Dance and Movement Teaspoon of Light Project

â€Å"Keep your eye on the arrow not on the target† (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011b) Dance is expressive movement with intent, purpose, and form. It exists in many forms and styles and is practised in all cultures, taking place in a range of contexts for various purposes. Drama is the expression of ideas, feelings and human experience through movement, sound, visual image and the realisation of role. Both Drama and Dance is essential in children’s education and has many benefits however also portrays challenges for teachers.In this essay I have explored three learning out comes linked to Drama and Dance that were evident in the ‘Teaspoon of Light’ project coordinated by Dr Peter O’Conner in Christchurch, New Zealand which was aimed to use drama and dance education to support children and teachers during the aftermath of the 2011 major earthquake. I have discussed benefits and challenges that may occur by incorporating the followi ng learning outcomes into the primary school curriculum; Imagining and Creating New Works, Using Skills, Techniques and Processes and Making Aesthetic Choices.The first learning outcome is Imagining and Creative New Works. It is a dimension of drama and dance that focuses on exploring and experimenting with movement to express ideas and feelings (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007). It includes discovering and creating movement solutions that emerge from a range of starting points and stimuli. There are benefits and challenges the occur from Imagining and Creating New Works. A benefit to this learning outcome is that through stimuli for guidance, students can interpret their own ideas and this work encourages social sensitivity and group cooperation during collaborative work.The Tasmanian Curriculum (2007), states that the ultimate expression of movement is recognised in performance. During ‘A Teaspoon of Light’, O’Connor told the students of a stimulus; the first line o f a story: â€Å"There was a girl who, when she got out of bed, tripped, and tore her cloth of dreams. † (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). A discussion then emerged about the story. The seven- and eight- year-olds told O’Conner that if you tear a dream cloth, your dreams disappear.The students then solemnly said that it is the saddest thing that can happen to anyone. O’Conner asks the students to show him what the girl from the story might look like when she tore her cloth of dreams. Cornett (2011) states the dance is beneficial to the primary school curriculum as it develops creative problem solving. It is stated that power is put to use to solve problems in every subject matter, including the subject of life (Parrish, 2007 cited in Cornett, 2011).Through the learning outcome of Imagining and Creative New Works the student’s demonstrated key components such as representing ideas and making choices, reinforcing the benefit-stimulus en courages students to explore and experiment with movement to express their personal ideas and feelings. A challenge that Imagining and Creative New Works portrays is the planning component from Drama. This component suggests that the creators of a lesson need to be very immediate- working in the here and now (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007). The challenge is for teachers to be flexible in their sessions.Teachers need to know how and when to change direction in a lesson when a new lead appears that is worth proceeding. During ‘A Teaspoon of Light’ the students involved were continuously participating in whole class imaginary worlds, i. e. dream makers, re-creating Sarah’s cloth of dreams, using magic rubbers and shaking the dreams with magic spells (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). O’Conner (2011) believes that the imaginary world that was created during the sessions was â€Å"the joy of the work† (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, b).He states that as teachers, the session ended up in different ‘places’ because they were prepared to let it. O’Conner mentions a quote from Dorothy Heathcote related to working on classrooms â€Å"keep your eye on the arrow not the target† (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011b). Wright (2003) describes this challenge in that teachers must be able to communicate expectations, needs and difficulties in a direct and sensitive manner and be able to accept the same level of directness from the children. The teacher needs to watch, listen and fell what the children need and want to express (Wright, 2003).O’Conner (2011) reflects on his session in ‘A Teaspoon of Light’ as constantly changing. He believed that deciding in the moment was an important challenge for the teachers and directors. The second learning outcome is Using Skills, Techniques and Processes in drama and dance. It is movement based as students mani pulate a medium by reorganising, reinterpreting and assimilating movement and design element in new contexts or for a new purpose. The process involves working collaboratively to experiment with dramatic techniques in constructing, rehearsing and refining the performance (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007).There are benefits and challenges for the teachers and students when exploring this outcome. The Tasmanian Curriculum (2007) states that a benefit for Using Skills, Techniques and Processes is the developing of awareness, relationships and appropriate behaviours in dance and drama, leads to an increase in self-esteem and confidence. During ‘A Teaspoon of Light’ it was shown that the students gained confidence throughout the sessions. Ginny Thorner, a Christchurch artist showed the students a role-play, demonstrating practical dance skills and drama elements.The students observed Thorner’s demonstration first before shortly having the opportunity to create their own re sponse to create a whole class experience of ‘moving dreams’ (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011b). O’Conner stated that very few of the students had danced before, but through the use of teacher modelling it enabled them to develop their own short dance phrases, and therefore gaining huge amounts of confidence enhancing their opportunity to learn key concepts such as kinaesthetic awareness, performance skills, interaction and planning.It was evident in the clip that as the development of these skills increased, the students’ self-esteem and confidence increased also, hence being a benefit in the primary school curriculum A challenge that Using Skills, Techniques and Processes may reveal is the call for teacher’s awareness of and sensitivity to other people’s ideas, physical boundaries, background and experience. The Tasmanian Curriculum (2007), states in order to manipulate the medium successfully in the classroom context, th ere are a set of behaviours that should be expected and encouraged during the session, such as respect and empathy.In addition, Cornett (2011) writes that students value the surprising ways peers express ideas through movement; no one body shape or locomotor movement is right or wrong. In ‘A Teaspoon of Light’ activities were used where students created their own dance sequence based on what they felt were expressive movements. The students were also given the task to mirror a partners movement (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). There is evidence of the students working in their personal space, and developing awareness of what their body can do.The clip shows students dancing uniquely to how they felt dreams may be brought to life. Students come to delight in the artistry of fellow classmates as they witness the inventiveness of peers (Cornett, 2011). This is a time where teachers and students must be sensitive to other people’s designs. Oâ₠¬â„¢Conner believed this was a time during the sessions that delivered â€Å"rich, good theatre† (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011b). While exploring this learning outcome, teacher’s awareness of and sensitivity to other student’s perceptions is critical.The third learning outcome is Making Aesthetic Choices. A sense of aesthetics is deeply personal and students use their knowledge of aesthetic choice to make meaning and to critically appraise the works of others. In drama and dance, aesthetic choices are used to bring out the intention of the performance (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007). There are both benefits and challenges that array from this learning outcome. A benefit to Making Aesthetic Choices in drama and dance is to deepen sensory awareness and learn to express themselves through the artistic use of pantomime, dialogue and improvisation (Cornett, 2011).Maslow places aesthetic understandings at the top of his motivation pyramid (Cited in Cornett, 2011). Aesthetic Choices are demonstrated in ‘A Tea Spoon of Light’ when the students wrote a recipe of the things they would use in order to repair the torn cloth of dreams (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). Initially the list consisted of their own wants, needs and likes; bed, to be asleep, pyjamas and lights off. The second list mentioned after some Aesthetic Choices were made, demonstrated a deeper understanding of the purpose.The second list consisted of 1 tsp of light in the darkest tunnel, 10 cups of love, 2 tsp of belief, 1/2 cup of adventure, 3/4 cup of hope. The list created by the students produced the rich Stendhal effect, the â€Å"ah† experience of being touched or moved (Lushington 2003, cited in Cornett, 2011). A challenge for successfully in cooperating Making Aesthetic Choices into the primary school curriculum is to be conscientious planning teachers who are knowledgeable about drama strategies and willing to adapt them for specific student needs (Cornett, 2011).In ‘The Teaspoon of Light’ one occasion demonstrating Aesthetic Choices was the ‘cloud bowl’ activity. The students decided that they needed an imaginary ‘cloud bowl’ to mix all the ingredients together to create the new ‘cloth of dreams’. The students were able to explore and experiment with different types of movement spontaneously and in response to O’Conner’s requests (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). The students chose what, how, who, when and even what colour when they were putting their ingredients into the cloud bowl. O’Conner asked questions to deepen their aesthetic understanding. Is 2 tsp. of belief light or heavy? What colour might it be? † And with each description, the element went into the bowl (Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, 2011a). The lesson was successful, but due to the fact that O’Conner was kno wledgeable enough to create a safety net while guiding the students through the activity. He used strategies that enhance students’ ability to look, discuss, view, review, select, reflect and refine (Tasmanian Curriculum, 2007). Cornett (2011), states that the dance literacy level needed by teachers is contingent upon what their students are expected to know and do.Reason can answer questions but imagination has to ask them (Albert Einstein, cited in Cornett, 2011). Learning through drama and dance develops the ability to appreciate and value on dramatic works. Drama develops the courage and persistence to ‘have a go’. The ‘Teaspoon of Light’ project coordinated by Dr Peter O’Conner in Christchurch demonstrates the learning outcomes of Imagining and Creating New Works, Using Skills, Techniques and Processes and Making Aesthetic Choices which in turn, have both benefits and challenges whilst being in cooperated into the primary school curriculu m.References Cornett, C. (2011). Integrating dance and creative movement. In Creating Meaning Through Literature and the Arts (4th ed. ), pp. 255-281. Allyn & Bacon, Boston, USA Faculty of Education, University of Auckland [foedauck]. (2011a, April 14). Earthquake: a teaspoon of light. . Retrieved from http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=jznOhFrSvJY Faculty of Education, University of Auckland [foedauck]. (2011b, September 4). Earthquake: a teaspoon of light (2). .Retrieved from http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ZoMpzIzJrFM The Tasmanian Curriculum. (2007). Dance. Retrieved from https://www. education. tas. gov. au/documentcentre/Documents/Tas-Curriculum-K-10-Arts-Syllabus-and-Support. pdf Wright, S. (2003). Dance. In The Arts, Young Children and Learning. (1st ed. ) pp. -230-255. Boston, USA: Allyn & Bacon. Wright, S. (2012). Dance-moving beyond steps to ideas. In Children meaning-Making in the Arts (2nd ed. ), pp. 85-114. Sydney Australia, Peason Education Australia.

How Do the Sacred Texts and Beliefs of Islam or Christianity Essay

How do the Sacred Texts and beliefs of Islam OR Christianity, inform a Religion that is relevant to contemporary adherents? In todays society, unlike many years ago religion is not seen as an important part of peoples lives. People are way to busy or so they think to be ‘wasting their time’ with religion, and church. But for those who do believe in a religion, especially those from the Islamic religion, they take part in a religion that was formed hundreds of years ago, still using and believing in the same scared texts and beliefs. Islamic environmental ethics are drawn from the 3 underpinning principle beliefs, that are the 3 central concepts of Islam and the pillars of Islamic environmental ethics. Tawhid a belief brought upon many many years ago, is the belief of Unity. It believes in the Unity and oneness of all created by Allah and that unity is reflected in the created world, thus the Tawhid demands that the integrity of the created world be maintained by balance and harmony. â€Å"The whole earth has been created a place of worship, pure and clean.– Hadith The Khalifa, belief in Stewardship, is the belief that Allah has made humans responsible for all creation and with this involves appropriate use of resources for human needs. â€Å"It is He that has made you custodians; inheritors of the earth. † (Qur’an Surah 6:165) Akrah is the belief of accountability, Muslims believe that they will be judged on how they have acted, and ones treatment of gods created world. The sources of ethic al teachings, and the relationship between humans and the universe is outlined in the Qur’an, Hadith and Shari’a. It is defined in Qur’an as based on meditation of the universe and what it contains, sustainable utilization and development for human benefit, care and nurture extended beyond humans to the benefit of created beings. The Hajj is an obligation which fulfils one of the five pillars of Islam required of a Muslim at least once in a lifetime for those financially and physically able â€Å"those who can make their way there†. It is a faithful submission to the will of Allah. And pilgrimage to the House is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah† – Surah 3:96. Before embarking on this miraculous journey, pilgrims must redress all wrongs, organise funds for the journey and the family being left behind, and prepare themselves for good conduct during the Hajj. The Journey then goes for 5 full days, starting officially on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah. After completing the Hajj with all rites performed, pilgrims have earned the right to be called al-Hajj or al-Hajji. The Hajj expresses the beliefs of Islam through commemorating important religious events. These include Abraham and his son Ishmael built the Ka’ba, and established the rituals of the Hajj to reflect his life, Muhammad’s last sermon on Arafat, Jamra symbolises Abraham throwing stones at Satan who tried to dissuade him from sacrificing Isaac, and Nahr reflects Allah replacing Isaac with a sacrificial lamb. The Hajj reinforces fundamental islamic concepts with the Five Pillars of Faith. Shahada, the declaration of faith that there is no god but Allah and Muhammed is the messenger of Allah is expressed through the Hajj by Talbiya (a prayer that states the pilgrimage is only for the glory of Allah) and through Mount Arafat (the place of Muhammad’s last sermon, where all are closest to Allah) Salat, the 5 daily prayers is expressed through the Hajj as the Hajj is a period where pilgrims are directly communicating with Allah and Muslims are in actual proximity of the Ka’ba. Zakat, Almsgiving is shown through the Hajj as the meat sacrificed or money given for nahr is distributed amongst family, friends and the poor, it also shows the obligation of the wealthy to the poor and Ihram, which means that money and status are not a factor for pilgrims and that all are equal. Sawm, fasting is expressed through the Hajj as it is a time of prayer, meditation and asking for forgiveness, as well as the Sa’y as it re-enacts Hajar’s search for food; empathy for hunger. Al-Akhira is believed to be the world to come, Muslims believe in an afterlife where they will be held accountable for their lives (Akhra), they believe that by participating in the Hajj there is a greater prospect of reward in the afterlife. The Hajj is not only significant to the individual but also to the community. The Hajj is significant to the individual as the Hajj is an opportunity for Muslims to experience spiritual rebirth and develop a sense of consciousness in Allah. It is also opportunity to reassess and confirm their Islamic beliefs. The Hajj provides opportunity for the pilgrim to improve their spirituality through worship, hardship and salat. It focuses the individual on jihad; sacrificing time, skills, money and struggling against external evils. Enables the pilgrim’s renewal through cleansing from sin. â€Å"whoever performs the Hajj†¦ will come home like a newborn†. The Hajj reinforces Allah’s mercy and compassion as it exceeds His anger by forgiving the sins of the sinful creation by declaring an absolute pardon for every pilgrim upon completion of the accepted rituals of Hajj. The individual strengthens their relationship with Allah and gains a greater understanding of Islamic history and has a better prospect of reward in the afterlife. The Hajj is significant to the community as the Hajj is a sign of unity, equality and a sense of pride in the global umma as they pray together and are equal in the ihram garments. It brings together Muslims of all races to from a fellowship for such a significant practice in the Islamic faith, and the hajj acts as a universal reminder of the blessing of Allah on humanity of our diversity and the brotherhood to worship the one Allah. As the Hajj and Environmental ethics apply themselves with todays contemporary society, the beliefs and sacred texts are used to form ideas of how to look after the environment and why it is necessary to participate in the Hajj.

Culture identity Essay

What is culture identity? Culture identity is appreciation and understanding of literature and who or what a person is, identical sameness and distinctive character. It also means what you are and how you live. In this essay I am going to write about â€Å"Search for my Tongue† by Bhatt and â€Å"Hurricane hits England† by Grace Nichols. I have chosen them because they use a mixture of poetic devices, which makes the poem lively and entertaining to read. Firstly the poem Search for my Tongue is about her feeling abandoned and heart-rending because she went to a place where she forgot how to speak her mother tongue while speaking the foreign language, which is upsetting for her since she is blissful about speaking her mother tongue. She also tells us in the poem about her experiences and what she has been happening to her. I know this because she uses a range of words for e.g. â€Å"lost and spit† this makes me think that she is losing her memory of how to speak her own language, as this is shameful for her because her mother tongue is part of her identity. She is also trying to get rid of the foreign language as she described it as â€Å"spit†. The word spit creates an image of someone trying to get rid of something ugly in their mouth. Then again in the last part of the poem she is feeling glad and back to being natural because her mother tongue grew back in the night. I know this because she quotes † it pushes the other tongue aside† this line is effective because it makes me feel that she is joyful of getting the chance to speak her language other than the foreign language. The poem Search for my Tongue uses a variety of different language devices for e.g. she states â€Å"grows longer, grows moist and grows strong veins† the poet used repetition so that she can keep the pace going and the rhythm run smoothly and that she just started a new life as she described it in order. However she also uses personification. I know this because she exclaims â€Å"it ties the other tongue in knots† this makes me think that the tongues are combating it out with each other just to tie each other in knots. This is effective for the reader because it engages with the reader so they can be involved in the poem. The poet also uses imagery words so she can catch a picture straight away in the readers mind. I know this because she quotes â€Å"it grows back a stump of shoot†. This makes me think of the tongue capturing the language as fast as a gunshot. Secondly the poem Hurricane hits England by Grace Nichols is about her feeling alienated from life in England and that it took a hurricane to bring her back closer and remind her of her memories. The poet is feeling petrified and dominant.  I know this because she quotes â€Å"fearful and reassuring†. This makes me think that she is very afraid of whats going to happen to her that she stayed awake half the night, on the other hand she is ready to defend and strike anyone.  This is effective because it makes the reader continue to read until he/she finds out what happened at the end. The poem Hurricane hits England uses a wide range of techniques for e.g. she uses lots of rhetorical questions for e.g. she quotes â€Å"tell me why you visit an English coast?† This means that she is trying to tell the hurricane why did it visit her land and not someone else’s. She is also trying to say that did she do anything bad that frustrated the hurricane. This is effective because she does not want an answer however she wants the reader to think of the answer while they are reading it which will make it more interesting to read. The poet also uses similes. I know this because she quotes â€Å"what is the meaning of trees falling heavy as whales†. This means that the hurricane was so physically powerful that when a tree fell it was as heavy as a whale. This line is effective because it makes the reader imagine what would have happened if millions of trees fell which would have killed so many people and destroyed so many homes.  The similarities of the two poems are not quite the same because in the content the two poems talk about the culture identity and about their new place. In the language they use imagery and metaphors however in the structure most of the lines are laid out in paragraphs. The differences between the two poems. In the content Search for my Tongue is about language and Hurricane hits England is about the environment. In the language the poem Search for my Tongue uses personification. I know this because she quoted â€Å"it ties the other tongue in knots†. She also used repetition. I know this because she quoted â€Å"grows moist, grows longer and grows strong veins†. In Hurricane hits England the poet used rhetorical question. I know this because she quotes â€Å"o why is my heart unchained?† The poet also used similes. I know this because she quotes â€Å"trees falling heavy as whales†. In the structure Search for my Tongue is laid out in lines and paragraphs however the poem Hurricane hits England is just laid out in paragraphs and stanzas.  In conclusion I think Search for my Tongue is better because some of the words are in different language, which is interesting to find out and it uses lots of language devices. The poem Hurricane hits England is full of rhetorical questions, which makes it boring and it makes the reader think a lot.

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Germany and the germans class - Essay Example Prussia came out of the war stronger than it was before because of his military skills. He gave the press the freedom to express themselves and he also established common religious toleration. He managed to protect the people from the law by having a quick judicial process, torture was abolished and the capital sentence was made at his discretion. He developed infrastructure and agriculture. That is how he built his legacy in his time (Woloch, 54). Joseph II lived between 1741 and 1790. He was the Roman emperor and ruler and during his tenure he managed to finish what his mother had started. His reforms were political, economic, judicial and social oriented. He changed the education system by separating it from the monarch and finding the best scholars. The executive and judiciary were separated at the strategic level and he did this to the lower levels of this arms. He managed to make the General hospital a top hospital in Europe. He gave the press their freedom and established an equality of religion. He also transferred ownership of the theaters to the actors to enhance their performance. He also managed to emancipate the Jews which gave the culture a boost. His war tactics also gave his kingdom a competitive edge and position (Woloch, 67). His reforms were well rounded as he touched each and every aspect of the

Concept for Nursing Theories course (End-of-life care) Term Paper

Concept for Nursing Theories course (End-of-life care) - Term Paper Example A sixty-year old man has decided to stop treatment for lung cancer and just wait for his death. The patient already received chemotherapy, but his conditions continued to worsen. His kidneys are failing too. The patient, relatives, and health care staff have acknowledged the imminence of death. Specifically, the patient and his/her relatives understand that they will no longer prolong life and they will only wait for their patient’s natural course of death. Second, the doctors and nurses have consulted the patient and kin for the advance end-of-life care plan, where the symptoms’ relief is outlined. The plan also integrates psychological, social, practical, and spiritual aspects of patient care in planning for end-of-life care. Since the patient is Catholic, he already listens to Bible readings every day and receives visits from a priest. Third, the plan includes providing a support system to help the family cope during the patient’s illness and their own bereave ment. This includes counseling for the family and preparing them for the patient’s death. Finally, there should be a clear system of transparency and accountability in the decision-making process. If the patient signs a do-not-resuscitate order, the relatives should respect this decision, no matter how hard it is for them to let go.

Entrepreneurship Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Entrepreneurship - Dissertation Example The study has also provided market and industrial analysis and concluded that diesel repair business is a viable business. The study also advises the entrepreneur to invest in bio-diesel as an additional line of business as a way of diversifying the venture. Introduction Pursuit of an entrepreneurial dream starts with a viable dream. Once a new idea is conceptualized and a business plan is drawn and decision made concerning the legal structure, basic tactics such as pursuing an international opportunity or starting a new business venture, and financing issues, one can then embark on the entrepreneurship journey. For most people who venture into entrepreneurship, they prefer a new business rather than already existing business opportunities (Reuvid 2008, p. 16). Some people begin with a desire to begin a business and then look for an idea while others start by having an exciting idea and then consider entrepreneurship. However, there are basic issues that one must consider when consid ering an entrepreneurial venture, one of them is finances, industry concerned, legal issues and potential risks and rewards involved. It is thus important for entrepreneurial to consider various things that would boost or affect their success in the pursuit of small businesses. Entrepreneurship refers to the undertaking of innovations, or business acumen with the aim of transforming the innovations into useful economic goods. The undertaking may result in a new business or new organization. Entrepreneurial activities differ substantially depending on the conceptualized business idea and they range from solo business projects to major undertakings that create job opportunities (Reuvid 2008, p. 16). This study looks into the various key issues that require consideration before starting a new entrepreneurial venture. The study considers the Starting of a Diesel Repair Company in Southwest Virginia as an individual business. The study therefore looks into the various risks and rewards t hat are related to owning such a business, the personal attributes that would be critical in pursuit of the venture and the legal aspects and issues that must be addressed including licensing, and other legal requirements. The study will also explore the local business conditions within the industry involved and the market to examine some of the factors that influence the successfulness of the business. The study is relevant to people who are in pursuit of entrepreneurship and students who would wish to start new business but have not yet developed the relevant skills. Important attributes in entrepreneurship Most successful entrepreneurs demonstrate certain personal attributes such as dedication, creativity, flexibility, determination, dedication, passion, leadership, and self-confidence. Creativity is a spark that drives development of new services and products and pushes for improvement and innovation. Creativity allows for continuous learning, thinking beyond prescribed formulas and questioning. Determination is a strong desire to attain success and it includes ability to continue pursuing even after rough times and persistence. It also persuades entrepreneur to remain motivated and not necessarily by money gained from the business venture. Dedication motivates entrepreneurs to work hard and drive their ideas and plans. Flexibility refers to the entrepreneur’s ability to take a swift move in response to change in market needs. Leadership is the capacity and ability to set goals, creates rules, and ensures follow-through, and accomplishment of the established goals (Mariotti & Glackin, 2011, p. 63). Self-confidence rises from thorough planning since effective planning

Scarce Resources Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scarce Resources Article - Essay Example yield changes will lead to malnutrition; water scarcity will deteriorate hygiene; pollution will weaken immune systems; and displacement and social disorder due to conflicts over water and land will increase the spread of infectious diseases† (Chestney). It was also well observed that water has also been increasingly scarce on regions wherein agricultural yields are increasing, especially in the major regions of Asia (Heinberg). This will then snowball into an abrupt and drastic production drop-off in which the world could suffer a global food crises which in turn will also even more trigger the chain of problems aforementioned above. This issue is something not to be trifled with. The victim of such scarcity is not only those who suffer first hand of depleted resources and hunger. This issue strikes to the very survivability of each and every person living in this world. With the advent of globalization and modernization, many resources have been abused and diminished. But for all the negativities that it has dealt nature, we must also look at the strengths we have developed along with it and use it to our advantage to sort out and remedy this problem. After all, it was for the sake of development and technological advancements why civilizations and countries pursued to be globalized and modernized. Yet this somehow divides further each country from another, with superpowers such as US and China holding an arms race and hoarding control over the resources of other nations (Heinberg). It is in this such case that competition is very unhealthy. what is needed is for the cooperation, and not competition, of all the nations to achieve proper allocation of the limited resources in order to alleviate and make the lives better and pave way for a more sustainable fut ure. Every person must be active to pursue and promote the cooperation of their nation to help evade this global threat. The only ones who stand to benefit from the success of such cooperation and unity

An aging report - visiting the elderly Coursework

An aging report - visiting the elderly - Coursework Example I had interviewed an elderly male, 75 years old, widowed and still mobile with minimal assistance, living in an apartment with his son. Due to confidentiality of information, client’s identity was not stated.He does not take a bath everyday for he feels cold although he wanted to.He believed taking a bath everyday would actually help alleviate the roughness of his skin.When permission was sought to see his bed room for observation purposes Client X wore loose and free-flowing white t-shirt and pajamas. He indicated that his sleeping position needed frequent changing as advised by his doctor to avoid pressure sores. Likewise, it was also recommended to massage his bony prominences. Observing his physical appearance, one noticed that his nails were properly trimmed, he wore eyeglasses and dentures. Based on the following observations, the physical status and appearance of the client manifested changes expected of an elderly (Udan, 8). He can take care of his personal needs excep t in urination and meal preparation. His son’s wife provides him meals. He strongly believes that his wellness is due to his son’s commitment to bring him to the clinic for regular check-up. Expressing his outlook verbally was a difficult task for him. He revealed that lots of people feel bored because he spoke slowly. Aside from that, some people had to repeat their words or shout because of hearing impairment. As a consequence, I was advised to put some of my instructions in writing. When asked about his plans for the future, he projected a melancholy appearance as he averred, â€Å"I think there’s no future left for me. At this age, I only think of the time when I can no longer be with my son. Of course, everybody fears death. And if there’s something I dream and hope for, that is to see my grandchildren before I die and for my son’s family to have a better life.† Then, we talked about his activities and lifestyle for a week. He said that it is very routine and predictable. During weekdays, he would go out with his son in the morning to exercise his feet and legs. After that, they would go back to their house and spend the day for preparing for diverse tasks such as watching television shows, doing easy exercises, reading and undergoing light but entertaining activities that would enhance mental and motor skills. At night, he sleeps early but the quality of sleep is light, intermittent, with frequent waking. On Sundays, he looks forward to attending mass and sharing special dinner with his son’s family. With these activities, going out without a companion could not be possible because walking through the transportation area tires him a lot. Although he needed assistance in terms of mobility, he was never inactive. He also stated that in his age, he considered himself healthy. A wellness center for the elderly within the community assists in his health care. Using the five dimensions of person model, certain n eeds that an elderly should meet (Udan, 11-13) were proffered and manifested by Client X. Under physical dimension, Client X accepted that having gray hair and wrinkles were normal parts of aging. He acknowledged looking old and have learned to accept that fact. His strength and stamina decreased; most of the time, he needed assistance. â€Å"I told you before that I have difficulty hearing, but it doesn’t stop me from expressing my ideas,† he stated. Client X understood the risks of being prone to different diseases involving the vital organs (e.g., pneumonia, diabetes, kidney diseases) that rationalized regular check-ups and observing preventive measures. In terms of intellectual dimension, the client manifested the ability to remember. There were some lapses but he managed using a calendar note to assist in doing tasks. He acknowledged to have the ability to solve problems, make decisions despite being aware that learning new information takes time. â€Å"

LOG501 Case SLP 4 Queuing Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LOG501 Case SLP 4 Queuing Analysis - Essay Example In relation to industrial issues, EESC primarily focuses upon the facets which are related with environmental impacts. Among these industries, defense industry, nautical industry and fashion industry are the major concerns of EESC regarding their impacts upon the environment (European Economic and Social Committee, 2012). Defense industry is also known as military industry which comprises government as well as business enterprises that perform research, manufacturing, development and services of military equipments and essential materials. In Europe, military budget is quite fragmented and consists of huge replication within research & development of this industry (European Economic and Social Committee, 2012). Nautical industry involves in several activities such as ship building as well as recreational crafts for customers’ entertainment, for maritime police as well as for business purposes. This industry obtains efficient support from European Union regarding business, envi ronmental policies and attains standardization for developing provisions as well as managerial procedures. Europe’s nautical industry is involved in over 37,000 business activities where more than 234,000 people are operating and its annual turnover is 20 billion Euros (European Commission, 2013). In Europe, fashion industry is considered as a diverse as well as a heterogeneous industry which performs a significant number of activities from transformation of fibers and yarns to the manufacturing of several kinds of apparel products. This sector plays an imperative role for the European manufacturing industry (European Economic and Social Committee, 2012). Figure: Co-decision Procedure of EESC Sources: (European Commission, 2007) Industries and Transportation Modes of EESC In relation to nautical industry, EESC has organized an initiative program in Genova, Italy in order to hear the opinions of the industry players regarding business related issues. Due to the economic downtu rn in the year 2009, this sector has faced a substantial loss of 46, 000 jobs and the overall turnover has decreased by EUR 3.4 billion. More than 98% of this sector consists of small and medium-scale enterprises for which this crisis has had a drastic impact. Service activity of this industry comprises the development as well as the management of 4500 European recreational ports. Moreover, it conducts several trade shows regarding business and educational purposes. Moreover, this industry boasts of 66,000 km of coastline and is considered as one of the leading pathways for business and navigation purposes (European Commission, 2013). The European defense industry makes a leading contribution in order to provide security as well as ensure protection of European community members. The major objective of defense industrial policy is to create an innovative and viable ‘European Defense Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB)’. Additionally, EDTIB is considered as a signi ficant prerequisite in order to improve the effectiveness of Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP). Moreover, EDTIB also delivers capability and affordability to the nations in order to undertake international progression regarding the development and manufacturing of military equipments. Defense policy of this industry inspires member states and EU

The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Importance of Being Earnest - Essay Example One of his most famous plays titled ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is the play chosen to be discussed in this essay. Thesis and Hook There is a funny side to life that brings out the child in each one of us and what better way to do this than with the use of satire? Playwright Oscar Wilde, in his scintillating masterpiece, shows mastery in making use of satire to shed light on Victorian values by weaving the paradoxes in a most hilarious way. The play titled ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is packed with wit and humor while portraying mistaken identities to enthrall his audiences who can easily identify with its characters, while relating to such incidents in their day to day lives. Considered to be Oscar Wilde’s most perfect work ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is a play wherein the witty comedy of manners has been brilliantly plotted from its opening effervescent act to its hilarious denouement. In this play, the late Victorian v alues are hilariously presented and comically critiqued by the playwright. This play is regarded as a masterpiece in the genre of comedy. It is a showcase of the mastery that Wilde had in so far as satire is concerned. The play is filled with parallelism, paradoxes, and understatements. In passing his comments on Victorian society Wilde states –â€Å"London society is full of women of the very highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained thirty-five for years." (Oscar Wilde, Act 3) Some of English literature’s most famous epigrams can be found in this play. In fact, the play is a celebration of the language itself. However, there is a rejection of serious discourse and the device of the epigram is used as a potent tool to entertain the reader. The play deals with mistaken identities and even after a century, it continues to enthrall audiences the world over. The brilliance of his wit and humor seem current even after a passage of a hundred years and his writing seems evergreen even in these contemporary times. Wilde deals with the institution of marriage and class that are deftly subverted through the guise of farce. Greed and hypocrisy lurking under Victorian politeness are exposed in the play. The moral decay that is portrayed is well illustrated by each of the aristocrats in the play. Even though they seemingly obey propriety, Jack, Algernon, Gwendolen, Cecily and Lady Bracknell, all deceive and lie to do so. Wilde reveals the undercurrent of politics involved in a Victorian marriage. This point is clearly evident in the betrothals of Jack with Gwendolen and Algernon with Cecily which are accepted only after their social standing and fortunes are openly revealed. However, When Lady Bracknell found that her daughter Gwendolen wished to marry a person who was not a blue blood, she was loath to accept the union of the couple. In Victorian society, it was politics that was considered more important than love because it was politics alone that drove the marriage market. The playwright has elevated to a high art in the form of a pun. The wordplay on â€Å"earnest† pervades throughout the play. The meaning of the word â€Å"earnest† in the context of this play is toyed with and played upon as we witness the same as the plot evolves. The primary theme of the plot revolves around the efforts of Jack and Algernon to be earnest by deceiving and lying.

The Crusades Essay Example for Free

The Crusades Essay The Crusades were a series of wars that were fought by Christians for religious cause, to obtain the Holy Land, and mainly attack upon infidels. â€Å"The Crusades began in 1095 after Seljuk Turks took control of Jerusalem and began restricting access to Christian pilgrims. Pope Urban II called for a Christian army to retake the city from its Muslim rulers† (BBC News). The crusades brought both positive and negative influence to the people, it also brought culture diffusion. People were considered barbaric in countries, people used brutal war-tactics, churches played an important role before, during, and after the Crusades, and it was considers a failure for the Europe. The crusades brought many major changes that affected in the way different cultures spread, mingle, grew, and change through the interaction of ideas. On the history of the civilization the Crusades influenced the wealth and power of the Catholic Church, political matters, and intellectual development. The crusades also prompted the famous voyages of discovery. â€Å"It received stimulus from the voyages of exploration undertaken by England, Spain, and other nations to Africa, Asia, and the New World.† (www.britannica.com) Western Europe benefited from the economic as it got better. The trade increased as European ports were opened in the Middle East. A lot of the shipbuilding and navigational skills increased as people traveled out to seas. New age of exploration was setup due to travel expands. When crusaders returned from the crusades they brought back things that include architecture, herb and spices, and foods such as: sugar cane, lemons, apricots, plums, dates, rhubarb, almonds, shallots, and watermelons. The trade brought clothing materials like silk, cotton, linen, and velvet they also brought goods like pearls and ivory including rouge, henna, and glass mirrors. Town merchants benefited from the increase of trade and loaned money. During this time many schools and universities were built around the monasteries. People had the opportunity to study liberal arts; they could earn special degrees in law, medicine, and theology. The down side of this was that women were not to attend or teach. For them it was important to take care of their house and their children. During the medieval era people in Europe and Muslim countries lived very different life. In Western Europe people primarily focus on the wealth, power, classes, and land. For them education didn’t really matter at the time, and they were satisfied with the current level of knowledge they had. Religious tolerance was another issue in Western Europe. People did not tolerate non-Christians. European had banned the non-Christians from Jerusalem. Western Europe had many reasons for wars. They protected lands from Muslim Turks, because Turks were overtaking Byzantine Empire and threatened its existence. Due to this Pope sent crusaders to â€Å"rescue† the Byzantines and make behold to the Romans for getting them out of trouble. This was more like a religious piety, because the real purpose was to real the Great Schism and put the Eastern Church under the control of the Pope. They had many wars related to trade, and Holy Land. They protected trade routes and flow of the goods and they fought the Muslims for the Holy Land. Western Europe had a lot of church conflicts that were generally between the Roman Catholics and Byzantines. In 1064 the church split when Eastern Church refused to accept papal supremacy called the Great Schism. This cause many problems for both churches and the people. As for the Muslim countries, they were primarily focused on religion unlike Western Europe. Education was quite important in Muslim countries. They spent majority of their time learning and praying. They built universities and vast libraries in major cities. Religious tolerances played an important role in Muslim countries. People were very tolerant of the Jews and Christians. They even allowed Jews to live in Jerusalem in relative peace. Muslims progressed in science, because they translated great works of ancient Greek done by great people like Aristotle. They used this great works to advance in math, physics, medicine, and other science. They developed great amount of medical literature, based on ancient scientists. Just like Western Europe, the Muslim countries had many reasons for wars. Their wars were mainly between the Shiite and Sunni. â€Å"Shiite believed that the true successors to the Prophet are the descendants, called Imams† (Ellis, Esler 311). The compromise group, which forms almost all of the Muslims in the world, is the Sunnis. â€Å"The Sunni believed that inspiration comes from the example of Muhammad as recorded by his early followers† (Ellis, Esler 311). The same reasons between Sunnis and Shiites lead to church conflicts. Muslims developed a lot of traveling methods. Their maps were detailed; they reintroduced three merchant ships to Mediterranean. For them traveling far out to east introduced them to paper instead of parchment. They also allowed people to keep records and made copies of the Quran. During the Medieval Era Europe faced many problems. Corrupted churches were concern with the money, so they appointed church officials based on their ability to pay for the positions. In Muslim countries they were not concerned about thing being corrupted because it didn’t exist in the Islam culture. In Western Europe the feudal system was way far outdated. They had too much individual ruling, and they didn’t adapt to new commerce and trade opportunity. Europe was more concern about protecting their little world. On the other hand Muslims were making constant improvements in commerce and trade. In Europe as towns grew, towns’ people had to pay more taxes to the feudal lords and vassals. As for the Muslim countries they didn’t have anything like that to worry about. As a result Europeans were more barbaric than the Muslims. Crusaders used many brutal war-tactics in attempted to justify those deeds. â€Å"Wherever their ideas came from, it was clear, that to the Franks, any engagement was to subdivide the army into a number of smaller units and to marshal them in the field in a prearranged order.† (www.umich.edu).This war tactic started a regimented order that was necessary when a battle began; this was to help the commander facilitate the control over the army. The crusader’s main military weapon was the mounted knight; this was a serious threat in any confrontation. During the crusades the Church played a big role before, during, and after. The church was a big reason that started many crusades to gain the Holy Land. The church was very important during the middle Ages, because people believed that their souls were the most important things and being a Christian was the only way to save them. The church guided the people with baptism, confession, and absolution. The crusades represented a great power of the church. They took over the Holy Land and held it briefly. The churches was a counter to kings who wanted absolute power.

Global Systems Development Corporation Essay Example for Free

Global Systems Development Corporation Essay GSDC is a software development firm with sales, marketing, and project offices in major cities of North America. We provide a global project management services, on-site personnel as needed for design, and testing and liaison with teams of developers in India and Eastern Europe. GSDC is known to have extensive experience in website development and have completed several successful websites implementation for institutions of higher education. Background and analysis STI has been working with GSDC to implement the new website, and GSDC views STI as a premier customer. As the project has unfolded, however, cost overruns and delays have occurred. STI claims that GSDC underbid the project and was too optimistic in its bid and project plan. Time has been lost and the project has cost overruns to date of $200,000. Given todays  date and the need to have the site in place, STI management has clearly articulated that the new website must be up and running within 60 days of the beginning of these negotiations. Proposed goals, objectives, target population and implementation plan Considering the state of the project we are about 75% complete and we can finish the project under tight constraints. GSDC is the most knowledgeable and with only 25% left of the project left to complete we believe that the completion of the project by GSDC would benefit both parties. Both sides can take a â€Å"lessons† learned. Considering the work completed there is not much left of the project to scope and our confident that we can finish out the final pieces and components of the website. The value in continuing the relationships shows that both companies have a level of professionalism and a can do attitude that is admirable in the business world. The most important consideration for GSDC is that we meet our clients’ needs and that the customer is satisfied with the finished product. The must complete the website for the negation to be considered successful. Annual project budget Organization HISTORY, MISSION, Vision and Structures STI Institute is located in the Midwest offering wide ranges of programs in arts and sciences, business, and education programs. The school includes a variety of Master’s Degree programs, and continuing education for the community. The institute Attracts over 6,000 students annually, 5,000 undergraduates, 1,000 graduate students, as well as part-time students in the Midwestern region including local and state. We have been working with GSDC to implement the new website, and we both agree that the project costs are over budget. There has been too much time delay, and we need to come to an agreement to finish within 60 days of beginning negotiations. Proposed goals, objectives, target population and implementation plan Project is almost at completion but with the communications between both parties not being clear on requirements. After reviewing the complaints from GSDC the overall solution will agree upon STI select few to work closely with GSDC personnel to exchange ideas and come to a resolution. We will clarify requirements, support the on-site and remote development teams, and perform timely testing. In order to be 100 % complete within the 60 day period. The value in continuing the relationships shows that both companies have a level of professionalism and a can do attitude that is admirable in the  business world. Once everything is agreed upon we suggest we have are selected personnel to video conference with GSDC on an agreed time to make sure the progress is underway. Therefore if there’s any changes to be made it in constant overview and finished in time.

HRM Best Practice and Fit Approach

HRM Best Practice and Fit Approach The discussion between promoters of best practice and best fit approaches has sparked widespread controversy in the human resource management (HRM) area. The topic has gained much scholarly attention because it not only addresses a theoretical controversy but also possesses a high degree of practical managerial significance. The essay has the aim to analyse best practice and best fit approaches in HRM of a multinational enterprise. The reader receives insight into Lincoln Electrics organization through a case-study analysis of practical HR approaches serving as a basis for developing practical managerial implications in the last part of the paper. 2. Critical evaluation of best practice and best fit practices in HRM 2.1 Best practice approach The best practice approach claims that certain bundles of HR activities exist which universally support companies in reaching a competitive advantage regardless of the organizational setting or industry (Redman and Wilkinson 2009). Best practice models imply a close connection between HR practices and organizational performance and are often associated with high commitment management (Paauwe Boselie 2003). Empirical research in the best-practice field shows similar groups of HR polices which are especially suitable for maximizing performance irrespective of market and product strategies (Peffer 1998, Guest 2000). Best practice bundles of activities are characterized as mutually compatible HR activities which forge high levels of workforce competence, encourage motivation and introduce a workdesign boosting employee commitment (Maloney and Morris 2005). Based on concepts from expectancy theory (Vroom 1964, Lawler 1971) best practice HR will result in higher levels of quality, product ivity and low rates of absenteeism and wastage (Guest 2000). The best practice approach suffers from a series of limitations. Firstly, when implementing best practice standards organizations run risk of introducing mutually prohibitive combinations like team working and compensation based on individual performance resulting in a deterioration of employee collaboration through overexaggerated competition (Delery 1998 in Redman and Wilkinson 2009). Secondly, high commitment management systems are generally a complex undertaking requiring large inputs of planning and top level management commitment. Thirdly, critics like Milkovich and Newman (2002) argue that best practice HR lacks direct linkages with organizational strategies and is minted by the belief that outstanding high performing human resources will influence strategy. By making HR policy precede corporate strategy an organization risks prescribing standardized sets of one size fits all best practice approaches which will not support the particular needs of employees and be detrimental t o overall strategic objectives (Maloney and Morris 2005). Fourthly, discussions with regard to the appropriate choice of best practice measures resulting from an insufficient research methodology and theoretical definition exist (Marchington and Grugulis 2000 in Redman and Wilkinson 2009). 2.2 Best fit approach The best-fit model is considered as a variant from precedent models of Harvard, Michigan and York and is called matching model for HRM (Sparrow and Hiltrop 1994). It is based on developing HRM policies according to business strategy. Strategy involves planning future activities, performances objectives, and policies towards reaching the corporate aims. HRM strategy should be designed and applied to support the given corporate strategy (Lawler 1995). The best-fit approach questions the universality assumption of the best-practice perspective. It emphasizes contingency fit between HR activities and the organizations stage of development, an organizations internal structures and its external environment like clients, suppliers, competition and labour markets (Redman and Wilkinson 2009). HR policy should be minted by the appropriate context of individual employees and therefore support the overall competitive strategy. Aligning HRM practices to strategies can enable companies to create p otential competitive advantages (Schuler and Jackson 1987 in Redman and Wilkinson 2009). The best fit approach is also subject to sever criticism. Firstly, Boxall and Purcell (2003) criticizes that in a changing business environment companies and their strategies are subject to multiple alternating contingences and that it is merely possible to adjust entire HR systems to new challenges frequently. Secondly, as companies move through their life-cycle HR practices have to be aligned which leads to an alternating treatment of employees which can have a demotivating effect and show inconsistency in corporate culture (Boxall and Purcell 2003). 3. Analysis of Lincoln Electrics HRM approach 3.1 Evaluation: Best practice or best fit approach in certain HR practices 3.1.1 Selection practices For the hiring of its U.S. workforce Lincoln Electronic is applying best practice methods as it pursues a selective employment approach aiming at attracting skilled personnel that can connect to the companies high performance ethic and live up to quality standards. New hires have to pass a three-month probation period and prove their work dedication in trainee programme (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). For the established U.S. operations promoting experienced employees from within can be regarded as an element of best fit approach of aligning HR goals with corporate quality strategy (Lawler 1995). It is coherent with Lincolns strategy of binding the best employees and rewarding them for their long-term achievements with responsibility thus keeping its intellectual capital and ensuring a sustainable competitive advantage in fields of performance, knowledge and quality. In the international management Lincoln made the mistake of relying too much on inexperienced U.S. managers from within a nd only after the disaster of the international subsidiaries started to move from its unitary strategy towards a more responsive best fit approach to external environmental by hiring more internationally experienced external managers in China and Europe which fits the international expansion strategy (Hastings 1999). In its Chinese recruitment it adapts to the Chinese labor market by personally promoting and introducing prospective employees through senior management to identify personalities who can live up to performance, education and quality requirements applying a best fit approach (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). This is in line with common relationship and social network oriented selection practices in China (Warner 2005). 3.1.2 Training practices Lincoln is applying a best fit strategy which aims at enhancing employees abilities, technical and business knowledge through a significant investment in globally recognized best practice training methods (Marchington Grugulis 2000). Examples are a sophisticated trainee program for sales and engineering trainees, constant vocational trainings for experienced workers and regular work certification programs (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). These actions aim at supporting and maintaining the superior efficiency objectives creating core competences compared to industry rivals and a competitive advantage. Lincolns approach to training employees resembles the immersion training conducted by Toyota which also conducts extensive investment in workers qualifications to achieve highest productivity and quality (Spear, 2004). 3.1.3 Reward system The reward system which has been invented by founder James Lincoln is at the core of the successful individual performance working system. In the US, Lincoln employs a highly compensated piece-work system which is linked to individual employee performance based on a multitude of work-related factors (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). The reward system is able to motivate employees for achieving commitment through a remuneration which is at the top of its industry (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). Payment system possesses clear management commitment and is seen as the key for achieving outstanding employee commitment leading to advantages in costs, productivity and quality (Hastings 1999). Group collaboration within the company is created through specific bonus pools which are allotted to work group performance. The bonuses are then distributed to the members of that group according to their quantified relative performance on the semi-annual merit rating based on factors like idea generation, qu ality, reliability, dependability and output (Milgram Roberts 1995). Employees are closely bound to the organization through a long-term stockpurchase plan as part of their remuneration making them entrepreneurs at their workplace (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). Classification of the reward system in one of the HRM approaches is ambiguous. Lincoln invented the individual performance-system as the major component towards developing its employees for becoming its core strength through an unbeatable motivation and quality-drive (Milgram Roberts 1995). This is the utilization of the best fit approach minting HR towards organizational strategic objectives. The performance payment system has proven immensely successful becoming an internal best practice. Empirical studies by MacMillan and Schuler (1984) confirm the success of individual performance- pay with end-of-year bonuses at US bearings company Baimco and at the aviation company PEOPLexpress. For its global operations Lincoln is forc ed to abide by national restrictions in the legal environment (e.g. prohibition of piecework in Germany) and traditional working habits in the socio-cultural environment to align its reward system to local standards (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). In Europe, it is forced to conduct a best fit approach abiding by local regulations and adjust to differing standards of motivation where workers value benefits like vacation over annual bonuses. 3.1.4 Employee participation The best fit approach is also utilized for the field of employee participation. The company possesses an open-door policy where employees can contact management directly. Flat hierarchies with minimal supervisory management lead to very low communication barriers and wide-opportunities for taking responsibility (Milgram Roberts 1995). Due to participation is one of the evaluation criteria for employee remuneration Lincoln has a very high workforce participation rate concerning continuous improvement suggestions. Similar continuous improvement and feedback programs are also pursued by Japanese companies like Nissan in order to enhance productivity (Erstand 1997). That not only encourages idea generation but also directly involves employees in major decisions like the turnaround after the economic crises (Hastings 1999). Although workers are not unionized a very lively participation with the management board takes place through the Employee Advisory Board leading to a very high level of workforce loyalty. The best fit participation approach supports the core competence and sustainable competitive advantage of productivity and innovative quality as major strategic objectives (Pfeffer 1995) 3.2 External and internal factors influencing Lincolns HR strategy 3.2.1 External factors Firstly, the legal environment both in Lincolns domestic market and international markets significantly influences the HR strategy. Regulations regarding the legality of piece-work systems, vacation requirements and working hour limitations force Lincoln to adapt HR practices in all fields elucidated in chapter 3.1. In the U.S. more performance driven and entrepreneurial HR approaches are possible whereas regulations in Europe, Asia and Latin America force Lincoln to adhere to adapt local HR practices (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). Secondly, Lincoln is affected by the cultural diversity of its operations again creating barriers for the introduction of performance driven measures in markets like Western-Europe and China. Whereas in the U.S. traditionally hierarchy is low and employee idea generation is common, Chinese culture is more subversive and critical idea generation practices will fail (Zhu 2005). Similarly hiring and training practices are different across cultures: The U.S. and Europe allow for the application of best practices in recruitment and training. In Asia Lincoln needs to align to the environment of conducting rather relationship oriented hiring and in-depth skill development (Warner 2005). Thirdly, different market maturity and industry-life-cycles between developed and developing markets affect Lincolns HR approaches with differences in hiring, training and workforce participation. 3.2.2 Internal factors The first major internal factor affecting Lincolns HRM is the life-cycle of the respective subsidiary. U.S. and Canadian operations have a historical presence with high levels of employee loyalty, trust, identification with the individual performance culture and a well attuned work organization and low hierarchies (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). Due to recent acquisitions and Greenfield investments in Europe and Asia loyalty and identification with the overall corporate objectives and working ethics is unincisive (Hastings 1999). Lincoln is challenged developing HR-approaches to create employee involvement and implement the performance driven internal values. Especially, immense discrepancies between the subsidiaries international managers and the U.S. headquarters management are major obstacles for the development of globally coherent HRM strategies which can enforce the overall companys performance (e.g. objections against incentive system, language barriers, management philosophies) (Hastings 1999). Lincolns executives do not possess the required international management skills and are very much minted by idealized U.S. practices. 3.3 Practical managerial lessons and broad implications for HRM practices Practical managerial HRM implications which can be drawn from the Lincoln case are the following. Lincolns HRM strategy is based on a best fit approach designed to achieve an optimal vertical fit with the overall corporate strategy with a strong alignment towards the competitive strategic objectives of employee productivity and product quality on the companys domestic American market (Basset 1999). Lincoln is immensely successful on the U.S. market because it matches HR approaches to corporate, competitive and functional level strategy to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Internationally, Lincoln is not able to transfer the U.S. model of best fit to its subsidiaries. Environmental factors like legal requirements and cultural differences make it impossible to use a system which is based on individual performance (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). Lincoln is limited in fitting its HR approach to what would be best for reinforcing its efficiency and quality driven competitive advantage. The Lincoln case illustrates that in a global context companies are influenced by a multitude of contingences. A universalist HRM approach within a MNC applying a certain bundle of HRM best practices will not render an optimal outcome for the entire organization (Sims 2007). According to Dowling et al (2008) International managers need to take a more detailed approach by identifying individual circumstances of national subsidiaries and fitting HRM strategies to achieve a mutual enforcement between local requirements and corporate strategy. For some a best practice approach might be a superior solution while for other subsidiaries only certain best practice elements (e.g. hiring, training, rewards etc.) might prove to be effective: In Europe Lincoln fails to develop any sort of HRM strategy which can satisfy the environmental requirements and reinforce its competitive differentiation strategy at the same time. Due to a lack of international knowledge Lincolns managers rely on the stat us quo (Hastings 1999). In Europe an introduction of best practice methods with a HPWS would have immediately allowed ensuring better control and performance in the newly acquired international subsidiaries through standardized practices (Maloney and Morris 2005). The best fit approach in Lincolns Chinese subsidiary incorporates lessons learned from the European failure: Lincoln is able to adapt HR strategy to environmental requirements of culture, legal requirements and the market and at the same time introduce best fit approaches in hiring and employee development to support its competitive strategy. The broader implication is that there is no single best way to approach HRM. Companies should design their approach according to elements of best practice and best fit to achieve the best possible outcomes. Studies conducted by Mendonca Kanungo (1994) and Cyert March (1963) show that the adaption of HRM approaches to local international environments is essential for companies leading to and adaption of processes and practices to fit with the local workforce. Successful MNCs like Unilever, Royal Dutch Shell and Nestlà © are those that conduct HRM strategies based on localized requirements incorporating elements from best fit and also standardized best practices (Briscoe Schuler 2004). In this context a localized resource-based HRM approach can be a good possibility to create synergies between internal competences with strategy and performance. 4. Conclusion To put everything under consideration, one can see that best fit and best practice approaches offer companies powerful tools for shaping human resource management processes. The case study has illustrated that an application of one bundle of best practice strategies across all geographies of MNCs, as proposed by Pfeffer (1998), is almost impossible because of regional differences in work-related practices, laws culture and characteristics of motivation. Similarly, sticking to a best fit strategy which is only aligned to the contingency of strategy and a neglect of environmental forces and internal capabilities can lead to a failure of HR in international markets. The case has shown that the concepts of best practice and best fit have to be analyzed and adapted to suit the localized needs of international subsidiaries in order to pave the way to overall global competitive advantages through HR.

The Spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire Essay -- Religion Histo

Factors Which Led to the Spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire Christianity was not born in a vacumn. There were many social, geographical, historical and religious issues prevailing at the time of Christ and all of which were favorable to the spread of Christianity. Geograpicly, Christianity came into being in the Meditation world, the largest of the various centers of civilization at that time. Israel stands almost central to the five continents, dividing the east and west. Another factor, which many scholars believe to be the single most important in the spread of Christianity, is the Pax Romana. This saw a period of over two hundred years, between 30 b.c. and a.d. 193, in which there was almost total world peace, Antoninus Pius wrote in circa 150 a.d., " Wars have so far vanished as to be regarded as legendary events of the past". This peace brought great prosperity to the vast Roman Empire as money was not being spent on costly wars and so materialism became prominent, another consequence was that people now had more time to think about issues such as religion. Another benefit of the Pax Romana was that frontiers were removed and so early missionaries could travel between countries within the Empire with ease, "A man can travel from one country to another although it was his nature land" (Pius). Also, because of a "considerable civil service" (Frend) to police the roads, there was a great decrease in the amount of bandits on the main roads and so the missionaries travel was a great deal safer. Another factor, within the Roman Empire, was the growth of a proper system of roads and trade between countri... ...he line between Greek religion and philosophy because the various forms of philosophy were more than a group of intellectual systems: they were a leading influence in the moral education of both the educated and the masses and were increasingly religious. The remain schools of Greek philosophy represented in the Roman Empire were the Epicureans, the Peripatetics, the Pythagoreans, the Stoics, the Platonists and the Neo-Platonist. In conclusion, it is important to realize that it was not one single factor which was responsible for the spread of Christianity, all these figures came together to give the perfect platform for a new religion to develop, " Never before in the history of the race had conditions been so ready for the adoption of a new faith by the majority of the peoples of so large an area" (K.S Latourette).

The Microraptor Gui: Link Between Bird and Dinosaur Essay -- Explorato

The Microraptor Gui: Link Between Bird and Dinosaur The Debate: For years paleontologists have debated intensely about the origin of birds. How did air-borne birds evolve? How did they learn to take flight? Are they linked to dinosaurs? If they are, which species of these reptiles are the birds closest related to? The Find: From 2001 and 2002, six new basal dromaeosaurid specimens from the Lower Cretaceaous Jehol Group in Chaoyang Basin in western Liaoning, China, were found. These six specimens of the Microraptor gui, previously known genus Microraptor, were discovered by Xing Xu from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology. Microraptor gui gets its name in honor of Gu Zhiwei, a renowned paleontologist who contributed greatly to the study of Jehol biota. So far over 60 species of fossil plants, 1000 species of fossil invertebrates, and 70 species of fossil vertebrates have been found in these rocks, dating back to the Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous periods. Recently there has been much media attention to these rocks that yield such vital information in the evolution of birds, and origins of feathers. The Microraptor gui is 77 cm in length. It is believed to have lived between 124 and 145 million years ago. The Microraptor Gui has four wings in total. Interestingly, it has a w ing on each hind-limb. The Microraptor gui is a bird: Some will argue that the Microraptor gui was a bird. Feathers cover its entire body. It has forelimbs much like the wings of modern birds, and modified for flight. The pelvis characteristics derived from basal birds. The Microraptor gui had a vane on one side of the feather’s spine that was wider than the other. â€Å"This nuance of design strongly suggests these fe... ... and theropauds has also been illustrated in popular modern movies such as Jurassic Park III. Here Steven Spielberg accurately depicts the newly found details of the raptors. Contrary to the first two editions of the movie, this time the raptors have feathers at the top of their heads. In order to allow the audience to easily recognize these fierce carnivores from the prequels of the movie the change was not drastic, but it was a positive step in accurately depicting dinosaurs in movies. To solve the whole question of linking birds and dinosaurs one would need to find a feathered dromaeosaur adapted to life in the trees as opposed to on the ground, and the Microraptor gui seems to be just this. Through the discovery of Microraptor gui it is clear that birds share a common ancestry with small carnivorous dinosaurs called dromaesaurs found in the theropod group.

New York and the Spanish Influenza :: Influenza Epidemics Health Essays

New York and the Spanish Influenza NEW YORK--Although public health officials, including the Surgeon General, have been reluctant to declare an epidemic of crisis proportions, indications that something more than a mild flu season was at hand began to appear as far back as May when reports from China, the Front lines, and other places around the world, were telling of large numbers of people becoming suddenly ill.1 Few deaths were acknowledged in those early reports and most reports indicated the illness only lasted a few days. Five months later we are seeing something that is quite different. Spanish influenza is spreading faster than health care personnel can treat it. The growing number of people being infected and the dwindling supply of doctors and nurses, already strained by the war, makes it more difficult to treat the sick and thereby slow or stop the spread of the disease. The dynamics of the situation suggests that things are going to get worse before getting better. As early as May and June, there were reports of widespread illness amongst the German soldiers, and later reports in July said that the disease struck so quickly and was so virulent that many German soldiers were dying in the trenches from influenza.2 In Berne, Switzerland, the municipality has forbidden all meetings, including performances in theatres, picture houses, music halls, and concerts. The ban also includes religious ceremonies. Those who ignore the order could face fines and imprisonment.3 It was not until August, however, before officials here in the United States, particularly in New York, expressed any real concern for the latest influenza invasion, which incidentally, did not originate in Spain as the name may suggest. The initial cause for alarm in New York was the discovery of nine cases of influenza aboard a Norwegian vessel that had docked at Quarantine in New York Harbor. Dr. Leland E. Cofer, Health Officer of the Port downplayed the chances of more people b ecoming ill or that the disease would spread; however, the concern was great enough amongst health officials that there was talk of imposing a quarantine in New York.4 When discussing the possibility of a quarantine, Colonel J. M. Kennedy, Medical Corps, U.S.A., Chief Surgeon at the New York port of embarkation, indicated he opposed a quarantine because it would clog the harbor and produce delays in sending troops and supplies overseas, and that the influenza here is not at all dangerous, except when pneumonia develops, and even when pneumonia develops, only a few cases are fatal. New York and the Spanish Influenza :: Influenza Epidemics Health Essays New York and the Spanish Influenza NEW YORK--Although public health officials, including the Surgeon General, have been reluctant to declare an epidemic of crisis proportions, indications that something more than a mild flu season was at hand began to appear as far back as May when reports from China, the Front lines, and other places around the world, were telling of large numbers of people becoming suddenly ill.1 Few deaths were acknowledged in those early reports and most reports indicated the illness only lasted a few days. Five months later we are seeing something that is quite different. Spanish influenza is spreading faster than health care personnel can treat it. The growing number of people being infected and the dwindling supply of doctors and nurses, already strained by the war, makes it more difficult to treat the sick and thereby slow or stop the spread of the disease. The dynamics of the situation suggests that things are going to get worse before getting better. As early as May and June, there were reports of widespread illness amongst the German soldiers, and later reports in July said that the disease struck so quickly and was so virulent that many German soldiers were dying in the trenches from influenza.2 In Berne, Switzerland, the municipality has forbidden all meetings, including performances in theatres, picture houses, music halls, and concerts. The ban also includes religious ceremonies. Those who ignore the order could face fines and imprisonment.3 It was not until August, however, before officials here in the United States, particularly in New York, expressed any real concern for the latest influenza invasion, which incidentally, did not originate in Spain as the name may suggest. The initial cause for alarm in New York was the discovery of nine cases of influenza aboard a Norwegian vessel that had docked at Quarantine in New York Harbor. Dr. Leland E. Cofer, Health Officer of the Port downplayed the chances of more people b ecoming ill or that the disease would spread; however, the concern was great enough amongst health officials that there was talk of imposing a quarantine in New York.4 When discussing the possibility of a quarantine, Colonel J. M. Kennedy, Medical Corps, U.S.A., Chief Surgeon at the New York port of embarkation, indicated he opposed a quarantine because it would clog the harbor and produce delays in sending troops and supplies overseas, and that the influenza here is not at all dangerous, except when pneumonia develops, and even when pneumonia develops, only a few cases are fatal.

Eco Friendly Constructions

WHAT IS ECO FRIENDLY CONST Eco-friendly, or ecological, construction is building a structure that is beneficial or non-harmful to the environment, and resource efficient. Otherwise known as green building, this type of construction is efficient in its use of local and renewable materials, and in the energy required to build it, and the energy generated while being within it. Eco-friendly construction has developed in response to the knowledge that buildings have an often negative impact upon our environment and our natural resources.This includes transporting materials hundreds or thousands of miles, which has a negative impact in the energy required to transport them, and also in emissions of hazardous chemicals from a poorly designed building that creates, and traps them. INTRODUCTION Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's lif e-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.This requires close cooperation of the design team, the architects, the engineers, and the client at all project stages. [1] The Green Building practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. [2]Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating greener structures, the common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by: Efficiently using energy, water, and other resourcesProtecting occupant health and improving employee productivity Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation[2] A similar concept is natural building, which is usually on a smaller scale and tends to focus on the use of natural materials that are available locally. [3] Other related topics i nclude sustainable design and green architecture. Sustainability may be defined as meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. [4] Green building does not specifically address the issue of the retrofitting existing homes.Reducing environmental impact Green building practices aim to reduce the environmental impact of buildings, so the very first rule is: the greenest building is the building that doesn't get built. New construction almost always degrades a building site, so not building is preferable to building. The second rule is: every building should be as small as possible. The third rule is: do not contribute to sprawl (the tendency for cities to spread out in a disordered fashion). No matter how much grass you put on your roof, no matter how many energy-efficient windows, etc. you use, if you contribute to sprawl, you've just defeated your purpose. Urban infill sites are preferable to suburban â€Å"gree nfield† sites. Buildings account for a large amount of land. According to the National Resources Inventory, approximately 107 million acres (430,000 km2) of land in the United States are developed. The International Energy Agency released a publication that estimated that existing buildings are responsible for more than 40% of the world’s total primary energy consumption and for 24% of global carbon dioxide emissions. [6] Goals of green buildingThe concept of sustainable development can be traced to the energy (especially fossil oil) crisis and the environment pollution concern in the 1970s. [7] The green building movement in the U. S. originated from the need and desire for more energy efficient and environmentally friendly construction practices. There are a number of motives for building green, including environmental, economic, and social benefits. However, modern sustainability initiatives call for an integrated and synergistic design to both new construction and i n the retrofitting of existing structures.Also known as sustainable design, this approach integrates the building life-cycle with each green practice employed with a design-purpose to create a synergy among the practices used. Green building brings together a vast array of practices, techniques, and skills to reduce and ultimately eliminate the impacts of buildings on the environment and human health. It often emphasizes taking advantage of renewable resources, e. g. , using sunlight through passive solar, active solar, and photovoltaic techniques and using plants and trees through green roofs, rain gardens, and reduction of rainwater run-off.Many other techniques are used, such as using wood as a building material, or using packed gravel or permeable concrete instead of conventional concrete or asphalt to enhance replenishment of ground water. While the practices, or technologies, employed in green building are constantly evolving and may differ from region to region, fundamental p rinciples persist from which the method is derived: Siting and Structure Design Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Materials Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality Enhancement, Operations and Maintenance Optimization, and Waste and Toxics Reduction. 8][9] The essence of green building is an optimization of one or more of these principles. Also, with the proper synergistic design, individual green building technologies may work together to produce a greater cumulative effect. On the aesthetic side of green architecture or sustainable design is the philosophy of designing a building that is in harmony with the natural features and resources surrounding the site. There are several key steps in designing sustainable buildings: specify ‘green' building materials from local sources, reduce loads, optimize systems, and generate on-site renewable energy.Life cycle assessment (LCA) A life cycle assessment (LCA) can help avoid a narrow outlook on environmental, social an d economic concerns[10] by assessing a full range of impacts associated with all cradle-to-grave stages of a process: from extraction of raw materials through materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling. Impacts taken into account include (among others) embodied energy, global warming potential, resource use, air pollution, water pollution, and waste.In terms of green building, the last few years have seen a shift away from a prescriptive approach, which assumes that certain prescribed practices are better for the environment, toward the scientific evaluation of actual performance through LCA. Although LCA is widely recognized as the best way to evaluate the environmental impacts of buildings (ISO 14040 provides a recognized LCA methodology), it is not yet a consistent requirement of green building rating systems and codes, despite the fact that embodied energy and other life cycle impacts are critical to the design of envi ronmentally responsible buildings.The foundation of any construction project is rooted in the concept and design stages. The concept stage, in fact, is one of the major steps in a project life cycle, as it has the largest impact on cost and performance. [12] In designing environmentally optimal buildings, the objective is to minimize the total environmental impact associated with all life-cycle stages of the building project. However, building as a process is not as streamlined as an industrial process, and varies from one building to the other, never repeating itself identically.In addition, buildings are much more complex products, composed of a multitude of materials and components each constituting various design variables to be decided at the design stage. A variation of every design variable may affect the environment during all the building's relevant life-cycle stages. [13] *Energy efficiency Green buildings often include measures to reduce energy consumption – both t he embodied energy required to extract, process, transport and install building materials and operating energy to provide services such as heating and power for equipment.As high-performance buildings use less operating energy, embodied energy has assumed much greater importance – and may make up as much as 30% of the overall life cycle energy consumption. Studies such as the U. S. LCI Database Project [14] show buildings built primarily with wood will have a lower embodied energy than those built primarily with brick, concrete or steel. [15]To reduce operating energy use, designers use details that reduce air leakage through the building envelope (the barrier between conditioned and unconditioned space).They also specify high-performance windows and extra insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors. Another strategy, passive solar building design, is often implemented in low-energy homes. Designers orient windows and walls and place awnings, porches, and trees[16] to shade win dows and roofs during the summer while maximizing solar gain in the winter. In addition, effective window placement (daylighting) can provide more natural light and lessen the need for electric lighting during the day. Solar water heating further reduces energy costs.Onsite generation of renewable energy through solar power, wind power, hydro power, or biomass can significantly reduce the environmental impact of the building. Power generation is generally the most expensive feature to add to a building. Water efficiency Reducing water consumption and protecting water quality are key objectives in sustainable building. One critical issue of water consumption is that in many areas, the demands on the supplying aquifer exceed its ability to replenish itself. To the maximum extent feasible, facilities should increase their dependence on water that is collected, used, purified, and reused on-site.The protection and conservation of water throughout the life of a building may be accomplish ed by designing for dual plumbing that recycles water in toilet flushing. Waste-water may be minimized by utilizing water conserving fixtures such as ultra-low flush toilets and low-flow shower heads. Bidets help eliminate the use of toilet paper, reducing sewer traffic and increasing possibilities of re-using water on-site. Point of use water treatment and heating improves both water quality and energy efficiency while reducing the amount of water in circulation.The use of non-sewage and greywater for on-site use such as site-irrigation will minimize demands on the local aquifer. [17] Materials efficiency Building materials typically considered to be ‘green' include lumber from forests that have been certified to a third-party forest standard, rapidly renewable plant materials like bamboo and straw, dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled metal (see: copper sustainability and recyclability), and other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or recyclable (e. . , Trass, Linoleum, sheep wool, panels made from paper flakes, compressed earth block, adobe, baked earth, rammed earth, clay, vermiculite, flax linen, sisal, seagrass, cork, expanded clay grains, coconut, wood fibre plates, calcium sand stone, concrete (high and ultra high performance, roman self-healing concrete[18]), etc. 19][20]) The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) also suggests using recycled industrial goods, such as coal combustion products, foundry sand, and demolition debris in construction projects [21] Building materials should be extracted and manufactured locally to the building site to minimize the energy embedded in their transportation. Where possible, building elements should be manufactured off-site and delivered to site, to maximise benefits of off-site manufacture including minimising waste, maximising recycling (because manufacture is in one location), high quality elements, better OHS management, less noise and ust. Waste reduction Green architecture also seeks to reduce waste of energy, water and materials used during construction. For example, in California nearly 60% of the state's waste comes from commercial buildings[32] During the construction phase, one goal should be to reduce the amount of material going to landfills. Well-designed buildings also help reduce the amount of waste generated by the occupants as well, by providing on-site solutions such as compost bins to reduce matter going to landfills.To reduce the amount of wood that goes to landfill, Neutral Alliance (a coalition of government, NGOs and the forest industry) created the website dontwastewood. com. The site includes a variety of resources for regulators, municipalities, developers, contractors, owner/operators and individuals/homeowners looking for information on wood recycling. When buildings reach the end of their useful life, they are typically demolished and hauled to landfills. Deconstruction is a method of harvesting what is commonly considered â€Å"w aste† and reclaiming it into useful building material. 33] Extending the useful life of a structure also reduces waste – building materials such as wood that are light and easy to work with make renovations easier. [34]To reduce the impact on wells or water treatment plants, several options exist. â€Å"Greywater†, wastewater from sources such as dishwashing or washing machines, can be used for subsurface irrigation, or if treated, for non-potable purposes, e. g. , to flush toilets and wash cars. Rainwater collectors are used for similar purposes. Centralized wastewater treatment systems can be costly and use a lot of energy.An alternative to this process is converting waste and wastewater into fertilizer, which avoids these costs and shows other benefits. By collecting human waste at the source and running it to a semi-centralized biogas plant with other biological waste, liquid fertilizer can be produced. This concept was demonstrated by a settlement in Lubeck Germany in the late 1990s. Practices like these provide soil with organic nutrients and create carbon sinks that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, offsetting greenhouse gas emission. Producing artificial fertilizer is also more costly in energy than this process. [35]

Black People and Story Essay

What is the relevance of the title in Toni Morrison’s â€Å"Recitatif? † â€Å"Recitatif† is a short story written by Toni Morrison and first published in the anthropology â€Å"Confirmation: An Anthropology of American Women† in 1983. The author creates a pioneering story about the lives of two young girls, Roberta and Twyla, living in an orphanage during a period of racial inequality. Both girls had been taken away from their mothers, one for illness and one for indiscretion. What makes this story unique is that, while the characters are clearly separated by class, neither is affirmed as African American or Caucasian. In order to address the essential social issue of that time, Toni Morrison presents five sections that span many years; the author provides a clear insight of inequality between white and black people. Moreover, with the publication of â€Å"Recitatif†, â€Å"Morrison raised issues engaging middle-class black women whose education and personal achievements create tensions within and outside of the black community† (Fultz). A considerable aspect of this story is the title of the work. â€Å"RecitÐ °tif† is a derivation of the word â€Å"recitative† which may be defined as a spoken singing style used in opera and oratories. A now-obsolete meaning is the rhythm peculiar to any language; furthermore, this word uses the root â€Å"recite† which also has special meaning. To recite, or to tell from memory, exemplifies that the story written by Toni Morrison was from a series of memories. Both of these definitions suggest the episodic nature of this story (Kusumoto). The plot is the key to understanding the meaning of the title. There are five encounters that show what occurs when two people have contradictory memories about the same event. For example, when Twyla realizes that she and Roberta have completely different memories of a significant event, she asks, â€Å"I wouldn’t forget a thing like that. Would I? † (Bakara & Bakara). Such uncertainty highlights to the main theme of the story. This instability of memory is expressed through narrative collage – â€Å"Recitatif† brings together the rhythms of 2 different lives for 5 short moments that are narrated by Twyla’s voice. The story is, then, in several ways, Twyla’s â€Å"rÐ µcitatif. † The title of the story accurately conveys some changes in actual voice throughout the text; for example, when Twyla is a younger, it is obvious that the author â€Å"speaks† in a child’s voice. In some cases, it seems that this girl is too thoughtful to be the little child, but the author conveys her voice in such a way that there is no doubt that she is. The sing song voice applies to the narrator as well as to the nature of other characters in the story. Radical changes are visible during Roberta’s and Twyla’s meetings; moreover, the sing song nature of race is also a part of the character’s makeup. Each of them shows clues that may be interpreted as rÐ µpresenting a black or white race. That is why readers try to compare the various aspects of the story in order to identify the race it characterizes. This story develops like acts in an opera, presenting its characters at different points in life. Here is an interesting fact: the voice of the narrator grows with its character much as children grow throughout their life. The title describes Morrison’s prose narrative and provides that the use of â€Å"gaps† is an integral part of this story. They are left out purposely by the author so they can be filled in by readers. In the first lines of the story it may seems that â€Å"Recitatif† tells a simple story about the interactions of two girls. Toni Morrison divided this short story into five encounters which describe the ongoing narrative events from the lives of these two women. These interludes imitate the spoken singing style and narrative of the Morrison story implied by its title. The term â€Å"gaps† is suitable for this story because each encounter is separated by long periods of time that leave the reader guessing; as an example, Roberta’s reference to Jimi Hendrix at the meeting in the HÐ ¾ward JÐ ¾hnsons. Before the reference, readers are certainly unsure of the time period of this meeting, but with the mention of this famous pop star, everyone can fill in the gap and realize this part of the story takes place in the 1960s. In conclusion, it can be said that the title of Toni Morrison’s story plays an essential role in the story. It accurately conveys the style of writing and the use of different techniques throughout the story. Works cited: Bakara, Imamu Amiri, and Amina Bakara. Confirmation: An Anthology of African American Women. 1st ed. Morrow, 1983. Print. Fultz, Lucille P. Toni Morrison: Playing With Difference. University of Illinois Press, 2003. Print. Kusumoto, Jitsuko. â€Å"Memories of the Daughters from â€Å"Recitatif† to Beloved. â€Å". 21-24, 2008. Web. 26 Feb 2013. .