Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Sonnet 43 - 1462 Words
Sonnet 43 (Sonnets From the Portuguese) BY Elizabeth Barrett Browning How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of every dayââ¬â¢s Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right; I love thee purely, as they turn from praise, I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhoodââ¬â¢s faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints ââ¬âI love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! ââ¬âand, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. Criticism Brent Goodman is aâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦In lines where sheââ¬â¢s comparing her love to the most domestic or common events of day-to-day living, as in the first line of the second stanza, the rhythm matches this plain or common mood, only slightly deviating from strict meter, ââ¬Å"I LOVE thee TO the LEVel of EVery DAYââ¬â¢sâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ On the other hand, as she moves on in the poem, and her voice gets more and more passionate as she continues to develop her list of ways she loves her husband, she builds each lineââ¬â¢s rhythm to match this mood. By the time we reach the final stanza, her lines find a rhythm of their own, almost completely ignoring traditional form ââ¬Å"WITH my LOST SAINTS ââ¬â I LOVE THEE with the BREATH,/SMILES, TEARS of ALL my LIFE!â⬠Another set structure for sonnets is how each line ends. Traditionally, each line ends with punctuation, a period, comma or otherwise to create a pause and contain a complete thought. Lines which end this way are called end-stopped. Reading through ââ¬Å"Sonnet 43â⬠, we notice that five of the 14 lines do not end with a set pause; rather, they are enjambed. Enjambed means to carry over; this term describes how one line flows into the next without hesitation. To try to understand what Barrett Browningââ¬â¢s intentions might be for this move away from traditional form, it is useful again to notice what the mood of the poem is where she breaks the rules. In the first stanza, as she begins to ââ¬Å"count the ways,â⬠the ways sheShow MoreRelatedCompare Hour and Sonnet 431410 Words à |à 6 PagesHigher English Paper Section A ââ¬â Question 7 ââ¬Å"Hour compared with Sonnet 43â⬠Both poems are about love. Hour presents love as being times enemy, whereas, Sonnet 43 presents love as absolute and unconditional. Both poets see love as being precious and worth more than life itself. Barrett Browning shows love as lasting forever, but Duffy feels that love canââ¬â¢t last forever. Sonnet 43 is an old fashioned poem; you can see this from the form. It uses iambic pentameter which creates the feeling ofRead MoreSonnet 43 Analysis1483 Words à |à 6 Pagesââ¬ËSonnet 43ââ¬â¢ is a romantic poem, written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. In the poem she is trying to describe the abstract feeling of love by measuring how much her love means to her. She also expresses all the different ways of loving someone and she tells us about her thoughts around her beloved. The tone of the poem is deep, in a loving way. The poet starts of by saying ââ¬Å"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways,â⬠by which she starts of with a rhetorical question, because there is no ââ¬Ëreasonââ¬â¢Read MoreCompare the Ways Love Is Presented in Sonnet 43 and Ghazal1292 Words à |à 6 PagesCompare the way love is presented in ââ¬ËSonnet 43ââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËGhazalââ¬â¢ Both poems, Sonnet 43 and Ghazal convey emotions and passionate feelings of love in different ways. Sonnets and Ghazals are poem that are meant to express strong feelings of love. Khalvati and Barrett Browning chose them to illustrate their loving feelings to their lovers. Barrett Browning does not correctly carry out all the rules of Sonnets in her poem which gives an effect that she would do anything for her lover and that thereRead MoreLove In Sonnet 431089 Words à |à 5 PagesCompare the methods the poets use to explore the ideas about love in ââ¬ËSonnet 43ââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËSonnet 116ââ¬â¢ In ââ¬ËSonnet 43ââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËSonnet 116ââ¬â¢, both Browning and Shakespeare present love as eternal using biblical allusion. ââ¬ËSonnet 43ââ¬â¢ is a love letter to the speaker, who is the poet (Elizabeth Barrett Browning) to her beloved. The title suggests that this is her 43rd declaration of her love to her beloved which shows that the love she has for her beloved is so intense, that it inspired her to write numerous poemsRead MoreSonnet 43 : How Do I Love Thee804 Words à |à 4 PagesHeidi Fish Mrs. Holthaus Advanced Comp. 6 October 2017 Sonnet 43: How Do I Love Thee? ââ¬Å"How Do I Love Thee?â⬠is just one of the many love poems that Elizabeth Browning had written in her lifetime. It expresses the unconditional love she has for her husband by listing the many ways she loves thee. Browning lists these ways by using a sonnet layout, many metaphors, and daily situations. There are many different poetry forms, one being a sonnet. It originates from the Italian word ââ¬Ësonettoââ¬â¢, whichRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1205 Words à |à 5 Pagesrole in both poems. The fearful passage of their death-mark d love [â⬠¦] Is now the two hours traffic of our stage this is from the prologue line 9 and 12 this is telling us they are conscious from the start they are heading near death. In ââ¬ËSonnet 43ââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËRomeo and Julietââ¬â¢ love is presented very religiously as it plays a fundamental part in both poems. This is shown by using religious links an example of this is clearly shown in Act 2. Scene 2 in which Romeo says ââ¬Å"messenger of heavenâ⬠lookingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Le Regrets 1747 Words à |à 7 PagesJoachim Du Bellayââ¬â¢s ââ¬ËLe Regretsââ¬â¢ is a collection of sonnets with diverse messages but with an underlying theme of missing France, his home country. From the onset, it is important to state that the sonnet originated from Italy. Bellay had gone to Italy partly because of his fascination with this form of poetry but after a short stay, he began longing for France. His poems express this longing. He uses poems to show exasperation and disappointment with Italy for failing to live up to the hype. AsRead MoreThe Comparison of Two Love Poems634 Words à |à 3 Pagesfirst person, the speaker is more defined l eading the reader to believe it is a she who is talking about love in the past tense. Both poems are sonnets written with fourteen lines, and written in Italian style. When comparing these poems we will be looking at the use of rhyme scheme and metaphors and how they were used to express emotions in these two sonnet poems. One of the most used love poems would have to be, ââ¬Å"How Do I Love Thee?â⬠by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It has been recited at many weddingsRead MoreAnalysis of Petrachs Poetry: a Translation of Italian Poem Rime 1401561 Words à |à 7 Pagesunder a wide variety of definitions and uses, even being dismissed as nineteenth-century romantic fiction. Its interpretation, origins and influences continue to be a matter of critical debate. Stages of courtly love (Adapted from Barbara Tuchman[43]) * Attraction to the lady, usually via eyes/glance * Worship of the lady from afar * Declaration of passionate devotion * Virtuous rejection by the lady * Renewed wooing with oaths of virtue and eternal fealty * Moans of approachingRead MoreCompare How the Theme of Love Is Presented in a Selection of Pre-1914 Poetry7665 Words à |à 31 Pagesto an interpretation that his is all a dream due to the fact that Keats could be illustrating the nature of the folk ballad which is sung by only one person. ââ¬ËRememberââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËShall I Compare Theeââ¬â¢ are both sonnets which convey intense emotion within stylistic and thematic constraints of the sonnet form. This, in turn, intensifies the emotion. Both have regular rhyme, scheme and beat. The tone of ââ¬ËLa Belle Dame Sans Merciââ¬â¢ and ââ¬ËPorphyriaââ¬â¢s Loverââ¬â¢ both vary dramatically, ââ¬ËLa Belle Dame Sans Merciââ¬â¢
Monday, December 16, 2019
Uncommon Article Gives You the Facts on Term Papers Writing Services That Only a Few People Know Exist
Uncommon Article Gives You the Facts on Term Papers Writing Services That Only a Few People Know Exist Term Papers Writing Services - the Story If you desire writers of papers that are committed and who will assist you with quality papers, speak to our company which will offer you custom paper writer. You may now quit panicking as our paper writers are also there to aid you to finish your assignment in time. For instance, the paper writers aren't able to compose academic papers using MLA and Chicago. Our institution's paper writers can write all sorts of custom papers from scratch because they are highly creative and skilled. The qualification of a paper writer is set by several things. Thus, the paper writer should have additional skills to increase preventability of the paper. The expression paper writer should know firstly the proper way of writing the paper. Our essay paper writer will allow you to satisfy any deadline however impossible it may appear to you. Term paper writing can cause a lot of tension and headache. Writing a non-plagiarised term paper is a hard undertaking. You've got to compose several academic papers over the duration of a year. Finally, pre-written term papers are just unethical and immoral. When you purchase our write my term paper services that you receive papers which were written from scratch to guarantee originality. Delivering custom term papers isn't that easy. Finding somewhere to order it may be difficult. Come to us when you require a personalized paper whether it's an academic or non academic paper and you'll discover an excellent paper written through an excellent papers writer. If you wish to make an order with a specific company, you can get in touch with the help desk to begin with to observe how they respond. In such situations, it's rather natural to check through various sites and choose one or two that you feel are the very best. As any other students, you're probably going to choose the service that provides low rates and wonderful discounts. There are a great deal of online writing services out there, and it would not be possible to cover all them here. The Little-Known Secrets to Term Papers Writing Services The custom writing company ough t to have an internet system. Since you may have already guessed, it isn't that easy to locate a cheap customized term paper writing service out there. So, you may rest assured your term paper service is going to be delivered by means of a pro. Indeed, a term paper service is simply like its writers, and that means you will need to locate a high quality service. The topic you select for your technology papers ought to be interesting and ought to concentrate on your field of interest. If you are searching for a term paper help, you desire an expert researcher who knows the way to meet all the needs of your institution. There are different kinds of technology papers. Term papers are a sort of research papers in which they will learn to do research on a particular topic, what headings ought to be included in the term papers in line with the topic and the way the findings of a research paper can be interpreted by the students. Experienced term paper writers are affordable and t hey're able to help you acquire the information that you will need for your topic. If you have opted to get started writing all on your own, you always have the option to order term paper editing services at our site. Thus, in the event you google write my term paper for me and our website is what you've found, then you're on a suitable track, and we are here in order to cover your back. A theatre term paper has to be written in an official style, in the very first person A short and intriguing title should be set on top, enables to deliver the entire significance of the expression paper issue. The Basic Facts of Term Papers Writing Services Writing a high school paper is not a tough task. It is a useful skill to have, but it's not mandatory for all professions. Term papers are now an essential portion of the curriculum either it's a school level, college level or university level. A Secret Weapon for Term Papers Writing Services The expression paper writing must be accomp lished with a step-by-step procedure and before hand work about this issue. In addition, it is irrelevant if you are searching for the professional resume writing services or research paper writers you're going to be able to locate all information you have to make the right choice at a single location. If you're just like me and seem to get started working on the expression paper a couple of days before the deadline, you will adore the guide. Thus the very first and best thing you want to think about while selecting a term paper writing service is make sure the website has an excellent reputation within the writing industry.
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Nuclear Waste Dump Facility In Australia
Question: Describe about Nuclear waste dump in Australia, nuclear waste management crises in France, WIPP new Mexico USA. Answer: Introduction Simply put, nuclear energy is the production of power through the process of splitting atoms where the energy produced in the process is used to heat and boil water that turns turbines for electricity generation. The nuclear technology utilises the energy emitted by splitting atoms of specific kind elements. The first instances of the technology were developed in the 1940's when countries were particularly in the quest for atomic bombs. However, the bomb run came to a halt with the world war two in 1945 after the historic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. However in the early 50's the nuclear competition shifted to the peaceful purposes of nuclear fission categorically for electric power generation. Nuclear energy is today among the world's most promising and sustainable sources of power. Production of this form of energy involves two kinds of processes: Fission is the breakdown or splitting of large atoms into two and is accompanied by the release of an enormous amount of energy. Among the elements used in atomic splitting include Uranium and Plutonium among other radioactive elements. Virtually all commercial nuclear power generating plants in operation in the world today use the fission technique to produce heat which is converted into electricity. The second process in which energy can be created is known as nuclear fusion. Fusion is the process of merging of two-minute atoms such as Hydrogen or Helium to produce heavier particles and massive heat energy in the end. It is established by scientist that nuclear fusion can result to huge amounts of energy as compared to fission. However, economically viable methods of power generation through nuclear fusion have not yet been established by the scientific fraternity though a lot of research is underway. When proven viable, the world energy scene could potentially be levelled and get complete disruption. The world boasts over four hundred nuclear power reactors in the world today with almost a hundred concentrated in the United States of America. These plants are such attractive to the host countries as they produce base load electricity twenty-four hours a day seven day a week without the release of environmentally hazardous contents including the mush fated carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Nuclear technology has undergone many enhancements since its infant days making it possible for the world at the moment to generate more electricity from nuclear energy than it did from all other sources combined during the early days of the technology, although the result is due to the rising demand for energy worldwide. Civil nuclear power currently possesses over 16,500 reactor years of know-how and equipment which is almost 12 percent of global electricity needs. Many countries in the world are building research centres for nuclear reactors to give a basis of neutron beams for scientific research and the creation of medical and industrial isotopes. As it stands in the world, there are eight nations that are known to have the nuclear weapons capability while fifty-six nations have approximately two hundred and forty public research reactors and interestingly more than 30 percent of this countries are developing economies. Globally thirty-one countries are hosting around four hundred and forty commercial nuclear power reactors with a total installed capacity of more than 380,000 MWe ( World Nuclear Association, 2016). There are also approximately sixty-five more nuclear power reactors are in the building which in their completion it's expected to inject roughly eighteen percent of the current capacity. There also around one hundred and fifty in advanced planning stages in various states globally which when completed will factor in about half of today's global capacity. However, a counterbalance comes in since with nuclear power reactors; there is a specific number of years that it can operate and hence while new ones are springing worldwide the old ones are retiring from service. Nevertheless, nuclear power reactors in use today result in the creation of radioactive nuclear waste which requires extreme caution in handling and storage. During the fission process of splitting atoms to discharge power, the smaller fragments that are left back often remain in excited states. In this state the small particles emanate dynamic elements that can potentially harm flora and fauna. This nuclear waste must hence be managed and kept out of the environment for the longest time possible, possibly hundreds and thousands of years, for this particle to lose most of their radioactive properties. Engineering systems to stay apt for that long is a daunting engineering and design task. The idea of the Australian government to take the initiative to create a nuclear waste dumping site for the world is what categorically forms the fundamentals of this article. Nuclear Waste Dump In Australia The project is a cash cow that could put millions into South Australias Treasury but now with the suggestion of the construction a nuclear waste deposit in the state fast gaining grip, the question remains whether the move will ever be safe. Regrettably this has yet to be established. The biggest dilemma this far has been public resistance to any plans for long-term storage amenities of high-level nuclear waste(chang, 2016). No country in history has fruitfully built a long term nuclear storage facility in the history of nuclear power generation. The shift astonished many because South Australia leads nationally in renewable energy production and also because uranium prices and extraction had plunged after the Fukushima crisis (Campbel, 2011). A commission led by ex-state Governor Kevin Scarce was given the task of groping development preferences in the range of uranium extraction, extended uranium processing, domestic nuclear power and the custody sophisticated radioactive waste management facility. The imperial commission noted the primary emanating from the creation of an industry accumulating the world's second-hand fuel rods was the emanation of radiation into the natural environment, as well as the segments left behind discharging radiation which could be gasped or ingested by persons and other living organisms. The formed commission claimed that Finland and Sweden had both created safe amenities for the durable dumping of nuclear waste (Karp, 2016). They further explicate that perils could be moderated by keeping the waste in solid form in geologically stable areas, and some layers of wrapping and containers to avoid the waste from polluting groundwater. However, Finland has led the world to issue a building license for a permanent underground nuclear waste storage facility. According to reuters news, the commissions information is contradictory given that the project was just given a go ahead to commence the construction (Anon, 2016). The Posiva Oy's project in Olkiluoto Island in Western Finland is expected to begin operations by 2023. According to the leader of the project, Janne Mokka, the project to be undertaken is based on the research carried for forty years. Clearly, being the pioneering project, it is not right for the commission to site the project as an example. Sweden has such plans, but according to Posiva, it is a few years at the back of Finland further explaining the reason why it might not be the safest idea for Australia to jump into the boat yet. Furthermore, Finland deep geological burial sites are running on high costs and sophistication. Following more than seventy years of commercial nuclear power processes, no country on earth has an ultimate dumping site for mixed waste and the segment is scattered with futile ventures, timeline holdups and enormous cost overruns. Globally, radioactive waste management is a mounting and unsettled management issue and environmental problem. One thing the South Australian state should think about is the fact that if nuclear waste management was so clear-cut or money-spinning venture, then it could have been done by nations like France and the US which have the largest nuclear production facilities in the world (Nowlin, 2016). To make the situations even more complicated, we as a nation have narrow nuclear industry know-how and infrastructure and we run short of the authoritarian structure to deal with such waste. Furthermore, a couple of state and federal laws explicitly prohibit such actions with no bipartisan political backing in a profoundly dubious and disputed Australian civic field(Rani et al. ,2016). Australias miserable track record in regards to the administration of our humble accumulation of radioactive waste wants to add more doubts for the confidence in the global aspiration. Nuclear waste management crises in France French's nuclear industry commenced its nuclear power production roughly five decades ago. Ever since the beginning, the supervision of nuclear waste has been fundamentally neglected due to the complexity of the handling process and limited technology. To date massive amounts of waste linger in the unconditioned and unsteady state, records of historical disposal location are missing or varnished. Among the world's largest disposal sites near the La Hague reprocessing place is seeping out into the underground water. Clear evidence is rising that a newly constructed nuclear dumpsite in the Champagne region of France is also seeping out radioactive elements into the ground water. The French nuclear waste authority ANDRA has a little record of the vast numbers of popular waste categories and its feared that many haven't been acknowledged by the Chief waste producers EDF and Cogema. It's also a rising worry even to the French due the states at both disposal sites(Hatch, 2015). WIPP New Mexico USA The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico, USA, is a placement location for long-standing mid level waste from the America's nuclear weapons agenda. The plant contains approximately 171,000 waste facilities that are secured in salt caverns six hundred and forty metres below the ground. In 2014 February the facility, which is considered as high-level got a major setback after an explosion occurred to one of the barrels seriously compromising the integrity of the installation. The contaminants are feared to have extended through the 3000 feet channels through the ducts into the environment and atmosphere (Thakur 2016). The accident led to twenty-two employees on site receiving low-level interior radiation contact. It is believed a chemical reaction was triggered between nitrate salts and organic waste used as an absorbent produced adequate heat levels to melt fasteners on at least one drums. However, research on the same have failed to make a replica of the chemical reaction that took place in that fateful event. Hundreds of such drums are still packed within the location resulting to questions whether these deep geological dump sites are any safer or just a time bomb waiting to explode into humanity and the general ecosystem (Thakur et al. 2015). Conclusions From a political stand view, the idea of placing a nuclear dumpsite may appear as a very lucrative move. However, politicians and other stakeholders pushing on the matter should critically analyse the situation and learn from other events before putting up with the idea. It sounds absurd that a country with infinitesimal knowledge in a subject is so confident to take a global challenge. I agree that ambition and confidence pays, however embracing nuclear the nuclear dumpsite idea sounds rather like Australian masses knocking on heaven doors. The whole thought should fast be put to a halt to allow the fast runners to make their move quickly, after all, they got the brains behind the entire project. It's imperative for Australia to focus on what we know best-mining uranium. References Anon, (2016). . Campbell, R., 2011. Fukushima Nuclear Crisis. DIANE Publishing. Hatch, M.T., 2015. Politics and nuclear power: Energy policy in Western Europe. University Press of Kentucky. Karp, P. (2016). Inquiry backs plan to store world's nuclear waste in outback Australia. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/feb/15/inquiry-backs-nuclear-waste-dumps-for-outback-australia [Accessed 23 May 2016]. NewsComAu. (2016). Why small errors can mean big nuclear problems. [online] Available at: https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/eric-schlosser-exposes-our-nuclear-delusions-at-festival-of-dangerous-ideas/news-story/8c07f4215ba3aeebbecda332b40889fa [Accessed 23 May 2016]. Nowlin, MC 2016, 'Policy Change, Policy Feedback, and Interest Mobilization: The Politics of Nuclear Waste Management', Review Of Policy Research, 33, 1, pp. 51-70, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 23 May 2016. Poppiti, J. and Sheffield, R., 2016. Investigation of an Accidental Radiological Release in an Underground Disposal Facility. Health physics, 110(2), pp.S39-S47. Rani, N, Shrivastava, J, Bajpai, R 2016, 'Long-term performance assessment of nuclear waste and natural glasses in the geological repository: a geochemical modelling', Current Science (00113891), 110, 2, pp. 214-219, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 23 May 2016. Thakur, P., 2016. Source term estimation and the isotopic ratio of radioactive material released from the WIPP repository in New Mexico, USA. Journal of environmental radioactivity, 151, pp.193-203. Thakur, P., Lemons, B.G., Ballard, S. and Hardy, R., 2015. Environmental and health impacts of February 14, 2014, radiation release from the nation's only deep geologic nuclear waste repository. Journal of environmental radioactivity, 146, pp.6-15.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Royal Air Force Essay Example
Royal Air Force Paper This quote from Bennis (cited in Hooper Potter 2000) goes to the heart of the current debate about Leadership and explains, in part, why so many people are discovering that it is difficult to be an effective leader. There are numerous leadership models espoused by various individuals and organisations, from politicians to academics, multi-national conglomerates to military organisations. They have various threads that inter-weave and draw from each other, quite often overlapping, all have there limitations and criticisms. The Transformational Leadership Model is just one of them, which developed over a period, within a cohesive environment, not in isolation. Therefore, as will be identified throughout this essay there are strands of transformational leadership in numerous leadership models. Initially, transformational leadership will be defined and then compared against Bass Full Range Leadership Model, this will then be followed by an introduction into military leadership before analysing the Royal Air Forces current leadership attributes against the tenets of transformational leadership. Indeed, whilst the RAFs leadership attributes are fairly recent in their publication, 2007, we will ask ourselves whether previous generations of leaders have displayed the qualities of a transformational leader. For this purpose, an example of an excellent strategic RAF Leader, Air Chief Marshall Sir Arthur Bomber Harris will be evaluated against the Transformational Leadership Model. The first question to answer then is, what is transformational leadership? We will write a custom essay sample on Royal Air Force specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Royal Air Force specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Royal Air Force specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Burns (1978) proposed that transformational leadership is a relationship of shared stimulation and elevation that converts followers into leaders and may convert leaders into moral agents. Burns concepts were further developed by Bass and Avolio (1994) who suggested that the transactional leader recognises and exploits an existing need or demand of a potential follower (Bass 1998), however, beyond that, the transformational leader looks for potential motives in followers, seeks to satisfy higher needs and engages the full person of the follower. According to Saddler (1997) Transformational Leadership is the process of engaging the commitment of employees in the context of shared values and shared vision that is linked to trust and, according to Bass and Avolio (1990) and Bass (1998), the four tenets of Transformational Leadership are: a. Idealised Influence. The power of a person to have intense effects on a group of followers and is characterised by self-confidence, even when things are going awry, self-determination and an ability to inspire loyalty or as stated by Northouse (1997) provide followers with a vision and a sense of mission. This might otherwise be termed charisma, which brings it close to the traits concept of leadership1. b. Inspirational Motivation. The ability through the leaders actions to lift people beyond their own expectations. It rouses followers to deliver extra effort and inspires a belief in the cause. It creates and communicates a compelling vision of what is required and builds commitment. c. Individualised Consideration. This is the consideration for others that transformational leaders show, in particular, towards their development. This factor is also marked by a willingness to listen, the readiness to delegate and the ability to appreciate a job well done. d. Intellectual Stimulation. Followers are stimulated to think about their own situation and to assess their values and beliefs. They become aware of problems and involved in their own solutions. The paradigm stresses empowerment, with the dominant interest of the leader being to establish the correct climate and support structures so that individuals can achieve organisational goals. In the mid-1980s, Bass expanded and refined the work of Burns (1978) and House (1971) by focussing on the emotional components and origins of charisma, suggesting that charisma is a necessary, but not sufficient requirement for transformational leadership. Bass expanded on his own work in 1990, joining with Avolio in 1994 to combine the transactional, transformational, and non-leadership factors to provide the Full Range Leadership Model (Northouse 1997). This model is the cornerstone of the post-industrial school of leadership (Rost 1993). The non-leadership factor in the model is the laissez-faire (LF) approach, and represents the lack of leadership. The transactional leadership component entails three factors: contingent reward (CR), management-by-exception passive (MBE-P), and management-by-exception active (MBE-A). The CR style is where the leader gains accord regarding accepted performance standards and then provides suitable rewards when the standards are achieved. This provides a strong incentive to followers and is reasonably effective. MBE refers to leadership concerning corrective criticism, negative feedback, and negative reinforcement. MBE-P involves the leader waiting until errors, shortfalls and failures become obvious, then reacting to them. MBE-A involves actively seeking indications of poor performance and taking corrective measures (Bass Avolio 1994). This model is not without its critics. Bolden et al (2004) argued that the concepts of Transactional Leadership (fostered on reciprocity) and Transformational Leadership (concerned with hearts and minds) are ambiguous and ill constructed. Ciulla (1998) pointed out that Burns would find it difficult to accept Hitler as a leader because his theory of transformational leadership is clearly a prescriptive one about the nature of morally good leadership supports his view. In contrast, if one considers Bass (1985) definition of transformational leadership, Hitler clearly qualifies. Therefore, given the discord between the theorists it is hardly surprising that those who are exercised with the practicalities of transformational leadership are finding it difficult. An underlying premise of this leadership theory is that different styles of leadership exist simultaneously within the same individual (Bass, 1985). However, numerous studies (Lowe and Gardner, 2000) demonstrating the impact of these styles of leadership on the attitudes and behaviours of employees have dismissed this proposition and focused solely on the separate effect of each of these styles (Lowe, Kroeck Sivasubramaniam, 1996). Having discussed and critiqued transformational leadership, the next stage is to identify Military Leadership and how it is applied in the RAF. The Defence Leadership Centre (2003) identifies Military Leadership as the projection of personality and character to inspire soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen to carry out what is required of them and more. Proficiency in the techniques of leadership is the foremost quality in the skill of command and contributes significantly to operational accomplishment. There is no prescription of leadership and no prearranged style of leader. Military Leadership is a combination of example, influence and compulsion dependent upon the situation. It is transformational in approach and underpinned by the ethos of Mission Command2 and a balance of military attributes, which will be discussed further later. Successful military leaders are individuals who understand themselves, the organisation, the environment in which they operate and the people that they are privileged to lead, considerable similarities with transformational leadership. Furthermore, Mission Command is split into three levels, Strategic, Operational and Tactical (or Team). This is best explained by viewing the below model. In this model, Strategic Leadership refers to leading a whole organisation with overall accountability for the other 2 levels. At this level, leadership is primarily concerned with vision, purpose or mission, alignment, values and communication. Operational Leadership defined as leading a number of teams, leadership is concerned with the implementation of strategy and issues such as enabling success through the determination of appropriate structures and creation of a climate for success. Tactical (or Team) Leadership refers to leading a single unit and requires the leader to balance the needs of the task, the team and the individual as described by the Functional Leadership model (Adair 1983), which has been the basis of the RAFs leadership training for the last thirty years. These attributes are not exclusive to each the level of leadership to which they are appointed in the model, rather that the relative importance of those attributes changes in relation to the leadership context. Adairs (1983) model is not the only model currently being studied by the RAF Leadership Training Centre, others include, the Tannenbaum Schmitt (1958) model of autocratic and democratic styles; the Mouton-Blake Grid (1964); the Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership model (1988); the Ashridge Management/Leadership model (Wynn Guditus 1984) and the Bass and Avolio Full Range Leadership model (Bass Avolio 1994). The later of which is gaining significant interest as the RAF goes through a period of change and transformation. The Functional Approach to Leadership is utilised by the lower echelons of the RAF. This practical model shows what it is that a leader should be doing. Few, if any, other models do this. The three circles of the Functional Approach vary in size (or importance) depending on circumstance, for example, the task can become overwhelmingly big on operations at times but at others if the team and Individual are not attended to and take precedence over the task, the people will be lost to the leader. Within the circles many other leadership models can be accommodated, such as transformational leadership, when a leader considers how to deal with task, team or individual.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Tesla lists electric truck for 150kÃÂ
Tesla lists electric truck for 150kà If youââ¬â¢re a trucker, thereââ¬â¢s an exciting new wave of innovation and technology thatââ¬â¢s sweeping over your industry- and Tesla is leading the charge. Tesla, headed by company founder and maverick CEO Elon Musk, has been at the vanguard of bold, forward-thinking ideas in recent years, and has decided to take its visionary approach to trucking- and the results are interesting to say the least. Truckinginfo.com has recently published an article that discusses this new truck, which is expected to go into production in 2019- letââ¬â¢s take a closer look.The future of trucks seems to be leading towards electric vehicles, a radical departure from the diesel guzzling behemoths that youââ¬â¢re used to driving. Tesla has recently unveiled itââ¬â¢s new Tesla Semi, which is likely going to usher in big changes in trucking. It has a rather steep base price- $150,000 for the base model- but considering that the average price of a truck with an internal combustion engine typically sells for around $100,000, it isnââ¬â¢t too far outside of the typical range that a trucker would expect to pay for a new vehicle- and owners of the new Tesla Semi can expect to see cost savings in terms of reduced fuel consumption. Furthermore, according to an article by DC Velocity, ââ¬Å"Musk told a webcast audience that the vehicle will pay for itself in two years when compared to the cost of a diesel tractor, citing savings in the electric truckââ¬â¢s ability to outperform diesel-powered trucks in aerodynamics, reliability, and fuel.â⬠What will you get with this exciting new base model? Youââ¬â¢ll get a durable, reliable long-haul vehicle thatââ¬â¢s designed to have a 300-mile range between charges (if youââ¬â¢re looking for something with a longer range, a $180,000 version that can go up to 500 miles between charges was recently unveiled). According to Tesla, the new Tesla Semi will have a cargo capacity similar to its diesel counterparts, witho ut a significant weight increase compared to the average Class 8 truck.If youââ¬â¢re wondering how confident Tesla is in the viability of their new trucks, howââ¬â¢s this for a vote of confidence: Jerome Guillen, Teslaââ¬â¢s vice president of trucks and programs, recently announced during an electric truck confidence in Europe that Tesla would be its own first customer. Thatââ¬â¢s right- Tesla will utilize its brand-new Tesla semi to haul its own products and cargo between its Freemont California facility and its Gigafactory just outside of Reno Nevada (in case youââ¬â¢re wondering, thatââ¬â¢s an approximately 260 mile route).If youââ¬â¢re interested in getting behind the wheel of this new rig, Tesla is accepting early reservations for the Tesla Semi- provided that youââ¬â¢re willing and able to plunk down $20,000 for a reservation. If money isnââ¬â¢t a major problem for you, Tesla is also offering a limited-edition Founder Series truck model (just 1,000 v ersions of this truck will be released), with more bells and whistles than the base model- but it also requires that you put down a $200,000 reservation.If youââ¬â¢re among the lucky few who gets to drive one of these new Tesla Semis, one things for certain- youââ¬â¢ll catch the attention of other drivers on the road!
Friday, November 22, 2019
The 7 Personality Traits that Can Destroy Your Career
The 7 Personality Traits that Can Destroy Your Career Of all the things you think may destroy your career, you probably didnââ¬â¢t expect your own personality to be one of them. But while some character traits are innate, others are under your control. Itââ¬â¢s up to you to tend your own garden- rip out the weeds and plant seeds for stronger, better plants. Whatever you do, make sure to keep an eye out for these 7 traits, which can really put a damper on your career.1. NarcissismMost people you work with are going to be able to tell if youââ¬â¢re an insufferable narcissist. You have an aversion to teamwork? Your colleagues can tell. Remember: your pain, your annoyance, your moods, and your bad day are no worse or more important than anybody elseââ¬â¢s. Try to think about others every now and then. Your career will thank you.2. Complaining After the FactYouââ¬â¢ve had a meeting and things have been debated and discussed thoroughly. If you didnââ¬â¢t speak up then, youââ¬â¢ve forfeited your right to speak after. If yo u donââ¬â¢t have the guts to voice your opinions or contribute in the meeting, then keep your complaints to yourself.3.à Ignoring Your TeamDonââ¬â¢t pretend that youââ¬â¢ve done everything yourself with each small victory. Most workplace accomplishments are not solo ventures. Thank the people that helped you score those victories. Donââ¬â¢t ever be the guy who says ââ¬Å"thatââ¬â¢s not my job.â⬠Pitch in! And never never throw anyone under the bus.4. GossipingNobody loves a gossip. You might make a few shallow friends fairly quickly at the water cooler, but you wonââ¬â¢t keep them, and you could get yourself in real social and professional trouble.5.à Constant ComplainingNobody likes a pessimist. Start counting the number of times you complain or say something negative in a day. If itââ¬â¢s more than 3, you have a problem. If itââ¬â¢s more than 30, youââ¬â¢re well on track to being the most hated dude in the office.6. CrudenessYou donââ¬â¢t ha ve to be Suzy Perfect, but you should try to keep a little decorum. Try not to be flatulent or curse so much that no one wants to be around you. Be a force for good in your office!7.à Excessive SarcasmBe generous and nice. If you feel the urge to be sarcastic or snide, hold it back. There is a way to be a good person and make people laugh. Try not to get your way or get a laugh at anybody elseââ¬â¢s expense.If you have any one (or more) of these traits, it might be time to start thinking about how to prune your bad angels and start watering your good ones.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Assignment 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2
Assignment 6 - Essay Example Thus, this will basically explain how we each deal with emotions. There are many factors that explain the universality of emotional expression in various cultures. These factors are expression, perception, experience, antecedents, appraisal, and concept. These factors basically shape who we are. Charles Darwin gave us the basis on which to discover the universality of human emotion. He suggested that facial expressions, like other behaviors, are biologically innate and evolutionary adaptive. And humans express emotions in their faces in exactly the same ways around the world regardless of culture or race. In this he was right. Culture plays a major role in how we react to different situations daily. Whether these situations are social, business, with family, with friends, or with strangers; we react differently. We use cultural display rules to help guide our reactions to each and every situation that we are in. These rules are learned early in life and by adulthood our reactions to these rules are pretty much automatic. Thus, facial expressions of emotion are under the dual influences of universal, biologically innate factors along with culturally specific learned display rules. Furthermore, when the displays rules do not apply to the situations, the innate universal facial expressions tend to come forth. That explains why people can differ in their emotional expression despite the fact that out expressional base is all the same. Culture has shown me that our expressions can vary. However, the value of morality that I choose to uphold allows for my general reactions to various situations to be somewhat different than other people. I choose to go with a more Christian value base and a more professional base when I am at work. I try to be friendly to everyone that I meet. Thus, I am generally regarded as a dependable person and a well liked person. I feel that culture is now more degrading a person than ever before in my life. Thus,
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Philosophy of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Philosophy of Education - Essay Example I believe that Education is the key to success and it is through education that a person receives the fundamental skills and tools that are important in building a life that is successful and prosperous. The quality of education in a country will determine the level of its success and prosperity. Therefore, as a teacher I believe that it is important for every child to receive quality education. Although quality in education is something that cannot be achieved by the teachers only, I believe teachers play a major role in improving the education quality of a country. To improve the quality of education, teachers, parents and all stakeholders in education must work together. Quality in education includes the health and participation of learners, support from family and community, availability of good learning environment, content that is relevant in real life situations and teacherââ¬â¢s organization and proficiency. As a teacher, I believe that everyone has the ability to learn. However, for effective mastering of concepts and skills, a student must show interest in learning and willingness to participate in the learning activities. My work as a teacher is to provide good learning environment in the classroom and improve the quality of education. The arrangement or organization of the classroom can improve or inhibit learning depending on the learning patterns of each child. Therefore, by accommodating the studentsââ¬â¢ different patterns of learning, the teacher creates an environment that is conducive for learning. Although education has always been associated with economic growth, I believe that with better quality education the economic retu rns can be much higher. It is also evident that increased investment in education increases political stability, democratization, improves the health of the people and reduces poverty and inequality. Thus, I am strongly convinced that it is the role of teachers to ensure that the education provided in schools is of good quality so as to realize the maximum benefits of quality education. Young minds are very critical and delicate, and teaching them is challenging and frustrating. Any indication by the teacher that he or she is not interested in a particular subject or area of study and lacks passion for learning will make the children to lose interest in the same. A teacher must convince the children of his or her knowledge and expertise for them to be willing to learn and show interest in learning. My job, as a teacher is to develop an environment that promotes learning. I am a teacher and an instructor because I posses the passion for guiding children through the process of learnin g and one of the best ways of fostering learning is to show the children these feelings I hold over education. I promote learning by providing a relaxed atmosphere for children, stimulating conversations on presented ideas and organizing ideas in an easy way that can be understood by the learners. I believe subject matter are interconnected thus I emphasize that everything that people learn form a world of understanding from which they develop their personal views. I also believe that showing respect to my students is important because it encourages them to be open and inspires them to respect each other and all other people. My method of teaching is that which acknowledges diversity in teaching methodologies and techniques. I believe that hands on and minds on learning are important because supplementing curriculum with other activities promotes the learning process. I am certain that by involving the learners in fascinating lessons and making use of strategies which address their learning styles, they can achieve success in academics and have self confidence in the learning process. Learning only takes place when the children are fully engaged in the learning process, are personally connected to the concept taught and use the knowledge acquired in real life situations. Therefore, when this happens a child is encouraged to be engaged over and
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Genre Text Essay Example for Free
Genre Text Essay When you think of the term ââ¬Ëgenreââ¬â¢, what does it exactly mean to you? Well Iââ¬â¢m sure itââ¬â¢s without a doubt that you all commonly believe it constitutes either a kind or category of text, but in actual fact does it really? Good morning Year 11. The prime focus of your studies during the HSC course next year, Iââ¬â¢m going to discuss how the genre of crime fiction has extended through time, whereby a variety of notions and characteristics exhibited throughout a text may either reinforce, challenge or extend on genre parameters. So what is genre then? Although genre is quite difficult to define, there are numerous interpretations of the term since the confines between genres are constantly evolving due to changing values. As Daniel Chandler states, ââ¬Å"defining genres may not initially seem particularly problematic but it should already be apparent that itââ¬â¢s a theoretical minefield. â⬠However, Jane Feuer believes ââ¬Å"genre is ultimately an abstract conception. â⬠These critics therefore prove that yes, while it may be easy to classify a text to a particular genre, we must understand genre as a concept that can apply to varying applications rather than its fundamental relevance to a text. In saying this, as changing contexts and values have developed over time, resulting in new-found conventions, Iââ¬â¢ve come to agree with Stephen Nealeââ¬â¢s understanding; ââ¬Å"Genres are instances of repetition and difference difference is absolutely essential to the economy of genre. â⬠(Neale, 1980). This my friends, effectively reflects constant changing cultural values and attitudes in our social milieu, donââ¬â¢t you think? Hence, my aim today is to focus on the conventions of the genre of crime fiction and how they have been recreated in a number of ways to reflect the social and cultural aspects that are dynamic to their survival within the popularity of a text. As Neale further suggests, ââ¬Å"genres exist to assist in shaping values. â⬠Subsequently, I will discuss how and why Alfred Hitchcockââ¬â¢s film Rear window and Tom Stoppardââ¬â¢s play The Real Inspector Hound have re-worked and extended upon crime conventions prevalent in crime writing through genre, often defying audience expectations in one way or another. As a result, Rear Window highlights and expands upon the cosy conventions of its contemporary society by paralleling the post-war issues of voyeurism and women and subverting them, reflected through its social milieu. The Real Inspector Hound also utilises cosy conventions but parodies them instead, challenging the classical Golden Ageââ¬â¢s ââ¬Ëwhodunitââ¬â¢ storyline in a satiric way, so as to query the restoration of justice and the idea of reality vs. allusion. Thus, whilst both texts seek to extend and challenge crime conventions, they also serve to explore societyââ¬â¢s human conditions and issues at the time in order to become seminal texts of the genre. Directed in 1954, Hitchcockââ¬â¢s Rear Window reinforces the fact that very few works exemplify all required characteristics of a particular genre, by cleverly breaking the ideal conventions of a suspenseful circumstance in a crime fiction text. The film is rather based around the notion of both solving the crime and proving that it happened. Rear Window further revolves around the concepts of the changing roles of women and queries the morality of voyeurism. Such notions reflect the contextual concerns of the post-war era where a revolutionary social change was clearly prevalent in society, thus endangering the traditional gender restrictions marked by WW2. Through the mis-en-scene of Jeff holding his camera looking outside the window as blinds are swiftly raised to reveal vignettes of apartments, itââ¬â¢s evident that a didactic message outlining the unethicalness of voyeurism is contained within Rear Window. As voyeurism further exposes hidden worlds within the film, Hitchcock manages to reflect upon American society through each of these blocks acting as a microcosm. But it stops there. Quite similarly to our other text The Real Inspector Hound, Hitchcock withdraws from typical crime conventions by not showing the occurrence of the crime itself. This was due to growing conflict between the conservative American government and growing acceptance to sexuality by society at the time, as a result of censorship on films. The concept of voyeurism is cleverly employed by Hitchcock via subverting a cosy setting, a convention to reflect the concept of McCarthyism where there was a fracturing of society due to the paranoia of communism, which was most prominent during the Golden Age. This is illustrated as the camera pans across Jeffââ¬â¢s apartment, focusing on his photography tools and emphasising his infatuation for observing life. Thus, Jeffââ¬â¢s dilemma of being entrapped in his apartment persuades him to do ââ¬Å"something drasticâ⬠to remove him ââ¬Å"out of the swamp of boredom,â⬠which metaphorically foreshadows his forthcoming hobby of spying on his neighbours. Iââ¬â¢m certain you all must think heââ¬â¢s strange, but the aspect of social insecurity and fear at the time was what Hitchcock was seeking to embody. Where spying begins as an innocent obsession, it soon becomes a neurotic effort to prove Thorwaldââ¬â¢s criminal actions. Therefore, after the growing tension depicted through continual panning shots, Jeff takes action which exposes clues in Thorwaldââ¬â¢s apartment. However, the consequences of voyeurism are made apparent through the non diagetic sound and quick motion of Jeff falling out the window. Hitchcock hence questions the moral ambiguity of voyeurism due to societyââ¬â¢s fear of maintaining social order, by focusing on the depraved aspect of society becoming ââ¬Å"a race of peeping toms. â⬠Despite changing perceptions of females in the workforce, how exactly did Lisa become an amateur detective and femme fatale, whilst presenting the evolving independance and roles of women? In actual fact, Hitchcock broke a key crime convention ââ¬â there must only be one detective! A high angle shot first characterises Jeff as bound to his wheel chair, and the cast around his injured leg is symbolic of the identity boundary he endures. Consequently, Jeff is left helpless, a frequent motif thatââ¬â¢s prevalent throughout the film in which Jeff is metaphorically incapable of embracing his male dominance, hoping to ââ¬Å"emerge from his plaster cocoon. â⬠Thus when Lisa emerges, the dark lighting and shadows surrounding her signifies Jeffââ¬â¢s intimidation, as men were startled by the role of women in the post-war period. By having Jeff restricted at home in a feminised position, Hitchcock underpins Lisa as the amateur sleuth, sustained through her constant dominance over Jeff within the framing. Hitchcock further challenges the authority of women in crime fiction as femme-fatales, whereby negative connotations strengthen the presence of conceited masculinity. Yet Lisaââ¬â¢s strong persona and sheer determination leads to her fatal participation in ââ¬Å"the next assignment,â⬠exhibited in the panning tracking shot of her investigating Thorwaldââ¬â¢s apartment, underlining Lisaââ¬â¢s unusual role as a detective and the filmââ¬â¢s conclusion of restoration. Subsequently, Hitchcock illustrates the development of crime conventions by challenging traditional crime conventions, via representing the shift in the growing independence and role of women in society, by maintaining both genders as main detectives. Thus, Rear Window not only reinforces and extends upon crime genre parameters, but also reflects societyââ¬â¢s changing values, hence explaining why itââ¬â¢s considered a critical crime fiction text even today. Unlike Hitchcock who reinvented some crime writing rules, Stoppard completely goes against them. Whilst Stoppard experiments with the classical Golden Age crime conventions, the crime genre is seen to continuously mirror societyââ¬â¢s changing attitude and values. In successfully challenging the audience to interpret whether the perceived distinction between what is real and an allusion in crime is essential, Stoppard also leads them to question the restoration of justice. The perceived distinction between reality and allusion is no longer relevant in todayââ¬â¢s post-modern world as it was in the Golden Age, due to changing societal expectations, like Stoppard suggests. He breaks traditional conventions, as the margins of a play-within-a-play have been intersected, demonstrating the blurring of reality. Whilst Rear Window uses a cosy setting to depict societyââ¬â¢s issues, Stoppard instead parodies it to demonstrate that a crime isnââ¬â¢t always within its confines, and hence defies crime conventions to outline the irrationality of society. The cosy method of contrivance supports this, being parodied through Mrs. Drudgeââ¬â¢s absurd dialogue about the ââ¬Å"somewhat isolated Muldoon Manor, which is surrounded by deadly swamps and fog. â⬠Thus Stoppard criticises S. S Van Dineââ¬â¢s code where ââ¬Å"the detective himselfâ⬠ââ¬Å"should never turn out to be the culprit,â⬠by forwarding the murderous role onto Puckeridge, whom the audience come to learn as Inspector Hound and Magnus also. This is depicted in the final scene through an exaggerated climax of a string of revelations. For eg. ââ¬Å"I am not the real Magnus Muldoon! It was a mere subterfuge. â⬠Stoppard effectively emphasises the melodramatic and absurd situation of the play, by demonstrating multiple pauses and an overuse of explanation points in union with stage directions. Through a variety of dramatic devices, the distinction between reality and allusion is dissolved, as Stoppard denounces the lack of innovation and irrelevancy of crime fiction conventions. Society is further challenged by Stoppard to query the relevancy of the nature of truth and justice within the traditional crime fiction genre. So must there always be a hero within the context of the text? The authorities within the play are not central figures, just like the police arenââ¬â¢t in Rear Window, as justice isnââ¬â¢t achieved. But whilst the police in Rear Window are idiotic, Inspector Hound doesnââ¬â¢t even convey detective traits. Alternatively, Inspector Hound is continuously ridiculed through stage directions. For eg. He is wearing ââ¬Å"inflatable swamp boots and carrying a foghorn,â⬠in his entrance. Therefore, The Real Inspector Hound has eloquently challenged the conventions of crime fiction, leading the play to become a significant crime fiction text as it crucially contributes to the revolution of crime over time. In summation, itââ¬â¢s without a doubt that Hitchcockââ¬â¢s Rear Window skilfully challenges the conventions of crime fiction in such a way that classifies the film as unlike your traditional crime film, as he endeavoured to reflect the cultural values of the post-war era. Moreover, Stoppard also extended upon genre parameters in The Real Inspector Hound by satirising the classic conventions of characters and plot from the Golden Age, whereby he duplicated postmodernist beliefs at a point where it was seen as time for change. Thus, both texts have grown to become seminal crime fiction texts, by cleverly reinventing already established crime conventions in numerous ways.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
T.S. Eliots use of Poetic techniques in The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufr
T.S Eliot, widely considered to be one of the fathers of modern poetry, has written many great poems. Among the most well known of these are ââ¬Å"The Waste Land, and ââ¬Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrockâ⬠, which share similar messages, but are also quite different. In both poems, Eliot uses various poetic techniques to convey themes of repression, alienation, and a general breakdown in western society. Some of the best techniques to examine are ones such as theme, structure, imagery and language, which all figure prominently in his poetry. These techniques in particular are used by Eliot to both enhance and support the purpose of his poems. The theme of Prufrock is the negative, individuality repressing effect that society has on its people. The Prufrock persona illustrates this, he is alienated by the inane social rituals that define his life, ââ¬Å"I have measured out my life with coffee spoonsâ⬠and make it insignificant and useless. The Waste Landââ¬â¢s theme is that the world, in particular western civilisation, is a culturally and spiritually barren place. Society is portrayed as a pile of ââ¬Å"â⬠¦stony rubbishâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ , the ruins of a once great city now reduced to rubble where nothing can grow. Lives mean nothing, but the poem also offers hope through a return to basic religious values, ending with the repeated chant of ââ¬Å"Shantih shantih shantihâ⬠, which means, ââ¬Å"the peace which passeth understandingâ⬠. The poems both portray the same basic idea, but they have two main differences. Firstly, there is the way in which the themes are expressed. In Prufrock , Eliot uses a pers ona as an example of the debilitating effect of living with so many expectations, rules, standards and meaningless rituals has on a the individual. In many ways, this is a very effe... .... Figuring very prominently is Dante, with the epigraph in Prufrock an exact quote from Inferno, and more subtle references found in The Waste Land that are very suggestive of a Dantean descent into hell. Dante, and to a lesser extent Joseph Conrad, from whom Eliot derives a certain amount of horror, which subtly complements his themes, have had a profound impact on Eliotââ¬â¢s writing. He chooses to quote or allude to parts of other works that complement his own. The techniques used by Eliot in creating both The Waste Land and Prufrock, are used in largely similar ways as far as furthering his purpose, yet differ slightly in style or small alterations when examined more closely. Some techniques, such as imagery, are more similar than others. Though he may use devices differently for each poem, it is only in such a way that makes them unique, and conveys his purpose.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Wells Fargo Analysis
MERCK & COMPANY INC.1. The marketing mix A. Product / Service Wells Fargo is an American bank that provides financial services to its customers throughout North America and Internationally. Our marketing mix starts with the description of the service mix of the firm Wells Fargo. This company gathers different ranges of services offered to the market place to meet the customersââ¬â¢ needs and expectations. Wells Fargo counts nine different kinds of bank services to compete in the financial industry.Ranges of services: Banking (Debit, credit card, Checking and saving account) * Brokerage (Facilitate the buying and selling of financial securities) * Insurance * Wealth management * Retirement services * Investments * Mortgages (4000 in 2009) * Consumer finance services (financial advice) * Well Fargoââ¬â¢s Financial Securities: Security business (merger advice, stock and bond underwriting, loan syndications, and fixed-income trading) B. Price We do not have any information about th e price of the services in the case study. C. Place Wells Fargo has a wide presence throughout the US territory.Headquartered in San Francisco, the company is decentralized to provide an optimization of the geographical coverage. Therefore, every local Wells Fargo store is like the headquarter for satisfying all their customers. The decentralization is an effective strategy when a company tries to have an effective wide presence on any market. This strategy has made the success of many of the Scandinavian organizations or institutions. Indeed, it allows any company, like Wells Fargo to get closer to its customers and be able to understand and meet better their needs and expectations.As we can see from the case, the company is doing well with its distribution and the customers service in general, it has even been rewarded Retail banker of the year according to US Banker. Consumers want and need a bank office near to the place where they live or where they work. The bank company must be strongly present in the quite big city and in the metropolitan area where the demand for the financial services is important. That is why Wells Fargo has developed a wide distribution, in the US domestic market, throughout more than 6,700 retail stores in 40 states in widely in North America.The acquisition of Wachovia is a part of a new distribution strategy to reach more consumers with an extended presence on the market. Now, Wells Fargo has branches almost all the states from the East to the West both in the North and the South. This acquisition has allowed Wells Fargo to extend its presence in the Eastern part of the US, which represents a huge part of the financial market. Indeed, Wachovia had a strong presence in the part of the US especially in Connecticut, Florida, Virginia, North and South Carolina. 6,700 Banking Stores: 3,296 US Wells Fargo Banking stores * 3,314 US Wachovia Banking stores * 90 Other financial branches Finally, in addition to the classical distribution channel, Wells Fargo use the electronic distribution with its online website where customers can be informed and have an access to some services like checking accounts, make wire transfer, plan a rendezvous with a financial adviserâ⬠¦ D. Positioning Without information about promotion, we chose to develop a part about positioning that is, in fact, a sub part of the promotion.In marketing, positioning is the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market. Positioning on the global market with a presence in Canada, in the Caribbean, Latin America and other countries, Wells Fargo is especially focused on the US national market. In 2008, after the acquisition Wachovia, a Wells Fargoââ¬â¢s press release said that the company was:â⬠the most Extensive Financial Services company, Coast-to-Coast in community bankingâ⬠. Wells Fargo is widely recognized in the financial industry.The company has built a very credible reputatio n with its promotional campaigns, its track records and the customer loyalty. The statistics based on the industry and government sources clearly show its size and brand image: * 41st revenue among all US companies ranked by Fortune * 17th most profitable company in the US * 33rd Largest employer in the US * 18th most respected company in the world as ranked by Barronââ¬â¢s * ââ¬Å"AAAâ⬠credit-rated by Moodyââ¬â¢s * The only standard & Poorââ¬â¢s AAA bank in the US * Among the top 50 companies as ranked by Diversity Retail Banker of the Year according to US Banker * Number-one commercial real estate lender * 18th among the worldââ¬â¢s most valuable brands according to the Financial Times Wells Fargo tries to communicate to its customers, how much they are important for the company, saying that they are the center of everything they do. The mission is now to improve the quality of the services. Indeed, the company is, according to the CEO, Mr. Kovacevich, enough de veloped and enough big. The services are now provided with an easy access for the consumers.Now the direction to take is the quality provided: ââ¬Å"We are a big company. We will continue to grow ââ¬â not to become bigger but as a result of getting betterâ⬠¦ Regardless of how big we are and how much territory we cover our team shares certain values that hold us together wherever we are and whatever we doâ⬠. Wells Fargo puts considerable emphasis on its culture in brand image toward the customers. It wants to be known as a financial partner, for outstanding services and sound financial advice, satisfying all of their financial needs and helping them to succeed financially.The company even considers its customers as friends. However, the company, does not only communicates to its customers but also with: * Its employees, telling them how much they are important for the company. Indeed, Wells Fargo wants to be known as a company that believes in its people as a competitiv e advantage over the competition, a great place to work, and as an employer of choice that really care about them * Its communities, promoting the economic advancement of each partners including those not yet able to be economically self-sufficient.Being seen as a community leader in economic development, in services that promotes economic self-sufficiency, education and social services is a necessity. * Its shareholders, insuring them that investing in Wells Fargo will be a great investment with financial results among the entire Fortune 500 and with the Moodyââ¬â¢s credit-rated of ââ¬Å"AAAâ⬠(the highest possible one) 2. Customerââ¬â¢s Analysis and Target Market The Wells Fargoââ¬â¢s target market gathers more than 25 million customers across the USA, and internationally.Demographically, the firm does not really have a specific target, and wants to provide financial services to all consumers who need either rich people or those who have financial difficulties. Geog raphically, the customers are divided up over 40 US states out of the 55. Mostly located in the metropolitan area, they are concentrated near the cost (both East and West). However, Wells Fargo, still provide its services in the less dense areas, where people need to have an access to a bank for community banking services.About buyer motivations and expectations, we noticed that customers are looking for efficient, reliable and adapted financial services and advice from the company. They expect good quality services and want from the bank the ability to meet their needs and expectations. Wherever they are, the consumers need to have an easy access to financial services in the bank office and in the Internet as well, where customers check their different bank accounts and transactions. Wells Fargo is specialized in different segments where it is one of the top companies, if it is not the top one.The most important segments are the homeowners, the small businesses, the agricultural bu sinesses, the debit card users and the prime home equity. In these segments, the company is performing very well, providing good quality services and good customer service which allow the company to constantly increase the customer loyalty, being able to keep its customers from the competitors. However, it does not mean that the others are abandoned. Wells Fargo really tries to emphasis that all customers are important, from the consumer banking over lending to the big institutional client. 3. SWOT MatrixThe SWOT Matrix is an important matching tool that us to develop four types of strategies for Wells Fargo: * The SO (Strengths-opportunities) strategies use a Wells Fargoââ¬â¢ internal strengths to take advantage of external opportunities. * The WO (Weaknesses-opportunities) strategies aim at improving internal weaknesses by taking advantages of external opportunities. * The ST (Strengths-threats) strategies use a Wells Fargoââ¬â¢s internal strengths to avoid or reduce the imp act of external threats. * The WT (Weaknesses-threats) strategies are defensive tactics directed at reducing internal weaknesses and avoiding external threatsStrengths 1. Brand Image and Culture and values (ethical behavior) 2. Credibility 3. Statistics based on the industry and the government sources show its size and strength 4. Acquisition of Wachovia: extension of the distribution channel and the number of customers 5. Decentralization strategy 6. Strong position in the markets involved in 7. Management: 8. Innovation leadership (Internet: E-commerce) 9. Market leadership in the West: the largest financial institution headquartered in the Western US that has a strong balance sheet and is able to steer through the pitfalls that plagued many of its competitors 10.The new products like the Wells Fargo Securities took from Wachovia securities business 11. Moodyââ¬â¢s credit rate ââ¬Å"Aaaâ⬠(the highest possible) Weaknesses 1. Decrease of the net income and ROA and ROE 2. L imited international presence 3. Bad reputation as a bank since the economic recession 4. Weakness asset quality among high real estate exposure 5. The Wachovia subprime mortgage problems 6. Overcommitted in credit default swaps 7. High amount of goodwill ($23 billion) Opportunities 1. Many banks are struggling like Citigroup with negative Operate margin (-57. 9%), Net income ($ -23. 9 Billion), and EPS (-3. 651) 2. Some Banks have recently failed and have been seized by Federal officials like Lehman Brothers Colonial Bank and Guaranty Financial group: Delinquency rates on their holdings has soared as high as 40% -> Decrease the competition 3. Grow internationally 4. Keep improving the internet uses 5. Develop new products for new businesses SO Strategies| WO Strategies| 1. Develop new internet applications and services for customers (S8, O4) 2. Increase promotions to attract more customers (S1, S2, O1, O2) 3. Open branches in foreign markets (S1, S3, O3) 4.Get closer to the custome rs needs and develop loyalty programs (S2, S5, O6)| 1. Advertising campaign to reassure the consumers (W3, O1, O6) 2. Open branches in foreign markets (W2, O3) 3. Develop alternative services to diversify the ranges and not focus and mortgages (W4, O5)| ST Strategies| WT Strategies| 1. Develop completive services and use competitive advantages to gain market share (S3, S5, T7) 2. Take advantage of the lack of regulation 3. Develop a strong customer loyalty database (S4, S5, S6, O7, O8)| 1. Develop alternative services to diversify the ranges and not focus and mortgages (W4, W1, T4) 2.Charging lower interest rates to the customers (W1, T1)| Threats 1. Continued deterioration in the housing and credit market 2. High unemployment rate 3. Tight credit 4. Many homeowners cannot make mortgage payments 5. The value of houses has dropped the amount borrowed -> great problem for owners and banks 6. The lack of regulation today has blurred the product and services bank offers 7. Competition w ith Bank of America and Citigroup 8. Superregional and International Banks are growing, they all tend to expand globally 9. Assurance rates increase 4. Industry and Competition analysisThe financial industry counted nine main players before the economic crisis in 2008, which meant height potential competitors for Wells Fargo including Bank of America, Citigroup, US Bancorp, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanly, Lehman Brothers, Colonial National and Guaranty Financial Group. The economic recession has eliminated the weak banks that were not doing well enough to overcome the outcomes of the economic crisis, like Lehman Brothers, Colonial Bank and Guaranty Financial Group. Furthermore, an economical selection has been made and only the best banks are still competing on this industry.The industry is currently suffering from the economic recession and all of its outcomes including the deterioration of the housing and credit market, high unemployment rate, and tight credit. That is why many bank s, especially the community banks, are struggling and some even have failed, including Colonial National, and Guaranty Financial Group. Moreover some Banks like Citigroup are not performing well by loosing money and market share. Guaranty had more than $3 billion of securities baked by adjustable-rate mortgages.The bank has seen the delinquency rates on holdings soared by 40% before the federal officials seized the bank in August 2009. As we can see from the chart, in term of revenue Wells Fargo is not the best financial service company. Until 2007; Citigroup was the leader in sales but the economic crisis and the recession that have followed this crisis has led to a sharp decrease of its sales. Since 2008, Bank of America is the leader in sales and the stronger competitor for Wells Fargo. However, its sales are fluctuating whereas the Wells Fargoââ¬â¢s sales show a slow but steady rise.This chart displays the evolution of the net income of the three main companies including Well s Fargo, Citigroup, and Bank of America. Wells Fargo was the last company in 2007 before the economic crisis in term of net income. However, we can see that the two competitors are not doing well enough to keep being competitive, especially Citigroup, which had a decrease of 210. 7%. All of the companies have seen its net income decreased but Wells Fargo has the slightest decrease which allow it the to have the highest net income in 2009 and shows by the way its capacity to overcome though situations. 5.Type of strategies Wells Fargo shows the desire to take part in the top financial companies in the domestic market. This is one element from their long-term strategies. This desire to compete with the market leaders such as Bank of America represent the results expected from pursuing certain strategies. According to this case, we can say that Wells Fargo is pursuing a market development and market penetration strategy, introducing present services into new geographic areas. This stra tegy, has particularly led to the acquisition of Wachovia and the extension of the Wells Fargoââ¬â¢s presence to the Eastern US.This market development strategy has required intensive effort for Wells Fargo in terms of investment and management. This strategy basically involves introducing present products or services into new geographical areas. Here by acquiring Wachovia, Wells Fargo can use a strong presence through the Wachoviaââ¬â¢s distribution. The firmââ¬â¢s competitive position was clearly to improve compared to the market leaders. However, the company was rather successful at what it does before the acquisition, which was a primordial condition prior to such acquisition.Then but not least, it already had the needed capital and management quality to manage the expended operations. With this acquisition, the firm has a huge distribution capacity throughout all of the Wachoviaââ¬â¢s bank offices and retail stores. Combined with the strategy of decentralization, th is will allow them to reach more consumers and increase the productivity. The year 2009 shows a quick preview about what the firm can achieve in the next years. The acquisitions or mergers are two commonly used ways to pursue strategies like market development or more generally intensive strategies including, market penetration and product development.The market penetration consists in increasing market share for present products or services in present markets through greater marketing efforts (increase number of salespersons, advertising expenditures, promotion, and publicity efforts). Then, the product development strategy seeks increase sales by improving or modifying existent products or services (it entails large research and development expenditures). A merger occurs when two organizations of about equal size unite to form one enterprise. That is what often happened in the Wells Fargoââ¬â¢s history and what helped the firm to grow faster and reach the size the firm had in 2 008.On the other hand, an acquisition occurs when a large organization like Wells Fargo purchases a smaller firm or a firm not doing well, like Wachovia. By acquiring Wachovia, Wells Fargo has realized some major benefits: * Provide improved capacity utilization * To gain access to new customers and products 6. SPACE Matrix The Strategic Position and Action Evaluation (SPACE) Matrix, is a marketing tool used to help the company to define the best strategy to develop according to its internal strategic position (Financial Position and Competitive Position) and the external strategic position (Stability Position and Industry Position).The four quadrants of the Matrix indicate whether aggressive, conservative, defensive, or competitive strategies are most appropriate according the characteristics of the company and its industry. Financial Position * The bankââ¬â¢s return on asset is 0. 44 (decrease of 72%) but superior of all competitors * The Bankââ¬â¢s Net income was 3. 58 Bill ion (increase of 28%) and superior of all competitors * The Bankââ¬â¢s revenue was 42. 84 Billion (increase of 1. 51%) compared to the industry average of 7. 98 Billion * The Bankââ¬â¢s earning per share 0. 912, over the main competitors and over the average industry (0. 91)Total| Rating465520|Industry Position * Deregulation provides geographic and service freedom * Deregulation increases competition in the banking industry * Economic recession * Growth potential * Financial Stability Total| 4213410| Stability Position * Banking deregulation has created instability throughout the industry * Less-developed countries are experiencing high inflation and political instability * The barriers to entry into the market is high * The competitive pressure is highTotal| -4-4-2-4-14| Competitive Position * The bank provides financial services through 6700 offices and retails stores in 40 states * Superregional banks, international banks are becoming increasingly competitive * The bank ha s a large customer base * Customer loyalty Total| -1-5-2-2-10|According to the SPACE Matrix, Wells Fargo presents an aggressive profile. The company is financially pretty strong, has some competitive advantages in a rather stable industry. The Wachovia acquisition is a great operation following the product development or market penetration strategy. 7. External Factor Evaluation Matrix (EFE) Regardless of the number of key opportunities and threats included in EFE Matrix, the highest possible total weighted score for an organization is 4. 0 and the lowest is 1. 0, and the average total weighted score is 2. 5. An organization with 4. 0 total weighted score is responding in an outstanding way to existing opportunities and threats in its industry.It means, the firmââ¬â¢s strategies effectively take advantage of existing opportunities and minimize the potential adverse effects of external threats. Key External Factors| Weight| Rating| Weighted Score| Opportunities: * Many banks are s truggling like Citigroup with negative Operate margin (-57. 9%), Net income ($ -23. 79 Billion), and EPS (-3. 651) * Some Banks have recently failed and have been seized by Federal officials like Lehman Brothers Colonial Bank and Guaranty Financial group: Delinquency rates on their holdings has soared as high as 40% * Grow internationallyKeep improving the internet uses * Develop new products for new businesses * New customers in the Eastern US financial market| 0. 090. 120. 050. 040. 070. 11| 342423| 0. 270. 480. 100. 160. 140. 3| Threats: * Continued deterioration in credit market * High unemployment rate * Tight credit * Many homeowners cannot make mortgage payments * The value of houses has dropped the amount borrowed * The lack of regulation today has blurred the product and services bank offers * Competition with Bank of America and Citigroup * Superregional and International Banks are growing, they all tend to expand globallyIncrease in insurance rates | 0. 100. 030. 070. 050 . 110. 060. 050. 030. 02| 222323423| 0. 200. 060. 140. 150. 220. 180. 200. 060. 06| Total | 1. 00| | 2. 80| Here we can note that the total weighted score is of 2. 80 is above the average of 2. 5, which means Wells Fargo is doing pretty well in the Financial industry, taking advantage of the external opportunities like the bad shape of the competitors and also containing the threats facing the firm like the competition with Bank of America. Of course, the firm could do better, improving its strategies to respond in better way to the threats and get a higher total weighted score close to 4. 0.According to the case, Wells Fargo should expand more its activities on the international market, and develop new financial products and services to be more attractive and competitive. Moreover, the firm must find solutions to overcome the bad state of the economy and its outcomes. 8. C. Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix This strategy-formulation tool summarizes and evaluates the major strengths and weaknesses in the functional areas of business. Like in the EFE Matrix, the total weighted score can range from a low of 1. 0 to a high of 4. 0 with an average score being 2. 5. Total weighted scores well below 2. 5 characterize organizations that are weak internationally whereas scores significantly above 2. 5 indicate a strong internal position. Key External Factors| Weight| Rating| Weighted Score|Strengths: * Brand Image and Culture and values (ethical behavior) * Credibility: Statistics based on the industry and the government sources show its size and strength * Acquisition of Wachovia: extend the distribution channel and the number of customers * Decentralization strategy * Management * Innovation leadership (Internet: E-commerce) * Market leadership in the West: the largest financial institution headquartered in the Western US that has a strong balance sheet and is able to steer through the pitfalls that plagued many of its competitors * Moodyââ¬â¢s credit rate ââ¬Å "Aaaâ⬠(the highest possible)| 0. 070. 090. 110. 100. 060. 040. 090. 04| 44443343| 0. 280. 360. 440. 360. 180. 120. 360. 2|Weaknesses: * Decrease of the net income and ROA and ROE * Limited international presence * Bad reputation as a bank since the economic recession * Weakness asset quality among high real estate exposure * The Wachovia subprime mortgage problems * Wachovia is overcommitted in credit default swaps| 0. 080. 060. 080. 060. 070. 05| 212212| 0. 160. 060. 160. 120. 070. 10| Total | 1. 00| | 2. 89| The IFE Matrix provides important for strategy formulation. With a total weighted score of 2. 89, we can say Wells Fargo has a pretty strong position in the financial industry and can expect to become stronger and stronger because the firm knows how to create competitive advantages and how to use its strengths. 9.IE Matrix The IE Matrix is based on two key dimensions: the IFE total weighted scores on x-axis and the EFE weighted scores on the y-axis. The Internal External Matrix inputs are the EFE and IFE total weighted scores. As the EFE Matrix and the IFE Matrix have shown, Wells Fargo had 2. 89 for EFE and 2. 80 for IFE. In the IE Matrix, we can see the red dot represents Wells Fargoââ¬â¢s position on the Matrix. It is in the V cell, which suggests that Wells Fargo should use a hold and maintain strategy consisting of the Market Penetration and Product Development strategies; it should the most efficient strategy for the firm after the stage of the acquisition.However, the firm is very close to the cell I, II, and IV, which means the companyââ¬â¢s situation can be descried as slow growth and build and where intensive strategies would be the most adaptable like market penetration and market development. 10. Grand strategy Mix The Grand strategy matrix is based on two evaluative dimensions: competition position and market growth. Wells Fargo is located in the Quadrant I of this Matrix, which means that it is in a rather excellent strategic po sition. Therefore, continued concentration on current markets (market penetration and market development) and products (product development) is an appropriate strategy. We can notice that a notable shift from its established competitive advantages would be unwise. Rapid Market Growth Quadrant I Quadrant II Strong Competitive Position Weak Competition Position Slow Market Growth Quadrant IV Quadrant III
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Sexism and Film Anaylisis/G.I.Jane
The movie G. I. Jane was written by Daniel Alexander. The film was directed by Ridley Scott and was released in 1997. The film is about a female senator that succeeds in getting a woman, Jordan Oââ¬â¢Neil (Demi Moore), into the Navy SEALS training. If women compare favorably with men in a series of test cases, the military will integrate women fully into all branches of the Navy. The female character goes through rigorous training right alongside the men. Everyone expects the woman to fail during the intensive training that a SEAL must complete. O'Neil faces sexism and physical challenges as she struggles to complete the training at the same quality or better than her male counterparts. The filmââ¬â¢s title is interesting because it immediately draws attention to the difference between the commonly, known cliche of G. I. Joe to G. I. Jane. The title stands for a woman in the military which is not the norm. The film opening shows the unrest on the subject of fairness to women in the military. Throughout the film, there are scenes discussing the inequality in the military for women. The scene where the senators are discussing selecting a woman and then the scene when Oââ¬â¢Neil is selected set a tone for the film showing the unfair manner in which women are treated in the military. Continuing the unfair treatment, the scenes during the basic training and the scene showing how the officers abuse Oââ¬â¢Neil reinforce the problems faced by a female in the military. Sexism is a hurdle that any woman in the military must confront. In the film, darkness and dimmed lighting sets a mood where there is some mystery or some violence involved. The director uses one scene that is seen through the eyes of G. I. Jane to give the viewers a real feel for how G. I. Jane sees the world. The scene is where Oââ¬â¢Neil fights her Master Chief and features a wide variety of camera angles while focusing in on Oââ¬â¢Neil fighting to free her teammates. A climaxing scene in the film is when Oââ¬â¢Neil is given the poem ââ¬Å"Self Pityâ⬠and is then congratulated by her Master Chief. O'Neil fights back and wins his respect and that of the other trainees. This scene sums up all of the good work and success achieved by Oââ¬â¢Neil in the Navy SEALS. In this case, Oââ¬â¢Neil has conquered and won the battle of sexism facing women in the military. Oââ¬â¢Neil has proven she has the physical strength to compete with the men. The film shows that sexism is unnecessary, but unfortunately will probably exist forever. In this movie, sexism is thrown out the door as Demi Mooreââ¬â¢s role in the movie proves sexism is outdated. The film shows that adversity can be overcome. Another piece of literature that has a similar theme is A Jury of Her Peers that deals with women being under appreciated. In the short story, a country attorney speaks with sarcasm to women and pokes fun at the women for occupying themselves with little things while the men were investigating a murder. All the while, the men were missing the details and clues that would help explain what happened during the murder. In this story and in the movie G. I. Jane, men underestimate what women are capable of accomplishing.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Drug Screening Essay Example
Drug Screening Essay Example Drug Screening Paper Drug Screening Paper Among employers, there is growing awareness of yet another factor with regard their employees health that they have to take into account. The apparent prevalence of illegal drug use at work has, in the United States, led private companies to ask workers to submit to drug tests either as a requirement for getting the job, or on a random basis. There are two main sides to this issue that will be explored. First, the companyââ¬â¢s responsibility for employee and workplace safety (with regard to employee drug use). Second, is the employeeââ¬â¢s right to privacy. Some would argue that indiscriminate testing of employees for drug use is an intrusive and degrading process that undermines fairness and privacy in the workplace. Is drug testing a growth industry? Do the employeeââ¬â¢s fourth amendment rights exceed the companyââ¬â¢s responsibility to provide a safe environment? In addition, we will investigate the effectiveness of random drug testing, as well as, the possible drawbacks. We as business managers and leaders must discover the truth of issues, such as this, in order to make informed and appropriate decisions. These choices will affect employees, families, customers and society in many ways. Thus, we cannot afford to ignore the questionâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"Should employers be allowed to screen employees for drugs randomlyâ⬠? Introduction In the United States today, as well as in many other countries around the world, drug use and abuse has become a serious problem. Government and private employers want work places to remain free of all drugs. These measures have included the use of mandatory drug testing and counseling for those found to be using drugs. Statistics indicate that about 70% of illegal drug users are employed. These same individuals are at risk for on-the-job accidents, increased absenteeism, high usage of medical care and emergency room services, as well as being more likely to negatively affect productivity, morale, and the companys bottom line. More and more employers are turning to drug testing as a means of creating a safer workplace. Employees Possible drawbacks of random drug screening are varied and the damage to an employee with a positive result from a mandatory drug test can cause life long damage. Though it may be a greater problem for the employer, if more accurate tests would prevent a false positive result, then they should bare the cost of that test. Before results are made known, an employee should have the right to discuss drug use with his personal physician and with his employer so that no injustice is done. Right to Privacy The most important issue comes to happen when mandatory drug tests are imposed. Are the rights of the individual removed by the need for a drug-free workplace? Other considerations involve the infringement on individuals rights to privacy. There is no mention in the Bill of Rights to the right of privacy but it is implied by the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States. But the issue no longer appears to be whether it is reasonable and appropriate for employers to implement such programs. Rather, the question is how these programs can be conducted fairly and effectively (Walsh, 1991, p. 168). The courts have decided that the greater need for safety in certain industries and in certain positions alone led to a diminished expectation of privacy (Ibid.). Responsibility of Employers There is no doubt that drug testing is a necessary requirement to make sure that employees in sensitive and public positions are free fromà drugs, but to also insure the safety of the general public when coming in contact with these individuals. The balance necessary to insure that individual rights are not violated, creates a responsibility on employers and laboratories to insure that the testing procedures are accurate and un-contaminated. Employers have the responsibility to be sure that theirà testing procedures are the most accurate available. Employers also need to bear in mind that the smoking of a single marijuana cigarette at a New Years Eve party should not cause an employee to lose his job and his reputation three months later in March. They also need to know that watching an employees performance on the job could show that he has a problem with alcohol, cocaine or hallucinagenics that might not show up on a test. Effectiveness The use of a second, confirmatory screening of positive drug tests is a procedure widely agreed upon as essential for reliable test results. However, Cropanzano and Konovosky (1993) cite a survey finding that of 177 organizations that do drug screening, 32% relied only on the initial screening without a second confirmatory test. Another issue has to do with the relationship between the time at which the company becomes aware of use through a positive, drug-test result and when the actual usage took place. Drugs vary in their period of detect ability through urine or other forms of drug testing. Different types of drug use are detectable for different periods of time after use depending on the type ofà drug test (I.e., urine, blood, hair analysis), and the reliability of each type of test is variable for each drug that is tested. Despite the problems with inaccurate drug test results, the practice appears to be here to stay. However, employees who are testedà positive for drug use do have an alternative.à Many companies use a urinalysis-screening test that has an error rate of about five percent; employees probably have the right to a second, more accurate test. The most common tests used are called the enzyme multiplied immunoassay (EMIT) and radio immunoassay (RIA) tests. A much more sensitive and accurate test is the gas chromatography mass spectrometer test (GCMS). However, the second test is very expensive and the employer may not be responsible or willing to pay the cost. If the employee decides to challenge his positive result, he may have to bare the cost of the second test. An important consideration regarding marijuana is the fact that the active ingredient has metabolites that can be detected up to three months after use. These are fat-soluble therefore a heavy person will remain positive to testing much longer than a thin one. The tests currently used show use, but not impairment. On the other hand, drugs such as cocaine are water-soluble and leave the system within hours. LSD and other hallucinagenics are undetectable by urinalysis, even if theà user is currently high. For this reason, drug testing is likely to detect marijuana users only, frequently long after smoking (Verespej, 1990, pp. 47 48). Rehabilitation vs. Dismissal If an employee tests positive for drug use, what should the next course of action be? Is this defined in policy? If your policy states that immediate termination is a must then nothing more is to be said. But is this fair? Should an employer give the employee the opportunity for rehabilitation? Rehabilitation has a high success rate when tied to job retention because the job is often the only stability the drug abuser has. (Blum, 1989) Relationships with family or spouse may have already disintegrated, but the threat of losing a job usually cuts through any form of denial the individual may have regarding his or her drug usage. This creates a lot of leverage, and ultimately the employee will need to make a decision between the job and the drug. The choice becomes concrete when, as part of the return-to-work agreement, he or she agrees to submit to random testing at the employers discretion. Theà successfully rehabilitated employee is generally a very loyal employee. The commitment the employer has demonstrated is a lifeline tying the employee to a sense of purpose and stability, as well as to an income.(Blum, 1989) Applicable Laws Drug abuse in the workplace has become a common and widespread problem. To help win the war against drugs . . . drug tests have been instituted in many areas of the public and private sector (Bradley, 1989 p. 175). The modern war against drugs is not a new thing. As early as 1972, President Richard M. Nixon said he would begin a total war against dangerous drugs. (Cate, 1991, p. 3). Former President Ronald Reagan did the same in 1986 with Executive Order 12564, establishing the Drug-Free Federal Workplace (Executive Order No. 12564, Vol 51. No. 180, September 17, 1986). In 1988, Congress followed President Reagans lead by enacting Public Law 100-690 on November 18, 1988 entitled, the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. This new law established guidelines for both federal agencies and any private contractor doing business with the federal government. The Actà required these employers to establish programs to get rid of drugs in the workplace. It further required employers to establish: a drug-free awareness program to inform employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace; the . . . policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace; any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs; and the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations (Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988.) One of the ways in which the drug-free workplace was to come about was through mandatory drug testing of employees. Most of the drug tests are accomplished through urinalysis, a practice that has problems because of inaccuracy. As authorized by Executive Order 12564 and PL 100-71, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs. These mandatory guidelines established federal standards for conducting urine drug testing on Federal employees, and certification standards for laboratories which would test these specimens (Finkle, Blanke and Walsh, 1990, p. 3.) Company Policies There are many ways an employer can take responsibility for providing a safe work environment. First, they must decide on a policy. Employers can choose the circumstances under which they would want to do drug testing. Pre-employment, random, post-accident and/or reasonable suspicion drug testing is available. Programs can be tailored to employers needs. Next, you must write the policy. Decide on a company message and the outcomes if someone were to test positive for substance abuse. Ask yourself, what would you do if an employee tested positive for drugs? Do you want zero tolerance or an option to offer a second chance and counseling? A very important factor is to see an attorney to discover legal issues regarding policies you want to create. Work with labor unions if necessary and inform employees. Above all be consistent. All employees need to be treated equally when implementing a policy. Show your employees that you are aware and watch for symptoms of drug or alcohol abuse. Red eyes, slow or slurred speech, the smell of alcohol or a decrease in productivity are signals. Theft in the workplace may be another indicator that you have an employee with a drug problem. The Drug Screen Industry Is drug screening an industry? Marianne Costantinou of the San Francisco Chronicle asserts that ââ¬Å"All told, 67 percent of the nations largest companies test their employees or applicants for drugs, according to a 2001 survey by the American Management Association, a New York consulting firm that claims to have 7,000 corporate clients representing one-fourth of the U.S. workforce. And though the percentage of companies who test is down from its peak 81 percent in 1996 it still means that each year, millions of workers are giving more than just their best effort to the job.â⬠(2001) Costantinou goes on to say ââ¬Å"The result is that drug testing is big business. Just one drug- testing company, SmithKline Beecham, now called GlaxoSmithKline, did 24 million drug tests in a decade, from 1988 to 1998, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Though one of the nations largest labs, theyre hardly alone in what Standard Poors values as a $5.9 billion industry. The Drug Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA), based in Washington D.C., has 1,100 members, including drug labs, collection facilities and equipment makers. And its membership roster, says its executive director, Laura Norfolk, is just the tip of the iceberg. (2001) These kinds of facts indicate that drug screening is quite likely a huge industry. On the other hand, what price do we place on workplace safety? Results and Conclusions In a survey conducted at the University of Phoenix Online, graduate and undergraduate students were asked the following questions in order to further explore the main issues with regard to random drug screens. 1. Do you feel that an employer should randomly drug screen employees in order to ensure safety in the workplace? 2. Would you feel safer knowing that policies are in place, with regard to random drug screening, to insure safety in the workplace? 3. Do you feel that a positive drug screen test should result in a second screen to verify results? 4. Do you feel that drug screens are accurate? 5. Do you consider drug screening an industry? 6. Should positive random drug screen results be cause for termination? 7. Should a positive random drug test result in company-sponsored rehabilitation? 8. Do random drug screens violate fourth amendment rights? 9. Are there negative effects, on employees, due to the random drug screen process? The studentââ¬â¢s responses indicate a strong desire to have safety in the workplace through random drug screens. 90% said that employers should perform random drug screens and over 70% said that they would feel safer with these policies in place. Also, over 70% of students surveyed produced a major indication that drug screening does not violate the employees right to privacy. There are clearly many pros and cons to this highly controversial issue. But there seems to be a predominant intolerance for drug use in the workplace. Company responsibility to adhere to applicable laws, as well as, provide a safe work environment (for all) seems to take precedence over the employees right to privacy if policies are implemented in the interest of fairness. In this way, the employees right to privacy is not allowed to encroach upon the rights of others to pursue their work and daily life in relative safety. References Blum, T.C. 1989 The presence and integration of drug abuse intervention in human resources management. In Drugs in the workplace: Research and evaluation data, eds. S. Gust and J.M. Walsh. NIDA Research Monograph 91 Bradley, Gregory. Drug Testing in the Workplace: A Public Sector Concern. Howard Law Journal 32:1 (1989): 175. Cate, Fred H. The Tenth Strategy: Communications and the Fight for a Drug-Free America. The Annenberg Washington Program in Communications Policy Studies of Northwestern University 1991:3. Costantinou, Marianne. The American Way. San Francisco Chronicle August 2001 Cropanzano, R. and Konovsky, M. Drug use and its implications forà employee drug testing. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management 1993 Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988. Public Law 100-690 18 Nov. 1988. Drug Testing is Here To Stay. USA Today Special Newsletter Edition Dec 1989: 8. Executive Order No. 12564, vol 51. No. 180, 1986. References Finkle, Brian S., Robert V. Blanke, Michael Walsh. Technical, Scientific and Procedural Issues of Employee Drug Testing: Consensus Report. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1990: 3. Verespej, Michael A. Death Blow for Random Testing. Industry Week, July 2, 1990, pp. 47 48. Walsh, J. Michael. Drug Testing in the Private and Public Sectors. Reprinted from Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine.
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