How to Communicate Bad News Effectively Essay

Communication is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behavior. Communication requires a sender, a message, and a recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender’s intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast distances in time and space. Communication requires that the communicating parties share an area of communicative commonality. The communication process is complete once the receiver has understood the message of the sender. Feedback is critical to effective communication between participants. A business can flourish when all objectives of the organization are achieved effectively. For efficiency in an organization, all the people of the organization must be able to convey their message properly. Business communication is the process of establishing a common understanding between or among people within a business environment. Business communication is any communication used to build partnerships, intellectual resources, to promote an idea, a product, and service, with the objective of creating value for your business. Business communication involves constant flow of information. Business communication here plays a very important role in process of directing and controlling the people in the organization. There should be effective communication between superiors and subordinators in an organization, between organization and society at large it is essential for success and growth of an organization. Communication gaps should not occur in any organization. Business communication is goal oriented. The rules, regulations and policies of a company have to be communicated to people  within and outside the organization. Business communication is regulated by certain rules and norms . Effective communication helps in building goodwill of an organization. Importance of business communication to managers Business managers should be able to communicate in number style. -Communication promotes motivation by informing and clarifying the employees about the task to be done, the manner they are performing the task, and how to improve their performance if it is not up to mark. -Communication is a source of information to the organizational members for decision-making process as it helps in identifying and assessing alternative course of actions. -Communication also plays a crucial role in altering individuals attitudes, i.e. a well-informed individual will have better attitude than a less –informed individual. -Communication also helps in socializing: in today’s life the only presence of another individual fosters communication. The flow of communication in an organization The flow of communication in an organization can be in the form of : Downward Communication – flow of information from higher level in an organization to a lower level in an organization. In other words, communication from a superior to subordinates in a chain of command is a downward communication. This communication flow is used by the managers to transmit work related information to the employees at lower levels. Employees require this information for performing their jobs and for meeting the expectations of their managers. Downward communication is used by managers for providing feedback on employees’ performance, giving job instructions, Communicating the organizations mission and vision to the employees. Upward Communication – flow of information from lower authority to higher authority. It provides feedback on how well the organization is functioning. The subordinates use upward communication to convey their problems and performances to their superiors. The subordinates also use upward communication to tell how well they have understood the downward communication. It can also be used by the employees to share their views and ideas and to participate in the decision making process. Upward  communication leads to a more committed and loyal workforce in an organization because the employees are given a chance to raise and speak dissatisfaction issues to the higher levels. The managers get to know about the employees feelings towards their jobs, peers, supervisors and organization in general. Managers can thus accordingly take actions for improved things. Horizontal Communication – flow of information among peers within the same work unit. This is the communication between peers, between managers at same levels or between any horizontal equivalent organizational members. Cross-Channel Communication – exchange of information among employees in different work units who are neither subordinates nor superior to one another. Negative /Bad message Bad message – â€Å"†¦situations where there is either a feeling of no hope, a threat to a person’s mental or physical well-being, a risk of upsetting an established lifestyle, or where a message is given which conveys to an individual fewer choices in his or her life.† Both of the downward and cross channel communication can be related to the concept of relating bad message to an employee. It can be said that how you communicate that bad message will have a significant impact on your organization and its reputation. Bad message can be in any form, it can be i.Termination of appointment ii.Laying off employees iii.Failure in an interview iv.Dealing with bad performance v.Communicating a bad financial situation vi.Rejection of a proposal, among others Communicating bad message is the most difficult information to convey. To those it affects though, it is the most important communication of all. Delivering bad news can be the worst part of the job for any manager. That’s not because the truth, on its face, is difficult to convey. It’s the anxiety of the possibility of handling it poorly and knowing that doing so can worsen the impact on your employees, their productivity, and your whole  company. Any communication can be challenging even when the news being delivered is positive, but when delivered is negative is known as bad message. In business a letter, memo or email that conveys negative or unpleasant information- information that is likely to disappoint, upset, or even anger a reader. Bad messages include rejections (in response to job applications, promotion requests, and the like) negative evaluations, and announcements of policy changes that don’t benefit the reader. What constitutes bad message Bad message is a fact of life for all business professionals, from rejecting job applicants to downturn speaking invitations. Bad message means the reader or the person receiving the news will not be able to accomplish his/her goals. Bad message directly can often be very damaging and unnecessarily hurtful. Goals of communicating bad message Goals are clearly needed a lot to accomplish in one message. These are some of the goals you can develop negative/bad messages that reduce the stress for everyone involved and improve the effectiveness of your communication efforts. There are two goals in communicating bad news we have the primary and secondary goal. Primary goals i. Make the receiver understand the bad news. ii. Help the receiver accept the bad news. iii. Maintain a positive image of you and your organization. Secondary goals i. Reduce bad feelings ii. Convey fairness iii. Eliminate future correspondence iv. Avoid creating legal liability or responsibility for you or your organization. v. Choose appropriate tone and organization Using the 3 writing process Step 1: Plan Your Message When planning your message, you can’t avoid the fact that your audience does not want to hear what you have to say. To minimize the damage to business relationships and to encourage the acceptance of your message, analyze the situation carefully to better understand the context in which the recipient will process your message. Be sure to consider your purpose thoroughly whether it’s straightforward or of more complicated (such as creating a negative performance review, in which you not only give the employee feedback on past performance but also help the person develop a plan to improve future performance.) Similarly, your receiver profile can be simple and obvious in some situations and far more complex in others (such as telling a business partner that you’ve decided to terminate the partnership.) With a clear purpose and your audience’s needs in mind, identify and gather the information your audience will need in order to understand and accept your message. Bad messages can be intensely personal to the recipient, and in many cases recipients have a right to expect a thorough explanation of your answer. Selecting the right medium is critical when delivering bad messages. For example, you might badly damage a business relationship if you use voice mail to reject a long-time employee’s request for a promotion. Since the employee would surely have some important questions to ask, and you would certainly want to soothe hurt feelings, a face-to-face meeting would be the best choice for this situation. Step 2: Write Your Message When conveying a bad message to your colleague, every aspect of effective, diplomatic writing is amplified; after all, the audience does not want to hear a bafd message and might disagree strongly with you. Be sure to maintain the you-attitude, and strive for polite language that emphasizes the positive whenever appropriate. If your credibility hasn’t already been established with an audience, lay out your qualifications for making the decision in question. Recipients of bad messages who don’t think you are credible are more likely to challenge your decision. That’s why, for example, messages related to late payments are often signed by a higher executive. And as always, projecting and protecting your company’s image is a prime concern. If you’re not careful, a negative answer could spin out of control into negative feelings about your company. When you use language that conveys respect and avoids an accusing tone, you protect your audience’s pride. In addition, you can ease the sense of disappointment by using positive words rather than negative ones. Chances are you’ll spend more time on word, sentence, and paragraph choices for negative/bad messages than for any other type of business writing. People who receive bad message often look for subtle shares of meaning, seeking flaws in your reasoning or other ways to challenge the decision. By writing clearly and sensitively, you can take some of the sting out of the bad message and sensitively, you can take some of the sting out of bad news and help your reader to accept your decision and to move on. Step 3: Complete Your Message Your need for carefully pay attention to detail continues as you complete your message. Revise your content to make sure everything is clear, complete, and concise – bearing in mind that even small flaws are magnified as listeners react to your negative news. Produce clear, professional documents, and proofread carefully to eliminate mistakes. Finally, be especially sure that your negative messages are delivered promptly and successfully. Waiting for bad message is hard enough without wondering whether a message was lost. CHOOSING THE BEST APPROACH Conveying bad message to a colleague is never a pleasant task but breaking it at the wrong time or in the wrong way can be the worse, so it’s important  to know the best approaches to breaking bad news. When writing bad message, you will need to choose the direct or indirect approach; however, there are no clear guidelines to help you choose in every case. Ask yourself the following questions to guide your message: i. Will the bad news come as a shock? ii. Does the recipient prefer short messages that get right to the point? iii. How important is this news to the recipient? iv. Do you need to maintain a close working relationship with the recipient? v. Do you need to get the recipient’s attention? vi. What is your organization’s preferred style? vii. How much follow-up communication do you want? CHOOSING POSITIVE WORDS Examples of negative phrasings| Positive alternatives| Your request does not make any sense| Please clarify your request| Due to unforeseen circumstances: I won’t be able to attend your meeting| Because my flight has been delayed I will miss for your meeting.| Unfortunately we haven’t received your payment.| Your payment hasn’t arrived yet.| The enclosed signature is wrong| Please recheck the enclosed signature.| | | | APPROACHES TO DELIVERING BAD MESSAGE The direct approach and the indirect approach Effective bad news messages convey the negative information the receiver must receive with an eye toward keeping future business. Without even thinking about it, you’ve probably been using both the direct and indirect approaches to deliver bad news your entire life. When you come right out and tell somebody some bad news, you’re using a direct approach. When you try to soften the impact by easing your way into the conversation before delivering the bad news, you’re using an indirect approach. Chances are that you’ve already developed an instinctive feel for which approach to use in many situations. In conveying your message, you will need to make a similar choice whenever you deliver bad news; however, there are no clear guidelines to help you choose in every case. Most bad news messages will be better accepted by our listeners if we use the indirect approach. The care we take to soften the blow will result in effective messages that consider the readers’ feelings and keeping their business. The direct approach We use the direct message when the receiver i. Prefers bad news first ii. Is emotionally uninvolved iii. Will be unaffected by the bad news The Indirect Approach for bad Messages The indirect approach helps recipient prepare for the bad message by presenting the reasons for the bad message first. When done right, it doesn’t obscure bad message, delay it, or limits your responsibility. Rather, the indirect approach eases the blow and help recipient accept the situation. 1. Open with a buffer A buffer expresses your appreciation for being thought of, assures the reader of your attention to the request, compliments the recipient, or indicates your understanding of the recipient’s needs. A buffer must not insult the audience with insincere flattery or self-promoting blather. Because it sets the stage for the bad news to follow, it must be both sincere and relevant so that readers don’t feel they are being set up. The first step in using the indirect approach is to start with a buffer, a neutral, non-controversial statement that is closely related to the point of the message. A buffer establishes common ground with your listener; moreover, if you’re responding to a request, a buffer validates that request. Some critics believe that using a buffer is manipulative and unethical, even dishonest. However, buffers are unethical only if they’re insincere or deceptive. Showing consideration for the feelings of others is never dishonest. Here are several types of effective buffers you could use to tactfully open a bad message. viii. Appreciation (Thank you for applying for a change of duties). ix. Agreement (We both know how hard it is to make a profit in this industry). x. Cooperation xi. Understanding xii. Praise Here are some other things to avoid when using a buffer to open a bad message: xiii. Avoid saying â€Å"no.† xiv. Avoid using a know-it-all tone. xv. Avoid wordy and irrelevant phrases and sentences. xvi. Avoid apologizing. xvii. Avoid using a buffer that is too long 2. Provide Reasons: By giving your reasons effectively, you help maintain focus on the issues at hand and defuse the emotions that always accompany significantly bad news. As you lay out your reasons, guide your readers’ responses by starting with the most positive point’s first and moving forward to increasingly negative ones. Provide enough detail for the receiver to understand your reasons, but be concise; a long, roundabout explanation will just make your audience impatient. Your reasons need to convince your receiver that your decision is justified, fair, and logical. 3. Continue with a Clear Statement of the Bad News: First, de-emphasize the bad message: Minimize the space or time devoted to the bad news—without trivializing it or withholding any important information. Subordinate bad news in a complex or compound sentence (â€Å"My department is already shorthanded, so I’ll need all my staff for at least the next two months†) This construction pushes the bad news into the middle of the sentence, the point of least emphasis. Embed bad news in the middle of a paragraph or use parenthetical expression (â€Å"Our profits, which are down, are only part of the picture†). However, keep in mind that it’s possible to abuse de-emphasis. For instance,  if the primary point of your message is that profits are down, it would be inappropriate to marginalize that news by burying it in the middle of a sentence. Second, use a conditional (if or when) statement to imply that the audience could have received, or might someday receive, a favorable answer (â€Å"When you have more managerial experience, you are welcome to reapply†). Such a statement could motivate applicants to improve their qualifications. Third, emphasize what you can do or have done, rather than what you cannot do. (â€Å"The five positions currently open have been filled with people whose qualification match those uncovered in our research†). By focusing on the positive and implying the bad news, you make the impact less personal. When implying bad news, be sure your audience understands the entire message – including the bad news. Withholding negative information or overemphasizing positive information is unethical and unfair to your reader. If an implied message might lead to uncertainty, state your decision in direct terms. Just be sure to avoid overly blunt statements that are likely to cause pain and anger. TECHNIQUES FOR CUSHIONING THE BAD MESSAGE i. Position the bad news strategically, avoid the spotlight: Put the bad news in the middle of a paragraph halfway through the message ii. Use a long sentence: Don’t put the bad news in a short, simple sentence. iii. Place the bad message in a subordinate clause: Although we have no opening for an individual with your qualifications at this time, we are pleased that you thought of us when you started your job search. iv. Be clear but not overly graphic v. Imply the refusal vi. Suggest a compromise or an alternative vii. Consider using the passive voice: Passive-voice verbs focus attention on actions rather than on personalities. They are useful in being tactful. COMMUNICATING BAD MESSAGE EFFECTIVELY 5CS Once you have carefully choosing the approach you would use to communicate effectively using these techniques you should know that the objective of a bad message is to convey the bad news without bruising the reader’s feelings. 5Cs to communicate bad message effectively i. Cutbacks: Avoid statements that might involve the company in legal actions. One thing that won’t be appreciated right now is sugar coating. Don’t wrap the news in pretty paper or dance around it. Plainly specify who, what, where, and how. ii. Context: Explain the reasons for the problem don’t be out of context be on point and give reasons, do not deviate from the reason to please the listener. iii. Compassion: Try as much as possible not to blame anyone around the resulting condition. Respect and proactively acknowledge natural emotions. iv. Candor: Candor means the quality of being open and honest in expression. The truth may hurt, but any attempt to mislead is unforgiveable. v. Consistency: Conform yourself in conveying the news for the sake of accuracy and fairness. Everything communicates avoid saying one thing and doing another. ELEMENTS /TIP OF BAD MESSAGE OF COMMUNICATION i. Set the stage: When framing your delivery of the message, first try to get into their heads and think about what’s important to them. Think about how the news will impact the audience and also think about how it impacts you. Then relay that information. By revealing your personal feelings about the situation, you can build a rapport and practice empathy that can help to fend off the audience’s natural reactions which may be anger, resentment or any number of other feelings. ii. Be direct: Avoid talking too much and clouding the issues. It’s important to succinctly explain the situation and the steps that must be taken. Don’t try to sugar coat the message because you’ll likely end up confusing your audience. iii. Acknowledge the problem: When bad news has to be delivered despite the hard work and efforts of the team, it is imperative that you acknowledge and recognize their efforts and then carefully explain the decision along with the plan for turning things around. iv. Know what you want the audience to feel, think or do after they hear your news. Then, as you’re framing your delivery, be sure to communicate the facts, the steps that are being taken, and what you need them to do. v. Practice: As with just about anything, practice makes perfect. By rehearsing the conversation, you’ll become more comfortable and confident about what needs to be said. And, when you deliver the news with confidence, your audience is much more likely to not only respect you, but also be able to accept that the bad news is out there and you’re now doing everything you can to make things right. vi. Stay on topic: When having to deliver bad news, it’s very easy to take an off-ramp and become side-tracked as a way to avoid the inevitable. By doing this, you’re only making the task harder for yourself and more confusing for your audience. vii. Don’t let your audience steer the conversation: Bad news can make people emotional, particularly when it involves performance feedback or the need to terminate employment. Acknowledge the other person’s feelings, give them a minute (or 10) to collect themselves, and move forward with the conversation. Putting it off for another day doesn’t help anyone in the long run. viii. Provide alternatives: When it’s necessary to provide critical feedback, it’s necessary to also provide alternative actions as well as a timeline for completion. While you may have some concrete ideas for actions that need to be taken, you’ll be better served by following the next two steps before firming up your plan. ix. Ask for feedback: Ask your audience open-ended questions that are directly related to the issue at hand and do what you can to make the environment safe enough to allow the person or people to feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. x. Listen. : By not speaking and trying to fill in the gaps in the conversation, you are opening the door for the other person to provide feedback and to communicate what they really think. In addition, make sure you’re actively listening to what they have to say rather than thinking about how great it will be when the conversation is finally over. By listening, you’ll be much better able to work with the person or team to move beyond the bad message and begin the work that needs to be done to rectify the situation. DON’TS IN COMMUNICATING BAD MESSAGE i. Do not make promises about the future that may not hold true. ii. Do not overreact. iii. Do not try to protect others from bad news or yourself from sharing it. iv. Don’t make initial statement or announcement through emails. v. Don’t flout company policy if you want to share something you have been asked not to. vi. Don’t let the receiver hear the news outside. vii. Don’t communicate bad news through text messages. viii. Don’t hide behind company policy.

History of Vehicles Essay

Vehicles had provided humans a means of transportation and vehicles had been a great help in building early civilizations such as of Mesopotamia with its chariots, Egypt with its reed boats, and China with its wheelbarrow. The old had been improved; the new had been invented; and the future had been conceptualized. These had been the cycle of vehicles through the change of time. Looking ahead†¦ The Wheel and the Ship (3500 BC) The oldest wheel discovered was in Mesopotamia and is believed to be over fifty-five hundred years old. Rock drawings of ships were found in Egypt and are believed to have been drawn around 6000 BC. These thus proved that wheel and ships are known by man at that very early time and were used as a part of their trading and technology. Wheels are taught to had been conceptualized when â€Å"humans realized that heavy objects could be moved easier if something round, for example a fallen tree log, was placed under it and the object rolled over it† (Bellis, â€Å"The Invention of the Wheel†). First boats then were usually built of wood while animal skins, clay pots, and reeds had served as an alternative. The Wheelbarrow (181 – 234 AD) The wheelbarrow is believed to have originated from China and was invented by a general named Chuko Liang to transport supplies to injured soldiers. It is believed that â€Å"wheelbarrows do not exist in Europe before the 11th or 12th century (the earliest known Western depiction is in a window at Chartres Cathedral, dated around 1220 AD). Descriptions of the wheelbarrow in China refer to first century BC, and the oldest surviving picture, a frieze relief from a tomb-shrine in Szechuan province, dates from about 118 AD† (â€Å"Wheelbarrow†). The Early Triumphs to Fly (400 BC-1850s) Kite flying started by the Chinese had been the pioneer of man on how he could fly. Different thoughts as to how man could meet this objective had undergone. These included the experiment to imitate a bird by attaching feathers or light weight wood to arms which had been proven disastrous since human arms’ muscles are not like of birds and cannot move with a strength like of a bird. Other experiments though were not originally intended so as man could fly included the work of Hero of Alexandria on Aeolipile. â€Å"Hero mounted a sphere on top of a water kettle. A fire below the kettle turned the water into steam, and the gas traveled through pipes to the sphere. Two L-shaped tubes on opposite sides of the sphere allowed the gas to escape, which gave a thrust to the sphere that caused it to rotate. Aeolipile must be included in the history of vehicles because it gave the principle for engine created movement† (Bellis, â€Å"Early history of Flight†). In the 1480s, with over 100 drawings that illustrated theories on bird and mechanical flight, Leonardo da Vinci had also entered this search to man’s mean to fly (Bellis, â€Å"Early history of Flight†). Leonardo’s Ornithopter concept had been the basis to the invention of the modern day helicopter. In 1783, Jacques Etienne and Joseph Michel Montgolfier invented the first hot air balloon (â€Å"How Did We Learn to Fly Like the Birds? †). Using the smoke from a fire to blow hot air into a silk bag that was attached to a basket, they had been able to fly aboard the hot air balloons’ first passengers, a sheep, a rooster, and a duck. On November 21, 1783, the first ever successful manned flight took place sending Francois Laurent and Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier up in the air (Bellis, â€Å"Early history of Flight†). Further studies then went on. In the 1850’s, George Cayley, the considered founder of Aerodynamics, had made his contribution through his gliders wherein a young boy had been the first to fly. The Submarine (1578 – 1620) Designs for underwater boats or submarines date back to the 1500s and ideas for underwater travel date back even further but only in the year 1578 did appear a record of a craft for underwater navigation. â€Å"William Bourne, a former Royal Navy gunner, designed a completely enclosed boat that could be submerged and rowed beneath the surface (Bellis, â€Å"History of the Submarine 2†). Bourne’s idea had never been implemented but a similar apparatus was launched in 1605 (Bellis, â€Å"History of the Submarine 2†). The apparatus didn’t get farther as its designers did not considered the tenacity of underwater mud which caused the craft to stick in the river bottom in its first underwater trial. But in the year 1620, Cornelius Van Drebbel had invented the first â€Å"practical† submarine which was a rowboat covered with greased leather (Bellis, â€Å"History of the Submarine 2†). His submarine had successfully maneuvered at depths of 12 to 15 ft. below the surface of Thames River. He had then further made revisions of his first submarine and legends says that after repeated tests, King James I of England rode to one of his later models (â€Å"The Saga of the Submarine†). Despite success, Drebbel’s invention did not quickly amaze the British Navy that made submarine warfare infeasible during that time. Steam Powered Automobiles (1600 – 1700) Steam power had been known for the past centuries but it was only in the 1600’s where it had been in practical use. â€Å"Ferdinand Verbiest created a model steam carriage in 1678, that moved by using a principle that is used in the modern day turbine. In the 17th century the Dutch physicist, Christiaan Huygens built an engine that uses air pressure. About 1750, the French inventor Jacques de Vaucanson gave a demonstration of a carriage propelled by a large clockwork engine. The steam engine had then developed the motorized land transport by the 1760’s† (Brainard). The first built automobile is attributed to Nicolas Joseph Cugnot in the year 1769. He made his three wheeled steam driven tractor intending to help the French army to move its heavy artillery pieces in and around Paris (Brainard). His being the first had made also his automobile to be also the first to be involved in an automobile accident in 1771. Steamboat (1783 – 1787) After a century of steam power exploration used in automobiles, development of steam powered boats then took place. In 1783, the first practical steamboat was demonstrated by Marquis Claude Francois de Jouffroy d’Abbans – a paddle wheel steamboat. â€Å"The era of the steamboat then began in America in 1787 when John Fitch (1743-1798) made the first successful trial of a forty-five-foot steamboat on the Delaware River on August 22, 1787, in the presence of members of the Constitutional Convention. Fitch later built a larger vessel that carried passengers and freight between Philadelphia and Burlington, New Jersey. † (Bellis, â€Å"History of Steamboats†). Modern Bicycles (1790) The next notable improvement in the history of vehicles is the invention of modern day bicycles which is disputed on whether the invention of Pierre and Ernest Michaux were the first ever built or not. â€Å"Some history books states that Pierre and Ernest Michaux, the French father and son team of carriage-makers, invented the first bicycle during the 1860s. Historians now disagree and there is supporting evidence that the bicycle is already known before. However, historians all agree that Pierre and Ernest Michaux invent the modern bicycle pedal and cranks in 1861. † (Bellis, â€Å"Bicycle History†, â€Å"Bicycle History in Debate†). Steam Powered Locomotives (1801) Locomotives were designed first by Richard Trevithick but not originally for railroad tracks but for roads while George Stephenson is regarded as the inventor of the first steam locomotive engine for railroads. â€Å"Richard Trevithick’s invention is considered the first tramway locomotive, however, it was designed for a road, not for a railroad. † (Bellis, â€Å"Richard Trevithick†). The Motorcycles (1867) The mechanical version of the bicycles had been born with the invention of motorcycles in 1867. â€Å"American, Sylvester Howard Roper (1823-1896) invented a two-cylinder, steam-engine motorcycle (powered by coal) in 1867. This can be considered the first motorcycle, if you allow your description of a motorcycle to include a steam engine. † (Bellis, â€Å"Motorcycle†).

Organizational behavior and development Essay

Organizational change or development has evolved overall meaning of business. The set of market-driven, financial and technical changes which, in the eighties, faced better-informed consumers demanded the best and cheapest products accessible worldwide; producing these goods requisite the assimilation of both resources and knowledge on a global scale; at the same time, it became probable to transport information around the world at immensely reduced costs. s multinational organizations had leaned to pursue one of the three basic strategies attaining economies of scale through the centralized management of resources, having a strong (decentralized) national presence, and sharing universal a central pool of skills and experience the predicament for the new ‘transnational’ corporations was to unite these three, often conflicting, approaches into a single strategy: â€Å"To participate effectively, a company had to develop global competitiveness, international flexibility, and worldwide learning competence simultaneously†. Freivalds, J. 1995, 24-28) All these changes need a consummate degree of language interdependence and individual communication something which the usual structure of a multinational (the head office hub surrounded by satellite subsidiaries) is not intended to accommodate. Control has to give way to synchronization, and corporate culture becomes an issue of central significance. But, so as to understand how language functions in an organization, we require going beyond the framework. We also require understanding the points at which management myths stop working or cease to be useful; we require to look for discontinuities and uncertainties (Halcrow, A. 1999, 42-47). To turn language into a really competitive weapon in practical business, we require to start being more conscious of the language we, our colleagues and our competitors use and see it for what it actually is visionary myths, power struggles, group limits, discontinuities, auguries of changes to come or vestiges of changes past. And, when we recognize more about the limitations of organizational language, we will be better located to develop its potential. Discourse is variously used in the gender and language field. It maybe used in a linguistic sense to refer to language beyond that of words. Or it may be used in a post-structural sense to refer to broad systems of meaning discourse is not restricted to spoken language but also refers to written language (Weatherall, 2002, pp. 76–7) Available At: www. palgrave. com/pdfs/023000167X. df What does it mean for an organization to communicate in a particular, national language? A company might and most do have the corresponding of dialects, but a common native language has significant implications which supersede ‘regional’ differences such as these. To appreciate such implications, we require looking first at the role which communication and language particularly, plays in an organization. At the most simple level, communication provides two functions gathering and disseminating information. As, the eventual purpose of both functions is to precipitate action: a head office might act in response to feedback from customers channeled via its field sales force; workers on an assembly line might transform their working practices in accordance with new guiding principle from the operations management. Such actions are not limited to those formally sanctioned by the organization: information, and the actions which consequence from its transmission, can be official or unofficial. Indeed, every organization consists of subgroups who have diverse information needs and channels, and whose reactions to the similar set of stimuli differ. Language is not just the means by which people converse (that is, the medium in which items of information are spoken); it is also the purveyor of meaning. Data is simply information while it has meaning, and data without meaning cannot impetuous action. Language therefore provides a means by which we understand the relative implication of any information and decide how we will respond. Within an organization, the role of language is consequently analogous to other and more well-known aspects of cultural behaviour such as myths, practices and stories. They all offer a context from which we can conjecture meaning; they therefore mainly determine how we interpret information, and this in turn determines how we act. Take for instance the manager who comes in and strangely closes his or her office door. How people interpret this will depend on, amongst other factors, the representation of a closed door in that particular environment (problems? privacy? and myths (‘Smith did that just after being fired’). Just as with myths and stories, individuals in an organization (or organizations as a whole) might seek to persuade the way in which both conversion processes take place by managing the meaning of the language used: the greater the vagueness of the language, the less convenient or conventional the resulting action (Korn, L. B. 1990, May 22, 157-161). Starting with the similar basis of meaning which sharing a common language gives is obviously fundamental to this process, though the success with which this can be attained also depends on many other factors. Anthropologists and philosophers have argued that a national language characterized a ‘contract’ within society which underpins its common culture. Though, some countries are reluctant to have contact with other cultures due to cultural and religious conflicts. It is the lack of understanding that is at the root of all exclusiveness or prejudice, distrust or hatred (Allan, G. 1993, pp. 1-25). There are many examples of countries that are unenthusiastic to have contact with other cultures. For instance, relationship between Israel and Islamic countries, Pakistan and India etc The disparity between the diverse cultures in the world today on reflection is seen to be one of language or appearance more than anything else. The entire of mankind forms a single species; and external diversities of feature and color, stature and deportment, behavior and customs notwithstanding, man ubiquitously is but man, a certain human quality supplying the relation of unity in the middle of all diversity. Humanity is one, and human culture as the appearance of an aspiration, an Endeavour and an attainment, is also one. The countries that are unwilling to contact with other cultures are losing permutations and combinations of the same or similar basic elements of human culture. Basically, the physical urge for getting and begetting, for living and spreading, is everywhere present, as also is the aspiration for a state of permanent happiness for â€Å"all this, and heaven too†. This desire, which is roughly as forceful as the physical urge, is shared by the entire of mankind and has raised men above the level of the simply animal. Religion, with its Janus-face of fear and hope, attempts to untangle the mystery of life and being. These attempts, leading to science and philosophy and nurturing of the emotions (opening up the limitless joys of art and mysticism), are general to mankind in all ages and climes, and they spring all over from the pursuit of what the sages of India regarded as the only end for which man is actually striving cessation of suffering and achievement of an definitive and abiding happiness. And in this common striving, there has never been any segregation of a particular people or group of men from other peoples or groups, whenever contact between them either direct or indirect was made probable (Lane, H.  W. , DiStephano, J. J. , & Maznevski, M. L. 1997). The mainsprings of human culture are thus the same, they are common; and assured ideals, values, attitudes or behaviors, whether good or bad from absolute or relative points of view, have constantly been found to be transmissible. These ideals, values, attitudes or behaviors form patterns comparable to languages. All provide to meet the minimum needs of man, but those which state most adequately and most skillfully the aspirations, the endeavors and the achievements of man naturally have a predominant place in the affairs of men. Certain patterns of culture thus stand out pre-eminent; and, becoming feeders and sustainers of weaker or less complete ones, they attain an international and comprehensive status (Beck, U. and Beck-Gernsheim, E. 1995). This play of action and communication in the cultural sphere is going on for ever. The opposing forces of centrifuge and centripetence are also constantly operating and strife with infrequent violent modification of one pattern by another, or harmony deliberately or instinctively brought about is also in evidence (Allan, G. 998). With the hope of one world, one mankind and one happiness for all inspiring our men of learning and wisdom to find a path that can be followed by all, this contemplative readiness for a single world culture was never greater than now. We leave aside, of course, men of narrow viewpoint whose intransigent support of one particular prototype is merely an unconscious expression of a blind selfishness which has its roots in both ignorance and a ye arning for domination. The time is certainly ripe, and the stage is set, for a correct understanding of the diverse patterns of culture and for exploring the methods for their harmonizing, taking our stand on the essentials and not on the accidentals, on the agreements and not on the divergences. While this is achieved, and mankind everywhere is trained to recognize the fundamental agreement based on the individuality of human aspirations, a new period in the history of humanity will instigate. Besides, as every global organization has its own language for talking concerning strategy: certainly it is possible to track the way in which the organization is developing by the words it uses to illustrate its strategy. If the language of strategy has any single source, it perhaps lies in classical warfare: our plans for expansion and competition remain heavily if unconsciously influenced by ideas of winning wars, beating our enemies, securing our position. However, management strategy first evolved a characteristic language of its own in the sixties and was focused on the decisions taken by management and the types of analysis requisite to ease them: decision-making was the essential activity of management, as decisions led to actions (Hays, R. D. 1974; 25-37). By the mid eighties, the analogies were architectural: strategies were the infrastructure, people the consumable building blocks. The respect principally since the late 1980s that the perimeters of organizations were no longer strong walls has given us a rather diverse vocabulary, drawn from biology and evolutionary theory: our strategic vocabulary is more and more drawn from the natural, rather than the man-made, world: ‘webs’, ‘porous boundaries’, business ‘ecosystems’, and those words which disguised a rigid framework or clear demarcation are starting to fall from favor. Linked to this trend is the idea that thriving organizations efficiently go beyond language they do not need to communicative their strategy because everyone already knows it. However, if we believe that strategy has its own, distinctive language, then this trend is just the most modern development in its evolution: rather than being precise and analytical, the language of strategy is becoming less specific qualitative instead of quantitative. What matters most is that the language is diverse. If the language is different, then the organization can do something different: if the language is that which the organization already uses, then the strategy cannot transform the status quo (Lester, T. 1994, 42-45). The richest sources of new language frequently lie within an organization, but among those people hardly ever asked to put in to its strategy, such as people on the customer front line, new recruits, and many more. Who these people are specifically varies from organization to organization and is a function of the way in which an individual organization manages language. Thus, to recognize ways in which you can incorporate a new language into your own organization’s strategy, you first require understanding how language is managed across your organization as a whole. Language plays a key role in this process: when we think of an organization, the model we tend to have in our minds is one in which those at the top talk, as those at the bottom do. Flatter organizations and the empowerment of those who work in them can mean that the sharing of talking and doing has changed, but I think most of us would still have difficulties in finding a company where this division has totally disappeared, particularly when it is applied to internal processes such as developing a strategy (Nurden, R. 997). Taking the words from the bottom of your organization, rather than from the top, reverses this state: it means that the doers start talking. The effect is less suspicion about language (from the doers) and a diverse way of using language (for the talkers): both ways, it moves the goalposts in terms of what the strategy sounds like, making it more likely that the organization as a whole will listen more efficiently.

Health Issue of Aboriginal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health Issue of Aboriginal - Essay Example The government has also stared improving some of the social services contributing to some illnesses including homelessness by providing rental programs on cheaper houses. The other programs include residential aged care programs, disability programs as well as those on maternal and child care (Eckerman, et al. 2010). The aboriginals are still being faced with racism and discrimination and this puts them at a disadvantage for health programs as they are left behind. Their health problems have therefore constantly failed to be mainstreamed with of other ethnic groups. As a result of them being discriminated, they have minimal health services within their reach and the few present are not accessible as these people are located in remote parts of the country and access becomes difficult at all times (Dudgeon, Milroy & Walker, 2013). In a bid to improve cross-cultural understanding, it is the work of the government and the relevant private sectors to start public recognition of the aborig inals. This will contribute towards ending the discrimination and prejudice that has surrounded these people and hence start improving their chances of getting quality and accessible health care. Education should be encouraged through different programs which will foster gaining of knowledge on the general issues but specifically concentrate on nutrition, prevention medicine among other health care issues. Lastly, integration of the aboriginals into other government programs other than just the welfare programs will foster equality.

Global Logistics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Global Logistics - Coursework Example Third party logistics are often used for global supply chain executions. The reason why the Japanese company needs to outsource logistics is to reduce the cost, improve distribution service and concentration on its core competencies. The company strategy largely determines how formulation, evaluation and execution of third party logistics will take place. (John E Mello) Factors that primarily effect third party logistics outsourcing are cost and quality of service provided. Since the company requires multiple services, the first thing this company will consider is the ability of the logistics provider to provide all these services efficiently. The company will look at the logistics providers resources because the services required here go beyond typical storage and distribution and also include assembling and receiving orders. To satisfy all these needs, the third party logistics should have the technical expertise and the manpower besides a transportation system and storage place. The first step in outsourcing will be the research and evaluation of all service providers. The company will analyze service providers and look at their experience. The company should have meaningful experience and a clear track record without being involved in any deceptive activities or maintaining low standards of service. Any such findings will immediately disregard that 3PL company as it will risk damaging the company reputation. The service provider who has prior experience of custom clearance activities, storage, assembly and distribution of electronics will be given the top priority. The second thing to consider is the cost and the added value outsourcing will be bringing to the company. Price is a major factor as the reduction of cost and responsibility is what the company is looking for. Therefore the company will choose from companies which provide their services well within the going market rate but not below that without compromising

Economics D319B1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economics D319B1 - Essay Example There are a great number of studies on wage rates and their distribution among workers with certain social and/or demographic characteristics. This essay proposes a theoretical framework and provides an analysis which predominantly complies with the existing literature. The author investigates the reasons behind the wage rates in the manufacturing sector in order to provide a forecast for the next decade. Today's picture of wage-rates in the manufacturing sector is determined by foreign markets' competition and the increased complexity of the jobs, which are moving away form the usual routine. Over the last few decades, the demand for workers in the manufacturing sector has increased. Employees with a high school diploma or less now face an increasingly sophisticated market in which new basic, physical and mechanical skills are required. The nature of low-skilled workers' jobs has changed due to the changes in labor market institutions. New technologies changed workplace organization and new types of goods and services were introduced. This led to unionization and improved organizational structure of the manufacturing industry. Topel (1993) defines several wage-rates determinants: immigration, education, inequality and female labor force participation, changes in product demand, international trade, and human capital investment. A study of Tachibanaki (1975), which covers twelve years (1958-1970), pays special attention to the influence of certain factors for wage-rate differentials. Tachibanaki's (1975) research uses major variables like sex (male or female), occupation, size of the firm, experience of the workers, age, working hours, bonuses, special payments. Tachibanaki (1975) agrees that the principal wage-rate differentials: differentials in education; racial and sexual discrimination; age; trade unions. The last two decades were marked by the constant growing globalization which has been proven to affect the demand on the manufacturing workers' market. This negative impact results in lower wages. According to Bogliacino (2009) there are two possible outcomes in terms of competition-limiting norms, depending on the time period (short run and medium run). Since this essay's goal is to provide a forecast for the future of wage-rates and their determinants, attention should be paid to the results on the mid-run, where "lower productivity growth is detrimental to wage growth" (Bogliacino, 2009). The question is, how does the process of globalization affect the bargaining power of workers in the manufacturing sector For the purposes of the essay SID (Sectoral Innovation Database) produced at the University of Urbino will be used. SID mixes data from several surveys regarding the economic performance of the EU countries. The unit of analysis comprises 21 industries belonging to manufacturing sector in the countries that comprise approx. 80 per cent of the European economy, namely France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Poland and Norway in the period between 1994 and 2006 (Table No.1). Table No. 1 Manufacturing industries included in the SID Industries NACE Food, drinks and

Applied Buyer Behaviour in Global Context Essay

Applied Buyer Behaviour in Global Context - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the ‘Keep Walking’ advertisement by Johnnie Walker uses dual and complex image branding to create purposes for the product.   Elements of tradition and heritage form the pictorial basis of the development. First, the golden striding man within the video is a critical sign used in the branding of products from the Johnnie Walker brand line. The main character is male and is inferred from subsequent codes through the style of clothing and tall hat alongside the stick. The elements define dressing styles from the British heritage of the 19th century and signify tradition and high social statuses. The man is presented as walking through presumably confident and the fast pace is a symbol of impacting confidence in the unpredictable future. Further, the text running on the screen is a signifier of elegance, tradition, and success as the golden color refers to wealth. The white and clear font comprising of the taglines illustra tes the contemporariness and future for which there are reservations of subtlety and tradition. Black background within the video accompanies the text signifies the uncertainty and has an arguable opposition to the courage that is inspired by a striding man. While signs have several fixed and essential meanings, the video narrows down to the context of possible interpretations. There are specific levels where the commercial depicts differences in terms of interpretation.

The Visconti Book of Hours Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Visconti Book of Hours - Essay Example In addition, a large number of mistakes used to be included. Saying so, 'The Visconti Book of Hours' does present a startling revelation of form and structure. And its illuminated teachings make raise question on whether such manuscripts, by way of their rich representation can help us understand the important aspects of the reader's response to a text, its contents and whether such manuscripts did help publisher's cater to the concept of a wider market that profited out of the phenomenon of easy acceptability of the masses. If the liturgy used enormous paintings to affect the reader's mind instantly, then the printing press too, tried to imbibe such helpful aspects, but not after much later. The Visconti Hours is a 14th century book of hours. "A Book of Hours is a compendium of devotional texts that takes its name from its one essential text, the Hours of the Virgin, or more properly the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is called an 'Hours,' or Horae in Latin, because it is subdivided into eight parts, one for each of the 'hours' of the liturgical day - Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline". The manuscript actually divided was into two separate volumes. They were the Biblioteca Nazionale, Florence, under the cataloguing numbers Banco Rari 397 and Landau Finaly 22. Illuminated by two quite different artists, Giovannino dei Grassi who painted the first folios for Giangaleazzo Visconti, despot of Milan., and after Giangaleazzo's death in 1402 it was resumed by Belbello da Pavia for Giangaleazzo's son, Filippo Maria, after he became Duke in 1412. Book of Hours refers to Giangaleazzo as Count and was supposedly written before his coronation in 1395. His concern for the acceptance of his authority is quite clear from the way he displays his heraldic devices and mottoes abound the prayer book made primarily for private use. In addition, Giangaleazzo himself is represented three times along with the Duke of Berry, who also insisted on being portrayed in his Book of Hours. While Giangaleazzo does not appear in the prayer before the Virgin or a saint, his head alone is depicted in a medallion unrelated to the religious scenes. Judging from all these one ma conclude that the latent forces of secularity or a subtle contest between religious and the secula r (Divine Right of the king) has come into play, which may be a new idiosyncrasy of the printing age of the Renaissance, when human values were coming to the fore and man was the centre of celebration. Between 1385 until 1402, Giangaleazzo devoted himself primarily to the expansion of his political power and his chief interest in sports like hunting wild animals, did not escape the autobiographical mention in the Visconti Hours too. Trained birds of pray populate the borders, while his profile is framed with a hunting dog and a stag in Folio 115, thereby bringing David the hunter from the psalm join the king's passion. From helping build a library of illuminated books in Palvia, he shared his love for nature and animals by serving as a patron of such illustrated manuscripts devoted to plants and animals, which did not escape his Visconti Hours too. Here we see a dedicated involvement with religious teaching along with a worldly touch that bespeaks of an era where man

Final paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Final - Research Paper Example Though the law enforcement officials have tried their best to set forth strict regulations and norms but the crime rate in this particular city is considered to be five times higher in comparison to national average as per 2005 statistics. According to CQ Press’s City Crime Rankings, Indianapolis was rated 33rd as the most dangerous city. The rate of crime has increased dramatically in this city and there are around 52.2 per 100,000 forcible rapes taking place in the city. This study would not only deal with the homicide cases that are prevalent in Indianapolis but would also highlight other criminal cases which is taking place in the famous city. The major aim of this research study is to outline certain policies which would prevent such criminal instances that are violating the overall environment of Indianapolis. This study would be conducted from the perspective of a criminologist serving for the Task Force which has been framed by the Mayor of the city so as to reduce the rate of violence witnessed by the city. On the other hand the research study will also reveal the potential causes for the violence and the trend of violence so as to formulate appropriate policies for violence reduction. The study would encompass a critical analysis of the increasing trend of violence in Indianapolis. The research aim and objectives form the basis on which the entire study is conducted. This study would be based on behavioral analysis of the increasing violence which is taking place in Indianapolis. The major aim of the study is to analyze the various forms of crimes occurring in the city and to set forth policies in order to reduce the rate of violence. The objectives of the research study are: The research question for the study would be – â€Å"what are the potential causes behind such rising criminal cases in Indianapolis and what can be the most appropriate policies in order to reduce such

I Thought I Knew What good management was Article

I Thought I Knew What good management was - Article Example Any type of supervision that would give the manager authority, respect and trust over the long run. It was only through attitude surveys and interviews that the manager was able to see what was causing psychological or social problems. This showed that it was difficult to know what was really creating problems between successful relationship development or gain dedication to the SFD business goals. Peace (2001) discusses many different false rumors spreading through the business which was guiding certain employee behaviors. There was also resistance to change making it even more difficult to come up with a business strategy that would gain employee commitment. The first thing that the author had to do was get to the root of what was creating SFD problems in the first place. This was not an easy task because of the poor organizational culture at SFD. Not much as far as leading with an HR focus could be done because of these values of being informal, problems with managers not wanting to discuss their emotions, and problems with breaking down barriers to good communication. Peace (2001) was having difficulties changing the organizational culture for one that would be flexible and also motivated to get results of the new strategic plan. The manager at SFD learned a great deal about how to well manage people, using positive words and less autocratic management styles. What the people in the article needed was a manager that would give consideration to human relations, but also see when employee emotional responses. As said before, it was during a time period where culture was different to today, but does show that companies need to have a solid strategic plan before they can even begin to identify cultural development. Letting employees and junior managers in the organization communicate directly for shared control brought a good satisfaction and changes of attitudes. One of the biggest learning

Eddie and Beatrice Essay Example for Free

Eddie and Beatrice Essay During the dance between Catherine and Rodolpho, Marco has a short conversation with Eddie and Beatrice. Eddie becomes jealous when Marco brags how well Rodolpho can cook.  We eat very well on the boat especially when Rodolpho comes along; everybody gets fat.  Eddie outbursts with jealousy towards Rodolpho saying he cant cook, he cant sing and he cant make dresses.  Beatrice and Marco realised that whilst he was saying all of this that Eddie was twisting a newspaper into a tight roll. Eddie then goes on taking pity on himself.  If I could cook, if I could sing, if I could make dresses  As Eddie goes on he gets more and more frustrated and agitated, eventually the newspaper snapped in half. Eddie mentions boxing to Marco. Marco felt uneasy due to the fact he knew Eddie was frustrated. Eddie soon gets to his point across he wants to teach Rodolpho boxing. knowing full well that what he had in mind. Beatrice asked  Whats he got to learn that for?  As she tries to come up with a reason not to teach him boxing.  Eddie begins to teach Rodolpho how to lead with his left hand and to block. After all this Eddie temps Rodolpho to hit him. Come on kid, put sumpm behind it  Rodolpho swings aggressively at Eddies jaw and grazes it. This heats up the tension even more. The audience expects a fight as Eddie should react to the blow. Eddie however does react but pretends that it is an accident but you can see that this is not the case. The effect of Eddies punch on Rodolpho was so fierce that the other characters was totally disgusted by it an knew that it was necessary. Catherine runs to Rodolphos aid and Marco rises and Beatrice tells Eddie,  Thats enough.  The audience might have expected this part of the scene to result in a big fight due to the unnecessary force Eddie used. They were stunned to see Rodolpho smirk and say,  I was only surprised. Marco then challenges Eddie. This was a test of strength in which Eddie does not win.  Marco displays his strength to all of the characters. Marco show off his strength and also warn off Eddie using a glare of warning which quickly reverts to a smile of triumph.  This makes the audience feel sorry for Eddie because Marco was now the superior strength in the Carbone household. The audience were left in the dark as the scene ends with Marco holding a chair above Eddies head. Arthur Miller has created the dramatic scene ending.  The instant difference between the end of Act I and the end of Act II is that at the end of Act I Marco proves his stength.

ROLE OF THE STATE IN ENSURING DEVELOPMENT IN A COUNTRY Essay Example for Free

ROLE OF THE STATE IN ENSURING DEVELOPMENT IN A COUNTRY Essay INTRODUCTION A state may be simply defined as a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government. Claude Ake (1992) defines a state as: The organized aggregate of relatively permanent institutions of governance. It is seen as a set of associations and agencies claiming control over defined territories and their populations. The main components of the state are, consequently, decision making structures (executives, parties and parliaments), decision-enforcing institutions (bureaucracies, parastatal organizations and security forces) and decision-mediating bodies (primary courts, tribunals and investigatory commissions). The character of the state in any particular country is determined by the pattern of organization of these institutions at specific points in time. The government is usually used interchangeably with the state but it however represents the people or officers in power who change from time to time but the state does not change. see more:the role of youth in nation building The state plays a major role in the development of a country as it is the government/state that enacts key policies are key to economic success and development in a given country. There has however been a lot of contention especially in African countries about the role of the state in regards to development of a country. This is because many African states relied and still rely heavily on foreign markets and expatriates for development in the country. For example in southern Africa most post colonial states depended on expatriates for the formulation of national developmental plans that ran for 5 to 15 years. These plans were also still financed by foreign donors. AÂ  similar case was seen in Tanzania whose first phase of its ambitious 15 year development plan was funded by external powers with domestic funding being only a fifth of the raised capital. Hence the there is debate as to whether development is brought about by the state or by market forces that are independent. The role of the state in development The state plays the following roles that facilitate development in a country. These roles can be divided into the following categories: a. The role of the state in current development programmes b. Development of good governance c. Development of policies Implementation of reforms These reforms include structural adjustments in the country that manage and control pricing of commodities in the country. Also the state has the powers to control various institutions including private institutions. The state should aim at implementing stable property rights, enforcing the rules and laws of the land and elimination of corruption. The state should also provide supervision over the provision of public goods and services such as transportation and security. Implementing development programs The state plays a major role in implementation of development programs that form a back bone other which development takes place. For example in Tanzania there was implementation of a 15 year development plan with funding from both the state and foreign markets. In Kenya the vision 2030 is another good example of a state drive n development plan that aims at achieving development in the country through various started. The vision 2030 aims to create a globally competitive and prosperous nation with a high quality of life by 2030. The pillars for this 2030 development program include: economic pillar that is aiming at a 10% gross domestic product increase by 2012 by targeting tourism, agriculture, whole sale and retail trade, manufacturing, IT services and financial services. The second pillar in Kenya’s 2030 development program is the social pillar. This pillar aims at investing in the people of Kenya in order to improve the quality of life for all Kenyans by targeting education and training, health, environment, housing and urbanization, youth and sport development, gender children and social development. The state’s role in improvement of these factors will have a direct influence in development in the country. For example the improvement of education by ensuring that all people receive formal education and professional training to create a pool of qualified work force that will supports the economic pillar of development and hence increase in the GDP. The third pillar of the vision 2030 development program is the political pillar. This aims at moving into the future as one nation and envisions a democratic system that is issue based, people centred, result oriented and is accountable to the public. This pillar aims at creating a transparent and accountable government. The vision 2030 for development has already commenced in Kenya with 120 transformational and flagship programmes across each pillar already in progress. This shows one of the roles of the state in implementing development programs and monitoring them. Implementation of quality governance. The state has the function of implementing stable rules and laws that govern the country. These rules protect property rights and create an entrepreneur friendly environment for local and foreign investment in the country. Studies have shown that there is a direct relationship between good governance and the level of per capita income in the country. Establishment of quality governance leads to increase of per capita income in the country. A good example is China that has experienced exponential growth over the last decade. State-centred accounts attribute China’s economic success to the organizational capacity of local government to monitor and intervene to promote the development of township and village enterprises (Walder 1995). This has seen china change to a strong capitalist economy and by-pass other nations such as the former Soviet Union i.e. Russia that were the favourites to see increased economic and development growth. China boasts of a strong authoritarian national leadership and an elite state bureaucracy that pursues developmental goals and industrial policy (Wade 1990). However this role of the state in development, that is the implementation of good governance has been criticized because in developing countries of which a majority of African countries are there are no resources to implement good governance. This is due to lack of adequate skilled man power and capital to implement close supervision of state development projects. There is also neglect of various areas when development is taking place with localized development of capital cities and major towns at the expense of national development. This leads to most developing countries shifting to economic marketism with privatization of most institutions and the role of development shifts from the state to the market forces and foreign influence that comes with its own disadvantages in that development in the region in a situation of minimal state intervention remains low when compared to the era of economic nationalism, which seems to have recorded higher levels of social development (Khabele, 2002). Implementation of policies The state has the role of implementing policies that increase development and economic growth in a country. In most developing countries the policy challenge is not to get the state out of the way on the assumption that a capitalist market economy is already in existence and that the problem is to make it work better by removing excessive government regulation. The policy challenge is to create market and this should be reinforced by the state. The state should formulate policies that will ensure innovation in the country, structural transformation in terms of infrastructure and industrialisation; policies that will ensure creation of jobs for the people of the country and hence aid to lower poverty in general and increase per capita income in the country. The state has the role of implementing policies in Kenya that will shift the policy in agriculture from neglect of the agriculture sector to active support to farmers through rural infrastructure, developing of linkages between agriculture and other sectors such as foreign exchange and industries. The government should also implement policies to aid in financing agricultural projects and improve the use of technology in agriculture. The Kenyan population rely heavily on agriculture for income and concentration on this resource can increase development in a country. The state also has the role to implement industrial policies that will enable increase in industries and manufacturing in a country. It should also ensure proper attention is paid to the education and training system in the country so that there is a pool of workers for the industries. Increase in industrialisation leads to economic growth and hence developments. The state should also implement good trade policies both locally and internationally. Good trade policies supplement the industrial policy and support the trading environment to maximize on the attractiveness of a countries products and services in the region and globally. Lack of implementation of proper trade policies can hinder economic development and development. A good example is Zimbabwe that had failed to implement a comprehensive national trade policy. This lead to the decline of export earnings by 49% from US$2.6 billion in 1997 to around US$ 1.3 billion in 2008. This limited export of good lead to increased foreign debt of about 25.3% of the GDP in 2001 that greatly hindered economic development in the country. (Khabele et al 2002) the government of Zimbabwe has now realised the need for implementation of proper national trade policies in order to successfully participate in regional and global market. Zimbabwe has now implemented the National Trade Policy whose policy vision is to have trade as the engine for sustainable economic growth and development in Zimbabwe. CONCLUSION The role of the state in development has been an issue of heated debate at theoretical and policy arenas in the African especially since the attainment of independence of most of the countries. Two main alternative or contrasting development agendas that have driven the debate were those of the nationalist political elite or the state (economic nationalism) on one hand and those of foreign capital (economic marketism) on the other. State intervention, as a key policy thrust of a development process is much stronger in respect of economic nationalism, which in itself is an expression of the political commitment of African states to chart independent development paths for their countries. However the role of the state in development is not independent of marketism as foreign and local markets play a huge role in the development process. The ideal situation would be for the state, foreign markets and private sectors to work together I good relation to ensure development in the various A frican countries. REFERENCES 1. African Development Indicators, Drawn from World Bank Africa Database, The World Bank, Washington D.C., 2001 2. Ake, C., ‘Democracy and Development in Africa’; The Brookings Institution, Washington DC., 1996 3. Khabele M., ‘The role of the state in development in SADC region’; council for development in Africa, Ghana, 2002 4. The ministry of Industry and commerce of Zimbabwe data base: ‘www.miit.gov.zw/policies’, 2012

Study of the New York Accent

Study of the New York Accent Amanda Bjork Why Do They â€Å"Tawk† Like Dat? A Brief Study of the New York City Accent New York can easily be called the biggest collection of villages in the world, a melting pot of nearly all the world’s cultures in one small place. For years, the New York accent—from famous faces such as Rosie Perez to Spike Lee, Fran Drescher to Archie Bunker—has been studied, extolled and derided (Bortolot, 2011). New Yorkers keep their accents, wherever they originally may have come from, and the resulting sound(s) are what has come to constitute the globally recognized accent found in the unique â€Å"New York City English†. There are many different but recognizable characteristics and sounds that make up the famous accent. Many of which may have surprising origins, and many whose origins may never be known. Contrary to popular belief, in New York City, the origin and classification of accent has more ties to ethnicity than to a speaker’s specific geographic region (such as borough). Over the years and through the evolution of the New York acce nt, there have been many varying reactions and responses to it, from wearing it proudly to attempts at â€Å"un-learning† it altogether. The New York City accent is a variation of the English language that is spoken by many people in New York City and much of the surrounding metropolitan area. Pioneer American sociolinguist William Labov has done the most work on the specific subject and has described it as the most recognizable variety of sounds in American English. Overall, the New York accent is made up of all of the elements within the speaker and the city, and it has defined the language of New Yorkers for generations. First of all, to understand where the accent originated, we must be familiar with some of the characteristic sounds that may have gone previously unknown or unidentified as a New York characteristic. Based on years of research, American sociolinguist William Labov has concluded that the New York accent originated as a derivative of a British accent, specifically speakers from South London. But the many aspects of the accent have roots all over Europe. The New York accent is a non-rhotic accent, unlike most American accents, which simply means that the â€Å"r† is not usually pronounced, just as in most British varieties of English. There are sounds that we all recognize as part of the New York accent. Words and phrases such as â€Å"schtreet† (street), â€Å"yaw mutha† (your mother), and â€Å"waduh† (water) (Quinlan, 2013). The unique way that New Yorkers draw out their vowels is another important feature. New Yorkers are also guilty of the intrusive â₠¬Å"r†. When the â€Å"r’s† are dropped, New Yorkers will frequently put them back in where they don’t belong. For example, â€Å"Linda† may become â€Å"Linder† and there are phrases like â€Å"come heah and bring me a soder†. Another distinct, and possibly the most recognizable, sound from the New York accent is the â€Å"aw† sound, such as in â€Å"cawfee†, â€Å"tawk†, or â€Å"sawce† (coffee, talk, sauce). New Yorkers tend to broaden the vowel â€Å"a†, for example, saying â€Å"awe-ful† instead of â€Å"awful†. One may also hear (or not hear) a dropped â€Å"H† in New York speech, for example, â€Å"uge† instead of â€Å"huge† and â€Å"uman† instead of â€Å"human†. The New York accent sometimes features â€Å"TH† pronounced as if it were a singular â€Å"T† or a â€Å"D†, wherein a word such as â€Å"pathmark† becomes â€Å"pat-mark†, or â€Å"dese† and â€Å"dose† for â€Å"these† and â€Å"those†. The only immigrant language that had the â€Å"th† sound in it was Greek, meaning all the other travelers to the New World had a hard time pronouncing the sound. Another interesting aspect of the accent is the fact that New York vowels can change from one sound to another during pronunciation. These changing vowels are called diphthongs. This is believed to be part of the Irish influence on the accent, as the Irish frequently switch the diphthong â€Å"OI† with â€Å"ER† or â€Å"IR†. Two of the most popular and recognizable examples are when the word â€Å"oil† sounds like â€Å"earl† and â€Å"toilet† sounds like â€Å"terlet†, although this practice has shown a sharp decline over the generations. Another characteristic of European influence on the New York accent is the word â€Å"youse†. It is very ra re to hear this outside of New York, and it is thought to be Italian influenced because there is a plural â€Å"you† in the Italian language but there is not in English. The New York accent also receives some influence from the Yiddish (Jewish) language, introducing the intrusive â€Å"G†. There is no soft â€Å"G† in Yiddish like there is in English, so the â€Å"ing† sound becomes â€Å"ink† (Tannen, 1981). For example, â€Å"seeing† is pronounced â€Å"seeink†, and â€Å"doing† is pronounced â€Å"doink†. Yiddish syntax is also different than in English, so it’s possible to hear phrases (in the New York accent) like â€Å"a genius, he isn’t.† New York City is a melting pot of different cultures, immigrating from all over the world over the years. The origins of the New York City accent are diverse, and the source of many features is probably not recoverable. William Labov has pointed out that many features were originally found in southern England as mentioned above. He also claims that the vocalization and subsequent loss of â€Å"r† was copied from the prestigious London pronunciation, and so it started among the upper classes in New York and later spread to other socioeconomic classes. So it has been reasonably concluded that the New York Accent originated in and was â€Å"brought† here from London, in the simplest terms of explanation. In the 1800’s, all major cities on the Eastern seaboard began to copy the British pronunciation; saying â€Å"caah† instead of â€Å"car† and not pronouncing that final â€Å"r† as a consonant. New York did not imitate London directly. There wer e quite a few changes in the vowels so that the New York City accent and dialect began to branch off in its own direction, while still drawing major influence from the London pattern of â€Å"r-less† speech. The East Coast is referred to as the â€Å"r-less corridor† by linguists, and other coastal cities have accents with features in common with New York, like Boston and Charleston, S.C. Those cities were settled around the same time, and the speakers came from a certain place, South London, using a specific sounding type of British English. It can’t quite be determined when the other prominent features melded into the accent we know today. After the British, the next generation of European immigrants to New York City (Irish, Germans, Jews, Eastern Europeans, Russians, and Italians) contributed their own respective features. The New York accent is less a result of which particular city or borough the speaker is from, than which country that one’s forebea rs are from. It has been a common misconception (even by New Yorkers) that accent was related to borough; that there was a Queen’s accent, or a Brooklyn accent, or a Manhattan accent. This is not really the case, as it would be whatever the lineage or ethnicity of the speaker was, like an Italian-New York accent, or Spanish-New York accent. The variations of the New York City accent are a result of layering ethnic speech with the influence from waves of immigration. Over time, the collective influences combined to give New York City (and surrounding areas) a distinct and recognizable accent. Sociolinguistic research, which is ongoing, suggests some differentiation between the accents of these groups may exist. There have been differences found in the rate and degree of speech of Italian-New Yorkers versus Jewish-New Yorkers (Mammen, 1936). The features of the New York accent from Irish origin are the most stigmatized, evidence being that those features have declined over the years. William Labov has argued that these differences are relatively minor. All European American groups share relevant and similar accent features of some kind. Many people who represent as Italian-American speak â€Å"New Yorkese†, Labov says, no matter where they live. Labov gave this example: â€Å"In Philadelphia, an r-pronouncing city, there’s a certain amount of r-lessness among Italian-Americans.† (Virginia, 2010) There are neighborhoods throughout the city that are predominantly a specific ethnic group, but they are not limited to any one borough so the accent cannot be classified that way. As can be taken from earlier in this essay, some of the other variations of the New York accent are Irish, Yiddish, even Russian and Arabic. So essentially, the New York accent is a product of evolution, ethnic roots, and immigration. Over the many years, there have been a myriad of varying responses to the New York accent. These reactions have been personal for New Yorkers, or even present in society via the portrayal of the accent in media (movies, television, etc.). In a study done on language and social strata, Labov wrote The term linguistic self-hatred is not too extreme to apply.† People from New York and New Jersey described their own speech as â€Å"distorted,† â€Å"sloppy† and â€Å"horrible.† (Virginia, 2010) Some New Yorkers even go so far as to take classes to lose or â€Å"unlearn† their accents. Labov also found (in separate interviews) that only one third of New Yorkers liked their accent and most were under the impression that the other Americans dislike the accent in general (Tierney, 1995). Many professional-class New Yorkers from high socioeconomic backgrounds often make a concentrated effort to speak with less conspicuous accents for this reason and in order to be taken seriously; in particular, many use rhotic pronunciations instead of the characteristic New York non-rhotic pronunciations, while maintaining some of the less stigmatized features of the accent. However, the common association of the New York accent with the working and middle class has also, since the latter half of the 20th century, warranted many upper class New Yorkers to refrain from speaking with a New York accent. Because of the accent’s humbler origins, generations of parents hoping their children would grow up to be doctors or lawyers and get out of â€Å"the neighborhood†, encouraged their children to leave it behind, deeming is lower class, ethnic, or crude. The New York accent has also often been associated with negative stereotypes, such as mobster, gangsters, criminals, and thugs. Portrayal of the accent in kind of a negative light (such as in television shows and movies) has made New Yorkers self-aware of their accents and not in a good way. T he accent was even somewhat unpopular in Colonial times. People did not want to sound like New Yorkers, so the accent didn’t spread like others did but remained nearly exclusive to New York City, and parts of New Jersey and Long Island. But there are two sides to this coin, as some New Yorkers wear and project their accents with pride, pride that comes with being from New York City. And there is hope for media, maybe instead of erasing longstanding regional and social distinctions, television will help preserve them (Virginia, 2010). Outside, the accent used to be stigmatized, but inside of New York City, its a positive thing. Being from New York matters, and people need to convey that message, and one way for them to convey that is through language (Bortolot, 2011). Up until 1945, it was considered distinguished to drop the â€Å"r†. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, on his radio addresses: â€Å"We have nothing to fe-ah but fe-ah istelf.† After World War II however, Americans stopped considering British English to be quite so prestigious. But the classic New York City accent is fading away. It has been mocked and stereotyped to the point that it has fallen out of favor in the majority. Contrary to the popular impression that accents are disappearing, sociolinguists say regional accents are remaining quite distinct even as they change. Renà ©e Blake (a socio-cultural linguistics professor at NYU, specializing in New York City English) says that â€Å"while the New York accent will never die, the meaning of the accent continues to evolve as the city does.† Accent is an aspect of evolution (Quinlan, 2013). In conclusion, where did the famous and recognizable New York City accent come from? Well, in essence it came from the people. From the native New Yorkers who chose to sound different. But it is not a difficult stretch to find out that the accent originated in London. Since the British colonized America, I’m sure it could be argued that all of the native accents in America were originally were derived from British. But many of the characteristic sounds present in the New York accent can be traced back to their British counterparts with ease. However, as it turns out, there is more than one aspect of what makes up the New York City accent. The other main piece of the puzzle is ethnic roots or lineage. There are different varieties of the New York City accent that are based on ethnicity, due to the city’s long standing reputation as the gateway to America, a true melting pot of people and cultures. There are Italian-New Yorkers, Spanish-New Yorkers, and Yiddish-New Yorker s that all have a unique sound all their own. That was just to name a few, but the list of different types of accents in New York City could go on for a significant time. Or maybe it couldn’t, because there are a growing number of New Yorkers that have developed distaste for the way that they sound and wish to change their accents. While some New Yorkers have no problem with their accent or wield it proudly, a majority of them are looking down upon it so it has begun to fade out. But the accent will never die out and no matter how many habits New Yorkers consciously unlearn, they will still unconsciously say some things differently from the rest of the country (Tierney, 1995). Many New Yorkers are proud of their unique sound; it continues to be spoken widely in the city today, even without strong class distinctions. The accent has many curious phonological features which stand out when compared to other accents. These features show how the accent has evolved into a unique typ e of speech which reflects the New York speakers and their citys history. New Yorkers with different backgrounds have continuously and will continue to shape their accents according to their needs; this process of change will never stop as long as the accent continues to be used. Conversely, it remains to be seen whether the negative attitudes of those from other parts of the United States towards New York City speech will change in the future, and whether New Yorkers will continue to cherish the traditional, unique features of their accent. It is a strong symbol to and of New York City. And while some look down on the accent, there are just as many who see their speech and accent as an integral part of the city’s identity. Thus, although New York City speech has a rather bad reputation within the America, it is still valued and cherished by its speakers. Perhaps it is precisely this infamy that has partly caused the accent to be widely used and preserved among New Yorkers. I t’s also a New York state of mind; they rebel, consciously or unconsciously, against the beliefs of the majority. Regardless, the accent is permanently ingrained in and connected to the thriving metropolis and will continue to grow and change as New York City does itself. References: Quinlan, Heather. (Writer/Director). (2013). If These Knishes Could Talk: The Story of the New York Accent [Documentary]. USA: Canvas Kid Production Company. Tannen, D. (1981). New York Jewish Conversational Style. International Journal Of The Sociology Of Language, 1981(30), 133-149. Virginia,H. (2010). Points of Entry Speech Therapy. New York Times Magazine, 20. Mammen, E. W., Sonkin, R. (1936). A STUDY OF ITALIAN ACCENT. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 22(1), 1. You talkin to me?. (1995). Discover, 16(9), 27. Skinner, D. (2007). QUEENS ENGLISH. Weekly Standard, 12(33), 4. Bortolot, L. (2011, August 12). You Tawkin to New Yawk?. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 26, 2014, from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424053111903918104576502373235185388?KEYWORDS=renee+blakemg=reno64-wsjurl=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903918104576502373235185388.html?KEYWORDS=renee+blake Tierney, J. (1995, January 22). THE BIG CITY; Can We Talk?. The New York Times Archives. Retrieved March 26, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/22/magazine/the-big-city-can-we-talk.html Roberts, S. (2010, November 19). Unlearning to Tawk Like a New Yorker. The New York Times. Retrieved March 26, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/nyregion/21accent.html?pagewanted=all Green, R. (2012). English with an accent: language, ideology and discrimination in the United States (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.

Mending Wall Essay -- Literary Analysis, Robert Frost

Throughout the history of man, separation has been a part to their lives in one fashion or another. Man has faced separation from their god, from their community, from their loved ones and from their dreams and desires. Recognizing this continuing condition, writers throughout time have written about such separation that people have experienced. In fact, separation seems to be the central theme in many literary pieces of work. Robert Frost gave us the poem, â€Å"Mending Wall† which explores separation of one neighbor from another. Additionally, Frost wrote, â€Å"Home Burial† which demonstrates the separation experienced by a couple after the loss of their child. John Cheever’s short story â€Å"The Swimmer† shares the journey of Neddy whose alcoholism has separated himself from time, his family, friends, money and health. Walter Lee Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s, â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† faces constant separation from his dreams and a separation of ideals from his family. W.E.B. Dubois shares with the reader a separation of an entire people from their equality thought to have been given to them forty years prior. Though separation may not be the primary message of the writers above, it certainly reveals itself in a variety of ways. The myriad of ways separation is used in the poems and stories previously mentioned are as vast as the causes of the gaps themselves. The speaker in Frost’s, â€Å"Mending Wall† expresses through thoughts primarily the necessity for a wall between himself and his neighbor. Every year the wall is damaged by weather and hunters as the speaker indicates, â€Å"Something there is that doesn’t love a wall (Frost, 51).† Additionally, the speaker asks his neighbor of what purpose is there is such ... ... â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† felt held down by the enormity of generations of struggle and poverty. Walter Lee’s burning desire to break free of poverty and gain financial success clouded his responsibility as head of the household and made him a slave to money he did not have. He was enslaved by the love of money. The poverty and the lack of support from his family fueled his ever edgy fire of discontentment. It is only through his placement of his family in a worse predicament did he break free of the bonds of money. This new found freedom eliminated the separation between he and his family, but like Du Bois, things went unchanged in his world. Walter Lee would never achieve his dream in the play. Racism, poverty and corruption kept Walter Lee from achieving his dream and he could not overcome them as he burdened with the fate that he had not part in receiving.

Pigs Role in Animal Farm by George Orwell Essays -- Animal Farm Georg

Pigs' Role in Animal Farm by George Orwell At the start of the novel Orwell describes the pigs to be the "cleverest of the animals." This is clearly an advantage and so leads to the pigs taking over the farm. There is a sense of leadership very soon after Old Major's death as the three pigs, Snowball, Napoleon and Squealer arrange meetings with the other animals and already begin to give orders. "You do not need sugar," says Snowball. It is evident here that Snowball believes that he has power over the other animals already. Further on during the second chapter Snowball and Napoleon send for a ladder, proving that they think they can use the animals to do jobs and progresses more in chapter 3 when they believe that they can direct and supervise the other animals and not actually do the work themselves. In chapter two Napoleon says, "Comrade Napoleon will lead the way." Using the word "lead" shows that the pigs think of themselves as more than just teachers and even have their own headquarters soon after. It is clear to us that the pigs are using their intelligence to trick the other animals and play mind games with them. Orwell describes Snowball as a "more vivacious pig than Napoleon." We can see this whilst he is still on the farm, as he is always doing things to benefit the whole of the farm, not just himself whereas Napoleon is. "Snowball made a little speech, emphasizing the need for all animals to be ready to die for Animal farm if need be." It is evident from this quote that Snowball is very passionate about the farm and will do anything to improve it. His passion for the farm is very much shown at the battle of the cowshed where he is in charge of the attack against Jones and other farmers. ... ...oleon-we have won every inch of it back again!" Squealer is making it out to be a good thing maybe because Napoleon wants the animals to still think of him as a great leader. The animals soon believe that what they have done is great and so join in with the celebrations. Another use of Squealer by Napoleon is to increase the belief that Snowball is a menace so they think of Napoleon as a better leader and Snowball as a traitor. Napoleon is always maintaining his power throughout the novel and also uses Squealer to do this by giving credit to Napoleon for everything and reminding the animals that he is a great leader even if what he is doing is wrong. This way the pigs are able to benefit greatly from communism which is what they wanted from the rebellion. They show no interest in improving the farm itself but only in the strength of their power over it.

French Revolution Lower Class :: essays research papers

Life from the Bottom Lower classes have always been treated the worst of any other people. I, being a peasant farmer during the French Revolution, have experienced this maltreatment in mankind. We made up the largest group within the Third Estate. We were forced to do things that were out of our control. The peasants, such as me, did not like being under the rule of Louis XVI and his spouse Marie Antoinette. We were already deprived of money to begin with, yet we still lost half of what we had due to taxes. We were expected to pay feudal dues to the nobles, tithes to the church, and royal taxes to the king’s agent. Also, aside from taxes in money, we owed the corvà ©e. The corvà ©e was a certain form of tax that was paid by work rather than money. We were expected to do this for a certain number of days out of every year. During the rule of the Old Regime, peasants’ rights were depleted and our power was oppressed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the radicals tried Louis XVI for treason and demanded that he be executed, we peasants were relieved. We now gained more rights and felt freer. The Jacobins were now gaining more power. We didn’t like this at all. We were horrified by the beheading of the king. We knew that the beheadings could become a routine within our country. As many leaders were trying to gain power, one man slowly took control. His name was Maximilien Robespierre. His reign of power was known as the Reign of Terror. We were terrified of Robespierre’s power. We were all in danger of being guillotined. As many as 40,000 people were beheaded all together, and 80% of them were peasants. After awhile, the members of the National Convention knew none of them were safe from Robespierre. They finally turned against him and executed him on July 28, 1794. This execution ended the Reign of Terror. Everybody was relieved. If the European monarchies were able to squelch the revolutionary government of France, then Louis and Antoinette would not have ruled as long as they did. This would have meant, less tax paying for us peasants.