Private Peaceful Essay

Have you ever felt like a character in the book that you are reading? Some authors write in such a way that makes the reader feel as if he or she were actually in the book. Michael Morpurgo is one of those authors. In Private Peaceful, he uses characterization, imagery, and setting to really help the reader understand and relate to the plot. Characterization plays a key role in making the reader relate to the plot. For example, in the beginning of the book, Tommy feels as if he does not belong in society. He is also dependent on Charlie and looks up to him to protect him and guide him through life. But, towards the end of the story, Tommy becomes completely independent and matures into a young, confident soldier. The situation shows the reader how war changes people not only on the outside but also on the inside. Another example is the friendship between Molly, Charlie, and Tommy. They had a deep friendship all through their early years and into their teens. Morpurgo then developed that friendship into a relationship between Molly and Charlie. This eventually excludes Tommy from the group and adds to the fact that he does not belong. The reader can relate to this if they have ever been excluded from a group or ever had a girl that they loved stolen form them. Another literary element that makes the reader connect to the book is setting. The setting is very detailed. The Peacefuls’ live in Hatherleigh, England which is near the southern part the United Kingdom. When Morpurgo describes where they live, the reader gains a picture of the setup of the town. He describes the house as an old cottage home which is next to a large hill. On top of that hill, the Colonel, the man that Tommy and Charlie’s mother works for and the man that owns their house, lives in his mansion. This provides an image that the reader can use throughout the story. Another example of where they live is the creek that lies just at the bottom of the hill where Molly, Charlie, and Tommy fished for trout when they were younger. This helps the reader connect situations to the picture that they already have of the layout of Hatherleigh. The setting then moves to France where Charlie and Tommy get thrown into the war. Morpurgo paints a mental picture of the setting as their bunker is right in front of no-man’s land and the enemy right on the other side of no-man’s land. He does this so the  reader has an understanding of how close the enemy is to Tommy. The final literary element used in this book is imagery. Morpurgo uses visual, auditory, and olfactory imagery in the book. He uses auditory when Charlie, Tommy, Hanley, and the rest of the squad are sitting in the bunker and Hanley is ordering them to make a break for it but Charlie ignores the order and the rest of the squad moves with Hanley. Morpurgo depicts the rattling of the machine guns and the screams of the soldiers that were cut short. The visual imagery is used when the wall of Germans are coming over no-man’s land. He describes the German’s as an invincible wall that cannot be penetrated until he sees the Germans’ falling to their knees and falling over. This helps the reader see the wall and the Germans’ falling to their knees. Olfactory imagery is used when he is in the bunkers in France. Tommy smells men that have not taken showers in weeks and the stench of death. The reader now has an understanding of what war and death smells like. This makes the reader feel as if he or she were in Paris. The literary elements in the story bring the whole story together. The characterization, imagery, and setting makes the reader connect to the book and not just understand it. This book really explains the cost of war on cities as well as the people in it.

Investment and Debt Capacity

Stock Repurchase Repurchase of stock can be viewed in each of the following way: investment, financing, shareholder distribution and control issue. Repurchase of stock can be a way to use firm’s excess debt capacity. By doing so, firm can lower the cost of equity financing. If debt financing is more flexible and cheap, replace equity financing with debt financing is a good way to lower the weighted cost of capital. In this sense, such action is a financing issue because it controls the cost of financing. On the other hand, repurchase of stock can adjust shareholder distribution.If shareholders consist of most individual investors, they may require more dividends or other forms of profit sharing. Firm can repurchase stocks from such investors so that they can adjust their dividend policy. If management holds few shares of the company, they may lose their control over operating and strategy decisions. By repurchasing stocks, management could regain majority control over the comp any on strategic decisions. Finally, repurchase of stock is also an investment issue because it enables the firm to increase its return on equity by eliminating dilution effect.Higher return on equity will attract more favorable investors as well as better vendors. It has the same outcome of investing in businesses, so it can be viewed as an investment. Debt Capacity for Stock Repurchase From Exhibit 5, we get the total debt of Marriott at the end of 1979. We define total debt as sum of short-term loan, current portion of long-term debt, senior debt and capital leases. The average market price of Marriott in 1979 was $14. 9, and interest rate for Baa corporate debt was 12%. We assume that Marriott would repurchase stocks at price of $15 using 12% debt financing.Marriott used Adjusted EBIT over net interest as a measure for debt capacity, so we use such measure as well. The table above shows the main assumptions we make in the analysis. Before the stock repurchase, EBIT adjusted/Net interest rate was 6. 64, above the 5 times threshold Marriott set for itself. Because the net interest before repurchase was $27. 8 million, we conclude that adjusted EBIT was $184. 59 million. In 1979, additional debt from repurchase was $159 million, making the total debt $538. 83 million. Net interest after repurchase is the original net interest plus the 12% interest from new debt.Based on such analysis, the new adjusted EBIT/Net interest ratio is 3. 94, which is lower than 5. So we conclude Marriott may not have enough debt capacity to finance the stock repurchase. We further perform a scenario analysis. Suppose Marriott had just enough debt capacity, which means new adjusted EBIT/Net interest ratio equals 5. We find that repurchase price should be $7. 17 so that Marriott could utilize its debt capacity fully. We conclude that a repurchase price under $7. 17 is in fact transferring value to remaining group because they can share more future profits resulting from the concentrat ed equity.Yet a repurchase of $15 is way above $7. 17, which means selling shareholders have more value because they are compensated with higher return. Owned vs Managed Marriot has two options about the operation of hotel chains. First, it can own the hotel and enjoy the profit margin. Second, it can sell the hotel but retain management contracts so it controls the operation of such units. Following is the detailed decomposition of costs associated with two options. According to Exhibit 9, in 1978 the typical cost for a hotel room consists of improvement cost, furniture, fixtures and equipment cost, land cost, pre-opening cost and operating cost.For an owned hotel, Marriot had to pay the total cost for running the property, but if it is managed, Marriot only had operating cost because the buyer was responsible for the maintenance. In an attempt to emphasize more on return on invested capital rather than margins, Marriot sold some of their existing hotels and retained management con tract to free up capital. Managed hotels had operating margin of 8%-10%, while owned had 15%. We assume 10% margin for managed hotels and 15% for owned hotels.To decide when to sell the property, we analyze the remaining present value of future cash flow of a hotel at different point of time in its life cycle. We further assume that when the hotel is sold, the selling price is set so that present value of future cash flow equals the 10% margin. We assume $50 revenue per room night of a typical 150-room hotel, and one year has 360 days. Sales level for each year in the life cycle connects to the occupancy rate. From the graph of Exhibit 9, we get different occupancy rate for the whole life cycle. It reaches the peak 100% at year 8, and after year 10, it declines almost linearly to 10% in year 30.We can see that if Marriot sells the hotel before opening, the selling price would be $1. 63 million at time 0. After the peak, let’s say, year 9, the selling price would be $ 1. 55 mi llion at time 9. We can also see that in fact the max value of PV is at year 4, which has $2. 85 million in PV at 15% margin. Marriot would free up more capital if it sells the hotel before opening, but instead it would lose more operating profit. If Marriot is in short of capital, it could sell the hotel up-front so that the freed up capital can be invested in other profitable projects.Selling after the peak is a good choice if Marriot wants to enjoy the increasing operating profit before the peak. Shareholder value can be added if the return on freed-up capital exceeds the profit loss from selling the property. Recommendation Based on our analysis, we would recommend the company to investing in their core business to fully use their debt capacity. Since Marriott’s debt capacity is only able to repurchase 10. 6 million shares at a price significantly lower its current trading price (according to Exhibit 12). It is unlikely the repurchase strategy would take place as expected .The negative impact of false interpretation that the Marriott has reached its growth limit may not be offset even if the repurchase take place. To decide whether to invest in core business or diversify by acquisition we take a look of the hotel’s current state. The company now is operating in four main sectors, hotel group, contract food service, restaurant group theme parks and cruise ships& other. Based on exhibit 3, all of MC’s sectors are doing well in the past few periods; Hotel group is still the main profit sector account for 51% of the total operating profit and 16. % of the gross margin. Theme park and restaurant sectors have contributed a lot to total revenue but at the same time involve more risk. The asset associated with that new business couldn’t be mortgaged easily. Marriott’s theme park alone was estimated to cost 80 million but double of the estimation eventually, the investment made MC to lower its debt credit level. If we use the extra debt capacity on acquisition of new business, there could be a higher risk of availability and cost of long-term debt financing, which may cause MC to lower its debt credit even lower and increase its defalt risk.As a company mostly processioned in hotel management, invest in new businesses that required new management style also increases MC’s operating risk. Marriott’s hotel business has positioned itself to operate for customers whose travel plans were less subject to change than those of vacationers. Its historical operation has showed steady healthy growth even in recessions. Most of the sector’s assets are real estates and tends to appreciate over time rather than depreciate, it is easy to issue debt secured by hotel assets. Prevailing trends also indicate sighs of need of rapid room expansion.As MC’s major competitors Hilton and Holiday Inn are shifting their core business to a more diversified market, keep focus on core hotel business enable MC t o maintain its own competitive advantage in operation. Overall we would suggest MC to use its excess debt capacity to invest in existing hotel with some clientele base but lower entry cost where the Marriott‘s acquisition can significantly improve the operation. To invest in such assets, there is low research and construction cost but easy to manage with sustainable growth. We believe that the best investment for corporation would be investing in the existing business.The hotel business was the most promising area for Marriott’s Corporation. When MC’s competitors expand their business into gambling and casino ventures, MC was more likely to expand in the traditional market. To invest in the hotel business, a large amount of external financing is needed. A large amount of Marriott hotels were managed rather than owned by the MC. Despite the MC could limited capital investment by holding the equity up to 50% so that they could increase the opportunity to be awarded the management contract, they might still need to cost a lot in investing more hotels. MC could also choose to expand their existing hotels.Those hotels have higher occupancy rate and higher local demand. Doing this expansion will need full capital investment in property. With high growth rate of hotel rooms, this investment seems valuable. However, this way of investment still needs large amount of external financing to support the expanding. Even though MC’s new hotels are profitable in the end, the cost of developing hotels is still required a big financing. In addition, due to the increasing inflation rate, the cost of equity and the cost of debt increased. Therefore, as inflation rate becomes higher, the unused debt capacity becomes less in the future.

Billy Budd 2 Essay Research Paper To

Billy Budd 2 Essay, Research Paper To organize merely one sentiment or demo simply one facet of this narrative is naif, ill-mannered, and closed minded. How may one stick to one food shop mea, moral inquiring, or out-look on a book that jumps from such instances like toads on lily pads? Merely as Melville has done, I shall try to set up my perceptual experience of Billy Budd, in a similar manner. That is, through an irregular pattern ( that is ; leaping from platinum. to point ) , of composing an essay I shall invariably alter and waies and ends of what it is I wish to province. One may comprehend the book s construction to be loose and rather flexible ; one finds that the tantrums and starts, and the shifting of lengths between chapters are the best manner to convey the feelings/ significances of Billy s narrative. Possibly the storyteller believes that Billy is true on a deeper sense ; in other words, it corresponds to existent experience. Don T you, yourself find that when you are seeking to do a major determination, or populating through some important event your head supports switching from one thing to another, sometimes rapidly and dramatically, sometimes contriving conjectural state of affairss to utilize as comparings or differences? This is similar to the instance as seen in Billy Budd. The Book doesn T work in a rigorous and orderly manner but starts out to depict at length different characters, so moves to fast actions, slows down once more to a really argued trail, so draws quickly to a stopping point with Billy s hanging. Even after that event, ( the hanging ) , the book lingers on with a remark of it and ties up all loose terminals ( Captain Vere deceasing etc ) . Though this narrative lacks Orthodox format, it coheres in a profound and traveling manner. The manner and point of position of Billy Budd can be dealt with together b/c of the strong narrative voice determines both. The storyteller of the narrative is clearly a extremely educated individual with a great cognition of mythology. Though the voice of the narrative is consistent in this novel, the point of position is invariably altering. Sometimes we are put inside the caputs of the characters ( he tells us Claggart s secret ideas about Billy, and makes us experience the anguish Captain Vere is sing in doing his difficult determination. Then once more there are other times were he removes both of us ( storyteller, and reader ) , from a scene, ( Best illustration being, when Vere goes to state Billy that he must hang- and avoids doing judgements ) . The switching position and non including judgements forces one to do their ain feelings and values to the events in the book. It s these displacements that make the book of all time more true, existent, and complex in the different state of affairss. The storyteller invariably makes allusions to the Bible and to Greek mythology, and this has the consequence of promoting Billy s narrative into a symbolic play. The storyteller besides has the wont of straying, and he confesses that this failing is a literary wickedness. One might happen these Acts of the Apostless to be deflecting, but in fact when you stop to believe why the storyteller included them it sheds a certain visible radiation. Not merely does the storyteller maintain altering his point of position, but he keeps altering his gait every bit good. Background on history ( the war ) , a long analysis of characters, which are followed by intense dramatic action ( i.e. ; Billy being approached in fall ining a mutiny, and subsequently killing Claggart ) . Through such an attack the storyteller evokes the ambiance of the narrative. Many different subjects arise in this narrative. First, one most note that Billy was given 3 chief monikers ; Baby Budd, he was seen as a signifier of Christ, and as Adam from the Garden of Paradise. When seeing all three in the same sentence it brings one to compare and contrast. What do all three basically hold? Innocence. Furthermore, such a quality International Relations and Security Network T lost through yourself but through the actions of others. A Baby doesn T turn up until his eyes are opened and he is stripped of his pureness. Jesus was all good until he was hanged a rood by those who opposed his beliefs- once more another stripped of his goodness. Last but non least, the comparing of Billy to Adam. Adam was a adult male, G-d first creative activity, and hence is seen as one of the highest degrees of hollies. He did non cognize evil, for he was the first, but what brought about his autumn was the enticement of the serpent. To stretch farther into the thoughts of Billy and his relation to each description, one must see them in context. Baby ; who bestowed Billy with such a rubric? Though Billy has many friends among the crew of the Indomitable, the Dansker is the lone one whose character Melville fills out wholly. Wrinkled, misanthropic, tight-lipped, and wise in the crooked ways of the universe, the Dansker offers rather a contrast to the fine-looking immature crewman whom he dubs Baby Budd. Furthermore, Melville compares the old Dansker to the prophet at Delphi, a sort of spiritual fortune-teller whom the antediluvian Greeks would confer with for advise about the hereafter. Like this prophet, the Dansker likes doing short, deep dictums, and one time he speaks, he refuses to explicate what he s said. Billy, for one, can t understand half of his vocalizations, and what he understands he refuses to believe. You might acquire frustrated with him because, while he cares for Billy, he refuses to take a base and talk up for him. In add-on, after this short history of who the Dansker is, one can see vividly why he was named Baby Budd. On a physical degree Billy contrasted the Dansker rather vividly. On a deeper degree, thought still easy to hold on, one sees that the Dansker is wise in the crooked ways, nevertheless ; Billy is yet a babe. Sing Billy as a signifier of Christ ; In order to visualize Billy as a Christ, one must first attack Jesus for what he was. Christ was a simple adult male ( shepherd ) , and sacrificed himself so as others wouldn t be hurt. He excessively was betrayed by person he felt he could swear. ( Judas ) . Similarly, Billy was merely ( the book neer gave us ground to believe that Billy was greatly educated or such ) . Second, after Billy s unwilled wickedness, his surrender to his destiny nowadayss Billy as Christ like in his willingness to accept the forfeit of his ain life in order to keep societal order. Furthermore, I believe that because Billy was approached to fall in a mutiny, decided non to, and still didn t describe the work forces he was approached by, the people saw him as an above type of individual. Billy like Christ was besides betrayed by person he thought he could swear. Don T be misunderstood ; I am non mentioning to Captain Vere, but Claggart. For illustration ; in the incide nt of the spilling of the soup, Claggart did non respond in a roseola mode, hence, Billy put down all guards from him. This cogent evidence is most noticeable, in the scene in which Billy is hanged and the gallows in which Billy is hung upon is seen as a kind of Crucifix and Billy himself as a Christ-like figure. Billy is closely associated with Adam before the Fall. Claggart is like the serpent Satan who wormed his manner into Eden and tricked mankind out of a province of pureness, artlessness, and felicity. Billy Budd reenacts this antique struggle between good and evil symbolically and in the workings of the secret plan. However, I think this parable merely goes every bit far as the instance with Billy killing Claggart. Even beyond that simple apprehension, the autumn of adult male can be looked at in different ways. Sociologically, when pureness and artlessness is stripped off by the act of killing Claggart. Simplicity, to jurisprudence and justice. Another manner to construe Billy s autumn, is that of adult male to industry. ( Although this thought is more stressed in Bartleby ) . Yes, Billy reenacts the Fall of Man, but it goes a measure farther to demo the forgiveness and credence that follows. The important scene in this book is the meeting between Captain Vere and Billy after the trail ( the scene from which we re significantly excluded ) , when the justice embraces the condemned slayer like a male parent to a boy. The father-son motive is a sub-theme within this general reading. The key in the book is Billy s echoing approval: â€Å"God Bless Captain Vere! † ( Chapter 21 ) In Billy Budd, the function of the justice and leader is played by the Honorable Edward Fairfax Vere, the commanding officer of the Indomitable. Vere is a member of the English nobility. A unmarried man about 40 old ages old, Vere is a brave but non foolhardy captain, who has distinguished himself in several conflicts and lift to his rank through dedicate service and because he treats his crew good. He is an rational, which is something rare in the armed forces. He loves to read, particularly history and doctrine Books that reinforce his strong conservative sentiments of the universe. Though he is a decisive leader, he besides has a touch of languor in his character and on juncture has been seen gazing into the sea. Because it is understood that Vere and Billy were close it brings to oppugn why Vere wouldn T have pardoned Billy? Very Far was he from encompassing chances for monopolising to himself the hazards of moral duty. ( chapter 21 ) Captain Vere can be looked upon in at least three different visible radiations. Vere as a austere but merely justice, Vere as inhuman coward, and as a all-around adult male in a tough topographic point. Each give ground to why Billy stated, G-d bless Captain Vere. And through each it is easy to plus why in each it would do sense. Vere as austere but merely justice ; No one likes the fact that Billy bents for killing Claggart, but many feel that Vere made the lone determination possible. As the Captain of the Indomitable, he must look out for the public assistance of the whole ship, non merely the destiny of one adult male, and his determination to put to death Billy takes this precedence into history. It is evident to us, as readers that Vere suffers because the more he sees of Billy the more he loves him. By the terminal, he feels about like Billy s male parent. He knows Billy is guiltless before God ( chapter 21 ) in the ultimate sense, but his responsibility concerns the here and now. The jurisprudence demands that Billy must hang, and Vere knows he must continue the jurisprudence. Furthermore, to implement this degree of concluding with the phrase God Bless Captain Vere, one may construe it to intend ; hapless Captain Vere, may you bless him for it is the mistake of society non this adult male. In add-on, cognizing that Vere is brave, individual at 40 and all together devoted to his work, his true hurting for Billy Becomes known when he dies in the preceding conflict. His last words uttered were Billy ; Billy s last words were Captain Vere. As Vere takes leave of Bill, the senior lieutenant notices a expression of torment on his face ( chapter 22 ) Through another window one can see Vere to be a inhuman coward. Vere argued himself into the decease punishment for Billy out of cowardliness and bare fright. He might easy hold pardoned Billy, but he convinces himself that to make so would do the crew to mutiny, and he uses this feeble statement to convert the other Judgess to travel along with him. It s the typical second-guessing of a nervous coward. Vere might read a batch of books, but all they do is indurate his already settled sentiments. Like so many intellectuals, he wholly separates his feelings from his ideas, and assumes that his intestine reaction is incorrect, because it comes from his intestine! In this regard ; the phrase God Bless Captain Vere, takes on a new significance. Now it can stand to intend, God bless this adult male for he is lost. Yet another manner to look at Captain Vere is excessively merely soggiest that Vere is a all-around adult male in a tough topographic point. He s a leader and a mind, a adult male of deep feelings but besides a stickler for inside informations, a adult male with strong personal sentiments but an even stronger sense of responsibility. There is no simple reply to this instance. Furthermore, if you look at Billy ; Billy didn t study the mutiny, and followed his bosom making what he felt was moral. If you observe Captain Vere ; The Captain decides to hang Billy, he did what the jurisprudence directed him to make. If you look at the result of each individual so you will detect something in congruity, they both died. Possibly this is to state us that in a universe of such complexness, peoples will endure the same destiny regardless of the way of society ( jurisprudence ) , or personal decision ( that is moral ) . In this one can construe the phrase, God bless Captain Vere to intend, God bl ess this adult male for he was left with a fork in the route in which both results were similar. This is the cardinal nature of Vere s nature and everyone agrees one these basic facts. When Vere has to cover with the highly hard state of affairs on board the ship caused by Claggart s accusal, and Billy s striking out at him, his character is thrown into a whole new visible radiation. His ultimate determination, nevertheless, is up to endless argument. The manner one feels about his determination will turn out to be the anchor of one s reading of the book. I personally agree with the pick that Captain Vere made. What is Claggart s job? This is a inquiry you can believe about infinitely and still non reply to your satisfaction. Claggart is fundamentally the force of immorality in Billy Budd. He is Billy s face-to-face in merely about every manner. This will give you a good grip on how to speak about Claggart but it doesn t get to the underside of him. As Melville makes so clear in this book, immorality is a enigma that can neer be adequately explained. Bing Claggart is the incarnation of immorality, contains this enigma at the really centre of his character. Claggart is at the other terminal of the rope ( good v. immorality ) ; it is astonishing to see how they both steam from a similar steam. To look at him you might non believe he is so bad. Thirty-five old ages old, tall, dark haired, and reasonably fine-looking, there are merely two truly unusual things in his appearance- a dead-white skin color and an excessively big mentum. It is interesting to see a dead white skin color as a description for person with dead characteristic. To state he is dead you can link him to the really symbol of Satan or snake that he is thought out to be. He is dead in the sense of missing heart/ feelings. As for an overly big mentum, this is normally a similar physical characteristic seen with many evil characters, i.e. , Cruealla Deville, and other dark animals leering in the shadows. Both Claggart are instead fine-looking ( except for the difference stated about Claggart to see Billy s visual aspect see chapter 1 ) . Both had no existent background, all w e know of Billy is that he utilize to work on the Great adult male and now moved to the never-say-die as a consequence of war. As for Claggart he seems to be rather intelligent, and no 1 can calculate out how h got to the naval forces. Rumor has it that Claggart as a little clip condemnable in England, and he was drafted straight from prison. But no 1 knows for certain. About his intelligence, merely like the serpent used his intelligence to flim-flam Mankind, Claggart excessively uses his intelligence to flim-flam Billy. Thus the autumn of either s Garden. Upon this reappraisal, one can inquire such a inquiry of, does every Eden have to hold its serpent? The presence of John Claggart in Billy Budd suggest that immorality is portion of our universe, and it will ever attach itself to innocence and seek to pervert it. Billy Budd focuses on the interior life of a individual ship. Life aboard the Indomitable is a scaly down theoretical account of life itself, yet it is evident of the strength and about claustrophic this scene can be as the narrative returns and everything is heightened. Thought the wide-open sea is all about, it merely isolates the work forces from the remainder of the universe. If you ve of all time been momently separated on a encampment trip, per-say, so you know how rapidly one can acquire on another s nervousnesss. This narrative captures that strength. One must besides retrieve that Billy is set in a clip of war and mutiny, and theses factors have a major impact on the narrative and everyone s determinations.

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 63

Case Study Example Roys model of adaptation, the nursing process is a problem solving approach for data gathering, identifying needs of a person to adapt to the system, and selecting the best methods and implementing them with the individuals care plan and evaluating the care later on. This model will assist a nurse in the assessment of Eddie. A nurse would first be involved in assessment of Eddies behavior. This model would guide a nurse in the collection of data on Eddie, and see how likely he is to adapt to the system in each adaptive mode. The model would guide a nurse to identify both internal and external factors that or stimuli that influence Eddies adaptive behavior. A nurse would be able to identify the immediate stimuli that a person faces and guide them in planning their care. The nurse would be able to identify other stimuli that affect the existing ones and finally they would identify those factors that influence Eddie but are unclear. A nurse familiar with this model would be able to come up with appropriate nursing diagnosis, the nurse would be able to come up with statements that best describe the patients situation and that interpret the already gathered data about the Eddies adaptation status, including relevant stimuli and behavior. Roy’s model of adaptation has a great influence in guiding a nurse actions towards the care of an individual. This model would influence how a nurse would approach Eddie in promoting self concept. AS nurse will be able to understand what is needed in dealing with self concept. In the self concept mode a nurse would be able to assess how Eddie views himself in terms of his ability to meet his daily needs or goals and if he can assist his members. Eddie saw viewed himself as a liability as he had no work and could not get back to his old job and the pins in his legs prevented him from looking for a job. Eddie though he wished to visit his friend Joe he was not able to because his friend was hospitalized far away. Eddie had

Graduation Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Graduation Speech - Essay Example I’m thrilled to know that we are now among the great people who has gone through this university and added to the rich history of our nation. A time has now for u to reach out to the whole world and shield our last few years of dedication and commitment. In spite of the currently prevailing economic slump, good institutions and organizations are out there in search for great minds. This University has a prosperous history showing a steady trend of success tales, and the university’s statistics indicate that the most excellent brains have been shaped and trained here. This is the best time to turn back and contemplate the expedition of our past few years in university. We all have persisted and conquer many impediments and personal issues to be here today. We worked so hard even in situations where some of us had to spend few hours off in order to raise the university fees. We had all our assignments even in circumstances where we had to skip precious sleep and occasional meals. In some instances we challenged our professors whenever we noticed mysteries in the scientific assumptions and theories. We would sometimes read new things like yesterday and almost immediately forget, but we still had a look at the same book the following day. At the beginning of the university we would miss a few classes, but still we became time management experts. Whatever we have leaned from this university will help in our personal and intellectual growth process. At this moment we are on the winning band; this particular day is not the finish line of our last lap in the voyage of life but the launch of a trip with unforeseeable future. With all the information and knowledge that we possess, this is the best time to emphatically decline the conservative and conventional wisdom that success is something for the privileged few and the rich. This university for the last few years has prepared us

Poverty and Children in the United States Essay - 1

Poverty and Children in the United States - Essay Example The technological advancements and extraordinary industrialization has accelerated poverty rate in the country, and a large number of people is leading a miserable life as well as is deprived of the basic human needs even. Children are supposed to be one of the most affected strata of society that has become the victim of growing poverty in the country. Since children are not in a position to earn their bread, they are certainly dependent of their parents and guardians for the achievement of all basic necessities of life. Since the growing rate of poverty has decreased the earning and purchasing power of the adults, it has become really hard for them to feed their children properly within limited opportunities and resources at large. As a result, the children appear to be deprived of adequate and sufficient food, clothing and shelter on the one hand, and apposite education, health and transportation facilities on the other. â€Å"According to figures released by the U.S. Census Bure au in September 1996, 13.8% of Americans live in poverty. Many more are on the borderline. Poverty affects all ages, but an astonishing 48% percent of its victims are children, as about 15 million children -- one out of every four -- live below the official poverty line. In addition, 22% of Americans under the age of 18 -- and 25% under age 12 -- are hungry or at the risk of being hungry.† (Quoted in heartsandminds.org) Scarcity of food and lack of regular and sufficient nutrition drastically tell upon the health and fitness of the children, which make them incapable of doing petty domestic chores even by lending a hand to their parents. Moreover, it has also become almost impossible for them to pay due heed to their studies and education. If a person is not allowed to have access to edibles essential for his growth and strength, it would not be possible for him to work efficiently. Hence, neither the growing are children capable of attending their schools for seeking educatio n regularly, nor can they show any performance in sports and games in the playgrounds. Consequently, the US society is mere preparing the sick, weak and untidy generation to run the political, social, economic and religious affairs of the country for the future years to come. According to the Connecticut Commission for Children, between 2001 and 2002 alone, the number of poor children in the U.S. rose from 11.7 to 12.1 million. In Connecticut, one in ten children lives in poverty. (2004: 2) The researches reveal the very fact that poverty has snatched smiles and giggling from the very lips of the poor children. Since modern technological era has helped in the development of mental capacities, the children are in a position to comprehend the natural and social phenomena in their environment. Moreover, the IT age has expanded the communication activities by improving the communication devices, the developments being made in various parts of the world can be watched and monitored throu gh the use of cable TV. The poor children also watch the same colorful activities and long for enjoying the same level of entertainment and recreation for them as well. However, since their down-trodden parents are unable to feed them even in an adequate mode, the question of providing such precious and costly recreational facilities to their innocent

Business information for Fly Guys about Excel Spreadsheet and Access Assignment

Business information for Fly Guys about Excel Spreadsheet and Access Database - Assignment Example In contrast, the Excel spreadsheets would keep displaying messages about a locked file and this might intimidate the passengers in addition to contributing to time wastage. Thus, Access database application is a better alternative as pertains to the support of the booking operations. Second, Access database uses structured query languages (SQL) to manipulate records. An even more striking aspect of this future is that the end-user can tailor the queries to suit the business needs. For example, it is possible generating reports based on criteria such as passengers involved in half journeys, passengers involved in full journeys and passengers who are most loyal to Fly Guys. On the other hand, Excel spreadsheets lack such fascinating features. Implicit in this is the point that a business which embraces Excel as an information management tool is likely to be restricted with regards to generating reports that can support business goals. So, MS Access database is better placed to meet the custom report generation needs at Fly Guys. Another reason why Fly Guys would need to focus on MS Access to address the custom report needs is its scalability and flexibility. In brief, Access can scale well and communicate seamlessly with nearly all other 21st century relational databases via open database connectivity (ODBC) connections. The only prerequisite for this capability is for the involved database administrator to have a thorough knowledge of the Fly Guys-owned MS Access database file. As Beskeen (2010) puts it, MS Access is a better option when it comes to information storage. In general, the application’s capabilities come in handy when a need arises to store information for a more elaborated time. This aspect suits the operation at Fly Guys because the records handled will inevitably rise.

Models for Forecasting Exchange Rates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Models for Forecasting Exchange Rates - Essay Example is a function of sample size = N M = N/log N Schwartz criterion Consistent estimate of lag length Akaike lag length Minimum mean square prediction errors criterion of the dependent variable Similar to AR Weight (W) is assigned arbitrarily W = 0.95 Random Walk model Current spot rate is a predictor of the future spot rate; Basic model Requires no estimation With a drift parameter Mean monthly (logarithmic) exchange rate change These methods minimize criteria based on squared deviations; but it will be ineffective when the fluctuations in foreign exchange rates is unusual - and not as based on reasons established in various studies of fluctuations. Multivariate Time Series Models - Unconstrained Vector Auto regression (VAR).(1. MEESE, Richard A.; ROGOFF; Kenneth) Under VAR model, "contemporaneous value of each variable is regressed against lagged values of itself and all the other variables. The exchange rate equation is st = a i i s - 1 + a l z s t - 2 +"" a i n s f - n + BilXt - 1+ 2 X t - 2 +"" B'iX,- + ui where X,_j is a vector of the explanatory variables in the earlier equation, lagged jperiods." (1. MEESE, Richard A.; ROGOFF; Kenneth) VAR yields better forecasts since it does not restrict any variables and is better equipped to tackle the estimation problems that plague the structural models. Theoretical Models - Purchasing Power Parity Condition (PPP) , Sticky price monetary model of Dornbusch and Frankel , Balassa- Samuelson model based on productivity differentials, uncovered interest rate parity (UIP) (2. Cheung, Yin-Wong ; Chinn, Menzie D. ; Pascaul, Antonio Garcia) Model Assumption / Determination Purchasing Power Price indices...Richard A. MEESE, Kenneth ROGOFF) These methods minimize criteria based on squared deviations; but it will be ineffective when the fluctuations in foreign exchange rates is unusual - and not as based on reasons established in various studies of fluctuations. Theoretical Models - Purchasing Power Parity Condition (PPP) , Sticky price monetary model of Dornbusch and Frankel , Balassa- Samuelson model based on productivity differentials, uncovered interest rate parity (UIP) (2. Cheung, Yin-Wong ; Chinn, Menzie D. ; Pascaul, Antonio Garcia) "Let s be the log exchange rate, m and y be log domestic money stock and output and m* and y* be log foreign money stock and output. Following Mark, the money stock variables are constructed as four quarter moving averages, to eliminate seasonality. The fundamental value of the log exchange rate predicted by the monetary model is: f1 = (m-m*)-(y-y*)" "This model states that the nominal exchange rate is determined by home-foreign differentials in the monetary fundamentals used above as well as short-term interest rates, expected inflation rates, and cumulated current account balances." There is no evidence to suggest that exchange rate forecasts obtaine

IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN POST TRAUMATIC STRESS SYNDROME AND GENETICS Research Paper

IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN POST TRAUMATIC STRESS SYNDROME AND GENETICS - Research Paper Example he severity of the symptoms experienced by an individual and there have been copious amounts of research in order to explain this aspect of the disorder in various psychological paradigms. Researchers have also hypothesized that there may be a genetic diathesis involved in determining an individual’s susceptibility to developing PTSD. A twin study conducted on Vietnam veteran further shows a significant genetic contribution but the evidence cannot be deemed as completely reliable. (Segman & Shalev, 2003) In order to substantiate the claims, the individual needs to exhibit PTSD symptoms that can only occur following the individual’s exposure to a traumatic incident. However, researchers still managed to gather important data by observing similar brain activities and hormonal levels amongst family members that can still be used to form a hypothesis that genetic make-up does play a huge role in regulating the Serotonin levels that controls the severity of the symptoms experiences by the individual, as a result genetics also act as a barometer to predict the risk and resilience in the individual. (Segman & Shalev, 2003) In modern nursing, it is important for the health care providers to understand the exact nature of the disorder and since, genetics is an extraneous variable that regulates the severity of the disorder it will further enable the clinicians to understand the exact situation of the client and establish mutual feelings of equanimity and empathy to make the client understand that their situation is not their fault and it can be overcome with strict adherence to the treatment regimen (Watson, 2008). The explanations provided by the researchers are merely hypotheses as of now but the subject is still undergoing intensive research. This will further enhance the understanding of genetic pathways and enable clinicians and psychological professional to discover tangible evidence that elaborates upon the role of gene in the development and prognosis for

Metacognition Student Achievement Essay Example for Free

Metacognition Student Achievement Essay Metacognition has generally been described as thinking about one’s own thoughts. The realization that a human being cannot exist in isolation of his inner self, that he is constantly probing that dam of his very essence to evaluate situations and resolve the never-ending puzzles that daily confront him. Kornell (2009), has described metacognition as self-reflection and conscious awareness. An even more elaborate definition is that given by Serendip (2009). He defines it as â€Å"a reflective practice that helps one discern general patterns in one’s own views and abilities†. Whichever definition one feels comfortable with, it cannot be said to be superior to the other, because metacognition deals with the intangible and cannot be weighed on a scale. It has, however, been the subject of widespread research all over the world. Psychologists are now asking themselves, what causes that tip of the tongue experience, when you are sure you know someone’s name but cannot recall it? Or what is at play when one conveys a feeling of uncertainty? Why is it that humans are able to have certain cognitive abilities that animals apparently do not have? For example, if asked what year America gained independence, one may readily recall with certainty, or one may say with complete uncertainty that he does not know. The answer may also lie in between, showing a certain degree of uncertainty by replying, for example, I think it was 1776. Whatever answer one gives, it demonstrates an ability to question one’s memory and experience. According to studies that have been done, this ability can be improved. Thus, the science of metacognition is now rampant, with studies being carried out on the cognitive abilities of monkeys, children, students, and ways in which they can be improved. Metacognition 2 One study which was carried out to test the cognitive abilities of rhesus monkeys, was that conducted by Kornell, Son Terrace (2007). In this trial, the monkeys were initially trained to select a given picture from a sample of six pictures by touching the image on a touch-screen monitor. After this training period, they were shown six sample pictures which were then simultaneously removed and replaced with nine, one of the previous six being among them. As soon as they selected the sample they thought was among the previous six, they were required to bet on their choice by depressing an icon on the screen for certainty, with a reward of redeemable food tokens, or loss of tokens, if wrong. A further icon for a low risk bet was also there. After carrying out this experiment for a suitable period of time, they concluded that the monkeys would invariably only bet when they were sure that they knew the correct answer. The researchers were therefore of the opinion that the monkeys were guided by a cognitive ability. They also tested two monkeys on metacognitive control. This is the ability to use metacognitive ability to influence behavior. An example would be requesting for a hint when one is unsure of an answer, a common trait with humans. In this trial, two monkeys were presented with a few sample pictures to place in a certain order. They were also availed of onscreen visual hints if they needed. The penalty for using the hints was a less appetizing banana flavored pellet, instead of the more attractive MM candy. As the test progressed, it became apparent that the monkeys were using the hints less and less, and would only resort to them when they were sure that they did not know the right answer. This ability to have control over one’s metacognitive ability had been tested on humans for many years, and it was only now that it was becoming clear that it was also present in animals. However, how prevalent this is among them, cannot be clear and it cannot be generalized from this study that only involved rhesus monkeys. Metacognition 3 Smith Washbum (2005) have taken animal research a notch higher and carried out trials that probe the memory, referred to as monitoring the memory. In the test, animals which were given various tasks to do based on what they had done before, declined to engage in the more difficult tasks, a result that was the same as similar tests carried out on humans. The animals were selective and seemed to have the same analogous capacity as human. There was no doubt that they were using their metacognitive abilities to seek in their memories, and when they remembered that the task was arduous, they declined to take the test. Kornell Terrace (2007) also carried out some trials seeking to find out if monkeys benefited from learning. They did this with two rhesus monkeys which were given two problem sets to solve. In one difficult set, they were given hints to assist them after a suitable training period. In the other set, they were given no hints. The number of hints they used to solve the problem set steadily declined over time, the performance, however, did not change, it stayed the same. The monkeys were solving the problem with skills they had acquired from the hints and were using them less and less because they had â€Å"learned†. This is fascinating and opens up very interesting questions about the training of animals. There are other areas of animal metacognitive behavior which have been studied. Hampton, R (2009), carried out studies on rhesus monkeys to determine if they made decisions when they had information, or sought information when ignorant and immediately made a decision. The results were quite revealing. They carried out two sets of tests. In one test, the monkeys witnessed food being inserted into some opaque test tubes. These tests were referred to as the seen trials. In the other test, the food was inserted into test tubes without their knowledge. Metacognition 4 The monkeys were then required to identify the tubes which had food in them. In trial after trial, they would first look down the tubes to ascertain if the food was there and if it was, they selected the tube. What was evident from these tests is that the monkeys sought information first, by peering down the tubes, when ignorant, and only immediately selected the correct tubes without investigating, when they knew the food was there. That means they knew when they knew and only sought information when they knew that they did not know. This is a characteristic which is prevalent among human children, orangutans and rhesus monkeys. It is, however, not clear with capuchin monkeys when they were exposed to a similar trial about a decade before. There is room for more research on animals. According to Smith Washbum, a lot needs to be investigated regarding the gifts different animals have. For example, monkeys and dolphins seem to exhibit more cognitive abilities than pigeons, whose reactions appear to be more stimulus based. Further research in this area can yield very important information which may stimulate a whole spectrum of research into cognitive abilities of different animal specie. Additionally, there is a lot of room into studies on the ability or lack of ability of animals to make quantitative judgements, for example, their mood. Metacognitive abilities is also a subject of importance in developing learning capabilities for children. Loh, A (2009), has made suggestions on methods to use to improve metacognition learning for children as young as two year olds. Since parents spend the most amount time with children of this age, they are best placed to practice the techniques recommended by Loh. He says that children should be encouraged to think about their thinking process in order to develop their intellect and intelligence. Children should be engaged, soon after an activity, to gauge their Metacognition 5 thinking process and the techniques they used for a task. Immediately after this activity, they should be asked certain questions, for example : 1. They should be asked about the process they used to achieve the result. This way, they will recall the steps and learn the process. 2. What strategies did they use? This will engage them actively in the thinking process by beginning to adopt strategic thinking of alternative techniques they can use to achieve better results. 3. What do they think about the end result? Is it good or bad? This will help them to evaluate their work. 4. Offer them puzzling tasks that have more than one solution. This exposes them to cognitive conflicts 5. Engage them in debates and discussions with other children 6. Allow them to practice reciprocal teaching where they form groups and one child teaches members of his group. 7. Once they engage on a task, allow them to continue undisturbed. Help them with clues if they get stuck. Further, they can be assisted with questions that will incline them to probe their mind even more, for example, what they learned from the task and what they found difficult. Additionally, they can be probed to find out if they have a next goal and what will help them to achieve it. Metacognition 6 There has been more research in the field of metacognitive abilities of children. Young children’s understanding of mental life, or â€Å"theory of mind†, is an area that is currently being explored by various scientists. According to science daily (2008), a new study had made a link between theory of mind as assessed in kindergarten children and their metacognitive abilities in elementary school. Early theory of mind competencies positively influenced metacognitive abilities acquired later. 174 children between the ages of three and four were used as study subjects to investigate this relationship. Wolfgang Schneider, P. H. D. , of the University of Wurzburg, who carried out the trial, said that knowledge from this research can be used to develop training programs for young children. For all the progress that has been done on metacognition in animals and children, none can rival that of learners. The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (2009), says that students with metacognitive needs have difficulties in setting priorities and planning their tasks. Additionally: 1. They are poor at strategizing in order to accomplish a task methodically 2. They procrastinate and are unable to start their work. 3. They are inattentive and make careless mistakes. 4. They are not able to identify their faults or know how to seek help. With these type of students they recommend the following teaching strategies : 1. Teachers should tutor them on how to plan and show them the scoring rubric for the assignment. 2. They should be taught on estimation of time needed to complete a task. 3. They should be assisted with think-aloud strategies. Metacognition 7 4. They should be cajoled to get engaged actively in their work by asking them how they are doing the work and how they will remember to solve the problem. 5. Teachers should be specific in their assignments to students by providing scoring rubrics for each question and how they have been calculated. However, Pierce (2004), dealt even deeper in metacognition for students. He was of the opinion that study strategies were generalized and teachers did not teach them in class. They assumed that students had already learned them. When they taught a strategy, students used the same strategy taught for all subjects. According to him, students needed to acquire three types of knowledge in order to improve their metacognitive abilities. These are : 1. Declarative knowledge which is having at their grasp factual information, for example, speed is distance divided by time taken. 2. Procedural knowledge which is knowing how to do something. Using the previous example of speed, they should know the formula for speed and the steps required in its calculation. 3. Conditional knowledge – This is knowing when to use a certain procedure and why one strategy is better than another. In applying the three types of knowledge for study strategies for example, students need declarative knowledge to know that a high school history textbook is different from an article analyzing the same textbook. They need procedural knowledge to take notes from such a textbook and conditional knowledge to know when such notes should be taken. According to Pierce, study techniques improve learning but are hardly ever taught. Additionally, many students do not internalize success as caused by ability and effort. Metacognition 8 Lippman, Danielsson Linder (2005), differed slightly with some researchers of metacognition. They claimed that most studies taught metacognitive skills and then measured the effects of training. Instead, they should quantify the use of metacognition. In a study that they carried out at an American university, their aim was to find out how much metacognition is used in a laboratory and how the setup encourages the use of metacognition. Three groups of students were used and their proceedings videotaped and their verbal comments recorded. In one group, students were given a set of instructions to follow. The same was done for the second group and in addition, they were expected to explain their reason. The third group was given a question to answer and expected to explain, in a presentation, the method they had used to get results. In analyzing the results, Lippman et al (2005) saw no difference in the amount of metacognition in the different groups. However, the most important finding was that there was a difference in how metacognition made students change their behavior in tackling the lab assignments. For example, in the third group, the verbal exchanges revealed that the use of metacognition made the students more creative. This was a different approach as was the one used by Mevarech Kramarski (2003). In this study, 100 eighth graders, studying algebra in four classrooms, were divided into two groups. One group was exposed to cooperative learning and also given metacognitive training. The other group was given cooperative learning but without metacognitive training. At issue was mathematical modeling and problem solving skills. After tasks to perform were given, the results showed that the group which had been given metacognitive training did outperformed the other that only had a cooperative setting. There was significant difference with the two groups with regard to planning, processing and reflection. They concluded that the cooperative Metacognition 9 setting is not enough to enhance modeling skills. Metacognitive skills are important in how to approach a problem, how to control and monitor the solution and how to reflect on the final answer. As a result of such studies, Mevarech Kramarski (2003) designed the learning tool called IMPROVE, whose letters stand for : Introducing the new material Metacognitive questioning Practicing Reviewing Obtaining mastery on higher and lower cognitive processes Verification Enrichment and remedial The important thing in IMPROVE is the approach in problem solving. Students are able to approach a scenario with a systematic method which first and foremost addresses the question of what is the issue at hand. They then investigate to find out how different the problem is from others and what the best strategies are to solve it. As can be seen from all the studies mentioned, metacognition is an area of development that has a lot of room for growth. Animals which have been shown to have metacognitive abilities can be researched further in order to discover if this is something widespread within the animal kingdom, and if not, then what actually determines metacognition of a species. With children too, the theory of the mind is interesting and further studies should be carried out to determine if there are other areas of their lives that can benefit from improved research on Metacognition 10 metacognition. For example, are high levels of metacognition genetic? Does diet affect levels of metacognition? What role does disease play in metacognition? It would also be interesting to see new research in the study techniques of students. More than anyone else, their place in society is critical because they take over reins in business, government and the civil society within only a few years after leaving college. Their overall performance in school is therefore a top priority. Of serious concern should be when study techniques should begin to be taught and how they would be standardized. Additionally, quantifying the use of metacognition as advocated for by Lippman (2005), needs to generate more study. If his research is anything to go by, then the approach to metacognition training must also address, not just the amount of metacognition ability gained, but also how it is channeled to productive use. This is an area that can prove very challenging and rewarding because teaching metacognition techniques is one thing, but being able to teach the type of techniques that can produce quantifiable measures cannot be easy. However, it is possible that the same metacognition graduates will discover new methods and strategies to impart more abilities in metacognition. Metacognition 11 References Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (2009). Metacognitive Skills. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. etfo. ca/Multimedia/Webcasts/SpecialEducation/Pages/Metacognitive%20Skills. aspx Hampton, R (2009). Multiple demonstrations of metacognition in nonhumans: Converging evidence or multiple mechanisms? Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://psyc. queensu. ca/ccbr/Vol4/Hampton.pdf. Kornell, Nate (2009, February). Metacognition in Humans and Animals. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www3. interscience. wiley. com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122212734/HTMLSTART Lippmann, K. , Danielsson, A. Linder, C. (2005, August). Metacognition in the student Laboratory : Is increased metacognition necessarily better? Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. anst. uu. se/rekun676/meta. pdf Loh, A (2009, July). Using Metacognition Learning to Make Children Smarter. Retrieved on July 29, 209 from http://www. brainy-child. com/articles/metacognition-learning.shtml Mevarech Z. Kramarski, B. ( 2003). Mathematical Modeling and Meta-cognitive Instruction. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. icme-organisers. dk/tsg18/S32MevarechKramarski. pdf Metacognition 12 Mevarech, Z. Kramarski, B. (2003). Metacognitive Questioning and the use of Worked Examples. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www. memory-key. com/StudySkills/IMPROVE. htm Peirce, W (2004, November). METACOGNITION: Study Strategies, Monitoring, and Motivation. Retrieved on July 29, 2009, from http://academic. pgcc. edu/~wpeirce/MCCCTR/metacognition.htm ScienceDaily (2008, August). Young Childrens Theory Of Mind Linked To Subsequent Metacognitive Development In Adolescence. Retrieved on July 29, 2009 from http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2008/08/080814154429. htm Serendip (2009). Metacognition. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/exchange/wfrankli/ii09/metacognition Smith, D Washbum, D. (2005, February). Uncertainty Monitoring and Metacognition by Animals. Retrieved July 29, 2009 from http://www3. interscience. wiley. com/cgi-bin/fulltext/118706297/HTMLSTART

Motivation across cultures

Motivation across cultures EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of the study was to find out what motivates employees across cultures. To thoroughly study various motivational theories and international researches and studies done to relate these theories to an international perspective. To study the various aspects and psychological process of motivation and to study how to motivate employees. Research Methodology:- RESEARCH TYPE:- DESCRIPTIVE STUDY METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION:- I have used secondary data for my research. And this has been collected from:- Various internet sites. News papers. Books. Journals. Motivation Across Cultures objectives of the study DEFINE motivation, and explain it as a psychological process. EXAMINE the hierarchy-of-needs, two-factor, and achievement motivation theories, and assess their value to international human resource management. DISCUSS how an understanding of employee satisfaction can be useful in human resource management throughout the world. EXAMINE the value of process theories in motivating employees worldwide. RELATE the importance of job design, work centrality, and rewards to understanding how to motivate employees in an international context. The Nature of Motivation Motivation A psychological process through which unsatisfied wants or needs lead to drives that are aimed at goals or incentives. Motivation is the activation or energization of goal-oriented behavior. Motivation may be intrinsic or extrinsic. The term is generally used for humans but, theoretically, it can also be used to describe the causes for animal behavior as well. This article refers to human motivation. According to various theories, motivation may be rooted in the basic need to minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure, or it may include specific needs such as eating and resting, or a desired object, hobby, goal, state of being, ideal, or it may be attributed to less-apparent reasons such as altruism, morality, or avoiding mortality. The Nature of Motivation The Universalist Assumption The first assumption is that the motivation process is universal, that all people are motivated to pursue goals they value what the work-motivation theorists call goals with high valence or preference The process is universal Culture influences the specific content and goals pursued Motivation differs across cultures The Assumption of Content and Process Content Theories of Motivation Theories that explain work motivation in terms of what arouses, energizes, or initiates employee behavior. Process Theories of Motivation Theories that explain work motivation by how employee behavior is initiated, redirected, and halted. The Hierarchy-of-Needs Theory The Maslow Theory Maslows theory rests on a number of basic assumptions: Lower-level needs must be satisfied before higher-level needs become motivators A need that is satisfied no longer serves as a motivator There are more ways to satisfy higher-level than there are ways to satisfy lower-level needs The Hierarchy-of-Needs Theory International Findings on Maslows Theory With some minor modification researchers examined the need satisfaction and need importance of the four highest-level needs in the Maslow hierarch Esteem needs were divided into two groups: Esteem including needs for self-esteem and prestige Autonomy including desires for authority and opportunities for independent thought and action The Hierarchy-of-Needs Theory International Findings on Maslows Theory The Haire study indicated all these needs were important to the respondents across cultures International managers (not rank-and-file employees) indicated the upper-level needs were of particular importance to them Findings for select country clusters (Latin Europe, United States/United Kingdom, and Nordic Europe) indicated autonomy and self-actualization were the most important and least satisfied needs for the respondents Another study of managers in eight East Asian countries found that autonomy and self-actualization in most cases also ranked high. The Hierarchy-of-Needs Theory International Findings on Maslows Theory Some researchers have suggested modifying Maslows Western-oriented hierarchy by reranking the needs Asian cultures emphasize the needs of society Chinese hierarchy of needs might have four levels ranked from lowest to highest: Belonging (social) Physiological Safety Self-actualization (in the service of society) The Hierarchy-of-Needs Theory International Findings on Maslows Theory Hofstedes research indicates: Self-actualization and esteem needs rank highest for professionals and managers Security, earnings, benefits, and physical working conditions are most important to low-level, unskilled workers Job categories and levels may have a dramatic effect on motivation and may well offset cultural considerations MNCs should focus most heavily on giving physical rewards to lower-level personnel and on creating a climate where there is challenge, autonomy, the ability to use ones skills, and cooperation for middle- and upper-level personnel. The Two-Factor Theory of Motivation The Herzberg Theory Two-Factor Theory of Motivation A theory that identifies two sets of factors that influence job satisfaction: Motivators Job-content factors such as achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement, and the work itself. Hygiene Factors The Two-Factor Theory of Motivation The Herzberg Theory The two-factor theory holds that motivators and hygiene factors relate to employee satisfaction a more complex relationship than the traditional view that employees are either satisfied or dissatisfied If hygiene factors are not taken care of or are deficient there will be dissatisfaction There may be no dissatisfaction if hygiene factors are taken care of there may be no satisfaction also Only when motivators are present will there be satisfaction Views of Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction The Two-Factor Theory of Motivation International Findings on Herzbergs Theory Two categories of International findings relate to the two-factor theory: One type of study consists of replications of Herzbergs research in a particular country Do managers in country X give answers similar to those in Herzbergs original studies? The others are cross-cultural studies focusing on job satisfaction What factors cause job satisfaction and how do these responses differ from country to country? Two-Factor Replications A number of research efforts have been undertaken to replicate the two-factor theory they tend to support Herzbergs findings George Hines surveyed of 218 middle managers and 196 salaried employees in New Zealand using ratings of 12 job factors and overall job satisfaction he concluded the Herzberg model appears to have validity across occupational levels A similar study was conducted among 178 Greek managers this study found that overall Herzbergs two-factor theory of job satisfaction generally held true Cross-Cultural Job-Satisfaction Studies Motivators tend to be more important to job satisfaction than hygiene factors MBA candidates from four countries ranked hygiene factors at the bottom and motivators at the top while Singapore students (of a different cultural cluster than the other three groups) gave similar responses Result:- Job-satisfaction-related factors may not always be culturally bounded Lower- and middle-management personnel attending management development courses in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan ranked the importance of 15 job-related outcomes and how satisfied they were with each Result:- Job content may be more important than job context Job-Context Factors In work motivation, those factors controlled by the organization, such as conditions, hours, earnings, security, benefits, and promotions. Job-Content Factors In work motivation, those factors internally controlled, such as responsibility, achievement, and the work itself. Achievement Motivation Theory The Background of Achievement Motivation Theory Characteristic profile of high achievers: They like situations in which they take personal responsibility for finding solutions to problems. Tend to be moderate risk-takers rather than high or low risk-takers. Want concrete feedback on their performance. Often tend to be loners, and not team players. A high nAch can be learned. Ways to develop high-achievement needs: Obtain feedback on performance and use the information to channel efforts into areas where success will likely be attained Emulate people who have been successful achievers; Develop an internal desire for success and challenges Daydream in positive terms by picturing oneself as successful in the pursuit of important objectives. International Findings on Achievement Motivation Theory Polish industrialists were high achievers scoring 6.58 (U.S. managers scored an average of 6.74) Managers in countries as diverse as the United States and those of the former Soviet bloc in Central Europe have high needs for achievement Later studies did not find a high need for achievement in Central European countries Average high-achievement score for Czech industrial managers was 3.32 (considerably lower than U.S. managers) International Findings on Achievement Motivation Theory Achievement motivation theory must be modified to meet the specific needs of the local culture: The culture of many countries does not support high achievement Anglo cultures and those that reward entrepreneurial effort do support achievement motivation and their human resources should probably be managed accordingly Hofstede offers the following advice: The countries on the feminine side . . . distinguish themselves by focusing on quality of life rather than on performance and on relationships between people rather than on money and things. This means social motivation: quality of life plus security and quality of life plus risk. Select Process Theories Equity Theory When people perceive they are being treated equitably it will have a positive effect on their job satisfaction If they believe they are not being treated fairly (especially in relation to relevant others) they will be dissatisfied which will have a negative effect on their job performance and they will strive to restore equity. There is considerable research to support the fundamental equity principle in Western work groups. When the theory is examined on an international basis, the results are mixed. Equity perceptions among managers and non-managers in an Israeli kibbutz production unit:- Everyone was treated the same but managers reported lower satisfaction levels than the workers. Managers perceived their contributions to be greater than other groups in the kibbutz and felt under compensated for their value and effort. Employees in Asia and the Middle East often readily accept inequitable treatment in order to preserve group harmony Men and women in Japan and Korea (and Latin America) typically receive different pay for doing the same work due to years of cultural conditioning women may not feel they are treated inequitably These results indicate equity theory is not universally applicable in explaining motivation and job satisfaction Goal-Setting Theory A process theory that focuses on how individuals go about setting goals and responding to them and the overall impact of this process on motivation . Specific areas that are given attention in goal-setting theory include: The level of participation in setting goals Goal difficulty Goal specificity The importance of objective Timely feedback to progress toward goals Unlike many theories of motivation, goal setting has been continually refined and developed There is considerable research evidence showing that employees perform extremely well when they are assigned specific and challenging goals that they have had a hand in setting Most of these studies have been conducted in the United States few have been carried out in other cultures Norwegian employees shunned participation and preferred to have their union representatives work with management in determining work goals.Researchers concluded that individual participation in goal setting was seen as inconsistent with the prevailing Norwegian philosophy of participation through union representatives In the United States employee participation in setting goals is motivational it had no value for the Norwegian employees in this study Expectancy Theory A process theory that postulates that motivation is influenced by a persons belief that Effort will lead to performance Performance will lead to specific outcomes, and The outcomes will be of value to the individual. Expectancy theory predicts that high performance followed by high rewards will lead to high satisfaction Does this theory have universal application? Eden found some support for it while studying workers in an Israeli kibbutz Matsui and colleagues found it could be successfully applied in Japan Expectancy theory could be culture-bound international managers must be aware of this limitation in motivating human resources since expectancy theory is based on employees having considerable control over their environment (a condition that does not exist in many cultures) Motivation Applied:- Job Design, Work Centrality, and Rewards Quality of Work Life: The Impact of Culture Quality of work life (QWL) is not the same throughout the world. Assembly-line employees in Japan work at a rapid pace for hours and have very little control over their work activities. Assembly-line employees in Sweden work at a more relaxed pace and have a great deal of control over their work activities. U.S. assembly-line employees typically work somewhere between at a pace less demanding than Japans but more structured than Swedens. Sociotechnical Job Designs:- The objective of these designs is to integrate new technology into the workplace so that workers accept and use it to increase overall productivity.New technology often requires people learn new methods and in some cases work faster. Employee resistance is common. Effective sociotechnical design can overcome these problems. Some firms have introduced sociotechnical designs for better blending of their personnel and technology without sacrificing efficiency Eg:- General Foods- Autonomous groups at its Topeka, Kansas plant, Workers share responsibility and work in a highly democratic environment Other U.S. firms have opted for a self-managed team approach Multifunctional teams with autonomy for generating successful product innovation is more widely used by successful U.S., Japanese, and European firms than any other teamwork concept Work Centrality:- The importance of work in an individuals life can provide important insights into how to motivate human resources in different cultures Japan has the highest level of work centrality Israel has moderately high levels The United States and Belgium have average levels The Netherlands and Germany have moderately low levels Britain has low levels Value of Work Work is an important part of most peoples lifestyles due to a variety of conditions Americans and Japanese work long hours because the cost of living is high Most Japanese managers expect their salaried employees who are not paid extra to stay late at work, and overtime has become a requirement of the job. There is recent evidence that Japanese workers may do far less work in a business day than outsiders would suspect In recent years, the number of hours worked annually by German workers has been declining, while the number for Americans has been on the rise. Germans place high value on lifestyle and often prefer leisure to work, while their American counterparts are just the opposite. Research reveals culture may have little to do with it A wider range of wages (large pay disparity) within American companies than in German firms creates incentives for American employees to work harder. Impact of overwork on the physical condition of Japanese workers One-third of the working-age population suffers from chronic fatigue The Japanese prime ministers office found a majority of those surveyed complained of :- Being chronically tired Feeling emotionally stressed Abusive conditions in the workplace Karoshi (overwork or job burnout) is now recognized as a real social problem Job Satisfaction EU workers see a strong relationship between how well they do their jobs and the ability to get what they want out of life U.S. workers were not as supportive of this relationship Japanese workers were least likely to see any connection This finding suggest difficulties may arise in American, European, and Japanese employees working together effectively Reward Systems Managers everywhere use rewards to motivate their personnel. Some rewards are financial in nature such as salary raises, bonuses, and stock options. Others are non-financial such as feedback and recognition. Significant differences exist between reward systems that work best in one country and those that are most effective in another. Incentives and Culture Use of financial incentives to motivate employees is very common in countries with high individualism. Financial incentive systems vary in range Individual incentive-based pay systems in which workers are paid directly for their output Systems in which employees earn individual bonuses based on organizational performance goals Many cultures base compensation on group membership. Such systems stress equality rather than individual incentive plans An individually based bonus system for the sales representatives in an American MNC introduced in its Danish subsidiary was rejected by the sales force because It favored one group over another Employees felt that everyone should receive the same size bonus Eg:- Indonesian oil workers rejected a pay-for-performance system where some work teams would make more money than others. Workers in many countries are highly motivated by things other than financial rewards The most important rewards in locations at 40 countries of an electrical equipment MNC involved recognition and achievement. Second in importance were improvements in the work environment and employment conditions including pay and work hours. Factors that concern employees across cultures French and Italian employees valued job security highly while American and British workers held it of little importance Scandinavian workers placed high value on concern for others on the job and for personal freedom and autonomy but did not rate getting ahead very important German workers ranked security, fringe benefits, and getting ahead as very important Japanese employees put good working conditions and a congenial work environment high on their list but ranked personal advancement quite low Conclusion The types of incentives that are deemed important appear to be culturally influenced. Culture can even affect the overall cost of an incentive system. Japanese efforts to introduce Western-style merit pay systems typically lead to an increase in overall labor costs. Companies fear that reducing the pay of less productive workers may cause them to lose face and disturb group harmony. Hence, everyones salary increases as a result of merit pay systems. Factors that motivate employees varies across culture. People from different cultures give different preferences to the factors involved. So while deciding the ways to motivate the workforce the factors that concern to that culture specifically should be kept in mind. References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivation http://www.squidoo.com/selfmotivation http://www.willingly.net/intrinsic_motivation/encyclopedia.htm http://www.mood.ws/motivation/encyclopedia.htm http://ironfistkungfu.com/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=65Itemid=66lang=en http://www.answers.com/topic/motivation http://daymix.com/Motivation/ http://academic.uofs.edu/organization/faculty-senate/curriculum/HADM331.doc http://www.squidoo.com/hypnosis-motivation http://www.borrowimmediate.com/Intrinsic_motivation/encyclopedia.htm http://imotivatemyself.com/ http://www.motivationproducts.com/ http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Arousal http://www.verzu.com/search?q=Motivationalqt=3 http://www.webcrawler.com/webcrawler200/ws/redir/_iceUrlFlag=11?rfcp=TopNavigationrfcid=407qcat=Webqkw=Motivationnewtxn=falseqcoll=Relevance_IceUrl=true http://www.webcrawler.com/webcrawler200/ws/redir/qcat=Web/qcoll=relevance/qkw=Motivation/rfcp=RightNav/rfcid=302363/_iceUrlFlag=11?_IceUrl=true http://msxml.excite.com/info.xcite/ws/redir/qcat=Web/qcoll=relevance/qkw=Motivation/rfcp=RightNav/rfcid=302358/_iceUrlFlag=11?_IceUrl=true http://kf.mysearch.myway.com/search/redirect.jhtml?qid=8D1A3BDA72F94F392B39773BD138270Daction=clickp=GGmainss=subptnrS=KFst=barcb=KFpg=GGmainord=15searchfor=Motivationtpr=jrel3redirect=GGmain.jhtmlct=RR http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0072920378/62068/5_5.doc http://www.examstutor.com/business/resources/studyroom/people_and_organisations/motivation_theory/4-herzbergstwofactortheory.php?style=printable http://www.projectalevel.co.uk/as_a2_business_studies/motivation_in_theory http://www.intimatecuisine.com/_cite_note-0 http://www.flashcardmachine.com/international-management-final1.html http://www.examstutor.com/business/resources/studyroom/people_and_organisations/motivation_theory/4-herzbergstwofactortheory.php

Blitzkrieg Essay -- essays research papers

BLITZKRIEG (LIGHTNING WAR) In the first phase of World War II in Europe, Germany sought to avoid a long war. Germany's strategy was to defeat its opponents in a series of short campaigns. Germany quickly overran much of Europe and was victorious for more than two years by relying on a new military tactic called the "Blitzkrieg" (lightning war). Blitzkrieg tactics required the concentration of offensive weapons (such as tanks, planes, and artillery) along a narrow front. These forces would drive a breach in enemy defenses, permitting armored tank divisions to penetrate rapidly and roam freely behind enemy lines, causing shock and disorganization among the enemy defenses. German air power prevented the enemy from adequately resupplying or redeploying forces and thereby from sending reinforcements to seal breaches in the front. German forces could in turn encircle opposing troops and force surrender. Germany successfully used the Blitzkrieg tactic against Poland (attacked in September 1939), Denmar k (April 1940), Norway (April 1940), Belgium (May 1940), the Netherlands (May 1940), Luxembourg (May 1940), France (May 1940), Yugoslavia (April 1941), and Greece (April 1941). Germany did not defeat Great Britain, which was protected from German ground attack by the English Channel and the Royal Navy. Despite the continuing war with Great Britain, German forces invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941. At first, the German Blitzkrieg seemed to succeed. Soviet forces were driven back more than 600 miles to the gates of Moscow, with staggering losses. In December 1941, Hitler unilaterally declared war on the United States, which consequently added its tremendous economic and military power to the coalition arrayed against him. A second German offensive against the Soviet Union in 1942 brought German forces in the east to the shores of the Volga River and the city of Stalingrad. However, the Soviet Union launched a counteroffensive in November 1942, trapping and destroying an entire German army at Stalingrad. Germany proved u... ...Germany). Despite the birth of the United Nations, the world remained politically unstable and only slowly recovered from the incalculable physical and moral devastation wrought by the largest and most costly war in history. Soldiers and civilians both had suffered in bombings that had wiped out entire cities. Modern methods of warfare–together with the attempt of Germany to exterminate entire religious and ethnic groups (particularly the Jews)–famines, and epidemics, had brought death to tens of millions and made as many more homeless. The suffering and degradation of the war's victims were of proportions that passed the understanding of those who had been spared. The conventions of warfare had been violated on a large scale (see war crimes), and warfare itself was revolutionized by the development and use of nuclear weapons. Political consequences included the reduction of Britain and France to powers of lesser rank, the emergence of the Common Market (see European Economic Community; European Union), the independence of many former colonies in Asia and Africa, and, perhaps most important, the beginning of the cold war between the Western powers and the Communist-bloc nations.

moralant Essay on the Moral Dilemma in Sophocles Antigone

Antigone:   Barbaric King, Hopeful Princess and Moral Dilemma Antigone is a play that mainly deals with differences among characters that cause life long drawbacks and threatening resolutions. The drama is portrayed through Antigone and Creon's characters who undoubtedly resemble each other. Although they try to be masters of their own fate and eventually succumb to grieving outcomes, they both seem to have the values of a tragic hero. Although, they have their differences, their battle with one another illustrates them both as moral characters full of pride and arrogance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antigone was born full of superiority and courage, yet leaves the world as a conquered person. She respects her family despite what has happened in the past and always seems to be loyal towards her brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, as well as her sister, Ismene. Antigone feels that abiding by the laws of the gods, is a valuable merit to follow. This theory gradually affects her actions and behavior towards Creon. The tragic flaw of Antigone leads to many lamenting events in the play. The manner she poses her characteristics in such as being stubborn and her raggedness portrays her flaw in the play. Antigone attempts to challenge Creon's love for power and accepts the punishment given to her. She bows to death because she is aware that she has done a good deed and she will inhale her last breath in honor. Whether Creon thinks of her as a traitor or not, Antigone knew the gods would reserve their judgment in favor of her. She never once reg rets burying her brother, which makes her character all the more admirable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alt... ...ys. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Be careful not to write sentence fragments. If your sentence does not have a subject and a verb, then tack it on to the end of the last sentence. . Who is the moral one of them? A barbaric king or a hopeful princess?   The last phrase is a sentence fragment because there is no verb.   Putting it onto the end of the last question would solve the problem.   Who is the moral one of them, a barbaric king or a hopeful princess? 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Proofread carefully, there are several misspelled words in the paper. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Use quotes to strengthen your argument.   Using a quote for each point that you make backs up what you are saying.   You are giving proof that your argument is valid by pointing out where in the play the characters act as you say they do.     

Telecommunications Essay examples -- essays research papers

What is Telecommunications?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Telecommunications enables people around the world to contact one another, to access information instantly, and to communicate from remote areas. It usually involves a sender and one or more recipients linked by a technology, such as a telephone system, or computer network (LANs or WANs), that transmits information from one place to another. Devices used for telecommunications can convert different types of information, such as sound and video, into electronic signals. These signals then can be transmitted to different types of media such as telephone wires, or radio waves. Once the signal reaches its destination it then gets converted back into an understandable message, such as the sound on a telephone, video on a television screen, or pictures on a computer monitor, Telecommunications also allows to send and receive personal messages across town, between countries, and to and from outer space. It also provides the key medium for news, data, information and ente rtainment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Telecommunication messages can be sent in a variety of ways, and by a wide range of devices (radios, televisions, telephones, computers, etc.). They can be sent from one sender to a single receiver (point-to-point) or to many receivers (point-to-multipoint). Point-to-point transmission usually involves telephone conversations or a facsimile (fax) message. Point-to-multipoint transmissions (also called broadcasts), provide the basis for commercial radio and television programming.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most personal computers communicate with each other and with larger networks, such as the internet, by using the ordinary telephone line. Since the telephone network functions by converting sound into electronic signals, the computer must first convert its digital data into sound. They do this with a device called a modem, which is short for modulator/demodulator. A modem converts a stream of 1s and 0s from a computer into an analog signal that can be transported over a telephone network. The modem of the receiving computer demodulates the analog signal back into a digital form that the computer can understand. The internet can also be accessed by higher speed sources, such as cable, DSL and ISDN.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Telecommunications systems deliver messages using a number of dif... ... they need to be in, or may have several errors contained in them.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Routers – Connect network segments and intelligently direct data. They are used to connect LANs to WANs. It operates at the network layer of the OSI model. The strength of a router lies in its intelligence, they can determine the shortest fastest path between nodes. The internet relies on millions of routers around the world.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Switches – Subdivide a network into smaller logical pieces. Operates from the Data Link layer of the OSI model. By having multiple ports, they can make better use of limited bandwidth and prove more cost efficient then bridges. Each port on the switch acts like a bridge, and each device connected to a switch effectively receives its own dedicated channel. In other words, a switch can turn a shared channel into several channels.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Network Operating Systems – A special system software designed to manage data and other resources on a server for a number of clients. Network operating systems also provide the ability to manage network security, network users and groups, protocols, and networked applications.

Of Gods and Men

Gods and Men Of Gods and Men tells the story of nine Therapist monks, seven of which, are tortured and executed by Islamic fundamentalists. They had received several threats from these fundamentalists. They were not sure of whether or not to leave their monastery, but ultimately decided on staying. Due to this decision, their monastery was invaded and they were held hostage by the Islamic fundamentalists. They were eventually executed. These monks were real Christians, Sectarians and I liked their community. These monks are the definition of model Christians.They devoted their whole lives to God and prayer. They spent every waking moment with the Lord. They live under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Every single thing they do Is for God, and that requires a great amount of dedication. Monks truly exemplify model Christians. The monks In Of Gods and Men are Sectarians. This meaner they are Therapist monks. I could never be a nun or Sectarian monk. It requires way too muc h dedication and I love my Reilly 2 freedom. I could not Imagine a life of solitude without my family or friends. I definitely would not be able to live that way. I really like the monk community.They do not bother anyone and It sounds like they are genuinely great people. They are perfectly harmless to the world. Monks choose to live their peaceful lives on their own, separate from everyone else. They have chosen to live their life the way they do and do not force upon anyone their beliefs or opinions. I very much approve and like the monk community. Of Gods and Men gave me great Insight on Therapist monks. It also made me aware of all the horrible situations going on around the world, much like what happened In the movie. I enjoyed watching the movie. It was very heart-felt and well done.It was en of the best movies we have watched all year. By milkmaid the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Every single thing they do is for God, The monks in Of Gods and Men are Sectarians. This meaner they are Therapist freedom. I could not imagine a life of solitude without my family or friends. I I really like the monk community. They do not bother anyone and it sounds like beliefs or opinions. I very much approve and like the monk community. Of Gods and Men gave me great insight on Therapist monks. It also made me aware of all the horrible situations going on around the world, much like what happened in

Biography of John Donne

Biography of John Donne John Donne was an English poet, satirist, lawyer and priest. He is considered the pre-eminent representative of the metaphysical poets. His works are noted for their strong, sensual style and include sonnets, love poetry, religious poems, Latin translations, epigrams, elegies, songs, satires and sermons. His poetry is noted for its vibrancy of language and inventiveness of metaphor, especially compared to that of his contemporaries. Donne's style is characterised by abrupt openings and various paradoxes, ironies and dislocations.These features, along with his frequent dramatic or everyday speech rhythms, his tense syntax and his tough eloquence, were both a reaction against the smoothness of conventional Elizabethan poetry and an adaptation into English of European baroque and mannerist techniques. His early career was marked by poetry that bore immense knowledge of British society and he met that knowledge with sharp criticism. Another important theme in Donn e’s poetry is the idea of true religion, something that he spent much time considering and theorising about.He wrote secular poems as well as erotic and love poems. He is particularly famous for his mastery of metaphysical conceits. Despite his great education and poetic talents, Donne lived in poverty for several years, relying heavily on wealthy friends. He spent much of the money he inherited during and after his education on womanising, literature, pastimes, and travel. In 1601, Donne secretly married Anne Moore, with whom he had twelve children. In 1615, he became an Anglican priest, although he did not want to take Anglican orders.He did so because King James I persistently ordered it. In 1621, he was appointed the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in London. He also served as a member of parliament in 1601 and in 1614. Biography Early Life Donne was born in London, into a Roman Catholic family when practice of that religion was illegal in England. Donne was the third of six children. His father, also named John Donne, was of Welsh descent and a warden of the Ironmongers Company in the City of London. Donne's father was a respected Roman Catholic who avoided unwelcome government attention out of fear of persecution.Donne's father died in 1576, leaving his wife, Elizabeth Heywood, the responsibility of raising their children. Elizabeth was also from a recusant Roman Catholic family, the daughter of John Heywood, the playwright, and sister of the Reverend Jasper Heywood, a Jesuit priest and translator. She was a great-niece of the Roman Catholic martyr Thomas More. This tradition of martyrdom would continue among Donne’s closer relatives, many of whom were executed or exiled for religious reasons. Donne was educated privately; however, there is no evidence to support the popular claim that he was taught by Jesuits.Donne's mother married Dr. John Syminges, a wealthy widower with three children, a few months after Donne's father died. Two more of his sisters, Mary and Katherine, died in 1581. Donne's mother, who had lived in the Deanery after Donne became Dean of St. Paul's, survived him, dying in 1632. Donne was a student at Hart Hall, now Hertford College, Oxford, from the age of 11. After three years at Oxford he was admitted to the University of Cambridge, where he studied for another three years.He was unable to obtain a degree from either institution because of his Catholicism, since he could not take the Oath of Supremacy required of graduates. In 1591 he was accepted as a student at the Thavies Inn legal school, one of the Inns of Chancery in London. On 6 May 1592 he was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn, one of the Inns of Court. His brother Henry was also a university student prior to his arrest in 1593 for harbouring a Catholic priest, William Harrington, whom Henry betrayed under torture. Harrington was tortured on the rack, hanged until not quite dead, then was subjected to disembowelment.Henry Donne died in Newgate prison of bubonic plague, leading John Donne to begin questioning his Catholic faith. During and after his education, Donne spent much of his considerable inheritance on women, literature, pastimes and travel. Although there is no record detailing precisely where he travelled, it is known that he travelled across Europe and later fought with the Earl of Essex and Sir Walter Raleigh against the Spanish at Cadiz (1596) and the Azores (1597) and witnessed the loss of the Spanish flagship, the San Felipe. According to Izaak Walton, who wrote a biography of Donne in 1658: .. he returned not back into England till he had stayed some years, first in Italy, and then in Spain, where he made many useful observations of those countries, their laws and manner of government, and returned perfect in their languages. —Izaak Walton By the age of 25 he was well prepared for the diplomatic career he appeared to be seeking. He was appointed chief secretary to the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, Sir Thomas Egerton, and was established at Egerton’s London home, York House, Strand close to the Palace of Whitehall, then the most influential social centre in England.Marriage to Anne More During the next four years, he fell in love with Egerton's niece Anne More. They were married just before Christmas in 1601, against the wishes of both Egerton and George More, who was Lieutenant of the Tower and Anne's father. This wedding ruined Donne's career and earned him a short stay in Fleet Prison, along with Samuel Brooke, who married them, and the man who acted as a witness to the wedding. Donne was released when the marriage was proven valid, and he soon secured the release of the other two.Walton tells us that when Donne wrote to his wife to tell her about losing his post, he wrote after his name: John Donne, Anne Donne, Un-done. It was not until 1609 that Donne was reconciled with his father-in-law and received his wife's dowry. After his release, Donne had to accept a reti red country life in Pyrford, Surrey. Over the next few years, he scraped a meagre living as a lawyer, depending on his wife’s cousin Sir Francis Wolly to house him, his wife, and their children. Because Anne Donne bore a new baby almost every year, this was a very generous gesture.Though he practised law and may have worked as an assistant pamphleteer to Thomas Morton, Donne was in a constant state of financial insecurity, with a growing family to provide for. Anne bore twelve children in sixteen years of marriage (including two stillbirths—their eighth and then, in 1617, their last child); indeed, she spent most of her married life either pregnant or nursing. The ten surviving children were Constance, John, George, Francis, Lucy (named after Donne's patroness Lucy, Countess of Bedford, her godmother), Bridget, Mary, Nicholas, Margaret, and Elizabeth.Francis, Nicholas, and Mary died before they were ten. In a state of despair, Donne noted that the death of a child woul d mean one less mouth to feed, but he could not afford the burial expenses. During this time, Donne wrote, but did not publish, Biathanatos, his defence of suicide. His wife died on 15 August 1617, five days after giving birth to their twelfth child, a still-born baby. Donne mourned her deeply, and wrote of his love and loss in his 17th Holy Sonnet. Career and Later Life Donne was elected as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Brackley in 1602, but this was not a paid position.The fashion for coterie poetry of the period gave him a means to seek patronage and many of his poems were written for wealthy friends or patrons, especially Sir Robert Drury, who came to be Donne's chief patron in 1610. Donne wrote the two Anniversaries, An Anatomy of the World (1611) and Of the Progress of the Soul, (1612), for Drury. In 1610 and 1611 he wrote two anti-Catholic polemics: Pseudo-Martyr and Ignatius his Conclave. Although James was pleased with Donne's work, he refused to reinstate hi m at court and instead urged him to take holy orders.At length, Donne acceded to the King's wishes and in 1615 was ordained into the Church of England. Donne was awarded an honorary doctorate in divinity from Cambridge in 1615 and became a Royal Chaplain in the same year, and was made a Reader of Divinity at Lincoln's Inn in 1616. In 1618 he became chaplain to Viscount Doncaster, who was on an embassy to the princes of Germany. Donne did not return to England until 1620. In 1621 Donne was made Dean of St Paul's, a leading (and well-paid) position in the Church of England and one he held until his death in 1631. During his period as Dean his daughter Lucy died, aged eighteen.In late November and early December 1623 he suffered a nearly fatal illness, thought to be either typhus or a combination of a cold followed by a period of fever. During his convalescence he wrote a series of meditations and prayers on health, pain, and sickness that were published as a book in 1624 under the tit le of Devotions upon Emergent Occasions. One of these meditations, Meditation XVII, later became well known for its phrase â€Å"for whom the bell tolls† and the statement that â€Å"no man is an island†. In 1624 he became vicar of St Dunstan-in-the-West, and 1625 a prolocutor to Charles I.He earned a reputation as an eloquent preacher and 160 of his sermons have survived, including the famous Death’s Duel sermon delivered at the Palace of Whitehall before King Charles I in February 1631. Death It is thought that his final illness was stomach cancer, although this has not been proven. He died on 31 March 1631 having written many poems, most only in manuscript. Donne was buried in old St Paul's Cathedral, where a memorial statue of him was erected (carved from a drawing of him in his shroud), with a Latin epigraph probably composed by himself.Donne's monument survived the 1666 fire, and is on display in the present building. Writings Early Poetry Donne's earliest poems showed a developed knowledge of English society coupled with sharp criticism of its problems. His satires dealt with common Elizabethan topics, such as corruption in the legal system, mediocre poets, and pompous courtiers. His images of sickness, vomit, manure, and plague reflected his strongly satiric view of a world populated by all the fools and knaves of England. His third satire, however, deals with the problem of true religion, a matter of great importance to Donne.He argued that it was better to examine carefully one's religious convictions than blindly to follow any established tradition, for none would be saved at the Final Judgment, by claiming â€Å"A Harry, or a Martin taught [them] this. † Donne's early career was also notable for his erotic poetry, especially his elegies, in which he employed unconventional metaphors, such as a flea biting two lovers being compared to sex. In Elegy XIX: To His Mistress Going to Bed, he poetically undressed his mistress an d compared the act of fondling to the exploration of America.In Elegy XVIII, he compared the gap between his lover's breasts to the Hellespont. Donne did not publish these poems, although did allow them to circulate widely in manuscript form. â€Å"†¦ any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.. † — Donne, Meditation XVII Some have speculated that Donne's numerous illnesses, financial strain, and the deaths of his friends all contributed to the development of a more somber and pious tone in his later poems.The change can be clearly seen in â€Å"An Anatomy of the World† (1611), a poem that Donne wrote in memory of Elizabeth Drury, daughter of his patron, Sir Robert Drury of Hawstead, Suffolk. This poem treats Elizabeth's demise with extreme gloominess, using it as a symbol for the Fall of Man and the destruction of the universe. The poem â€Å"A Nocturnal upon S. Lucy's Day, Being the Shortest Day†, concerns the poet's despair at the death of a loved one. In it Donne expresses a feeling of utter negation and hopelessness, saying that â€Å"I am every dead thing†¦ re-begot / Of absence, darkness, death. This famous work was probably written in 1627 when both Donne's friend Lucy, Countess of Bedford, and his daughter Lucy Donne died. Three years later, in 1630, Donne wrote his will on Saint Lucy's day (13 December), the date the poem describes as â€Å"Both the year's, and the day's deep midnight. † The increasing gloominess of Donne's tone may also be observed in the religious works that he began writing during the same period. His early belief in the value of scepticism now gave way to a firm faith in the traditional teachings of the Bible. Having converted to the Anglican Church, Donne focused his literary career on religious literature.He quickly became noted for his sermons and religious poems. The lines of these se rmons would come to influence future works of English literature, such as Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, which took its title from a passage in Meditation XVII of Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, and Thomas Merton’s No Man is an Island, which took its title from the same source. Towards the end of his life Donne wrote works that challenged death, and the fear that it inspired in many men, on the grounds of his belief that those who die are sent to Heaven to live eternally.One example of this challenge is his Holy Sonnet X, Death Be Not Proud, from which come the famous lines â€Å"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee / Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so. † Even as he lay dying during Lent in 1631, he rose from his sickbed and delivered the Death's Duel sermon, which was later described as his own funeral sermon. Death’s Duel portrays life as a steady descent to suffering and death, yet sees hope in salvation and immortality thro ugh an embrace of God, Christ and the Resurrection. StyleHis work has received much criticism over the years, especially concerning his metaphysical form. Donne is generally considered the most prominent member of the Metaphysical poets, a phrase coined in 1781 by the critic Dr Johnson, following a comment on Donne by the poet John Dryden. Dryden had written of Donne in 1693: â€Å"He affects the metaphysics, not only in his satires, but in his amorous verses, where nature only should reign; and perplexes the minds of the fair sex with nice speculations of philosophy, when he should engage their hearts, and entertain them with the softnesses of love. In Life of Cowley (from Samuel Johnson's 1781 work of biography and criticism Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets), Johnson refers to the beginning of the seventeenth century in which there â€Å"appeared a race of writers that may be termed the metaphysical poets†. Donne's immediate successors in poetry therefore tended to regard his works with ambivalence, with the Neoclassical poets regarding his conceits as abuse of the metaphor. However he was revived by Romantic poets such as Coleridge and Browning, though his more recent revival in the early twentieth century by poets such as T.S. Eliot and critics like F R Leavis tended to portray him, with approval, as an anti-Romantic. Donne's work suggests a healthy appetite for life and its pleasures, while also expressing deep emotion. He did this through the use of conceits, wit and intellect—as seen in the poems â€Å"The Sun Rising† and â€Å"Batter My Heart†. Donne is considered a master of the metaphysical conceit, an extended metaphor that combines two vastly different ideas into a single idea, often using imagery. An example of this is his equation of lovers with saints in â€Å"The Canonization†.Unlike the conceits found in other Elizabethan poetry, most notably Petrarchan conceits, which formed cliched comparisons betwe en more closely related objects (such as a rose and love), metaphysical conceits go to a greater depth in comparing two completely unlike objects. One of the most famous of Donne's conceits is found in â€Å"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning† where he compares two lovers who are separated to the two legs of a compass. Donne's works are also witty, employing paradoxes, puns, and subtle yet remarkable analogies.His pieces are often ironic and cynical, especially regarding love and human motives. Common subjects of Donne's poems are love (especially in his early life), death (especially after his wife's death), and religion. John Donne's poetry represented a shift from classical forms to more personal poetry. Donne is noted for his poetic metre, which was structured with changing and jagged rhythms that closely resemble casual speech (it was for this that the more classical-minded Ben Jonson commented that â€Å"Donne, for not keeping of accent, deserved hanging†).Some s cholars believe that Donne's literary works reflect the changing trends of his life, with love poetry and satires from his youth and religious sermons during his later years. Other scholars, such as Helen Gardner, question the validity of this dating—most of his poems were published posthumously (1633). The exception to these is his Anniversaries which were published in 1612 and Devotions upon Emergent Occasions published in 1624. His sermons are also dated, sometimes specifically by date and year. LegacyDonne is commemorated as a priest in the calendar of the Church of England and in the Calendar of Saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on 31 March. Sylvia Plath, interviewed on BBC Radio in late 1962, said the following about a book review of her collection of poems titled The Colossus that had been published in the United Kingdom two years earlier: â€Å"I remember being appalled when someone criticised me for beginning just like John Donne but not quite man aging to finish like John Donne, and I felt the weight of English literature on me at that point. The memorial to Donne, modelled after the engraving pictured above, was one of the few such memorials to survive the Great Fire of London in 1666 and now appears in St Paul's Cathedral where Donne is buried. Donne in Literature In Margaret Edson's Pulitzer prize-winning play Wit (1999), the main character, a professor of 17th century poetry specialising in Donne, is dying of cancer. The play was adapted for the HBO film Wit starring Emma Thompson. Donne's Songs and Sonnets feature in The Calligrapher (2003), a novel by Edward Docx.In the 2006 novel The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox, Donne's works are frequently quoted. Donne appears, along with his wife Anne and daughter Pegge, in the award-winning novel Conceit (2007) by Mary Novik. Joseph Brodsky has a poem called â€Å"Elegy for John Donne†. The love story of Donne and Anne More is the subject of Maeve Haran's 2010 historica l novel The Lady and the Poet. An excerpt from â€Å"Meditation 17 Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions† serves as the opening for Ernest Hemingway's For Whom The Bell Tolls. Marilynne Robinson's Pulitzer prize-winning novel Gilead makes several references to Donne's work.Donne is the favourite poet of Dorothy Sayers' fictional detective Lord Peter Wimsey, and the Wimsey books include numerous quotations from, and allusions to, his work. Donne's poem ‘A Fever' (incorrectly called ‘The Fever') is mentioned in the penultimate paragraph of the novel â€Å"The Silence of the Lambs† by Thomas Harris. Edmund â€Å"Bunny† Corcoran writes a paper on Donne in Donna Tartt's novel The Secret History, in which he ties together Donne and Izaak Walton with help of an imaginary philosophy called â€Å"Metahemeralism†.Donne plays a significant role in Christie Dickason's The Noble Assassin (2011), a novel based on the life of Donne's patron and putative lover, L ucy Russell, Countess of Bedford. Donne in Popular Culture John Renbourn, on his 1966 debut album John Renbourn, sings a version of the poem, â€Å"Song: Go and Catch a Falling Star†. (He alters the last line to â€Å"False, ere I count one, two, three. â€Å") Tarwater, in their album Salon des Refuses, have put â€Å"The Relic† to song.The plot of Neil Gaiman's novel Stardust is based upon the poem â€Å"Song: Go and Catch a Falling Star,† with the fallen star turned into a major character. Bob Chilcott has arranged a choral piece to Donne's â€Å"Go and Catch a Falling Star†. Van Morrison pays tribute to the poet on â€Å"Rave On John Donne† and makes references in many other songs. Lost in Austen, the British mini series based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, has Bingley refer to Donne when he describes taking Jane to America, â€Å"John Donne, don't you know? ‘License my roving hands,' and so forth. † Las