Basic Economics

The main reason for studying economics is that it is practical. Everyone makes economic decisions everyday. We all face the problem of scarcity and, thus, must continue to make choices. Today, people are getting to be more and more concerned about Economics. The current economic situation seems to interests everybody in society; the bread earner, the laborer, the bank teller, the accountant, the college professor, and even the student.While most of these people have had no actual background in economics, it comes as a change for the students to familiarize himself with what economics is about. He gets to learn howto analyze the theory and to explain why things are happening in the nation. With today’s emphasis on economics it, therefore, pays to be equipped with the knowledge of economic theory. Man’s basic economic activity consists of effort to satisfy human wants with the use of goods and services. It involved satisfaction. Human wants from the needs for survival oth erwise known as basic needs (e. g. food, clothing & shelter), to higher needs for a comfortable and more meaningful life. Man is subject to create wants, developed due to the effects of advertising and demonstrative effects of consumption. Economics isconcerned with the satisfaction of many of these human wants especially the basic ones. The basic economic resources of a nation consists of land, labor, capital and entrepreneurship. The economy should pay the owners of these basic factors of production for the use of their resources such as rent for the land, wage or salary for labor, interests for capital and profit for entrepreneurship. The technique of production which shows how resources are used and combined in production, thus, production is described as capital intensive or labor intensive depending on what factor is predominantly used.In effect, the basis activities of man also constitute the basic exchange that take place between the business firm and the consumers. The hous ehold is the basic consuming unit in the economy. Since human wants are unlimited, it maxims its satisfaction through the proper allocation or mix of expenditures within the context of budget limitations. The business firm serves as the economy’s producing unit to satisfy human wants with goods and services. The use of the resources generates income for the resource owners. Most societies aim to use economic-activity as a channel to improve the people’sstandards of living within the limits of available resources. Hence, a government can restructure the economic system in order to solve its shortcomings or problems like; unemployment, economic instability that cause highs and lows in production and investment levels, low level of growth and development, inequality income distribution, determination of the type of economic system. The choice of the nation’s economic system is vital to any country because it determines the manner in which goods will be produced, th e quantities of each good that will be produced and the distribution of these goods and services.Within the economy, the basic activities of production, consumption, employment and income generation take place through the interrelationship existing between the basic consuming unit, which is the household and the basic producing unit, which is the firm. Business firm supplying the household with goods and services in exchange for payments representing consumption expenditures. On the other hand, the business firm has to use economic resources consisting of land, labor, capital and entrepreneur to produce these goods and services. The households provide the firms’ theses resources inexchange for payments in the forms of rent, interest, wages, salaries and profit. The money flow is depicted in the money payment by the firm to the household of its money income and by household to the firm for its purchase of goods and services. On the other hand, the good flow is depicted in the flow of economic resources from the household to the firm and in the flow of good and services from the firm to the household. An economic system, in answering the needs of society, has the function of determining what goods and services to produce as well as the order of their importance. This willnaturally depend on the needs of the economy as well as its goals and objectives. In addition, the economic system has to perform the task of organizing productive efforts to produce the selected goods and services in the proper quantities. Lastly it must determine how these goods and services should be shared among the members of society(Leftwich). In traditional economic system, production decisions are made according to customs and traditions ( not allowing the producers to adjust to changes dictated by the time). This is usually practices in underdeveloped regions and in mountainous areas whereThe command economics, the answers to the basic economic problems are dictated by the govern ment through the head of the nation or a group of men designated by the head to make the decisions. This system is socialistic as the government owns and controls the factors of production. The government plans what to produce and how resources should be allocated. The system works under the principle that the interest of society should prevail over that of the individuals. Decision regarding the distribution of goods, lie in the hands of the government and, hence individual preferences are not considered at all.The market system deals with the economic problems by considering consumers choices. Consumers demand in the market as reflected in the prices of goods and services. The market prices serve as signals to the producers about what goods to produce and how much of these goods should be produced. The problem of production is therefore, solved by the price mechanism. In an economy where prices are continuously rising, people have always wondered what factors cause prices to fluct uate. The demand and supply are the main forces that cause prices to increase or decrease.From our daily experience of buying and selling, we know that higher prices influence people to buy less. Therefore, the demand function shows how the quantity demanded on a particular good responds to price change. As price increases, the quantity demanded of the product decreases, but as price decreases, the quantity purchased will instead increase. (If the price is low demand is high while if the price is high demand is low) Individual consumers, business firms and government agencies participate in the market place motivated by the desire to maximize utility (consumers), profits (business firms), orthe general welfare (Government agencies). People who are willing and able to buy a particular goods at some price become part of the market demand while those willing and able to sell the good demanded by people at some price are part of the market supply. The behavior of all buyers and sellers in a market determines the quality of good and services that is actually exchanged. With today’s emphasis on economics it therefore, pays to be equipped with the knowledge of economic system and learn the basic economics. Leftwich, Richard. 1969. An introduction to economic thinking. USA: Rhinehart & Winston Inc.

Stress Log

Stress log Psychology 101 – Influence of the Media Assignment (40 pts) Fall 2010 DUE: After viewing Killing us softly 4 (2010), write a 2-3 page paper (600-800 words) on the influence of media and advertising on the public, both men and women. All papers should be typed and double-spaced. In your paper: 1. Discuss the assertion made in Killing Us Softly that the purpose of advertising is to sell us what we don’t need, to sell us values, and to sell us concepts of normal. (6 pts) 2. Using both videos and magazine pictures, discuss how media and advertising images affect how you see yourself, how you see others, and how others see you. 6 pts)3. Dr. Kilbourne does not advocate censorship, or banning all advertisements. What other ways do individuals have to protect themselves from any ill effects from advertising? What role would critical thinking play? (8 pts) 4. Using your chapter on Motivation and Emotion, demonstrate how advertising and media, generally, motivate our b ehaviors. (8 pts) 5. Do you believe that there are cumulative effects of these media messages? Whether your answer is yes or no, give reasons. (6 pts) 6. Grammar/spelling (3 pts) 7. Make sure you cite the movie in text using APA style (3 pts).See information below for citing a movie APA style In APA format the movie can be cited several ways. The movie title should always be italicized. If you describe a scene by saying something like: In the movie Killing us softly 4 (2010), Dr. Kilbourne says†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The title is italicized and the year is in parentheses. If you describe a scene by saying something like: Dr. Kilbourne says that advertisements are created to sell us values (Killing us softly 4, 2010). The title is italicized and both the title and year go in the parentheses before the period at the end of the sentence.

Business Ethics Essay

Ethics is a collection of moral principles and rules of conduct accepted by part or all of the members of a society. Ethics guides behaviour based on beliefs about what is right and wrong. The source of these beliefs may be tradition, religion, or reasoned judgments about what is best for the individual and society as a whole. Business Ethics is the group of rules of conduct applied specifically to business situations. Ethics is not the same as law. Many ethical beliefs are formally reinforced by law, but many are not. Until recently, it was legal to fire almost any employee for any reason, regardless of the length of his or her service. Often the terminated employees was denied any provision for a company pension. Today, this practice is inhibited by federal law. In practice, ethics is expressed and felt as a combination of pressures that direct one to take or not to take certain actions. Decisions must be acceptable to many different elements of society. First, they must be acceptable to the conscience of the decision maker. A manager may legitimately think, â€Å" I could legally take this action, and I could probably get others to accept it, but I ought not do it because it is not right.† Managers must consider the potential effects of their decisions on the people and companies directly involved with the business operation: customers, suppliers, competitors, employees, investors, and creditors. In addition, manager must consider- and try to control- the possible effects of their decisions on the community at large. It is only recently that business has become aware of how it affects individuals and the whole society. The lassez-faire business environment of the nineteenth century promoted the belief that almost any practice that increased profits was, in the long run, good for the country. The result was cutthroat competition, fraud, deceptive marketing, price and market manipulation, worthless and dangerous products, exploitation of workers, and other practices that today are considered unethical. At the same time that so many harmful business activities were being carried on, some companies did abide by the fundamentals of good business ethics. At the height of the ruthless development of the nineteenth century, many managers still believed in producing high-quality products, honestly sold at a fair price. They felt success could be built on hardwork, creativity, and genuine customer satisfaction. It is the belief that high ethical standards are in the long run good for profits that is stressed in business today. In spite of improvements, however, there is evidence that managing a business may involve, at every level, a compromise with an individual’s ethical standards. In 1975, a major survey asked 238 managers whether they felt â€Å" pressured to compromise their personal standards to attain the company goals. â€Å" About 50 percent of the top-level executives said they did. Ethical Issues Ethical issues are not confined to court cases. All business people face them daily, and they stem from a variety of sources. Although some types of issues arise infrequently, others occur regularly. Let’s take a closer look at several ethical issues. Fairness and Honesty Fairness and honesty in business are two important ethical concerns. Besides obeying all laws and regulations, business persons are expected to refrain from knowingly deceiving, misrepresenting, or intimidating others. Organizational Relationships A business person may be tempted to place his or her personal welfare above the welfare of others or the welfare of the organization. Relationship with customers and coworkers often create ethical problems– since confidential information is expected to be kept secret and all obligation should be honoured. Unethical behaviour in these areas includes taking credit for others’ ideas or work, not meeting one’s obligation in a mutual agreement, and pressuring others to behave unethically. Conflict of interest Conflict of interest results when a business person takes advantage of a situation for his or her own interest rather than for the employer’s interest. Such conflict may occur when payments and gifts make their way into business deals. A wise rule to remember is that anything given to a person that might unfairly influence that person’s business decision is a bribe, and all bribes are unethical. Communications Business communications, especially advertising, can present ethical questions. False and misleading advertising is illegal and unethical, and it can infuriate customers. Sponsors of advertisements aimed at children must be especially careful to avoid misleading messages. Advertisers of health-related products must also take precautions to guard against deception when using such descriptive terms as â€Å" low fat,† â€Å" fat-free,† and â€Å" light.† Demand for Ethical Behaviour Businesses, governments, and the public are all paying more attention to business ethics. The Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA) of 1977 was enacted in response to disclosure that American corporations were paying bribes to high governmental officials in foreign countries. The bribes were used in an attempt to win contracts and sell products and services. In their defense, the companies argued that firms in other countries did the same thing; the American firms had to pay bribes or risk losing sales. Congress disagreed and passed the FCPA to outlaw the practice. Bribes and kickbacks have come under particularly close scrutiny lately. A kickback occurs when someome who has won a contract or made a sale through favourable treatement gives back part of the profits from the transaction to the party providing the favour. For example, a retailer hires a market researcher to find a good location for a new store. The retailer does not know that the researcher has previously agreed to recommend the property of a real estate developer. In return, the researcher will secretly receive a percentage of the first year’s rent on the property. A bribe is a payment made â€Å"up front’ to influence a transaction. Thus, a bribe occurs before a transaction and a kickback afterwards. Bribery is especially a problem in overseas dealings. Following a criminal investigation by the Justice Department, Lockheed Corporation pleaded guilty to charges of concealing payoffs to Japanese business and government officials. Lockheed was fined $647,000. In another instance, the Brunwick Corporation admitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission that it had paid bribes to two Latin American countries to win contracts. The Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company faced a 747-count federal indictment for giving kickbacks to beer retailers and distributors in exchange for their business. It later agreed to pay a $750,000 penalty. Most recently, General Dynamics, General Electric, and other large companies have been charged with defrauding the Pentagon. The illegal exploits of Ivan Boesky and other Wall Street traders sent shock waves through the Investment community in 1987. In December 1988, the Wall Street firm of Drexel Burham Lambert pleaded guilty to six felony counts of mail, wire, and security fraud and agreed to pay $650 million in fines and restitution. It subsequently filed for bankruptcy. Michael Milken, head of Drexel’s Beverly Hills junk bond office, agreed in 1990 to plead guilty to six felony counts and to pay $600 million in fines and restitution. Also in 1990, American Express publicly apologized for what it admitted was a â€Å"shameful† and â€Å"baseless† smear campaign against rival financier Edmund Safra. Among other things, the company had spread false rumours that Safra was connected to drug cartels. The company agreed to donate $8 million to charities selected by Safra. At about the same time, the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) scandal was exploding. Finally shut down by regulators in mid-1991, Luxembourg-based BCCI had been under suspicion since the 1970s. The collapse of BCCI, which operated in 73 countries, revealed fraud of historic proportion, involving bribery, corruption, money laundering, gun running, drug smuggling, terrorism, amd more than $5 billion in lost and stolen assets. COMPANY POLICIES AND BUSINESS ETHICS Within the workplace, an additional factor— the company itself– can influence ethical behaviour, if not always beliefs. As illegal and/or unethical activities by managers have caused more problems for companies, many firms have taken steps to encourage their employees to practise more ethical behaviour. The Strategies for Success â€Å" Succeeding with Ethical Business Behaviour offers some guidelines. Perhaps the single most significant thing a company can do to influence its employees is to demonstrate top management’s support for ethical behaviour. During a recent scandal at Rockwell International ‘s Rocky Flat plutonium plant, for example, executives’ unwillingness to acknowledge wrongdoing led to greater problems. If Rockwell executives had responded more openly, the company might not have lost its right to operate the Rocky Flats plant. To demonstrate their commitment to ethical business practices, many companies have adopted written codes of ethics that formally acknowledge the firm’s intent to conduct its business ethically. An excellent illustration of the power of business ethics occurred a few years ago at Johnson & Johnson. On two different occasions, several of the company’s Tylenol capsules were found to be laced with cyanide. Such a disaster would have ruined many companies. Managers at Johnson & Johnson, however, quickly recalled all of the Tylenol capsules still on retailer’s shelves and offered fortright and candid information whenever asked. The highly ethical practices exemplified by Johnson & Johnson allowed both the firm and the Tylenol brand to bounce back much more quickly than anyone thought possible. A lively current debate concerns the degree to which business ethics can be â€Å"taught â€Å" in schools. Not surprisingly, business schools have been important participants in such debates. But companies also need to educate their employees. More and more firms are taking this route by offering ethics training to their managers. Such training helps employees to assess situations in which they might have to make reasoned, ethical decisions. ETHICS AS A PRACTICAL MATTER A message from David R. Whitwam Chairman of the Board Whirpool corporation The question of ethics in business conduct has become one of the most serious challenges to the business community in modern times. At Whirpool, we share with millions of other Americans, a deep concern over recent relationships of unethical and othen illegal conduct on the part of some of this nation’s most prominant business people and corporation. The purpose of this message is not to pass judgement on any of these occurrence; each must and will be judged on its own merits by those charged with that responsibility. Rather this message is intended to place firmly on record the position of Whirpool Corporation regarding business ethics and the conduct of every Whirpool employee. It represents an irrevocable commitment to our customers and stockholders that our actions will be governed by the highest personal and professional standards in all activities relating to the operation of this business. Over the years, circumstances have prompted us to develop a number of specific policies dealing with such critical elements of ethical business practice as conflict of interest, gifts, political activities, entertainment, and substantiation of claims We aslo have a basic statement of ethics which places the ultimate responsibility for ethical behaviour precisely where it belongs in any organization†¦. on the shoulders of the person in charge: â€Å" No employee of this company will ever be called upon to do anything in the line of duty that is morally, ethically or legally wrong. Furthermore, if in the operation of this complex enterprise, an employee should come upon circumstances of which he or she cannot be personally proud, it should be that person’s duty to bring it to the attention of the top management if unable to correct the matter in any other way.† Every Whirpool manager carries the dual responsibility implicit in this policy statement, including the chairman of the board. Our written policies deals with nearly all facets of business experience. We review, revise and recommunicate them to our managers on a regular basis†¦. and we see that our managers carry on the communication throughout the company. But as a practical matter, there is no way to assure ethical behaviour with written policies and policies statements. In the final analysis, â€Å" ethical behaviour â€Å" must be an integral part of the organization, a way of life that is deeply ingrained in the collective corporate body. I believe this condition exists at Whirpool, and that it constitutes our greatest single assurance that htis company’s employees will conduct the affairs of this business in a manner consistent with the highest standards of ehtical behaviour. At Whirpool we have certain ways of doing things. They are commonly accepted practices, enforced not by edict, but rather by a mutual conviction that they will, in the long term, work in the best interest of our customers, our stockholders, the company and all its employees. In any business enterprise, ethical behaviour must be a tradition, a way of conducting one’s affairs that is passed on from generation to generation of employees at all levels of the organization. It is the responsibility of management , starting at the very top. to both set the examples by personall conduct and create an environment that not only encourages and rewards ethical behaviour, but which also makes anything less totally unacceptable. I believe this has been achieved at Whirpool. The men who founded this company back in 1911 were individually possessed of great integrity and honour. They forstered a tradition of ethical conduct in their business practices, and they perpetuated that tradition through careful selection of the people who would one day fall heir to leadership of the company. The system works. Time and time again I have witnessed its efficacy. It shows no hospitality whatsoever to those not willing to abide by its standards, and unerringly identifies and purges them. Unfortunately, the system is not automatically self-sustaining. It must be constantly reaffirmed by each new generation of leaders. In the position I now occupy, I view this as one of my most important responsibilities. As this company grows, and as the pressures upon it increase, maintaining our tradition of ethicial conduct become an increasingly difficult task. But I am confident it will be maintained, because it is necessary for continued growth, profitability and success. Sincerely, Remark: Business ethics: the study of moral behaviour, character, guiding beliefs, standards, or ideas that pervade a group, a community, a person; it deals with what is right and wrong, good and bad. The question of ethics- the branch of philosophy that deals with the â€Å" right† and â€Å" wrong† of human behaviour- has been connected with business since the beginning of commerce. In business, what determines the line between honest and dishonest methods? What is ethical business conduct? What is unethical business conduct? Answers to these questions may not be consistent because they depend upon the ethical standards of the person passing judgment, and the basic moral and beliefs of society. The guides to business ethics in our society derive primarily from religion and law. – Religious teaching spell out the requirements for moral responsibility. – Law provides codes for governing business behaviour.

Managing People 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing People 2 - Essay Example In addition, flexible working reduces stress level, which increases the productivity of an employee. Many companies big and small are also increasingly adopting flexible working schedules. This is because research has showed that flexible working increases workers productivity thus revenue. Therefore, since the main aim of a company is to increase productivity of workers so as to generate high profits, none would want to be left behind. In this regard, Regus (2012, p.3) reveals that about 80% of small companies report working more flexibly than before. At the same time, Regus (2012, p.3) found out that 68% of large businesses today provide flexible working to their employees. It was also found out that about 72% of international businesses reported having realized increased productivity as a result of flexible working. However, in all cases, Ragus (2012, p.3) reveals that about 68% of businesses reported that flexible working has increased staff productivity. About 63% of companies s urveyed indicated that flexible working increased their workers energy and motivation level pointing that flexible working is principal talent-retention technique. Research also indicates that about 51% of companies intend to employee more freelancers in the future (Ragus 2012, p.3). At the same time, about 80% of companies interviewed believe that there is a likelihood of an increase in the number of employees willing to work part-time, which points at an increasing demand for an environment that allows for flexible working. There are a number of companies in the U.K. that have embraced flexible working practices. BT (formerly British Telecommunications) is one such company in London that provides flexible working environment. BT is one of the largest Information technology and telecommunication companies in the U.K. Since the U.K. government legislated a law to improve flexible working, BT has embraced the practice in totality. The flexible working of BT is based on a number of pr inciples regarding service delivery, recruitment, and motivation. BT acknowledges the fact that many workers have the responsibility of taking care of others such as the elderly, children, the disabled, and the sick. The company also recognizes the fact that, with UK’s aging population, such demand is likely to increase, which will also increase competition for workers throughout the U.K. As a result, many candidates will likely be looking at what employers offering terms of flexible working in deciding on the company to work for (Eurofound 2009). As a result, BT has introduced a number of flexible working practices, which includes compressed time, job-sharing, accrual hours, annualized hours, flexitime, limited working, time out, teleworking and freedom to work. BT reports having reaped a lot of benefits from such a working practice. In this regard, BT reports that flexibility has increased the motivation level of its employees, which has in turn increased their productivity . As a result, the company has been able to register increased profits than ever before (Eurofound 2009). British American Tobacco (BAT) is also another big company in the U.K. that provides flexibility of work. In this regard, BAT allows for part-time and flexible working hours for its employees. Like, BT, Bat also provide leave for its workers to enable them attend to other

Spirituality in health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Spirituality in health care - Essay Example The role of the healthcare provider is one that is not often understood to be related, either directly or tangentially, to spirituality. However, as it is the responsibility of the healthcare provider to reach out to the patient as means of addressing their needs, identifying with them, and providing counsel as needed, the means by which spirituality should be understood and engaged is something that is of great importance. As such, promoting both physical and psychological health is a primary expectation that the healthcare provider has in terms of fulfilling their responsibilities. Oftentimes, this cannot be done without adequately understanding and identifying with the way in which different patients engage with and value spirituality as a very important part of the way that healing and health are understood. As a means of describing and understanding this to a more effective degree, the following analysis will seek to analyze the role that spirituality plays in helping to address the primary tasks that have thus far been defined. Furthermore, the student will provide a specific level of focus as to the way in which belief systems and â€Å"absolutes†, as well as the potential for prosthletization should be discouraged; as they are unhelpful towards representing understanding and/or potential benefits to those that reflect different spiritual paradigms as compared to those that the healthcare practitioner might reflect.

ENTERPRISE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL MANAGEMENT MODULE Assignment - 1

ENTERPRISE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL MANAGEMENT MODULE - Assignment Example He kept on his quest for prospective customers who would buy space in his magazine and did this bit of marketing mainly through the pay phone installed in his school. One fails to stop marveling at the entrepreneurial streak that this young boy exhibited when most boys of his age were busy playing games. The success did not come anytime soon and after some backbreaking and focused effort finally on one fine day he received his first breakthrough in the form of a cheque of  £250 from an advertiser. The most notable part of this entire episode is that he did not waver in his faith even for a moment through the whole exercise and was never shy of putting in hard work for it. This personal attribute of staying focused in the face of severest odds is perhaps the single most important attribute that separates an entrepreneur form the rest of the crowd (Branson 2006). During the early 1980s and right through the 1990s media, both electronic and print, and several academicians researched on the special attributes that made entrepreneurs out of ordinary mortals. Such research outputs usually set out a list of must-have attributes and generally invited readers to do a self check to find out whether they have it in them what makes an entrepreneur. It had become quite fashionable to label certain characteristics as entrepreneurial attributes. One of them was surely an ability to take risks but hardly any such publication clearly mentioned just where when such an ability to accept risks crossed the limits of prudence and became downright foolhardiness. Another very much touted behavioral characteristic of future entrepreneurs was an extra desire to achieve something in life (McClelland 1999). The characteristic, as was evident from the words that described it, was extremely vague and had more hype in it than any real substance. One would hardly be

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 7

Globalization - Essay Example It has been argued that everything that man does and lives for in this world is all rounded to IT. In his essay â€Å"Civilization and its discontents† Sigmund Freud affirms this by reckoning that â€Å"it is simply the pleasure principle which draws up the program of life’s purpose.† A four hour track of my communications and interactions with technology As stated in the introduction above, technology is almost inevitable in our day to day activities. The following table is a distribution of my activities from the time I wake up in the morning to noon. Both the four hours are spent within the world of Information and Technology. Time Activity 8.00 - 8.30 AM Respond to Emails 8.30 - 9.00 AM Watch the morning news while taking breakfast 9.00 - 10.00 AM Attend the gym on my TV via recorded instructions 10.00 – 12.00 PM Went to the studio to record my demo. My daily activities start from eight in the morning as I sleep late from my night shift job. My first i nteraction with technology involves reading and responding to E-mails. This activity takes place between 8.00 AM to 8.30 PM. Being an online student, my lecturers send me reading materials and assignments online. This has made it possible for me to communicate with my lecturer at school and deliver my homework on time. Also, I use the internet to communicate with my fellow students and share information. If possible, we hold a group discussion via Skype every Wednesday. On my side, I can say that the availability of Information Technology has made it possible for easy conveyance of information. My next thirty minutes of the hour are spent taking breakfast while watching the morning news. After breakfast, I go to the gym on my television for one hour from 9.00 AM to 10.00AM. Since I do not have enough time to visit the gym in my locality, I use recorded instructions stored in a compact disc (DVD). This has helped me a lot in keeping in shape even regardless of my tight schedule. Agai n, this makes inevitable for me not to use Information Technology in my life. My next two hours (10.00 AM to 12.00 PM) of the morning are spent in the studio. This is where I go to do reviews and recordings of my upcoming school project. The presentation is supposed to be done in the next week, so I have to be well prepared and ready for the presentation. According to my own life experiences and requirements, I feel that I cannot survive without technology. This is because technology is the backbone of modern communication and makes our day to day operations much easier. Part two Nowadays to stay away from technology has become a very hard thing to do, almost impossible to do. Coincidentally, just a week ago, me and my colleagues were trying to evaluate how it could be to live a world with no technology. We all came to the conclusion that in the world of today it’s impossible to separate technology from our lives. However, we also noted that there are some instances where we can operate efficiently without technology. Following the discussion with my peers, I decided to put myself in to test by staying away from technology for one hour. This one hour was during my lunch time break. As usual, during my lunch hour break, I attended a prayer session at the prayer hall right next to my school.

Stop the Massacre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Stop the Massacre - Essay Example Palestinians only get to hear of the data regarding their fellow citizens who have passed due to the conflict. However, the reporting is also compromised by media houses that are rooting for a western perspective, which has labeled Palestinians as terrorists yet the majority of Gaza residents are peace-loving citizens and have no arms that threaten Israel’s peace and tranquillity. The Israel army claims that it is undertaking surgical strikes aimed at only killing Hamas fighters (Yaakov 1). However, the grim reality on the ground paints a different picture. Most of the dead are innocent civilians who include children, women and the elderly. The support of the western nations for the conflict points at the eroded moral values of the strongest nations, which ought to stand for the enforcement of human rights. The above story paints a bleak future for Gaza’s residents who have become used to the torrential blasts of Israel mortar. This is a story about the contrast in the lives of Israelis and Palestinians. On the onset of the operation dubbed protective edge, Israelis, in amusement, watched from cinemas and cliffs facing Gaza as their army bombarded Gaza from the air leading to the death of innocent people (Yaakov 1). The Israelis, whom the army claims to be protecting, were celebrating as it pounded and destroyed the lives of Palestinians. This was in contrast to the picture painted by Israel’s media, which claimed that its citizens live under the constant threats of rockets. The war against Gaza was based on a false premise publicized by the Western-backed media so that world can turn a blind eye on the atrocities that are occurring during the military incursion into Gaza. The result of this war is the creation of a modern-day concentration camp and the death of even the unborn babies in the wombs of Palestine’s women. Palestinians cannot leave Gaza since they will be exposed to attacks.  

Housing Policy and Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Housing Policy and Strategy - Essay Example How do agenda become policies The two terms, which are often confused, need to be clarified. These are the agenda setting and problem definition. Agenda setting is bringing issues to active consideration by the government (Cobb and Ross 1997 as cited in Dery 2000 ) while problem definition is what issues are selected for agenda setting (Rochefort and Cobb, 1994 as cited in Dery 2000). Weiss (1989 as cited in Dery 2000) clarifies this hazy boundary between agenda setting and problem definition by stating that problem is defined as how people perceive a circumstance while agenda setting is process by which some problems come to public attention at a given time and place. In the past the policies were based on a general approach. During the past two decades , however, policies are outcome of creative inputs from local authorities, housing associations and lenders. The government is also required to play role in supporting and sustaining rather than directing and controlling. The implementers in UK judge an idea on pilot scale prior to changing it into a policy. (Williams & Holmans 1997). The UK policy making has undergone further change. The evidence based policy has taken over, to some extent, the earlier opinion based policymaking. Now the hard data, thoroughly analysed on statistical and economic scales, are central to a policy (Defra 2008). The development of a policy can be explained by technocratic or political model (Majone 1989). In the former, the policy develops or changes as per the preferences (or opinion) of policy makers . In the political model, the agenda setting occurs when the public support is gained for an issue. (Cobb & Elder, 1983; Kingdon, 1984; Baumgartner & Jones, 1993 as cited in Dery 2000). Several ideas generated by policy analysts, researchers, and others have become trends as these have been integrated into thinking and policy making (Basolo 2003). Evaluation of a policy brings necessary changes, if required. For e.g. many public housing developments, especially in cities, were originally designed and built to accommodate large numbers of households. The problems to residents in such houses brought attention to the design of public housing developments. It was also realised that the return of policy responsibilities to state and local governments from the central government would offer more suitable policy framing to the local needs.The ill effects of the concentration of poverty developed as observed by public officials and policy scholars. The minorities and poor were shifted to white areas. It is an example where significant amount of public policy attention is aimed at reducing the concentration of poverty (Goetz, 2000 as cited in Basolo 2003). Beland (2005) refers (Lieberman 2002) that while framing or changing a policy equal importance to ideas and institutions should be given. He thinks ideas are 'roadmap' to framing a policy. The pioneer in agenda setting study, Kingdon (1995) states that agenda could be defined as the most aggravated problem of the moment and alternative as policy options capable of solving it. He further elaborates that agenda and policy options arise by the interaction of three elements viz. Problem, policy and politics. The social groups and politicians to mobilize system in favour of a specific issue use these three elements. The

Berkeley provides (at least) two objections to Lockes Essay

Berkeley provides (at least) two objections to Lockes - Essay Example In his second Principle, Berkeley claims that objects must be perceived in order to exist, â€Å"for the existence of an idea consists in being perceived† (Berkeley 461). He bases this premise on the evidence that thoughts, passions and imaginative ideas cannot exist without a mind capable of perceiving them. â€Å"And (to me) it seems no less evident that the various sensations or ideas imprinted on the sense, however blended or combined together (that is, whatever objects they compose), cannot exist otherwise than in a mind perceiving them† (471). This goes directly against Locke’s concept of primary properties which are described as properties of an object that are true regardless of who perceives them or even whether they are perceived. Examples of primary properties include the object’s solidity, its figure, its relative motion to its surroundings and its quantity. In the example of a table, primary properties might include its hard surface and open a rea between the legs, its flat surface and height from the ground, its motionless status within the room and its singular status as an object. While Locke says that these things exist whether or not anyone perceives them, Berkeley suggests that none of these elements of the object can be true without someone first perceiving that they’re true. In this, he essentially applies Locke’s concepts of secondary properties to the entire object, eliminating primary properties. â€Å"In truth, the object and the sensation are the same thing and cannot therefore be abstracted from each other† (471). Another area in which Berkeley disagrees with Locke is in the characterization of our understanding. Locke indicates that our perceptions and experiences of the world are learned and shaped by our experiences of innate things that exist in the material world independently of perception while Berkeley

Comments and Opinions While News Reporting Essay Example for Free

Comments and Opinions While News Reporting Essay

Art Of Racing Essay Example for Free

Art Of Racing Essay Denny Swift is a very intellectual human being, especially when it is go time on the asphalt racing strip. He puts his mind into race mode and lets the auto pilot take over and slide through all the corners, especially in the rainy weather that dissipates others. This complex character is a rare human being, not for the reason of being a good racer in the rain. But he takes responsibility, when something happens from a decision whether he’s wrong or right he owns up to it. Either taking the success with triumph or openly accepting the fact of being wrong. When he is wrong he try’s his very hardest to resolve the situation, and fix things rather than putting it off to others or blaming it on someone else. But no matter what in any situation he implies the thoughts of others and taking them into consideration as well for what other characters in the book have to say and how they feel. When Eve was sick she didn’t want him to see, her like that and when Eve demanded Denny to leave he listened, also leaving Enzo by her side and Zoe in the care of Eve’s Parents. The real other half of Denny is his automobile racing career. He is a very experienced and intellectual racer, Denny’s skill on the track are unbelievable especially in the rain. He is able to predict what to do in situations on the track before they happen, turning before sliding, sliding before turning. A quote he says which is â€Å" What we manifest is before us†, meaning by decisions we make affects our future turn out and relates to his racing because he makes a move before its made for him. The part about Denny’s career would be the time he has off the track because it is limited. He has to practise in order to get better, which is more and more time away from his family and his best friend Enzo. His racing can relate to his life, every choice he makes can affect his way of life. Just like every move on the track can affect your outcome at the finish line. To be a very good racer, not only do you need the skills but the will power to push the limits and be better than everyone. Denny executes dangerous maneuvers to be first to cross the finish line first. Denny try’s his very hardest to be the best guy he can be whether it hurts him or not, and couldn’t be or do what he does without the support of his loved ones, Eve, Zoe and Enzo, the most  important people in Denny’s life that he cares most about.

Literature Review of Data, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom

Literature Review of Data, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom 2.5 Why Knowledge management is so important? Knowledge as a resource causes huge misunderstanding for economists, because unlike the physical commodities, it is the only resource which increased returns as it is used rather than reduced or diminished over time (Clarke, T. 2001). Knowledge may be costly to generate but there is modest cost to diffusion. Massa, S. Testa, S. (2008) believed that the determinants of success of organizations, and nationwide economies as a total, is ever more dependent upon their efficiency in assembling and utilizing knowledge. Accordingly to Malhotra, Y. (2000) knowledge has turn into a key production factor; though the monetary accounts are still leading by conventional factors of production, including buildings and machinery. The idea of knowledge flowing to where it is most needed is the critical point and it should not flow only from the top down, but flow in all ways in an organization, (Davenport, T. Prusak, L. 2000). Davidson, C. Voss, P. (2004), Lin, L. Kwok, L. (2006) claimed that know ledge is no longer a source of power; it is knowledge sharing that counts in the knowledge economy but author like Kakabadse, N. et al., (2003), viewed knowledge itself is power. Creation and codification of knowledge do not necessarily lead to performance improvement or value creation. Value is generated only when knowledge is allocated all the way through in an organization and linked where it is needed (Chena, C Huang, J. 2007). It is not sufficient to have smart people in the organization. Instead, the key is to create systems that tap into the knowledge, experiences, and creativity of your staff, your customers, your suppliers, and even your competitors. Knowledge strategy needs to be concerned with the quality of information, not the quantity; and with the timeliness of information delivery, not its speed. Smart systems are excellent but smart people are superior. Despres, C. Chauvel, D. (1999) identified that knowledge management occurs on three ends: the individual, the team and the organizational. 2.6 Framework for knowledge approaches Knowledge management is linked to diverse business fields and it has always been entrenched in the individual behavior. It is not all about creating an index or register that detains the whole thing that anyone ever knew. Collison, C. Parcell, G. (2004) suggested that it is about maintaining track of those who know the procedure, techniques and fostering the culture and technology that will get them talking. It is challenging to understand the nature of knowledge and the way it is managed. Also the management approaches towards knowledge management is varied. Knowledge can be created from re-describing and re-labeling the past knowledge, it also created from connecting people (the relationships) and connecting technologies (networks). This might be flexible social or stiff technical networks. These discussions vibrate with the managerial paradox of developing organizational performance via rigid or free control systems and this was interpreted in the following model adopted from Arm istead, C. Meakins, M. (2002) for describing four approaches to knowledge management stand on whether it is in an organizational or an individual context, and whether knowledge management is imposed or empowered by managerial approaches. Armistead, C. Meakins, M. (2002) Figure No: 2.3 Framework for knowledge approaches Imposition is linked with bureaucracy, structured and controlled systems and attempts to codify all aspects of knowledge. It might expect such perceptions to be more inclined to explicit rather than tacit knowledge. In contrast, Empowerment recognized the potential in the social and individual for knowledge creation and sharing, in which the tacit as much as the explicit aspect of knowledge is engaged. The authors considered that managers are likely to be concerned with knowledge at an individual and organization level and with particular approaches to managing knowledge. Consequently they proposed a managerial framework which uses the constructs of imposed and empowered as one axis and the individual and the organization as the other. Prescribed recommends a official approach to knowledge and its management at an  organizational level. It might see technology set up widely to detain, store up and  guard knowledge. Compliance means individual engage in knowledge activities through contract and  regulation. Resources are distributed via prescribed performance management  processes. Adaptive engages with the informal within the social fabric of the organization in  the logic of communities of practice and the self-management of teams. Self-determination supports individuals to get responsibility for their part to  learning in the knowledge creation and sharing processes. From the above management paradox of how the knowledge is manage at an organizational and individual context. There is another well known model, called SECI or knowledge spiral model. The model did not only described that how the knowledge is managed but it also explained the overall knowledge creation process. 2.7 SECI Model In 1995, (Nonaka, I. Takeuchi, H. 1995) introduced their SECI model, which stands for Socialization, Externalization, Combination and Internalization. The purpose of this model is to offer an understanding of how organizations create knowledge and formalize organization processes which are mostly tacit in nature. It further provides an understanding of knowledge sharing, its management and application at an organizational level. According to Nonaka, I. Takeuchi, H. (1995) knowledge is formed from the interaction between tacit and explicit knowledge. These four knowledge conversion processes interconnected by moving from tacit to explicit knowledge as it moves from socialization to internalization then return to socialization to shape a spiral model of knowledge creation. Hiscock, J. (2004) stated that the first generation earlier to 1995, completely dependent on technologies in their daily task often known technocratic, but this is the second generation of knowledge management, whe re knowledge exchange is illustrated as a spiral a thing to be managed and something which can be made explicit. As the purpose of this research it is to look at the barriers to knowledge management thus the only focal point from this model is to observe overall knowledge creation process. Nonaka, I. Takeuchi, H. (1995) discussed that how tacit and explicit knowledge interrelate to successfully create knowledge in an organization via four conversion processes: 2.7.1 Socialization tacit to tacit Socialization is the process through which tacit knowledge is passed to others; it is directly related to the group processes and organizational culture. Tacit knowledge is often attained through sharing experiences, observations and the processes that arises without formal discussions and using language for instance face to face interaction. Interviewing and focus groups techniques are also creating tacit knowledge amongst people. 2.7.2 Externalization tacit to explicit Externalization of tacit knowledge is the conversion of tacit knowledge to explicit. As tacit knowledge is embedded in the peoples mind and that is externalize or express by sharing of paradigms, metaphors and concepts through formal discussions. Nonaka, I Takeuchi, H. (1995) declared that we have conceptualized an image; we generally tend to express it in language. Externalization is developing notions which facilitate tacit knowledge to communicate. Redesign of existing information can escort to new knowledge in the shape of written statements. Wakefield, R. (2006) argued that when knowledge is externalized and turn into explicit it is in fact converted back into information or data. Both have values, but this cannot be out until the data and information is internalized again to form knowledge that is used for some productive purposes. 2.7.3 Combination explicit to explicit Combination is a process of systemizing concept into a knowledge system, at this level explicit knowledge merged with written reports and other strategic documents through formal discussions (i.e. meetings, documents etc.). This process includes gathering significant knowledge then sorting, editing and distributing it, which allows knowledge sharing within organization. Formal education and training are also comprise in this type of knowledge conversion. 2.7.4 Internalization explicit to tacit Internalization is a mechanism of altering explicit knowledge into tacit knowledge. It is achieved through individual expression and learning by doing. Once the explicit knowledge shared with individuals to internalize what they have experienced and then their understanding becomes tacit knowledge in the form of shared intellectual models or technological know-how which further become a valuable asset for the organization. For example: customer complaint are recorded and then read by other team members. 2.8 key components and its related barriers to Knowledge Management DuPlessis, M. (2008) point out that knowledge management is a holistic solution integrating mixture of perspectives: people, process, technology and culture perspectives and every single one should hold equal influence. According to Gillingham, H. Roberts, B. (2006), people, process and technology (soft and hard aspects) reveals the most essential features engaged in capturing, disseminating and sharing knowledge. These elements require to be balanced to guarantee that the complete benefits of knowledge sharing are exploited. Of course, people, process, and technology (PPT) are intertwined and no organizations get very far benefits without having a basic competency in all. But the tougher challenge in knowledge management is how to built PPT into an organization. Collison, C. Parcell, G. (2004) suggested that involving people who knows, and the behaviors to ask, listen and share, some processes to make things easier for sharing, validation, distillation, and a familiar, reliable te chnology infrastructure to facilitate sharing. Knowledge management is all concerning the integration of people, process, technology but strategy and structure too (Armistead, C. Meakins, M. 2002). According to Quinn, F. (2008) the development of knowledge managements exposes many issues that firms claim to have solved completely. The issues for example related to business benefits, people and culture, technology and process. These issues reflect all the main areas of concern in a knowledge environment and can be produce the barriers or road block to achieving the corporate success that most of would wish to inhabit. 2.8.1 People The biggest misunderstanding that the Information Technology (IT) leaders composed is that the knowledge management is all about technology. Gillingham, H. Robert, B. (2006) confirmed that people are the most central and complex element in knowledge management. It is a people who create and share knowledge, Since, (tacit) knowledge is set aside in the individuals the most essential thing for knowledge management is the system to allow the conceal knowledge within an individual be spread to others in order for them to share, exploit, and then alter it into (explicit) knowledge within an organization (Yeh, Y. et al., 2006). Knowledge management helps us do what we do better and its connect information and people, and people and people. Call, D. (2005) suggested that people are not being able to gain knowledge in a minutes and hours but they learn over days or weeks and one of challenge is to detained knowledge from what people said and did as part of their everyday job and to build it reachable to rest in an organization. According to Gundry, J. Metes, G. (1996) people behaviors is often manipulated by their beliefs, values, attitudes, and the organization culture. Influencing what people believe should direct to changes in values, attitudes and behavior in which knowledge is shared behavior. Gillingham H. Robert, B. (2006) stated that it is complicated to get people to do things in a different way because people can simply fall back on defensive routines. A state of willingness require from individuals to get people to modify the way that they do things, it is central to manage those who are willing to create and share their knowledge (Yeh, Y. et al., 2006). According to the Abell, A. and Oxbrow, N. (2001) people ask numbers of question in organization towards knowledge management for example: What is in knowledge for me? How does it make my job easier? What appreciation will I get for sharing my knowledge? Etc. It is important to identify what knowledge peo ple need and what knowledge people already possess and how to link people and knowledge process. In any system where information or knowledge is accessible, there must be adequate security to ensure that only appropriate people are able to see what knowledge is held and by whom, in that case confidentiality is the barrier to crafting a knowledge sharing culture in the organization (DuPlessis, M. 2008). But from the organizational point of view, one can comprehend that it is in national interest that the particular knowledge stays confidential. In other word the right information and knowledge should distributed to the right people at the right time and right place. For example in defense sectors and utilities provider such as countries like South Africa where they have one and only major energy provider, their key knowledge and information would be exceptionally secret hence it should be strongly managed (Sutton, S. Leech, S. 2002). Employee often does not know what is the concept of knowledge management their perception about knowledge as resources in not clear as capital assets resources. In the view of McCann, J. Buckner, M. (2004) people do not include knowledge into their work process to make final products and services and even do not feel responsible for sharing their own knowledge with colleagues. Kols, A. (2004) submitted that people do not even realize that they have knowledge worth sharing. Employees viewed knowledge management as an additional job, processes and formal channel of communications which is not incorporated into their daily working environment (DuPlessis, M. 2008). Another potential factor; employed turnover, where experienced employees transferred, promoted, retired, or fired from the organization, both their tacit and explicit knowledge may be lost unless the organization makes a concerted effort to assure that it is shared. Knowledge management setup and implementations requires sufficient time which is often claimed constraint. Time can be a difficult area or barrier, where employees are considered on the hourly basis, for example; accountants, lawyers, solicitors and engineers. For them, time is wealth and it is hard to modify the view that knowledge management be able to make them work smarter and quicker, even if they do expend some time on it upfront (DuPlessis, M. 2008). When the organization was steady and developing smoothly, it would be feasible for people to take extra time and effort to get involved in such knowledge management activities. Once the circumstances changed, these practices would be easily gone down because they were peripheral to business operations (Lin, L. Kwok, L. 2006). 2.8.2 Process Armistead, C. Meakins, M. (2002) declared that knowledge management is a process rather than an asset, and hence to facilitate maximize its value an organization must have to form an environment that facilitates the flow of knowledge. The argument between technology and people is about the ways of managing knowledge processes. Barnes, P. (2007), Probst et al., (2000) categorizes knowledge management in six core processes; knowledge identification, knowledge acquisition, knowledge expansion, knowledge sharing or distribution, knowledge exploitation and knowledge preservation. In order to share knowledge, one requires tools or processes: Expert locater systems, communities of practice (formal and informal), distance learning information-sharing tools, emergent expertise, storytelling, knowledge repositories, conferences/workshops/ seminars, e-learning applications and virtual communities are some of the methods organizations can use to disseminate knowledge. Abell, A. Oxbrow, N. (200 1) believed that people make process work, often through informal steps- how can these be formalized and how to build communities around business processes. Process must learn how to achieve the commitment of people to the learning process and how to integrate knowledge creation and utilization into business process. Processes need technology support- how to integrate business benefits and technology capability, it also require formal and informal communication between employees. Lack of communication, non-standardized processes and information systems and not knowing where to get knowledge. Gillingham, H. Roberts, B. (2006) stated that location and distance (geographical, legal, cultural and lingual) to access of vast organization knowledge can be a bottleneck Informal communication outlook as just chitchat or chatty activity, managers do not see the advantage of (tacit) knowledge process or transfer from one employee to another hence often employees are restricted to engage in discussing projects or ideas at meeting places such as near to water coolers or coffee machines (Webb, S. 1998). However organization confusion over the focus of the initiative often creates barriers to knowledge management: information or knowledge management; knowledge management or learning organization; which should lead human resources (HR) or information technology (IT). However there is danger in attempting to identify and collect everything available. According to Giannetto, K. Wheeler, A. (2000) if too much detail is gathered, it is impossible to distinguish what might be of value to employees and it will become a huge unmanageable, bureaucratic nightmare Organizations focus on collection not connection and attempt to capture all organization knowledge in repositories, often creating electronic bucket in place of physical filing cabinets also misunderstand the difference between tacit and explicit knowledge and treat it in the same way. 2.8.3 Technology The role of technology is significant; it is ultimately a facilitator of human knowledge in the organization. Technology or IS does not hold tacit knowledge, as it is held in the human brain (Rock, S. 1998), although it is transfer medium of tacit into explicit knowledge to some extend because tacit knowledge alters with each new experience and technology should be updated frequently. Armistead, C. Meakins, M. (2002) affirmed that information technology can enable speedy search, access and retrieval of information, and can support collaboration and communication between organizational members. In real meaning, it can undoubtedly play a variety of roles to support an organizations knowledge management processes. Technologies and knowledge management are strongly tied, because both assist the circulation of structured knowledge vertically and horizontally in the organization. (Yeh, Y. et al., 2006) argued that technology plays following roles in knowledge management: acquiring knowledge; classify, store, index, and tie knowledge related digital items; search and identify related content; and flexibly communicate the content based on the different utilization backgrounds. Knowledge management classifications are broadly defined technologies which improve and enable knowledge generation, codification and transfer. Peoples experiences and interpretations that add value, transforms into knowledge by using technologies. Knowledge management (technology) tools for instance: e-mail, document systems, groupware, the internet, intranet and video conferencing are all knowledge collaboration tools which can be use for gathering, organizing and sharing knowledge in the organizations (Gillingham, H. Roberts, B. 2006). Not everyone is computer literate and that sort of illiteracy become a cause which brake knowledge management processes also people finds that working with complex systems is not easy (DuPlessis, M. 2006). Sometimes it is more challenging for the organization to get people trained to using the KM tools (technologies) to facilitate knowledge sharing and retention. Holland, J. Johanson, U. 2003) recognized that organization consideration towards technological costs sometimes restrain in respect of installing knowledge management softwares and hardwares. Perhaps both are very expensive in terms of getting licenses for every member in a large organization. Since knowledge is an intangible asset, it is more complex for organization to calculate return on investment in hard form (cash), therefore step back from any initiative; however Collison, C Parcell, G. (2001) believed that knowledge benefits can be defined in qualitative and quantitative measures. Another barriers occur when technology is not up to date with the business processes as well as with the improvements in the technological world then knowledge and information might become rapidly old-fashioned and if maintenance and back-ups is not done regularly, knowledge can be vanished in a catastrophe situation, which is not only costly but also irretrievable. The advance type of communications for example; intranet if organizations only rely on this then it will be a huge barrier to the exchange of tacit knowledge. Davenport, T Prusak, L. (2000) suggest that knowledge sharing events happen when people connect via communities of practice and in person meetings. 2.8.4 Culture Chen, C. Huang, J. (2007) described organizational culture as shared value, beliefs, and work atmospheres that could have considerable impacts on the behaviors of employees. According to Yeh, Y. et al., (2006) culture is the combination of value, core belief, behavior model, and emblem. Culture is normally reflected in the form of organizations corporate structure, management and leadership style, learning from experience, norms, and practices, trust, rewards and recognition, networks and community of practices etc (DeLong, DW. Fahey, L. 2004, Al-Hawamdeh, S. 2003). Culture can play a role for organizational learning and every organizations culture is an independent entity different than any other organization. Alavi, M. Leidner, D. (2001) suggested that it is significant to comprehend that knowledge management is not as much of technical problem, but it is more of cultural problem. Culture is not only intangible and illusive, but it can also be observed at multiple levels in an o rganization. Trust and honesty are elements of culture sometime not clearly visible, Davenport, T. Prusak, L. (2000) confirmed that without these elements knowledge management would not function properly between individuals. Employees ask many questions themselves for instance; if I share knowledge will others misuse it, can I belief the knowledge that others created (Abell, A. Oxbrow, N. 2001). Another familiar barrier point out by Kols, A. (2004) knowledge as a source of power or authority and therefore hoarding it, similarly organizations are naturally unwilling to share their skills and know-how with rivals. Employees possibly will not willing to share their knowledge because they might lose control/power, they spotlight on continued existence in the organization rather than willingness to share knowledge (Clegg, S. Palmer, G. 1996). The following Chinese sayings depicting this philosophy with influences from such widespread beliefs, knowledge sharing becomes more complex. A good mastery of a single skill ensures a lifetime employment (Lin, L. Kwok, L. 2006). Internal divisions are general obstacle. Each department, field office, service delivery site, or project team tends to focus on its own problems, have limited contact with outsiders, and unaware of what other subdivisions are doing. Davenport, T. Prusak, L. (2000) stated that employee often assumes that the people in top of organizational hierarchy have greater knowledge and expertise and this difference amongst individual may be seen as a barrier. Employees on different hierarchical or designations frequently struggle to share knowledge between these levels, as they feel they may have much or more knowledge on a particular subject but not consulted or totally ignored because of their position in organization. Furthermore Webb, S. (1998) revealed that managers often try to avoid consult subordinates because they might fear for losing face. If skills are greatly diverse within professional areas and/or within ranks, it might obstruct the tools and practice through the knowledge is s hared between levels. Organization consists of multiple genders and seeking assistance from same gender whether the person is helpful or not is normal cause and may be a barrier. Bartram, S. (2005) stated that women in managerial position often seen as one of the cultural barrier. Also assorted age makes a differentiation at the point of exchanging knowledge. Webb S. (1998) believed that employees are unwilling to share knowledge if the future economic growth of organization is unstable and they strive to secure their position by retention of tacit knowledge as power. The overall organization instability may spoil social networks and reduce flow of knowledge from one corner to another in an organization (Lesser, E. Prusak, L. 2001). Management emphasis on individual rather than team, disincentive to knowledge sharing, competition between employees, motivational limitations, lack of acknowledging for the supplier of knowledge, sub-standard physical layout of work space, and fewer management commitments could be a constraint for knowledge sharing environment (Chase, R. 1997). 2.9 How the barriers of knowledge management can be managed? Knowledge management is a lengthy and iterative process and its related benefits realized over a period of time. There are no rapid fix solutions to counter these barriers. However to overcome these barriers an organizations require to undertake essential approaches and actions. According to Du Plessis, M. (2008) knowledge management barriers directly line up with organizational, national and personnel culture. Top and senior managements can play a significant role for instance by raising the awareness of knowledge management activities and its benefits into work place (Birkinshaw, J. 2001). At any level of knowledge management it is compulsory to make sure that employees trained on the basis of knowledge management, once the knew the insights of knowledge management they are enough able to see how its adds value into their routine jobs and how organization can create social and intangible capital. However if employees ignore or do not understand the notion of knowledge management th en they will not be capable to leverage it completely, even though organizations have elegant knowledge management plans and systems. Flexibilities between departments could span knowledge sharing boundaries. Employees should not reserve by position in a hierarchy and retain by resources. Davenport, T. Prusak, L. (2000) stated that the components of knowledge management: people, process and technology must be uniformly supplied in terms of time and money. The most powerful force in knowledge management is people because they can able to change their environment so trust in people is an extraordinary phenomenon in managing people and their knowledge. Milton, N. (nd) described two other ways to manage knowledge called connect and collect, however these terms are vastly similar to the Nonaka, I. Takeuchi, H. SECI model (see section 2.7). The S mean Socialization and it begins through the connecting people into social networks where they can able to talk, to share dialogues with other people where the other three boxes named Externalization, Combination and Internalization is all about revolving tacit knowledge into explicit into tacit knowledge. For example knowledge is documented, recorded into knowledge system or knowledge repository in an organized way thus the othe rs can access it. Organizational culture should abide for mistakes by recognizing and gratifying innovative errors, also there should be no fear of losing position from not knowing the entire thing (Gillingham, H. Robert, B. 2006). In the view of Barnes, P. (2007), decentralize structure gives opportunities to know where the decisive knowledge is located and able to make more accurate decisions. Incentive and reward systems not only influence members to support knowledge management activities but it also encourage their willingness to take part in the creation and sharing knowledge (Yeh, Y. et al., 2006). Lack of trust alters into culture of trust and confidence get by face to face interactions; its not only the way of transferring tacit knowledge between individuals but it allows to evaluating the trustworthiness of both the giver and the receiver. Use of technology in knowledge management stipulates user training and members should have skills available other than technical ones such as interpersonal skills. According to the Abell, A. Oxbrow, N. (2001) technologies should not be the driver and substitute of social interactions; neither should it be a barrier. 2.10 Summary Every organizations is a knowledge based and they possesses particular knowledge in various forms such as in human capital, structure capital, intellectual capital etc. and the issue of knowledge management is essential because organization lives in uncertain world. The above literature has been identified potential barriers to knowledge management which was categorized into organizational culture, people perceptions, ineffective processes and obsolete technologies. There is no cause to believe that those barriers will not impact on knowledge sharing to a more or fewer extent within an organization and between personnel. However the rationale of this study was not to classify an extensive organizational barrier profile but the principle was merely to recognize a set of commonly studied barriers in knowledge management which can be apparent in various means across an organization. When organizations managed and implement knowledge in a logical and structure way it can add value to bot h the employees and organizations effectiveness. The literature review also fascinated that knowledge management is a social activity or relies on social models, even though sharing of knowledge can be possible from technologies but recipient and sender of knowledge are still humans. Organizational culture, employees perceptions and their characteristics, sources of knowledge creation and the context in which knowledge is shared are key consideration in knowledge management.

The Red Cross in East Africa Essay example -- Red Cross Community Serv

The Red Cross in East Africa This report is about the Tanzania Red Cross written after community service fieldwork by eleven students from the East African Uongozi Institute, between 04th and 10th July , 2002. The Community service involved working with the Red Cross in the Dar es salaam International Trade Fair[DITF] which was on at the time and we were allocated to work at the Red Cross tents at the Fair ground to help administer first aid to any causalities. The East African Uongozi Institute is an international Cooperation and collaboration primarily involving four institution of higher learning. The University of Dar es Salaam, the University of Nairobi, the Makerere University and the University of California at Los Angeles. One of the main activities of the Institute is to conduct Uongozi School for leadership development. The ‘maiden voyage’ of the first Uongozi school took place in the summer of 1998. Every year, the school rotates between the three East African countries. University students from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, North America, and other African countries attend the programme each year. A community service component is included in the programme to enable students to translate theory into practice and to appreciate the fact that leadership is not just the exercise power but also to serve people. 1.1. Background to the study Red Cross is a worldwide movement working towards the alleviation of human suffering through the power of humanity .It was first established by Henri Dunnant, Swiss businessman. He was on a business trip, when he felt touched by the victims of a war between France and Italy. He saw how the soldiers needed treatment, the women and the children too were wounded and needed food and clothing. He took them to a nearby clinic for treatment at his own expense. When he returned to Switzerland, he sold the idea to his friends who also sold it to others. These initiatives resulted into a society aimed at helping people during war. Since the Swiss flag host a white cross they decided to symbolise the society by a red cross. Hence, the Red Cross Society is represented by a red cross inside a white background (see appendix 1). The headquarters of the movement is in Geneva, Switzerland. However, some countries especially those not of a Christian origin did not like to use the symbol of the cross. During the war between... ...APPENDIX 3 RED CROSS REGIONAL CENTERS IN TANZANIA KEY: q RED CROSS REGIONAL CENTER APPENDIX 4 REFUGEE STATISTIC IN KIGOMA AS EPR 31st DECEMBER 2001 (UNHCR) DISTRICT CAMP POPULATION ORIGINALITY KIBONDO MTENDELIKANEMBWANDUTAMKUGWAKARAGHO 47,74418,56947,811 1,72437,588 BURUNDIANSBURUNDIANSBURUNDIANSMIXEDBURUNDIANS KASULU NYARUGUSUMTABILA IMTABILA IIMUYOYOSI 52,18915,88339,89437,627 CONGOLESEBURUNDIANSBURUNDIANSBURUNDIANS KIGOMA RURAL LUGUFU ILUGUFU II 52,77618,131 CONGOLESECONGOLESE TOTAL 369,936 APPENDIX 5 ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY THE RED CROSS IN KASULU OPERATIONAL BASE 119 KILOMETERS FROM KIGOMA TOWN CAMP REFUGEE POPULATION ACTIVITIES MUYOVOZI 37,627 Camp management, curative, reproductive Health education, Nutrition services, water and sanitation MTABILA I 15,883 Curative, community health education, reproductive health and Nutrition services. MTABILA II 39,894 Curative, water production and distribution sanitation (provision of latrine slabs) community Health education, reproductive health, and nutrition services. TOTAL 93,404

Habermas’ Between Facts and Norms: Legitimizing Power? Essay -- Philso

Habermas’ Between Facts and Norms: Legitimizing Power? ABSTRACT: To overcome the gap between norms and facts, Habermas appeals to the medium of law which gives legitimacy to the political order and provides it with its binding force. Legitimate law-making itself is generated through a procedure of public opinion and will-formation that produces communicative power. Communicative power, in turn, influences the process of social institutionalization. I will argue that the revised notion of power as a positive influence that is produced in communicative space runs contrary to Habermas’ original concept of power in his theory of communicative action where power is understood as a coercive force that has to be avoided in order for the discursive situation to prevail. As such, I believe that the introduction of communicative power and its close tie to ‘legitimate law’ and political system greatly reduces our critical ability with respect to political systems as exercised in liberal-democratic states. In addition, I will arg ue that his revision alludes to a redrawing of the boundaries between the life-world and the system in favor of the latter, and consequently indicates a shift to the right in Habermas’ latest work. To overcome the gap between norms and facts, Habermas appeals to the medium of law, which gives legitimacy to the political order and provides the system with its binding force. Legitimate law-making itself is generated through a procedure of public opinion and will-formation that produces communicative power. In its turn, communicative power influences the process of social institutionalization. I will argue that the revised notion of power as a positive influence that is produced in communicative space, runs c... ...’ new elaboration on the deliberative model of its substantive force; once again confronting it with the Hegelian charge of emptiness and ineffectiveness. (6) Habermas’ claim that Kant subordinates law to morality—because the legitimacy of law is derived from the categorical imperative—can be contested. If one sees that for Kant the categorical imperative underlies both law and morality, one can object to the use of the term "subordinate" by Habermas as an inaccurate description of the relation between law and morality. (7) J.Habermas, "Three Normative Models of Democracy", in Constellation, Vol. I, No:1, 1994, p. 8 (8) J.Habermas, "The Entwinement of Myth and Enlightenment: Rereading Dialectic of Enlightenment", in New German Critique, No:26, 1982, p. 27 (9) Habermas dedicates chapter six of BFN to elaborate on the role of constitutional adjudication.

Providences Black Chinese: A Love Story :: China Short Stories Papers

Providence's Black Chinese: A Love Story On the morning of February 23rd, 1901, Chung Yick stood chatting with Mr. Joseph Hoffman, the proprietor of the picture frame shop on the ground floor of the Charles Street house the two men shared with several other tenants. The house wasn't much better than a tenement building, with its dirty wooden face and narrow crooked stairs. A crude sign on one side said "PICTURES" in bold letters, marking the entrance to Hoffman's store. The Yicks lived on the other side, along with the Rileys and the widow Driscoll, who were cramped up on the second floor. Still, it was a decent street to live on, with a mixture of small shops and residential homes and the Mosshassuck River creeping alongside it like an emaciated and sleepy serpent. Chung was a gaunt man in his forties with hollow cheeks and intense brown eyes-he projected a certain gravity that was somehow incongruous with popular notions of the jolly, docile Chinaman. Instead of the traditional Chinese collarless jacket, he sported a conservative brown suit, complete with vest, tie, and polished black shoes. Chung was a cook by trade and a good one, too-well enough respected for the Providence Journal to dub him one of the city's "best-known Chinese restauranteurs." Most likely, he was an employee of the Wah, Yee, Hong & Co. eating house, the Chinese restaurant located closest to his home, just a brisk fifteen-minute walk away at the bottom of College Hill. It was a windy Saturday morning with temperatures well below freezing, and Chung relished these last moments of warmth inside the store before he'd have to venture out into the cold. Several thousand miles away from his old home in southern China, where temperatures fluctuated between hot and hotter, Chung still hadn't quite adjusted to Providence's bitter winters. That walk would be especially brisk today! "John," Mr. Hoffman said suddenly, addressing Chung by his chosen American name, "What's all that racket?" Indeed, some great noise-frantic footsteps and shouting-could be heard coming from the general direction of Chung's kitchen where, minutes earlier, he had left his wife and stepdaughter bustling about their morning chores. "It's a fire!" someone shouted from outside. "The attic's on fire!" The first official Chinese resident in Rhode Island appeared on the state census in 1865, but there may have been at least one "Chinaman" in Providence even earlier.

Bangladesh Automated Cheque Processing System (Bacps)

Bangladesh Bank Head Office, Dhaka Payment Systems Division PSD Circular No. 02/2009 Managing Director/Chief Executive Officers All scheduled banks in Bangladesh Date : 4 Falgun 1415 February 16, 2009 Dear Sir, Bangladesh Automated Cheque Processing System (BACPS) at the expanded Dhaka Clearing Region. You are aware that Bangladesh Bank has been working to modernize the country’s payment system. The most visible step towards modernizing payment system is the establishment of the Bangladesh Automated Clearing House (BACH). Bangladesh Automated Cheque Processing System (BACPS) is one of two components of BACH. The other component of BACH is the Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN), which will be implemented immediately after implementing first phase of BACPS. Selected vendor has already started procuring necessary hardware and software for the BACPS solution. Detailed system specifications and operational configurations are being defined and calculated with a target of going live operation at expanded Dhaka Clearing Region with more than 1050 bank branches of 49 banks in and around the capital city during the second half of 2009. 2. The basic features of BACPS are the adoption of new cheque design standard with a Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) code line and the exchange of cheque-image and data instead of paper cheques for clearing and settlement purpose. Retention of the original paper cheque will become the responsibility of the presenting bank rather than the paying bank. Banks are required to make arrangement and develop infrastructures to meet the requirements of the new system. Bangladesh Bank will adopt necessary Regulation(s) and issue Operating Rules and Procedures in this regard. Standards of cheques for BACPS have already been circulated and banks have meanwhile been advised to take steps to print uniform standardized cheques with MICR line. Appropriate information to the banks about requirements they must meet to participate in and interface with BACPS are provided below: (i) Point of Truncation: All scheduled banks who are members of the Dhaka Clearing House will be required to submit their list of selected branches and to finalize their â€Å"point of truncation† for submission of their outward cheque images and data to BACPS and be prepared to handle cheque image and data as part of their inward clearing operations. Banks can choose to truncate and process their cheques at individual branch level or at a consolidation point in line with their business needs. However, it must be noted that each bank will have only one Point of Truncation for BACPS. (ii) Scanning Standard: Images must be captured for both the sides (front and back) of each instrument in the format prescribed below: Image Type 01. 02. Front : Black and White Back : Black and White DPI range 200-300 DPI 200-300 DPI Format TIFF TIFF Compression CCITT G4 CCITT G4 3. iii) Software/Integration: All banks will receive images and data, not paper cheques, from the BACPS for all of the items for which they are the paying bank. Therefore, all banks must acquire the capability to accept as well as to send the image files and data from and to the BACPS. However, those banks who will not be able to equip themselves for processing out clearing items electronically within the stipulated time, will be allowed to process their ‘out-clearingsà ¢â‚¬â„¢ by using the Bangladesh Bank’s own facility at Motijheel for a limited time. However, banks availing of ‘out-clearing’ facilities will have to acquire the capability to receive their ‘In-clearing’ items electronically. Once in-clearing data and images are delivered to a bank by BACPS, the subsequent verification and Contd†¦ P/2 -2- processing of that information becomes the responsibility of the respective paying bank. Bangladesh Bank will supply a gateway software module, known as the Participating Bank Module (PBM) which will act as a gateway, amongst other functions, enabling the receipt or transmission of images and transaction data from and to the BACPS. iv) Communication Links: All scheduled banks are required to put in place two secure communication links, one with BACH Headquarter at Motijheel and another with the BACH Disaster Recovery Site (DRS) at Mirpur. The size and scalability of these links will depend on each bank’s mode of operation and daily volumes. It is preferred that banks acquire fibre optic link an d another redundant communication link with BACH at Motijheel and DRS at Mirpur, Dhaka. 4. Participating banks are required to accomplish the following tasks within the time stipulated below : Activity Issuing MICR standard cheques and phasing out non-standard cheques used by customers b. Selection of vendor(s) and submission of plan for installing necessary hardware and software for cheque processing and connectivity with BACH c. Communication links installed between banks and the BACH d. Users’ Acceptance Test (UAT) for each individual bank with BACPS e. BACPS LIVE a. Dead-line 01-03-2009 to 30-05-2009 30-04-2009 31-05-2009 01-06-2009 to 30-07-2009 03-08-2009 5. The purpose of this circular and distribution of functional specifications is to provide an initial understanding about the requirements that must be met by the participating banks. Detailed specifications attached to this circular are: (i) Active Image Clearing System (AICS) Specification containing the format of the files to be exchanged between BACPS and participating banks (Annexure-I) (ii) PBM Specification regarding functionality for gateway software module (Annexure-II) (iii) Network Specification describing standards for the communication links and security devices required for interfacing with the BACH (Annexure-III) All of these Annexures may be provided in soft versions on a CD and also be available at our website. 6. It is, therefore, advised that member banks update their preparations to be in step with the progress of the implementation of the BACH. The BACPS rules and procedures will be forwarded to you in due course. Please acknowledge receipt. ( Chowdhury Mohidul Haque ) Executive Director, Bangladesh Bank and Project Director, RPP Project Tel: 7167988, Fax: 7164233 Email: chowdhury. [email  protected] org. bd

Malcolm X

Malcolm X used literacy as the main tool to gain knowledge. If Malcolm X were alive today he would have been just as likely to have needed and valued literacy. Writing can be used as a means of increasing understanding of complex subjects. Technology can prove to be too distracting for cognitive learning. Malcolm X used writing as a way to memorize and better understand words. While imprisoned in the Charleston Prison he began to copy the dictionary from beginning to end. In doing so Malcolm started thinking about the words he had written down and even remembering their meanings.In today[‘]s era of TV and video Malcolm X would have surely valued literacy equally as he did in his time. The act of writing helps the writer better understand complex subjects. In the case of Malcolm X the copying of the dictionary helped him broaden his vocabulary and gave him a better understanding of written works. [During his prison studies Malcolm X realizes a connection between writing and cogn itive learning. â€Å" I woke the next morning, thinking about those words immensely proud to realize that not only had I written so much at one, time but id written words that I never knew were in the world.Moreover, with little effort, I also could remember what many of these words meant. †] As Malcolm continued to learn new words, he was able to pick up a book for the first time, read it and understand what the book was saying. There is good evidence that writing things down might in fact help the writer remember things better. While Malcolm X was re writing the dictionary he was absorbing more than if he was to watch a video or television. [deleted]Malcolm X compares the dictionary to a miniature encyclopedia. [ â€Å"with every succeeding page, I also learned of people and events from history.Actually the dictionary is like a miniature encyclopedia. †] As he proceeded to re write the dictionary he found himself learning about people, places and events from history . In todays era of technology television programs and videos can be too distracting for cognitive learning. The overwhelming amount of entertaining media can prove distracting when using television or movies as a learning tool. One must be able to differentiate the educational programs from entertaining fictional programs. The dictionary [,]however[,] is filled with factual knowledge and is a more effective learning tool.Malcolm X accredits most of his knowledge to the time he spent imprisoned. In his time in jail he had [few] distractions, which allowed him to better absorb knowledge. In today’s technologically driven world there are many more distractions than in the past. With distractions such as television, movies and video games one can be content with just passing time rather than learning and further increasing their knowledge. Malcolm X emphasizes the harm of distractions on cognitive learning. Had he lived in today[‘]s technologically driven world he would hav e had many more distractions to worry about.If Malcolm X had lived in today’s era of television and video he would have needed and valued literacy all the same. Malcolm’s desire to learn would have pushed him away from the distractions of television and videos. Even in today[‘] world Malcolm would have valued the dictionary as his main source of knowledge. Motivated to learn as much as he could he would have used writing as his major tool in cognitive learning. Only by copying the dictionary was Malcolm X able to absorb as much knowledge as he did. Malcolm X Robert Jones Engl. 2072-001 02/24/2010 Compare and Contrast Of Malcolm X Poems Malcolm X, one of the most iconic faces of the civil rights movement if often paid tribute to by writers and poets. Robert Hayden and Margaret Walker are two African American poets that paid homage to Malcolm X. Interestingly enough; two poems about the same person are written in two completely different ways and focus on separate intervals of his life. Robert Hayden focuses on Malcolm’s life as a big picture and uses metamorphosis as the central theme, along with metaphoric language throughout to paint the picture of a very religious, very focused man. Margaret Walker focuses on the death of Malcolm X. She uses sonnets to form her poem and vehement descriptive language to paid homage to the late Malcolm X. Immediately in the next four lines Malcolm’s childhood transforms into his teenage/young adulthood years. He seems to be happier than he was as a child, yet still troubled. He became known as Dee-troit Red Malcolm was already fleeing his given name on the search to change who he felt he was. The metamorphosis that Hayden focuses on is made even more apparent with this line. He conked his hair Hayden does not meaninglessly place this line into the poem. The conking of the hair was something that was very popular amongst many African American males during the 1920’s through the 1960’s. This was an attempt by Malcolm to appear to look more like a white male. The attempt of metamorphosis was not only the central them of Hayden’s poem but was also a central theme in the life of Malcolm X. Malcolm’s childhood controlled what he was slowly becoming as an adult. â€Å"His injured childhood bullied him†¦he could not hurt the enemy powered against him there. In these few lines in the poem it was apparent that Malcolm have made some attempts to better himself and perhaps gain equality but the evidence of his troubled youth and need for change held him back. Part three of Hayden’s poem solidifies the theme of metamorphosis. â€Å"He X’d his name†, the letter X is used in the poem as a means of abandonment. Perh aps even abandonment into the unknown. The Malcolm X that is known by many today is shown in this part of the poem. â€Å"He became his people’s anger†¦vengeance for their past. † The by any means necessary Malcolm that is immortalized was ere in part three. He was viewed by many as an angry individual. His metamorphosis is finally at its fulfillment here. Hayden still uses the term ice to create the opposition of Malcolm. â€Å"Drive them from the lush ice gardens of their servitude† Ice is apparently still the evil white people that were present in the beginning of the poem because Hayden speaks of servitude in this line, which is slavery. Malcolm change is permanent now and he is attempting to change those around him as well. Part four of this poem is where the changed Malcolm meets his demise. He becomes a martyr. Hayden writes that â€Å"time brought the iconic trophies. † In this point on Malcolm’s life his change was forever due to his death. â€Å"Hejira to his final metamorphosis†, Hejira is a burial place in Saudi Arabia. Hayden places this city in the poem to allow readers the omnipotent feel that Malcolm’s final metamorphosis was directly linked and guided to his death. Margaret Walker focuses on Malcolm X’s death her poem â€Å"For Malcolm X† was meant to pay homage and perhaps even respect to Malcolm X. There are some similarities found between her poem and Robert Hayden’s poem. Her central theme is death. She uses sonnet form to paint a picture of the funeral of Malcolm X and also creates emotion through her descriptive language. â€Å"All you violent ones†¦whose hearts cry out heartbreak†, in these two lines there are seemingly opposite meanings but Margaret Walker paints the picture of struggle just as Hayden did at the beginning of his poem. Both authors uses profoundly descriptive dialect. â€Å"Whose black faces have hollowed pits for eyes†, the scene created here jumps out because of the way it was written. The central theme of death becomes dominant in this one line. The eyes have been thought of by many as a portal to ones soul. If it is hollow the person if thought to be lifeless or without a soul. Using black instead of African American creates a feeling of death. Black is the generally accepted color of attire to mourn ones death at a funeral. Another similarity that was apparent between both Walker and Hayden was their views of white people. Although Hayden uses terms such as: icy: Walker uses the term white devil. Both are very descriptive language used to describe the white man at that point in time. Margaret Walker creates the scene by allowing readers insight into the scene of the funeral. All you gambling sons and hooked children and bowery bums†, this is letting us know the people who are in attendance at this funeral. Both authors make it apparent that the black bourgeoisie is just as negatively thought of as the hateful white person. Malcolm conked his hair which after he had done it became apparent to him that he was trying to portray himself more favorably in the white person’s eye s. Margaret Walker speaks of the black bourgeoisie and this one the more popular occurrences of the black bourgeoisie, to conk their hair. Margaret Walker and Robert Hayden both acknowledge Malcolm’s relation to the Nation of Islam. Hayden focused his poem around this segment of Malcolm’s life. Walker’s description of Malcolm’s body shows that his religion was an important part of his life. â€Å"The snow white moslem head-dress around a black face†, she maintains the theme of death through the contrast of color here. Walker just as Hayden used metaphoric language in her poem to describe what Malcolm and his words meant to people. â€Å"Our blood and water pour from your flowing wounds†, with Malcolm’s death many people felt as though a part of themselves had died as well. He was a driving force in the civil rights movement and people found life in him. With death being the central theme the lines subsequent to this one describes things that would physically kill a person but it gave a new perspective on life to those who heard his words. â€Å"You have cut or breasts and dug scalpels into our brains†, his words pricked the hearts of many of the people who heard them and caused them to think more and take charge of their freedom. Describing this through actions that would lead to death made these lines in the poem very profound. Malcolm X How is it that a man who was completely illiterate, a criminal and even worse he was black, in a time that meant you were less than a dog, could go on to lead a nation of black people towards freedom? Malcolm X is the classical story of tenacity, adversity, and determination and his end result was triumph. To Malcolm X reading was the most important thing in the world to him, and no matter how hard it would be he wanted nothing more than to learn. He knew that if he were to change his life around and make something of himself, he had to begin with the smallest of aspect which as learning how to read.His persistence did not Just help him become the man he wanted to be, but it propelled him into the history books and he will forever remain a figure for many because he simply chose to take advantage of one of the most basic educational tools which is reading. Showing the world that every man deserved to be treated equally and that no matter how big or small your goals are if you are ten acious enough then you will reach them. Malcolm X played a major role in African American history. He was a Civil Rights leader and was very powerful to many people f his time and even now.He enforced the idea that all people were created equal and that the way of life should remain that way. Malcolm has influenced much of society today. He changed the world's direction and shape in many ways. He inspired many African Americans to fight racism continuously and proactively. He offered an alternative to martin Luther kings argument to non-violence and pacifism. He also showed that African Americans could also be articulate and highly intellectual. While in prison, Malcolm is tried to make great use for his time.He ran across a man named Bimbo, whom he became very Jealous of, because Bimbo seemed to have it all together. Malcolm envied Bimbo, Elijah Muhammad, and had great respect for him even though he did not know him. Malcolm loved the way that Bimbo always was in the topic of discu ssion in many conversations people were having, and to Malcolm, Bimbo's vocabulary was flawless. He felt as if he knew exactly what he was talking about and that he was an all-around amazing person. After watching Bimbo in amazement he began to read books. Books in which he could barely understand.Saying, â€Å"They might as well have been in Chinese. † Soon after, he went to the Norfolk Prison and began trying reading more and more. He requested a dictionary, a tablet, and some pencils from the prison, and once they were granted to him he began copying pages from the dictionary, Just reading it back to himself over and over. He was self teaching himself to read, write and understand all at once. He took it one step at a time, one day at a time and his strategy was to start with copying the first page in the dictionary of As, and then he read them back to himself continuously.He eke up the next day thinking about the previous words he had written and was shocked and proud to have written that many words. This is what began to mold Malcolm X into an amazing man, he was able to teach himself to understand the fundamentals of reading and writing and then went on to make a monumental movement in African American history. All it took was some dedication and belief in himself. Malcolm used many different dictionaries while imprisoned. He was so fascinated with his learning the dictionary so quickly that he went on the next day and began writing the second page.He explains in the article, â€Å"l studied the next page and the same experience came when I studied that (X 16). † The more pages he wrote in the dictionary the more he would explain that he would learn more about people, places and events in history. Soon after the As section had filled a full tablet he moved onto the B section of the dictionary. â€Å"That was the way I started copying what had eventually became the entire dictionary (X 16). † He was extremely successful while in priso n, how many men are sent to prison and then teach themselves to read?He took it upon himself to take a bad situation and turning it into time for him to reflect and prepare himself to become great, which speaks volumes of his character and determination. It was Civil Rights leaders like Malcolm X who have helped to ensure no one has to struggle to obtain the ability to read and write. He made it his purpose to educate everyone in future generations so that it would help lead too brighter, wiser America. It was during the time of self-enlightenment that Malcolm brother, Shorts, visited him and Jail talked about his recent conversations with the Muslim Religions Organization of the Nation of Islam.After liking to his brother he explained to him, Malcolm decided to study the Nation of Islam. He came across the leader of the nation, Elijah Muhammad. Muhammad preached that white society constantly worked to keep African Americans from empowering themselves and achieving political, econom ic and social success. Among other goals, the Nation of Islam fought for a state of their own, one separate from state inhabited by the white people. Malcolm was named the minister at the No's Boston mosque, Temple No. 11. The following year he also became the minister at Temple No. 2 (Philadelphia) and Temple No. (New York). In the sass's he was invited to participate in numerous debates and television shows. In 1963, the New York Times reported that Malcolm X was the second most sought after speaker in the United States. This is when Malcolm X began to become a household name and began to affect people's lives on a completely different level. Even though Malcolm X was seen as a great man and one of the greatest leaders to ever walk the face of this Earth, he was scrutinized by so many people as well.Unlike Martin Luther King Jar, who was equally as important to the Civil Rights movement in America, Malcolm X as a physical, demanding and aggressive person. He didn't choose to have sit ins, protests and marches, he made it his purpose to get his message across loud and clear. He viewed protests as futile, while they served their purpose, most of the time people do not like to acknowledge there is a problem until people began to get hurt. This is also led to some criticism from his own race about the way he did things, but still he stood by his beliefs and knew in his heart that what he was doing was for the good of his people.Even though his views weren't always agreed with by everyone hey were very effective and no one ever denied how intelligent and how caring he was. For the times Malcolm X was the worst nightmare for the typical suburban, middle class White American. He was aggressive, persistent, intelligent and didn't wait for result but demanded them. Ever since he realized how much he wanted to be someone, he made it his agenda to change everything about his old self. He learned how to read and never stopped educating himself, adopted the Islamic faith , and even changed his name from Malcolm Little to Malcolm X.He saw it more important than anything else to lead his people. He was tired of Blacks being unable to read the most basic things such as a daily newspaper, he was unhappy with the way Blacks were being treated and took it upon himself to change all of that by changing himself and then showing the world that if you want something in life you have to take it. Even today many people are still adopting the principles that Malcolm X brought forth to us, all of which started from a man wanting to make something of himself because he was tired of seeing himself, and more importantly, seeing his people struggle. Malcolm X Robert Jones Engl. 2072-001 02/24/2010 Compare and Contrast Of Malcolm X Poems Malcolm X, one of the most iconic faces of the civil rights movement if often paid tribute to by writers and poets. Robert Hayden and Margaret Walker are two African American poets that paid homage to Malcolm X. Interestingly enough; two poems about the same person are written in two completely different ways and focus on separate intervals of his life. Robert Hayden focuses on Malcolm’s life as a big picture and uses metamorphosis as the central theme, along with metaphoric language throughout to paint the picture of a very religious, very focused man. Margaret Walker focuses on the death of Malcolm X. She uses sonnets to form her poem and vehement descriptive language to paid homage to the late Malcolm X. Immediately in the next four lines Malcolm’s childhood transforms into his teenage/young adulthood years. He seems to be happier than he was as a child, yet still troubled. He became known as Dee-troit Red Malcolm was already fleeing his given name on the search to change who he felt he was. The metamorphosis that Hayden focuses on is made even more apparent with this line. He conked his hair Hayden does not meaninglessly place this line into the poem. The conking of the hair was something that was very popular amongst many African American males during the 1920’s through the 1960’s. This was an attempt by Malcolm to appear to look more like a white male. The attempt of metamorphosis was not only the central them of Hayden’s poem but was also a central theme in the life of Malcolm X. Malcolm’s childhood controlled what he was slowly becoming as an adult. â€Å"His injured childhood bullied him†¦he could not hurt the enemy powered against him there. In these few lines in the poem it was apparent that Malcolm have made some attempts to better himself and perhaps gain equality but the evidence of his troubled youth and need for change held him back. Part three of Hayden’s poem solidifies the theme of metamorphosis. â€Å"He X’d his name†, the letter X is used in the poem as a means of abandonment. Perh aps even abandonment into the unknown. The Malcolm X that is known by many today is shown in this part of the poem. â€Å"He became his people’s anger†¦vengeance for their past. † The by any means necessary Malcolm that is immortalized was ere in part three. He was viewed by many as an angry individual. His metamorphosis is finally at its fulfillment here. Hayden still uses the term ice to create the opposition of Malcolm. â€Å"Drive them from the lush ice gardens of their servitude† Ice is apparently still the evil white people that were present in the beginning of the poem because Hayden speaks of servitude in this line, which is slavery. Malcolm change is permanent now and he is attempting to change those around him as well. Part four of this poem is where the changed Malcolm meets his demise. He becomes a martyr. Hayden writes that â€Å"time brought the iconic trophies. † In this point on Malcolm’s life his change was forever due to his death. â€Å"Hejira to his final metamorphosis†, Hejira is a burial place in Saudi Arabia. Hayden places this city in the poem to allow readers the omnipotent feel that Malcolm’s final metamorphosis was directly linked and guided to his death. Margaret Walker focuses on Malcolm X’s death her poem â€Å"For Malcolm X† was meant to pay homage and perhaps even respect to Malcolm X. There are some similarities found between her poem and Robert Hayden’s poem. Her central theme is death. She uses sonnet form to paint a picture of the funeral of Malcolm X and also creates emotion through her descriptive language. â€Å"All you violent ones†¦whose hearts cry out heartbreak†, in these two lines there are seemingly opposite meanings but Margaret Walker paints the picture of struggle just as Hayden did at the beginning of his poem. Both authors uses profoundly descriptive dialect. â€Å"Whose black faces have hollowed pits for eyes†, the scene created here jumps out because of the way it was written. The central theme of death becomes dominant in this one line. The eyes have been thought of by many as a portal to ones soul. If it is hollow the person if thought to be lifeless or without a soul. Using black instead of African American creates a feeling of death. Black is the generally accepted color of attire to mourn ones death at a funeral. Another similarity that was apparent between both Walker and Hayden was their views of white people. Although Hayden uses terms such as: icy: Walker uses the term white devil. Both are very descriptive language used to describe the white man at that point in time. Margaret Walker creates the scene by allowing readers insight into the scene of the funeral. All you gambling sons and hooked children and bowery bums†, this is letting us know the people who are in attendance at this funeral. Both authors make it apparent that the black bourgeoisie is just as negatively thought of as the hateful white person. Malcolm conked his hair which after he had done it became apparent to him that he was trying to portray himself more favorably in the white person’s eye s. Margaret Walker speaks of the black bourgeoisie and this one the more popular occurrences of the black bourgeoisie, to conk their hair. Margaret Walker and Robert Hayden both acknowledge Malcolm’s relation to the Nation of Islam. Hayden focused his poem around this segment of Malcolm’s life. Walker’s description of Malcolm’s body shows that his religion was an important part of his life. â€Å"The snow white moslem head-dress around a black face†, she maintains the theme of death through the contrast of color here. Walker just as Hayden used metaphoric language in her poem to describe what Malcolm and his words meant to people. â€Å"Our blood and water pour from your flowing wounds†, with Malcolm’s death many people felt as though a part of themselves had died as well. He was a driving force in the civil rights movement and people found life in him. With death being the central theme the lines subsequent to this one describes things that would physically kill a person but it gave a new perspective on life to those who heard his words. â€Å"You have cut or breasts and dug scalpels into our brains†, his words pricked the hearts of many of the people who heard them and caused them to think more and take charge of their freedom. Describing this through actions that would lead to death made these lines in the poem very profound. Malcolm X Robert Jones Engl. 2072-001 02/24/2010 Compare and Contrast Of Malcolm X Poems Malcolm X, one of the most iconic faces of the civil rights movement if often paid tribute to by writers and poets. Robert Hayden and Margaret Walker are two African American poets that paid homage to Malcolm X. Interestingly enough; two poems about the same person are written in two completely different ways and focus on separate intervals of his life. Robert Hayden focuses on Malcolm’s life as a big picture and uses metamorphosis as the central theme, along with metaphoric language throughout to paint the picture of a very religious, very focused man. Margaret Walker focuses on the death of Malcolm X. She uses sonnets to form her poem and vehement descriptive language to paid homage to the late Malcolm X. Immediately in the next four lines Malcolm’s childhood transforms into his teenage/young adulthood years. He seems to be happier than he was as a child, yet still troubled. He became known as Dee-troit Red Malcolm was already fleeing his given name on the search to change who he felt he was. The metamorphosis that Hayden focuses on is made even more apparent with this line. He conked his hair Hayden does not meaninglessly place this line into the poem. The conking of the hair was something that was very popular amongst many African American males during the 1920’s through the 1960’s. This was an attempt by Malcolm to appear to look more like a white male. The attempt of metamorphosis was not only the central them of Hayden’s poem but was also a central theme in the life of Malcolm X. Malcolm’s childhood controlled what he was slowly becoming as an adult. â€Å"His injured childhood bullied him†¦he could not hurt the enemy powered against him there. In these few lines in the poem it was apparent that Malcolm have made some attempts to better himself and perhaps gain equality but the evidence of his troubled youth and need for change held him back. Part three of Hayden’s poem solidifies the theme of metamorphosis. â€Å"He X’d his name†, the letter X is used in the poem as a means of abandonment. Perh aps even abandonment into the unknown. The Malcolm X that is known by many today is shown in this part of the poem. â€Å"He became his people’s anger†¦vengeance for their past. † The by any means necessary Malcolm that is immortalized was ere in part three. He was viewed by many as an angry individual. His metamorphosis is finally at its fulfillment here. Hayden still uses the term ice to create the opposition of Malcolm. â€Å"Drive them from the lush ice gardens of their servitude† Ice is apparently still the evil white people that were present in the beginning of the poem because Hayden speaks of servitude in this line, which is slavery. Malcolm change is permanent now and he is attempting to change those around him as well. Part four of this poem is where the changed Malcolm meets his demise. He becomes a martyr. Hayden writes that â€Å"time brought the iconic trophies. † In this point on Malcolm’s life his change was forever due to his death. â€Å"Hejira to his final metamorphosis†, Hejira is a burial place in Saudi Arabia. Hayden places this city in the poem to allow readers the omnipotent feel that Malcolm’s final metamorphosis was directly linked and guided to his death. Margaret Walker focuses on Malcolm X’s death her poem â€Å"For Malcolm X† was meant to pay homage and perhaps even respect to Malcolm X. There are some similarities found between her poem and Robert Hayden’s poem. Her central theme is death. She uses sonnet form to paint a picture of the funeral of Malcolm X and also creates emotion through her descriptive language. â€Å"All you violent ones†¦whose hearts cry out heartbreak†, in these two lines there are seemingly opposite meanings but Margaret Walker paints the picture of struggle just as Hayden did at the beginning of his poem. Both authors uses profoundly descriptive dialect. â€Å"Whose black faces have hollowed pits for eyes†, the scene created here jumps out because of the way it was written. The central theme of death becomes dominant in this one line. The eyes have been thought of by many as a portal to ones soul. If it is hollow the person if thought to be lifeless or without a soul. Using black instead of African American creates a feeling of death. Black is the generally accepted color of attire to mourn ones death at a funeral. Another similarity that was apparent between both Walker and Hayden was their views of white people. Although Hayden uses terms such as: icy: Walker uses the term white devil. Both are very descriptive language used to describe the white man at that point in time. Margaret Walker creates the scene by allowing readers insight into the scene of the funeral. All you gambling sons and hooked children and bowery bums†, this is letting us know the people who are in attendance at this funeral. Both authors make it apparent that the black bourgeoisie is just as negatively thought of as the hateful white person. Malcolm conked his hair which after he had done it became apparent to him that he was trying to portray himself more favorably in the white person’s eye s. Margaret Walker speaks of the black bourgeoisie and this one the more popular occurrences of the black bourgeoisie, to conk their hair. Margaret Walker and Robert Hayden both acknowledge Malcolm’s relation to the Nation of Islam. Hayden focused his poem around this segment of Malcolm’s life. Walker’s description of Malcolm’s body shows that his religion was an important part of his life. â€Å"The snow white moslem head-dress around a black face†, she maintains the theme of death through the contrast of color here. Walker just as Hayden used metaphoric language in her poem to describe what Malcolm and his words meant to people. â€Å"Our blood and water pour from your flowing wounds†, with Malcolm’s death many people felt as though a part of themselves had died as well. He was a driving force in the civil rights movement and people found life in him. With death being the central theme the lines subsequent to this one describes things that would physically kill a person but it gave a new perspective on life to those who heard his words. â€Å"You have cut or breasts and dug scalpels into our brains†, his words pricked the hearts of many of the people who heard them and caused them to think more and take charge of their freedom. Describing this through actions that would lead to death made these lines in the poem very profound.