Driving Consumer Needs: Evaluating the Wal-Mart Effect by Charles Fishman Essay

Introduction Wal-mart has transformed the corporate and consumer culture in America and the rest of the world- by focusing on its corporate mission of Very Low Prices, Always, Wal-mart placed itself as a fixture in the everyday lives of millions of people. Fishman (2006) in his book The Wal-Mart Effect shows us exactly how Wal-Mart figures in everyday corporate and consumer lives making it the biggest and most influential company in the world today. This paper evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the book using a sociological perspective particularly on how the author characterizes the impact of Wal-Mart in our contemporary society. Significantly, Fishman had successfully presented us with the positive and negative impact of Wal-Mart both on the business and consumer front. Moreover, to a considerable extent, Fishman was able to show how the interplay of society’s many forces can yield both positive and negative effects. The Wal-Mart Effect Fishman (2006) characterized the economic power of Wal-Mart: it is bigger than ExxonMobil, General Motors and General Electric and rakes about US$244.5 bullion sales in 2005 and it outcasts the competition by selling in three months what the number two retailer Home Depot sells in one year. Rich with anecdotes and stories, the primary thesis of Fishman’s The Wal-Mart Effect is that there is a price that needs to be paid in order to have the cheapest possible prices in everyday Wal-Mart stores- and this price significantly affects the greater part of the American as well as the global society in that Wal-Mart pushes its suppliers and employees to take the negative side of providing its customers with the lowest prices. The fundamental strength of the book is the ability of Fishman to dissect the core strategy of Wal-Mart in lieu with the consumers’ demands. Wal-Mart is projected by Fishman as merely an instrument in feeding the need of consumers for very low prices- or paying for something with almost nothing. Even consumers’ who rejects the cheap prices at Wal-Mart is shown by Fishman to spend at least US$450 a year at Wal-Mart- a proving testimony that consumers are willing to sacrifice the quality of products in order to get the cheapest prices. Furthermore, Fishman successfully showed how Wal-Mart fosters a business relationship with its suppliers and its competing companies- suppliers and other companies are powerless in lieu with the invincibility of Wal-Mart in the retail sector. Almost all companies’ sells at Wal-Mart- being the number one retail store in the country, companies cannot afford not to sell at Wal-Mart. Fishman contends that despite the negative impact of Wal-Mart on the suppliers’ end, they choose to sell at Wal-Mart because not selling at Wal-Mart would mean losing their biggest clientele. Interestingly, Fishman provides the readers with an entertaining work through the illustration of examples. For instance, Fishman showed that while Wal-Mart is a very powerful player in the retail industry, not all suppliers and companies are scrambling for Wal-mart to sell their products. Fishman (2006) illustrated the case of Snapper, the maker of quality and durable lawn mowers where the CEO had refused to sell at Wal-Mart because of the incompatibility of their corporate values with that of the company. Selling prices at almost the same level of the production cost would mean sacrificing the quality of the products- not to mention the salary cuts and the ends to which suppliers would go through just to meet the price that Wal-Mart dictates for their products. Thus, this leads to the fourth argument of Fishman- the cost of low prices for Wal-Mart consumers is manifested in the very low wages of its employees, driving its suppliers to lower their employees’ wages themselves and prompting others to make production in sweatshops exploiting children and workers in third world countries, and in driving the mania of consumers for low-priced but products stripped of the product quality that corporations have initially offered. While Fishman’s The Wal-Mart Effect is essentially driven by the popularity of Wal-Mart, its primary weakness lies in its inability to provide a deeper evaluation of the long-term impact of The Wal-Mart Effect on the consumers. For one, the benefits of Wal-Mart to the consumers is not long-term in nature, Fishman however, did not explore this topic. Moreover, Fishman neither provided a business and sociological framework that shows how Wal-Mart is perceived in the greater part of the society and how Wal-Mart perceives its consumers. Wal-Mart has been a subject of many commentaries and success stories in the business world. For consumers, Wal-Mart is like a haven and similarly, the literature has also projected Wal-Mart on all the positive qualities that can be given to a company. Fishman (2006) in his book provided us with the good and the bad effects of Wal-Mart- whether it is more positive or negative; the author does not say but argues that the impact of Wal-Mart on world markets is very vast. The impact is such that an American eating a Salmon from Wal-Mart significantly affects the economy of Chile. What Fishman (2006) shows is not just the business side of Wal-Mart but its larger impact on the American and world society in general. For one, Wal-Mart significantly dictates the economies of most countries because of their ability to dictate the supplier of their products. Hence, Wal-Mart’s goal for low prices is not a simple mathematical formulation- it involves the interplay of the society’s political, economic and sociological actors. According to Fishman, in their bid to get the lowest prices, consumers are suffering both in terms of quality and in forcing suppliers’ and their workers to cut down on operational and production costs. On the other hand, political institutions are being pressured by Wal-Mart to submit to their demands because of the possible change in a country’s economy once Wal-Mart decides to do business with them. Fishman’s audience spans all individuals regardless of gender, age or socio-economic status. This is because Wal-Mart spans all sociological barriers as well- businesses, suppliers, workers, housewives, even the young adults and adolescents are all familiar with Wal-Mart as a part of their everyday lives. Fishman’s The Wal-Mart Effect is therefore more than just an interesting book; it presents an open-minded presentation and analysis of Wal-Mart and its impact on the greater society. By illustrating examples, Fishma’s the Wal-Mart Effect succeeded and how it had benefited the common American in providing low prices and at the same time, illustrated the cases of Wal-Mart’s suppliers and how Wal-Mart has twisted their corporate values in order to adhere to their own. Using simple illustrations, Fishman was able to tell us that Wal-Mart gives what the consumers ask for- cheaply priced products. However, he also showed the cost of these low prices- sweatshops, measly wages for its employees, changing corporate goals and driving consumers to demand for cheaper products. Feeding this type of consumer system is the goal of Wal-Mart and it is the very reason why consumers are rewarding the company. While Fishman is a journalist, he offered his viewpoints using investigative journalism means and with scholarly ethics not to go overboard. The goal of Fishman is not to show the myth surrounding Wal-Mart but rather to offer an alternate view on how the company operates and how it achieves its goals. Notably, Fishman was successful in providing a book that covers not just a description but rather a deeper understanding of how Wal-Mart works and how it affects every individual and the society. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fishman’s The Wal-Mart Effect does not offer to provide the scholarly or deeper understanding of the success of Wal-Mart but rather it seeks to present a more balanced view of how Wal-Mart strives to give cheaper products to the consumers. Using an easy-read tone of writing, Fishman captures the imagination and the interest of its readers and takes them into a journey of the different facets and strands of the company. Fishman succeeds in providing the details that readers need in order to form their own conclusion. While most part of the text is judgment-free, one is left asking how the biggest company in the world has achieved that much power to change the very society that created it. Reference Fishman, C. (2006) The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World’s Most Powerful Company  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Really Works–and How It’s Transforming the American Economy. The Penguin  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Press: 294 pages.

Committee on reorganization

Leone P. Aboard, DVD, which basically aims for appropriate alignment of descriptive titles of seventeen (17) positions to be reconciled to actual nature of work rendered by the respective incumbents thereto under the Office headed by the latter, entails no change In salary grade levels and/or step Increments. The Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act No. 160) gives the lawful authority to the Sanguinary Penalizing the determination of positions paid wholly or mainly from the provincial funds (Section 447), to which the subject Letter- Request pertains.However, Section 325(f) of the same law provides a limitation for the exercise of such authority by the SP, to wit: â€Å"(f) No changes in designation or nomenclature of positions resulting in a promotion or demotion in rank or increase or decrease In compensation shall be allowed except when the position is actually vacant, and the filling of such positions shall be strictly made In accordance with civil arrive law, rules and r egulations. The subject Request of the Honorable Governor complies with the Limitation abovementioned. In fact, it does not consist of promotion or demotion or of increase requesting Office had identified only twelve (12) positions to be re-titled. Because presently held by incumbents, such positions to be re-titled are requested in consonance with the certification issued by the Human Resource Management Office (HARM) of the Province.Thus, the positions of one Livestock Inspector V (Item No. 7) and four Livestock Inspector VI (Item No's. And 6), as originally listed by the questing Provincial Veterinarian, had been excluded due to the finding made by the Office of the Governor of the absence of approved Qualification Standards to be met by the incumbent appointees thereto set forth by the Civil Service Commission, and as another requisite to be met so pointed out in the certification issued by the HARM.

A picture is worth a thousand words

You've heard it so many times that it sounds trite. But a picture really IS worth a thousand words. And if a dream is a very special kind of picture, how much is IT worth?Maybe more? What about very simple pictures and very simple dreams? No doubt they're worth a little bit less than complex, elaborate ones. Or are they?In my psychotherapy course one day, I presented my undergraduate students with these questions. â€Å"Here's a very simple dream from a psychotherapy client I worked with years ago. I won't tell you anything about the client. I'll just tell you his dream, and then lets see what we can discover about him by exploring it†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ O.K? Here's the dream:†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I was wearing a white shirt and a purple tie.†The students just stare at me, expecting more to come. â€Å"No,† I explain, â€Å"that's it. That's the dream. Now let's start to explore it.†I then lead them through a group process of free associating to the dream (much like I describe on the Working and Playing with Dreams Page). â€Å"Just let your imagination go. Take every element of the dream and just let your mind wander on it. Whatever comes to mind. Don't censor anything, that's important.There is no right or wrong. It can be a fun, playful exercise – although the results sometimes may be serious and powerful. Freud thought that free association bypasses the defenses of rational, logical thinking and unlocks deeper links within the unconscious. It opens one up to fantasy, symbolism, and emotion – the very place from which dreams spring.†Here is a list of some of the associations the students come up with. For the purpose of this article I've organized them somewhat, whereas during the actual exercise the ideas surface in a much more freewheeling stream of consciousness:PURPLE †¦. royalty, bruises, choking, holding one's breath, grief, a combination of blue and pink, goes well with black, The Color of PurpleTIE †¦. formal att ire, going to work, phallic symbol, tied up, being tied to something, chokes the neck, confiningPURPLE TIE †¦. unconventional, stands out, rebellious, showing offWHITE †¦. clean, pure, unstained, â€Å"good,† lightSHIRT †¦. the top part, covered up, tucked in, stuffed shirt, where are the pants?WHITE SHIRT†¦. conventional, boring, going to work, going to church, corporate AmericaWHITE SHIRT AND PURPLE TIE†¦. unusual combination, contradictory combination, very unconventional, tie really stands outDEPLETION?†¦. there's nobody else in the dream, it's so static, there's nothing happening, where are the feelings?After we finish this free associating, I then describe the client to the class.At the time Dan had the dream, he was 23 years old. I would describe him as a quiet, held-back person who was very confined (the tie) in how he talked, behaved, and felt towards others. Put bluntly, people found him rather boring to be with (white shirt). His emoti onal and interpersonal life were choked (the tie).He had almost no friends and felt little connection to his family (the tie again). Other than going to his tedious job (white shirt) as a low level technician for a computer company, essentially nothing was happening in his static, uneventful life (depletion).Dan was also very limited in understanding anything but the most surface, top-level (shirt) characteristics of his personality. Although outwardly conventional in how he dressed and acted at his job (white shirt), secretly he felt rebellious against authority (purple tie on white shirt) and generally superior (purple) to most people.He liked to think of himself as a political activist who firmly believed in the rights of abused (purple) people and felt more tied to them than anyone else. Comparing outside to inside, he was a bit of a contradiction (white shirt on purple tie).

Mass human rights violations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Mass human rights violations - Essay Example The concept of human rights and its application has seen tremendous expansion at the end of the 20th century1. The Universal Declaration of Human rights is an existing phenomenon in the global forefront for almost 50 years2. Majority of the people in almost all the countries in the world conceive that human rights are associated with the attributes of optimal protection and respect. Thinking in a most elementary dimension, human right can be regarded as the right of each individual for staying in the surroundings where he or she finds every opportunity in developing, living, working, relaxing, finding out various things for themselves and also be with other people, marry people of any ethnicities, rear their children and so on3. International laws have been formulated as well as implemented on an all round and global basis so that the human rights do not get violated 4and that all the individuals are treated on an unbiased yardstick of judgment in accordance with the international la w of human rights made by the International Courts. Despite that, it has been found that even after formulation of the human rights convention there has been a wide scale violation of human rights in an around many nations of the world5. It has also been argued that individual state policies of human right violation in various countries overshadow the application of international law and thus the weaknesses of international law in providing fruitful remedies is questioned to quite a robust extent6. In this paper, the discussion will be centered on the explanation of human rights laws provided by the international courts and they will be discussed in accordance with the case studies from different countries and the analysis will be directed towards the notion that whether the international law offer effective remedy in areas where the government of a state chooses in committing mass human rights violation within their own borders. Now, the subsequent section will discuss the notion o f human rights and provision of human rights within the international legal dimension. II. Human Rights 1. Basic facts In a nutshell, the definition of human rights can be stated as â€Å"the rights of human beings to live according to their nature and with other human beings†7. In the second half of the twentieth century various international standards were formulated and they became accepted on a wide basis over various nations of the world. 2. Human rights in international law During 1993, the United Nations World conference confirmed their commitment in association with established norms of human rights8. There have been various initiatives undertaken at international, regional as well as national levels for the protection of human rights. Individuals possess the rights to bring various human rights complaints before the regional courts for addressing their issues. The victims may have their cases heard before international governmental organizations but the national cour ts are in the current scenario are applying regional as well as international human rights standards. But unfortunately, it can be stated that practices of the states throughout the second half of the 20th century have shown many several evidences of violation of human rights on a wide scale basis. The violations which have occurred has taken a massive scale and they have been brutal in nature with infringement on â€Å"the right of life, physical and mental integrity and individual freedom† 9 In 1967, the United Nations classified the violations as gross human right violations of human rights. The phenomenon of gross violation of human rights is not a recent phenomenon. Since the period of 1945, estimations state that more people have perished as a consequence of gross human violation. Empirical evidences also reveal that the phenomenon of g

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or Essay - 2

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below (1000 character maximum) - Essay Example Initially, I was afraid that using the video editor software can become difficult for me as I had no prior experience of using it. However, this feeling quickly went away just when we performed the first scene. I felt as if I had worked with the software before because everything came to me very easily and quickly. In the end, I would say that the project not only introduced me to a potential field of work but also helped me develop an interesting hobby. Video games are not only a form of entertainment for me but also a rite of passage of sorts. One Saturday afternoon, when my friends and I were playing a computer game called Minecraft, we thought to create our own private server where we could have an entire world for us to play around in. This new and exciting idea became a passion for us as we started creating new worlds with marvelous new features. The idea had its fair share of challenges. For example, there were a number of coding errors to be fixed in the server software. After 6 hours of hard work and determination, my friends and I made the best server possible. Now, my friends and I play on our server with no coding issue. What started as nothing more than an idea for us has became a reality and it all has happened due to our understanding of modern technology, imagination, and an appreciation of software and its endless majesty. In the end, I would say that private server creation has become a hobby of mine and I have bec ome expert in creating efficient servers with innovative

Corporate Financial Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Corporate Financial Accounting - Essay Example management would create a provision for restructuring without having any commitment. Besides this, management used to manipulate the auditors by combining in many little amounts of provisions, which, when gathered made up a huge amount. This helped them to skim their profits and gain tax advantages, etc. Except these two problems, provision accounting used methods where provision was created for one purpose and then used for another. All this led to poor disclosure and difficulty in assessing the effect of provisions on reported profits. Provisions were particularly created when profits were high and decreased or eliminated when profits were low in order to smooth the outcome. This was commonly done when an organisation acquired another business entity, the acquirer created increased number of provisions as a cost of merging the new business’s operations. When the provisions were released later, the profits reported would seem falsely inflated. Provision accounting was used to boost share price by disguising poor performance in a particular year by profit smoothing to create an impression that the profit are less volatile, this led to increased investing in a particular company. (Management Accountant Blog, 2007) To overcome such an issue, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) came up with International Accounting Standard (IAS 37). This standard’s main purpose was to prevent organisations from recognising excessive provisions by focusing on the Balance Sheet and applying proper definition and recognition criteria in the framework for the preparation and presentation of financial statements. According to IAS 37 can only be recognised if it meets the criteria of a liability and a liability according to IAS 37 is â€Å"a present obligation arising from past events, the settlement of which is expected to result in an outflow

Philosophies of the East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophies of the East - Essay Example Hinduism as a philosophic creed has had no known founder, and there are no standard set of doctrines other than those in the Vedas and the Upanishads, universally accepted by all followers, and this may seem a disadvantage when compared to Confucianism and Buddhism. But when seen closely, it appears that Hinduism grapples with concepts of a different philosophical significance than Confucianism, because Hinduism deals with the nature of creation itself, whereas the other deals with the Way, a Way of worldly human life on the material plane alone. Buddhism, of course had a founding father in Gautam Buddha, many of whose given precepts are strikingly similar to that of Hinduism. Hinduism accepts that absolute reality is One, the Brahman, the various gods, demi-gods and the entire creation is Its expression. The human soul Atman is a part of It but is separated from It by a veil of ego and ignorance in the samsara, the world. The more the ego and ignorance, the more the reincarnations, in each of which the soul goes through various kinds of physical and mental suffering due to his or her Karma, or action and desires. Good karma brings the soul closer to Nirvana, or salvation from the cycle of rebirths, and bad karma and material desires drag it back down into the cycle.It is good human action and lack of material desires that can achieve salvation. On the other hand, human suffering can be understood in terms of bad past Karma, or human actions in a previous life. The Atman works out its Karma in an atmosphere of Lila or Maya, the history of the world and humans, which is in fact an illusion. Human life, then, is the journey of the Atman wherein humans try to control both the mind and the senses and become Brahman-oriented in the hope of experiencing total fulfillment in oneness with God or Brahman. Hindu philosophy allows for various ways to achieve Nirvana and over the ages various philosophers from Nagarjuna, Ramanuja, Sankara and the modern day Aurobindo Ghosh have offered their own interpretations. Buddhism is quite similar in its approach. Buddha's concern with the cause of human suffering led him to determine the Eightfold Path of human thought, speech, action, contemplation and mindfulness which is the way human beings can be free of all desires and suffering and attain Nirvana. Moreover, upadana or "clinging to existence" should be relinquished because existence in this world is illusory, and it is important to achieve a silence of body, mind and word. But unlike Hinduism, Buddhism does not believe in a divine creator or in divine salvation; the problem of suffering is one that humans must cope with themselves. Confucianism, on the other hand, is not concerned with the other world or rebirths at all. Direct human action is the only way human beings can better themselves according to Confucius. Human beings can gain wisdom through experience and study, following a set of principles which dictate positive action, helping others, and gaining their respect in a non-coercive fashion. Confucius held that it is possible to become a superior man through constant practice of the principles he set out, and his philosophy had much to do with political codes and family life as well. Confucius did not feel that human life and existence is governed by a fixed and eternal transcendental principle that stands outside and above events and determines them: human

Mass Spectrometry and HPLC of peptides Lab Report

Mass Spectrometry and HPLC of peptides - Lab Report Example The mass of the protonated and solvated molecules pass through the mass analyzer that establishes the mass of the analyte. Reversed phase high pressure liquid chromatography relies on the reversible water-hating associations between the molecules of the solute present in a polar mobile phase and the immobilised hydrophobic ligand in the solid support to effect separation (David 2001). The dispersal of the solute between the two phases is a function of the binding attributes of the medium, the polarity of the solute and the constituents of the mobile phase. The polarity of the mobile phase is lowered by the addition of organic solvents, which minimize the hydrophobic associations between the solute and the stationary phase hence causing desorption. Hydrophobic molecules end up spending more time on the solid support hence requiring a high solvent concentration to promote desorption. The mass to charge ratio (m/z) is the proportion of the mass of a substance to the number of ions present in a substance. This value is obtained sing the formula m/z = (MW + nH+)/n where m/z = the mass-to-charge ratio, which is indicated on the axis of the spectrum; MW is the molecular mass of the sample; n is the integer number of charges on the ions and H is the mass of a proton, which is equivalent to 1.008 Da. The above equation can be used to find the molecular weight of a sample provided that the sum of charges on an ion is established. The m/z value is read from the spectrum and substituted into the equation. Usually, during the calculation of charge, it is assumed that any two adjacent members in the sequence of multiplied charged ions differ by one charge. The mass of charge ratio (m/z) of large molecules such as ionised proteins, for example, lysozyme and bovine serum albumin is obtained in the same manner as described. The charge of the ion is found by monitoring adjacent charge states and substituted into the above equation alongside the m/z ratio that

Video Production - The Importance of Documentaries Essay

Video Production - The Importance of Documentaries - Essay Example To take advantage of this broad scope for creativity offered by documentary films, the filmmakers should adopt a script-free approach. Documentaries such as Fahrenheit 911 and Bowling for Columbine, which have garnered much critical acclaim are good examples of this scrip-free approach. The filmmaker needs to possess an eye for spotting key moments in the film before, during and after the production of film content. In the words of a famous cameraperson, â€Å"working creatively and seizing the moment and turning the camera on when things are happening before the rehearsal are important†. To be successful in this approach a passionate approach to work, an elevated cause behind the production and a sense of intuition are all essential qualities in the filmmaker. In the case of Fahrenheit 911, its producer/director Michael Moore excels in all the above aspects (www.documentaryfilms.net). A central unifying concept is essential to organize disparate footages and to integrate the various points of view expressed in it. While interviews and images of talking heads are important elements, there are many nuances to them. For example, â€Å"Interviews are not enough. Interviews may help define the point of view, but they are usually a terribly cumbersome way to get the documentary idea across, because they dont show the topic; they show people talking about the topic. It takes pictures† (Barnouw, 121). The first good example of the utility value of still images in documentaries is The Civil War film made by Ken Burns. By clever maneuvering of camera across each photo, the director lets the viewers know that the rest of the film will revolve around still pictures. The time span of these visuals and the background music are also equally important to make the intended impact on the audience. In The Civil War sound track the rendition of the solitary violin â€Å"spea ks† for the

Childhood Socialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Childhood Socialization - Essay Example If a person lives in American culture, he socializes himself according to the culture of American society. Similarly, if a person lives in an Asian country, he will socialize himself according to the culture of that Asian country. Agents of Childhood Socialization Socialization takes place in all stages of life. Childhood socialization usually takes place in family, in kindergarten, and in school, which are the three primary agents of childhood socialization. All of these socialization agents are extremely important for a child’s proper growth and development. Children learn different behaviors, attitudes, and characteristics from these socialization agents and act accordingly in the society. Let us discuss the influence of each of these agents of socialization on the initial life of a child. Family – First Socialization Agent The first and the most influential childhood socialization agent is the family of a child. A child starts learning different behaviors right from the birth stage. Family includes mother, father, siblings, and other close relatives of a child. This agent of socialization starts working when a child is unable to do anything on his own and depends on parents for everything. Family socialization is very important for a child because of several reasons. ... Parents are the first and the most important trainers of a child. Parents not only educate children how to deal with different people but also make them learn the ways to use different feelings and emotions in different situations. Parents also tell us how to control our emotions and behaviors. There are two main factors, which make family the most effective primary agent of socialization for a child. First of the two factors is the motivational bond that exists between a child and his family. That bond not only motivates a child to learn different behaviors and attitudes from the parents but also socializes a child properly according to the norms and values of the society. The second factor is the control of parents over a child in the initial years of the child’s life. In the initial years, a child is completely dependent on the parents and the parents teach everything to the child, such as, how to speak, how to walk, and how to show different expressions. Socialization of a child is not an easy task for the parents. Parents give proper attention to the child in the early stages of life in order to make him a useful part of the society in future. Therefore, we can say that family is the most effective and valuable agent of socialization because it helps a child perceive and exhibit different behaviors and expressions properly. Peers – Second Socialization Agent Peer groups are the second most important socialization agent for a child. Peer groups include other children of almost the same age. Children influence each other’s minds in the initial years of life. In the earliest years of childhood, parents closely observe the interactions of children with their classmates and other children in order to keep

Three Essential Qualities of Leadership Essay Example for Free

Three Essential Qualities of Leadership Essay What is a leader? According to Kouzes and Posner, leadership is â€Å"the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for a shared aspiration†, and indeed, these men go further to posit that leadership transcends a certain mode of behavior, rather, that it is an active set of skills and qualities that is clearly apparent. (Kouzes Posner, 2012) An essential quality then, is a quality in leader that is necessary to achieving the goal of inspiring subordinates to said struggle. This essay will attempt to identify the three essential qualities of leadership from a stimulus, namely an episode of Undercover Boss. The three essential qualities that can be extrapolated from the film are competency, charisma and consistency, as these skills have been shown to inspire colleagues to action and breed trust between the leader and his or her charges, which is key to successful communication (Bordum, 2005) which is the foundation for the execution of the former. Competency in leaders gives the leader credibility in the eyes of his subordinates, which in turn inspires confidence in and thus a willingness to submit to said leader’s leadership. We examine this phenomenon through the example of Walter, a day manager at Waste Management. Although Walter suffers from a crippling ailment that requires him to be under dialysis a large part of the week, Walter is still able to carry out his job well, making him a role model for his new recruit, whom his story inspired to at least try to do better. In today’s modern and increasingly liberal world, leaders are no longer conferred their title through blood relations or rank. In today’s world, a leader must live up to the expectation of the people he leads- he or she must make sure his subordinates actively want to submit to his or her leadership. (Kouzes Posner, 2011) The foundation of the leader- subordinate relationship is credibility, which creates trust in the leader and which is key to inspiring subordinates to action. (Bordum, 2005) Walter’s extreme proficiency even in the face of his handicap is a display of his merit, that his leadership position was well deserved, thus breeding in his subordinates a willingness to struggle for a shared aspiration, thus making competency an essential quality of leadership. Next, consistency in leaders breeds trust in the leader, which goes towards maintaining the credibility gained from competency (as we have discussed in the previous paragraph) and thus, while it does not actively serve to gain credibility or inspire on its own, but rather helps maintain the level of credibility created through the leader’s skill set. We examine the example of Jaclyn, another manager at Waste Management. Due to downsizing in the company, Jaclyn is made to juggle the workloads of multiple jobs, and is underpaid and struggling to pay her taxes. Despite her many woes, Jaclyn still keeps up a positive attitude, and consistently performs her tasks well, earning her respect and credibility in her subordinates. It is a common adage that succeeding once is easy, but doing it consistently, is much more difficult. As mentioned earlier, leaders are being judged by their subordinates, who hold their leaders to high expectations, which are to be fulfilled consistently. Should the leader disappoint in this respect, the leader loses his or her credibility (Kouzes and Posner, 2011) However, a leader that consistently lives up to the standards is a leader that will actively maintain if not increase her credibility, as consistent competency inspires trust in said leader’s subordinates (Whipple, 2002) , in turn creating credibility, and as discussed in the former paragraph, this credibility goes towards inspiring others into the struggle for the shared aspiration. Jaclyn’s consistency in her performance, in the face of difficulty looming over her, grants her trust in her subordinates, thus allowing her to mobilize them towards their shared aspiration. Hence we see how consistency links into the maintenance of a leader’s credibility, allowing the leader to continue mobilizing subordinates towards a common goal. Finally, charisma is an important quality of leadership as it helps a leader communicate an aspiration to the group and influences subordinates to want to partake in the aspiration, thus creating the shared aspiration. For example, a manager that supervises the cleaning of portable toilets for Waste Management uses this charisma to help his subordinate find the job fun. Charisma is an important part of leadership as charismatic leaders are emotionally expressive, eloquent, charming (House, Spangler and Woycke, 1991) and are thus able to communicate a goal to their subordinates and persuade them to sacrifice personal aspirations to partake in a common goal, mobilizing them toward a shared aspiration (Fiske, Gilbert and Lindzey, 2010) In the example, the manager was able to communicate the objective of cleaning toilets, but uses his charisma in order to win over his subordinate, and allow them to share the objective of cleaning out the toilets. Thus we see how central charisma is in generating the shared aspiration in the first place, and in conjunction with the two qualities mentioned previously, help encourage and mobilize subordinates to action, thus making it a quality essential to leadership The three skills of consistency, competency and charisma are thus important- essential, if you will- qualities for being a good leader, and inspiring one’s colleagues into action towards a common objective References: Bordum, A. (2005). Trust and leadership. CBS OpenArchive. Retrieved from http://openarchive.cbs.dk/handle/10398/7671 House, RJ., Spangler,WD. Woycke, J. (1991) Personality and charisma in the us presidency: a psychological theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 36(3), pp 394-396. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2393201?uid=3738992uid=2uid=4sid=21101663020273 Kouzes, J. Posner, B. (2011) Credibility: how leaders gain and lose it, why people want it. John Wiley. and Sons Inc Kouzes, J., Posner, B. (2012). The leadership challenge. John Wiley and Sons Inc. Lindzey, G., Fiske, S., Gilbert, D. (2010). Handbook of social psychology. (Vol. 2). John Wiley and Sons Inc. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=Pye5IkCFgRYCpg=PA1194dq=charisma in leadershiphl=ensa=Xei=i4kgUZ7EMMTtrAe7jYHYCwved=0CDsQ6AEwAg Whipple, R. (2002). Consistency can help leaders prevent lack of trust. Rochester Business Journal, Retrieved from http://webs.zd-cms.com/cms/res/files/371/RBJArticle112902.pdf

Globalization in Sub-Saharan Africa Essay Example for Free

Globalization in Sub-Saharan Africa Essay ABSTRACT It is factual that globalization began before the industrial revolution was existent in the colonial period and continues to be a major influence on how governments worldwide operate. When analyzing the effects of globalization, a common controversial debate is whether globalization has maimed the society or has brought significant benefit. The African society is used severally by anti-globalists to defend their views. This paper explores the negative dynamics of globalization in Sub-saharan Africa e.g. undermining of state sovereignty and hastening of environmental degradation of the continent. However, it does not suggest that globalization is entirely bad nor does it say that globalization is the only cause of Africa’s problems. It proposes some measures that can be considered when globalizing the African market so that this negative effects can be minimized. INTRODUCTION The nations of the world have synchronized their trading goods and services, financial markets, Ideologies, innovations and cultures through globalization. The free flow market policy adopted by many countries has led to significantly positive outcomes in the broader African region for example, creating new job ventures and advancements in technology. However, globalization has also cast a dark shadow on some sectors of the African economy , an issue that this paper will put into perspective with a particular case study on the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some proposed consequences of globalization addressed here include increased conflicts in the area, erosion of state sovereignty, imbalance in the ecosystem and income inequality. Sub-Saharan Africa is a term used to refer to all of Africa except the Northern region. Most of their economies are agricultural based and are not as stable as those in the Western world. The average income in sub-Saharan Africa is below the poverty line level. Nevertheless, this region enjoys a large comparative advantage on raw resources in the extractive industries for example minerals and oil. The demand for these minerals can perhaps explain why immediately before the great recession in 2008,there was the 27% increase in FDI; the highest ever seen(Jaja:3).Foreign companies can obtain these minerals at a very low cost in some African countries and reap huge marginal benefits. Some of the avenues they use to get them are questionable as is the case with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Congo Zaire) is a central African nation that borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its neighbouring countries include Central African Republic Southern Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Angola and Tanzania (the two are separated by Lake Tanganyika).It is the second largest nation by area with over 65 million people. It was a Belgian colony and gained independence in June 1960. DRCongo has the most variety in biodiversity in Africa and enviable amounts of rare natural resources such as diamond, copper, gold, cobalt, timber and coltan. With its resources one would expect that such a country would be awash with prime economic developments, projects to exploit all agricultural potential and high standards of living. On the contrary, most of the civilians in DRC live in poverty and have not benefited from the rich well of resources they have. They are victims of years of civil war, propelled by power- hungry, conniving national leaders and part of the international community. A sneak peak into the colonial history of DRCongo reveals that the exploitation of the minerals for self-intrests is not a recent phenomena. POLITICAL BACKGROUND OF THE DRC In the late 1800s, King Leopold of Belgium acquired full rights of ownership of the Congo territory at the Conference of Berlin. He governed it like private property and the area experienced some developments. However, this came at the expense of the local people because they were treated as slaves and could not reap any fruits from their labour. Intense pressure from the international community on the Belgian parliament led to the reclaiming of the Congo region from the king’s hands. It was renamed The Belgian Congo state from 1908. There was significant economic growth at the time but the indigenous people were on the losing end again, exploited and enslaved. The fight for independence was won on June 1960 with Patrice Lumumba as Prime Minister and Joseph Kasavubu as president. Lumumba would later be fired and Joseph Mobutu, chief of staff of the new army, aimed to ‘restore’ the relationship between the two leaders with the help of the USA and Belgium governments. In January 1961, Katanga forces and Belgian troops executed Patrice. The Katanga succession ended in 1963 with the help of UN forces. There were several governments afterwards; the most notable one being that of Mobutu Sese Seko. His ‘career’ as president began in 1971. He was largely dictatorial; for example he revoked the powers of the legislature, fired the prime minister and conducted an election where he was the only candidate. Funds were mismanaged, state cooperations collapsed and the country was in debt. He renamed the country several times but officially used Congo-Zaire. Note that he had several billions of US dollars in a Swiss Bank account and still had favour with the USA government. It is believed that he even had a world bank official as a personal assistant. This in turn gave him â€Å"confidential information about granting aid to Zaire†. (Reno 1998:152) In 1994, the DRC was a refuge for the many Rwandese Hutus fleeing the Rwandan genocide. Refugee camps a few kilometers from the border with Rwanda were planning zones for attacks into Rwanda. Mobutu cheered them on. However in 1996, Rwandan led forces backed by Uganda and the The Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire, led by Laurent Kabila, advanced into Kinshasa to close down Hutu camps in Eastern DRC.As a result, Mobutu’s government was overthrown when he was away and Laurent Desire Kabila was declared president. Kabila’s leadership was no different from his predecessor’s. Conflict between his government and rebel groups ensued in August 1998 because Kabila saw the Rwandese rebels as threat to his government. The Ugandan group, led by Congolese warlord John Pierre Bemba, formed the Movement for the Liberation of Congo, joined the Rwandese and together they terrorized the citizens and the government .Kabila requested for military assistance from the international community but they hesitantly supported him since they did not know him enough to trust him. In 1999, the rebels and the government signed a peace accord and six other countries were witnesses. A new constitution was promulgated in May 2005 and in 2006 the first free and fair elections were held. Tension increased just before elections and the government, backed by the UN, disarmed all non- governmental factions to keep the nation stable. The trail of this civil war commonly equated to Africa’s first world war has left a trail of death, despair and pain amongst the people with over 5 million dead, several displaced, and thousands of women and children raped. It is interesting to question the ability of the rebel groups to oust governments sequentially. Could someone be funding them? Are there some hidden interests? The minerals in the DRC, and coltan in particular, are treasured gems in the technological era. When raw, coltan, which is composed of columbium and tantalum, looks like black mud or sand. It is used to produce capacitors. Capacitors are used to conduct electrical charge in high tech equipment for example cellular phones, computers and some jet engines. The DRC has the world’s largest reserves of the mineral. Four fifths of the world’s supply of coltan is in Africa and DRC has eighty percent of it. In the late 1900s,the sales of tantalum increased by three hundred percent. This time period coincided with the times of civil war in the DRC.As Dena Montague states in her article, â€Å"Stolen Goods: Coltan and Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo†, international cooperations such as Banro-resources cooperation, Finconcorde and Raremet imported DRC coltan via Rwanda for use in Asia, Europe and US A. In response to UN accusations of involvement in illegal trading H.C Stark, one of the largest producers of capacitors commented that they only purchase raw materials from established companies. However, established companies were indeed involved in illegally obtaining goods from DRC. Investors restructured deals in support of Desire Kabila instead of Mobutu in 1996.This was a violation of the constitution which stated â€Å"The soil and subsoil belong to the state-prospecting, exploration and exploitation requires permits from Ministry of Mines and Energy.† Local militia backed by Ugandan and Rwandese forces got supplies in form of food, money and military equipment in exchange for smuggled goods. The militia men took stronghold of areas with huge deposits of gold and coltan e.g. Bukavu, Lubumbashi and Mayi. Gold was exported through Uganda and into United Arab Emirates. It was difficult to trace from there. It is worth noting that between 1995 and 2006,gold was one of Uganda’s main exports. Additionally, Uganda had GDP growth rate of 6% per annum in 1999 yet the average GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa was about 2.5%in the same time. These trade revenues undermined the power of the central Congolese government because the Ugandan economy gained more from D.R. Congo’s resources more than the DRC’s economy did. The fact that the international community was in one way or another involved in increasing conflict in the DRC is undeniable. If the corporate investors were genuinely trading with DRC to improve the state of the country, they would have questioned the legitimacy of the DRC based enterprises and suppliers. Another simultaneous consequence of the years of instability was an imbalance in the ecosystem. Wildlife products such as elephant tusks and animal skin were and are still very marketable globally. They were sold or bartered in exchange of food, ammunition and other goods. With a nation in strife, this meant that there were neither environmental regulations nor expensive wildlife products. In the 1990s, there were increased rates of elephant poaching and habitat encroachment in the forest areas of Kahuzi Beiga National Park. Statistics by the UN reveal that in the area of Garamba Park, north eastern DRC, 4000 out of 12000 elephants were killed between 1995 and 1999.[61]The area was controlled by Ugandan troops and Sudanese rebels. This created a human-animal conflict. The militia fed on wild meat when on their missions. Wild meat was also the only easily available food source for the displaced persons. Rebel leaders disarmed the guards in national parks, thus they were unable to patrol the forested areas. Local conservationists also raised the alarm on the decreasing numbers of the bonobo monkeys; famed for language learning abilities when in captivity and complex social behavi or in the wild(Gretchen Vogel).Another result of the clash between man and animal as suggested in the article â€Å"Effects of War and Civil Strife on Wildlife and Wildlife Habitats†, was the spread of human monkey pox and bubonic plague. The people were exposed to more diseases other than water- borne and tropical diseases. With lack of adequate healthcare and restricted movements, the people’s lives were at risk too. The flora and soil were not spared either. The people burned the vegetation and cut trees to get timber and to create room for living and farming. Due to the uncertainty they were in, it is unlikely that their methods of farming were conservative e.g. overharvesting and thus leading to soil erosion. Timber, which is a fundamental raw material for the building industry, was cheaply available to local and international traders thus they found the political situation in the DRCongo very favourable to their activities. Globalization of trade and financial commodities in the world has a general pattern where most of the trade and investments are dominated by a few nations. They make policies that work to their advantage, a fact clearly outlined by Joseph E. Stilitzp in his article â€Å"Globalism Dis contents†. Agriculture, which is the backbone of many African countries, is sometimes left out in some of the import tariff reliefs given internationally on account of globalization. Some regional agreements also exercise some form of discriminatory trade towards agricultural products. Additionally, globalization has led to liquidity of funds due to free financial markets. This means that capital investments can quickly be converted to cash. African states are become vulnerable to liquidity perhaps because of several sectors of the economy that need quick monetary solutions and overreliance on foreign loans as Stiglitzp highlights. One probable outcome from this phenomena in the period of conflict in the D.R.C would be that the rich political leaders in the country became richer and richer whereas the common people sunk deeper into poverty. It is likely that the agricultural sector was neglected(and this is where the people economy was/is based)and the mining industry prioritized. Middlemen from some countries traded weapons and money, with the rebel groups and some political elite, for coltan and other minerals. It is also likely that some foreign companies were given full ownership rights of some mines after giving the leaders of the time were given some money. The Congolese will indeed find it hard to trust their leaders again. The harsh reality right now is that so many families are focused on the primary needs of fending for their families so the idea of demanding for their rights is would sound unpractical. The fragility of this state can be traced to the days of state formation and the nature of subsequent governments. If the leaders who came into power prioritized the formation of a strong army and building of the nation, then we would perhaps tell a different story. This region and several others in Sub-saharan Africa have faced a humanitarian,environmental and political turmoil for too long. To avoid a repeat of the civil war situation and its consequent effects, specific codes of conduct that promote economic and political stability should be considered in the globalization aspect. Foreign investments into Africa require strict policies and an end of the bargain that considers the welfare of the people e. g a company that wants to invest must contribute directly or indirectly towards building a hospital, school or social hall. This will be effective in ensuring that the transition between a globalized market and the previous one involves the whole society in all dimensions of life. This can only happen with government system that is dedicated to building a brighter future for these great nations. The effective building of DRCongo’s economy will involve Congo’s immediate neighbors, the whole of Africa and the world. Conservationists should develop programs in war torn areas so that resource conflicts do not arise in the future. Global gatherings that address environmental issues should also prioritize the critical environmental crisis the Democratic Republic of Congo and in other areas affected by similar or even worse conditions. REFERENCES Globalization, Culture and the Great Disruption: An Assessment International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences February 2012, Vol. 2, No. 2 Dena Montague, Stolen Goods: Coltan and Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, SAIS Review 22.1 (2002) 103-118 Joseph P. Dudley1,*, Joshua R. Ginsberg2, Andrew J. Plumptre2, John A. Hart2, Liliana C. Campos3Conservation Biology Volume pages 319–329, April 2002 Effects of War and Civil Strife on Wildlife and Wildlife Habitats Alan Cowell, Letter from Britain: Lack of African Dream Lets a Nightmare Prevail by The International Herald Tribune, 2 August 2006 Stiglitz Joseph.Globalism Discontents Conflict in Congo Threatens Bonobos and Rare Gorillas * Gretchen Vogel Science 31 March 2000: 287 (5462), 2386-2387. [DOI:10.1126/science.287.5462.2386] Report of the UN Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 2002. Reno, William. 1998. Warlord Politics and African States. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner.(preface of the book)

Teaching Compound Nouns In The Classroom English Language Essay

Teaching Compound Nouns In The Classroom English Language Essay This essay will discuss the way of teaching particular compound nouns in the classroom through the context of Libyan classes. The first part of the essay deals with the learners and the learning context in Libya. The second one is about the analysis and arguments of the lexical set of compound nouns according to their use, form and meaning. Part three describes the approach that has been used in the teaching procedure within the Libyan context. The last part of this essay shows some errors and feedback and suggested corrections and suggested methods for improvement in proficiency. The lesson plan and materials used to teach the classes have been attached as appendices outside the main body of the essay. A brief profile of the learners and the learning context: The students in the class are aged between 14 and 17 years and they study in a private school in Libya. Their English language proficiency level is intermediate. They study English as a second language for four classes in a week with each class being about 35 minutes in duration. The students native language is Arabic and the class is monolingual. The students started studying English at the age of around eight in primary school. English is considered a second language in Libya; although it is a compulsory part of the educational curriculum. The English syllabus material in this level corresponds fairly closely to that of the degree in New Headway courses, but there is a wider choice of classes during the week. In addition, students are sometimes required to study other supplementary material in English in order to acquire optimum language skills. Analysis of the language point for this essay: The topic of this paper is about teaching concept and lexical uses of compound nouns. The word compound has several meanings in the English language. A compound is a combination of two words or more to form a new word with a different meaning: Compounds may be classified into three types; compound nouns such as toothpaste, compound verbs such as spin-dry, and compound adjectives which are usually hyphenated such as long-haired. Most compound nouns in English are formed by nouns modified by other nouns or adjectives. Sometimes the two words are joined together (e.g. tooth + paste = toothpaste), or they are joined using a hyphen (e.g. check-in), and sometimes they appear as two separate words (e.g. full moon). The language point that will be highlighted in this essay is the teaching of compound nouns. Compound nouns consist of two or more words combined together to form a new word with a different meaning. Graver (1986) points out that compound noun can be created like phrasal verbs by adding an adverb + verb; for example, outcome, takeaway and inlet. He says that there are two different ways to compound these elements. One of these ways is to place the verb and the particle in reverse order to form a compound noun or verb. For example, take over changed to overtake (verb), and put out to output (noun). Generally, to compound two words or more is a productive process in terms of word-formation (Schmitt McCarthy, 1997). Compound nouns can be written as one word, e.g. policeman; as two words joined together by a hyphen, e.g. easy-chair or as two separate words, e.g. air space. Compound nouns are usually made up of two parts, the first part tells us about the object or person or what the purpose of the object is, simply put the first part answers the question what is the purpose or what type it is? The second part tells us what or who the object is. For instance, in the word policeman, the second part of the compound noun tells us what or who the object is, in this case its man and the first part then identifies what kind of a man this noun is, so we know that he is a police man. A list of examples and a related practice exercise is added in appendix 2 for the purpose of giving the students some practical experience of joining words to form compound nouns. Explanation and description of the teaching approach in this context: The needs and the level of the students have been taken into consideration, and the method is suitable to their abilities and communicative style. Harmer (2007) says that students should be exposed amply to the language in use, in order to improve their skills and knowledge so that they are able to interact efficiently in real situations. Advocates of Task-Based Learning (TBL) approach argue that learners must learn the target language to be able to express themselves and be understood. Engaging in real language situations is one of most effective ways of learning the target language. To make the class interactive and allow for more student interaction the teacher encourages the students to interact in the most natural possible ways. How does one normally use language? We use language in a number of ways: to respond to questions, to explain or describe things, to ask questions, to tell stories, to talk about events and for many other purposes. So to reduce teacher-talk-time and allow more student interaction a task-based approach has been adopted here. A task-based lesson usually has a preparation and planning stage called the pre-task; then the task phase is followed by a post-task phase where the teacher facilitates discussions and the students can practice their skills. Pre-task activity involves eliciting some examples of compound nouns to make the students understand what a compound noun is. Teachers can use teaching aids like hand-outs, texts, flash cards, audio-visual materials etc. so that students can familiarize themselves with the concepts learnt. The teacher can then elicit information from the students pertaining to the text or audio/visual clip provided. The elicited compound nouns are collated and written on the board. The learners are asked to recognize and specify them in the text and to use these compound nouns in suitable sentences of their own in the in-task activity. Students work in pairs to come up with some compound nouns related to the task, and then each student in the class is asked to suggest another different compound noun and try to pronounce it correctly. In the post-task stage, students are asked to practice what they have been taught and to be more fluent. The students are engaged in activities where the whole class is expected to participate. The activity uses a set of compound nouns and utilizes these words in sentences in real life contexts. The teacher facilitates small group discussions, question-answer sessions, pop-quizzes, individual or pair work so that the students have ample opportunity to practice the newly learnt compound words in varied contexts. The teacher supervises the discussions and moves around the class and corrects mistakes wherever necessary. Some expected errors and feedback from teacher with suggestions for improvement: Non-native English speakers like the Arab students of this class may confuse or misuse lexical terms particularly complex ones like compound nouns. This confusion can occur especially for speakers of Arabic because of the influence of their mother tongue, which has a different grammatical structure from English. For example, truck driver is the right form of the English compound noun referring to a person who drives a truck. However, due to grammatical composition in Arabic the name of the doer (object) driver is placed before the name of the machine (purpose) truck which will make the word driver truck and will not convey the same meaning as truck driver. Another difference between English and Arabic is that Arabic does not have hyphenated words like break-out or passer-by and the students may be confused when they see or hear this pattern until they become familiar with it. To overcome such situations, the teacher needs to spend a significant amount of time in designing activities like role-plays, story-telling and use audio-visual clips that will help minimize language barriers and reinforce the positive learning outcomes. To be able to develop fluency and a moderately grasp of the language, learners must use every opportunity outside the class to practice their skills. The more they use the language in multiple contexts the more chances will they get of receiving feedback and have the opportunity to rectify their mistakes and learn to adapt themselves to the lexical and grammatical differences between their native tongue and the target language. Pica (1992 1994, cited in Ellis 2004) suggests that negotiation provides learners with feedback on their own use of the target language. When more competent interlocutors respond to less competent speakers they frequently reformulate their statements according to the proficiency of the listener. Conclusion: The objective of teaching English as second language to non-native speakers is to be able to help students to reach a fair level of competency in the target language so that they are able to make sense of lexical and grammatical structures and concepts that may be different from their native tongue. Exposure to the target language is important as is the motivation to practice and master the language. The teacher can only provide guidance and facilitate learning. The level of adaptability and use of more complex lexical and grammatical structures will be determined by the amount of practice that is put in by the learner. It has been the endeavor of this paper to suggest ways by which learners are motivated to achieve this level of competence.

Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau Essay -- Philosophy Philosophi

Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau developed theories on human nature and how men govern themselves. With the passing of time, political views on the philosophy of government gradually changed. Despite their differences, Hobbes and Rousseau, both became two of the most influential political theorists in the world. Their ideas and philosophies spread all over the world influencing the creation of many new governments. These theorists all recognize that people develop a social contract within their society, but have differing views on what exactly the social contract is and how it is established. By way of the differing versions of the social contract Hobbes and Rousseau agreed that certain freedoms had been surrendered for a society’s protection and emphasizing the government’s definite responsibilities to its citizens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each political theorist agrees that before men came to govern themselves, they all existed in a state of nature. The state of nature is the condition men were in before political government came into existence, and what society would be if there was no government. In relation to this the two theorists raised as much praise as criticism for their famous masterpieces.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hobbes and Rousseau created a revolutionary idea of the state of nature. They did not believe government should be organized through the church, therefore abandoning the idea of the divine right theory, where power of the king came directly from God. Starting from a clean slate, with no organized church, Hobbes and Rousseau needed a construct on what to build society on. The foundation of society began with the original state of nature. Hobbes’ perception of the original state of nature is what would exist if there were no common power to execute and enforce the laws to restrain individuals. In this case, the laws of the jungle would prevail: only the fittest survive. Man’s desires are insatiable. Since resources are scarce, humankind is naturally competitive, inevitably creating jealousy and hatred, which eventually leads to war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The constant state of war is what Hobbes believes to be man’s original state of nature. According to Hobbes, man cannot be trusted in the state of nature. War among men is consequent and nothing can be unjust. Notions of justice and injustice or right and wrong will not hav... ...ons on what kind of government should prevail within a society in order for it to function properly. Each dismissed the divine right theory and needed to start from a clean slate. The two authors agree that before men came to govern themselves, they all existed in a state of nature, which lacked society and structure. In addition, the two political philosophers developed differing versions of the social contract. In Hobbes’ system, the people did little more than choose who would have absolute rule over them. This is a system that can only be derived from a place where no system exists at all. It is the lesser of two evils. People under this state have no participation in the decision making process, only to obey what is decided. While not perfect, the Rousseau state allows for the people under the state to participate in the decision making process. Rousseau’s idea of government is more of a utopian idea and not really executable in the real world. Neither state, h owever, describes what a government or sovereign should expect from its citizens or members, but both agree on the notion that certain freedoms must be surrendered in order to improve the way of life for all humankind.

Heart of Darkness - A Reform Piece or Racist Trash? Essay -- HOD Josep

Heart of Darkness - Reform Piece or Racist Trash?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1890, Joseph Conrad spent four months as a steamship captain in the Congo. Like his character Marlow, Conrad became both physically ill and greatly disturbed as a result of his experiences. The Congo haunted Conrad, and despite the fact that he spent relatively little of his time there, he felt compelled to write about his experiences years later.1    Indeed, the Congo had a profound influence on Conrad. While there he met Roger Casement who was to become a life long friend and ally in the campaign against Leopold II. Conrad's experience was much like Marlow's. As a young man, Conrad would look at maps and desired to journey to the as yet unexplored Congo, much the same way Marlow did. He was the captain of a steamboat that traveled between Stanley Falls and Leopoldville. Like Marlow, he also became very ill as a result of his travels. While in the region he kept a daily diary that would aid him in future work. Conrad originally wrote a short story about his experiences in the Congo, but later decided that a slightly longer work would be necessary to deal with the topic.2 Out of this profound influence came a profound novella, Heart of Darkness, which was published in 1902 at the height of the Congo controversy.    Heart of Darkness painted a very dark picture of the Congo. It is no surprise that there is so much dark imagery in Heart of Darkness, Conrad adequately described the tone of the Congo. Kurtz can be seen as a white man who set out for the Congo, like so many others, in an effort to "civilize" the inhabitants of the region. In the end though, it's Kurtz who is the most savage. Kurtz could be a representative of any of the members of the For... ...on different races have improved. That there even is a debate would indicate that people today are more aware of issues of racism than they were in 1902.    Works Cited (1), (2), (6) Forbath, Peter. The River Congo. Harper & Row Publishers. New York. 1977. (3) Widmer, Kingsley. "Joseph Conrad". Dictionary of Literary Biography, vol. 34. Gale Research Company. Detroit. 1985 (4) Watts, Cedric. Conrad's "Heart of Darkness": A Critical and Contextual Discussion. Mursia International. 1977. (5) Pakenham, Thomas. The Scramble for Africa. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. London. 1991. (7), (8), (9), (10), (12) Achebe, Chinua. Hopes and Impediments, Selected Essays. Doubleday. New York. 1977. (11), (13) Sarvan, C.P. " Racism and the 'Heart of Darkness'". The International Fiction Review. winter, 1980. International Fiction Association.      

Odysseus and Aeneas Similar with Important Differences :: Essays Papers

Odysseus and Aeneas Similar with Important Differences Half of the room had their faces painted orange and brown. Half of the room had their faces painted black and yellow. I sat and looked at the other side of the room with total disgust. How could they call themselves Clevelanders as they sat and cheered on the enemy? Then it hit me. They didn’t — none of them called themselves Clevelanders. As I looked around the lounge of Twin Towers, I realized that most of these fans were here to cheer on their home team in the first Cleveland Browns-Pittsburgh Steelers game in three long years. The fans varied in hometown. This ethnocentrism can be traced back all through history — even back to the times of Homer and Virgil. Odysseus and Aeneas were both â€Å"hometown heroes,† and both were also despised by their opposing countries. Odysseus and Aeneas, both epic heroes, were very similar but there are some differences. The differences between Odysseus and Aeneas are representative of their Greek and Roman cultures respectively. Odysseus and Aeneas both have an extremely different view of what the meaning of â€Å"home† is. They also have a contrasting value of importance on home. This is a parallel that follows them throughout their lives. Odysseus left home to fight in the Trojan War. He left to serve his country. After hard work he was victorious. He was forced to go to Hell and back when he was to go home. Of course he did take a long break in paradise to experience the good life. Odysseus landed on the island of Calypso. She is immortal and fell in love with Odysseus. They spent the days having passionate sex and he had the opportunity to stay there forever drinking nectar and eating ambrosia. So why’d he leave? He wanted to go home. Home is extremely important to Odysseus just as home is important for most Greeks. Greece is not a huge country. At no point in history did Greece become a large empire taking over great amounts of land. Greece is a specific place and the Greek traditions are found only within the borders. Aeneas also went to fight in the Trojan War. He also was a national hero. He was a great warrior. Both Odysseus and Aeneas were trying to head home.

Inclusive Learning

Contents Contents1 Introduction2 Findings3 What is Inclusive Learning? 3 Learning Environment4 Access for all4 Inclusive Learning in Initial Assessment6 Inclusive learning in the classroom6 Assessment9 Conclusion10 Bibliography12 ? A critical evaluation of the principles and practice of Inclusive Learning within XXXXXX XXXXXX. Introduction XXXXXX XXXXXX is a registered charity offering work based learning programmes to young adults.Within my role as Advanced Teaching Practitioner, I am responsible for curriculum design, monitoring teaching, staff training and mentoring, quality assurance and learner achievement in addition to my role as a Basic Skills Tutor. Before analysing current practices, I have gained the consent from those directly involved. In order to assess current inclusive learning principles and practices of the organisation, I need to increase my understanding of inclusive learning for my own Continued Professional Development (CPD).I need to reflect of my own practices and the practices of others and evaluate the service provided. Findings What is Inclusive Learning? Inclusive learning can be defined as ‘the greatest degree of match or fit between the individual learners’ requirements and the provision that is made for them’ (FEFC, 1996, p2). Inclusive teaching means recognising, accommodating and meeting the learning needs of all students and being aware of their individual needs. It is about identifying the reasonable adjustment that can be made without it having a negative impact of the teaching and learning of others.Open University Press (2006) defines inclusive learning as ‘acknowledging your students have a range of individual needs and are members of diverse communities. Inclusive teaching avoids pigeonholing students into specific groups with predictable and fixed approaches to learning’. It is important to consider the need to be proactive as opposed to being reactive. To practice inclusive learning, act ions need to be taken prior to students commencing the process.The Tomlinson report 1996 states: ‘Re-designing learning, assessment and organisations to fit objectives and learning styles may mean introducing new content to courses, adapting access or both. This approach is quite different from offering courses and then giving students with difficulties some additional human or physical aids to participate. ’ Under the Special Education Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) 2001, all educational establishments must not treat students less favourably than others and make reasonable adjustments to ensure that their learners are not substantially disadvantaged.Learning Environment An accessible and safe learning environment is vital for inclusive learning to take place. The premises that XXXXXX XXXXXX occupy are located on the second and third floor of a listed building. There are no lifts and there is a staircase leading up to the main reception. Under the Disability Discrimin ation Act, there is a requirement to make reasonable adjustment to be able to ensure those students with a mobility disability are not excluded. XXXXXXhave made contingency plans whereby they use the premises within a local college as and when required.SENDA 2001 states that students should be able to access all services provided for other students. In this case, the local college offers all the facilities and services we offer our students. Taking this into consideration, reasonable adjustments have been made. Access for all In order to give strategic direction to inclusive learning, Smith and Armstrong (2005, p1) state ‘providers need to adopt a co-ordinated approach to inclusive learning, working with different groups, genders and levels of learners’. These is achieved ongoing within XXXXXX XXXXX.There is no discrimination on the grounds of gender or sexual orientation within XXXXXX XXXXXX and therefore XXXXXXcomply with all aspects of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 . Our learners come from mixed race, religion and in order to ensure that we accommodate these learners, all staff receive multifaith calendars to ensure that they can manage their learning over religious or cultural holidays. As we are funded for a 14-19 age provision, we cannot offer learning to anyone outside this age range. This is a limitation by DCELLS.Should anyone outside this age range require the same type of education and training, there are other training providers where they can be signposted. McGivney (2003) guidelines suggest that people with disabilities, ex-offenders, low paid unqualified workers, male manual workers, unemployed groups, rural residents, women with young children, homeless and those from ethnic minority groups may have problems in participating in organised learning activities. (DCSF, 2008) states ‘9% of young people aged 16-19 are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).As part of the ‘Every Child Matters Agenda’ their aim is to break down the barriers to achievement and provide opportunities for those disengaged from learning. This agenda intends to ensure that programmes have been set up to identify children and young adults at risk and promote early intervention. According to the 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper ‘those with learning difficulties are twice as likely to become NEET’. XXXXXX XXXXXX have recently established street based youth work teams; across communities in south Wales, working with partner organisations to engage some of the hardest to reach young people; nd to progress them onto positive development opportunities in their own communities. The current teams are a pilot and are hoping to expand the project into other geographic and sector communities. XXXXXX XXXXXX are also establishing links to deliver full and part time extended curriculum services in schools for 14-18 year olds across Wales, providing support for young people in the youth justice system; estab lishing a youth drop in facilities at many centres and expanding the street based youth work.XXXXXXare also in community cohesion work particularly in areas with a large European migrant youth communities and those with a migrant non-welsh speaking community within Welsh speaking indigenous communities. XXXXXXis piloting development of youth volunteering in under-represented groups. Taking all this into consideration, it shows the effort that is being made in order to provide inclusive learning to those students who are at risk of becoming NEET. Inclusive Learning in Initial Assessment According to Green and Bartram 1998, p7) ‘Early and effective assessment of students’ requirements is critical to the concept of inclusive learning.There are three stages to the initial assessment process within the organisation. Prior to a learner joining they go through an initial assessment process. This begins with an informal interview following an endorsement from Careers Wales. In this interview, it allows the organisation time to carry out an informal assessment and identify individual learning needs. On entry, basic skills initial assessments and a VARK learning styles questionnaire are completed. From this process, an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) is written that is specific to the needs of the learner which will identify individual goals.Green and Bartram (1998. p10) outline that in order to achieve best practice; there should be ‘a common and shared understanding of the purpose of initial assessment’. Through discussion with staff and observations of the initial assessment process, it is evident that this there is a thorough initial assessment process which allows many opportunities to identify any individual needs and preferences. Following this process, if a learner is identified as having a literacy or numeracy need, diagnostic assessment is carried out.Learners have the opportunity to do these either by paper based methods or using Info rmation Technology (IT). The results of this assessment then produce an Individual Learning Plan that is specific to the learners literacy and/or numeracy needs and takes into consideration any special arrangements that may be required. Inclusive learning in the classroom If there has been an individual need identified through initial assessment, it is at this point XXXXXX XXXXXX are reactive as appose to being proactive. For those with physical disabilities, arrangements are made to support them.As previously discussed there is a lack of facilities within the centres to support learners with a disability affecting mobility and this is taken into consideration when careers signpost learners. Apart from this, Rooms are bright, well ventilated and are small enough to be able to accommodate those with minor hearing or visual impairments. When considering students who are deaf and hard of hearing, XXXXXXdo not have a strategy in place for dealing with those who require specialist suppor t including lip speakers, sign language interpreters and speech to text reporters.Although many learners who require this support often plan their own support requirements. To ensure inclusion in the classroom, it should be considered when planning lessons. Once the aims and objectives have been decided, it is then important to consider the needs and previous experiences of the learners’. At this stage, you can consider if there are any adjustments that can be made to ensure that the lesson is inclusive Open University Press (2006). This could be large print handouts, varied teaching strategies, practical tasks as appose to written, aural or visual methods and where possible, taking into account multi sensory learning.When carrying out questioning in the classroom, there was very good use of reinforcement techniques to consolidate learning. Although tutors encouraged all members of the group to participate, this was done in such a way that no learners felt uncomfortable. When this was necessary (e. g. a speaking and listening task) it was managed in a positive way to recognise individual needs. If learners need support with basic skills, subject specific tutors (NVQ, Key Skills) liaise with the Basic Skills Tutor to organise extra support in addition to their literacy and/or numeracy classes.If the learner has a learning difficulty that affects concentration, extra comfort breaks can be given and short activities should also be planned that vary in teaching strategy to keep learners engaged. At present, DCELLS are working towards converged basic and key skills. This initiative should have encourage a more standard approach as qualifications will be delivered in a different training and staff will be required to update their CPD. Practices vary depending on the experience of individual tutors within XXXXXX XXXXXX.When observing a key skills session, a tutor suggested to her group that it would be advantage to take notes whilst completing practical activi ties. On her lesson plan, she had shown inclusive practices by suggesting a Basic Skills Tutor could offer support with both reading and note taking if required. In terms of the use of classroom assistants or support workers, this is the only instance that in class support is offered due to staffing levels within the organisation. The majority of tutors promote equal opportunities practices by having notes available at the end of the lesson for all learners.Others show inclusive learning techniques by issuing gapped handouts at the beginning of the lesson to support those with individual needs. This later method allows those learners who have lack of confidence in groups, those with hearing difficulties or partial sight a greater chance of achieving the objectives set from the lesson. Experienced staff uses assistive technology in the classroom such as coloured acetate, worksheets on coloured paper or magnifying equipment to support learners when reading books, but once again staff training is needed to ensure consistency throughout the organisation.Smith and Armstrong (2005) suggest providers should make sure that CPD and staff training supports structures and systems implemented to deliver the inclusive learning agenda. Through discussion with staff, it is evident that staff members have little knowledge of how to support learners with Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and other learning and behavioural needs. Therefore staff CPD needs to be updated and staff training offered. Having observed a selection of basic skills sessions, I have seen differentiation being managed very well within the classroom.There are isolated cases where worksheets have been the main teaching strategy due to the diverse nature of the group but the main reason for this is the need for staff development and training. Within sessions, individuals show good inclusive learning techniques when giving feedback. They are constructive and give praise for what has been done well and avoid being negative to learners. For those who have physical disabilities, there is IT equipment available such as specialist mouse and the ability to increase the font size on the majority of programmes used.If there is a need for out of class support, this is also available from the training assessors responsible for the individual learners. Individual training assessors are encouraged to spend time with all learners to build a rapport and encourage them to discuss any individual learning needs. These persons are trained to signpost for guidance and counselling if required. Assessment Once learning has taken place, there are various methods of assessment that are used. Within basic skills, learners are given a choice of completing assignments which are paper based or tests that can be taken using IT.For those who have to submit a portfolio, they are given the option of using IT to produce their work. There are also dictaphones avai lable to record case studies, professional discussions or oral questioning as appose to written questions. These strategies in place show differentiation for individual needs are being considered. As well as the usual methods of assessment, learners also get a review which is carried out every four weeks. In this review, their progress is monitored and feedback is given on their performance.The Tomlinson Report (1996) shows us that monitoring progress and providing effective feedback contributes to effective inclusive teaching. Within their basic skills support sessions, further feedback is also given as part of their literacy/numeracy ILP. All learners at the end of their visits are given a Training And Support Log (TASL) which gives them feedback on any work produced. Conclusion Following this investigation, I have reached the conclusion that the organisation is reactive as appose to proactive with regard to inclusive learning.As a training provider, XXXXXX XXXXXX are genuinely no n-selective about the learners who complete a programme. Many of the learners face a number of obstacles to engaging in learning including low educational attainment, a lack of basic and/or personal skills, caring obligations, homelessness, lack of self belief, confidence and self worth. Despite this, over 70% of the young people that are supported leave with a positive outcome. The 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper state that 12. 5% of the NEET group have learning difficulties and/or disabilities.If XXXXXXtraining wishes to continue aiming to offer inclusive learning and reduce this NEET cohort, there is a need to train staff by offering CPD in inclusive learning and ways of developing an inclusive learning strategy within the learner process. There are different teaching approaches within the organisation. (Tilstone et al. ,1998, p. 6) states ‘a key issue in promoting inclusive practice must be a reappraisal of the training provided to teachers and other professionalsâ €™ From my observations, I feel that this is an accurate assumption to make.I have been able to observe many sessions over a period of time and have seen that tutors need training on how to incorporate inclusive learning strategies within their lesson plan. Smith and Armstrong (2005) also discuss how providers should establish a strategy for sharing best practice within an organisation. XXXXXXhave meetings for every subject route on a quarterly basis. Although this is an excellent way of sharing best practice, inclusive learning should be listed as an agenda item to ensure that it gets the attention it requires.Although everything is done during the learner process to ensure that equal opportunities and diversity are managed, XXXXXXhave a bullying and harassment procedure in place and also a grievance procedure that prospective, current and past learners can instigate if they wish. From carrying out research into inclusive learning within XXXXXX XXXXXX, it has been shown that on the whole, a lot of work goes in to meeting the individual needs of the learner and offering a positive learner experience.Having now completed this research, it has made me aware of the financial restraints of the organisation. I feel that I will carry out my role as ATP differently when training staff and mentoring. When working towards curriculum design, I will also ask myself the question â€Å" How can I make it more inclusive? † and from this, I feel that this has played a big part in my CPD. Bibliography †¢ACCESS UNIT. (2006, December 18). Access Unit – Making Information Accessible to Disabled Students. Retrieved December 8, 2008, from University of Bristol: http://www. ristol. ac. uk/accessunit/disabilityinfo/accessible33. html †¢ADAMS, M. , & BROWN, S. (2006). Towards Inclusive Learning in Higher Education. London: Routledge . †¢BLOOMER, M. , & HODKINSON, P. (1997). Moving into FE: The voice of the learner. London: Further Education Developmen t Agency (FEDA). †¢CLOUGH, P. (1998). Managing Inclusive Education. From Policy to Experience. London: Sage. †¢CSIE. (2008, April 30). About Inclusion. Retrieved December 15, 2008, from Centre For Studies On Inclusive Education: http://inclusion. uwe. ac. uk/csie/csiefaqs. htm †¢DCSF . 2008, July 02). Education, Training, Employment. Retrieved December 10, 2008, from Department for Children, Schools and Families. http://www. dcsf. gov. uk/14-19/index. cfm? go=home&sid=26 †¢Every Child Matters: (2008, July 02) Change for children: Retrieved December 15, 2008, from Every Child Matters http://www. everychildmatters. gov. uk/ete/ †¢FEFC. (1996). Inclusive FE: Report of the Further Education Funding Council Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities Committee CSIE Summary. Bristol: Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE). †¢GREEN, M. . (1998). Initial Assessment To Identify Learning Needs. London: Further Education Development Agency (FEDA). †¢L EARNING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY. (2002). Access For All. London: DFES. †¢MCGIVNEY, V. (2003). Working With Excluded Groups. Leicester: National Institute of Adult Continuing Education. †¢OPEN UNIVERSITY PRESS . (2006, December 30). Inclusive Teaching. Retrieved December 12, 2008, from Open University Press: http://www. open. ac. uk/inclusiveteaching †¢SMITH, V. , & ARMSTRONG, A. (2005). Beyond Prejudice; Inclusive Learning in Practice.London: Learning and Skills Development Agency. †¢TILSTONE, C. , FLORIAN, L. , & ROSE, R. (1998). Promoting Inclusive Practice. London: Routledge Falmer. †¢WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT. (2008, September 29). Delivering Skills that Work for Wales: A new approach to adult community learning. Consultation Document 057/2008 . Caerphilly: Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills. †¢What is SENDA 2001? (2007, January 22). Retrieved December 13, 2008, from Hobo: http://www. hobo-web. co. uk/tips/12. htm

Heart of Darkness

Often statements have multiple interpretations depending on different perspectives. In the novel Heart of Darkness, Conrad makes the reader use their own knowledge to create themes and emotions. Consistently the theme of the horrific reality is mentioned throughout the novel in several aspects. Joseph’s character Kurtz cries out, â€Å"The horror! The horror† (Conrad 86) during his last moments, however there is no obvious meaning and leaves the reader to realize how ambiguities of the quote.The horror that Kurtz is referring to is the guilt he and Marlow feel, the disappointment of dying and the fear of the darkness. Emotional feelings tend to have the effect of guilt when something does not point in a positive direction. Many people make a wrong decision that forces them to feel guilty. Joseph Conrad’s idea to show the feeling of guilt through his characters experience working in the Congo. The character Kurtz is very good at what he brings to the Company, howe ver near his time of death he reflects on the inequality that is displayed towards the natives of the Congo.Marlow is unaware of the job that he receives because the life he lives at home is opposite to the life he endures in the Congo and his first impression, â€Å"While I stood horror-struck, one of these creatures rose to his hands and knees, and went off on all-fours towards the river to drink† (Conrad 20). This quote explains that Marlow witnesses a different type of behaviour by being in a different society and naturally feels guilty about all of the aspects developed countries take advantage of.Both Marlow and Kurtz know that what they are doing is unfair to the natives and the land but they also know that it is their duty to obey the rules of the Company. Authority is a key component of the emotions that the ‘civilized’ and the natives are meant to experience, â€Å"It was an affirmation, a moral victory paid for by innumerable defeats, by abominable te rrors, by abominable satisfactions. But it was a victory† (Conrad 88). The quote refers to some positive aspects of the Congo as well as some negative points, especially Marlow mentioning the terrors, which then turn to guilt throughout the journey.Many people end up with a guilty feeling about their life because of a previous defeat they are not content with. Most people have expectations in life that they want to accomplish before they die. The character Kurtz in the novel is a respected man because of what he brings to the Company although while he is moments until his death he looks back on his life and realizes his true destiny. Before Marlow meets Kurtz, the manager says, â€Å"He will be somebody in the Administration before long. They, above – the Council of Europe, you know – mean him to be† (Conrad 23).The Company has great plans for Kurtz because he is the best at what he does and that is sending in ivory. In the early 1800s, the largest resourc es in the Congo were ivory and rubber (King Leopold II and the Congo). Marlow feels Kurtz’s pain as he cries out because everything that Kurtz ever accomplished is about to come crashing down and cut his life expectancies short, â€Å"All that had been Kurtz’s had been passed out of my hands; his soul, his body, his plans, his ivory, his career† (Conrad 91).The previous quote states that in Marlow’s eyes there is a disappointing end to Kurtz’s life because of the expectations that not only to Kurtz himself, the expectations the Company had for Kurtz but also the ones that England had for him. Conrad’s character Kurtz expresses to the reader that the remarkable man has reached his limits but is not happy with the end result of his death and not perfect life later on. By spending time in a new environment the ability to change the lifestyle that a person has increases. Sometimes moving from one destination to a new destination will change a pe rson’s way of living.Conrad’s main characters Kurtz and Marlow set off to leave their own society and they enter the reality of darkness in the Congo. Coming from a more developed country than the Congo and having to adapt to the changes is difficult to do for Joseph Conrad’s characters. The fear for Marlow of turning crazy after spending time in a completely different place is high because he knows the reason he got the job in the Congo was due to the death of Fresleven. The previous captain had been said to be the nicest creature ever (Conrad) which shocked Marlow to discover what Fresleven had turned into, â€Å"†¦He whacked the old nigger mercilessly, while a big crowd of his people watched him, thunderstruck†¦ The people had vanished. Mad terror had scattered them†¦ † (Conrad 10). After a couple years of Fresleven being away from his home, the change that happens is that he is no longer the gentle man he started out to be. Kurtz cries out his last words of the horror he is experiencing, the ambiguity of what he means is flashing back to the way he is changing from his civilized-self to a weaker savage-like person which is a horrific change for Kurtz.Marlow experiences the horror through himself and also through Kurtz of the Congo, â€Å"†¦ A shadow insatiable of splendid appearances, of frightful realities; a shadow darker than the shadow of night†¦ † (Conrad 91). The previous quote refers to the Congo in general and goes back to the title of the novel itself. The frightening realities of changing a person they once were and becoming different but not in a completely positive way. Fear on the surface reality differs greatly from the underneath reality that is unknown until experienced thoroughly.Some statements are left ambiguous to allow people to use their knowledge to create perspectives. Joseph Conrad reminds the reader of one of the main themes within the novel and that is the fear of realit y. There are several ambiguous views to the fear within the Congo such as the guilt Kurtz and Marlow feel, the disappointment of not accomplishing everything expected in life and the horror of the darkness. Conrad makes the reader imagine the endless possibilities of emotions on the horror in the Heart of Darkness. Heart of Darkness Often statements have multiple interpretations depending on different perspectives. In the novel Heart of Darkness, Conrad makes the reader use their own knowledge to create themes and emotions. Consistently the theme of the horrific reality is mentioned throughout the novel in several aspects. Joseph’s character Kurtz cries out, â€Å"The horror! The horror† (Conrad 86) during his last moments, however there is no obvious meaning and leaves the reader to realize how ambiguities of the quote.The horror that Kurtz is referring to is the guilt he and Marlow feel, the disappointment of dying and the fear of the darkness. Emotional feelings tend to have the effect of guilt when something does not point in a positive direction. Many people make a wrong decision that forces them to feel guilty. Joseph Conrad’s idea to show the feeling of guilt through his characters experience working in the Congo. The character Kurtz is very good at what he brings to the Company, howe ver near his time of death he reflects on the inequality that is displayed towards the natives of the Congo.Marlow is unaware of the job that he receives because the life he lives at home is opposite to the life he endures in the Congo and his first impression, â€Å"While I stood horror-struck, one of these creatures rose to his hands and knees, and went off on all-fours towards the river to drink† (Conrad 20). This quote explains that Marlow witnesses a different type of behaviour by being in a different society and naturally feels guilty about all of the aspects developed countries take advantage of.Both Marlow and Kurtz know that what they are doing is unfair to the natives and the land but they also know that it is their duty to obey the rules of the Company. Authority is a key component of the emotions that the ‘civilized’ and the natives are meant to experience, â€Å"It was an affirmation, a moral victory paid for by innumerable defeats, by abominable te rrors, by abominable satisfactions. But it was a victory† (Conrad 88). The quote refers to some positive aspects of the Congo as well as some negative points, especially Marlow mentioning the terrors, which then turn to guilt throughout the journey.Many people end up with a guilty feeling about their life because of a previous defeat they are not content with. Most people have expectations in life that they want to accomplish before they die. The character Kurtz in the novel is a respected man because of what he brings to the Company although while he is moments until his death he looks back on his life and realizes his true destiny. Before Marlow meets Kurtz, the manager says, â€Å"He will be somebody in the Administration before long. They, above – the Council of Europe, you know – mean him to be† (Conrad 23).The Company has great plans for Kurtz because he is the best at what he does and that is sending in ivory. In the early 1800s, the largest resourc es in the Congo were ivory and rubber (King Leopold II and the Congo). Marlow feels Kurtz’s pain as he cries out because everything that Kurtz ever accomplished is about to come crashing down and cut his life expectancies short, â€Å"All that had been Kurtz’s had been passed out of my hands; his soul, his body, his plans, his ivory, his career† (Conrad 91).The previous quote states that in Marlow’s eyes there is a disappointing end to Kurtz’s life because of the expectations that not only to Kurtz himself, the expectations the Company had for Kurtz but also the ones that England had for him. Conrad’s character Kurtz expresses to the reader that the remarkable man has reached his limits but is not happy with the end result of his death and not perfect life later on. By spending time in a new environment the ability to change the lifestyle that a person has increases. Sometimes moving from one destination to a new destination will change a pe rson’s way of living.Conrad’s main characters Kurtz and Marlow set off to leave their own society and they enter the reality of darkness in the Congo. Coming from a more developed country than the Congo and having to adapt to the changes is difficult to do for Joseph Conrad’s characters. The fear for Marlow of turning crazy after spending time in a completely different place is high because he knows the reason he got the job in the Congo was due to the death of Fresleven. The previous captain had been said to be the nicest creature ever (Conrad) which shocked Marlow to discover what Fresleven had turned into, â€Å"†¦He whacked the old nigger mercilessly, while a big crowd of his people watched him, thunderstruck†¦ The people had vanished. Mad terror had scattered them†¦ † (Conrad 10). After a couple years of Fresleven being away from his home, the change that happens is that he is no longer the gentle man he started out to be. Kurtz cries out his last words of the horror he is experiencing, the ambiguity of what he means is flashing back to the way he is changing from his civilized-self to a weaker savage-like person which is a horrific change for Kurtz.Marlow experiences the horror through himself and also through Kurtz of the Congo, â€Å"†¦ A shadow insatiable of splendid appearances, of frightful realities; a shadow darker than the shadow of night†¦ † (Conrad 91). The previous quote refers to the Congo in general and goes back to the title of the novel itself. The frightening realities of changing a person they once were and becoming different but not in a completely positive way. Fear on the surface reality differs greatly from the underneath reality that is unknown until experienced thoroughly.Some statements are left ambiguous to allow people to use their knowledge to create perspectives. Joseph Conrad reminds the reader of one of the main themes within the novel and that is the fear of realit y. There are several ambiguous views to the fear within the Congo such as the guilt Kurtz and Marlow feel, the disappointment of not accomplishing everything expected in life and the horror of the darkness. Conrad makes the reader imagine the endless possibilities of emotions on the horror in the Heart of Darkness. Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness Often statements have multiple interpretations depending on different perspectives. In the novel Heart of Darkness, Conrad makes the reader use their own knowledge to create themes and emotions. Consistently the theme of the horrific reality is mentioned throughout the novel in several aspects. Joseph’s character Kurtz cries out, â€Å"The horror! The horror† (Conrad 86) during his last moments, however there is no obvious meaning and leaves the reader to realize how ambiguities of the quote.The horror that Kurtz is referring to is the guilt he and Marlow feel, the disappointment of dying and the fear of the darkness. Emotional feelings tend to have the effect of guilt when something does not point in a positive direction. Many people make a wrong decision that forces them to feel guilty. Joseph Conrad’s idea to show the feeling of guilt through his characters experience working in the Congo. The character Kurtz is very good at what he brings to the Company, howe ver near his time of death he reflects on the inequality that is displayed towards the natives of the Congo.Marlow is unaware of the job that he receives because the life he lives at home is opposite to the life he endures in the Congo and his first impression, â€Å"While I stood horror-struck, one of these creatures rose to his hands and knees, and went off on all-fours towards the river to drink† (Conrad 20). This quote explains that Marlow witnesses a different type of behaviour by being in a different society and naturally feels guilty about all of the aspects developed countries take advantage of.Both Marlow and Kurtz know that what they are doing is unfair to the natives and the land but they also know that it is their duty to obey the rules of the Company. Authority is a key component of the emotions that the ‘civilized’ and the natives are meant to experience, â€Å"It was an affirmation, a moral victory paid for by innumerable defeats, by abominable te rrors, by abominable satisfactions. But it was a victory† (Conrad 88). The quote refers to some positive aspects of the Congo as well as some negative points, especially Marlow mentioning the terrors, which then turn to guilt throughout the journey.Many people end up with a guilty feeling about their life because of a previous defeat they are not content with. Most people have expectations in life that they want to accomplish before they die. The character Kurtz in the novel is a respected man because of what he brings to the Company although while he is moments until his death he looks back on his life and realizes his true destiny. Before Marlow meets Kurtz, the manager says, â€Å"He will be somebody in the Administration before long. They, above – the Council of Europe, you know – mean him to be† (Conrad 23).The Company has great plans for Kurtz because he is the best at what he does and that is sending in ivory. In the early 1800s, the largest resourc es in the Congo were ivory and rubber (King Leopold II and the Congo). Marlow feels Kurtz’s pain as he cries out because everything that Kurtz ever accomplished is about to come crashing down and cut his life expectancies short, â€Å"All that had been Kurtz’s had been passed out of my hands; his soul, his body, his plans, his ivory, his career† (Conrad 91).The previous quote states that in Marlow’s eyes there is a disappointing end to Kurtz’s life because of the expectations that not only to Kurtz himself, the expectations the Company had for Kurtz but also the ones that England had for him. Conrad’s character Kurtz expresses to the reader that the remarkable man has reached his limits but is not happy with the end result of his death and not perfect life later on. By spending time in a new environment the ability to change the lifestyle that a person has increases. Sometimes moving from one destination to a new destination will change a pe rson’s way of living.Conrad’s main characters Kurtz and Marlow set off to leave their own society and they enter the reality of darkness in the Congo. Coming from a more developed country than the Congo and having to adapt to the changes is difficult to do for Joseph Conrad’s characters. The fear for Marlow of turning crazy after spending time in a completely different place is high because he knows the reason he got the job in the Congo was due to the death of Fresleven. The previous captain had been said to be the nicest creature ever (Conrad) which shocked Marlow to discover what Fresleven had turned into, â€Å"†¦He whacked the old nigger mercilessly, while a big crowd of his people watched him, thunderstruck†¦ The people had vanished. Mad terror had scattered them†¦ † (Conrad 10). After a couple years of Fresleven being away from his home, the change that happens is that he is no longer the gentle man he started out to be. Kurtz cries out his last words of the horror he is experiencing, the ambiguity of what he means is flashing back to the way he is changing from his civilized-self to a weaker savage-like person which is a horrific change for Kurtz.Marlow experiences the horror through himself and also through Kurtz of the Congo, â€Å"†¦ A shadow insatiable of splendid appearances, of frightful realities; a shadow darker than the shadow of night†¦ † (Conrad 91). The previous quote refers to the Congo in general and goes back to the title of the novel itself. The frightening realities of changing a person they once were and becoming different but not in a completely positive way. Fear on the surface reality differs greatly from the underneath reality that is unknown until experienced thoroughly.Some statements are left ambiguous to allow people to use their knowledge to create perspectives. Joseph Conrad reminds the reader of one of the main themes within the novel and that is the fear of realit y. There are several ambiguous views to the fear within the Congo such as the guilt Kurtz and Marlow feel, the disappointment of not accomplishing everything expected in life and the horror of the darkness. Conrad makes the reader imagine the endless possibilities of emotions on the horror in the Heart of Darkness. Heart of Darkness Heart of Darkness