Louis Armstrong Essay -- Jazz Player Music Musician Biography Essays

Louis Armstrong Heroes are needed in the world to give people something to look up to, someone to be like. Louis Armstrong over came such adversities as poverty, a lack of good education, and racism to become one of the greatest jazz player not just of the 1920s but of the 20th century. Armstrong was one of the creators of Jazz and was one of the most popular entertainers from the 1920s. Starting out at a young age he never knew that one day he would be such a popular jazz player and also not knowing that one day he might even be called a hero. Armstrong was born on July 4, 1900 in the Storyville section of New Orleans. At the age of 12 his life changed. When he was parting for New Years Eve, he shot a gun into the air. He was soon arrested and taken to a center for juvenile offenders. He hated being there, but loved going to see the band at the center play everyday. When he got the chance to go play in the band, he quickly did. He first started out playing the Alto Horn then moved to the drums and finally ending up with the trumpet. Two years later at the age of fourteen he was released from the center. He went out and got jobs to help get him to be able to afford an instrument. His jobs included, selling papers, unloading boats, and selling coal from a cart. On his off times he would go around to clubs like the Funky Butt Hall to listen to bands play. A jazz musician named King Oliver saw him and was impressed at his attendance at so many of the local clubs that he inquired of him as to if he wanted to learn to play the cornet. Armstrong said yes. He picked it up very quickly and soon was playing in bands for people that were absent. This soon lead to him starting his own band. This was all at the age of seventeen. Armstrong played with his band, known as Louis Armstrong Hot 5 or Hot 7, for two years and then King Oliver went to Chicago. Armstrong took a spot in Kid Ory’s orchestra one of the biggest known bands in the town. He played on the riverboats on the Mississippi River and got better at playing. All this without even knowing how to read music. While on the riverboat he was taught to read music which would help him out greatly later, when he became a band conductor. In 1922 he was called to Chicago by King Oliver. After arriving he made a change t... ... modern classical music. Contemporary classical composers like Darius Milhaud and Igor Stravinsky emulated much of Armstrong's work. In addition, Armstrong left his mark on other aspects of American culture as his fascinating personality truly influenced a nation. Armstrong's legacy can be traced into "dance, theater, the visual arts, fashion, poetry, and literature." Nobody has done more for jazz than Louis Armstrong. His contributions, influence, and legacy are immeasurable. Louis Armstrong truly is the jazz legend. As fellow trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie points out, "If it weren't for him, there wouldn't be any of us." When there is someone who beats all the odds to come out on top and shows you that you can do anything if you really want to. You probably will call them a hero. Hero doesn’t just mean saving lives and helping people that are in danger of dying, it can also be someone who makes you believe that you can do anything that you can imagine. Louie Armstrong helped lots of black people know that just because of their color, it didn’t mean that they couldn’t be one of the most famous people in the world.

Educational Problems in Egypt Essay

Egypt has the most significant educational system in the (MENA); Middle East and North Africa according to the Human Development Index (HDI). Although the educational system had been developing hastily since the beginning of the 1990s, Egypt had been continuously facing serious and accumulated problems in education. An exploding population, an increasing poverty, low literacy rates, drastic injustice in schools qualities; schools in urban areas where the rich can pay for education are better than other schools in different areas, Low teaching salaries and inconsistent funding for the educational system by the government, all led to a decreasing educational quality mainly in the most essential and indispensable part of the educational system which is basic education, also it led many teachers to the road of private tutoring for extra income. Moreover, memorization rather than critical thinking was unwillingly encouraged through physical punishment in schools and homes. For countless Egyptian children fragmented information was the result and that was never considered real knowledge. Yet again as a product of these causes, more and more escalating numbers of graduates are found unemployed. Egypt will continue to face an educational crisis, as lack of well trained teachers, effective schools and developed educational equipment unless a much better financial commitment is made by the government. This essay will first demonstrate the main causes of the educational problem, examine the effects of these problems on the society, discuss and analyze the previously proposed solutions and finally enlighten a solution that will most likely work in our Egyptian society.

Ted Baker Plc Is A London Listed Retail Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1368 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Ted Baker Plc is a London listed retail company. The company is headquartered in London and has operations in other European counties as well as US, Asia, Middle East and China. The company had gross revenue of pound;215.625million, a 15% jump from the year before. However, the profits for the year remained significantly unchanged at pound;17557, a 1.6% rise from the previous year. 85% of the total company revenue came from United Kingdom and the greater Europe with the rest coming from the US (12.9%) and Hong Kong (2.1%). By virtue of the companys overseas holdings, it is exposed to a number of risks. These include strategic, financial, operational and political risks. According to the firms latest annual report for the year ended 28 January 2012, the risks pose a significant threat to its performance and can inflict material changes to financial statements in the year of their occurrence. Most importantly, the firm has to measure the probability of their occu rrence and mitigate against their effect on its bottom line. Country risks As mentioned, Ted Baker operated in a number of countries. Each of these countries posses specific country risks to the firm. To begin with, the firm faces a number of country specific risks such as blockage in transfer of funds as well as cultural and institutional crash of norms. For instance, Ted Bakers Chinese operation faces a number of transfer restrictions from the country. That means that the company might have trouble in repatriating profits realized from there. To mitigate against this risk, the company has set up operations in Hong Kong, a relatively secure destination with minimal restriction on the transfer of capital and profits in and out of the country (Ted Baker Inc., 2012). Operations in a foreign country must observe the rules and regulations relating to ownership of business. In most of Ted Bakers operating countries, 100% ownership is not permissible. Therefore, local residents h ave to be included as strategic partners in the organisation to facilitate licensing by authorities. This dilution in ownership leads to weak control of organisational strategy. To mitigate against these risks, the company assesses its entry strategy n a case-by-case basis to ensure that the local investors in the target market add value to the management team. In most cases, the company acquires already established companies with their entire supply chain intact and retains some minority shareholding to ensure that it maintains the needed legal and regulatory threshold. Another country-specific risk that the company faces relates to human resource norms in the foreign operations. Since it is a UK company, it is used to having employees with flexible work schedule. However, the Middle Eastern workers have the right to take extended break during working hours to observe their religious rituals. In the same way, American workers have very strong labor unions that have very strong a bility to bargain for higher wages through industrial action. These factors pose enormous risks to the company and can result in material losses in those markets. Ted Baker also faces the risk of protectionism in its key markets. This is particularly so in the United States in the wake of the financial crises. USA is keen to protect its local industry and has therefore increased its non-tariff barriers for goods manufactured elsewhere. This increases the cost of doing business and erodes the businesss competitiveness in the American market. Ted Baker also faces risks relating to nepotism and corruption in its operating markets. In the Middle East for instance, executives hire employees based on kinship and other affiliations as opposed to merit. This makes it hard for the organization to attract and retain the best talent as hiring is best on referrals and not merit. It also opens up avenues for conflict of interest and outright corruption by the executives. Given that these e xecutives are part owners of the company as mandated by law, the company has no choice but to retain them. Most importantly, Ted Baker faces the risk of loss of intellectual property from its operating markets. This is especially true given that most countries require a mandatory percentage of local ownership in order to pass on expertise to them. In Hong Kong for instance, intellectual property rights are rarely enforced. Locals can steal proprietary design information and use it to make their own products. This poses enormous risk for the company. Country risk is higher in cases of long-term investment that are not made through a regulated market. Given the nature of entry the Ted baker uses in establishing its operations (mostly mergers and acquisitions), and the long-term nature of its investments, the company is exposed to high levels of risk. Worse still, most of the country risk elements that the company faces cannot be hedged effectively. This means extreme loss in the event of such risk crystallizing (Ted Baker Inc., 2012). Political risk Political stability is crucial to a firms sustained growth and profitability. Political instability in the Middle East poses a major problem for the firm. Following the Arab spring in the last few years, the firm experienced disruptions in supply chains in the region. This led to high operational costs and outright losses in cases of shutdowns (Ted Baker Inc., 2012). Ted baker assesses political risk at two levels: Macro and Micro. At the macro level, the firms management assesses the host countrys attitudes towards foreign investors and political stability. If the country is hostile to foreign investors and has a degree of political instability as indicated by civil strife or other indications, the market is considered unsafe and not worth investing in. Only countries that have relative political stability and that are friendly to international investors are considered targets for investments. At t he micro level, Ted Baker assesses whether its activities can conflict with the target countries existing regulations. However, this is not sufficient in the face of a changing political landscape as is the case in most of its operating markets. The management anticipates the likely effect of changes in the political landscape on the operations of the firm. In all the markets that the company has operations, the firm has minimal political risk at the micro level. This is because of its effective corporate governance structure that guides its operations (Ted Baker Inc., 2012). As detailed in its final report, Ted Baker relies heavily on effective corporate governance to stave off most of micro level risks. The principles of corporate governance guide its operations in all markets and this minimizes the chances of going against the rules and regulations. in particular, the company observes all rules of accountability (appropriate board size, transparent ownership, ownership neutral ity and defined board accountability), disclosure and transparency (broad, accurate and timely disclosure using proper accounting standards), independence (independent audits, dispersed ownership, independent oversight, independent directors) and shareholder equity (one vote per share) (Ted Baker Inc., 2012). Ted Baker has an insurance policy against political risks. Under the policy agreement, the company can claim compensation for occurrences such as inconvertibility, expropriation and loss of income from political violence. This is the most effective hedge against these risks. Ted Baker is also exposed to currency and exchange rate risk. This mainly occurs on purchases denominated in USD and Euros. The group also publishes its final accounts in sterling pound and it therefore incurs some losses in translation. To mitigate against these effects, the company used financial instruments (hedging) (Ted Baker Inc., 2012). Conclusion Ted Baker Plc has operations UK, France and other European counties, USA, Asia, Middle East and China. Most of the companys profit is derived from United Kingdom and the greater Europe with the rest coming from the US (12.9%) and Hong Kong (2.1%). Due to its international operations, the firm faces a number of risks both country specific and firm specific. These include transfer risks as well as cultural and institutional risks. The company has insured itself against most of the country specific risks. It leverages on strong corporate governance structures to avoid micro risks. Ted Bakers exposure to currency and exchange rate risk due to transactions done in different currencies as well as and translation of financial data to sterling pounds results in losses for the firm. To mitigate against these effects, the company uses financial instruments to hedge e its exposure. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Ted Baker Plc Is A London Listed Retail Finance Essay" essay for you Create order

Queen Victoria, Queen of England and Empress of India

Queen Victoria (May 24, 1819–January 22, 1901), was the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the empress of India. She was the longest-ruling monarch of Great  Britain until Queen Elizabeth II surpassed her record and ruled during a time of economic and imperial expansion known as the Victorian Era. Fast Facts: Queen Victoria Known For: Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (r. 1837–1901), Empress of India (r. 1876–1901)Born: May 24, 1819 in Kensington Palace, London, EnglandParents: Edward, Duke of Kent and Victoire Maria Louisa of Saxe-CoburgDied: January 22, 1901 in Osborne House, Isle of WightPublished Works: Letters, Leaves From the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands, and More LeavesSpouse:  Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (m. Feb. 10, 1840)Children: Alice Maud Mary (1843–1878), Alfred Ernest Albert (1844–1900), Helena Augusta Victoria (1846–1923), Louise Caroline Alberta (1848–1939), Arthur William Patrick Albert (1850–1942), Leopold George Duncan Albert (1853–1884), Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore (1857–1944) Queen Victorias children and grandchildren  married into many royal families of Europe, and some  introduced the hemophilia gene  into those families. She was a member of the house of Hanover, later called the house of Windsor. Early Life Queen Victoria was born Alexandrina Victoria at Kensington Palace, London, England on May 24, 1819. She was the only child of Edward, Duke of Kent (1767–1820), the fourth son of King George III (1738–1820, r. 1760–1820). Her mother was Victoire Maria Louisa of Saxe-Coburg (1786–1861), sister of Prince (later King)  Leopold of the Belgians (1790–1865, r. 1831–1865). Edward had married Victoire when an heir to the throne was needed after the death of Princess Charlotte, who had been married to Prince Leopold.  Edward died in 1820, just before his father did.  Victoire became the guardian of Alexandrina Victoria, as designated in Edwards will. When George IV became king (r. 1821–1830),  his dislike for Victoire helped isolate the mother and daughter from the rest of the court.  Prince Leopold helped his sister and niece financially. Heiress In 1830 and at the age of 11, Victoria became heir-apparent to the British crown on the death of her uncle George IV, at which point the parliament granted her income.  Her uncle William IV (1765–1837, r. 1830–1837) became king. Victoria remained relatively isolated, without any real friends, though she had many servants and teachers and a succession of pet dogs.  A tutor, Louise Lehzen (1784–1817), tried to teach Victoria the kind of discipline that Queen Elizabeth I had displayed. She was tutored in politics by her uncle Leopold. When Victoria turned 18, her uncle King William IV offered her a separate income and household, but Victorias mother refused. Victoria attended a ball in her honor and was greeted by crowds in the streets. Queen When William IV died childless a month later, Victoria became Queen of Great Britain and was crowned June, 20, 1837. Victoria began to exclude her mother from her inner circle. The first crisis of her reign came when rumors circulated that one of her mothers ladies-in-waiting, Lady Flora, was pregnant by her mothers adviser, John Conroy.  Lady Flora died of a liver tumor, but opponents at court used the rumors to make the new queen seem less innocent. Queen Victoria tested the limits of her royal powers in May 1839, when the government of Lord Melbourne (William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, 1779–1848), a Whig who had been her mentor and friend, fell. She refused to follow established precedent and dismiss her ladies of the bedchamber so that the Tory government could replace them.  In the bedchamber crisis she had the support of Melbourne.  Her refusal brought back the Whigs and Lord Melbourne until 1841. Marriage Neither Victoria nor her advisers favored the idea of an unmarried queen, despite or because of the example of Elizabeth I (1533–1603, r. 1558–1603).  A husband for Victoria would have to be royal and Protestant, as well as an appropriate age, which narrowed the field. Prince Leopold had been promoting her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861)  for many years. They had first met when both were 17 and had corresponded ever since. When they were 20, he returned to England and Victoria, in love with him, proposed marriage. They were married on Feb. 10, 1840. Victoria had traditional views on the role of wife and mother, and although she was queen and Albert was prince consort, he shared government responsibilities at least equally. They fought often, sometimes with Victoria shouting angrily. Motherhood Their first child, a daughter, was born in November 1840, followed by the Prince of Wales, Edward, in 1841. Three more sons and four more daughters followed.  All nine pregnancies ended with live births and all the children survived to adulthood, an unusual record for that time.  Although Victoria had been nursed by her own mother, she used wet-nurses for her children. Though the family could have lived at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, or the Brighton Pavilion, they worked to create homes more appropriate for a family.  Albert was key in  designing their residences at Balmoral Castle and Osborne House. The family traveled to several places, including Scotland, France and Belgium.  Victoria became especially fond of Scotland and Balmoral. Government Role When Melbournes government failed again in 1841, he helped with the transition to the new government to avoid another embarrassing crisis. Victoria had a more limited role under Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet (1788–1850), with Albert taking a lead for the next 20 years of dual monarchy.  Albert guided Victoria to an appearance of political neutrality, though she didnt become any fonder of Peel. Instead, she became involved with establishing charities. European sovereigns visited her at home, and she and Albert visited Germany, including Coburg and Berlin.  She began to feel herself part of a larger network of monarchs.  Albert and Victoria used their relationship to become more active in foreign affairs, which conflicted with the ideas of the foreign minister, Lord Palmerston (Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, 1784–1865).  He didnt appreciate their involvement, and Victoria and Albert often thought his ideas too liberal and aggressive. Albert worked on a plan for a Great Exhibition, with a Crystal Palace in Hyde Park. Public appreciation for this construction completed in 1851 finally led to a warming of the British citizens toward their queens consort. Wars In the mid-1850s, the Crimean War (1853–1856) engrossed Victorias attention; she rewarded Florence Nightingale (1820–1910) for her service in helping protect and heal soldiers. Victorias concern for the wounded and sick led to her founding Royal Victoria Hospital in 1873.  As a result of the war, Victoria grew closer to the French emperor Napoleon III and his empress Eugà ©nie.  Napoleon III (1808–1873) was president of France from 1848–1852, and when he was not reelected, seized power and ruled as an emperor from 1852–1870. The unsuccessful revolt of Indian infantrymen in the army of the East India Company known as the Mutiny of the Sepoys (1857–1858) shocked Victoria. This and subsequent events led to British direct rule over India and Victorias new title as empress of India on May 1, 1876. Family In family matters, Victoria became disappointed with her eldest son, Albert Edward, prince of Wales, heir presumptive. The eldest three children—Victoria, Bertie, and Alice—received better educations than their younger siblings did, as they were most likely to inherit the crown. Queen Victoria and the Princess Royal Victoria werent as close as Victoria was to several of the younger children; the princess was closer to her father.  Albert won his way in marrying the princess to Frederick William, son of the prince and princess of Prussia. The young prince proposed when Princess Victoria was only 14. The queen urged delay in marriage to be sure that the princess was truly in love, and when she assured herself and her parents that she was, the two were formally engaged. Albert had never been named prince consort by parliament. Attempts in 1854 and 1856 to do so failed. Finally in 1857, Victoria conferred the title herself. In 1858, Princess Victoria was married to the Prussian prince.  Victoria and her daughter, known as Vicky, exchanged many letters as Victoria attempted to influence her daughter and son-in-law.   Mourning A series of deaths among Victorias relatives kept her in mourning starting in 1861. First, the king of Prussia died, making Vicky and her husband Frederick crown princess and prince. In March, Victorias mother died and Victoria collapsed, having reconciled with her mother during her marriage.  Several more deaths in the family followed, and then came a scandal with the prince of Wales.  In the middle of negotiating his marriage with Alexandra of Denmark, it was revealed that he was having an affair with an actress. Then Prince Alberts health failed.  He caught a cold and couldnt shake it. Perhaps weakened already by cancer, he developed what may have been typhoid fever and died on Dec. 14, 1861.  His death devastated Victoria; her prolonged mourning lost her much popularity. Death Eventually coming out of seclusion in February 1872, Victoria maintained an active role in government by building many memorials to her late husband. She died on January 22, 1901. Legacy Her reign was marked by waxing and waning popularity, and suspicions that she preferred the Germans a bit too much diminished her popularity. By the time she had assumed the throne, the British monarchy was more figurehead and influence than it was a direct power in the government, and her long reign did little to change that. Queen Victorias influence on British and world affairs, even if often was a figurehead, led to the naming of the Victorian Era for her.  She saw the largest extent of the British empire and the tensions within it.  Her relationship with her son, keeping him from any shared power, probably weakened the royal rule in future generations, and the failure of her daughter and son-in-law in Germany to have time to actualize their liberal ideas probably shifted the balance of European history. The marriage of her daughters into other royal families and the likelihood that her children bore a mutant gene for hemophilia affected the following generations of European history. Sources Baird, Julia. Victoria the Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire. New York: Random House, 2016.Hibbert, Christopher. Queen Victoria: A Personal History. New York: Harper-Collins, 2010.Hough, Richard. Victoria and Albert. New York: St. Martins Press, 1996.Rappaport, Helen. Queen Victoria: A Biographical Companion. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2003.

Christian Symbolism in Beowulf Essay - 1592 Words

Christian symbolism in Beowulf within the poem Beowulf, the poet utilizes the Christian religion to symbolize the elements of good and evil and Heaven and Hell. Beowulf is the oldest known English epic poem. The manuscripts date back to about 1000 A.D., when two scribes wrote it down for posterity. The poem was handed down from the Anglo-Saxon period, and through the retelling of the poem, it changed a little each time. The poem creates an oral depiction of an epic hero who strived to fight against the forces of evil. There really was a â€Å"historical† Beowulf who helped the Geats and Danes fight off pirates, but he was neither King of the Geats nor Danish hero at any time. In fact, he was not considered a man of any extraordinary qualities,†¦show more content†¦The poet tells about â€Å"The Almighty making of the earth, shaping beautiful plains, marked off by oceans, then proudly setting the sun and moon to glow across the land and light it† (7-10). In the Bible, Genesis 1:1 reads, â€Å"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.† Immediately following this passage, it goes on to explain the history of Creation. Included in this description is how God made light and dark, land and ocean, plant and animal, and finally the ultimate creation, man. God gave the gift of free will to all of His children. Beowulf relies on God’s will and his own strength in his three battles. Beowulf’s first battle is against the evil monster, Grendel. â€Å"Beowulf trusts in his own strength as much as in God’s grace in his battle† (Chickering 272). After his first battle, â€Å"A pang of mortality strikes Beowulf as he looks back at the splendid neck-ring he has been given by Hrothgar as part of his reward for victory over Grendel†(Price 25). Beowulf was showing humility because he knows that he is human and could have been killed. The Bible speaks about humility in numerous books. For example, 1 Peter 5:5 says that â€Å"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.† Nearing death, Grendel realizes that he â€Å"once the afflicter of men, tormentor of their days—[knew] what it meant to feud with the Almighty God† (Beowulf 490-492). This passage shows GrendelShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Christianism In Beowulf843 Words   |  4 PagesWritten by an anonymous Christian monk circa A.D. 700, Beowulf is considered the mother poem of England. The tale is based in Sweden, as well as the small Danish island of Zealand. The poem follows the title character, Beowulf, in his battles with various monsters. Beowulf comes to the aid of Hrothgar to defeat the monster Grendel that had been terrorizing Herot Hall for twelve years. Beowulf also defeats Grendel’s mother at the bottom of the lake, in what is referred to as the ‘battle hall’. FiftyRead MoreChristian Allegory in Beowulf1027 Words   |  4 PagesThe Anglo-Saxon poem â€Å"Beowulf† takes the reader back into a time long past; one of family, fate, and fealty. Beowulf offers a gli mpse of a society struggling between two different paths, one path being the assimilation into the new Christian traditions and the other is the fast fading past of glorified warriors and family ties. In the poem, the reader can see the attempts of the poet to convey the values and stories of Judeo-Christianity in a society of Anglo-Saxon paganism. The poet illustratesRead MoreChristianity And Paganism In Beowulf1005 Words   |  5 PagesHave you ever wanted to have super strength? Have you ever wanted to be a savior? Well, that is every day for one epic hero named Beowulf. Beowulf is an epic poem about good versus evil written by an anonymous Christian monk. Paganism was the Geats first religion, and once Christianity became introduced, the religion slowly shifted from paganism to Christianity. Beowulf has successfully exhibited the transition from paganism to Christianity. The epic poem has a shift from Christianity to paganismRead MoreThe Merging of Cultures in Beowulf 1410 Wo rds   |  6 PagesThe story of Beowulf represents the merging of two cultural belief systems: paganism and Christianity. Historically, the Anglo-Saxon culture was based upon pagan practices- idolatry, worship of many Gods and a specific warrior’s code of conduct. Beowulf was born of this culture as a legend passed down through centuries by oral tradition until shortly after their conversion to Christianity. It was finally preserved in written form by an obviously Christian author in an attempt to unify the two beliefRead MorePropaganda In Beowulf1007 Words   |  5 PagesIs Beowulf a work of Christian propaganda? Yes and no! Propaganda is defined as â€Å"any systematic, widespread dissemination or promotion of particular ideas, doctrines, practices, etc. to further ones cause or to damage an opposing one.† An unethical attempt to persuade people to advance their own goals, motives, and perception towards others so that they can alter the Journey of Beowulf and the positive light he brings upon society against evil. Beowulf contains many Christian references throughoutRead MoreEssay about Beowulf as a Messianic Narrative1027 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf as a messianic narrative has been a subject of great controversy. Given the time period, ‘Christianity’ was not completely established, and it was entwined with cultural paganism, as seen woven throughout the text. The definition of a messianic narrative (containing the ultimate messianic figure) is found in Isaiah 53, a prophecy spoken by God through the Hebrew prophet Isaiah. This is the standard to which Beowulf mu st be compared to determination the nature of the poem. Many scholars suchRead MoreBeowulf Is Not Your Average Viking Warrior1498 Words   |  6 Pagesdealing harm by penetrating your foe make it the ultimate allusion to the male anatomy. However, in this battle between Grendel’s mother and Beowulf, our hero’s sword cannot seem to perform its intended function. This failed display of masculinity by Beowulf is only one of many that suggest that he is not your average Viking warrior. The Beowulf poet in, Beowulf, challenges the idea of a womanizing manly Viking warrior with a protagonist who exhibits displays of gender non-conformity, emasculatingRead MoreBack Before Written History Monster Stories Were Passed1248 Words   |  5 Pageshundreds of thousands of stories where monsters are exhibited throughout history. These monsters are just made up to scare or entertain people, the best kinds of monsters in stories are those that have hidden symbolism. The Epic of Gil gamesh and Beowulf, are two stories where there is heavy symbolism associated with the monsters. Both characters form relationships with the supernatural throughout their journeys. The monsters Gilgamesh faces act as distraction on his spiritual journey, while Beowulf’sRead MoreBeowulf And The Epic s Christian Identity896 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf and the Epic’s Christian Identity Composed in early eighth century by an unknown author the epic poem Beowulf, follows the exploits of the protagonist of the same name. Originally composed orally by a tribe’s scop, the epic of Beowulf delivers insight on the lives and adventures of characters that lived in the sixth century. Although, the tale of Beowulf was formulated during post Roman collapse by presumably pagan people; written around seven hundred A.D., it is probable that a ChristianRead MoreHow Christianity and Paganism Coexisted in Beowulf Essay634 Words   |  3 PagesBeowulf is a great example of how Christian beliefs and pagan views could coexists so well in a poem. The poem Beowulf written by an unknown Christian monk around A.D. 700 compares the beliefs of many to the new beliefs that are beginning to form around the world. The poem shows how the people of the time thought about their world and how the things around them happened and they think that the devil controls these things.In Beowulf, we e xplore both Christian and pagan beliefs, and how they were able

Introduction to Human Behavior in Organization Free Essays

string(34) " system was demeaning to workers\." Introduction to Organizational Behavior People have a variety of needs. Irrespective of one’s status, age, and achievements, one would still have some unfulfilled needs. In order to satisfy their unfulfilled needs more effectively, people have learned to organize themselves into groups. We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction to Human Behavior in Organization or any similar topic only for you Order Now The process of organizing facilitates an organization in its specialization efforts. It helps the employees to develop specialized skills and enhances the productivity and efficient functioning of the organization. The organizational system consists of social, technical and economic elements which coordinate human and material resources to achieve various organizational objectives. Some of the objectives of an organization may be: †¢ To maximize profits †¢ To produce goods and services of good quality †¢ To compete with other players in the industry †¢ To ensure welfare of its employees †¢ To make efficient use of resources and achieve growth Human behavior in organizations is as complex as the social system itself. People differ from each other in their needs and values, which can be understood better with the help of behavioral science. Behavioral science considers the influence of various elements (social, economic and technical systems) of the complex external environment on people’s behavior. It improves people’s understanding of interpersonal skills and so also their ability to work together as a team to achieve organizational goals effectively. Organizational Behavior Defined Organizational behavior is the system of culture, leadership, communication and group dynamics that determines an organization’s actions. According to Keith Davis, â€Å"it is the study and application of knowledge about how people act within an organization. Key Forces Affecting Organizational Behavior Elements of Organizational Behavior How people behave in an organization under a given situation is the concern of organizational behavior. People join an organization to achieve certain objectives. The efforts of the people are co-ordinate by the structure of authority-responsibility relationships. People use some tec hnology to produce goods and services to achieve their goals. We can call people, structure and technology as the internal organizational elements. These elements interact with the external environment and are influenced by it. The study of organizational behavior, thus, involves four key elements; people, structure, technology and the environment in which the organization operates. 1) People: People make up the internal social system of the organization. That system consists of individuals and groups, and large groups as well as small ones. There are unofficial, informal groups and more official, formal ones. Groups are dynamic. We must remember that organizations exist to serve people, rather than people existing to serve organization. The human organization of today is not the same as it was yesterday, or the day before. In particular, the workforce has become richly diverse, which means that employees bring a wide array of educational backgrounds, talents, and perspectives to their jobs. Managers need to be tuned into these diverse patterns and trends, and to be prepared to adapt to them. 2) Structure: Structure defines the roles and relationships of people in an organization. Different people in the organization are given different roles and they have certain relationships with others. Organization structure leads to division of work so that people can perform their duties to accomplish the organization goals. Under the structure, different duties are to be performed by different people. Some may be managers others may be supervisors, clerks, peons or workers. All are related to each other to accomplish the goals in a co-coordinated manner. The structure relates to authority-responsibility relationships. 3) Technology: Technology provides the resources with which people work and affects the tasks that they perform. They cannot accomplish much with their hands, so they build building, design machines, create work processes, and assemble resources. The technology used has a significant influence on working relationships. The great benefit of technology is that it allows people to do more and better work, but it also restricts people in various ways. It has costs as well as benefits. 4) Environment: All organizations operate within an internal and external environment. A single organization does not exist alone. It is part of a large system that contains many other elements such as government the family, and other organizations. Numerous changes in the environment create demands on organizations. Individual organizations, such as a factory or a school, cannot escape being influenced by this external environment. It influences the attitudes of people, affects working conditions, and provides competition for resources and power. It must be considered in the study of human behavior in organizations. Organizational Behavior and Administration The constituents of an organization are in one way or another affected by the nature of the behavioral quality of life therein and is, therefore, concerned with improving organizational behavior. Managers and supervisors are burdened with the responsibility of harnessing organizational behavior to improve people-organization relationships while the executives must attempt to create an atmosphere in the organization that will motivate employees to work effectively in harmony and in coordination with their co-workers. People find their work pleasurable whenever there’s cooperation, teamwork and understanding among themselves. The effective and successful application of human behavior paves the way for the realization of human, organizational and social objectives. Historical Development of Organizational Behavior Though human relationships have existed since time immemorial, the branch of knowledge dealing with them is relatively recent. Prior to the industrial revolution, people worked in small groups and had simple work relationships. They were, however, subjected to unhealthy working conditions and scarcity of resources, so they hardly had any job satisfaction. During the early stages of the industrial revolution, the conditions of workers showed no signs of improvement. But as increased industrial activity led to greater supply of goods, wages, working conditions, and level of job satisfaction gradually improved. ROBERT OWEN Robert Owen was a Welsh entrepreneur who bought his first factory in 1789, at the age of 18. He is important in the history of OB because he was one of the first industrialists to recognize how that growing factory system was demeaning to workers. You read "Introduction to Human Behavior in Organization" in category "Papers" Repulsed by the harsh practices he saw in factories such as the employment of young children (many under the age of 10 with 13- hour workdays, and miserable working conditions. Owen became a reformer. He chided factory owners for treating their equipment better than their employees He criticized them for buying the best machines but then employing the cheapest labor to run them. Owen argued that money spent on improving labor was one of the best investments that business executives could make . He claimed that showing concern for employees both was profitable for management and would relieve human misery. For his time, Owen was an idealist. What he proposed was a utopian workplace that would reduce the sufferings of the working class. He was more than a hundred years ahead of his time when he argued, in 1852, for regulated hours of work for all, child labor laws, public education, company-furnished meals at work, and business involvement in community projects. The history which has become a past now shows how each management wizard contributed towards welfare of employees, their working conditions and hence eventually increasing the productivity. ANDREW URE Ure provided academic training at Anderson’s College in Glasgow for managers in the early factory system. He published a text in 1835 that dealt mainly with the technical problems of manufacturing in the textile industry, but also dealt with problems of managing. Obviously pro-management, Ure advocated an â€Å"automatic plan† to provide harmony and to keep any individual worker from stopping production. He was a defender of the factory system and believed workers must recognize the benefits of mechanization and not resist its introduction. FREDERICK TAYLOR Probably the most famous management pioneer of all is Frederick W. Taylor (1856–1915), the father of scientific management. Taylor rose from common laborer to chief engineer in six years, and completed a home study course to earn a degree in mechanical engineering in 1883. In trying to overcome soldiering by the workers, Taylor began a scientific study of what workers ought to be able to produce. This study led to the beginnings of scientific management. Taylor used time studies to break tasks down into elementary movements, and designed complementary piece-rate incentive systems. Taylor believed management’s responsibility was in knowing what you want workers to do and then seeing that they do it in the best and cheapest way. He developed many new concepts such as functional authority. In other words, Taylor proposed that all authority was based on knowledge, not position. He wrote Shop Management in 1903, became the president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1906, and was a widely traveled lecturer, lecturing at Harvard from 1909 to 1914. In 1911, Taylor published Principles of Scientific Management in 1911. Its contents would become widely accepted by managers worldwide. The book described the theory of scientific management. Scientific management was defined as methods aimed at determining the one best way for a job to be done. During this same period organized labor waged an all-out war on Taylorism resulting in a congressional investigation. In February of 1912, however, the committee reported finding no evidence to support abuses of workers or any need for remedial legislation. Taylor did not neglect the human side of work, as often suggested. He simply emphasized the individual worker not the group. Taylor called for a revolution that would fuse the interests of labor and management into a mutually rewarding whole. ELTON MAYO AND THE HAWTHORNE STUDIES Elton Mayo (1880–1949) joined the Harvard faculty in 1926 as associate professor of industrial research, and two years later was asked to work with Western Electric, as part of the Harvard research group, to continue the Hawthorne studies. Mayo was intrigued by the initial results of the early illumination studies that showed output had increased upon changes in illumination—either brighter or darker—but no one knew why. Mayo believed the increased output came from a change in mental attitude in the group as the workers developed into a social unit. Other experiments included the piecework experiment, the interviewing program, and the bank wiring room experiments. From these experiments the Mayoists concluded that employees have social needs as well as physical needs, and managers need a mix of managerial skills that include human relations skills. Organizational behavior is also heavily influenced by sociology in its study of group behavior, organization structure, diversity, and culture. In addition, the insights of cultural anthropologists contribute to an understanding of organizational culture (the values and customs of a firm). In recent years, several companies have hired anthropologists to help them cultivate the right organizational culture. Organizational behavior also gains insights from political science toward understanding the distribution of power in organizations. Contribution of other Social Sciences Psychology Psychology is the study of individual behavior within the organization. Psychological theories have helped us explain and predict individual behavior. Relationship with Organizational Behavior If one wants to improve the behavior of an individual we have to look into the psychological needs of an individual. So the knowledge of psychology can really help in improving and modifying the behavior of individual. If the psychological needs are fulfilled, it gives satisfaction to people and also give peace of mind, which can improve the ability of an organization. Many of the theories dealing with personality, attitude, learning, motivation, and stress have been applied in Organizational Behavior to understand work-related phenomena such as job satisfaction, commitment, absenteeism, turnover, and worker well-being. Elements of Psychology’s contribution to Organizational Behavior include: Learning This are of contribution became a significant element to Organizational Behavior studies when scientists attempted to identify how people would learn new skills within the workplace and how different learning styles would have to address for employees. Motivation In order to optimize the performance of members within any organization it is necessary to understand the individual characteristics of such members and by attempting to fulfill their individual’s needs creates a pattern in which to bring out the best in their efforts. Personality Psychology’s research in personality contributes to Organizational Behavior ability to assess individual attitudes and tie them to an organization or workgroup. This can certainly be a key to identifying elements related to motivation and other interpersonal dynamics. Attitude Measurement Psychology’s statistical work has provided much input related to Organizational Behavior as it relates to member’s attitudes. How an organization is to manage, reward, and create policy should include the mindsets of its members and align to organizational objectives. Work Stress How a person reacts to his/her environment and perception of that environment is deeply affected by the perspective they hold and how they think. Stress being a potential positive negative aspect of organizations certainly has a role in the study of OB. Job Satisfaction Certain key metrics relating to an organization’s effectiveness include job satisfaction of its members. How an organization provides an environment and opportunity to bring out the best in its employees is certainly its ability to explore the psychology of this work force. Sociology Sociology is defined â€Å"as the study of people in relation to their social environment or culture† (Robbins, Judge, 2007). The impact that sociology has on Organizational Behavior is significant as organizations at their nature are formations that hold both a social environment and culture. Sociologists, studying the structure and function of small groups within a society have contributed greatly to a more complete understanding of behavior within organizations. Taking their cue from Sociologists, scholars in the field of Organizational Behavior have studied the effects of the structure and function of work organization on the behavior of groups, as well as the individuals within those groups. Elements of Sociology’s Contribution to Organizational Behavior include: Communication The means and manner in which an organization’s member’s exchange information and the effectives of such exchange is highly necessary for the effective organization. Sociology’s contribution towards this dynamic of organizations is valuable in order to optimize the process and improve its accuracy. Power As shared with Anthropology, the study of power, its presence, and influence within the organization has within it a substantial role within the organization. In order to best analyze and assess an organization, the role of power and authority and its influences is necessary. Conflict As a natural by-product of any organization, conflict and its study are necessary in order to identify and map the process of improvement within an organization as well as predict potential calamity. The study of conflict and its origins will be necessary to identify the sources and solutions within the organization. Intergroup Behavior With teaming being a critical next step for many organizations, the role of intergroup behavior will have increased necessity. The ability to study the dynamics of a group and their exchanges can better help the Organizational Behavior practitioner in facilitate the formation of groups within the organization for organization benefit. Political Science Help to understand how difference in preferences and interest lead to conflict and power struggle between groups within organization. It is also involves the study of individual and group behavior within a particular political environment. It has made significant contribution in the areas of structuring of conflict allocation of power, politics within the organization and the overall administrative process. Political science has contributed immensely in developing a general theory of human behavior at work. Various disciplines tend to study very specific and narrow aspects of human behavior, resulting in fragmentation of knowledge. Behavioral science must attempt to integrate the concepts and principles from all the disciplines to make a comprehensive study of human behavior. Anthropology Anthropology involves the study of mankind, especially of its origin, development, customs and beliefs. The work of anthropologists has provided insights into the basic differences in values, attitudes and behavior of people from different countries and in different organizations. It helps to understand how culture and belief system develop. Culture is the conventionalized behavior of society which influences a person’s behavior it changes slowly, giving stability and security to society. The culture of every individual has its effects on on-the-job performance. To understand an employee’s behavior, an understanding of the culture in which he lives must have to be established. People’s exposure and contacts in churches, schools, homes, stones, as well as to the other activities they do cause them to develop a set of basic values, which are so engrained in them that they become very difficult to change. They influence his aspirations, attitude towards with his supervisors and co-worker. How to cite Introduction to Human Behavior in Organization, Papers

Human Population Growth and its free essay sample

Pioneer Press writer Chris Niskanen accesses his view on Minnesota’s natural resources on â€Å"Having watched Minnesota’s natural resources decline during my lifetime and watched our financial commitments to fix the problem wither, I’m convinced this amendment is the best chance to maintain what we have and take incremental steps toward improvement. Over the past fifteen years, I’ve traveled many times to every corner of the state and invariably I talk to outdoors people who worry that the ducks, songbirds, prairies, clean lakes and rivers won’t be as abundant for their children.† This man makes a very good point. As a sophomore, I am worried that, in the future, my children might not be able to go to a state park and see massive glaciers, bald eagles, buffalo, or smell the wild flowers. Throughout history mankind has been able to adapt the environment to fit our needs, but very recently we have begun to ask ourselves, â€Å"What happens next?† What will happen when we push past the edge of the cliff and there are not enough resources to sustain our ever-growing population. We will write a custom essay sample on Human Population Growth and its or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We have already begun to see the ugly face of over population in many disturbing ways, such as its effect on global warming and the dwindle of natural resources. According to Oxford American Dictionary, Global warming is described as the increase in the overall temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere due to the Green House Effect caused by increasing levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants. Carbon dioxide has always been in our atmosphere, but was kept at a delicate percentage in balance with oxygen, nitrogen, and other chemicals. With the increased burning of fossil fuels caused by population increase, that delicate percentage has increased and caused the Green House Effect. The Green House Effect causes the trapping of inferred radiation in our atmosphere. By keeping that inferred in our atmosphere, the Earth has begun to radically heat, causing our Polar Ice Caps to decrease in size. The Earth is heating and the atmosphere is warmer the annual sn owfall at the Poles has greatly been reduced causing less ice build up on the glacier, and also because there is less ice built up in one Winter in the melting season now lasts longer; the Polar Caps are decreasing in size and breaking off at alarmingly high rates. Three percent of the Earth’s water is fresh water, two percent is in the glaciers, point seven percent is in the lakes, and point three percent lies underground. To me those do not sound like very good percentages with increasing population more and more people will need fresh water for drinking. Drinkable water is not the only resource that is in jeopardy, as the human population increases, so does the amount of polluted water for marine life. Our air, oceans, and soil have long ago reached their delicate tipping point. Pollution affects our wildlife with an increase in the number of endangered and extinct species. â€Å"What’s a few weird animals gone?† some say. The truth is that life is linked, i t’s woven into the very health of our planet. Take, for example, the fact that many fish species and marine life need a very specific water temperature. Increase or decrease that water temperature by a few degrees both way and entire species of plants and animals die out. When a species dies out, it affects the entire food chain. Many people wouldn’t raise an eyebrow until it hits them in the wallet and causes a spike in the price of their favorite fresh fish. There are many possibilities for the future, some disturbing, but some also give me hope. Awareness is the first step. I think the more we educate ourselves, the more we find ways to help our most critical and damaged areas of the containing Earth’s most precious resources. The Green House Effect is nothing new. It’s not a new term when talking about ways to save our planet. As we move forward in advances in education and technology we are committed to search for new and innovative ways to replenish natural resources once taken for granted and stripped from our fragile world. Some day maybe the human race will finally make changes in the way we live today to live life better tomorrow.