Performance Management at Vitality Health Enterprises, Inc. Essay

Vitality Health Enterprises is a large beauty products and nutraceuticals company offering a full range of health, wellness, and beauty products around the globe. The company was originally founded in 1987 in Ames, Iowa, by Hikaaru â€Å"Fred† Kikuchi who is an experienced serial entrepreneur. His inspiration for Vitality came when his wife was continually dissatisfied with the quality of beauty products she was finding here in the U.S., since they emigrated from Japan. Kikuchi saw a business opportunity and used his relationships from back home to import beauty products and the rest is history. Vitality has gone through numerations of growth that has included: moving company headquarters to Des Moines – thought to be a better location for growth, establishing its own manufacturing facility with its own chemists – to develop its own unique products specifically targeting the U.S. marketplace, purchasing HerbaPure Nutraceuticals to offer a broader range of products, and establishing an IPO to raise capital for further expansion – which now includes nine global offices representing markets in Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Vitality has grown far beyond selling products out of Kikucki’s garage to a large scale enterprise in the personal care products sector. Beth Williams is the current CEO who was recruited in mid-2008 to replace Kikuchi over concerns for his health, and to infuse Vitality with fresh blood and new ideas in the highly competitive marketplace. The board liked her no-nonsense approach and hoped she could turn Vitality around after a period of stagnation. James Hoffman is the newly appointed vice president of Human Resources at Vitality Health Enterprises and shares concerns with Beth that Vitality is not maintaining its edge on innovation, and has a large employee turnover rate among the highly talented research scientists. His first assignment is to take the lead on the new Performance Management Evaluation Team, constructed to evaluate the success of the system, and present the findings and recommendations to the board. Hoffman’s evaluation can either provide him with a great career opportunity, or be the catalyst for his departure. His concern is they do not have all the data to present and having been with Vitality for two months, he needs to be certain of his analysis – not to mention his boss, Beth, is the one who implemented the program several years earlier. The main problem in this entire case is how Vitality can maintain being the industry leader in innovation. There is a high turnover rate with high performing employees, especially those who are the innovators in product development. The high turnover is attributed to the poor incentive structure. Innovation is vital at maintaining the competitive edge, in any rapidly changing industry. For other employees, the structure encourages complacency and a culture of ineffective performance, not easily identifying poor performers. There is a problem with the evaluation process required of the managers, in the performance evaluations. They are not properly trained on how to evaluate the teams and don’t like the structure because it alienates team members. There might also be legal issues with discrimination and how the evaluation is designed. Company wide motivation has been declining due to the performance management system. Managers don’t feel thorough evaluations are, â€Å"worth their time†, and they are concerned the force- rank system incorrectly ranks individual performance. Employees can be placed in the lower tier, comp structure, if they are part of a high performing team and the opposite can be true for employees ranked in the higher tier, if they are part of a lower performing team. The system’s â€Å"fairness† has been questioned throughout the organization, and no clear standards are understood on what dictates your placement in the tier system. If employees are not clear on the system, it is challenging to make corrections in their performance. In addition, management feels employees are less likely to take additional initiative, outside their roles, to better the team’s performance – since there is no real incentive to do so. These issues negatively affect the culture, and have led to increased turnover in top-tier talent, which has left Vitality struggling to maintain its hold as industry leader. Performance management systems primary goal should be to stimulate behaviors that improve performance within a company. It appears as Hoffman suggested – Vitality has, â€Å"missed the mark† and is not fostering the type of behavior it originally set out to accomplish. The question for Vitality and Hoffman is: does the performance management system need correction, or should they start from scratch? We believe they can modify the current system they have in place and make it successful. They have already taken the appropriate measures to find where the system is lacking, which is in motivating the employees. This demonstrates that Vitality is moving in the right direction by being proactive on improving the working environment and culture of the company. One system will never be a perfect fit for all, but we believe we’ve identified a few key suggestions, based off the organizational feedback, that would enable Vitality to â€Å"hit the mark† with their performance management system. First we would address the time constraints the managers have in preparing the evaluations, by allowing the process to be extended by three months. Teamwork is central to turning out new products, yet the evaluation removes the motivation and encouragement for individual initiative that would benefit team performance. We recommend a piece of the individual performance, perhaps 20-30 % of the evaluation, be based off team accomplishments; similar to a NFL football team winning the Super Bowl and earning bonuses for the team. It’s well known that some players contribute more than others due to ability, yet the entire team contributes and receives additional compensation based off the accomplishment. The force-rank component would be based off the employee achieving key individual milestones, that would be determined by the manager and employee, at the beginning of the year. We would also remove the required number of rankings for top achievers, achievers, low achievers, unacceptable and not rated. We would leave these up to the discretion of the manager. The manager would then have a pool of money to distribute throughout his team contingent on the performance evaluations. In order to entice innovation, within the organization, a specific bonus/kicker structure should be incorporated into the plan that rewards individuals and teams that bring new product development to market. It’s clear that Vitality has made the right moves to maintain its market leader perception. We applaud Beth Williams for identifying a problem within the company, and being proactive to change course in order to maintain continued high performance.

Virginia Woolfe’s Professions for Women

In her essay, â€Å"Professions for Women†, Virginia Woolf writes of the internal conflict many women endured every day in the face of a male dominated society. They are pressured to hide their intellect behind the facade of a delicate, emotional person who is unable think for themselves. Woolf uses metaphor and anaphora to urge women to think and stand up for themselves. Woolf’s purpose of inspiring women to be whatever they want to be is conveyed through two explicit metaphors predominantly used in this essay.The first is the Angel in the House, the Angel representing the image of the stereotypical Victorian era woman. The Angel is â€Å"charming†, â€Å"sympathetic†, and has all the qualities expected of women. Instead of allowing Woolf to write what she thinks, the Angel attempts to persuade her to â€Å"be sympathetic, be tender; flatter; deceive; use all the arts and wiles of your sex. Never let anybody guess that you have a mind of your own. † If the Angel was not stopped, she would have â€Å"plucked the heart out of [Woolf’s] writing. Killing the Angel signifies Woolf’s overcoming of societal pressures to become the cliched Victorian woman. The next important metaphor is of the fisherman in a girl’s dream. In the dream the girl is at the bottom of a lake which is symbolically used to characterize her mind. The girl lets â€Å"her imagination sweep unchecked around every rock and cranny of the world that lies submerged in the depths of our unconscious being. † She was able to think freely and let her imagination take over.The fisherman was â€Å"on the verge of a deep lake with a rod held out over the water. † Then â€Å"her imagination rushed away† and the girl was â€Å"roused from her dream. † The reason behind the fisherman in the dream was to show the censorship placed on the minds of women because they were considered below men with only thoughts of trivial things . â€Å"Men, her reason told her, would be shocked† if they knew that she in fact did have even a hint of brainpower. â€Å"Her imagination could no work longer. To reach out to the women in her audience, Woolf uses anaphora in her conclusion. With the repeated use of the word â€Å"you†, she tells women that they have to be the ones who take action. Once they do so, they may reach an equal standing with men and make their own decisions in order to make changes for themselves. With the use of the rhetorical strategies, Woolf shows how women in her time were â€Å"impeded by the extreme conventionality of the other sex. † She encourages women to think independently and to not let a man’s judgment hinder their potential.

Medical School Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Medical School - Personal Statement Example And I believed that with all my heart, that doing something else would make me both happy and rich. Because of such dreams of grandeur I took a liking to engineering and business courses, thinking that one day I might strike gold and become rich and famous like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet. However, my dreams of becoming rich and famous by being a businessman or an engineer came to an end when I realized that I had no sure way of achieving those goals. I just accepted the fact that I had too many selfish hopes and high dreams with unrealistic expectations. As I went through high school, I happened to discover that my strengths actually lie in my interest in the field of biology, especially of the human body. My interest of the human body was greatly influenced by my father, a well-respected physician. As a child I could remember him talking about the cases that he worked on, and even bringing me to the hospital to get close to the action. My efforts to defy what my parents wish for failed, as I realized that what they push me to do was actually my personal calling. My decision to volunteer at a hospital and a walk-in clinic solidified my choice of becoming a doctor, especially the unique experiences that I had while being there. What inspired me even more to press on becoming a doctor was the fact that the clinic I volunteered in was a non-profit charity organization, and that everyone was putting their lives on the line by helping the neediest among the needy, the poorest of the poor. The case of Michael Thornton, a patient with a painful case of osteoarthritis in his finger joints moved me the most. After telling the secretary about his complaint, he was promptly attended to by Dr. Al i, the physician on-duty. Seeing the look of relief and joy in Michael’s face after getting treatment made me realize that this was what kept my father going as a physician. Realizing that fulfillment as a doctor is possible after seeing the relief and the

Management dissertation 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management dissertation 1 - Essay Example The policies and the practices within the organizational framework depend highly on its ability to adapt itself within an intensified competitive environment. (Dragun, n.d) In this research, a definite identical step has been taken forward in order to establish Sainsbury’s customer service taking in view both theoretical and its practical implications. Literally speaking on the prompt customer services (Heller, 2005) provided by different organizations largely depends on the motivation of the entities within the organization. (Xu, 2007) (Thomas, 2004) Management at Sainsbury has been on a constant lookout for maintaining quality and price in the various food products. (Analysis on the key factors affecting motivation of the staff at Sainsbury’s and the effect it has upon customer service, n.d) (Integrated Marketing Communications Campaign on behalf of Sainsbury’s, 2010) Both go hand-in-hand for better customer satisfaction. Customer needs (Heller, 2005) and speci fications are taken into consideration in formulating quality and price. This has invariably shown in their consistent sales performance with total sales reaching higher than 20K mark in the 2009 fiscal. (Annual Report and Financial Statements, 2009) Before carrying out a steady study on the stated issue it becomes important to have a review of the literature on such topic for consideration. (Corporate Objectives, 2009) Therefore, the following paper would lead to a sincere effort of understanding and verifying in fulfilling the objectives the paper is up to. The literature review discussion is followed by methodology, findings and analysis. Finally a summary of the whole study with a conclusion is stated. The main aim is to identify the managerial implementation in terms of marketing, selling, advertising and service standards communicated to potential customers at Sainsbury. In short, Service Quality (SERVQUAL) is

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in marketing communication Literature review

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in marketing communication - Literature review Example This paper presents a review of the literature followed by a critical analysis and commentary on the role of celebrity endorsement in marketing communication plans and the extent to which celebrity endorsement approach has been able to attain the underlying goals of the business. The review of historical facts reveal that the people in the professions of art and culture, sports and public events have attained the status of celebrity by virtue of their performance that entertained the public and touched their hearts. It was during the start of the twentieth century that the status of celebrity of the well known figures in various professional fields started to diffuse in the societies and influenced their livelihood. The business sector and the industries viewed this trend of celebrity impact on the society as useful opportunities that could positively impact the growth of their business (Shimp and  Andrews, 2013, p.47). The funnel approach in developing marketing communication plan by the companies took into consideration the various factors like awareness, interest, consideration, intent and evaluation by the customers that influences the decision making for purchase of the products and services. The impact of the celebrity image and the fan following asp ect was identified to be a useful factor that could boost the marketing and selling of the products and services (Silvera and Austad, 2004, p.1515). The review of the literature reveals that from the time of 1970s to 1990s the economies in the Asia Pacific, South Asia, disintegrated Soviet Union started to undertake economic reforms that led to the process of globalization and the increase in international competition in the various sectors of business (Byrne, Whitehead and Breen, 2003, p.288). In order to take strategic measures for market penetration, sustenance of market share and retention of customers, the business houses prepared

The Benchmarking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Benchmarking - Research Paper Example Among the many quality tools being used, benchmarking is the tool or approach â€Å"that is accelerating among many firms that have adopted the total quality management (TQM) philosophy.† (â€Å"Benchmarking†, n. d.). Benchmarking helps the organizations to find the correct solutions by following the best practices of other organizations. That is, by evaluating the best or even the relevant practices of the other organizations that operate in their organizational sector or in other sectors, and which has faced similar challenges and situations, a particular organization can find their own solutions. This approach is being followed by many real organizations, and many of them are getting sizable benefits, although there some limitations to it. This paper focusing on the quality tool of Benchmarking will discuss its historical background, working principles, main benefits, and limitations, even while elaborating about its application by case studying two organizations, Xe rox and Southwest Airlines. Although, benchmarking, as the term and as an approach, is being used in various organizational sectors from Information technology to various technologically advanced sectors, it seems ironic that it could have been originated from the manual labor-centric shoemaking industry. That is, in earlier times, cobblers would place a client’s foot on a â€Å"bench† and â€Å"mark† it out to make the pattern for the shoes, and also to measure the sizes, and â€Å"this pattern became a reference point for the cobbler and helped ensure a better fit.† (Ohab, 2011). From those beginnings, this practice of checking the best practices of others, and replicating it was carried out by various people and organizations throughout the 20th century, irrespective of the sectors. For example, Henry Ford created the assembly line in his car manufacturing units, â€Å"after taking the tour of a Chicago slaughterhouse and watching carcasses hung on hooks mounted on a monorail mo ve from one workstation to another†.

The couses of increasing the crime in the UK (just in the UK) Essay

The couses of increasing the crime in the UK (just in the UK) - Essay Example It differs from simply citing poverty or racism as the cause of crime because it includes almost all social components including the family, social institutions such as school, the community, peer groups and home life. The concept of being "socially excluded" can also take into account economic and political exclusion, such as unemployment and immigration status, as well as lack of access to medical care, housing, policing and security. (Young, J, 'Crime and Social Exclusion'). The effect of social exclusion on crime is evident. Richard Garside (2008) reports in the Guardian that there were no homicides in 2007 in more prosperous areas of London, whereas other more impoverished areas accounted for 46 alone. The Londoners who are socially included are safer, whereas "those living in the capital's poorer neighbourhood's appear to be at much greater risk of homicide than those living in its leafier, richer suburbs." To look at the causes of crime this way makes it a social problem rather than an individual problem; in other words, it is viewed as a symptom of the society we live in rather than the situation of an isolated individual. But those who research crime in the U.K. differ in how they interpret the cause of social exclusion. Some assert that people are self-excluded; that is, the fault lies within themselves and their lack of motivation can be traced to their dependency on the welfare state. Under this scenario, even if there were jobs available, they wouldn't take them. Another theory is that the individual doesn't lose the motivation to work but doesn't have the capacity to look for work due to lack of positive role models. Then there's the third theory that may best explain the increase in crime: that economic decline over the last few decades has been so extreme and jarring that it thrust many in the category of social exclusion. It used to be that one could count on a lifetime employment with a good company and a sense of security. Now, due to downsizing, outsourcing and widespread unemployment, work is much more temporary and contractual. This adds a great deal of insecurity and creates a larger underclass of the stigmatized unemployed who are often paraded in the media as drug dealing criminals separate from those in the "leafier, richer suburbs". That dichotomy of exclusion/inclusion combined with media amplification led to one of the most famous and effective enunciation of crime policy by any politician, former Prime Minister Tony Blair's slogan, "Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime." (King 2008, p. 137). It ushered in the Labour Party after a string of defeats. It emulated that of the United States with its emphasis on enforcement as opposed to rehabilitation. The implication was that the government would take a two-pronged attack on crime: enforcement and prevention. The framework of social exclusion, prevention and enforcement led the Home Office department of the government to pursue sweeping solutions to a myriad of interrelated causes. When examining the problem of youth and crime, risk factors and causes include a troubled home life, including absent parents and volatility; truancy and failing at school; mental illness; drug and alcohol abuse; poor housing and homelessness; and peer group pressure. Because the government sees the causes of crime as multi-dimensional and social in nature, the solution it comes up with is similarly expansive and social. The youthful offender is like

The movie essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The movie - Essay Example It is important to note and mention that the all the political parties, the Republicans and the Democrats are never willing to cross the aisle or compromise their tough political stance at the expense of national issues and good. A practical instance of this situation as captioned in the movies shows a Republican member of the houses heckling down President Obama. At the very minimum, he ought to have shown respect and reverence to the head of state, but the fact that he heckles shows the level of intolerance, tough stance and hate along political party lines. The movie also explains the enmity or difficult to agree or compromise to the fact that the elected politicians gather in rallies to vent out hatred towards to their opponents of other different parties. Thus, the movie represents the level of intolerance by the public due to political party loyalty. It is thus safe to assert and mention that it is the political parties which got use â€Å"here.† Specifically, it is the Republican Party and the Democratic Party which got the political landscape and environment to be that heated and divisive. It is the political parties that are also able and capable of getting the country out of the acrimonious state of affairs. Borrowing an example from the past, where political parties would have their members live in Washington to a state where they were friends and developed working relationship. In the seventies and eighties, all the congress members regardless of their political parties lived in Washington for a long period of time to the extent where they tore down their political acrimony and tough stance (Iyengar and Hahn, 19). As a remedy, the movie alludes that the political parties ought to tone down their loyalty of political parties and compromise on issues of relevance and national importance. The media and internet by extension has also helped to fuel the political divide

Operations Management - Toyota Corporation In China Coursework

Operations Management - Toyota Corporation In China - Coursework Example China is such market. In the past, the Chinese market was quite attractive for organizations in different industries; the specific market has been very popular especially for firms operating in the manufacturing sector. This market has attracted the interest of Japanese firms, which have been aware of the market’s prospects, mostly because of its size. However, through the years, the terms of operations in the Chinese market have been differentiated. The increase of wages and taxes has reduced the level of profit. Still, the Chinese market is quite important for firms operating in the manufacturing industry. Toyota has entered the Chinese market about 30 years before. Initially, the growth of the firm in the specific market has been impressive. However, gradually, the firm’s performance in China has been declined, a fact which has been mostly related to the failures in the firm’s operational strategy. The recent efforts of the firm to upgrade its operational stra tegy and develop a research and development unit in China are expect to highly benefit the organizational performance offering to the organization a competitive advantage towards its rivals.Introduction Because of the continuous expansion of globalisation, the decisions of firms to expand their activities internationally are highly depended on the perspectives available in regard to business activities in each country. China can be characterized as one of the strongest countries worldwide in terms of its financial perspectives. The last decade, the rapid development of entrepreneurial activities across China has led to the increase of the country’s competitiveness in the global market. At the same time, the fixed exchange rate, which the country’s policy makers have initiated, has further supported the development of the country as a popular destination for businesses of all types (Horch 2009). However, the fixed exchange rate in China has not helped towards the control of inflation, which in 2008 has reached the level of 8.5%, the highest level since 1996 (Rongala 2008). The relationship between the fixed exchange rate and inflation in China explains the following phe nomenon: firms and capital from many countries worldwide have entered the Chinese market in order to enjoy the benefits of the country’s fixed exchange rate policy (Horch 2009). However, through the years, the increase of inflation, which resulted because of the above policy, led to the increase of manufacturing costs across the country (Rongala 2008). As a result, manufacturing cos

Citizen Journalism compared to Professional Journalism Research Paper

Citizen Journalism compared to Professional Journalism - Research Paper Example Equipment issues as well, the entire aspect of Citizen Journalism takes a nosedive at times. However, the results that come out are astounding to state the least. Citizen Journalism is on the rise as it has brought in measures which ask of the Professional Journalism domains to be more vibrant and set things rolling in a proper way. Sadly this has not happened and for all the wrong reasons, there have been serious shortcomings in the wake of the journalism regimes. Citizen Journalism is different as it facilitates a connection between the viewers of these news channels and the organization that takes the clips and videos of the novices and amateurs to air it on television. One shall believe that Citizen Journalism is something that has brought in a good amount of success for these news channels in the time and age of today. And there is reason enough to believe such a premise. One shall believe that Citizen Journalism is indeed the twilight of the press freedom that these news channels talk about. It has helped the people to find out news items and clippings which are covered by different people from varied walks of life and has made them aware of the weaknesses that exist within any society of the world (Gade 2001). There is an important manifestation of the social issues which have come to light once the realms of Citizen Journalism have become prominent and more so with the competitive world of news channels today, this phenomenon has taken more significance now than ever before. The different coverage and techniques have included the use of a single Handycam for shooting purposes and a computer to edit the file that has been shot.

Prejudice on to kill a mockingbird 1 Essay Example for Free

Prejudice on to kill a mockingbird 1 Essay Prejudice is a negative aspect of society that has unfavorably affected many different people. In the novel, racial prejudice is evident but there are more types of prejudice on the novel. We said that racial prejudice is evident because in the novel a black man (Tom Robinson) was caused from raping a woman named Mayella Ewell and therefore had to go to trial. There were many points of view with regard to the case of Tom Robinson, but of course all influenced by prejudice because the color of Tom. The people of Maycomb town thought that Tom was guilty. Atticus and children (Scout, Jem, and Dill) thought that he was innocent. When we read this we can see that the prejudice is an important theme in the novel. For this reason it is necessary to make an analysis of this topic. People of Maycomb town always knew what the verdict of the trial was going to be (the judicial system was full of prejudice), even though some of them deep down knew that Tom was innocent, he don’t rape Mayella. [1]. Maycomb, like most small southern towns, has a problem with widespread racism (type of prejudice) toward African American people. As Maycomb was a small town with little or no new residents, people living there formed prejudices about various families over the generations. Social prejudice in Maycomb caused families to be stereotyped, which had a negative impact on members of those various families as it caused their character to become ‘fixed’ just by their household name. It also had a negative impact on the individual residents of Maycomb, causing them to have unequal treatment. An example of this prejudice is the rejection attitude of the town to Boo Radley, only because he is a Radley . Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird can be categorized into three forms, social prejudice, racial prejudice and gender prejudice.

Dufays Nuper Rosarum Flores Analysis

Dufays Nuper Rosarum Flores Analysis Guillaum Dufay [Dufay] is described in Guillaume Dufay and the early Renaissance-Howard Mayer Brown as the greatest of the early 15th-century Burgundian composers and one of the great figures in the history of western European music. He is credited as being mainly responsible for initiating the Renaissance [meaning rebirth] in music. Nuper rosarum flores is among the most spectacular musical creations of the period. Giannozzo Manetti, who was a politician, described the first performance of Du Fays Nuper rosarum flores as follows- ...it seemed as though the symphonies and songs of the angels and of divine paradise had been sent forth from Heaven to whisper in our ears an unbelievable celestial sweetness [The Renaissance Idea of Wisdom. by Eugene F. Rice, Jr.] In this essay I will discuss the musical background, function and characteristics of Dufays Nuper rosarum flores. Background In order to understand the musical background of Nuper rosarum flores it is necessary to examine the composer and his music. Dufay was born in 1397 and raised by his mother. It is not certain whether he actually ever knew his father but it would seem that his father was not involved in his life. Dufay spent his early life in Cambrai living with a relative who was a canon of the Cambrai Cathedral, which is situated in Northern France. He became a choir boy at aged 12 and his musical talents quickly impressed. By 1418 he was already a priest and a sub-deacon. In 1428 he joined a papal choir, which was considered a great honour and was one of the highest positions for a musician during the fifteenth century. It is right to recognise that most 15th Century composers were trained as choir boys and many Cathedrals and chapels taught not only singing but also music theory, grammar, mathematics and other subjects. This was only the privilege of men as women did not have such an opportunity. Whilst some Nuns and Novices in convents did receive some musical instruction only a very few were ever regarded as distinguished composers. [ Music in the Renaissance -The History of Modern Music] Dufay quickly became a well-known and much respected composer. He travelled frequently across Europe spending a great deal of time in Italy introducing him to perhaps the most advanced musical thinking of his time which influenced much of his writing. He was Chapel master between 1433-35 and again 1437-39 at the Court of Amadeus VIII, King Duke of Savoy. In 1439 a Church council deposed the then Pope and elected Amadeus as Pope. Dufay escaped from the conflict this created and returned to his principal home in Cambrai where he was ultimately appointed Canon of the Cathedral. [ England and Burgundy in the 15th Century, a History of western Music-J Peter Burnholder, Donald Jay Grout Claude Palisca] Dufays musical background enabled him to write a lot of relatively short sacred pieces, in Latin, the function of which was to accompany the liturgical service of the Mass as well as a number of longer and more detailed motets especially dedicated to the Virgin Mary resembling chant. Many musicians and historians suggest that his most impressive and most complex compositions were his isorhythmic motets which were written for a particular historical occasion or a grand occasion like the wedding of a prince; the signing of a peace treaty; or as was the case with Nuper rosarum flores [The Rose Blossoms] the dedication of a Church. Nuper rosarum flores is seen by many musicologists and historians as a truly brilliant isorhythmic motet. Simply explained the definition of an Isorhythm [Greek for the same rhythm] is a musical technique that arranges a fixed pattern of pitches with a repeating rhythmic pattern and a Motet is an unaccompanied choral work. The isorhythmic motet was intended to be sung as part of the church service. According to McComb, Todd M.- Guillaume Dufay (1397-1474) A discography. During his lifetime Dufay completed seven masses, 28 individual Mass movements, 27 hymns, 22 motets (13 isorhythmic), in addition to a variety of additional pieces from plainchant to secular pieces, all of which were spectacular. Before he died Dufay wrote a Requiem mass [now said to be lost] to be sung at his funeral and asked for the best singers from the cathedral sing his motet Ave regina caelorum [Hail, Queen of Heaven] to him on his deathbed. By the time of his death in 1474 Dufay was an extremely wealthy man. He was buried in the chapel of St. Etienne in the cathedral of Cambrai. His portrait was carved onto his tombstone which is now in a museum in Lille. His music survives because nearly 100 manuscripts were copied in Europe between 15th and 16 the Century to preserve them. Had that not have happened his works would have been lost as existing only in his mind. Thankfully in the late 19th and early 20th Century Dufays music was revived and many of the works were edited and transcribed into modern notation and published again for future generations to enjoy. [Guillaume Dufay and the early Renaissance-Howard Mayer Brown] Function The particular function for which Nuper rosarum flores was commissioned was the consecration of the Cathedral della Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. The piece was written by Dufay especially for this grand occasion and it was probably the first piece of music that greeted Pope Eugene IV as he entered the Cathedral as the piece forms part of the Introit (Latin for entrance) for the commencement of the Mass and used as the clergy process into the church and up to the High alter. In fact, the two tenor voices support the whole structure of the piece which is based on a Gregorian cantus firmus melody which was historically used for the consecration of most Christian churches. The piece, Nuper rosarum flores is a plea to St. Mary of Flowers [as the Virgin Mary was known by the population of Florence], by offering the church to her and asking for her perpetual intercession for her Florentine people. It is widely thought that the dimensions and musical structure of the motet was composed by Dufay with direct reference to the precise measurements and proportions of the cathedral dome, which was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, one of the most famous architects and engineers of the Italian Renaissance. These proportions have been described in this named web based reference as sacred geometry. (AmaranthPublishing.com/dufay) In order to ensure that the piece would meet the high expectation for the function for which it was commissioned, Dufay had to carry out a lot of historical research so that it would work in a modern setting. It would appear that he did this by joining the musical ideas of the Middle Ages with those of the Renaissance and ancient Greece to produce a totally unique piece of music, rather like Brunelleschi had achieved with his dome design, namely to design the dome in a traditional but modern way for that time period. Characteristics The characteristics of Nuper rosarum floreis that of an isorhythmic motet. As stated above an isorhythm composition is one in which a musical technique has a musical arrangement that has a fixed pattern of pitches with a repeating rhythmic pattern. In Nuper rosarum floreis the repeats are in different meters. As Dufay had decided to mix the traditions of the Middles Ages with the ideas of the Renaissance and Ancient Greece this style produced a piece that is seen as more progressive rather than structured. The voices become more and more independent as the piece progresses, unlike in earlier periods where the pieces were heavily structured and had to keep to a certain time signature. It was deliberately notated so that the music increased in volume and therefore did not rely on the structure for this increase. As there are no dynamics on the score the singers had to put in the dynamics themselves. The two tenor parts both still use the original notation of the Gregorian Neumes whilst the Triplum and Motetus use the new notation of crotchets and minims. It is easy to see why there is continued reference to the architecture of the dome when one examines the characteristics of Nuper rosarum floreis because Dufays way of writing re fers back to the old and incorporates the new just like the design for the building the dome on the Cathedral. Nuper rosarum flores is a mensuration canon which means that the main melody is accompanied by one or more imitations of that melody in other voices at different speeds. Accompanying voices may enter simultaneously or successively, as in Le Ray Au Soleyl by Johannes Ciconia,circa late 14c [Harvard anthology of music-Harvard University press 1949]. A very good example can be found in Josquins Agnus Dei [fig 1] each voice sings the same music but at different speeds. This is achieved as follows; the slowest voice is that found in the middle, the lowest voice sings the same music but at twice the speed of the slowest and the highest voice sings the same music at three times the speed of the slowest. This allows the upper voices to move more freely and in a way that can easily be heard. [fig 1 Josquins Agnus Dei] The name for the rhythmic patterns found in Nuper rosarum flores is taleas. A taleas is a freely invented rhythmic pattern which repeats each time in a different meter. The meter is probably better known as the time signature. The rhythm repeats four times and is twenty eight primary measures long. While many might say that the isorhythm was common in the fifteenth century, especially for large occasional pieces, it is also correct to say that music styles were changing rapidly in the 15th century. Another characteristic of this piece is that there are two tenor lines. Each has different rhythmic patterns which retain their own rhythms each time they are repeated. Tenor 1 has 14.5 measures of rest while Tenor 2 has 14 measures of rest. The tenors do not sing at the same time as the upper voices. Here Dufay is displaying the use of contrasting textures. The upper voices are fast moving while the tenors are slow moving. There is an exact balance of the two sections. The duets last 14 primary measures as do the full voices. These contrasting textures became an essential development of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. These full voiced sections were described as tutti [Howard M Brown Music in the Renaissance (1986) ] reflecting the progressive quality of the music of the seventeenth century and later. Another characteristic is that the piece involves the technique referred to as isomelic. Isomelic is a general term identifying reappearances of the same or similar melodic material in the upper voices at corresponding locations with respect to the divisions of the tenor. [Samuel E Brown, Jr New Evidence of Isomelic Design in Dufays Isorythmic Motets (Journal of the American Musicological Society  © 1957] Dufays musical style was without doubt unique and the composition of Nuper rosarum flores was complex and it is here where it was believed that the proportions in which the repeats were written represented the structure of the cathedral. This is where once again music and architecture meet. Having said that not all historians share the view of the association between Nuper rosarum flores with the cathedral dome. The musical piece acquired renewed interest as recently as 1973 as the result of the discovery by Charles Warren of a strong connection between its musical structure and the dimensions and proportions of the new Cathedral arguing that the unique set of ratios of the piece corresponded to the large-scale architectural dimensions of the Cathedral i.e the nave, crossing, apse, and dome. However, this view was not widely accepted and in an article in 1993 by Craig Wright he suggests that the piece more accurately reflects the mystical numbers of Solomons Temple whose overall length, length of nave and sanctuary, and height were 60:40:20:30 cubits [ the durational ratio is 6:4:2:3 in the piece] Another article written in an attempt to restore Warrens theory was written by M. Trachtenberg and found in, Architecture and Music Reunited: A New Reading of Dufays Nuper Ros arum Flores and the Cathedral of Florence, Renaissance Quarterly 54 (2001), 740-775. Thus the mystery continues. Conclusion Dufays music defined the central style of the music of the 15th century. He changed the overall sound by the use of four voice textures, a defining moment being the performance of Nuper rosarum flores at the consecration of Florence Cathedral. He lived in a period of great musical change in Europe. Dufay, in many respects, paved the way for future composers to use greater imagination and ingenuity in musical composition. (Ogan, 2001) Charlotte Lynch 26th October 2010.

Why are brands are important?

Why are brands are important? Introduction : Today the brand is a word which we always hear, it has one important place in our societies. However, few people could define really what is the brand. This difficulty shows that the brand is a complex word, sending back in notion highly varied such as the psychology, the sociology, the finance, etc. As regards the marketing aspect, we often tend to confuse product and brand. Whereas the brand bases itself more particularly on (the image, the sensibility, a mission). We can ask ourself, what is a brand? In a definition, Georges Lewi, eminent specialist of the brand says that its the name and the group of the signs of a product, a service, a company that have for vocation to impose by their fame, market share, added value on a defined market segment. More and more, the brands have taken of importance in the management, and more particularly in the marketing. We noticed that the brand is not only a factories, products, but also the brand had a physical value, emotional value and especially financial. The measure of this value called the equity brand. The first is the financiers who show an attention on this notion of brand equity in the 80s. We saw that Perrier had been buy by Nestlà © for 2,4 billion euro, Coca-Cola had offered 800 million euro for the acquisition of Orangina which was worth for only 200 million euro, or sold Buitoni 35 times its profits. From then on, we cannot deny the importance of the brand equity, and the brand in generally, indeed it allows to build a credibility at the consumers, at the investors, and all the company. In this essay we talk about brand equity. In a first time we see that the brand equity has been a attention topic by the academic and practitioner. And after we are going to try to find the most brand equity model in terms of understanding consumer brand perceptions. 2-brand equity interest More of $50 million, it is the considerable costs of introducing a brand into a consumer market. It is a considerable investment and like most investments carries no guarantee of success. The recession focussed marketing managers on cost-saving tactics to increase competitiveness. One of the most important effects was to make brand extensions more compelling. Leveraging the brand equity of a successful brand promises to make introduction of a new entry less costly by trading on an established name. Since the early 1990s, The concept of brand equity has been the subject of a number of studies academics practitioners and academics primarily due to the importance in todays maintaining, marketplace of building and using brands to obtain strategic advantage. The brand equity has been described frequently as the value a brand name adds to a product and this concept refers to the basic idea that a products value to consumers, the firm and the trade is somehow enhanced when it is associated or identified over time with a set of unique elements that define the brand concept. Distinctly, such brand equity endowments come from current or potential consumer learning which influences how the product is encoded and behaved upon by consumers. It stands to reason that such learning is dynamic and influences consumer choice processes and outcomes either directly or indirectly by influencing the effectiveness of the branded products marketing mix elements. This increasing interest observed both in the literature and in the practice for the notion of leading capital is initially aroused for manager reasons. Indeed the managers to face up to a less and less stable request in markets, a more and more intense and international competition, faster and faster technological changes and more and more powerful distributors today. In these conditions of a turbulent market, an option consists in abandoning the marketing and commercial shares on the short-term profits and in adopting a vision longer term based on the construction of powerful brands that is a strong leading capital (Czellar and Denis, 2002). Another reason has also contributed to this interest for the brand equity. Kapferer see in 1998 that the mergers and acquisitions of companies which occurred during the last years, has stir up the problem of the financial evaluation of the value of assets of the firm in generally and the assets of the brands in particular.Two levels of analysis of brand equity are possible: the study of brand equity as value for the consumers customer-based equity brand or as financial value for firms firm-based equity brand . The concept of brand equity have been different definitions in the literature. Aaker defined in 1991 the brand equity as a set of brand assets and liabilities linked to a brand, its name and symbol, that add to or subtract from the value provided by a product or service to a firm ,or to the firms customers. In 1993 Keller proposed a cognitive psychology perspective, distinctive customer-based brand equity as the differential effect that brand knowledge has on consumer response to the marketing of that brand. In 1998 Erdem and Swait, dopting an information economics view, they argue that consumer-based brand equity is the value of a brand as a credible signal of a products position. More generally, Farquhar (1989) see that the brand equity is often referred to as the added value to the firm, the trade, or the cons umer with which a brand endows a product, or likewise, as the difference between the value of the product without that branding and the value of the branded product to the consumer (McQueen, 1991). Finally the brand equity has been subject attention because the many studies of consumer brand in different market show that successful brand extensions spent less on advertising than comparable new name products. Considering the savings and against the costs, brand extension may seem like a good alternative for some firm. This concept brand equity is today again one point of discord between the academics and practitioners. So the brand equity will be always a topic studie. Offshore Enterprise in Cyprus: Business Plan Offshore Enterprise in Cyprus: Business Plan

The Knife :: essays research papers

It all started on a warm Saturday afternoon. My parents decided that we should go out on the boat that afternoon. So we changed into our swimsuits, got our beach towels, and finally piled into the van for the drive to the cabin. The cabin, where my grandparents live, is where we park our boat. Their house is about a mile from lock and dam fourteen on the Iowa side.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My grandparents were away on a lustrous journey when we arrived. My dad went to fuel the boat, my mom loaded the boat with food for the day, and I went to go whittle on the roof of the garage. I went into the garage and got my filet knife out of my tackle box. Then went around to the back, climbed the fence, and got onto the roof. I had done this several times before and liked this place because it was serene and peaceful.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I took a branch off the great oak tree that stood before me and began carving. Suddenly, the knife slipped off the fresh, smooth, moist wood and sliced into my leg for what seemed like an eternity. It hurt for what seemed like a decade, but was only a few seconds. After I realized what happened, I rushed down off the roof to get my mother. As I was climbing down from the roof, it began to pulse and hurt again. The wound was beginning to bleed profusely from the movement. Luckily, my mother was just leaving the house as I got down from the roof. â€Å"Mom, would you be mad if I cut myself?† Because of the blood on my finger, she thought I had cut my finger and needed a Band-Aid. â€Å"No, of course not, do you need a Band-Aid?† I then showed her the great gash on my leg. â€Å"Go into the house while I get your father!† I went inside and waited†¦ â€Å"Lie down on the floor while I get some towels to stop the bleeding,† he said calmly. With the bleeding under control he carried me to the van and rushed to the hospital emergency room.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inside the emergency room, we waited for nearly an hour before seeing a doctor. Finally, we were escorted back by a nurse to see the doctor. Then after about another half-hour the doctor came in. The cut was about two and a half inches long and one inch deep, so it was a nice one as the doctor said.

Expansion Of Government Power :: essays research papers

Expansion of Government Power During the Civil War and Reconstruction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Contrary to what I believed in the past, the United States federal government retained and expanded their power and authority during the years of the Civil war along with the period of Reconstruction. Through drafts and monitored elections, they exercised this power during the Civil War. Then, as Reconstruction began, they initiated other methods of increasing their authority over the citizens. Military was placed in Southern states, by the federal government, in order to keep control over the rebellious people. Not only that, but, the idea of putting the federal government in charge of Reconstruction and rebuilding an entire nation gave them an enormous amount of power. Finally, the creation of the 14th and 15th Amendment were two more big achievements on the part of the government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the month of April of 1862, the government issued the first draft of the Civil War. Throughout the war, they put out drafts because so many men were needed to fight. Citizens were expected to obey these orders, and as the war progressed, it was harder and harder for men to avoid fighting for their country. Towards the end, the government began forcing almost every able man to enlist in the army. Men of ages 17-50 were drafted in the South (20-45 in the North); bodies were needed. And the government made sure that they got what they needed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Along with drafts, the federal government also monitored elections in order to control who the people were voting for. Ballots only contained candidates which were appropriate according to the government, and various colored slips were associated with the different nominees. Everyone could see what color slip everyone else was holding, and people holding slips that they â€Å"weren’t supposed to† were later caught and punished.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The power of the federal government can also be seen during Lincoln’s presidency at the time of the Civil War. He swayed the entire purpose of the war to something far off from what had been the initial purpose. From fighting for the preservation of the Union, Northerners readily began to accept that the abolition of slavery was the cause of the war for them, not the Union. Lincoln and his power made this happen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Reconstruction began, our government was given the full responsibility of rebuilding and revising many areas of our nation. That is some incredibly power– having the authority to change an entire country to what they thought was correct.

Free Essays on All’s Quiet on the Western Front :: All Quiet on the Western Front Essays

All’s Quiet on the Western Front Lewis Milestone’s â€Å"All’s Quiet on the Western Front†, based on Erich Remarque’s novel, is an incredibly disturbing and effective anti-war film. The grainy black and white film is still not outdated and carries a breathtaking initial impact. The prologue that introduces the film gives its anti-war intentions immediately and beautifully. â€Å"This story is neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war...† â€Å"All’s Quiet on the Western Front† includes a series of vignettes and scenes that portray the senselessness and futility of war from the point of view of young German soldiers in the trenches in the Great War who found no glory on the battlefield, meeting only death and disillusionment. The film brilliantly portrays the war with no enemy’s, just people and relationships. It is the story of friends, Paul Baumer (Lew Ayres) and his friends joining the war through propaganda, and leaving through death. The most unforgettable scene is the final moments of the film, just before the "all quiet on the western front" armistice and with all of his comrades gone, soldiers are bailing water out of a dilapidated trench. The faint sound of a harmonica can be heard. Paul is sitting alone, daydreaming inside the trench on a seemingly peaceful, bright day. He is exhausted by terror and boredom. Through the gunhole of his trench, he sees a beautiful lone butterfly that has landed just beyond his reach next to a discarded tin can outside the parapet. He begins to carefully reach out over the protection of his bunker with his hand to grasp it, momentarily forgetting the danger that is ever-present. As he stretches his hand out yearning for its beauty, a distant French sniper prepares to take careful aim through a scope on a rifle. As he leans out closer to the butterfly and extends his hand, suddenly the sharp whining sound of a shot is heard.

Dispute on Employee Motivation

Arnold Bright is the Director of Human Resources at Company XYZ, in the same industry as Company ABC. John Chaplin has recent joined Company XYZ as Human Resources Manager. A recent graduate with a major in Organizational Behavior, he presents new ideas to Bright almost everyday. But, Chaplin has a speech disorder. He stammers, and cannot make himself clear at all times. A week back, Bright and Chaplin began to argue about employee motivation. Bright informed Chaplin that their company has the budget to enhance employee motivation with the best motivation enhancement program in the industry.He was referring to the use of Company ABC’s motivation enhancement program for its employees. Company ABC happens to be a leader in the industry, after all. Yet, Chaplin asserted that Company XYZ should develop its own employee motivation enhancement program with new research on the needs of employees at Company XYZ in particular. The argument turned into a dispute because Bright refused t o agree with Chaplin. The latter was threatened that he would be fired if he fails to follow Bright’s instructions to implement Company ABC’s program. The Problem:Chaplin would lose his job if he does not agree to implement Company ABC’s program for employee motivation enhancement in Company XYZ. He knows, however, that his boss has an amenable personality. Thus, Chaplin would like to provide further information to Bright. He firmly believes that Bright has to be explained why it is best for Company XYZ to develop its own employee motivation enhancement program based on new research on its employees’ needs. After all, Chaplin is aware of latest research in the field of Organizational Behavior. Should Company XYZ implement Company ABC’s motivation enhancement program?Organizational behavior theories are known to differ as to what motivates employees, but not necessarily because the essential characteristics of all employees are varied across organiz ations and industries. Rather, the motivational needs of employees differ from organization to organization because separate work situations, ethics and settings, in addition to their interaction with individual personalities, teams, and managements call for different employee needs to be prioritized. Employee motivation is simply referred to as an organizational method to satisfy employees in areas where they feel unsatisfied.Whereas poor health and safety conditions might be the Number One challenge to encounter in Company ABC, it is possible that the employees of Company XYZ would be more motivated by higher salaries. Moreover, the employees of Company XYZ may hold a collective opinion that their working conditions are the best in the industry. Given that job performance is a function of ability and motivation, it is appropriate to inquire into the needs of workers in order to employ the correct mix of employee motivation strategies to boost job performance, company-wide (â€Å" Employee Motivation†).As an example, the employees of the Piketon Research and Extension Center and Enterprise Center were asked about the main motivating factors at their particular workplace. According to research findings, the employees believed themselves to be motivated by the following in the order of importance: â€Å"a) interesting work, (b) good wages, (c) full appreciation of work done, (d) job security, (e) good working conditions, (f) promotions and growth in the organization, (g) feeling of being in on things, (h) personal loyalty to employees, (i) tactful discipline, and (j) sympathetic help with personal problems† (Lindner).Contrary to these findings, a peer reviewed study on employee motivation found that most employees across various organizations believe the following to be the chief motivators at the workplace: â€Å"enjoyment of the work; work/life balance; pay satisfaction; link between pay and performance;† and â€Å"adequate staffing level s† (Katcher). Thus, it appears essential to increase employee motivation only after inquiring into the main motivators in a specific organization.Also within a single organization, the blue collar workers are expected to be more motivated by an increase in pay, while the white collar employees might believe that enjoyment of work is most essential. In this case, the organization would have to divide up its employees in two separate groups to inquire into the particular motivators for the blue collar workers as opposed to the white collar employees.It is best, therefore, for employee motivation strategies to be based on group by group studies. Chaplin should write a memorandum to Bright with latest research on the subject. It is possible that the latter has misunderstood Chaplin because of his speech disorder. Chaplin knows that Company XYZ has the budget to conduct new research on its employees’ needs to enhance their motivation.He should also mention in his note to Bri ght that implementation of Company ABC’s employee motivation program may possibly waste the resources of Company XYZ. After all, it may very well be that employees at Company ABC have a different set of needs altogether. So, even though Company ABC is a business leader, Company XYZ should refrain from blindly following its programs without a scientific inquiry into its own business processes and workplace culture.

In The Heat Of The Night Essay

Choose a character from To Kill a Mockingbird, to write about. Here are some suggestions: *Scout Finch *Boo Radley *Atticus Finch *Jem Finch *Tom Robinson *Mayella Ewell *Dill Harris **Note†¦. All examples from In the Heat of the Night. Step 1 – Pre-Writing/Outline Brainstorm for several character traits, using the sheet(s) provided. Then, try to narrow down your search to THREE good traits. How do you pick the best three? Ask yourself the following questions: **Do the traits explain the character’s round personality overall? **Do the traits show the character’s dynamic personality (how they were at the beginning versus the end, for example)? In your outline, explain, reference, and analyze each of the traits from your brainstorming. You must use direct references from the text (quotations). Step 2 – Thesis Paragraph Grab the reader’s attention with a solid opening: †¢Ask a question †¢Use a good historical or literary quote †¢Make a bold statement Discuss what the story is about and give a bit of the plot. Introduces the character (write as if the reader has not read the novel): †¢Position in the story †¢Related to whom or friends with whom or enemy of whom †¢Protagonist/antagonist †¢Importance/significance Include a thesis statement which states the 3 traits you chose for you character. Albert Einstein once said, â€Å"You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.† Virgil Tibbs, the protagonist in the novel, In the Heat of the Night, by John Ball, must learn the rules of a small town in order to be heard and survive. The plot of In the Heat of the Night revolves around the murder of a well-known maestro in a small southern town, and also includes the many underlying human conflicts between the two main characters. Tibbs, a black investigator from California, and his relationship with the small town’s residents, including Sherriff Bill Gillespie and police office Sam Wood, create a subplot that becomes essential to the development of the story. The clash of ethnicity, personality and method of investigation becomes the essence of the story and creates an intense level of interest that compels the reader from beginning to end. It is through this intensity that Tibbs’s personality as a determined, intel ligent, and compassionate person shines through. Step 3 – Body Paragraphs For EACH Body Paragraph, you are going to carefully describe how each trait suits the character. Be aware that the order of the traits is critical. All of your traits should be strong, but you want to end your essay with the strongest. In addition, you may find that your traits seem to follow the  story chronologically. If so, then, you want to discuss the traits chronologically. Each body paragraph should looks like a SERAERAC paragraph. That means you will have two reasons to support each trait. S – States the character trait. E – Explains the character trait and how it relates to the character. R – Explicit reference supporting your explanation effectively integrated. A – Analysis of how the reference supports your statement. T – Transition E – â€Å"† R – â€Å"† A – â€Å"† C – Profound statement and/or transition to next body paragraph. Don’t forget to introduce new characters. Don’t just mention a character and expect the reader to know who you are talking about. Don’t forget to use good transitional devices at the beginning of the paragraph AND within the paragraph. Use the sheet provided to help you with this. Use a good transitional word or phrase to begin the subsequent paragraphs (body paragraphs 2, 3). From the moment Virgil Tibbs sets foot on soil of Wells, South Carolina, he shows his determined personality. After Bill Gillespie discovers the murder of Maestro Mantoli, he happens to stumble across Tibbs who is sitting at a train station waiting to catch a train and return home to California. At this point, both Sam Wood and the reader are unaware of Tibbs’s occupation as a police investigator. All we know is he is a â€Å"negro† and completely out of place in the predominantly white, racist town of Wells. But that does not stop him from being determined to prove his innocence to Gillespie back at the police department: â€Å"Where did you get all this dough?† [Gillespie] demanded, and rose just enough from the seat of his chair so that the prisoner could see his size. â€Å"I earned it,† [Tibbs] replied. â€Å"And what do you do in Pasadena, California, that makes you money like that?† The prisoner took the barest moment before he replied. â€Å"I’m a police officer,† he said. (19) In this particular scene, Tibbs does not show Gillespie or Sam any insincerity. He cuts right to the chase. A little later in the novel, he shows just how determined he is when he is resolved to find out who killed Maestro Mantoli. When Harvey Oberst, a 19-year-old man initially jailed for the murder because an officer found him with Mantoli’s wallet, is brought in, Tibbs is determined to convince Gillespie he has the wrong man because he analyzed the murder scene in detail and can decisively draw a conclusion: â€Å"How much more do you want?† Gillespie asked, his voice somewhat closer to a normal level for a change. â€Å"It eliminates the superficial motive,† Tibbs replied, â€Å"it means digging a little deeper. I expected it, but it is an advantage to see it confirmed.† â€Å"†¦Don’t tell me you bought [Oberst’s] story. I thought you were supposed to be a hotshot cop†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He’s innocent of the murder†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . (34) Unlike the officers around him, Tibbs digs deep to find the true meaning. Even when Tibbs is scrutinized by men like Gillespie, he refuses to back down, showing the importance of having a determined personality. Step 4 – Concluding Paragraph Sum up your ideas and say something poignant! Explain how the character traits benefitted or hindered the character (or both). Ultimately, how did the trait impact the character? Explain how the traits make the character admirable or detestable. Should we strive to be like him/her? Double space your work. Use 12 point, Times New Roman. Indent each paragraph. Do not leave an extra space between paragraphs. Have someone edit your work.

Definition of Failure

Hannah Goracke Dr. Young English Composition 101 26 September 2012 Failure Failure is an ambiguous term. Each person can define what it means to â€Å"fail† in a different way. Just as someone has their own standards of leading a successful life, they also have their own standards in terms of maybe leading a not so successful life. Within the word â€Å"failure† therein lays a few different meanings that may differ from person to person depending on his or her own opinion. Each person may have had a different experience with failure, which led him or her to believe what he or she does.Today, failure can be attached to three different ideas. First, failure can be defined as the opposite of success. Lost the race? You failed it. Got a 54 percent on your last math test? That’s failure. Whether this failure comes about as a result of laziness or just bad luck, this is the type of failure that we have been taught since we knew how to spell the word. It is the most com mon use of the word; if you were to ask a random stranger what â€Å"failure† meant to them, they would most likely correlate it with the word â€Å"success†.Failure is not success, it is failing to succeed. Still, there is another meaning of the word that takes on a more philosophical view. Failure, some may argue, is the actually the word used to describe the result of not trying. This definition has to do with the outcome the effort opposed to trying but not reaching a specific goal. Failing to do anything at all is failing to try. You want to run the race, but you don’t? Failure. Got a 54 percent on your math test? Technically failing, but did you try?If any sort of trying was involved, failure did not occur. Even by getting an F on the math test, there was still an A for effort. The third meaning may require a bit more explanation. The word â€Å"fail† has become quite commonplace in today’s society among young tween-age kids to teenagers. It has become a slang term, usually used in humorous situations. It is often used to kid or make fun of another or themselves when a small and funny mistake has been committed. It is almost always used in a joking manner.You overslept your alarm and missed your first class? Fail. That person left their blinker on for two miles after they turned? Fail. The word â€Å"fail† has become part of the young people’s generation. It is a term that is used very commonly among the teenagers of today. Failure can have multiple meanings. How it’s interpreted all depend on the person and the context of their situation. Someone who tried to complete a task but instead experienced failure might be bitter or optimistic depending on his or her outlook.Someone who is more pessimistic might repeat that failure is the opposite of success. Someone who has a more optimistic mindset would be able to look at the bigger picture understand that by failing to try, they decrease their chances of success exponentially. Failure has taken on another meaning as a popular slang term used by young people to describe a funny mistake. The term failure holds much ambiguity that depends on the perspective and experiences of the person putting it in use.

Relevance of Swami Vivekananda’s Thoughts in Management Education

Management education is a great beneficiary of Indian economic reform, where transformation from state controlled market to free market is imperative. In India, MBA degree has been perceived as a way of achieving assured careers and sound wages at early stage of life. The ambition of Indian youth today is to get a job in the business, industrial or service sectors and settle down well as early as possible. No doubt management education is needed an infusion of professional ability but the given value to society is equally important. Unfortunately, Management education in India has been so distorted and diluted in its execution as to lose nearly all the social intent. In whole spectrum, the role of intuition, value and social recognition gets short shrift in the Management education. Emphasis is only on the knowledge content, on which examination is conducted. All other useful knowledge areas and skills are vastly neglected. Like spiritual knowledge does not find an appropriate place in the curriculum. Therefore students have no opportunity to know about their faith, culture and values. The knowledge they gain is mainly bookish and is not backed by practical experience. About a century ago, Swami Vivekananda had envisioned a vision on education and had categorically pointed out that true education is not the amount of information that is put into one's brain. The human mind is not a bottomless dry well, which has to be filled in with buckets of information by the teacher. He had said that education has more to do with assimilation of ideas and developing ‘a mind of the same material as that of which the thunderbolt is made'. He suggested, was to be done with the help of ‘Western science coupled with Vedanta †¦ and faith in one's own Self'. What type of management education will provide this enlightenment? According to Swamiji, ‘The training by which the current and expression of will are brought under control and become fruitful is called education'. He wanted a man-making education ‘by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one's own feet'. Swamiji emphasized need of following points in education system. * Role of teacher * Spirituality * Accessibility of knowledge * Plural attitude Role of teacher Both the teacher and the student are active participants in the teaching-learning process. The teacher should look upon the student not as a mere physical being but as a living and dynamic mind that struggling to manifest the light of the infinite soul. The teacher should facilitate this process of self-discovery. Teacher should not try to fill the mind with information and knowledge only. Instead he should attempt to unfold the creativity within by stimulating and strengthening the mind. The teacher has to carefully nurture the conviction and faith in the mind of the students. Needless to say, teacher requires faith, patience, perseverance and firm conviction. This ideal of faith in oneself, or Atmashraddha, would be greatest gift of a teacher to the student. Spirituality Swami Vivekananda brings this out very clearly in his immortal works. He said: If there is any land on this earth that can lay claim to be the blessed Punya Bhumi †¦ the land where humanity has attained its highest towards gentleness, towards generosity, towards purity, towards calmness, above all, the land of introspection and of spirituality—it is India. †¦ the Indian race never stood for wealth. Although they acquired immense wealth, perhaps more than any other nation ever acquired, yet the nation did not stand for wealth. It was a powerful race for ages, yet we find that that nation never stood for power, never went out of the country to conquer. Quite content within their own boundaries, they never fought anybody. The Indian nation never stood for imperial glory. Wealth and power, then, were not the ideals of the race â€Å". Swami Ji enlightened that human peace and happiness depends not on the wealth they possess, or the power they wield, or the scholarship they have acquired, but by living a life of renunciation and having the awareness that they are part of the entire universe and that all constitute one family, V asudhaiva Kutumbakam. Accessibility of Knowledge Swami Ji emphasized on accessibility of education . He said: If the mountain does not come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain. If the poor cannot come to education, education must reach them at the plough, in the factory, everywhere. How? You have seen my brethren. Now I can get hundreds of such [all-renouncing sannyasins], all over India, unselfish, good, and educated. Let these men go from village to village bringing not only religion to the door of everyone but also education†. Students must also be educated about the social world—the nature of the society he lives in, the laws that guide it, and the culture it has evolved. Plural Attitude In era of globalization people are coming closer than ever to each other. People of different languages, beliefs, religious faiths, political convictions and ways of life have come to live closely. Everyone has a right to his way of life. Dogmatism and bigotry have no place in globalized world. Therefore management education must instill these qualities in students. Thus, Swami Ji's thoughts on education are like an ocean. The more we ponder the more we get. We have to pursue the ideas of Swami ji with a deep sense of commitment to achieve objectives of education.

Measures That Can Be Taken By Organization to Avoid Compulsory Essay

Measures That Can Be Taken By Organization to Avoid Compulsory Redundancy - Essay Example (Francis, 2001) At first, it is necessary to prepare a plan, reflecting strategy of carrying out redundancy, and the reasons for this measure. This plan is to be detailed and accurate and it should provide unity of managers' actions. Redundancy should not be selective or optional; it should be based on many objective factors, like skills or experience. Clear and objective criteria of selection demonstrate that the process is clear and all the employees have equal rights and position. (Burr, 1991) It is necessary to remember that such factor as past productivity of each employee is not objective. It may be regarded as beneficial for the company, but the result will be based upon appraisal of past performance that might have been carried out incorrectly throughout the company. (Ogden, 2004) It is known that the case of redundancy is one of the most painful events that may be experienced by the worker. Redundancy announcement inevitably affects his moral condition, work-related behavior, productivity and individual motivation. It is known Popular methods applied to avoid redundancy It is known that compulsory redundancy is one of possible measures taken in case business faces various problems. Of course, the company should observe and consider all measures that could resolve these problems, that could change business concept and that all causes of competitiveness loss were examined. "Failing to address workforce issues and driving the company into bankruptcy thus losing all jobs does not make sense". (Benyon, p. 14) There are some strategies that are regarded as the alternatives to compulsory redundancy. The specialists provide for the following list of these strategies: Natural wastage is non-hiring new workers in case old employees retire or leave the company, thus, reducing the number of employees. It can be effective where reductions are required across the entire workforce and over a prolonged period. Drawbacks include, the most able leave, attracting new talent causes resentment and turnover continues after achieving the desired workforce level. Stopping overtime - can be effective if it has become part of normal working practice. Drawbacks include, the differing impact on workforce groups and the subsequent difficulty in getting exceptional work requirements met. Early retirement measures - offer early retirement to volunteers. Drawbacks include the loss of some of the most experienced staff. Terminating temporary contracts - can be relatively quick to implement . Drawbacks can include insecurity for some workers, loss of supplier confidence and contractual penalties. Retraining or redeployment - this should always be explored in depth. It is more cost effective than compensation, recruitment and induction costs." Internal recruitment Recruitment freeze (Edwards, p. 50) Internal recruitment Internal recruitment is described as the situation "when a business recruits one of their current employees for another job within the business. For example, a person working on the cash desk of a shop might

Black Plague Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Black Plague - Essay Example The result was a change in the way that most focused on the urban development, specifically with a different perspective toward construction and use of materials. In the novel, â€Å"A Journal of the Plague Year,† by Daniel Defoe, there are references to how individuals began to think after the plague. The reference wasn’t only toward the outcomes and tragedies associated with the plague, but instead led to the beliefs that those who didn’t have the lower social status and misled construction also weren’t subjected to the outcome of the plague. This line of thinking is seen throughout the book, as well as the belief that the plague was a sign to restructure into the modern urban development. The way in which most began to think about the Black Plague after it had been stopped from overtaking Europe was based on preventative measures that wouldn’t allow another disease to take over the land. The objective became the need to find ways and means to cha nge society, specifically which would safeguard individuals from being weakened and dying from the plague. According to Huppert, there was an understanding that the society needed to change so it didn’t exceed the resources that were available. When the plague began to decrease in 1700, there was also a change in how many farmed and lived. This included smaller plots of lands, a focus on not having as large of populations in one place and living within confines that didn’t use as many natural resources.... There are references to the market that is in the city, specifically which is a sign of the plentiful ness of the country. There are references to several coming to town with large amounts and supplies of different items which could be used for those that were going to the market. However, during and after the plague, this began to change with constrained resources that could be monitored and widely used for those that were in need of food or other farm items. â€Å"Without interruption [they] came up to that market known still by the name of Bear – Key, where they supplied the City plentifully with Corn, when Land Carriage began to fail, and when the people began to be sick coming from many places in the country† (Defoe, 252: 1817). This shows the transition which was made between using the extra resources and the response to the plague from what happened to those who took advantage of the excess resources. Another concept which appears in Huppert’s recounts of the Black Plague and from the book is the rebuilding of both urban and rural society. The Black Plague was known to wipe out almost one-third of the population and led cities to have to rebuild for years. This led to several years of trying to restructure the way that the cities should function while being cautious about another plague coming into the cities. The changes were based first on several experiencing life outside of the past constraints from politics and the agendas that were associated with peasants. Many of the peasants began to look for freedom, emancipation and ways to rebuild society in a way where they weren’t considered as slave labor for higher society. The main ideal was to get land without permission from land owners, buy and sell heritages and to work with the bourgeoisie and land

You can make a topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

You can make a topic - Essay Example The need to maximize profit through specialization thus boosting country’s economy is the main cause of monoculture in many countries. It is evident that modernized agriculture has brought immense negative contributions in the ecological system and further extended the influence on peoples’ lives, culture, political and social status. Use of fertilizers and pesticides which is contributed by monoculture has greatly depleted and polluted soil, water and every other useful resource used in farming thus causing serious consequences on the environment. Modification of herbicides and crop engineering has not however brought the expected change it was intended to in some herbicides and even in increasing the yield of some crops but instead brought serious harm to the environment. It is obvious that mechanized farming is not beneficial since it does more harm than good but efforts to indulge in agro ecology are also greatly suppressed in many ways including the government. The need to make money and the intensive advertisements by huge agrochemical corporations is really hindering farmers from adopting the best style of farming that is environmental friendly. Farming can be done in a way that animals and crops grown mutually benefit each other without inclusion of chemicals and fertilizers which are harmful to the environment such as planting cover crops, crop rotation and use of farm yard manure. The size of land does also not support crop rotation and generally the whole issue of agro ecology. I strongly concur with the author of this article that capital-technology intensive agricultural practices such as use of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides which has contributed to monoculture has posed danger in our ecosystem. I strongly support agro ecology since it is the only way environmental degradation can be minimized and our

Business analysis of an artist's career Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Business analysis of an artist's career - Essay Example The Eagles Band has remained active in Music Business for the periods of 1971-1980 and from 1994 to present. They have worked under the Labels of Asylum, Geffen Records, Lost Highway, Universal and collaborated on business ventures with Poco, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Dillard & Clark, James Gang.The band consists of Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit.Some of the Band’s former member’s include Don Felder, Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon. The American Rock Band is a very successful business venture in terms of strategy and revenues and originates from in California.The Band currently boasts of five Number 1 singles and four Number 1 albums.The band gained immense popularity in the 1970s and its album was rated number 37 on the Rolling Stone list "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".The business success of the band also reflects the fact that the band was ranked number 75 on Rolling Stone's 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The Alb um â€Å"Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975† has been their most profitable business venture to date.Since its break up in the eighties, the band does not make any new albums but tours together often. However this year in 2007 they have released their first album in three decades called the Long Road out of Eden and it is currently on of UK’s top 40 Albums.The first album, Eagles, was one of the Top 40 singles of its era. Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" ranked Eagles at number 374.... History of business ventures: Success and Failure. The first album, Eagles, was one of the Top 40 singles of its era.. Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" ranked Eagles at number 374.The next album , Desperado, an experimental venture in conceptual song writing did not match the success of their former work and the Album only did business in the U.S pop charts ,with only two major hits.The third venture ,On the Border involved Henley and Frey's wish to employ a new business strategy and move towards hard rock. They had a change of producers from Glyn Johns to Bill Szymczyk for this purpose.The venture proved successful and this Album yielded a lot of profits with the Eagles' becoming the first of five chart toppers. The next album (One of These Nights) was a further experiment in hard rock and the business collaboration between Henley/Frey as lyricists was getting stronger as the album received a hit No. 1 on the Billboard chart in 1975.2However this new business strategy ultimately cost the band its unity as the hiring of Don Felder meant that Leadon's role was being underplayed.In 1976 with the release of "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)"(29 million copies sold),the band prepared for yet another phenomenal success with " Hotel California", which was also an instant hit on the Billboard in 1977.The single " Hotel California" was a major source of profits and royalties for the band in the years to come as since its release it has appeared on several lists of the best albums of all time.This album remains to date their best-selling studio album, with over 16 million copies sold within America..3 The late 70's saw the disintegration of this phenomenal band

Describe the types of communication mechanisms that can be adopted by Essay

Describe the types of communication mechanisms that can be adopted by A&S fashions limited to help ensure better understanding a - Essay Example Staff members who will receive the message are the decoder while the channeling could be through word of mouth or a written memo. Once the staff members receive the message, they may relay back some feedback to management. In this paper, the most effective ways Alex and Sons fashion limited could use to help solve structural and coordination problems it is currently facing will be outlined. The paper will identify the exact coordination problem that faces this business. Further, it will formulate a work plan on the best way forward. Alex and sons fashion limited faces a few coordination/communication problems. The marketing department feels that the human resource people are not recruiting the right talent to drive sales upwards. They also feel that the finance department is not allocating enough funds to enable it carry out promotions and marketing operations. Marketing department also has a query with the people in logistics and operations unit (O'rourke, 2009, p.23).  They belie ve that this department is taking too long to deliver inventory such that once it arrives to the trading floor, it is no longer fashionable and customers will not buy. The operation department feels that their suppliers are being lured by more attractive incentives from the competitions and as such are not as responsive to their supplies team. They also feel that the marketing department is not motivating their people with incentive such as bonuses and commissions to help drive sales upwards. Further, they believe that the finance department is not allocating enough resources to recruit better designers. The finance department in turn thinks that if all departments could work together, they could meet the company’s goal that is to maximize profit. The result of this will in turn mean that they have enough funds to disburse to different departments. The staff members also have issues with the management team. As result of remarks made by Alex recently in an interview, the staf f feel threatened and have issued a strike notice and gone ahead to strike. They want their job security and the temporary workers want to be employed on a permanent basis with benefits. To solve this myriad of problems, the following communication techniques can be employed. Bringing in an expert in communication can be a very effective way to solve some of these problems. The expert may organize seminars, training or lectures on communication. Timely advice on the best way forward and detailed action plan would be draw by the expert. The guru could work on a consultancy basis and will be coming in to monitor how effective the techniques suggested are coming through (Fielding, 2005, p.34).  There are several firms involved in communication, most charge a few hundred pounds to several pounds depending on the duration they will be involved with a firm. One of the best ways to improve communication in an organization is to solicit feedback from each member on how effective they thin k each member communicates. A&S fashion limited could organize weekly meetings solely dedicated to this. At these meetings, members would solicit feedback and further ask for suggestion on the best communication techniques they think would apply to them (Coghill & Garson, 2006, p.54).  In addition, weekly status report should be organized. During this meeting, what has been

The Nacirema As A Mirror of The Modern Consumer Essay

The Nacirema As A Mirror of The Modern Consumer - Essay Example The Nacirema are apparently taught from birth that "the human body is ugly" (Miner 1956, p.503) and that its natural tendencies are toward disease and decay. Their rituals are therefore designed to perpetually reverse this natural process of physical decline. Reading through the article, I began to see familiar images. Graphic ritual descriptions aside, western society seemed to be a mirror-image of this curiously bizarre tribe. Like the Nacirema, modern cultures seem to be forever altering what nature has provided in order to fit a standard ideal. I realized that the Naciremans were not necessarily a native or aboriginal tribe in the literal sense. Miner mentions that they are from North America, living in the territory between the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico, and the Carib and Arawak of the Antilles (1956, p.503). The geographical location itself seemed familiar in a strange way. Upon further inspection of clues that may be hidden in the text, I watched, amazed, as the letters of the word Nacirema moved around on the page and began to spell out a word that certainly wasn't exotic: American. I had just unveiled a long-standing myth. The mysterious Nacirema tribe was really a metaphor for western, or more specifical ly, American society. 2. Name 5 items or ceremonies that we have learnt to use in similar way to the Nacirema Every ritual observed by the Nacirema has a counterpart in our world. The "shrine" (Miner 1956, p.503) in a Nacirema household, for instance, exactly describes the modern bathroom. One important component of this private room is the "font" (Miner 1956, p.504) found beneath what Miner describes as a built-in chest on the wall. These are our sinks or wash basins, as well as our medicine cabinets, in which we keep all our "magical potions" (Miner 1956, p.504)-pills and medications that often come in an astounding array. We bow down before these fonts to perform a variety of ablutions in the privacy of our bathrooms before we step out to face the world. Doctors are, literally, medicine men. Their imposing temples are hospitals and clinics where the sick are treated, and where healthy people go for regular check-ups and, as the case may be, even cosmetic touch-ups. Meanwhile, positioned below doctors in the medical hierarchy are the dentists-or what the Nacirema call "holy-mouth-men" (Miner 1956, p.504). Similarly, western dentists do seem to enjoy tinkering around our orifices and striking terror in us with the mere sight of their instruments. But no matter how much pain-real or imagined-is induced by this practice, we still somehow keep coming back for more. Another similarity with the Nacirema in witchdoctor dependence, as essayed by Miner, involves another kind of practitioner-the "listener" (1956, p.506). His counterpart in our world would be the psychiatrist, to whom we go for help in exorcising demons out of our minds that we may have carried around with us from childhood. 3. How do variations in culture affect our ability to engage in worthwhile trade Explore both advantages and disadvantages. In terms of the American market economy, there may be a disadvantage to their

Leonardo Da Vinci - a Worshipper of Nature's Divine Order Essay

Leonardo Da Vinci - a Worshipper of Nature's Divine Order - Essay Example Leonardo's name was actually Leonardo di Ser Piero da Vinci, though he was known throughout his life as Leonardo or Leonardo Ser Piero. 'Da Vinci' is simply a reference to the Tuscan village in which he was born. Referring to him as 'Da Vinci' is a little like referring to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery of Alamein as 'Of Alamein'or Joan of Arc as 'Of Arc'. It is strange that Brown calls him 'Da Vinci' consistently, despite the fact he apparently studied art in Seville and his wife is supposedly an art historian.The life and work of Leonardo, the archetypical 'Renaissance Man' for whom no branch of knowledge was allowed to remain a closed book, has proved endlessly fascinating to later generations. At one time he was known only as a painter, although many of his works by other hands were unknown and a number of inferior works by other hands were wrongly attributed to him. The full, amazing extent of his genius emerged only in quite recent times with the rediscovery of his notebooks and drawings. For a time, even Leonardo the painter seemed to be submerged by the weight of his new reputation as a scientist. Some readjustment has taken place since then. As a scientist and engineer, Leonardo's achievements, though staggering enough, have proved to be a shade less novel than once we thought, while at the same time a succession of brilliant art historians, beginning with Bernhard Berenson and Kenneth Clark, has made us far more knowledgeable about his art. Though Leonardo would have jibbed at such a judgment, he was and is, first and foremost a great painter; a man whose output was tiny compared with other geniuses of his time (a Michelangelo, a Raphael, a Titian) yet included possibly the two most famous paintings in history, the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper.

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution in Labor Essay

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution in Labor - Essay Example In the case Davenport who is the human resource manager questions Slover about union activities in the hospital, Slover answers no and at this point he uses the avoiding style because he knew his chances of wining in this situation were limited, the other negotiation style evident is the case where the hospital decides to remind its employees about the rules, in this case the hospital was using the competing negotiation style where it was a win lose situation and the company had to make a quickly decision to stop the employees from joining the union and to discourage those who were introducing others to the union. Finally the accommodation negotiation style is evident where after the court case the hospital management accepts responsibility whereby Ostrowski is compensated, workers union rights are redefined and therefore this is an accommodative negotiation style where the hospital accepts the demands of the employees. There are a number of negotiation principles that were violated in the hospital case, it is evident that emotions take over when Ostrowksi decides to become apart time worker, emotions make Maher not to accept Ostrowksi working as a Diem nurse who are paid a higher wage, he is replaced by a new employee named Elaine Troyer.

The Pre-Socratic Tradition and Socratic Philosophy Essay Example for Free

The Pre-Socratic Tradition and Socratic Philosophy Essay Socrates was one of the most relevant figures in philosophy. His influence in this field of discipline was so extensive that every philosopher who came after him followed in his footsteps. Though the history of philosophy considers Socrates as a central figure, there were lesser known but equally important philosophers who came before him. These individuals are known as Pre-Socratic philosophers. Now the philosophy before the time of Socrates and the philosophy that Socrates influenced shared similarities and differences. This essay seeks to discuss what makes these philosophies alike and what sets them apart. What was the pre-Socratic tradition all about? What was its subject matter? To properly describe the pre-Socratic tradition, there are several themes to consider. First, this tradition deviates from mythology and religion (Soccio 62). During the Greek civilization, the knowledge of the people was founded on either mythology or religion. The answers to their inquiries were provided for them by the stories of gods and goddesses. Pre-Socratic tradition relies on neither mythology nor religion. Second, its main preoccupations are nature and the world (Soccio 63-64). The thinkers before the time of Socrates were not satisfied with what was already established about how nature was or how the world worked. Instead, they posed their own questions on the workings of nature and the universe. Third, the pre-Socratic tradition used reason in their explanations behind the ways of nature and the world (Soccio 64). Prior to the emergence of these thinkers, the only explanations available were those which were mythological or religious in nature. As was earlier stated, the pre-Socratic tradition deviated from mythology and religion. This deviation is due to the preference for rational investigation. The pre-Socratic thinkers attempted to verify their views with reason (Soccio 64). These three themes define what the pre-Socratic tradition was about. There were many thinkers who were part of the pre-Socratic tradition. Three of these thinkers were Thales, Heraclitus and Anaxagoras (Soccio 64). All three pre-Socratics were preoccupied with discovering the ways of the world with the use of reason rather than mythology and religion. Thales was the first significant pre-Socratic thinker in history. He upheld the belief that water was the element behind all things. For Thales, every single thing in the world was created with water. He simplified the complex workings of the world into a single substance—water (Soccio 65). The conclusion that Thales had arrived at was not based on religious speculation or mythological presumptions. Instead, he created a rational explanation for what he observed in nature (Soccio 65). Just like Thales, Heraclitus also inquired about the world and the element which kept it together. If Thales believed it was water, Heraclitus thought it was â€Å"Logos† (Soccio 67). â€Å"Logos† is not actually an element per se; it was more of a principle. The word â€Å"Logos† itself has several meanings, but Heraclitus affirmed that it is the law which maintains everything and is contained in everything (Soccio 68). The Heraclitean â€Å"Logos† is the one responsible for the world order (Soccio 68). Lastly, Anaxagoras continues the tradition of the two aforementioned thinkers by proceeding with the inquiry about the cosmos. If Heraclitus believed that it was ‘Logos† which dictated the order of the world, for Anaxagoras it was â€Å"Nous† (Soccio 73). â€Å"Nous† is not an element, principle or process. It is defined as the Mind which sets the pattern of the universe. This â€Å"Nous† influences the things of the world without being contained in them (Soccio 73). The pre-Socratic tradition is different from Socratic philosophy. It is through the differences between the two in which Socratic philosophy can be defined. The pre-Socratics were interested on cosmology—the causes behind the workings of the world (Soccio 63). They investigated on nature and the world. Meanwhile, Socratic philosophy is not limited to cosmology. Socrates himself did not write anything, and his teachings were only reflected through the works of other thinkers (King 23). One of those thinkers, and the most influential Socratic philosopher, was Plato. Socratic philosophy is interested in a wide range of philosophical disciplines, which include epistemology, ethics and metaphysics (King 24). The metaphysical influence of Socrates is evident in Plato’s theory of Forms (Kraut). Another difference between the pre-Socratic tradition and Socratic philosophy is approach. Pre-Socratic thinkers did not have a specific approach to philosophy. Initially, they were more concerned with subject matter rather than method (Soccio 63). On the contrary, Socrates is recognized for his approach or method. It was Socrates who started the process of cross-examination or elenchus; this is popularly known as the Socratic Method (King 23). This process does not impart knowledge; it includes a system of questions which soon reveal what a person really knows. Plato followed this method, as most of his works were dialogues which feature Socrates (King 24). Just like Socrates, Plato believes that knowledge is not acquired, but simply recollected (King 24). The pre-Socratic thinkers and the Socratics also share similarities. For instance, how do these people count as philosophers? The answer is the same for both. They are philosophers because they were dedicated to seek the answers for questions about nature, the world or life in general. A philosopher is not distinguished for his wisdom; rather, he is defined by his love for it (Soccio 63). A philosopher is a thinker who seeks out the truth; he devotes his energy in investigations and observations which would bring him closer to the truth. Pre-Socratic thinkers, Socrates and the other Socratics are similar in this account, as they all love wisdom and inquire about the truth. Another similarity between the pre-Socratic thinkers and the Socratics is rational discourse. All these thinkers support their arguments with reason. Rational discourse necessitates the use of reason in establishing views on reality so that it could be properly verified (Soccio 65). It is a fact that Socrates had a monumental influence on philosophy. However, that does not mean that pre-Socratics have a lesser role in the development of philosophy. The role of Socrates in the history of philosophy is just as important as the thinkers that came before him. Between the pre-Socratic tradition and the Socratic approach, there are more differences than similarities. Regardless, both of these have made remarkable contributions to philosophy in general.