Stereotypes American Progress in the Past Fifty Years free essay sample

This paper examines the progress against stereotypes in America. This paper explores the diffusing of stereotypes in America through exposure and a greater societal understanding. The paper focuses on stereotypes directed at the African-American community and how they have lessened and changed greatly in the last fifty years. From the paper: In the past fifty years we have seen a great change in how stereotypes have presented in the U.S.. In perceiving such racial issues in the black community and elsewhere we find that improvements are being made from the nineteen fifties until the present. With advent of the civil rights movement of the Sixties black stereotypes, for example, have been improving. By analyzing different mediums of stereotyping through the media, films, music and in society there have been tremendous breakthroughs in breaking down barriers.

Dead Man Walking Essays

Dead Man Walking Essays Dead Man Walking Paper Dead Man Walking Paper Essay Topic: Film Dead Man Walking is a film based on the book of the same name it recounts the experiences of Sister Helen Prejean, a nun from Louisiana. It focuses on her relationship with Matthew Poncelet, a convicted murderer on Death Row. There are five main themes that run through the film, and these are brought together during the execution scene. The themes are as follows: the ongoing suffering of the families of the victims of Poncelets crime, the connections between Christianity and the death penalty, the gradual bonding of Helen Prejean and Matthew Poncelet, and that the death penalty is simply unpleasant. Robbins uses several different techniques to present the process of state execution as a very cold, clinical process. Close-ups are used to force the viewer to take in what is being shown, for example, the shot of the gloved hand that swabs Poncelets arm with alcohol before the catheter is inserted creates a feeling of impersonality, as if an unnamed being is initiating his death; we do, however, see the hands face for a short time before the camera moves to Poncelets arm, and we notice that it belongs to the same woman that treated Prejean after she fainted in a previous scene; consequently we feel it is ironic that the person ending a life is also on hand to preserve it. The uniformed officers present also add to the orderly feel of Poncelets execution, as does the typing of the witness forms in the previous scene. Robbins conveys a sense of precision during the execution by using several camera techniques and effects; as the final syringe empties, Prejean finishes praying and opens her eyes. The screen then jumps to a shot of Poncelets unmoving face. His eyes open for the final time, and he is pronounced dead. One of the strongest techniques Robbins uses to give the viewer a feeling of precision is the shots of the clock. Before the scene begins, we are shown, between dialogues, the clock in the hall every hour, on the half hour, until 11:30. As Poncelet is saying his last words, the clock can be seen, in the background, reminding us that he will never utter another sound again. When Poncelet is strapped to the gurney, we see the clock strike midnight, and the officers begin the execution. Being shown the clock gives the viewer the feeling that Poncelets life is simply being ebbed away. This certainly influences the viewer towards the anti-death penalty stance. During Poncelets execution, we see a set of flashbacks of his crime. The execution and his crime are synchronised, that is to say, the first flashback begins when the officers initiate the execution machine and the last flashback ends when Poncelets heart monitor produces the dead sound. Because clips of his crime are shown between clips of his execution, our opinions sway back and forth between anti- and pro-death penalty, just as they do throughout the whole film we begin to empathise with Poncelet, and then he does something (or something is revealed) that turns us against him. During the flashbacks, we clearly see his accomplice committing the same crimes for which Poncelet is receiving the death penalty this clarifies for the final time in the film the fact that those who can afford high-quality legal advice are rarely sentenced to death (a point which is illustrated in the appeal scene by Poncelets lawyer). Not only is the viewer made to see the execution process as clinical, it is also made to seem cruel and barbaric. As Poncelet is taken to the execution room, one of the officers holding his legs announces his presence by shouting: Dead man walking! This gives the viewer the sense that Poncelets has already been executed, and, since death is seen as a taboo, announcing death before death creates unrest in our minds about the execution. Poncelets last words also add to the portrayal of the death penalty as cruel he is strapped to the gurney, in an upright position, and he says, through tears, I know killing is wrong, whether its me, or yall, or the government. He also addresses Mr. Delacroix, and asks for forgiveness, and then the Percies, and tells them that he hopes his death brings some relief to their lives. This shows that Poncelet is remorseful, which makes the viewer sympathise with him, and therefore makes the viewer biased against the death penalty. From the beginning of the execution scene, Prejean is wearing black. This is significant because Prejean had previously been wearing pastel coloured clothes, and her wearing black is a sign of mourning again, we see the idea of death before death, which further turns us against the death penalty. Poncelet, however, is wearing a white t-shirt, when he had previously been wearing blue overalls. In the previous scene, Poncelet confessed to Prejean to killing Walter Delacroix. He wears white because his confession marked the cleansing of his guilt, and white is a sign of purity and cleansing. The fact that he is wearing white also ties in with Isaiah 43:1. Because he is wearing white during his execution, we get a sense of killing a pure being, which we generally believe to be fundamentally wrong, so makes the viewer believe that the death penalty is a bad thing. Throughout the film, we see the relationship between Prejean and Poncelet develop this is shown not only by their emotions, but by the physical barriers between them. At first, there is wire mesh separating them (and the camera shows the wire mesh in front of Poncelet, not, however, in front of Prejean, making the viewer feel closer to Prejean and more distanced from Poncelet), then glass, and then metal bars. Their relationship peaks during the execution scene, when Prejean touches Poncelet, and finally kisses his shoulder as he walks into the execution chamber. Throughout the scene, Prejean echoes Poncelets body language for example, Prejeans arm is extended, as if to touch Poncelet, when he is strapped to the gurney with both his arms perpendicular to his torso, or the muscular twitches in both their faces Prejeans because she is finally coming to terms with his crime and his death yet again, we see death before death Poncelets because the muscle relaxant is taking its effect. This is another way in which we see the relationship between them develop their body language and position become more and more similar as the film progresses. Because the whole film is shot from the point of view of Helen Prejean, we have the same attitude towards Poncelet as Prejean does if Poncelet does something to make Prejean angry, we too feel less sympathetic towards him and his position, and if Prejean gets emotionally close to Poncelet, we sympathise with him more hence we feel closest to him as he is dying. This too makes the death penalty seem unjust. At the beginning of the execution scene, Poncelets legs give way, and Prejean comforts him, telling him the truth has made you free. Earlier in the film, Prejean encouraged Poncelet to read his Bible and told him that the truth will set you free. At first, Poncelet believed that the truth that Prejean referred to was that he had not actually committed the crime that he had been accused of in fact, she meant that Poncelet needed to confess to the part he played in the crime and that this would make his mind free. The second time Prejean talks to Poncelet about the truth, it is clear that Poncelet understands what Prejean means. As Poncelet is being walked to the execution chamber, Prejean places her hand on Poncelets shoulder and reads from the Bible he gave her Isaiah, Chapter 43, Verse 1: Fear not: for I have redeemed thee. Prejean reading to Poncelet from the Bible is a small part of the theme of religion that runs through the whole film. Earlier in the film we see a discussion between Prejean and an unnamed chaplain the chaplain vehemently opposes Prejean becoming Poncelets spiritual advisor during his time on Death Row. This conversation tells the viewer that not all Christians are opposed to the death penalty in fact, many Christians, whether situated in the Bible Belt or not, have a strong belief in the death penalty. While she is reading to him, the camera zooms in on her hand. There is a wedding ring on her finger, symbolising her marriage to Christ. The close-up of the ring on her finger and of her reading the Bible to him both remind the viewer that she originally came to Poncelets aid as part of her religious vocation, and the fact that the Bible she is reading from was a gift from Poncelet to her is another manifestation of the bond between them. One of the few pro-death penalty arguments that the film puts forward is the victims families suffering. When Prejean enters the viewing room, we see Mr. Delacroix and the Percies. The camera shows them side-on, with their shoulders turned towards Prejean and Poncelets lawyer. This emphasises their hostility towards Prejean. After one of the flashbacks, we see Poncelet lying unconscious through the glass of the viewing room. We do not, however, see the viewers reflected in the glass, but we see the faces of Hope Percy and Walter Delacroix. This gives us the feeling that Poncelet has finally paid for his crime, and that the victims have been put to rest. Although the execution scene makes an attempt to be unbiased towards the death penalty, there is more in the scene opposing the death penalty than there is to make us biased towards it in fact, there is very little obviously pro-death penalty content in the film.

Organization Development- see description for topics Annotated Bibliography

Organization Development- see description for topics - Annotated Bibliography Example Companies must consider their interest, value, to the customer, and geographic scope before formulating their strategies. In his article, Lorenzen argues that with the increased demand for information technology especially during research, academic institutions should adopt strategic planning in their departments including libraries. This article indicates that for any organization to put in place effective strategies, it must undertake an analysis of the environment under which it operates. This can be done by the use of various frameworks such as SWOT, PESTEL, and Porters five among others. In this article, Priyanka Sangani indicates that companies in the modern times should ensure that employees take charge in strategic planning. This is not only a way of creating strong bond within an organization, but it also makes the workers to feel motivated. In this article, Arshdeep Sehgal covers the various strategies that Chief Financial Officers globally have adopted as the result of recent economic downturn worldwide. Notably, most of the CFOs spend most of their time in strategic planning as compared to the past years. This article defines strategic planning by the use of two myths. First myth according to the author is that strategic planning covers issues like SWOT analysis, value chain analysis, and competitive positioning among others. The second myth indicates that it entails making bold and risky bets by the use of available resources and opportunities. This article covers the eight-step change model that John Kotter, a renowned change expert established including creating urgency, forming a powerful coalition, creating a vision for change, communicating the vision, eliminating the obstacles, creation of short term wins, building on the change and adopting the change in the corporate culture. In this article, Kotter indicates that for an organization to experience a

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

Teambuilding - Essay Example The discourse would contain an introductory paragraph prior to delving into the team-building exercise chosen for conflict resolution. Finally, a concluding portion would summarize and highlight details that were discussed in the paper. Teambuilding Groups have been identified to form a crucial and instrumental part contributory to the success of an organization. However, since groups are composed of a collection of people with diverse interests and goals, organizations need to devise strategies that would enable groups to move towards a common goal through frequent interface among them. The term teambuilding actually evolved as â€Å"a technique on human resources departments to promote relations between the executives of a corporation† (Crossover Worlds, n.d.). Its applicability eventually necessitated to be extended to other departments with the aim of improving productivity in work groups and in the resolution of conflicts. In this regard, the aim of the paper is to descri be a team-building exercise for conflict resolution that one would present in an organizational atmosphere; and expound on how it would be conducted. To achieve this objective, the teambuilding exercise chosen was the ‘House of Cards’ developed by Jill Hickman.... 1). The game chosen to assist a team in improving conflict resolution is the House of Cards activity developed by Jill Hickman (Team Building Bonanza, 2011). The concise details of how the activity is to be conducted are hereby quoted below: â€Å"Description: Each team works together to build a 'house of cards' within 15 minutes, using only the resources available in the room and/or provided by the facilitator. A competitive event, each team races against the other teams to be 'first' to finish successfully. All team projects are judged by the facilitator (whose ruling is final and cannot be contested). Project criteria include: Efficient use of resources Esthetic appeal Height Structural integrity Presentation Supplies (resources), one set per team: 32 Index cards 1 stack of Post-it notes (square) 1 Box Paper clips Tape Colored markers Instructions: Provide each team with their supplies. Each team has 15 minutes to build a house with the resources available within the room. Identi fy criteria for judging successful projects. As teams finish, chart their finish times on a flipchart. Once all teams have finished, have teams walk around with the judge (facilitator) to view the work of other teams. (No sabotage!!) At their own tables, have teams discuss the factors contributing/limiting to their success. Have them chart these factors on a flipchart. Each team must elect a spokesperson to present their findings to the rest of the class. Facilitator must award a rating for each project (use a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest, for each criterion). Highest possible score: 25 Discussion questions: How was team leadership determined – appointed or assumed? What unique contributions did each member offer? How did those

Khalifa Tower Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Khalifa Tower - Essay Example Its construction kicked off in 2004 and took around 7 years to complete. It is without a doubt earth’s tallest freestanding structure, overtaking the Great Pyramid of Giza. The basic ideology of building the Khalifa Tower is to make it the basic centerpiece structure of the world. Its grandeur is such that people want to throng it for all the right reasons. Its majesty attracts people from around the world and they want to have a snap with it to show off to their friends and family members (Author Unknown, 2011). The Khalifa Tower is a phenomenon in its own right. The government of the United Arab Emirates wanted to make the Khalifa Tower one of the best known names in the world and hence the reason that Khalifa Tower came into being. The vision is to diversify from an oil based economy to more of a service and tourism based one. International recognition and that too in a positive vein is one of the most basic ideologies why Khalifa Tower is in place at the present. The polit ical impact for Dubai was such that before Khalifa Tower came into being, the city still enjoyed recognition for all the positive elements that comprised within it. The rulers played their role at telling the world how well Dubai can serve them, and thus trade and investment came in huge numbers. The responsibility lied on the shoulders of the ruler of United Arab Emirates who wanted to make Dubai one of the finest and most elegant destinations within the Middle East. The economic impact before the launching of Khalifa Tower was that the country was receiving economic upheaval; however, with the advent of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, Dubai was hit badly. With help and facilitation from the relevant quarters, and most specifically from the Government of the land, Dubai was able to sustain itself. This made the task even easier for Khalifa Tower to follow within the midst of Dubai (Author Unknown, 2010). The social impact before the foundation stone of Khalifa Tower was put into place, in 2004, was such that the people enjoyed places like Burj Dubai, Dubai Mall, Ibn-e-Batuta and others. Hence, the Khalifa Tower was a totally new marvel for them since they could see it with their own eyes as the tallest free standing structure in the world. People were still proud of the city that resided within and with the institution of the Khalifa Tower, their pride became even higher. The technological impact before was such that Dubai was considered as one of the most wired cities around the globe. Also its technological prowess was something to write home about (Knight, 2010). This increased with the Khalifa Tower coming into full effect, and it became a serious reality after investors opened their arms in unison with the launch of the project, was back in 2004. The importance of Khalifa Tower to Dubai is that it has become a symbol of excellence. This is because it is a huge engineering and architectural marvel. The building closely resembles the bundled tube form of the Willis Tower (Albert, 2011). However, it is not a bundle tube structure in entirety. In the early planning phases of the Khalifa Tower, it was supposed to be entirely residential but with the passage of time, its commercial role was also projected more and more. Emaar Properties chose Hyder Consulting as the supervising engineer and NORR Group Consultants International Limited was chosen as the ones who

Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis

Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis Cuban Missile Crises Introduction Considered to be one of the most serious conflicts between the U.S and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, the Cuban missile crises brought the World a clash of democracy V.S communism with a deadly nuclear outcome. Known to the World as the Cuban Missile crises, to the Russians as the Caribbean Crises and to the Cubans and the October Crises it lasted sixteen days in October. The main characters involved were U.S President John F. Kennedy, Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev and Cuban President Fidel Castro. The sixteen days in October 1962 was the closest time that a full out nuclear war was about to take place Background America USSR Free election No elections or fixed elections Democratic Autocratic / Dictatorship Capitalist Communist ‘Survival of the fittest Everybody helps everybody Richest world power Poor economic base Personal freedom Society controlled by the NKVD (secret police) Freedom of the media Total censorship The Cuban missile crises origins began at the end of the World War 2. After the war about to end the United States and the USSR started to disagree on the main ideas of how a post war Europe should look like. The Americans main aim of the war was to spread democracy and to spread their companys economic opportunities into Europe. This was very different to what the USSR wanted, the USSR suffered a lot during the war, and they lost a lot of people and suffered a lot of economic and social problem directly resulting from the war, because of this the USSR main post war thoughts were to protect themselves from other wars that may happen and to spread communism across the globe.   These differences between the two countries were obviously great and were bound to cause tension and problems. Origins of Russian-American Tension Ideological: The United States and the Soviet Union represented two completely different forms of government. In the United States, the government is chosen by free elections. The people have the right to form political parties so that they can voice their political opinions. They also have the right of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. In the Soviet Union, the government is chosen by the Communist Party. The people do not have the right to form their own political parties; they do not enjoy the right freedom of speech and the freedom of the press. Since these two systems of government are completely different to one another, this is bound to cause friction between the United States and the Soviet Union. Economic: The United States wanted to encourage free trade throughout the world. The Soviet Union wanted to close off her itself from international trade. Russia was afraid that trade with the West would open up Russia to western influences which would have ruined the strength of the one-party communist regime. These differences led to much bad feeling between the United States and the Soviet Union. Power rivalry: After the Second World War, with the decline of Europe, power was shared between the Soviet Union and the United States. As one superpower wanted to dominate the other, conflicts were to be expected. Immediate Causes Leading to the Cold War Early conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States began at the peace-time conferences. Their conflict was intensified after President Truman declared the Truman Doctrine and launched the Marshall Plan in 1947. Extension of Russian influence in Europe: Even before the end of the war, the Soviet Union had gradually extended its influence in Europe. By the fall of 1944, the Red Army had liberated and controlled a large part of Eastern Europe. By 1945, at the Yalta Conference, the Soviet Union obtained the Curzon Line as its new boundary line with Poland and also the control of the eastern zone of Germany. As the war was ending in May 1945, the Soviet Union quickly consolidated its control of Eastern Europe. The Red Army began by influencing the post-war elections. They intimidated the voters and changed the voting lists as they desired. Although the non-communists could still manage to get some votes, most of the votes went to the communists. As a consequence the coalition governments formed immediately after the war were largely dominated by the communists. Two of the key ministries Defense and Military (Police) were always under communist control. Stalin was not satisfied with communist control of Eastern Europe. In the meantime, he encouraged the communists to take an active part in the immediate post-war elections in Western Europe. In late 1946, the French and Italian Communists were becoming the most powerful parties in France and Italy. The reactions of the United States: Despite the increasing Russian influence in eastern and central Europe, many politicians in the United States were optimistic about the chances of co-operation with the Soviet Union after the war and did not support strong resistance against the Russian expansion. But from May 1945 onwards, the situation was changed. The U.S. government preferred a policy of strong resistance against Russia. Poor relations between the United States and the Soviet Union: The growing problem and deteriorating relations between the Soviet Union and the United States were reflected in two minor incidents in the year. Land-Lease was abruptly terminated by the United States and the Russian request for American economic aid for the purposes of post-war reconstruction was ignored by the government of the United States. NATO vs. the Warsaw Pact April 4th 1949 NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was formed by the United States, Canada, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and the United Kingdom. NATO was set up to counter the military power of the USSR. In direct response to this, the USSR set up the Warsaw Pact consisting of Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Germany, and the USSR. Dark Blue: Founding members of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) Light Blue: Countries that joined NATO after 1949 Dark Red: Founding members of the Warsaw Pact Light Red: Countries that joined the Warsaw Pact after 1955 Bay of Pigs The Bay of Pigs was an unsuccessful attempt by US-aided Cuban exiles to launch an attack on Cuba to overthrow Fidel Castro. The invading forces were defeated in just two days. 2506 Cuban exile invaders were killed and most of the rest captured (later traded for 58millions dollars in food and medicine aid) and approximately 4000 Cuban military men and civilians died. This deepened Cuban and American tensions, which was made worse by the Cuban Missile Crises, whose aftermath is still seen to present day. Cuban Missile Crises By 1960 the United States had a considerable nuclear advantage over the USSR, both in terms of nuclear arsenal and proximity to the USSR. The United States had 27,297 nuclear missiles compared to 3,332 for the USSR. In 1961 the United States, as a means of deterrence, placed long range ballistic nuclear missiles in Turkey, meaning that Moscow was 16 minutes away from a strike. This deeply angered the Soviet regime and they responded by placing Missiles in Cuba who had recently become an ally under President Fidel Castro. The fear that Cuba had the America might try to invade again led to negotiations between Khrushchev and Castro. In April 1962 Castro agreed to the supply surface to air missiles and surface to surface missiles to Cuba for defensive purposes. By May 1962 under Soviet control and supervision nuclear missiles were beginning to be installed in Cuba. These were transported by more than 60 Soviet ships. As named by the Soviet Union, operation Anadyr was kept tightly guarded. The USSR sent bomber plans, troops to aid in the construction and to provide expertise in the installation and use of the weapons. In all were planned to deploy 60,000 troops, three R-12 missile regiments and two R-14 missile regiments. Troops were transferred by 86 ships, Between June 17 and October 22 there were transferred 24 launching pads, 42 R-12 rockets, including six training ones, some 45 nuclear warheads, 42 Il-28 bombers, a fighter aircraft regiment (40 Mig-21 aircraft), two Anti-Air Defense divisions, three mechanized infantry regiments, and other military units some 47,000 troops in total. During this period after various leaks of information, the Soviets denied any missiles being placed in Cuba and told the Americans that they did not want to enter into any confrontation and raise tensions. American distrust of the Russians was soon confirmed. In late August an American reconnaissance plane photographed a number of installations on Cuban soil. Even with the proof President Kennedy was still convinced that these were built for defensive purposes on the part of the Cubans fearing an invasion of Cuba again by the Americans. After meeting the Soviet Ambassador, President Kennedy voiced his concerns over the installations and was constantly told not to worry, that there was no offensive missiles in Cuba and that the military buildup was insignificant. After more reconnaissance flights, using U2 manned planes, the United States was able to confirm the location and amount of nuclear missiles, this lead to confusion in the United States Government. After President Kennedy saw the photographs he brought together most of his key advisors to come up with a plan on how to deal with the threat. America intelligence stood by its convictions that the USSR would not install nuclear missiles in Cuba. The advisors quickly came up with a five different courses of action to be taken as a response to the threat. Do nothing Use diplomatic pressure to get the Soviet Union to remove the missiles An air attack on the missiles A full military invasion Naval blockade of Cuba After much careful discussions and the fear of Russian revenge if Cuba was attacked, the decisions was made to blockage the Cuban sea and stop all shipments coming into the area. The main aim was to check all ships coming into Cuba to see their cargo and examine any missiles or offensive weapons that were coming into the country. Most South American countries assisted in this blockade. At 7 p.m. October 22, President Kennedy delivered a televised radio address announcing the discovery of the missiles. Premier Khrushchev sent a message to President Kennedy saying that he considered the blockade and ‘pirate action against the ships as a provocative move that would eventually lead to war, he ordered the ships to ignore the American blockade. To this President Kennedy responded by saying that the United States was forced into this action after being repeatedly assured that there was no offensive missiles which provided to be a lie The next morning, Kennedy informed the executive committee that he believed only an invasion would remove the missiles from Cuba. However, he was persuaded to give the matter time and continue with both military and diplomatic pressure. He agreed and ordered the low-level flights over the island to be increased from two per day to once every two hours. He also ordered a crash program to institute a new civil government in Cuba if an invasion went ahead. At this point the crisis was apparently at a stalemate. The USSR had shown no indication that they would back down and had made several comments to the contrary. The U.S. had no reason to believe otherwise and was in the early stages of preparing for an invasion, along with a nuclear strike on the Soviet Union in case they responded militarily, which is what they assumed. As the crises continued secret negotiations were taking place constantly between the United States and the Soviet Union, the Soviets wanted the United States to remove its Jupiter missiles from its bases in Turkey as it claimed they pose as much of a threat as their missiles in Cuba. On the other hand the Americans wanted to Russians to remove all missiles and installation that they had placed in Cuba and America would guarantee that it will not invade or offer assistance to anyone who wanted to invade Cuba; it would lift the sea blockage and consider removing the missiles from Turkey. On October 27th 1962, a Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance plane that was flown by Major Rudolf Anderson left Florida to Cuba to take surveillance pictures of the military buildup, and at approximately 12pm, Major Andersons plane was shot down by Russian anti-aircraft missiles, he was instantly killed and was the only casualty from enemy fire during the conflict. This infuriated the Americans, who demanded that the Russians cease all their operations in Cuba and halt any fire; they viewed this as a start of war and took the gesture as an escalation in the violence. Although the commander, who fired, did so by himself, the Soviets were afraid that the Americans would view this as an escalation of war. All Soviet troops were quickly ordered to cease firing on American plane. After the Americans saw no change in the Soviet stance, and the Americans started to prepare for war, they came up with targets to be attacked by air, troops were readied, and plans were made for Cuba including a post-war government, the plans also involved a nuclear strike on Russia in case it got involved. America informed its NATO allies to be ready for an American response and to ready themselves in case the USSR responds in Europe. Ending the Crisis After much consideration between the Soviet Union and Kennedys cabinet, Kennedy agreed to remove all missiles set in Turkey on the border of the Soviet Union in exchange for Khrushchev removing all missiles in Cuba. Premier Khrushchev announced that they were dismantling the missiles in Cuba, while the Americans declared that they would not support or invade Cuba, however they did not mention removal of their Jupiter missiles from Turkey. Because the withdrawals from Turkey were not made public at the time, Khrushchev appeared to have lost the conflict and become weakened. The view was that Kennedy had won the contest between the superpowers and Khrushchev had been humiliated. References http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/coldwar.htm http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/coldwar/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/ColdWar.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/coldwar/ http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761569374/cold_war.html http://library.thinkquest.org/11046/days/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis http://www.johndclare.net/cold_war16.htm http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/ http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/archives/colc.html http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/cuba-62.htm

Are Leaders Born or Made?

Leadership sets the tone for team development, and this implies its necessity in an organization. Possessing appropriate leadership skills drive a team in meeting its objectives. The means of acquiring such skills may be through nature or developmental programs. The debate on whether leaders are made or born continues to trigger many thoughts, but none has come conclusively. This paper goes through the skills required for effective leadership, and how such skills can be acquired, in an attempt to solve the puzzle of the debate. (b) Leaders are born and made. The question as to whether leadership is genetically acquired or developed remains a debate for decades evoking many opinions. Some scholars are of the idea that leaders are born naturally intelligent, charismatic, visionary, strategic and able to rally and plan for teams around them. Some believe that leadership is an ongoing experience that requires training, development, mentoring and coaching. Some are of the opinion that leaders are both born and made whereby they possess natural intelligence, which is enhanced with education, training, and mentorship. Developing a conclusive statement on this debate requires an understanding of leadership; a leader is an individual who establishes directions for a team of individuals, one who gains commitments from the team towards the established direction, and one who motivates the team to achieve the direction’s expected outcomes (Manktelow and Brodbeck, 2006). A leader needs not to exercise the three elements in a leader’s definition, in the eyes of other teams or fellow leaders. This is so because every team has its objectives and the means to attain the objectives differ amongst teams. The implication is that to fit in different scenarios or teams an effective leader needs some intelligence, which cannot be attained by learning, but that which is a talent or acquired naturally. This is important in understanding the needs of every team and fitting into the needs of every team. In a majority of cases, naturally acquired skills and abilities play a crucial role in developing ones personality, interpersonal, and motivational skills, which motivates one to lead. However, having leadership genes is not all; work experiences, education, mentorship, opportunities, and being a role model, are necessities that craft effective leadership. These are attained through learning, and from experiences. The implication is that leaders learn to lead through education programs, mentorship, experiences, and while playing different leadership roles (Kets, 2004). Successful CEOs, like Bob McDonald of Procter & Gamble, Ginny Rometti of IBM, and John C. Maxwell started with a set of the team leading skills, and associated this with furthering their skills in different colleges. Such drives, ambitions, emotional stability, and extraverted personalities may develop genetically. However, possessing such traits does not mean that these leaders are effective; they learn from experiences and challenges, which demand developmental skills. To prepare for change of roles, they require prerequisite competencies so that they can communicate, shape strategies, solve problems, excel, and have the capability to inspire and motivate others (Manktelow and Brodbeck, 2006). This, therefore, implies that leadership is acquired genetically, but requires to be nurtured if one is to be classified as an effective leader. Having leadership genes is not enough as such intelligence may not be diverse in meeting the needs of different groups. It requires nurturing, development and acquisition of skills so that one becomes flexible in coping with different personalities, and also motivates others (Kets, 2004). (c) Conclusion. Leadership is partly natural, partly nurtured and partly to self ability (Manktelow and Brodbeck, 2006). Most debaters’ in whether ‘leaders are born or made’ overlook the self creative ability and nurturing element in defining leadership. However, being a leader by nature does not make a leader. Additionally, the passion of leadership cannot be achieved through experiences, and other developmental programs; it requires a natural inspiration that comes from within an individual (Kets, 2004). Leadership, therefore, is both born and made. Are Leaders Born or Made The definition of leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. Put in even simpler terms, the leader is the inspiration and director of the action. He or she is the person in the group that possesses the combination of personality and skills that makes others want to follow his or her direction (Ward). Which brings us to the most basic and most often-asked question in all leadership development, are great leaders born or made? Some people believe that leaders are born with the set of skills to become a successful leader. While others believe that leadership can be learned and developed through life. With that being said I am sure we have all been told once or more in our lives that leaders are born, not made; that leadership is about ego, and nice guys finish last (Kjerulf, 2009). Well think again my friends, leaders are not born, they are made. What makes someone a good leader is the aspect of discovery. It is the set phrase of a person at their finest whose endeavor is to change something for the better and to expand this forthcoming in others. Many individuals often get caught up in believing that leadership is based on a title or position but in reality this is far from the truth. Leadership qualities are derived by any individual who is enabled and encouraged to express themselves while working with purpose and meaning. Leadership is a process in which leaders and followers engage to achieve mutual goals. We are all leaders and followers at different times. â€Å"Followership† is not a passive role but a dynamic one: Followers ensure that the leader follows the purpose (Owen, 2002). Leadership entails the following components; passion, values, vision, knowledge, drive, and creativity. All components that develop from happiness and delightfulness in terms of something an individual enjoys, if a person is happy, you are going to seek a means to find the greatest good for the greatest number of people, making it possible for the individual to find a way to lead others to their happiness. Every individual has their own area of talent and inclination for success. These attributes, the things that individuals are passionate about, are the reasons why every one person can be a leader in their own means of enjoyment. Take for example a very quite and extroverted individual who has grown up throughout his/her entire life being an individual rather than a leader. He/she stumbles upon something they are madly passionate about, volunteering at animal shelters. In order for these thousands of animals to be saved and not euthanized, these volunteers have to find each and every animal a home within a certain amount of days. Being the extroverted individual he/she is, they reluctantly take a step back, but realize that without their strong passion and desire to lead his/her fellow volunteers; these animals will be put to sleep in a matter of no time. The simple meaning behind this example is that it is not about knowing every piece of advice on how to become a successful leader, or having the proper training, or being born with a set of skills to be able to lead; but rather it is simply about having the passion and strength to lead individuals in a subject that he/she feels so strongly about in order to benefit the most number of people.

Free Enterprise

By definition, a free enterprise economy (also known as: capitalism or a free market economy) is an economic system controlled chiefly by the individuals and private companies instead of the government. Characteristics of a free-enterprise system include economic freedom, voluntary exchange, private property, and the freedom of profit motive. Capitalist societies generally achieve a higher standard of living because of the incentive to work: capitalism prefers harder and more efficient workers. Economic freedom is a principal of a free market economy, which allows people to decide how they will earn and spend their income.Economy The meaning of private property is those within a capitalist society have the right to buy and sell what they own or produce through market applications. This gives both what they want without the need of government regulation of how much they can trade and at what costs. ic freedom also yields to companies so they may choose which goods and services to prod uce and how much to charge for them based on the wants, or demands of the people. Competition between producers is permitted and this leads to better quality products.The hardest workers are the ones who remain employed t for it raises standards and the level of production. Through this engagement, both the buyer and the seller are free to trade with one another and make economical or material gains off the trade. A free enterprise economy is based on the ideals that private citizens own business and production. A voluntary exchange allows buyers and sellers to engage freely and willingly in the market economy. Profit motive can be described as people and factors of productions improve their well being by making money as they see fit.This regulates the amount and kind of products produced to accommodate the population. The government has no control on what one buys and sells, and workers can work for whomever they wish with no restrictions. In a wealthy free market economy, consumer s are faced with many options and ‘trade offs', so the best of the bests are the ones that survive. For example, homeowners can sell their homes as and when they please and disagree. This is the basic ideal in a capitalist society, people may control their possessions as they wish. Some topics in this essay: economic freedom, market economy, free market economy, profit motive, free market, voluntary exchange, private property, freedom voluntary exchange, exchange private property, voluntary exchange private, exchange private, buyers sellers, economic freedom voluntary, freedom voluntary, free enterprise, nterprise economy (also known as: capitalism or a free market economy) is an economic system controlled chiefly by the individuals and private companies instead of the government. Characteristics of a free-enterprise system include economic freedom, voluntary exchange, private property, and the freedom of profit motive.Capitalist societies generally achieve a higher standard o f living because of the incentive to work: capitalism prefers harder and more efficient workers. Economic freedom is a principal of a free market economy, which allows people to decide how they will earn and spend their income. Econom | | | | | | The meaning of private property is those within a capitalist society have the right to buy and sell what they own or produce through market applications. This gives both what they want without the need of government regulation of how much they can trade and at what costs. c freedom also yields to companies so they may choose which goods and services to produce and how much to charge for them based on the wants, or demands of the people. Competition between producers is permitted and this leads to better quality products. The hardest workers are the ones who remain employed t for it raises standards and the level of production. Through this engagement, both the buyer and the seller are free to trade with one another and make economical or ma terial gains off the trade. A free enterprise economy is based on the ideals that private citizens own business and production.A voluntary exchange allows buyers and sellers to engage freely and willingly in the market economy. Profit motive can be described as people and factors of productions improve their well being by making money as they see fit. This regulates the amount and kind of products produced to accommodate the population. The government has no control on what one buys and sells, and workers can work for whomever they wish with no restrictions. In a wealthy free market economy, consumers are faced with many options and ‘trade offs', so the best of the bests are the ones that survive.For example, homeowners can sell their homes as and when they please and disagree. This is the basic ideal in a capitalist society, people may control their possessions as they wish. Some topics in this essay: , economic freedom, market economy, free market economy, profit motive, fre e market, voluntary exchange, private property, freedom voluntary exchange, exchange private property, voluntary exchange private, exchange private, buyers sellers, economic freedom voluntary, freedom voluntary, free enterprise, | | Free Enterprise By definition, a free enterprise economy (also known as: capitalism or a free market economy) is an economic system controlled chiefly by the individuals and private companies instead of the government. Characteristics of a free-enterprise system include economic freedom, voluntary exchange, private property, and the freedom of profit motive. Capitalist societies generally achieve a higher standard of living because of the incentive to work: capitalism prefers harder and more efficient workers. Economic freedom is a principal of a free market economy, which allows people to decide how they will earn and spend their income.Economy The meaning of private property is those within a capitalist society have the right to buy and sell what they own or produce through market applications. This gives both what they want without the need of government regulation of how much they can trade and at what costs. ic freedom also yields to companies so they may choose which goods and services to prod uce and how much to charge for them based on the wants, or demands of the people. Competition between producers is permitted and this leads to better quality products.The hardest workers are the ones who remain employed t for it raises standards and the level of production. Through this engagement, both the buyer and the seller are free to trade with one another and make economical or material gains off the trade. A free enterprise economy is based on the ideals that private citizens own business and production. A voluntary exchange allows buyers and sellers to engage freely and willingly in the market economy. Profit motive can be described as people and factors of productions improve their well being by making money as they see fit.This regulates the amount and kind of products produced to accommodate the population. The government has no control on what one buys and sells, and workers can work for whomever they wish with no restrictions. In a wealthy free market economy, consumer s are faced with many options and ‘trade offs', so the best of the bests are the ones that survive. For example, homeowners can sell their homes as and when they please and disagree. This is the basic ideal in a capitalist society, people may control their possessions as they wish. Some topics in this essay: economic freedom, market economy, free market economy, profit motive, free market, voluntary exchange, private property, freedom voluntary exchange, exchange private property, voluntary exchange private, exchange private, buyers sellers, economic freedom voluntary, freedom voluntary, free enterprise, nterprise economy (also known as: capitalism or a free market economy) is an economic system controlled chiefly by the individuals and private companies instead of the government. Characteristics of a free-enterprise system include economic freedom, voluntary exchange, private property, and the freedom of profit motive.Capitalist societies generally achieve a higher standard o f living because of the incentive to work: capitalism prefers harder and more efficient workers. Economic freedom is a principal of a free market economy, which allows people to decide how they will earn and spend their income. Econom | | | | | | The meaning of private property is those within a capitalist society have the right to buy and sell what they own or produce through market applications. This gives both what they want without the need of government regulation of how much they can trade and at what costs. c freedom also yields to companies so they may choose which goods and services to produce and how much to charge for them based on the wants, or demands of the people. Competition between producers is permitted and this leads to better quality products. The hardest workers are the ones who remain employed t for it raises standards and the level of production. Through this engagement, both the buyer and the seller are free to trade with one another and make economical or ma terial gains off the trade. A free enterprise economy is based on the ideals that private citizens own business and production.A voluntary exchange allows buyers and sellers to engage freely and willingly in the market economy. Profit motive can be described as people and factors of productions improve their well being by making money as they see fit. This regulates the amount and kind of products produced to accommodate the population. The government has no control on what one buys and sells, and workers can work for whomever they wish with no restrictions. In a wealthy free market economy, consumers are faced with many options and ‘trade offs', so the best of the bests are the ones that survive.For example, homeowners can sell their homes as and when they please and disagree. This is the basic ideal in a capitalist society, people may control their possessions as they wish. Some topics in this essay: , economic freedom, market economy, free market economy, profit motive, fre e market, voluntary exchange, private property, freedom voluntary exchange, exchange private property, voluntary exchange private, exchange private, buyers sellers, economic freedom voluntary, freedom voluntary, free enterprise, | |

Economic Environment 40 Marker Essay

Economic Environment 40 Marker Essay Economic Environment 40 Marker Essay The external environment in which businesses operate can have a significant effect on their success. To what extent do you think that the external environment in the UK is favourable for businesses at the moment? (40) The UK economy grew by 2.6% last year, the fastest pace since 2007, at which point the country was in a recession. The unemployment rate stands at 5.8% of the adult population. Although this is still high (1.91 million people are unemployed) it is the lowest in six years meaning that generally, consumers now have higher disposable income; this is particularly significant as average earnings including bonuses are now up by 1.8%, with wages rising faster than inflation. Inflation has also fallen to 0.5%, allowing for cheaper purchase of materials/supplies and more cost-effective production. However, the pound has weakened against the dollar and the euro, having implications for imports and exports. It could be argued that the UK environment is favourable for businesses at the moment in terms of Human Resources, as unemployment is high, meaning more people may be willing to work for a minimum wage. This allows businesses to reduce costs in areas such as wages, meaning they are more able to invest in other areas such as expansion in order to encourage growth. This will particularly benefit the economy as growth of businesses means a higher GDP for the UK due to increased output as a result of increased demand. High unemployment means that firms also have access to a wider pool of labour, allowing them to target a more specific demographic during the recruitment process. However, these people may not have the skills required, perhaps affecting productivity as well as quality, as goods may be made faulty or services may be delivered incorrectly. Issues with skills may be particularly significant as Rolls Royce are planning to make redundancies of 2,600 employees as part of a cost c utting programme to compete against bigger rivals such as General Electric. These are likely to have specialist skills, meaning they may struggle to provide skills for vacancies elsewhere. In addition, these people may only be able to take the job in the short term which will mean a business has to go through the recruitment process regularly. This will in the short term prove a cost to the business, something to be avoided during times of low demand as a result of unemployment or inflation. It therefore depends on Government intervention as this could lead to the implementation of education/training programmes for the unemployed, which will determine their skills set and their motivation to stay with a firm for the long term once employed. In turn, this will govern whether the employees are increasing costs for the business more so than they need to be, determining whether the UK environment is favourable for businesses in terms of HRM. The UK economic environment can also be considered favourable in terms of a firms marketing, as increased GDP indicates there is a high demand, allowing firms to market themselves as a brand based on pricing, something firms find difficult to do during a recession as consumers expect prices to be lowered. This could perhaps allow firms to increase profit margins so that profit could either be reinvested or distributed as dividends to shareholders, encouraging further investment. This increased investment could allow some firms to become much more efficient, creating a USP or even acting as a competitive advantage against other firms, which is particularly important in a growing economy as there will be a higher chance of business start-ups being successful. However, it could be argued that the UK environment is not favourable in terms of marketing as it is more expensive to advertise due to higher demand as a result of a higher disposable income. It may also be particularly difficult for businesses to differentiate themselves from other companies as most businesses will be advertising to try and increase

Great Love Quotes That Will Evoke the Flame of Love

Great Love Quotes That Will Evoke the Flame of Love Great is what great does. Great love quotes are no exception to this rule. These love quotes have become great because they have infused and inspired the feelings of love in many a soul. A few of these great love quotes are sure to stir up love and romantic feelings in your heart too. Love is the strange bewilderment, which overtakes one person on account of another person. James Thurber and E. B. White The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart. Helen Keller The most difficult thing to explain in life is the simplest truth called love. Ramanathan Srinivasan A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality. John Lennon Its a very dangerous state. You are inclined to recklessness and kind of tune out the rest of your life and everything thats been important to you. Its actually not all that pleasurable. I dont know who the hell wants to get in a situation where you cant bear an hour without somebodys company. Colin Firth As we have explained, in first love the soul is taken long before the body; later the body is taken long before the soul; sometimes the soul is not taken at all. Victor Hugo As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words. William Shakespeare Love cannot endure indifference. It needs to be wanted. Like a lamp, it needs to be fed out of the oil of anothers heart, or its flame burns low. Henry Ward Beecher Love is when you look into someones eyes and go all the way inside; to their soul and you both know... instantly! Angela Chase Find the person who will love you because of your differences and not in spite of them and you have found a lover for life. Leo Buscaglia With love one can live even without happiness. Fyodor Dostoyevsky Love is a better teacher than duty. Albert Einstein The prerequisite for making love is to like someone enormously. Helen Gurley Brown To love is nothing. To be loved is something. But to love and be loved, thats everything! T. Tolis True love stories never have endings. Richard Bach A woman knows the face of the man she loves as a sailor knows the open sea. Honore de Balzac In real love you want the other persons good. In romantic love you want the other person. Margaret Anderson Youll discover that real love is millions of miles past falling in love with anyone or anything. When you make that one effort to feel compassion instead of blame or self-blame, the heart opens again and continues opening. Sara Paddison Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop. H. L. Mencken True love is when your heart and your minds are saying the same thing. Leanna L. Bartram I have found the paradox that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love. Mother Teresa Truly loving another means letting go of all expectations. It means full acceptance, even celebration of anothers personhood. Karen Casey Love is a friendship set to music. Joseph Campbell Blessed is the season, which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love. Hamilton Wright Mabie I think what motivates people is not great hate, but great love for other people. Huey Newton Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit. Khalil Gibran Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. James Baldwin Love is a gift, not an obligation, follow your heart and always trust the person you love. Anonymous Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up. James A. Baldwin Honesty is the only way with anyone, when youll be so close as to be living inside each others skins. Lois McMaster Bujold Love is something eternal†¦ The aspect may change, but not the essence. Vincent Van Gogh Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs. William Shakespeare Whats meant to be will always find a way. Trisha Yearwood To be able to say how much you love is to love but little. Petrarch The best proof of love is trust. Joyce Brothers Whoso loves, believes the impossible. Elizabeth Barret Browning

Mangment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mangment - Assignment Example With the rapid approval of the unions in an unorganized organization, the AFL-CIO had taken these unions under the consideration of being legitimate unions, formed for the lower work team of an organization. After announced to be having a strong support of the AFL-CIO, the unions set up for marketing the work force that didn’t get themselves registered to the unions. Unions have used the government agencies and the media as a gateway to reach to the unorganized work force (Bridgesmith). The unions are set to maintain the conduct unbecoming of the employers who often pressurized the working class. Having polls via telephones to the prior information of the unregistered workforce and convince them towards the goals of the unions. The unions have been persuading many politicians under their banner and they are seeking a relation with the civic leaders of the population. As unions have been taking its measures to attract the workforce at their benefits, many of the organizations a ccepted the reality of having a mutual understanding with their work team. The organizations have undergone their supervisors on a new training of facing the workforce with more enthusiastically. The unions can disrupt the environment of an organization that affects the productivity levels of the production. Organizations of restrain to be entitled for a court summon, sent to them through the unions on the accusation of having an unorganized working atmosphere. â€Å"Many employers prefer a union-free workplace in large part because they feel that, without union intervention, they are better able to provide competitive wages and benefits and communicate directly with their employees† (Littler). In a more generalized view on the existence of the unions, it has marked a specific market. If anyone supports the ideology on the non existence of a union, then it is subtle to grab the fact that unions were formed under the tyranny of

Civil Religion in Israel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Civil Religion in Israel - Essay Example Indeed, De Lange argues that, â€Å"Jews today are more deeply divided than at any time in the past on the theory and practice of their religion. The divisions are visible in the existence of a multiplicity of synagogues in some towns, all proclaiming that they hold the key to true Judaism† (De Lange, pg. 67). In recent history one of the crucial periods of the Judaic tradition was the time immediately surrounding the pre-state and post-state periods. During this period in Jewish history the religion experienced tremendous internal strife and influence from political elements within Judaism that sought that co-opt the traditional Jewish religion for a civil religion that would promote and eventually realize the development of a Jewish state, Israel. This essay argues that during this period the Jewish religion, later civil religion, went through a series of evolutionary patterns in terms of influence and change. The essay explores this evolutionary development from the pre-sta te period, wherein Zionist elements shifted elements of the religious structure to emphasize statehood; it then considers the statism period wherein Judaism was fully co-opted by the state; and finally, the post-statism period where in a struggle for legitimacy the civil religion was forced to shift back to more traditional values. Throughout this examination of the shifting nature of the civil religion, a number of observations are made, with the overarching contention being that Jewish leaders consciously re-interpreted scripture in accord with political aims. Background One of the primary elements in the evolution of the Jewish religion considers it in relation to the emancipatory movements of the 18th and 19th centuries. In these regards, it’s been indicated that these movements presented a great amount of pressure of Jewish collective identity, having a corresponding effect on Jewish religious practices. In these regards, emphasis on balaka changed considerably, with the emancipation process deemphasizing many of these aspects of Jewish law (Dowty 2001). The main point in these concerns regards was the extent that the Jewish religion in Israel should conform to Western culture and values. In terms of altering Jewish religious practices, the main changes proposed related to whether the Jewish religion should be changed to conform to national standards, or if Judaism should continue to follow its standard tradition. While this had been a long-standing element of concern within Judaism the emancipation movement constituted a pivotal element in this regard. In consider essential elements related to Judaism in the 20th century, this essay argues that one of the primary thematic elements is the dynamic relation between political concerns and religious identity, resulting in philosophic fluctuations regarding Jewish spiritual practices. Early thinkers considered the questions that would later play pivotal roles in terms of the Jewish religion in Israel. I n these regards, it’s noted that Haim Yosef Brenner, â€Å"denied that Judaism was defined by specific patterns of life or values, or that the Jewish people had any special mission. He refused to recognize secular nationalism as a legitimate transformation of the Jewish traditional and eschewed ‘any ideology offering itself as equivalent to religious belief† (Liebman, pg. 27). This is a view of Judaism that ran counter to Zionist beliefs in a sort of secular nationalism. One must consider the intentions of the Zionist movement in regards to that of traditional Judaism when understanding the divergent patterns. It’s argued that the Zionist concern with attracting supporters and adherents