Problem definition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Problem definition - Essay Example Although there are movable shields that can be in some of the lathes, there are few to be used in all lathes simultaneously. Moreover, only a few lathes have a break that is a concern according to established standards. II. The students are also disadvantaged in the shop in terms of technology. The students have only been exposed to manual means of operation. This is the case while technology has been embraced in operation of machines. As it is, technology has enabled to put some requirements in the computer and the machine progresses on its own. However, manual operation may be paramount to the students but makes them be behind in terms of embracing technology. The college prides itself as having Mechatronics major as a primary area of study. One of the core issues to be covered on this are is designing and machine operation. Hence, it is paramount that students are exposed on right C&C equipment. Therefore, lack of these equipments will deny the students the proper accreditation they need. The fact is that there is enough money for this upgrade. Grants have also been made available for installation of C&C lathes. The soon this is done the better for proper utilization of time by the

Motivation and Leadership Effect on Job Performance Essay Example for Free

Motivation and Leadership Effect on Job Performance Essay Introduction Leadership and motivation traditionally play a very important role in the functioning of organizations. Nowadays, the role of leadership and motivation increases even more significantly because of the growing competition and the increasing significance of human resources for the progress of organizations. In fact, it should be pointed out that leadership and motivation are closely entangled concepts which constitute an important part of the success of an organization. It is obvious that the effective leadership and motivation can contribute to the progress of an organization, while poor leadership and the lack of motivation can weaken the normal functioning of an organization and lead to the crisis within an organization that will naturally affects its performance. In this respect, it is important to underline the fact that leadership and motivation affect considerably the organizational behavior and culture and they define the formation of the effective relationships between the personnel of an organization. In such a situation, it is necessary to fully reveal the significance of leadership and motivation in the current business environment in order to assess adequately perspective of the improvement of the effectiveness of leadership and motivation within an organization. At the same time, the analysis of theoretical framework only, it appears that insufficient for the understanding of the significance of leadership and motivation for the performance of an organization. Consequently, it is also necessary to pay a particular attention to the practical aspects of leadership and motivation  that means that it is necessary to analyze some practical examples that could reveal the significance of leadership and motivation for the performance of a n organization Review of Literature Motivation and Job Performance * The level of performance of employees relies not only on their actual skills but also on the level of motivation each person exhibits (Burney et al., 2007). * Motivation is an inner drive or an external inducement to behave in some particular way, typically a way that will lead to rewards (Dessler, 1978). * Over-achieving, talented employees are the driving force of all firms so it is essential that organizations try hard to motivate and hold on to the best employees (Harrington, 2003). * The quality of human resource management is a critical influence on the performance of the firm. Concern for strategic integration, commitment flexibility and quality, has called for attention for employee’s motivation and retention. Financial motivation has become the most concern in today’s organization, and tying to apply Maslow’s basic needs, non-financial aspect only comes in when financial motivation has failed. * According to Greenberg and Baron (2003, 2000) definition of motivation could be divided into three main parts. The first part looks at arousal that deals with the drive, or energy behind individual (s) action. People turn to be guided by their interest in making a good impression on others, doing interesting work and being successful in what they do. The second part referring to the choice people make and the direction their behavior takes. The last part deals with maintaining behavior clearly defining how long people have to persist at attempting to meet their goals. * Motivation can be intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic motivation concerns behavior influenced by obtaining external rewards (Hitt, Esser, Marriott, 1992). Praise or positive feedback, money, and the absence of punishment are examples of extrinsic or external rewards (Deci, 1980). Intrinsic motivation is the motivation to do something simply for the pleasure of performing that particular activity (Hagedoorn and Van Yperen, 2003). Examples of intrinsic factors are interesting work, recognition, growth, and achievement. *  Several studies have found there to be a positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and job per formance as well as intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction (Linz, 2003). This is significant to firms in todays highly competitive business environment in that intrinsically motivated employees will perform better and, therefore, be more productive, and also because satisfied employees will remain loyal to their organization and feel no pressure or need to move to a different firm. * Deci and Ryan (2000) conducted and replicated an experiment that showed the negative impact of monetary rewards on intrinsic motivation and performance. A group of college students were asked to work on an interesting puzzle. Some were paid and some were not paid for the work. The students that were not being paid worked longer on the puzzle and found it more interesting than the students being paid. When the study was brought into a workplace setting, employees felt that their behavior was being controlled in a dehumanizing and alienating manner by the rewards. It was discovered that rewards would seriously decrease an employees motivation to ever perform the task being rewarded, or one similar to it, any time in the future. Another observation of the study was that employees would expect a reward every time the task was to be completed if the reward was offered at one time. Employees would require the reward in order to perform the job and would probably expect the reward to increase in amount. If the rewards were not increased or if they were taken away they actually served as negative reinforcement. * Deci and Ryan (2001), in collaboration with two of their colleagues, conducted a study to examine the effects of performance-contingent rewards on an employees intrinsic motivation. * (Cameron, Deci, Koestner, and Ryan, 2001). These types of rewards are very controlling since these rewards are directly associated with an employees performance of some task. In that respect, performance-contingent rewards undermine intrinsic motivation; however, if the reward given to the employee conveys that the employee has performed on a truly outstanding level, the reward would serve to solidify that employees sense of competence and decrease the negative effect on that employees intrinsic motivation. Also significant in the study was the importance of the interpersonal atmosphere within which the performance-contingent rewards were distributed. * When Cameron et al. (2001) compared the administering of rewards in a controlling climate and in  a non-controlling climate, they discovered that the performance-contingent rewards given in the more controlling interpersonal climate undermined intrinsic motivation. To prevent the decrease in employees intrinsic motivation, the interpersonal climate when distributing performance-contingent rewards should be more supportive. * Vroom (1964) proposes that people are motivated by how much they want something and how likely they think they are to get it he suggest that motivation leads to efforts and the efforts combined with employees ability together with environment factors which interplay’s resulting to performance. This performance interns lead to various outcomes, each of which has an associated value called Valence. * Adams (1965) on his part suggests that people are motivated to seek social equity in the rewards they receive for high performance. According to him the outcome from job includes; pay recognition, promotion, social relationship and intrinsic reward. To get these rewards various inputs needs to be employed by the employees to the job as time, experience, efforts, education and loyalty.He suggests that, people tend to view their outcomes and inputs as a ratio and then compare these ratios with others and turn to become motivated if this ratio is high. Leadership Effectiveness and Job Performance Leadership, or more specifically effective leadership, is every bit as crucial (if not more so) in African Organizations as it is throughout the world. African organizations are no different from others Worldwide in terms of striving for performance in order to be globally competitive. The South African situation, however, is incredibly complex as many organizations are caught in the middle of a web of authoritarian hierarchies and traditional leadership approaches, as well as bureaucratic hierarchies mixed with modern approaches to leadership * (Grobler, Wà ¤rnich, Carrell, Elbert and Hatfield, 2002). It is argued that effective leadership has a positive influence on the performance of organizations (Maritz, 1995; Bass, 1997; Charlton, 2000). Ultimately it is the performance of many Individuals that culminates in the performance of the organization, or in the achievement of organizational goals. Effective leadership is  instrumental in ensuring organizational performance. * (Cummings and Schwab, 1973; Hellriegel, Jackson, Slocum, Staude, Amos, Klopper, Louw and Oosthuizen, 2004). As a result, many leadership theories have been proposed in the last fifty years which are claimed to have influenced the overall effectiveness of the organizations where they have been employed. In the competitive world business environment it is vital that organisations employ leadership styles that enable organisations to survive in a dynamic environment. * (Maritz, 1995; Bass,1997) Performance has been defined by Hellriegel, Jackson and Slocum (1999) as the level of an individual’s work achievement after having exerted effort. * Cummings and Schwab (1973) and Whittenand Cameron (1998) believe that performance is ultimately an individual phenomenon with environmental variables influencing performance primarily through their effect on the individual determinants of performance – ability and motivation. * Behling and McFillen (1996) confirmed the link between high performance and leadership in the United States by developing a model of charismatic/transformational leadership where the leaders’ behaviour is said to give rise to inspiration, awe and empowerment in his subordinates, resulting in exceptionally high effort, exceptionally high commitment and willingness to take risks. It has been widely accepted that effective organizations require effective leadership, and organizational performance will suffer in direct proportion to the neglect of this (Maritz, 1995; Ristow, Amos and Staude, 1999).

ICE Construction Contract

ICE Construction Contract The ICE Conditions of Contract 7th edition Measurement Version 1. Introduction The ICE contract has been around since 1945 and is intended for use on civil engineering work. Civil engineering work is fundamentally different from building work it involves fewer trades, but can be much bigger in scale; there is greater uncertainty in civil engineering work, particularly in ground works. When a site investigation takes place for building work, bore holes and trial pits usually give a good indication of the extent of ground water, rock and the like; in the case of a large reservoir, for example, it is impossible to be as certain. This in turn can mean that structural work needs to be varied. For these reasons the work has to be remeasured and valued as it progresses, the bill of quantities being approximate a point of confusion is when should work be measured and valued under the contracts variation provisions, and when should the remeasurement provisions be used. The bill of quantities therefore has two main functions; firstly, as a tendering document; and secon dly, as a basis for valuation. The contract does not recognise the existence of a quantity surveyor. All payment and valuation is by the engineer, although a Q.S. may actually do some of this work. This note does not cover everything in the conditions, but highlights some of the more contentious areas. 2. Discussion of Clauses Generally The clauses contain no punctuation. Only a court can decide where punctuation can go. Clause 1 definitions and interpretations Sub-clause (1)(c ) defines the Engineer. The Engineer is a person or Firm..This should be read in conjunction with clause 2(2)(a) the contractor must know who will be giving it instructions. Sub-clause (1)(v) defines the site. This can include other places and not just the land where work is taking place. Sub-clause (2) defines cost .all expenditure properly incurred or to be incurred whether on or off site including overhead finance and other charges properly allocatable thereto but does not include any allowance for profit. Clause 2 The Engineer and the Engineers Representative The Engineer Carries out duties specified in or implied by the contract Has the authority specified in or implied in the contract A named Chartered Engineer must act as the engineer if a firm is stated in the contract, a named individual must be nominated within 7 days of the award of the contract, and before the works commencement date The Engineer can be replaced the contractor must be informed The Engineers Representative Has more power than the clerk of works under JCT Engineers duties may be delegated, apart from decisions and certificates under 12(6), 44, 48, 60(4), 61, 65 or 66. Delegation shall be in writing with a copy to the contractor Assistants The Engineer or the ER may appoint assistants to assist the ER. Names shall be notified to the contractor. Assistants are purely concerned to secure the acceptance of materials and workmanship as being in accordance with the contract. They can issue instructions only in relation to these matters. Instructions Shall be in writing However, the contractor shall comply with oral instructions different from JCT. Oral instructions can be confirmed in writing by the contractor or Engineer no time limit, but as soon as is possible under the circumstances The Engineer or ER can be asked to specify under which of the Engineers duties or authorities the instruction was issued. It does not refer to an empowering provision, another clause in the contract, unlike JCT Clause 5 (documents mutually explanatory) This clause is very brief but highly contentious. On the face of it, it says that the various documents forming the contract shall be taken as mutually explanatory and any ambiguities shall explained and adjusted by the engineer who shall thereupon issue instructions in writing to the contractor. These instructions shall be regarded as instructions issued under clause 13. (More will be said about clause 13 later on!). Does this clause mean that only ambiguities and discrepancies included in the tender documents can be adjusted? If an error in the tender documents was so obvious when looking at the documents as a whole, should an engineer refuse to issue an instruction? Unlike JCT, the contractor does not have to notify the engineer about any matters requiring clarification. On the other hand the word shall imposes a duty on the engineer to issue instructions and does not confer any discretion on the engineer. It is curious that clause 13(3) refers back to clause 5 and allows for payment to be made to the contractor, but clause 5 itself makes no mention of payment. See also the comments on clause 8 below. Clause 7 (further drawings specifications and instructions) There are two classes of further drawings specifications and instructions: i). Those which amplify and explain what is already in the contract. ii). Those which require any variation to any part of the Works.. In this case the work is deemed to be a variation under clause 51 i.e. no formal instruction in writing is needed. The express link between clause 7 and clause 51 implies that the valuation rules under clause 52 should apply. It should also be noted that the contractor could be paid under clause 13, although clause 7 does not state this. Under sub-clause (1) the information shall be supplied from time to time. This means that the engineer can take into account the contractors actual progress on the job. Sub-clause (3) States that the contractor shall give adequate notice in writing. and sub-clause (4) allows for the contractor to be given an extension of time and extra costs if it is delayed by failure or inability of the Engineer to issue at a time reasonable in all the circumstances Drawings, Specifications or instructions requested by the contractor.. The words requested by the contractor are rather ambiguous is formal written notice under sub-clause (3) a condition precedent to the operation of sub-clause (4)? Clause 8(1) (contractors general responsibilities) Under this provision the contractor shall (a) construct and complete the works (the meaning of such phrases has already been covered) (b) provide all labour materialsand everything.required .for such construction and completion so far as the necessity for providing the same is specified in or reasonably to be inferred from the Contract. The highlighted words suggest that if ambiguities and discrepancies could be corrected by inference from other contract documents, then the contractor could not expect the engineer to act under clauses 5 and 13. Clause 10 (performance security) This very important clause will be discussed in the lecture on insurances and bonds. Clauses 11 and 12 (the basis on which the tender was based/ claims arising from adverse physical conditions and artificial obstructions) Clause 11 Sub-clause (1) under ICE 6 the employer was deemed to have made available to the Contractor, before submission of tenders, all information on ground works obtained by or on behalf of the Employer from investigations undertaken relevant to the Works. This meant that the employer should have given the contractor every piece of information about the site that was in the employers possession, and if he did not do so the contractor could have grounds for a claim under clause 12 irrespective of the contractors obligation to inspect the site under sub-clause (2). The wording has now been changed to reflect the fairer position that the contractor should have priced that job on the basis of the information actually passed to it (subject to its obligation to inspect the site under sub-clause (2). A new section (1)(b) has been added covering pipes and cables in on or over the ground. Second part of 11(1) the contractor is responsible for the interpretation of all such information for the purposes of constructing the Works. does this refer to the tender preparation or the work on site? Sub-clause (2) inspection of site the contractor is deemed to have (a) inspected the site (b) to have satisfied himself so far as is practicable and reasonable on (i) the form and nature of the ground (ii) the extent and nature of the work (iii) means of communication and access etc. to the site (iv) obtaining information as to risks contingencies and all other circumstances Sub-clause (3) basis and sufficiency of tender the contractor shall be deemed to have (a) based his tender on his own inspection and the information made available by the Employer or obtained by the contractor (b) satisfied himself as to the correctness and sufficiency of the rates and prices stated by him in the bill of quantities. Clause 12 Sub-clause (1) Has the Contractor encountered physical conditions (other than weather conditions or conditions due to weather conditions) or artificial obstructions which could not reasonably have been foreseen by an experienced Contractor? Clearly, foreseeability would need to be examined in the light of what information the employer passed to the contractor under 11(1) and the information that should have been gathered by the contractor under 11(2). If so written notice should be given Under sub-clause (2) the Contractor shall at the same time or as soon thereafter as may be reasonable inform the Engineer in writing pursuant to Clause 53 and/or Clause 44(1) that he intends to claim costs and/or time NB clause 53 has a 28 day limit! Sub-clause (3) requires the Contractor to give details of any anticipated effects of the physical conditions or artificial obstructions; measures he has taken or is taking; and anticipated effects, costs and delays in or interference with the carrying out of the Works (whether or not the contractor intends to submit a claim). Sub-clause (4) action by the engineer he may require the Contractor to investigate and report on alternative measures; he can give written consent to the measures taken by the Contractor; give written instructions as to how the physical condition or artificial obstruction should be dealt with; and he can order suspension under clause 40 or a variation under clause 51 Up to this point there is no admission of liability on behalf of the employer unless a variation has been ordered Sub-clause (5) if the Engineer decides that the physical condition or artificial obstruction could have been reasonably foreseen by an experienced Contractor then the Engineer shall inform the Contractor in writing however, any variation ordered under sub-clause (4)(d) shall be paid under Clause 52. Sub-clause (6) the engineer determines the delay and costs incurred with a reasonable addition for profit, and any extension of time provided that the conditions or obstructions could not reasonably have been foreseen by an experienced contractor. There is no need for the contractor to submit a separate claim for an extension of time under clause 44. Clause 13 Sub-clause (1) (work to be to satisfaction of engineer) Save insofar as it is legally or physically impossible the Contractor shall construct and complete the Works in strict accordance with the Contract.and shall comply with and adhere strictly to the Engineers instructions on any matter connected therewith (whether mentioned in the Contract or not). These words have barely changed over the years, and have been considered by the courts in several prominent cases. Consider the following scenario: A contractor is asked to forward a method statement with his tender. When the work starts it soon becomes apparent that the contractors method statement is impossible to work to, and he has to do the work in a more expensive manner. Can the contractor claim the extra costs involved? Sub-clause (2) states that the mode and manner of construction shall be to the engineers satisfaction. Sub-clause (3) gives the procedure for dealing with delay and extra costs. A final point to consider; should variations be issued under clause 51 or 13?! Clause 14 The Programme The programme under ICE has much more significance than under ICE, but not as much as under the NEC. It is, however, not a contract document. The programme should be submitted by the contractor within 21 days of the award of the contract. There are procedures for the Engineer to accept or reject the programme with reasons. In that case the contractor must amend and resubmit the programme. These procedures are all carried out in 21 day time frames. Together with the programme the engineer may request a general description of the arrangements and methods of construction. The accepted programme should be revised if the Engineer considers that the actual progress of work does not confirm to the programme. Clause 40 The Engineer may instruct the contractor to suspend the progress of the works or any part thereof. Subject to the exceptions listed, the contractor can be given an extension of time and costs. Clause 41 The contractor shall start the works as soon as is reasonably practicable after the works commencement date. The contractor should proceed with due expedition and without delay. Clause 44 The contractor should give notice within 28 days if the matters listed entitle him to an extension of time. Note sub-clause (1)(f) other special circumstances of any kind whatsoever This would be interpreted contra proferentem by a court. The Engineer shall make an assessment of the delay and notify the contractor in writing. The Engineer shall also make an assessment in the absence of a written notice from the contractor. The Engineer can make an interim extension award. This cannot later be reduced. The Engineer makes a further assessment at the due date for completion. Again, this cannot later be reduced. The Engineer makes a final determination within 28 days of substantial completion. Clause 46 If the Engineer considers that the contractors rate of progress is too slow, he may issue a notice to the contractor. The contractor shall then take steps to expedite the progress of the works. This is not acceleration. Acceleration is covered by sub-clause (3). Clause 47 liquidated damages Unlike JCT, the Engineer does not issue a notice of non-completion/ Note that under ICE, the deduction of LADs is suspended for the period of an intervening variation, then resumes. JCT does not specifically state this, but legally the position is the same. Clause 48 This covers substantial completion, which is different from practical completion under JCT. under ICE the contractor starts the procedure by notifying the Engineer; there is no such notice under JCT. The Engineer decides within 21 days. The work so certified shall have passed any final test. Outstanding work can be completed after substantial completion; there are no criteria defining when such work can so be permitted. Clause 49 Covers outstanding work. The contractor must continue insuring this work until it is accepted. Clauses 51 and 52 variations and their valuation These are similar to JCT. Note that if the contractor informs the Engineer that a rate for work not the subject of the variation is rendered inapplicable by the variation, the Engineer shall fix the rate. Clause 53 additional payments Claims are submitted under this clause, apart from any dealt with by clauses 12 or 13. Note that the basis of payment is cost, not loss and/or expense. Clauses 55-57 Measurement ICE is a measure and value contract, so procedures for remeasurement need to be included. The quantities in the BQ are estimates The Engineer ascertains by admeasurement Rates can be adjusted if the quantity of an item increases or decreases this is determined by the engineer after consulting the contractor The contractor is to be given an opportunity to attend for measurement if he does not, the Engineers measurements are taken to be correct. Remeasured work may be valued on daywork The method of measurement is CESMM unless otherwise provided in the contract Clause 60 Certificates and Payments The contractor prepares interim payment applications unless the contractor decides one is not needed Payments are made monthly A minimum amount stated in the appendix must be reached before a payment is made Interest is payable on overdue payments. This is in addition to the right of suspension under the Construction Act. Within 3 months of the defects correction certificate, the contractor shall forward to the Engineer a statement of final account. Within a further 3 months the Engineer issues the certificate. This is only a payment certificate and signifies nothing else. Clause 61 Defects Correction Certificate This is issued At the end of the DC period If more than one DC period applies, it is issued at the end of the last period Outstanding work under 48 must be completed Making good under 49 and 50 must be completed The certificate states the date when the contractor shall have completed his obligations to construct and complete the Works to the Engineers satisfaction. This is the most important certificate under ICE. Compare this certificate with the final certificate under JCT.

Hawaiian History :: Hawaii

Hawaiians should have rights to their own land and not let foreigners disrupt their daily habits and life. If a foreigner takes allegiance to Hawai’i they not only have the accessibility of a citizen but also the perks that go with citizenship. Foreigners would be able to marry the women of Hawai’i while they have wives back home in their previous motherland. Foreigners that are aiding to Hawai’i can stay as aliens and be just as effective. There is no need for them to gain citizenship and take an oath of allegiance for their help. If a foreigner wants a piece a land all he needs to do is take an oath of allegiance and he is able to have a piece of land. If too many foreigners enter Hawai’i, their culture will take over. The majority will consist of the foreigners and their government will take over. Too many foreigners will cause much more damage to the native Hawaiian population. The number of full Hawaiians will decrease if foreigners continu e to enter the island of Hawai’i. Foreigners also brought diseases over to Hawai’i and the Hawaiians did not have a sufficient immune system therefore they died. The population went from one million people to 134,000. This was in a span of forty-five years. Since the haoles were immune to the disease they were able to carry on and grow stronger. Hawaiians thought that since the foreigners were not getting sick they must be considered gods. Lies were repeated over and over by the haole and this is how they built there civilization. Not only did they bring diseases but they also brought merchants. These ruthless, money hungry traders wanted land and ports for shipping. As more foreigners came to Hawai’i, more problems occurred. Priest preached the word of God, Christianity, but this was contradictory to the Hawaiian religion and their way of life. The Hawaiians believed that every single thing in the world had a god. The palm trees had a god, the grass had a god, the ocean had a god, the sky had a god, etc. So when Christianity came, the idea of one God was amazing and absurd to them. I despise the fact that foreigners came here and changed almost every aspect of Hawai’i.

Case Analysis: Staffing Wal-Mart Stores Essay

Wal-Mart has been ranked in the Fortune’s list of the top 100 companies to work for in the United States (Mark, 2003). Wal-Mart had increased their workforce from 1996 to 2001 by almost 50 percent, of which the percentage of women decreased from 67 percent to 64 percent during this time. Wal- Mart had used a hierarchical human resources (HR) structure that consisted of several levels of management, divisions, and regions. â€Å"In 2001, management employees earned about $50,000 on average while hourly employees earned $18,000† (Mark, 2003). Wal-Mart’s â€Å"Division One† had over 2,600 stores which were organized in five or six divisions, with five or six regions within their given area, and 80 to 85 stores within each region (Mark, 2003). Policies were set on a computer-based information system that employees could access at any time, along with watching videos on the company’s history, and reading the associate handbook. Promotions were given based on performance evaluations and requirements. Certain allegations were made that Wal-Mart was more male oriented in higher-level positions, and overall hiring more men than women. Wal-Mart created a goal to make the percentage of women employees 50 percent of the workforce. A problem exists in that Wal-Mart has fought off any organizing attempts of unions by their employees, which limits employees’ influence on policies and company process’s. This problem filters down to the hiring and promotional process that occurs within the company. As stated in the case study, â€Å"†¦from date of hire until first being promoted to an assistant manager was 4.38 years for women and 2.86 years for men. For store managers, the times were 10.12 years and 8.64 years respectively† (Mark, 2003). From the numbers, men were promoted faster than women, but Wal-Mart states that promotions were given based on performance evaluations. Furthermore, it was stated store managers filled positions with lateral moves and waiving minimum requirements as a way of bypassing the process (Mark, 2003). Wal-Mart published documents to reflect how committed they are to fair practices. On the flip side, the public can now scrutinize Wal-Mart by using their public reports against them. A public article stated, â€Å"women associates had stated that Wal-Mart supervisors told them that men were paid more because they had families† (Mark, 2003). Included in the same article was a Wal-Mart official that admitted to writing that customers should feel as if they can trust Wal-Mart employees â€Å"with their wife and their wallet† (Mark, 2003). Additional information would have to be offered pertaining to the required practices and process’s Wal-Mart has in place for the hiring of employees and promoting employees from within the company. Does Wal-Mart have a policy where an entry-level employee can be hired, and managers and supervisors are promoted from within the company? Surveys and reports taken from current employees for their thoughts on the numbers of men to women in various positions will help with determining where and how severe the problem is. Why is Wal-Mart continuously voted one of the best company’s to work for if there was a serious problem internally? Possible solutions to the problem can range from having more People Division (HR) employees to oversee a smaller number of stores, to filtering public reports that may potentially create a negative perception of the company. Implementing more People Division employees within each region will allow more attention to be given for each store. Wal-Mart looks to move towards making their employment equity record balanced. This is apparent when taking into consideration the numerous letters to managers to push for making the numbers of men to women more equal. Wal-Mart can filter applications submitted and have them separated and reviewed on an as needed basis on what gender is needed more at a specific store. Rank the applications per region based on specific qualifications and gender. Then rank the region and the stores within this region on which store needs more women or men employees. For promoting employees, a minimum requirements list should be associated with each job position. A series of events should happen for each promotion beginning with the supervising manager and ending with the People Division Executive Vice President. Possible candidates are nominated and then screened by higher-level management along with those that apply. Only employees that meet all the requirements should be considered. Regional management will have the biggest influence on the hiring or promotion of an employee since they are ultimately responsible for that region. To be equal to all candidates applying for a given promotion, a test or jeopardy style game should be played and the winner is given first chance to take job. The test and game questions will pertain to company policies, job duties, and associate handbook information. Another solution would be for the employees to form a union. This would give the employees some power to fight for their working rights. Unionizing the employees would give them some power to make sure all employees were treated fairly within their workplace. Adding more people to the People Division will increase employee expenses for the company. Also, the addition of more People Division employees will create more training to be done and could take People Division employees away from their daily responsibilities. On the other hand, the addition of more People Division employees could help with balancing out a gender issue and hiring more of one gender than the other. More People Division employee’s means that you can have more HR employees present at more stores at one time. This will help with moving towards employment equity faster and mitigating any problems quicker. This may be the best solution for Wal-Mart and maintaining their reputation for being one the best companies to work for. As for the filtering of applications, having minimum requirements set for each job, and regional management having a large influence on the decision for who gets promoted, this would all cause more attention for them. Filtering applications may already be done, but this can lead to being accused of discrimination. Wal-Mart stating that they â€Å"urge† their supervisors to correct any inequalities in the store that pertain to gender is already a basis for being accused of gender discrimination. A store has fewer women than men and the store hires women to balance it out. The men are being discriminated now. An employee of a specific gender is promoted to balance out the men to women ratio amongst regional and store managers. That is still discrimination towards the opposing gender. It would be a lose-lose situation for Wal-Mart. Holding a test and a jeopardy style game could be a viable screening act to allow the most knowledgeable, company savvy person to be first in line for the promotion. The questions will pertain to specific company policies, job duties and responsibilities, and associate handbook. The negative part of this would be creating a competitive environment that can distract employees from their job. Also, time would have to be taken to allow for the taking of the test and the playing of the game, and the possibility of several promotions at the same time would pose a problem. The formation of a union for the Wal-Mart employees would have great benefits for them, but possible negative aspects at the workplace. Being unionized means that the employees would make less money due to union dues, but could have better benefits and more job security. Wal-Mart holds the power by keeping unions out and keeping the power to make decisions without possible employee strikes. Hiring or implementing more People Division employees would play as the best solution for the problem. Increasing the amount of â€Å"eyes† the People Division have in the stores will help with the hiring and promoting of employees to be done quicker. Having more People Division employees means more time at stores and with employees educating them on issues at the workplace, company culture, and the process’s that the company has in place. Rather than regional and area managers visiting every few weeks, there would be a People Division employee visiting a few times a week. The new People Division employees could put more policies in place due to the familiarity of the stores. These policies will be enforced more having the HR employee present more often. This could also alleviate the perception of customers and employees that think men are promoted more based on their gender. Specific requirements are present with each job position and the best candidate for that position would get it. Performance evaluations can help validate a manager’s decision on which he/she nominates to be promoted. A man or woman who are both in the running for the same position, and they both meet the requirements and have similar performance evaluation reports, the person that has been with the company the longest will then be chosen. The article mainly pertains to the employment equity goal within Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart’s constant push against the employees unionizing has allowed them to expand, become the low price leader, and keep company costs low. References Mark, K. (2003). Staffing Wal-Mart Stores, INC. (A) [case study]. Ivey Management Services. Mark, K. (2003). Staffing Wal-Mart Stores, INC. (B) [case study]. Ivey Management Services.

A Person Significant to Me essays

A Person Significant to Me essays You know the saying You dont know what youve got till its gone? Actually, Im finding that out as I write. Today is the first day where I will no longer be able to see my best friend. I woke up this morning to the sun shining in my face thinking that it would be a normal day but couldnt help to notice the photo of him up against my wall and how it soon hit me that he wasnt here anymore. As I kept on thinking why I felt so many undefined emotions, it occurred to me that a piece of me, Alejandro D. would leave an impression on my life that no one else could imitate or replicate. Not only was Alejandro an incredible friend but he was a leader, a role model, and my inspiration to become the best dancer that I knew I could be. Not knowing Alejandro yet, I began dancing in the eighth grade as an experiment to losing weight but then came to realization that dance had become something I was actually good at. As the year commenced I began to work real hard towards the audition for the school of my dreams, New World School of the Arts and prayed to get accepted as an incoming sophomore. New World would soon be the place where I would befriend Alejandro. Before I knew it, my dreams had become a reality where I would then learn that I would benefit far more than just dance at my new school. The new year had begun and anxiety, fear, joy, zeal and determination would be chilling through my bones as I experienced a whole new world. The first week of school had finally ended where I was now learning and growing amongst new friends and dancers. I was finally at a place where I was in the mass of peers who were just as passionate and driven as I. Then and there was when I first saw Alejandro. At 61, the tallest among the dancers, was one of the 14 male dancers at New World. Alejandro was a dancer who had such advanced grace and potential. Classes would become so purposeful with him b...

The Dagenham Womens Strike of 1968

The Dagenham Women's Strike of 1968 Nearly 200 female workers walked out of the Ford Motor Co. plant in Dagenham, England, during the summer of 1968, protesting their unequal treatment. The Dagenham womens strike led to widespread attention and important equal pay legislation in the United Kingdom. Skilled Women The 187 Dagenham women were sewing machinists who made seat covers for the many cars produced by Ford. They protested being placed in the unions B grade of unskilled workers when men who did the same level of work were placed in the semi-skilled C grade. The women also received less pay than men, even men who were also in the B grade or who swept the factory floors. Eventually, the Dagenham womens strike stopped production entirely, since Ford was unable to sell cars without seats. This helped the women and the people watching them realize how important their jobs were. Union Support At first, the union did not support the women strikers. Divisive tactics had often been used by employers to keep male workers from supporting an increase in womens pay. The women of Dagenham said that union leaders did not think much about losing a mere 187 womens union dues out of thousands of workers. However, they remained steadfast and were joined by 195 more women from another Ford plant in England. The Results The Dagenham strike ended after Secretary of State for Employment Barbara Castle met with the women and took up their cause to get them back to work. The women were awarded a pay increase, but the re-grading issue was not resolved until after another strike years later, in 1984, when they were finally classified as skilled workers. Working women throughout the UK benefited from the Dagenham womens strike, which was a precursor to the UKs Equal Pay Act of 1970. The law makes it illegal to have separate pay scales for men and women based on their sex. The Movie The film Made in Dagenham, released in 2010, stars Sally Hawkins as the leader of the strike and features Miranda Richardson as Barbara Castle.

Guide to the Upper Paleolithic

Guide to the Upper Paleolithic The Upper Paleolithic (ca 40,000-10,000 years BP) was a period of great transition in the world. The Neanderthals in Europe became edged out and disappeared by 33,000 years ago, and modern humans began to have the world to themselves. While the notion of a creative explosion has given way to a recognition of a long history of the development of human behaviors long before we humans left Africa, there is no doubt that things really got cooking during the UP. Timeline of the Upper Paleolithic In Europe, it is traditional to split the Upper Paleolithic into five overlapping and somewhat regional variants, based on differences between stone and bone tool assemblages. Chatelperronian (~40,000-34,000 BP) Aurignacian (~45,000-29,000 BP) Gravettian/Upper Perigordian (29,000-22,000)Solutrean (22,000-18,000 BP)Magdalenian (17,000-11,000 BP) Azilian/Federmesser (13,000-11,000 BP) Tools of the Upper Paleolithic Stone tools of the Upper Paleolithic were primarily blade-based technology. Blades are stone pieces that are twice as long as they are wide  and, generally, have parallel sides. They were used to create an astonishing range of formal tools, tools created to specific, wide-spread patterns with specific purposes. In addition, bone, antler, shell and wood were used to a great degree for both artistic and working tool types, including the first eyed needles presumably for making clothing about 21,000 years ago. The UP is perhaps best known for the cave art, wall paintings and engravings of animals and abstractions at caves such as Altamira, Lascaux, and Coa. Another development during the UP is mobiliary art (basically, mobiliary art is that which can be carried), including the famous Venus figurines and sculpted batons of antler and bone carved with representations of animals. Upper Paleolithic Lifestyles People living during the Upper Paleolithic lived in houses, some built of mammoth bone, but most huts with semi-subterranean (dugout) floors, hearths, and windbreaks. Hunting became specialized, and sophisticated planning is shown by the culling of animals, selective choices by season, and selective butchery: the first hunter-gatherer economy. Occasional mass animal killings suggest that in some places and at some times, food storage was practiced. Some evidence (different site types and the so-called schlep effect) suggest that small groups of people went on hunting trips and returned with meat to the base camps. The first domesticated animal appears during the Upper Paleolithic: the dog, companion to us humans for over 15,000 years. Colonization during the UP Humans colonized Australia and the Americas by the end of the Upper Paleolithic  and moved into hitherto unexploited regions such as deserts and tundras. The End of the Upper Paleolithic The end of the UP came about because of climate change: global warming, which affected humanitys ability to fend for itself. Archaeologists have called that period of adjustment the Azilian. Upper Paleolithic Sites See Upper Paleolithic Sites in Europe Israel: Qafzeh Cave, Ohalo II Egypt: Nazlet Khater Morocco: Grotte des Pigeons Australia: Lake Mungo, Devils Lair, Willandra Lakes Japan: Sunagawa Georgia: Dzudzuana Cave China: Yuchanyan Cave Americas Daisy Cave, Monte Verde Sources See specific sites and issues for additional references. Cunliffe, Barry. 1998. Prehistoric Europe: An Illustrated History. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Fagan, Brian (editor). 1996 The Oxford Companion to Archaeology, Brian Fagan. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Reflection essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Reflection - Essay Example Those left have to learn to survive, and find the reason for their existence, or at least hope that fate will lead them to finding that reason. Fate just like love is an avalanche that hits when least expected, hurtling down at you, leaving you without an alternative, but to oblige to it. First, â€Å"Your Fate Hurtles Down at You† reflects more of the life that is comparable to the sting of cold in an icy setting. The setting of the story may not just have been a chance choice for the author to develop what he wanted to communicate to his readers, but must have been carefully considered to emphasize on his points. Davos is a place, perfect for research about ice and snow because of its geographical composition. Although some occurrences within the story took place in different localities, the settings are similar in that, they are prone to avalanches. This circumstance is what the author uses to emphasize the title of the story, used as a metaphor. Like an avalanche that falls anytime without warning, fate hurtles down inevitably on people, whether they like it or not. Moreover, the narration of the death of the storyteller’s twin brother, Willi, is a strong demonstration of how fate hurtles down on a person. He did not like to die, he was young, and in love with Ruth who was pregnant with their child. Nevertheless, he was destined to die young and as his death came suddenly and unexpectedly, this event and the cause of death portray the suddenness of how fate could hit an individual. On the other hand, the fate of Willi’s brother is to love the same woman Willi adored, Ruth. Despite the fact that Ruth showed interest on Willi more than his twin brother, the other did not stop loving her. This is Eckel’s fate, to love the woman who only loves his brother, and is not ready to love him even after his brother’s demise. This fate could be

Case analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis - Case Study Example This increases the pressure on the information department compelling the creation of new ways of conducting business. Such factors provide a great challenge in the management of both the department and the organization thereby complicating Brown’s work. Additionally, Brown had shifted from the company for a number of years. By the time of his return, the company had changed and expanded thereby compelling the development of new mechanisms of conducting business. The change thus makes his management of the department more complex as he loses touch with both the clients and other employees at the organization. His attempts of creating a formal system within the department meet a great opposition from the rest of the organizational structure. Apparently, the organization lacked a formal structure and relied on its contact with the target market to carry out business. This is unlike the management process that Brown had in mind thereby resulting in a conflict of the management pro cesses thus causing a massive operational snarl up. Any form of conflict in the management especially between the organization and one of its key departments such as the information technology headed by Brown resulted in a great operational conflict that possibly slowed down the pace of service delivery. Question 2 The Michael Hammer’s Process and Enterprise Maturity Model is a management assessment mechanism that analyzes the level of organizational maturity through a number of management components. The Pinnacle West Corporation for example performs different in a number of these factors thereby placing it strategically in the development ladder. One of such factors is the organizational culture. A mature organization must have a recognized culture of conducting business. Organizational cultures determine the employee relations and the manner in which the organization conducts business. Additionally, the model assesses the success of any organization culture through the res ults it promises the organization. The PWC has an informal structure and relies on the people for contact. The culture had thus far steered the organization into success and its presence therefore proved the organization mature enough. The other integral factor in the model is leadership, the PWC was divide into department each led by a manager yet all working in unison to result in a cohesive organization. The presence of clearly labeled management structure and the effective flow of command in the organization depict great coordination in the management of the organization. Expertise is yet another factor in the model. The PWC employs established employees with the adequate experience and knowledge to steer the organization into success. Expertise refers to the ability of the employees to execute their mandate efficiently. The feature dictates that the employees must have adequate knowledge and experience to undertake their tasks. Finally, the other factor in the model is governan ce; the organization has an elaborate system of governance based on its management mechanism thereby portraying a great level of maturity. Question 3 The grass root strategy in management seeks to include the ideas of every employee in the management process. The strategy encourages operational dynamism as it solicits the ideas of every employee in project execution. This is a motivational strategy of management since

Definition of Queer in Relation to Gender and Sexuality Essay

Definition of Queer in Relation to Gender and Sexuality - Essay Example The theory seeks to address the definition of identities of different people who choose to hold onto values that society considers abnormal. Queer defines any behavior, act or approach related to gender, sex, sexuality and feminism that contradicts what society considers normal. The existing gender system is highly regarded by society and the normal class comprises only those who conform to societal values attached to gender. Society uses gender to define different aspects of sexuality. The current gender system faces some challenges because it is binary. One can only be male or female. The aspect of being male or female is used to judge the behavior of an individual as either acceptable in society or not. This brings about the issue of being normal, which is criticized by Warner. Warner challenges the need of homosexuals and transsexuals to receive a ‘normal’ tag from society. Currently, as a matter of fact, society only considers heterosexuals. The gay and lesbians in society face defamation and rejection. Society norms insist that they break the very rules of nature that should remain unbroken. They belong to a third gender, probably, because they defy the rules of the binary gender system that society esteems. Michael Warner challenges the use of the term ‘queer’ which, in his opinion, should be referred to those individuals who claim that sexuality is irrelevant but still strive to be regarded as normal. According to Warner’s critique, the society should reconsider the standards of what qualifies to be normal. He further challenges homosexuals and their Queer theory in a bid to receive the normal tag. According to him, issues of being normal or not only came about when man could keep statistics. Statistics of different aspects have led to determination of a normal value for such an aspect. A variety was acceptable in society before. Logically, each one of us deviates from the normal standards of a society in one way or anot her. Therefore, deviation from the norm should not give rise to shame, rebellion or self-defense. On top of that, Warner argues that society should not condemn to rejection and stigmatization those deviating from the norm (48). Bornstein, on the other hand, blames the stigma attached to those deviating from the societal norm which insists on the binary gender system. Bornstein asserts that the binary status of gender leaves an individual with no choice to express the self-cultivated ideals. It condemns one to conform to the system. In her opinion, society should drop the gender system that condemns one side to oppression and allows the other to enjoy privileges (Bornstein 111). Bornstein wishes society was more accommodating to the class of individuals who choose not to belong to any of the two gender options. She calls them a third class of people or transsexuals. Bornstein envisages a transgendered society in which humans will treat each other fairly, without oppression and superi ority. In her opinion, the future without gender will be a safer place for everyone in society. According to my definition, ‘queer’ refers to any form of expression and identity regarding gender that is not common in society. However, the standards of determining what is normal usually leave no space for self-expression and identity in an innovative way. Therefore, the ‘

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

Ps - Essay Example My interest in Communication studies developed after I worked as a street cleaner volunteer in Hangzhou. During this time, I cleaned the streets and guided citizens and tourists through giving any information they needed about Hangzhou. With the example given, the British couple was quick with their questions and went on with their trip, while the American teenager conversed with me much longer. She did not want to go yet, until her friends arrived. She immediately introduced me as a â€Å"friend,† as if we have known each other for years. This interaction made me aware of my own culture and how conservative we can be in dealing with other cultural groups. I actually see myself as outgoing, but this American girl was an extrovert who loved learning about other people. I would have seen her questions about my job as not necessary, or even disrespectful, but the way she asked questions made me feel comfortable in answering them. She knew how to â€Å"connect† with me. Bec ause of her and other people I interacted with, I became curious of people’s communication approaches and behaviors. Why was this American girl so warm and open with me? How can I develop such a sociable communication style? These are some of the questions that bog my mind up to now, and I know that a Communication degree will help me answer these questions. Because of this work experience, I was able to interact with different people from diverse genders, religions, and cultures, and I realized how these factors greatly shape how people speak and interact with others. Who I am and who they are have an impact on our communication patterns, because together, we add to the context of our communication event. In addition, I learned how interesting communication is. I took communication for granted before because it seems to come so naturally, when in reality, it is not a natural process, because, for me, communication is a social product and a social process. I believe that comm unication has its individual elements too, such as the effect of personality on communication styles, but it has its environmental factors also. Thus, my work experience opened my mind to the complex and fascinating world of communication that I now want to pursue as my major. Prompt 2: I was fifteen when I was looking for my essay on Han culture, specifically our food culture. I already had it typed for our school paper, when I saw my father reading it. He said that he liked the sincerity of the writing and asked me who wrote it. He was impressed to know it was me, and it continues to be one of the happiest days of my life, knowing that my father appreciated my writing. Writing in Chinese is my forte. It is a part of me that flows naturally and with pride. I still have much to learn about English, but Chinese, as a first language, is easier for me to use to express my ideas, arguments, and emotions. The Chinese language is an important part of my Han identity, a way for me to becom e and to develop further as a Chinese and as a global citizen. To become a Chinese Han is to learn and to practice our Chinese language and cultural beliefs and practices. Though my parents are not utmost traditional Hans because of our modern Westernized lifestyle, we speak and write in our local language at home, school, and everywhere else. Some of our family members and neighbors already teach English as the first language for their children, but not in

Bernard Lawrence Bernie Madoff Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bernard Lawrence Bernie Madoff - Assignment Example For years MR. Madoff complied with paying dividends to investors, but under false assumptions. The deception that was occurring was unethical behavior. The third type of illegal behavior associated with this scam was that Madoff’s company was not complying with the generally accepted accounting principles. Not complying with the general accepted accounting principles is a violation of the FASB and SEC mandates. 2. The scam that Bernie Madoff pulled off hurt a lot of different interest groups. Prior to the scandal exploding the hedge fund that Mr. Madoff was operating was an extremely attractive investment alternative for a lot of individual investors and organizations that were looking to gain a profit from the stock market. The hedge fund Mr. Madoff was able to maintain in the marketplace for over 20 years was a tremendous opportunity for a lot of investors. Some federal prosecutors believe that the fraudulent activity from Mr. Madoff began as early as the 1970’s. The total losses that this scheme caused investors exceeded $65 billion. The fund offered investors every year consistently double digits returns, which is unheard of on Wall Street for a prolonged period of time. The Ponzi scheme Madoff operated hurt a lot of interest groups. Some of the interest groups that were hurt by the scam included individual investors, non –profit organizations, governmental agencies, and private corporations. â€Å"If Madoff hadn’t faced $7 billion in redemptions, the Ponzi scheme might have never been discovered† (Lenzner, 2008). 3. There are several safeguards that could have prevented the Ponzi scheme that Madoff created from occurring. The first safeguard could have been obligating the company to reveal the exact composition of the portfolio of the fund to the individual investors on a recurrent basis. A second potential safeguard could have been establishing recurrent audits of the investment activity of the firm by independent audito rs. A third safeguard that could have prevented this fraud could have been more involvement by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the matter. The SEC could have imposed more rigorous auditing standards to analyze the activities of the company. A fourth source of risk management prevention should have been the FBI. Most of the major investment firms on Wall Street believed that the returns offered by Madoff’s company were unrealistic in the long term. The FBI should have investigated this situation earlier. It seems ironic that it took the FBI and the SEC over 20 years to realize it was all a scam. 4. The grand majority of the funds of the hedge fund were invested by individual investors. From an investor’s standpoint the losses could have been prevented or at least minimized by investing only a small portion of their portfolio composition in this hedge fund. A second way investors could have prevented falling into this fraudulent scheme would have been by mandating that Madoff revealed the sources of the income of the hedge fund. Another way the investors could have prevented the scam was by asking the advice of registered broker prior to investing in the fund. 5. The scam that Mr. Madoff was involved

The Westboro Baptist Church Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Westboro Baptist Church - Essay Example On the afternoon of November 27, 1955, the church held its first open ceremony (Lieblich 1). This paper will look at the Westboro Baptist Church, the church’s activities, and the first amendment. The Westboro Baptist Church has been enthusiastically engaged in events against gay individuals since 1991, when it begun concentrated efforts on a gay event at Gage Park near the church. In addition, the Westboro Baptist Church members carry out anti-gay remonstrations at military interments, picketing at celebrity funerals, and public activities that may easily attract media interest. Additionally, the Westboro Baptist Church has also held protests against Jews, and the members have also stomped on the flag of United States of America (Lieblich 1). The Bill of Rights of the United States contains the First Amendment which forbids the creation of laws that restrict the free utilization of religion, violates the freedom of the media, proscribes the petitioning for an administration remedy of objections, valuing an institution of religion, reducing the freedom of speech, or impeding the right to peaceably convene. The Westboro Baptist Church members take part in every day picketing in Topeka and tours all over the country to picket the memorial services of gay victims of gay-bashing, gay victims of murder, or individuals who have perished from complex situations associated to AIDS. They have also protested in events linked to homosexuality and live pop events. As of 2009, the Westboro Baptist Church claims to have taken part in almost forty one thousand protest in approximately six hundred and fifty cities since its creation (Lieblich 1). The Westboro Baptist Church has established its position by protesting against gay individuals in funerals and different unexpected places. Even though their choice to protest at these somber situations is unpleasant to a number of individuals, the rights of the religious group, however offensive and

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

Ps - Essay Example My interest in Communication studies developed after I worked as a street cleaner volunteer in Hangzhou. During this time, I cleaned the streets and guided citizens and tourists through giving any information they needed about Hangzhou. With the example given, the British couple was quick with their questions and went on with their trip, while the American teenager conversed with me much longer. She did not want to go yet, until her friends arrived. She immediately introduced me as a â€Å"friend,† as if we have known each other for years. This interaction made me aware of my own culture and how conservative we can be in dealing with other cultural groups. I actually see myself as outgoing, but this American girl was an extrovert who loved learning about other people. I would have seen her questions about my job as not necessary, or even disrespectful, but the way she asked questions made me feel comfortable in answering them. She knew how to â€Å"connect† with me. Bec ause of her and other people I interacted with, I became curious of people’s communication approaches and behaviors. Why was this American girl so warm and open with me? How can I develop such a sociable communication style? These are some of the questions that bog my mind up to now, and I know that a Communication degree will help me answer these questions. Because of this work experience, I was able to interact with different people from diverse genders, religions, and cultures, and I realized how these factors greatly shape how people speak and interact with others. Who I am and who they are have an impact on our communication patterns, because together, we add to the context of our communication event. In addition, I learned how interesting communication is. I took communication for granted before because it seems to come so naturally, when in reality, it is not a natural process, because, for me, communication is a social product and a social process. I believe that comm unication has its individual elements too, such as the effect of personality on communication styles, but it has its environmental factors also. Thus, my work experience opened my mind to the complex and fascinating world of communication that I now want to pursue as my major. Prompt 2: I was fifteen when I was looking for my essay on Han culture, specifically our food culture. I already had it typed for our school paper, when I saw my father reading it. He said that he liked the sincerity of the writing and asked me who wrote it. He was impressed to know it was me, and it continues to be one of the happiest days of my life, knowing that my father appreciated my writing. Writing in Chinese is my forte. It is a part of me that flows naturally and with pride. I still have much to learn about English, but Chinese, as a first language, is easier for me to use to express my ideas, arguments, and emotions. The Chinese language is an important part of my Han identity, a way for me to becom e and to develop further as a Chinese and as a global citizen. To become a Chinese Han is to learn and to practice our Chinese language and cultural beliefs and practices. Though my parents are not utmost traditional Hans because of our modern Westernized lifestyle, we speak and write in our local language at home, school, and everywhere else. Some of our family members and neighbors already teach English as the first language for their children, but not in

The Westboro Baptist Church Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Westboro Baptist Church - Essay Example On the afternoon of November 27, 1955, the church held its first open ceremony (Lieblich 1). This paper will look at the Westboro Baptist Church, the church’s activities, and the first amendment. The Westboro Baptist Church has been enthusiastically engaged in events against gay individuals since 1991, when it begun concentrated efforts on a gay event at Gage Park near the church. In addition, the Westboro Baptist Church members carry out anti-gay remonstrations at military interments, picketing at celebrity funerals, and public activities that may easily attract media interest. Additionally, the Westboro Baptist Church has also held protests against Jews, and the members have also stomped on the flag of United States of America (Lieblich 1). The Bill of Rights of the United States contains the First Amendment which forbids the creation of laws that restrict the free utilization of religion, violates the freedom of the media, proscribes the petitioning for an administration remedy of objections, valuing an institution of religion, reducing the freedom of speech, or impeding the right to peaceably convene. The Westboro Baptist Church members take part in every day picketing in Topeka and tours all over the country to picket the memorial services of gay victims of gay-bashing, gay victims of murder, or individuals who have perished from complex situations associated to AIDS. They have also protested in events linked to homosexuality and live pop events. As of 2009, the Westboro Baptist Church claims to have taken part in almost forty one thousand protest in approximately six hundred and fifty cities since its creation (Lieblich 1). The Westboro Baptist Church has established its position by protesting against gay individuals in funerals and different unexpected places. Even though their choice to protest at these somber situations is unpleasant to a number of individuals, the rights of the religious group, however offensive and

Google in China Essay Example for Free

Google in China Essay Google is the fastest growing Internet search engine company. Google’s mission is â€Å"to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.†(International Business: Competing in the Global marketplace, pg 148-149) They have a mantra of â€Å"Don’t be Evil.† Google started this mantra to be the main message to show consumers they would not compromise the integrity of its search results. This case reviews the situation under which Google was required to censor its content and chose to launch its new search engine site. The case explains the role of the Chinese government and its regulations in the Internet market which had a negative effect on Googles operations in China. In 2000, Google started a Chinese language service. This service was operated from the United States. Chinese authorities blocked the site in 2002 because China censors information to their citizens. This block surprised Google’s managers. This was a challenge the managers did not plan on. If they done their research of the Chinese Government and culture prior to launching the Chinese language service, they would have known the block would be inevitable and they could have tailored their service to the Chinese regulations, culture, and laws. Google knew China was an advantageous business and they would need to adapt their service in order for it to be acceptable and profitable. Google also had to move the Chinese operations to China. Operating from the United States caused slow connection speed and hinder their operation and growth. This was a good move because it enabled Google to employee Chinese citizens who would be able to help understand and adapt to the Chinese laws, regulations, and censorship demands. Google managers made a mistake by not researching their target market. However, they acted quickly in learning and correcting this mistake. Google still offered Chinese citizens a better search engine, but it was not without censorship. The Google search engine offers more results than its competitors, Yahoo, Microsoft’s MSN, and China’s own company, Baidu. Google states Chinese consumers will â€Å"get more information on their site, though not quite all of it.† (International Business: Competing in the Global marketplace, pg 148-149) In 2006, Google had 30 percent share of China’s internet search engines. Baidu had 40 percent. This left another 30 percent split between Yahoo and Microsoft’s MSN search engines. These percentages are good, especially when one considers Yahoo and Microsoft had entered the Chinese search engine market prior to Google. Baidu has several advantages over Google that are mostly associated with it being a Chinese based company, the search engine has â€Å"competence in pinpointing queries in the Chinese language† (Yin Yulin, 2010, p. 4). Government relations with China are precarious for businesses effectiveness. Google did not have a clear understanding of what they would be involved in. China has become more supported and self-assured due to its increasing economic significance. They are more reluctant to be pressed by Western governments or companies into changing its long term regulations and censorship. Because of this aspect, China does not yet comprehend global strategies and the importance of global public relations. This causes them to be more rigid in their international business dealings. All-in-all, Google has been able to grow successfully in the Chinese search engine market and maintain the number two spot (behind Baidu) in China despite their lack of early research on the Chinese culture, governmental regulations, and laws. References International Business. Competing in the Global Marketplace, Seventh Edition, Chapter 3: Differences in Culture ISBN: 9780073381343 Author: Charles W. L. Hill copyright  © 2009 McGraw-Hill, a business unit of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Role of Prosody in Language Acquisition

Role of Prosody in Language Acquisition Discuss the role of prosody (i.e. rhythm and intonation) in language acquisition, from early sound perception to sematic and syntactic development. From muffled sounds heard within the womb to singing our favorite songs by memory, we humans have the astounding ability to acquire language. The remarkable thing is that we are born without full-blown language comprehension and production. How is it then that we steadily progress into competent speakers of our mother tongue? A big part lies in the prosody of our native language. Although babies may not be able to speak, they begin to learn about language prenatally. Given that our auditory system is well developed in the womb, a fetus can process sounds as early as 28 weeks of gestation, according to Fernald in 2001 and Saffran and colleagues in 2006 (as cited in Brooks Kempe, 2012, pg.25). While speech sounds are muffled because the fetus is enclosed within the womb, preventing proper individual phoneme identification, there is still perception of rhythm and intonation (Brooks Kempe, 2012, pg.25). Rhythm and intonation are components of prosody, along with other sound features such as stress, pitch, loudness, and duration (Erekson, 2010, pg.80). Newborns are then able to gain prenatal language experience with sounds made by their mothers and other people close by (Brooks Kempe, 2012, pg.25). Babies even have a preference for sounds that became familiar when they were in the womb. In a study by Mehler and colleagues in 1988 it was found that prenatal expe rience allowed babies to distinguish their native language from a foreign language (Brooks Kempe, 2012, g.28). In their study, which utilized sucking rate, French newborns could tell French sentences apart from Russian sentences, even when the sentences were passed through a low-pass filter to make them sound like they would be heard from within the womb (Brooks Kempe, 2012, pg.28). This study showed that newborn infants are sensitive to prosodic characteristics of language (Brooks Kempe, 2012, pg.28). Prosody has important implications in language acquisition even before an infant is born but also continues to be an essential tool throughout their early years when they begin to engage with more experience speakers. Although infants pay attention to their surroundings and are taking in all the different sounds they hear, they are not the only active participants. When people interact with babies, they do not treat them in the same manner they would treat older children or adults. Instead, they expose them to a very distinct aspect of language known as infant-directed speech (IDS) or â€Å"motherese† (Goswami, 2008, pg.148). This special register helps facilitate language learning because of its exaggerated prosodic nature; this emphasizes the boundaries between words and phrases, thus making segmentation of the speech stream easier for babies (Goswami, 2008, pg.148). According to Karmiloff and Karmiloff-Smith in 2001 baby humans learn the rhythm of their native languages from birth to 2 months of age (as cited in Falk, 2004, pg.495). During this time infants pay special attention to their language input and are particularly interested in IDS, which is characterized by simplified vocabular y, repetition, exaggerated vowels, higher tone, wider range of tone, and a slower tempo (Falk, 2004, pg. 495). These are important differences infants seem particularly sensitive to at young ages when prosody plays such a key in language acquisition. Aside from having characteristics based on the prosody of speech to help infants learn their native languages, IDS seems to be universal; it is seen in all languages in cultures, implying that this prosodic way of speaking serves a developmental purpose (Goswami, 2008, pg. 154). Adults break down the language for babies to understand better, and doing so almost instinctively, showing the intuitiveness prosody has in language comprehension and production. Prosody also helps babies learn a thing or two about syntax early on. According to Levitt in 1993, at 10 months infants start to babble in rhythms that are similar to the prosody of their language structure (as cited in Falk, 2004, pg.496). Karmiloff and Karmiloff-Smith say this may be due to the vocal turn-taking that mothers and their babies engage in, helping the babies learn the â€Å"rule† that conversationalists take turns speaking, as seen in their research in 2001 (as cited in Falk, 2004, pg.496). Snowdon (1990) states that this â€Å"social syntax† may help babies learn other rules that are preliminary to learning syntax, the proper arrangement of elements within sentences (as cited in Falk, 2004, pg.496). IDS therefore helps teach babies syntax through phonological bootstrapping, which is fulfilled by paying attention to the correlations between the prosodic cues of IDS and linguistic categories, according to the works of Burnham et al. in 2002, Gleitman Warn er in 1982, Morgan in 1986 and Morgan Demuth in 1996 (as cited in Falk, 2004, pg.496). An infant’s perception of prosodic cues in relation with linguistic categories is essential to learn about phonology, the boundaries between words or phrases in their native tongue, and syntax (Falk, 2004, pg.496). Prosody not only matters when it comes to learning the music of the first language learned but also seems to help teach other components of the language as well. As infants grow older and gain more experience with language, they continue a path towards language mastery and more complicated language use. While young babies use prosody to help tell words apart, it isn’t until they get older that prosody is fully used to tell syntactic relationships (Speer Ito, 2009, pg.94). However, there is mixed research as to when exactly children begin to use prosody to understand ambiguous sentences (Speer Ito, 2009, pg.94). A study in 2008 by Snedeker and Yuan found that children used prosodic phrasings of sentences to the syntax ‘correctly’ and perform an instrumental action (as cited in Speer Ito, 2009, pg.97-98). In their study they did a toy-moving scenario using sentences, such as ‘You can tap the frog with the flower’, with two disambiguating phrasings (Speer Ito, 2009, pg.97). Regardless of the prosodic phrasing, such as [You can tap the frog] [with the flower] versus [You can tap] [the frog with the flower], re sults showed that the children used the location of prosodic boundaries to interpret the correct syntax of the sentences (Speer Ito, 2009, pg.97). Additionally, prosody seems to help syntactic acquisition early on. In a study in 2014 by Hawthorne and Gerken, it was found that 19 month old infants treated prosodically-grouped words as more cohesive and constituent-like than words that straddled a prosodic boundary (pg.420). Because syntactic constituency, groups of words that serve as cohesive units in sentences, is an important part in the early levels of syntax acquisition, prosody is seen as essential concept in language acquisition as a result (Hawthorne Gerken, 2014, pg.420). Although it may be debatable when syntax development exactly begins, a big puzzle piece to figure it out lies in prosody. Prosody continues to help humans from infancy to childhood not only in the syntax of their language but also the semantics. In a study by Nygaard et al in 2008 it was investigated whether speakers were able to successfully make prosodic correlates to meaning across semantic domains and if they used these cues to interpret meaning of novel words (pg.127). The study showed that listeners were able to match new words with their proper meaning significantly more if the prosody used matched the word correctly (Nygaard et al., 2009, pg.127). With their findings, Nygaard and colleagues were able to support that speech has reliable prosodic markers to word meaning and that listeners use the prosodic cues of words to differentiate their meanings (Nygaard et al., 2009, pg.127). New research is also finding prosody to be an essential component for semantic comprehension and development in children. It was previously suggested that children did not utilize prosody to figure out the meanings of n ew words. This was due to studies like Sasso’s 2003 investigation using children age 4 years old and adults, where she found that the children did not readily use prosodic cues to determine the meaning of a new word like the adults did, even when instructed to do so (Sasso, 2003). However, recently in 2011, Herold and colleagues investigated whether children utilized prosodic correlates to word meaning when interpreting new words (Herold et al., 2011, pg.229). They sought to examine if children would interpret a word spoken in a deep, loud, slow voice as referring to something larger than a word said in a high, quiet, and fast voice (Herold et al., 2011, pg.229). It was found that by 5 years old children were successfully utilizing prosody to interpret meaning (Herold et al., 2011, pg. 236). In addition, there were differences in performances between 4 year old and 5 year old participants, suggesting a developmental change in children’s ability to use prosodic cues to infer meaning (Herold et al., 2011, pg.236). Herold and colleagues believed this may do to 4 year olds not yet able to understand that prosody can be used as a tool for novel word interpretation due to insufficient experience with prosodic information and meaning relations (Herold et al., 2011, pg. 236-237). While semantic development in children does not seem to be fully and effectively utilized before age 5, it seems to be on meet a critical transition at this point after children have a certain amount of exposure to their native language. Many studies in linguistics and psychology demonstrate the multiple roles that prosody plays in the acquisition of language from prenatal infants to adults with fluency of their native language. What begins as sound that catches the interest of prenatal humans steadily becomes sound that serve a purpose in language comprehension. While research continues to explore the implications of prosody, there is no denying that it plays a vital and fundamental part in human language. References Brooks, P., Kempe, V. (2012). Language Development (pp. xv-383). Chichester: BPS Blackwell. Erekson, J. (2010). Prosody and Interpretation. Reading Horizons, 50(2), 80-98. Retrieved April 23, 2015, from http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol50/iss2/3 Falk, D. (2004). Prelinguistic Evolution in Early Hominins: Whence Motherese? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 27(4), 491-541. Retrieved April 23, 2015, from http://journals.cambridge.org.ezp.lib.rochester.edu/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=onlineaid=276842fileId=S0140525X04000111 Goswami, U. (2008). Cognitive Development: The Learning Brain (p. 457). Hove: Psychology Press. Hawthorne, K., Gerken, L. (2014). From pauses to clauses: Prosody facilitates learning of syntactic constituency. Cognition, 133(2), 420-428. doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2014.07.013 Herold, D., Nygaard, L., Chicos, K., Namy, L. (2011). The developing role of prosody in novel word interpretation. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 108(2), 229-241. doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2010.09.005 Nygaard, L., Herold, D., Namy, L. (2009). The Semantics of Prosody: Acoustic and Perceptual Evidence of Prosodic Correlates to Word Meaning. Cognitive Science, 33(1), 127-146. doi:10.1111/j.1551-6709.2008.01007.x Sasso, D. S. (2003). The developing role of prosody in novel word comprehension. (Order No. 1413020, Emory University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 46-46 p. Retrieved April 24, 2015, from http://search.proquest.com/docview/250019098?accountid=13567 Speer, S., Ito, K. (2009). Prosody in First Language Acquisition Acquiring Intonation as a Tool to Organize Information in Conversation. Language and Linguistics Compass, 3(1), 90-110. Retrieved April 24, 2015, from http://linguistics.osu.edu/files/Publication-Prosody in First Language Acquisition.pdf

Insights on Death in I’ve Seen a Dying Eye Essay -- Seen Dying Eye Ess

"I’ve Seen a Dying Eye," by Emily Dickinson, is a poem about the nature of death. A sense of uncertainty and uncontrollability about death seems to exist. The observer’s speech seems hesitant and unsure of what he or she is seeing, partly because of the dashes, but also because of the words used to describe the scene. As the eye is observed looking for something, then becoming cloudy and progressing through more obscurity until it finally comes to rest, the person observing the death cannot provide any definite proof that what the dying person saw was hopeful or disturbing. The dying person seems to have no control over the clouds covering his or her eye, which is frantically searching for something that it can only hope to find before the clouds totally consume it. Death, as an uncontrollable force, seems to sweep over the dying. More importantly, as the poem is from the point of view of the observer, whether the dying person saw anything or not is not as significant a s what the observer, and the reader, carry away from the poem. The suspicion of whether the dying person saw anything or had any control over his or her death is what is being played on in the poem. If the dying person has no control, what kind of power does that give death? Did the eye find what it was looking for before the clouds billowed across their vision, and was it hopeful? These questions represent the main idea the poem is trying to convey. Death forces itself upon the dying leaving them no control, and if something hopeful exists to be seen after death, it is a question left for the living to ponder. The idea that something exists after death is uncertain in this poem, saying this, it is important that the point of view is that of the observer. The ... ... is now blessed because he or she finally knows the answer to the life-long question. It seems that Dickinson purposefully leaves the poem open-ended to keep that uncertainty alive in her poem. The only time the uncertainty of death is made certain is during that moment when our eyes begin their search through the engulfing clouds. Emily never gives an absolute definition of what she is addressing in this poem and in every other poem she wrote. Michael Myers, author of Thinking and Writing About Literature, best captures this idea of open-ended conclusions says: It's also worth keeping in mind that Dickinson was not always consistent in her views and they can change from poems, to poem, depending upon how she felt at a given moment. Dickinson was less interested in absolute answers to questions than she was in examining and exploring their "circumference."

More on the :: Biology Essays Research Papers

More on the "I": Lesch - Nyhan Disease and Choice These last few weeks of class we have been discussing the role of the "I" function in terms of sight, dreaming and choice. Many interesting points were raised about why the "I" function exists and what its role is in controlling behavior and regulating choice. My last paper touched on some of these ideas when looking at obsessive compulsive disorder and the role of the "I" (5). I would like to return to some of these ideas with the more extreme and complex example of the self mutilation experienced by sufferers of Lesch - Nyhan disease. In one class meeting discussing sleep, a student jokingly discounted the theory that one sleeps when bored by saying that if people could choose to sleep they wouldn't because it is a waste of time so therefore sleep must be a necessary function outside the control of the "I". This statements helped me to clarify my own thoughts on the "I" function. There are many behaviors that are outside the control of the "I" because they are necessary functions such as sleep and breathing and heartbeat and digestion. It is true, as one member of class mentioned, that this is good because it does not "clutter" the brain nor does the "I" have to "waste" time regulating these things; but I think it is a larger matter than that. As a sociology major I am interested in the way people behave and interact in society. This class has also allowed me to see the way that people interact with themselves and their nervous systems as another sort of social activity. Many of our activities are regulated by society. From birth we internalize certain norms and values that tell us how to behave in certain situations. If these are broken we feel guilt or shame which manifest themselves through the nervous system with sweaty palms, increased heartbeat, depression, etc. So in a way our reposes, even on the level of neurons, is effected by our society. The "I" function plays a very important role in this because it can "tell" the self what is and is not appropriate and it can help to regulate behavior. So there is a strong connection between the "I" and the nervous system, but both have to have some autonomy. The nervous system has to be able to carry out necessary functions inspite of the "I" and the "I" also needs some auto nomy from the nervous system.

Baskerville Murder Essay

Murder mystery tales are among the most popular book genre. Murder mysteries will usually consist of an unknown murder that killed a significant character. The detective has to decide among many suspects with clues he or she found in the course of the book. Authors typically write books of this genre because they give the reader a feeling of suspense and confusion as they read the story. It keeps them guessing and switching their opinions as new facts are read. In The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, protagonists, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson meet many people involved while trying to find the murderer of Sir Charles Baskerville, as said to be a mythical demon hound. Although there are many subjects in the case of the murder, Dr. Mortimer, The Barrymores, Jack Stapleton, and Roger Baskerville. Dr. James Mortimer is a medical practitioner. He is described as tall, thin, and good-natured with rather eccentric habits. He is the first suspect Holmes and Watson meet and the person to tell them about the case. He is possibly the murderer because he was in charge of Sir Charles will when he died. He could of manipulated the will to his own use. By killing Sir Charles the will follows whatever he would of made it. He challenges Holmes in the intro of the story to solve the case. He also owns a dog as shown on the carriage when him, Henry and Watson were headed to Baskerville Hall and discovered by the bite marks of his cane. Its possible that Mortimer could of used his dog and disguised him as the hound to scare Charles at a distance. He is also a close acquaintance to the Baskervilles so he knows a lot about the family that he could of used fro his plans. His information on Sir Charles’ condition at the time is explained when Mortimer said, â€Å"Within the last few month s it became increasingly plain to me that Sir Charles’s nervous system was strained to the breaking point† (Doyle, 43). With this information he could had literally â€Å"scared him to death† with any means that would relate to the hound’s curse. Mr. and Mrs. Barrymore are servants to Sir Charles and Henry. Mr. Barrymore is described as tall, thin and has a black beard. They are very close to the Baskervilles since their family served them for generations. Their motives could be after their wealth or maybe on the inside they are sick of serving them. The hound of legends could have been the Barrymores who served Hugo Baskerville and they were tired of a life of servitude. This hound could of went on from generation to generation. Supposedly, Holmes and Watson first seen Mr. Barrymore when they were chasing a man in a van and the driver described him as a short man with a black beard. When Watson and Henry arrive at Baskerville Hall, Mr. Barrymore says he and his wife would leave the hall soon because of Charles’ death and its too painful of them. As for Mrs. Barrymore, Watson says during the first night, â€Å"And then suddenly, in the very dead of the night, there came a sound to my ears†¦ It was the sob of a wo man, the muffled, strangling gasp of one who is torn by an uncontrollable sorrow† (Doyle, 159). The crying indeed comes from Mrs. Barrymore, which could have been caused, as Watson predicts, a haunting memory. Its possible the letter they received could also have something to do with the case. Jack Stapleton is a short man and a naturalist. He lives in the outskirts away from the other neighbors and the Baskerville Hall. He lives with his sister, Beryl and two servants. He became a suspect because Mortimer told Holmes and Watson that he knows the ins and outs of the moor. Watson first meets him when he came up to Watson and began a conversation. Oddly enough, he was interested in what Holmes and Watson thinks of the case and murder so far. After a few days with Stapleton, Watson believes something is not right about Stapleton and that he is masking his true colors to him. His motives could be that he is after the fortune of the family and only wants to be rich. When Beryl came to Stapleton and Watson while they finished their conversation, she said, â€Å"Go back! Go straight back to London, instantly†¦ Go away from this place at all costs! Hush, my brother is coming! Not a word of what I have said† (Doyle, 183). Thinking Watson was Henry, se gave him a warning , but said not to tell Stapleton. She later explains that he doesn’t want Henry to leave because the people need someone, but Watson is well aware she is hiding something. If Stapleton was the killer, he must be a master of disguise. When the driver described the man as short and with a black beard, Stapleton could of easily put on a fake beard and mislead the duo. He would also have access to Henry’s hotel room and take his shoes and he could of disguised himself as the hound. Roger Baskerville was the â€Å"black sheep† of the family when Hugo Baskerville was the owner. He is the son of Hugo and the brother of John. Mortimer states that he escaped to Latin America because he was an outcast and disgrace to the family. Interestingly enough, he never states if he died while there. Roger could of came back for revenge and would kill every Baskerville so he would be the only heir left. If he did survive and he came back, he is hiding somewhere from the people. What’s difficult is that anyone could be him because its unknown what he looks like. As Mortimer and Henry travel to Baskerville Hall, they were stopped and Perkins told them, â€Å"There’s a convict escaped form Princetown, sir. He’s been out for three days now, and the warders every road an every station, but they’re had no sight of him yet† (Doyle, 146). Roger could be the convict, Selden, and killed Charles before or after he was thrown in prison. Mortimer, the Barrymores, Stapleton and Roger Baskerville are the most likely suspects to the killer. Out of the four Stapleton could be the killer because he is more mysterious than the others and the fact he knows the moor makes him the prime suspect. Overall, mystery books are interesting because as the reader continues the story, his or her opinion will keep changing and gives the reader the suspense of who the person is. The Hound of the Baskervilles is one of many excellent mystery novels.

Love Jones Review Essay

The consummate ladies man, Darius’ silky smooth presentation romises more sell than substance. And Nina’s recently Jilted heart isn’t looking for anymore of love’s kind of trouble. love Jones begins with Nina and her good girlfriend Josie Nichols (Lisa Nicole Carson) packing up what’s left of Nina’s disappointing relationship. Fearful that the scars left from this failed romance may be too deep for her to heal, Josie takes her to a night-time poetry-slam at the Sanctuary, where she encounters Darius for the first time. The Sanctuary is the local haven where poetry is the prime draw, and a favorite night spot for Darius and his friends Savon Garrison (Isaiah Washington), Eddie Coles Leonard Roberts), Sheila Downes (Bernadette Clark, and Hollywood (Bill Bellamy). â€Å"The romance dies between couples,† we overhear Darius telling his friends from his intellectual set, â€Å"because theyVe (people) given up on the possibility of it. † In an awkward introduction at the bar, Nina catches Darius off-guard and, uncharacteristically, he fumbles and spills his drink on her. He recovers minutes later when called to the stage to recite one of his poems. He makes the most of the moment by calling his sensuous creation â€Å"A Blues for Nina. † Flattered but embarrassed, she informs him in front of his friends that there are opics for poetry other than sex. When he asks her to name one, she writes the word â€Å"love† on his hand. Everyone is impressed; particularly Darius. Darius runs into Nina at a record store managed by his friend, Sheila. She is there because she has Just been fired from her Job as a photographer’s assistant and desperately needs to hear the Isley Brothers. When Darius approaches her, she acts as thought she vaguely remembers his name. Darius seizes the opportunity though, by playing her a tender rendition of â€Å"Parker’s Mood. † While Nina remains unreceptive at that point, she finally buckles and agrees to a date when Darius ppears, unannounced at her door presenting the very CD she had been looking for at the record store. He bribed Sheila so he could get her address and phone number off of the check she used to pay for a CD. His persistence pays off when a romantic statement â€Å"l Just want to come up and talk† leads to a passionate night at her apartment. The next morning, Darius and Nina confide in their respective friends Savon and Josie that, in spite of the incredible sex, â€Å"It ain’t no love thing,† they â€Å"Just kickin’ it. † Unfortunately, these two individuals aren’t exactly the best advisors they could have ound – Josie is way down on men and lives her life vicariously through Nina, and Savon is mired in the problems of his eight-year marriage (his wife left him and took their son). But Darius is getting interested. He even reveals to Nina the sacred location of â€Å"the Batcave† (his apartment), where some interesting foreplay ensues when she whips out her camera and tells Darius to take off his clothes. The romance advances. Then, out of the blue, Marvin Cox (Khalil Kain), Nina’s former fianc ©e, shows up asking her for a second chance. At Josie’s suggestion, Nina uses the offer to test Darius: Will he be Jealous, or coolly let her go? Darius pretends not to care, of course, and Nina moves to New York to see if she should resume her relationship with Marvin. Inevitably, Marvin and Nina’s differences are irreconcilable, and Nina returns the engagement ring and then heads back to Chicago. Hoping to reconnect with Darius, Nina and Josie go to the Sanctuary, to no avail. Darius has settled down with a new girlfriend, Lisa Oacqueline Fleming). Enter, Hollywood, whose friendly competition with Darius enables him to sense a prime opportunity for one-upmanship. Wood stops by the portrait studio where Nina now works to â€Å"cheer her up. † Tensions run high when Wood brings Nina to Sheila’s house for a party that he knows Darius will be attending. Nina, feeling like a pawn in a bad game of male egos, asks Wood to take her home. He refuses and Darius comes to her rescue. It’s their first meeting since she went to New York. She confesses she still has feeling for him, and he assures her that Lisa means nothing to him. Swooning, they make up and head for a date at the famous Blackstone Hotel. There, legendary Chicago DJ Herb Kent is hosting a â€Å"steppers† ball, featuring the inimitable dance style popular in Chicago. On the floor, Nina and Darius become a eam again. The fire is relit as they complete the evening with a wet, but romantic walk around Buckingham Fountain. Nina starts to inherit habits from Darius and vica versa. She starts smoking and develops a love for poetry. In return, he develops an eye for photography. But soon after their reconciliation everything starts to crumble. Nina finds Lisa’s telephone number around Darius’ apartment, and he gets the occasional Sam call that takes him out of the room. The issue of distrust rears its ugly head. Darius tries to smooth things over by whipping out her camera and telling her to take her clothes off, as she id in an earlier scene. But it is too late. â€Å"Come get your things from my apartment†¦ why would you be with someone you don’t trust? † The scene ends with Nina returning the key. Because of a Job offer from Vibe magazine in New York, Nina decides to move. Josie, serving as a reluctant Cupid, intercedes by telling Darius of Nina’s plans. He takes the cue and makes a gallant but futile effort to talk to Nina before she leaves. A year later, his book has been published, her career is off and running and Nina has been sent to Chicago to shot a Michael Jordan layout. Looking in vain for Darius t the Sanctuary, Nina takes the stage to recite a poem of her own. Startled, Darius turns and listens to her recital, which is about love remembered. â€Å"Funny what you can do in front of a room full of people,† she says, â€Å"and can’t do in front of one person. † The movie ends with Nina leaving the Sanctuary and seeing Darius outside. Darius starts off by saying, â€Å"Longtime no see. I enjoyed your poem. Nina, there have been mistakes on both sides and I apologize for my part. I want to put the past in the past. â€Å"Once again your timing couldn’t be worse†¦ you always want what you want hen you want it†¦ why is everything so urgent†, Nina says. â€Å"Nina, this here, right now, at this very moment, is all that matters to me. I love you and that’s urgent like a mother fucker. † love Jones shows that love can be inconvenient. It encourages everyone to approach love the way Nina and Darius do – scared, awkward, and even sometimes alone. There’s the obligatory handful of tragic misunderstandings, prideful arguments, over-orchestrated sex scenes, and betrayal and reconciliation’s. ove Jones steps back, allowing its characters to closely examine what is happening to them. They analyze their own instincts; wonder about each other’s feelings and even plot little traps to reveal the other’s true intentions Nina and Darius relationship is built upon the use of some key things: sex and sexual invitations, pick-up lines and relationship openers, music and poetry, the actions of all the movies characters, friends being confidants and advisors, and the use of â€Å"Baxter’s techniques† to acquire information about the relationship play vital roles. Their relationship proves that the movement in and out of the interaction stages is not set in stone. The stages conform to your situation. Nina and Darius seem to ollow this type of pattern: initiating, experimenting, intensifying, terminating, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, bonding, stagnating, terminating, and initiating. They are also struggle with the roles society has laid out for women and men. And are both trying to fgure out how to â€Å"play’ without â€Å"getting played†. They’re both secretly wondering how you get beyond playing and move on to the love. When you’re in your twenties, as Nina and Darius were, loving someone outside your friends and family can seem like a task for Mother Theresa. We twenty- somethings have been unleashed from our parents and the chances to experience exual encounters of all sorts are numerous. But flirting and playing is one thing. Building relationships with the human objects of our desires is a challenge that many of us fail at miserably. At one point in the movie, Darius asks his married friend Savon if he believes in the concept of soulmates. Savon’s response is that it depends on what day you ask him. You’re with who you’re with, he says. Love and marriage are pretty much what you make of them. love Jones doesn’t fully answer the soulmate question. In the end, we are only promised that Nina and Darius will be together as long as their belief in he possibility of romance lasts. eeting in a bar, the reluctant coupling, the Jealously and conflict, even a mad rush by one lover to stop the other from leaving on a train. love Jones showed me that there is Just no way around it: Love between a man and a woman is hard work. A conscious effort to relate to the opposite sex is what’s needed if we’re going to get the satisfaction we crave from that someone special. Our twenties can be about a lot more than simply getting our groove on. We can build lives with people while we are enjoy ing the fresh experiences we are having in our youth.