from political and econ omic weaknesses that allowed Adolf Hitler to bring the Third Reich into existence. In the Third Reich, it was Hitler who determined what graphic design was acceptable and pragmatic and which forms of it were politically, socially, as well as ethically unacceptable (just as he did with everything else). As will be mentioned Adolf Hitler’s dislike of anything related to graphic design or architecture if known widely enough could be as effective at preventing things happening or closing down pre-existing organisations as any decree or government legislation. The Soviet Union also arguably interchanged mythology and modernity in the political, social and ethical ideologies that underpinned its graphic design, culture, and its architecture as well as the governing regime. The Communist regime in the Soviet Union and the Nazi regime in Germany had radical agendas that were intended to transform the politics and the society of the countries they ruled over. Both regimes had also int ended to alter the political, social, and ethical ideologies of their populations through propaganda, indoctrination, and repression when required. For both regimes graphic design was just one of many ways to achieve their political, social, and ethical objectives, a method that they wished to control and even suppress if that suited their particular objectives and prejudices. These regimes could also find people that could use graphic design techniques to carry out their objectives whilst the formally qualified graphic designers were not used due to doubts over having suitable political, social, and ethical beliefs. Introduction Germany’s defeat in the First World War and the collapse of the Imperial regime had major political, social and ethical consequences that were not just confined to the field of graphic design. Prior to the First World War, the German government had built up the mythology of the invincibility of the German army, strengthened by the modernity and dynamic growth of its economy and its advanced industrial complexes. Germany’s rising economic production and the ability to make industrial products effectively meant that Germany’s power was widely viewed as increasing, a cause for national pride, and also a cause of international concerns that poised a challenge to peace. German militaristic culture and its ambitions to be a great power contributed to the outbreak of the First World War, as did the decision to back all of Austria-Hungary’s demands against Serbia (Fulbrook, 1991, p.3). The Imperial German government used propaganda to maintain the war effort in th e wake of heavy fatalities and severe shortages at home, due to the effectiveness of the Royal Navy blockade. The failure of the German spring offensives of 1918 brought about the final collapse (Roberts, 1996, p.455). Around the issue of German surrender in 1918 myths and counter myths would abound. German nationalists claimed that Socialists, Social Democrats, the Centre parties, and the Jews had betrayed the country and its army. Such arguments were put forward by the leading German generals, most notably Ludendorff to deflect from the failures during the war. Other elements in Germany that favoured modernity were those that supported the Weimar Republic most strongly (although that support was not always returned by the Weimar authorities). The ideological conflicts between left and right would last until the Nazi Party came into power. Once the Nazis gained power they intended to radically alter the political, social, and ethical ideologies that dominated Germany through whatev er means they had to use. The social and ethical alterations would revolve around cleansing the country of political, social, and racial undesirables (Bullock, 1991, p.74). The effectiveness of German propaganda during the First World War; the political, social, and ethical ideologies and their impact upon graphic design in Germany will discussed in chapters 1 to 3 as well as in the conclusions. The influence, innovations, and the subsequent legacy that the Bauhaus school had on graphic design in Germany and beyond will be scrutinised in greater detail. In Germany the movement most closely linked to the concepts of modernity, rather than the concepts of mythology in graphic design would become known as the Bauhaus school after the graphic design school that opened in 1919. The leading members of the future Bauhaus school were frequently working as architects and artists before the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 (some of them in countries that fought against Germany). These artists and architects were equally committed to the concept of modernity and the political ideology of socialism. Ironically enough, the modernist concepts that would form the basis of the Bauhaus school were heavily influenced by British architecture, except for the Germans had in the vast majority of cases kept their allegiance to socialist ideals (Hobsbawm, 1987 p. 225). From its inception the Bauhaus had a mission simple to drive forward its work, projects, and its teaching. That publicly stated aim was ‘The Building of the Futureâ€℠¢. The school hoped to make graphic design more accessible and pragmatic to help modernise the economy and help transform art and culture (www.bauhaus/archiv). There was a competing stronger current in German culture that stressed the cultural, ethical and in more versions the racial superiority of the German nation above all other nations. This vision of a culturally superior Germany was favoured by most right wing groups throughout Imperial Germany, the Weimar Republic and was part of the extreme ideological basis of the Nazi party that came to power in 1933. For the German right wing nationalists’ culture went further than occasional trips to the theatre or the cinema. Culture to them was part of the mythology of the greatness of the German people. Such strong and wide-ranging notions of nationalism go a long way towards explaining the highly militaristic nature of both Imperial Germany and the Third Reich. If anything, the militarism of the Third Reich was the most potent form as it was combined with the drive for racial purity, as well as plans to exterminate Communism and the Jews (Bullock, 1991 p. 76). The emergence of the Communist regime in the Soviet Union also led to a mixture of mythology and modernity influencing the political, social, and ethical ideologies on graphic design. The Communist regime that took power in October 1917 to establish Marxism-Leninism across the former Russian Empire in what eventually became known as the Soviet Union. To secure its future the Communist regime used myths about the struggle to bring revolution, combined with the modernist urges, to end the political, social, industrial, and economic backwardness of the Soviet Union (Hobsbawm, 1994 p. 63). The Soviet regime maintained its grip on power through often large-scale brutal repression, the extensive use of official propaganda and censorship, and systems of party and government patronage. Under the cruel rule of Joseph Stalin the use of all these methods reached its systematic and violent peak with his campaigns to modernise the Soviet Union and crush all opposition real or made up (James, 2003 p. 61). The role of mythology and modernity in the graphic design of the Soviet Union will be discussed in greater depth in chapter 4 and the conclusions. Chapter 1 Mythology, Modernity, and the collapse of Imperial Germany Imperial Germany had a rich culture, with mythological and militaristic ideologies seeming to dominate less popular modernist tendencies. The appeal of mythological ideology and heavily military influenced nationalism are linked with German history and the struggle to create a united Germany. Many Germans prided themselves upon their own culture. Imperial Germany for instance, had popular and successful theatres, which had expanded in actual numbers, as well as in the size of their audiences. Musically the pre-war period witnessed the peak in popularity of Richard Wagner’s operas, laden as they were with mythology and heroic references. Imperial Germany saw the foundation of the precursor of the Bauhaus school in the form of the Werkbund as early as 1907. Like the Bauhaus the Werkbund was intended to improve the efficiency of the industrial designs and machinery used by German businesses. The emphasis was upon modernity to drive forward economic growth. At this point in histor y, Germany was becoming an increasingly powerful country, with a strong economy and a powerful army. Its government was undemocratic, and there was a strong sense of nationalism. Modernity was not rejected, just harnessed to increase the country’s wealth and power (Burns, 1995 p.12). As a united country Imperial Germany owed its very existence to war, or three wars to be exact. Prussia and Austria had been rivals for the position of the leading German nation, Prussian policy aimed to achieve a united Germany but that seemed to be an unlikely dream. Under the Chancellorship of Count Otto von Bismarck the Prussians gained decisive victories over Denmark, Austria, and then France. Victory against France persuaded the more sceptical German states that it was time to form a united Germany. A single German empire was forged with the Prussian King becoming the German Kaiser (Rayner Stapley, 2006, p.92). In Imperial Germany, popular culture and mythology centred on the army that had done so much to forge a united Germany. Later, Germany would develop pride in the German navy that Tirpitz turned from a small coastal defence force into a powerful unit capable of challenging the formidable Royal Navy. The massive expansion of the German navy was a fine example of Germanyâ €™s booming economy, strong grasp of design and the development of the most up to date technology available (Fulbrook, 1991, p. 3). German military strength and the rise of her naval power were a source of national pride, yet internationally the French wanted revenge for 1870, whilst the British and the Russians were wary of German intentions (Roberts, 1996, p.). When Bismarck had been Chancellor he had been careful to keep France isolated. However, the Kaiser’s quest to increase German power and prestige meant that Russia and Britain became closer to France. The Kaiser’s poor diplomacy and lack of tact meant that Germany had to fight on two fronts. The German military planned for a quick victory in the war in the west to avoid prolonged war on two fronts, although the breaching of Belgian neutrality caused Britain to join the war. However the Germans gained a crushing victory against the Russians at Tannenberg and the Eastern Front, yet were unable to finish the war on the Western Front in 1914 (Colvin, 2004, p.244). Despite rapid advances in the war the Germans were eventually stopped by the French and British, which would mean a long war (that made German victory unlikely). The German invasion of Belgium had brought Britain into the First World War, which meant that the German army had to gain victory before the Royal Navy blockade starved Germany into submission (Kennedy, 1976 p. 246). The myth of the greatness of the German army had not been broken in 1914; after all it had almost gained victory in the war. The stunning victory at Tannenberg had produced two new heroes in the form of Hindenburg and Ludendorff who both became leading figures in the conduct of the war, as well as having a great deal of political influence. Neither side was able to break the stalemate on the Western front in 1915, although the Germans helped Turkey to stop the allied offensive in Gallipoli. From an early stage in the First World War the German government realised the importance of propaganda in maintaining both military and civilian morale. Any successes were exaggerated, set backs were either not mentioned at all or their significance was played down (Bourne, Liddle Whitehead, 2001, p.49). The German army put all its hopes of winning into the massive offensive against Verdun in 1916, Falkenhayn aimed to kill so many French soldiers that it would break French morale and force their surrender. Verdun almost fell but for the efforts of Petain, it could have broken the French army. The German government presented the Verdun offensive as a victory due to the French having sustained heavier losses. The attack on Verdun brought forward the British led offensive on the Somme. For the Germans, the Somme helped to create the myth that the German army could not be defeated. The defences of the Hindenburg line were formidable and the massive artillery barrage that lasted a week did nothing to break it. The barely touched or harmed German defenders decimated the advancing British and French soldiers. The first day of the Somme remains the worst day in the British army’s history. Allied failure to make a breakthrough in the Somme helped to keep Germany fighting and also moral e and confidence high (Bourne, Liddle Whitehead, 2001, p. 459). However, the most decisive battle of 1916 was at sea, the battle of Jutland. The Germans claimed victory as they had inflicted heavier losses upon the Royal Navy. The Germans claimed that their ships were better built, more up to date, and therefore were superior, as were the gunnery skills of the German crews. The German navy and the German government did not make public that Jutland had almost been a disaster. The Germans had planned to reduce the superior numbers of the Royal Navy by isolating units from the main British fleet by sinking them all. Instead of that, the Germans met up with the entire Grand Fleet. Only nightfall and the cautious approach of the British admirals prevented the Royal Navy destroying the High Seas Fleet. After Jutland, the Royal Navy maintained its devastating blockade against Germany. From then on the only German naval threat came from its submarine force, and the crews of the High Seas Fleet would prove more of a threat towards the German government th an the Royal Navy (Kennedy, 1976, p.247). During the First World War the German government controlled what newspapers could publish, the press did not usually publicise official casualty or fatality figures, discuss food and fuel shortages or mention anti-war protests. The German government vetted all public theatre or musical performances, whilst the country’s 7,500 cinemas could only show German made films that were considered patriotic. Hollywood films were banned as culturally unsound even before the United States entered the war. German cinemas did show newsreel footage of the war from 1917, yet that footage was restricted in the images that were shown. Germany produced less propaganda articles or posters than Britain or France. German news coverage and propaganda lacked effectiveness compared to British propaganda. The German government was hampered due to the political parties being unable to agree upon the country’s war aims, there was disagreement as to whether they were fighting a war of containment o r fighting for financial or territorial gains (Stevenson, 2004, p.277). The German government seemed merely to tell the German media what it could not print or broadcast that it missed the opportunity to ensure that propaganda and information was presented in the most effective manner. The government left the decision of how to present information about the progress of the war to the newspaper editors. The style of writing and presentation of newspapers were adapted to the tastes of the people that brought the newspapers. To a certain extent official information and propaganda was able to disguise bad news from the front yet perhaps it was only effective due to wishful thinking or naivety on the home front. German propaganda and censorship however could not hide food shortage form the German people, those that were not in the army or did not live in agricultural areas had to make do with 50% less food than in 1914. It was also difficult to cover up increasing political divisions ove r the conduct of the war. Perhaps foolishly the government had not banned public discussions about national war aims, or whether Germany should find ways to end the war through peace talks. The government could not hide the splits of the Social Democratic Party either. The most left wing of the Social Democratic splinter groups was very outspoken about Germany’s chances of winning the war and called for ending it as soon as possible. During the course of the First World War, German newspapers changed in size and in the actual print types used. Although smaller newspapers with simpler print types may have pleased readers such changes owed more to shortages of paper than altered graphic design or attempts to make propaganda more effective (Stevenson, 2004, p.279). The German government had great confidence that its submarines or U-boats could get Britain out of the war by breaking its Atlantic supply lines. At first the German navy had stuck to the rules of war, only naval ships were sunk on sight, merchant ships were inspected and all crews were usually evacuated before sinking the ships. The Royal Navy responded by arming merchant ships and using ‘Q’ ships, these were warships disguised as merchant ships to sink unsuspecting U-boats (a strategy that worked well but broke international maritime law). U-boat commanders retaliated by sinking ships if they believed them to be armed or carrying war supplies. The German government convinced the German public that its U-boats were providing heroic services and could even win the war. However, the U-boats caused controversy with the sinking of the liner Lusitania in May 1915 with the loss of over 1,000 lives, including many Americans. German propaganda that the Lusitania was carrying mu nitions was not widely accepted as much as British denials were. The Germans sink on sight policy was dropped to prevent United States entry in to the war (Rayner Stapley, 2006, p.105). The Germans returned to unrestricted submarine warfare in 1917, arguing it was a morally justified measure in response to the Royal Navy blockade of Germany. The German U-boats initially caused heavy shipping losses that threatened British food and war supplies. The U-boat campaign helped to bring the US into the war against Germany, British propaganda was very effective in persuading American public opinion to support entry into the war. The German government however, could have increased its chances of victory by improving the efficiency of German industry and agriculture. The German failure to fully mobilise their resources disproved their claims of modernity and efficiency (Hobsbawm, 1994, p.28). Despite the failure of the U-boat campaign to eliminate Britain from the First World War, the Germans still had chances to win the war. The collapse of the Tsarist regime in Russia presented the German military with opportunities to win the war before the United States could intervene decisively. The Russian Provisional Government carried on fighting against Germany, although the October Revolution that brought the Bolsheviks to power effectively ended the fighting on the Eastern front (Bullock, 1991, p.69). The Russian exit from the war allowed Hindenburg and Ludendorff to transfer army units from the Eastern to the Western Front for the Spring offensive of 1918 (which they knew was their last chance to win the war). There was the drawback that part of the German army and navy became attracted to revolutionary ideas as a means to end the war and bring fundamental political changes to Germany (Fulbrook, 1991, p.22). Hindenburg and Ludendorff knew something that the German governmentà ¢â‚¬â„¢s propaganda kept from the public; the spring offensive was the last throw of the dice. Although the spring offensive gave the German army its furthest advances in the West since August 1914, it failed to break the Allies and end the war. The failure of the spring offensive meant that Germany could only lose the war. Hindenburg and Ludendorff found civilian politicians to seek armistice to end the war. They hoped that these civilians would take the blame for the defeat, which is just what happened. The same generals that failed to win the war blamed the people left to pick up the shattered pieces of Imperial Germany for their failures. Hindenburg and Ludendorff invented the mythology of the ‘stab in the back’ that so undermined the Weimar Republic (Brendon, 2000, p.9). Germany’s defeat came as a bitter shock to the majority of the German population as the government’s strict censorship of bad news and its attempts at propaganda had convinced the majority of German people that defeat was not possible or indeed likely in the near future. Propaganda and censorship made it appear that Germany was in a stronger position than was actually the case. Government bulletins had deceived people into believing that the sacrifices and losses would be worth it once victory had been achieved. The bulletins gave an ultimately false impression that German victory was at hand. This was especially the case when the spring offensive made its initial gains. If the majority of the population had not believed wartime propaganda then the myth of the ‘stab in the back’ would not have gained so much currency in subsequent years after the war (Bourne, Liddle Whitehead, 2001, p.460). The truth was that the First World War exhausted Germany, the mode rnity of its army, navy and its weak allies, inefficient organisation, and the effects of the Royal Navy blockade nullified industry. The German army and the navy were affected by Communist and revolutionary impulses. The German army’s morale was lowered as a result of the spring offensives, soldiers found out that the Allied armies were better fed and equipped than they were (Brendon, 2000, p.8). The army was broken after August 1918 and in non-stop retreat. It had not been defeated, although the arrival of large numbers of American troops and the surrender of Austria meant that defeat was inevitable (Holmes, 1999 p.213). The ‘stab in the back’ myth had no basis in reality, yet it would endure long enough to severely undermine the viability of the Weimar Republic due to millions of Germans believing it (Fulbrook, 1991, p.23). Chapter 2 Mythology Modernity during the Weimar Republic Some of Imperial Germany’s most gifted artists, architects, and writers had fought in the First World War. Although some of them had held left wing political opinions, they had not avoided military service. Amongst the influential modernists that served in the war was the painter Paul Klee. Paul Klee went on to survive the conflict, whilst his fellow artists Franz Marc and August Macke were killed in action. Marc and Macke had both been talented modernist painters. They had been in a group with Wassily Kandinsky they had decided to call ‘Der Blaue Reiter’ or in English, The Blue Rider. This small group of artists favoured a strand of modernity referred to as abstraction (Faerna, 2000 p. 8). It has been argued that the experiences of military service had the affect of radicalising those that returned from the front. In the case of Germany, her veterans were drawn towards either the rabidly nationalist ring wing groups such as the Nazi party, or they were drawn towa rds the revolutionary left. Amidst the debris of a war shattered country the old monarchy was replaced by the Weimar Republic. As a matter of coincidence the centre of excellence for the modernists in Weimar era Germany, the Bauhaus school was also founded in Weimar during 1919 (Hobsbawm, 1994 p. 179). In many respects the founders of the Bauhaus school had similar political, social, and ethical ideologies to those that had drafted the constitution of the Weimar Republic. Like the architects of the Weimar Republic, the founders of the Bauhaus favoured modernity, cultural diversity, and they were internationalist in outlook (James, 2003 p. 85). History has certainly not been kind to the Weimar Republic, Germany’s first taste of liberal democracy that was detested by millions of Germans, as well as being beset by major political and economic weaknesses particularly after the Great Depression. The collapse of the monarchy had allowed the Weimar Republic to be created to the decidedly inauspicious background of military defeat, an enforced peace treaty and political unrest at home. The optimism of pre-war Imperial Germany had been shattered by the time the First World War had finished (James, 2003, p.73). The Weimar Republic had a very liberal constitution with left wing and centre parties supporting the new system. The Weimar Republic was not at first accepted by the Communists or right wing nationalist parties. The new German state lacked the economic dynamism of Imperial Germany, especially as the Ruhr Valley industry output was harnessed to the French economy. The Germans protested about the reparations enforced upon them by the Treaty of Versailles. The Versailles settlement was intended to strip Germany of the power to wage war again, the army was reduced to 100,000 men, and the high command was abolished. The German navy was reduced to a weak coastal defence force banned from having submarines. Germany was also banned from having an airforce. The Allies had hoped to break militarism in Germany, yet only caused resentment amongst the German people. Resentment of the Versailles settlement fuelled dislike of the Weimar Republic, although the government could not have rejected the treaty. Germany simply did not have the military, human, or economic resources to have carried on fighting which was why Ludendorff had brought civilians into the government in the first place, to use as fall guys for the army’s failure to win the war (Shirer, 1988, p.32). However fragile the political and economic situation was in the Weimar era, Germany was certainly not a cultural or artistic backwater. In fact, Germany during the Republican period gained an international renown for its cultural and artistic achievements. Some of these cultural and artistic trends had existed before the First World War; others such as the Bauhaus School most closely linked with Walter Gropius flourished in this period (Fulbrook, 1991, p.39). Much of the cultural diversity witnessed during the Weimar Republic fits into the concepts of modernity. Walter Gropius, Thomas Mann, and Arnold Schonberg were notable members of the German modernist avant-garde who got their best opportunities to fully express themselves after the First World War (Hobsbawm, 1994, p.179). German avant-garde modernism was influenced by two American imports after the First World War, cinematic films, and jazz music. The Weimar Republic had a flourishing filmmaking sector, although it could not mat ch the production levels or profits generated by Hollywood. Hollywood studios, especially Universal Studios liked to use ideas from relatively unknown German films, such as Frankenstein. Even before the Nazi’s took power and repressed the degenerate elements of modernity; German technicians and filmmakers could always find work in Hollywood. Gropius and the Bauhaus linked itself with jazz music, which they regarded as the height of modernity in musical terms. The right wing politicians and extreme nationalists disliked jazz due to its Black American origin, as much as for its musical merits (Hobsbawm, 1994, pp.184-85). The Bauhaus School membership was almost entirely made up of left wing sympathisers who preferred the new republic to the old monarchy. The Social Democrats retained their previous popularity but the new Weimar Republic actually allowed it a share of power. The greater freedoms that were allowed under the Republican regime would mean that the Bauhaus and other centres of German modernity were not only linked with Socialism or Marxism, they were also linked with Germany’s moral degeneration. Places where new culture was stronger, especially Berlin, were frequently resented for moral decadence and politically subversive views. The Bauhaus also tried to change the print types used in German newspapers and their own printed material. This was partly to make the graphic design better to look at as well as to save resources which traditional print types used more of (Fulbrook, 1991, p.41). For instance, Lyonell Feininger taught at the Bauhaus, yet had previously been a cartoonist that had gained a reputation for producing hard hitting political satire in his newspaper cartoons. Whilst working for the Bauhaus Feining er went on to become a highly skilled painter and woodcutter. His work reflected that the influence of the Cubist movement remained strong throughout his career (www.articons.co.uk). Wassily Kandinsky had been a founding member of the ‘Blaue Reiter’ before the First World War forced his return to his native Russia. Whilst at the Bauhaus, Kandinsky did some of his finest work most notably the ‘Kleine Welten’ of 1922. He broadened his artistic horizons, whilst using his skills as a graphic designer to produce stage sets and theatrical costumes (www.articons.co.uk). Laszlo Moholy-Nagy came up with some innovative photographic techniques that later became widely used in journalistic graphic design. These techniques produced photographic quality pictures without the need to use a camera which Moholy–Nagy referred to as photograms. Moholy –Nagy became a film producer, as well as further developing photograms to be incorporated into printed text (Cry stal, 1998 p. 652). Dislike of the new democratic Germany was not just confined to extreme nationalist groups, teachers, civil servants, as well as the Catholic and Protestant churches were suspicious if not downright hostile towards the Weimar Republic. The political, social and ethical decadence of the Weimar Republic came to a head in 1923. This year was when the French occupied the Ruhr Valley and also when Germany was devastated by hyperinflation. Hyperinflation brought misery to millions of ordinary Germans; it made wages, savings, and pensions worthless. Millions turned in desperation towards the Communists, but also for the first time the Nazi party. Hyperinflation was the event, which also saw Adolf Hitler brought to national attention, after the failed putsch in Munich during November 1923. Hitler skilfully used his trial to publicly express the aims of the Nazi party. Germany’s severe economic problems also prompted American recovery packages that gave the Weimar Republic the appearanc e of political and economic stability (Brendon, 2000, pp.29-30). Domestically, stability seemed to be achieved under th