If A Tree Falls in the Philosophical Forest, Someone Managed to Undermi

To truly think about knowledge brings about some interesting thought. When asked to think about knowledge, most individuals concern themselves solely with what they know such as certain subjects, theories or facts. In the grand scheme of things, this way of thought is seemingly only minute or even superficial. As human beings, we do not always considered how we come to know what we know. We often place are acquisition of knowledge lower in a taxonomy of importance. All too often, individuals take knowledge and its power for granted. However, individuals like Renà © Descartes and his work, The Meditations, provide a deep exploration of knowledge and all its facets. For every individual or scholar this work is very important in that it causes the reader to consider what we assume as truth and to envision a foundation for knowledge that is indubitable. The aim of this paper is to consider the role of knowledge in epistemology, to expose the concept of an indubitable foundation for all knowledge and the overall influence of Descartes on the imminent enquiries. First of all, I demonstrate that epistemology is the study of all that encompasses knowledge. Furthermore, I support the traditional epistemological concept of justified true belief by arguing that this model is largely relied on in the expectations of current empirical data. Second, I examine Descartes intentions, method and product, The Meditations. Following this review, I assert that it is impossible to find a true foundation for knowledge due to the unknown origin of human creation, the element of subjectivity and solipsism and the limitations of knowledge being indubitable. Furthermore, I critically assess that the Cartesian circle and Descartes presumption of God in h... ...rably thoughtful but is not without flaw and criticism. As stated, his goal and ambition is admirable in that he sought to support what his previous achievements, and those of many others, where fatefully resting upon. Whether scholars, students or just the individual interested in philosophy may agree or disagree with Descartes meditations, one thing I argue is truly beneficial about Descartes work is that doubt can be very valuable to our every day lives. All to often individuals take such facets of news, gossip, literature and theory all too seriously and fail to see the implications of implying indubitable confidence in what we accept as individuals. References Descartes, R. (2003). Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings. Toronto, ON: Penguin Classics. (Original work published 1641). Lightbody, B. (2011). Philosophy 1F91 Lectures. Brock University.

The Past, Present and Future of Social Security Essay -- Social Securi

Social Security A Historical View Social security, the federal retirement system, is one of the most popular government programs in United State?s history. Today, Social Security benefits are the backbone of the nation's retirement income system. The long road to the successful development of social security began in 1935. Before 1935, very few workers received job pensions. Those workers that were covered never received benefits because they were not guaranteed. Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the original Social Security Act. It comprised of two services: a Social Security retirement benefit that applied only to workers, and a welfare program for the elderly called Old Age Assistance. Social Security benefits were not paid until 1942 to allow for a period of partial forward funding. The retirement benefit service was funded by a two percent tax on the first $3000 of payroll earnings, 1 percent form employers and 1 percent from workers. In 1939, Social Security was amended to include coverage to dependents of workers who died. The payroll tax income was also set aside in a separate trust fund. Social Security gained national commitment in 1950 when the Old Age Assistance program was phased out. Benefits were increased by 77 percent and the payroll tax rate was increased to 6.5 percent on a phased ? in basis. This increment was partly a response to an expansion in private pensions that were being won by unions in collective bargaining agreements. The pensions, usually, served as a supplement to social security benefits. Employers supported Social Security increases because they were considered more economical than private pensions. In order to increase Social Securit... ...bout higher deductibles, reduced benefits, or the probability of a government-run program that many not meet its commitment. The increase in the nation?s savings rate would not only benefit retirees, but would strengthen the economy. Savings would be invested privately, which would create new businesses and jobs. Bibliography Cambetas, Daniela. The Economic Reality of Social Security. Social Security. 25 Aug. 2007. Conover, Pat. ?A Concise History of Social Security.? 20 July 2001. 25 July 2007. http://www.ucc.org/justice/ss/history.htm. Social Security Online. 25 July 2007. . Social Security: The Perspectives in Detail. Public Agenda Online. 8 Aug. 2007. http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/debate_detail2.cfm?issue_type=ss. The Past, Present and Future of Social Security Essay -- Social Securi Social Security A Historical View Social security, the federal retirement system, is one of the most popular government programs in United State?s history. Today, Social Security benefits are the backbone of the nation's retirement income system. The long road to the successful development of social security began in 1935. Before 1935, very few workers received job pensions. Those workers that were covered never received benefits because they were not guaranteed. Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the original Social Security Act. It comprised of two services: a Social Security retirement benefit that applied only to workers, and a welfare program for the elderly called Old Age Assistance. Social Security benefits were not paid until 1942 to allow for a period of partial forward funding. The retirement benefit service was funded by a two percent tax on the first $3000 of payroll earnings, 1 percent form employers and 1 percent from workers. In 1939, Social Security was amended to include coverage to dependents of workers who died. The payroll tax income was also set aside in a separate trust fund. Social Security gained national commitment in 1950 when the Old Age Assistance program was phased out. Benefits were increased by 77 percent and the payroll tax rate was increased to 6.5 percent on a phased ? in basis. This increment was partly a response to an expansion in private pensions that were being won by unions in collective bargaining agreements. The pensions, usually, served as a supplement to social security benefits. Employers supported Social Security increases because they were considered more economical than private pensions. In order to increase Social Securit... ...bout higher deductibles, reduced benefits, or the probability of a government-run program that many not meet its commitment. The increase in the nation?s savings rate would not only benefit retirees, but would strengthen the economy. Savings would be invested privately, which would create new businesses and jobs. Bibliography Cambetas, Daniela. The Economic Reality of Social Security. Social Security. 25 Aug. 2007. Conover, Pat. ?A Concise History of Social Security.? 20 July 2001. 25 July 2007. http://www.ucc.org/justice/ss/history.htm. Social Security Online. 25 July 2007. . Social Security: The Perspectives in Detail. Public Agenda Online. 8 Aug. 2007. http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/debate_detail2.cfm?issue_type=ss.

Mission, explicit policy Essay

Mission, explicit policy and explicit policy are element of ethical climate around which the client works.   Each has varying degrees of impact on the behaviors of the employee People base behavior on values and are less affected by a set of rules and regulations as elucidated in the implicit and explicit policies; they are influenced more by what they know is of paramount value to their service to the client and company they service. In this vein, the mission statement provides the greatest influence to the employee behaviors, impacting it for positive outcomes. It is customary to specify these mission statements to the employees in the letter of appointment as well as ht terms and conditions guiding their employment and service to the company including its clients. Of all, what stays and is closest to the staff is the mission statement, hung at a specific location in the company. It is usually accessible and easy to understand. On the basis of its omnipresence, it influences the character of members of staff to work, their attitude to their responsibilities at the duty post is constantly checked and twisted at the sight of short concise and easy to memorize sentence[s]. Usually, this statement becomes the foundation for making right decisions during unfavorable situations, the impetus for proposing innovative ideas and implementing them for the good of the colony. It helps to improve the [performance of status by encouraging them to take initiatives as at when appropriate and suiting for the situation.   It is one of the tools that link the employee strength and service to the employer’s goals and values.   This link creates a productive environment for effective delivery of services and goods to customers/clients. It clarifies thoughts and make the arduous decision-making mechanism an adventure.

Playing Billy Beane

Since publication in 2003, Moneyball has entered the baseball dictionary.   When a team decides to brush off traditional strategies, they are said to be playing moneyball. This is what Billy Beane, the general manager of Oakland Atheltics and the hero of Moneyball, is best known for.   Beane, as a player was not so great, but as the A’s manager at the sidelines, he started a revolution. In a nutshell, Beane knows how do more with so much less.   The A’s $55 million salary fund would pale in comparison to the Yankees’ $205 million (Hammonds 84).   Given the economics, Beane admits they can’t do the same things the Yankees do.   But with roughly one-third of the Yankees’ salary cap, the A’s still managed to finish big with the second-best win-loss record in the league—next only to the Yankees. How did Beane do it? Beane’s tactics and exploits off the field were the center of Michael Lewis’ Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game.   Professional baseball is a sport divided by teams who have much and teams who have none.   It is a derby between big-market teams who wave hefty paychecks temptingly under the noses of star players and smaller clubs who scrap for what’s left. That is the first managerial philosophy of Beane—scooping up potential team assets that rivals have ignored and undervalued.   As far as Beane is concerned, statistics and math work but only when they properly correspond to a player’s economic value. (86)   The Beane formula is to find players on the rise, potential superstars who are not red hot at the moment but could catch fire later on.   He will keep them until market catches up, give them away at a point he can no longer compete. A classic example was when Oakland signed 28-year-old Matt Stairs, a washed-up outfielder from the minor league.   Beane got him for $130,000 per year in 1996. Everyone though it was a bad catch, everyone except Beane.   But the former first round pick was right.   Over the next four years, Stairs hit the ball.   In 2000, his performance dipped as his market price went up.   Then Beane let him go for a pitcher. For Beane, every recruit has a potential to make it big.   Every move has its own risk but also its own purpose. Instead of looking at a player’s batting averages, fielding, or getting fascinated with his home runs, Beane focused on walks, on-base percentages and power. (85)   Oakland sought for players who can get on base like patient hitters who could tire out the opponent and finish it with a walk or a base hit.   The A’s type of player is one who can contribute in ways other ball clubs do not value as much. Beane is an expert in exploiting market mismatches.   He firmly believed that the criteria and standards set by scouts and managers in spotting players have been previously illogical.   Beane is gutsy, he takes risks.   But unlike most general managers, he finds a way to reduce the risks as the season progresses. He has learned the importance of calculated opportunism and this was evident in the 2002 draft when the A’s went the all-college approach. Gone are the days when general managers judge potential players by their sheer abilities.   These days, in a sport that has become a serious money-making venture, economic feasibility prompts every decision.   At the same time, as general manager, he says he had to evaluate players not only by their current feasibility but also his future trend. Citing all the numbers and statistics, Beane says baseball is predictable. (87)   He says there is always a way to least risk.   Like a true economist, he believes there is a great chance that the team will get some return on a particular asset. With Beane’s unconventional sports economics, Moneyball has been recognized not only by sports critics but also by economists.   Beane knows the baseball market place.   He acknowledges the gap between the market and the player’s value.   Knowing that market price and a player’s performance do not follow the same rules, he made sure to leave a way to narrow the gap. Considering the fact that Oakland cannot afford much, Beane has learned to thrive within windows of opportunity.   Like a baseball analyst says, the A’s are in a â€Å"commodity-management business†.   Beane’s philosophy is to keep the organization as flexible as he can.   He is good at creating options and the same time knows how to look at things the grown-up way.   Players are commodities with a tag price and the good thing is he knows whether that commodity is sinking or rising. As a general manager, Beane also knows that he has to rebuild.   The stakes evolve and therefore expecting continued success by doing the same things over and over has become impossible.   For Beane, it’s a matter of â€Å"identifying the moment.†Ã‚   One has to be creative enough to know when to trade off existing players and start fresh.   He cautioned however that when one chooses to rebuild, he must give it all.   No hesitations.   All or nothing.   It’s either a team rebuilds or not. As general manager, Beane also makes sure the players and the coaching staff knows who’s the boss.   Beane says he takes full responsibility of what happens in and out of the field.   He believes in giving his directors autonomy but during critical decision-making, he says he has to be there and cast his lot. A baseball club has a tight inner circle.   There is no bureaucracy and hours of organizational meetings fishing for hundred different opinions do not happen. Beane’s managerial style deviated form the traditional.   He acknowledges that all he can afford is to operate within windows of opportunity.   He has perfected the formula of matching a player’s performance metrics with his economic value.   He knows how to use his guts and correspond it with the statistics on paper that other teams might ignore. Oakland is an underfinanced team and it cannot afford superstars.   As the boss, Beane is expected to think differently, take risks, and effect changes.   At a time when scouts judge players by computers, Beane decided to oversimplify the thought.   Baseball’s traditional sabermetric community has been critical about this approach saying baseball’s math is much complex than Beane likes to admit. However, Beane insists that he recognizes the importance of statistics and that numbers are still at the heart of what the A’s do when they are out in the field.   The only difference is that Beane does not content himself with just what percentages or averages say.   He has learned how to relate this with how much a player is truly worth. As a baseball insider, Beane understands that the sport is predictable.   This gives Beane the chance to play the casino.   There is no way he could lose. The painful truth however is that building and sustaining are two different things all together.   With the A’s doing much with less, it is safe to assume that Beane as general manager has been successful in building.   The question now is can he sustain it?   Will the A’s keep on winning?   Between building and sustaining, the latter is much difficult to come by. Works Cited Hammonds, Keith. â€Å"How To Play Billy Beane.† Fast Company Magazine. April 2003: 84-87.   

Complex Project Management: Historical Background, Problems and Approaches Essay

Managing a project that has cross-cultural team members is a very involving task, which calls for application of appropriate leadership styles and approaches (Arbaugh, 2007, p. 569). The applicability of theories, models and approaches of management in the Belbin Consultancy Project can be deeply elaborated with clarity, to demonstrate the understanding of the topic. Since managing and leading cross-cultural teams in such projects does not just happen, as the monitor and shaper, I comprehensively applied the necessary aspects of leadership and management as I deemed appropriate. Below is a presentation of the report of Belbin Consultancy Project that my team and I, as the monitor and shaper, undertook. Project management             Project management is a comprehensive undertaking by project managers which involves several steps from inception to completion, and which guarantees the success of the project (Klimenko, 2014, p. 13). As I experienced during the Belbin Project execution, these activities have to be carefully organized and precisely planned for execution. Project Processes             During the management of the project, I applied 5 fundamental processes as shown in the appendix 1. The first process was initiation, which involved determining the nature and range of the project (Daft & Lane, 2005, p. 337). All the requirements ranging from analysis, goal setting, current operations review and feasibility were considered at this stage. The second process that we carried out was planning which involved the setting of appropriate time for each activity, considering the costs involved and the resources required. We also did a risk planning activity that was geared towards tackling uncertainties. The third process was executing, which involved following all the activities of the project as outlined during the planning stage. This was geared towards meeting all the set deadlines of the set milestones. The fourth process involved monitoring the progress and controlling the execution, noting of any deviations from the plan and taking the appropriate managerial actions (Stewart and Powell, 2004, p. 37). At this stage, I verified and validated the activities and their execution as per the allocated resources and timelines. It is at this stage that the quality of the activities that different team members were involved in was considered. The last process of the project involved the closing out of the project after its completion (Xie and Zhang, 2013, p. 725). The final product that the team developed was accepted having delivered to the best of our ability. Management Approaches             For effective execution of the processes mentioned above, I applied several management approaches. These approaches assisted in carrying out the processes in a planned manner, towards realizing the requirements. The first approach I utilized was the traditional method, which involved the execution of all the processes in a sequence. In this approach, some processes were recursively extended to support the cycle of development of the project (Collyer & Warren, 2009 p. 359). The second approach was event chain approach, which involved the identification and management of proceedings and the chains of proceedings attached to the project schedule. This approach helped me in managing the negative effects, and allowed for modeling of uncertainties that were foreseeable as was outlined in the project schedule (Symonds, 2014, p. 2). The third approach was scrum methodology, whose goal was to improve the productivity of the team by removing every possible hurdle. The fourth methodology was crystal approach in which I directed the team away from focusing on the processes. It was thus crucial to focus more on the skills of the team members, interactions, communication and people. This way, every member was able to deliver in their allocated part. Organizing and Structuring Teamwork             At this stage, the central focus is given on the capabilities of team members. As defined by Scarnati (2001. P. 5), teamwork is a cooperative procedure that assists normal people to accomplish surprising results. It, therefore, called for effective allocation of tasks on individual members. We generated a commitment oath of the team and developed shared goals. The team focused on providing quality results as opposed to achieving individual personal satisfaction that might have interfered with the achievement of objectives. Similarly, I facilitated and nurtured positive relationships that were cooperative as a way of motivating the team members towards achieving the final goal. The issues of interdependence among the team members were put into consideration (Schneider & Barsoux, 2003, p. 137). The creation of a positive attitude in the members through inspiring examples was thus vital. When experiencing difficulties, team members were enthusiastic to help out their peers, regardless of their backgrounds (Symonds, 2014, p. 2). Whenever deviations resulted from the unwillingness of some members to ask for assistance, a quick meeting was convened to remind them of their interdependence responsibilities. During the allocation of tasks, interpersonal skills were put in consideration a step that allowed for proper allocation of tasks. I encouraged open communication as well as positive feedbacks as a way of improving relationships among team members. This way, the team had an understanding that discussing problems was healthy for their interdependence. Similarly, as an overall manager, I worked hard to ensure that the teams had the appropriate composition, by carefully considering the skills of each member and the kind of personality that each possessed. After careful consideration, the team members were allocated tasks that matched their profile. On the same note, commitment to the processes of the team and accountability were highly emphasized. Respect for every member was exceedingly regarded and especially on the response towards several individuals who took leadership roles (Wateridge, 2001, p. 191). To ensure effective and efficient implementation of the project activities, elect ronic tools were highly utilized and whenever the tools were not enough for use on a particular task, the available tools were shared. This highly facilitated the process of implementation of the project activities. Project Execution             During the project execution, my vital role was to control the process. At this point, practicing MBWA (management by walking around) was necessary. There were some instances where the project activities carried out by the team members veered from the plan. These deviations resulted from the inability of some members to fully comprehend what is expected of them during certain activities. This was so because of the diversified back grounds of the team members, which prevented them from consulting or asking for assistance. It was thus necessary for me to carry out the proper monitoring role, to match the activities with the plan and to assure quality. To do this, I convened several emergence meetings to remind the team members on their roles as team players. During the completion stage when the project was nearing the close out phase, one of the team members got seek and had to fly back home. Because of the limitation of time, the tasks were allocated to some members of the team. It was unfortunate because the delivery time of the added tasks was late for the reason of failure to understand the tasks. This made it necessary for convening an abrupt meeting to brief the affected members on what is expected of them. For this reason, the delivery of the tasks allocated to the ailing member did not go in accordance with the plan. Team Working and Leadership Cross-cultural Teams             During the initiation stage, the team rules as shown in appendix 2, as well as the roles of every member were developed. To facilitate this, discussions on the cultural dissimilarities that were easily perceivable and their effects on behavior of the members and performance were established. This was geared towards creating an open discussion that inspired mutual trust and obligation (Chung et al., 2013 p. 194). After the discussion, the cultural differences that emanated from understanding the background of every team member helped in developing appropriate ways of addressing the issues accordingly. This was done after knowing where these differences emanated from through assessing the situation from individual member’s perspective. This helped in changing the stereo-typed perceptions and improvement on value-based assumptions. To solve some of the cross-cultural issues that arose during implementation of the setout activities, I as the leader worked hard for reconciliation as opposed to compromising. I thus created new ways of perceiving and settling the differences. This encouraged the combining of strengths among the team members as opposed to picking disagreements. Intensive communications, feedbacks and procedures were highly regarded to minimize the risks involved. Changing Roles             The aspect of changing roles was not utilized so as to facilitate the aspect of specialization in tasks. This worked to our disadvantage when one of the team members go sick and had to fly back home. The tasks were allocated to several team members who had almost similar tasks. Because of inadequacy of specialization on the added tasks, the members delivered the tasks late. This prompted me to convene an impromptu meeting to brief the members on their new added tasks. Because of this reason, the delivery of the tasks was out of time plan. Motivation             To motivate the team members, the contributions made by each were highly regarded every time a scheduled meeting was convened as shown in appendix 3. Similarly, the diverse views of different individuals were encouraged and incorporated in the decisions made after a comprehensive discussion (Wateridge, 2001, p. 161). To motivate the team members, I kept reminding them of their capabilities and how appreciated their contributions were. Also, different needs of individual members were identified for easy fulfillment. When members felt that their needs are catered for and their views are incorporated in making decisions pertaining to the execution of the project activities, they delivered to their capability (Wright, 2002, p. 121). To encourage harmony within the team, I encouraged communication among the members (Malinowski, 2011, p. 234). This served as a way of understanding the problems that different members are experiencing at particular instances. After the communication of the problems, the issues were addressed accordingly to the satisfaction of all members. This guaranteed harmony among the members through free and unrestricted interactions, characterized by free flow of thoughts (Seteroff, 2003, p. 43). This free flow of thoughts and effective communication facilitated generation of new ideas pertaining to the implementation of activities of the project (Marc & Picard, 2000, p. 38). To get most out of the team members, the same technique of free flow of information and welcoming the contribution of every team member was utilized. Leadership Roles and Styles             During the implementation of the project, several individuals took up the role of leadership. The members who became leaders were chosen by the majority of the team members. The act of leading further boosted the confidence of the chosen members towards obtaining the set goals (Pearce & Sims, 2000, p. 131). I had been previously chosen as the overall manager of the project from the start to the end, to oversee the implementation of activities. This was a good experience that educated me on how cross-cultural teams operate .In the process, different leadership styles as discussed below were utilized. Transactional Leadership             The first type of leadership that different members who took leadership roles utilized was transactional leadership (Lowe & Gardner, 2011, p. 460). This style operated on the basic ground that because the team members agreed on the leadership of a particular member, they must obey the directions he or she gives. This type of leadership led to clarification of the roles played by every member of the team. Similarly, the members were expected to follow the agreed upon rules failure to which one would be ejected out of the team. Transformational Leadership             In this leadership, the leader inspired and motivated team members to transform the issue at hand from worst to best (Sashhin, 2004, p. 171). The means of motivation are as discussed above with encouraging individual members on their capabilities, free flow of information and effective communication at the top of the list (Ashkanasy & Tse, 2000, p. 223). The inspiration and motivation given by the team leaders were genuine, a situation that facilitated the implementation of the planned activities. Participative Leadership             This kind of leadership entails the involvement of team members in decision-making process (Langton & Robbins, 2007, p. 389). Through this kind of leadership, the understanding of the underlying issues of implementation by individual members was enhanced. They thus became more committed to the activities of implementation (Pearce, 2007, p. 357). Under this leadership, people became more collaborative as opposed to competitive and worked on joint team goals. Situational Leadership             In this type of leadership, the leader applies the best action depending on the array of factors of the situation at hand (Northouse, 2004, p. 78). This type of leadership is as a result of several forces namely; the circumstances, the followers and the leader. This style focused more on the behaviors adopted by the leader under different situations (Parry & Bryman, 2006, p. 456). The leader with the most excellent ability of making better decisions had an upper hand in applying the style. Conclusion             In conclusion, managing the activities of a project is a long process more so when dealing with cross-cultural teams. It calls for the manager to understand the different backgrounds of these members. This is done through the application of several techniques as such as the understanding of the cultural differences, their cause, how to change the perception to a common goal of the team and how to motivate individual members bearing in mind the aspect of different backgrounds. This way, he or she is able to inspire the followers to make the best team under a common goal of implementing the activities of the project successfully. On the leadership issue, it is vital that the leader understands the best type of leadership to apply on the team members (Osborn et al., 2002, p. 811). Recommendations             After carrying out all the activities of the project, it became necessary to develop some recommendations based on the lessons learnt. The following are the recommendations that I would implement if I was to undertake the project again as the monitor. To reduce the risk involved when engaging members from different cultural backgrounds in a team, it is essential to apply a flexible approach of management that allows for effective communication, reporting and actions on the raised issues. To change project processes so as to accommodate cultural differences, establishing good relationships with key members of the team is a must. This is geared towards winning their trust which in turn helps the project execution process smooth. To effectively implement the activities of the project, the manager is obliged to know what motivates the team members into doing good job, their specific skills and know-how and their respective communication styles. The combination of participative leadership and transformational leadership is the best option in a project implementation. This is so because participative leadership involves the members in decision-making process and hence motivating them. On the other hand, transformational leadership involves the leader inspiring and motivating his followers. References Arbaugh, J. (2007). Introduction: Project Management Education: Emerging Tools, Techniques, and Topics. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 6(4), pp.568-569.Ashkanasy, N. M., & Tse, B. (2000). Transformational leadership as management of emotion: A conceptual review. In N. M. Ashkanasy, C. E. J. Hà ¤rtel & W. J. Zerbe (Eds.). Emotions in the workplace: Research, theory, and practice (pp. 221-235) Chung, J., Wai, Y., Lau, D. and Songip, A. (2013). Teamwork – A Success Factor of Knowledge Management for Faculty Development: A Case Study. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, pp.192-195.Collyer, S. and Warren, C. (2009). Project management approaches for dynamic environments. International Journal of Project Management, 27(4), pp.355-364.Daft, R. and Lane, P. (2005). The leadership experience. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western. Industrial/organizational psychology (pp.235-278). Klimenko, O. (2014). Complex Project Management: Historical Background, Problems and Approaches, 3(3), pp.4-13. Langton, N., & Robbins, S. (2007). Leadership. In N. Langton & S. Robbins. Organizational behavior: Concepts, controversies, applications Toronto: Prentice Hall, (pp.386-426). Lowe, K. B. &, Gardner, W. L. (2001). The years of the leadership quarterly: Contributions and challenges for the futures. Leadership Quarterly, 11(4), 459–514. Malinowski, M. (2011). Essential project management skills. Project Management Journal, p.n/a-n/a. Marc, E. & Picard, D. (2000). Relations communications inter-personnel [Relationships and interpersonal communications]. Paris: Dunod. Northouse, P. (2004). Leadership. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage. Osborn, R. N., Hunt, J. G., & Jauch, L. R. (2002). Toward a contextual theory of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 13(6), 797-837. Parry, K. W., & Bryman, A. (2006). Leadership in organization. In S. T. Clegg, C. Harry, T. B. Lawrence & W. R. Nord. The Sage handbook of organization studies (pp. 447-468). Pearce, C. L. (2007). The future of leadership development: The importance of identity, multilevel approaches, self-leadership, physical fitness, shared leadership, networking, creativity, emotions, spirituality and on-boarding processes. Human Resource Management Review, 17(4), 355-359.Pearce, C. L., & Sims, H. P. (2000). Shared leadership: Toward a multi-level theory of leadership, Advances in Interdisciplinary Studies of Work Teams, 7, 115-139. Sashhin, M. (2004). Transformational leadership approaches: A review and synthesis. In J. Antonakis, A. T. Cianciolo & R. J. Sternberg (Eds.). p. 171 Scarnati, J. (2001). On becoming a team player. Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 7(1/2), pp.5-10. Schneider, S. and Barsoux, J. (2003). Managing across cultures. Harlow, England: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Seteroff, S. S. (2003). Beyond leadership to followership. Victoria: Trafford. Stewart, B. and Powell, S. (2004). Team building and team working. Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 10(1/2), pp.35-38. Symonds, M. (2014). Managing Cross-cultural Project Teams. Leadershipwatch. [online] Available at: http://blog.parallelprojecttraining.com/project-management-articles/managing-cross-cultural-project-teams/ [Accessed 29 Nov. 2014]. Wateridge, J. (2001). Successful Project Management. International Journal of Project Management, 19(3), p.191. Wojciech Macek, W. (2011). Methodologies of Project Management. Contemporary Economics, 4(4), p.121. Wright, J. (2002). Effective Project Management. International Journal of Project Management, 20(8), p.633. Xie, H. and Zhang, A. (2013). Approaches and Processes of the Project Management. AMR, 790, pp.724-727. Source document

Describe Romeo and Juliet’s love Essay

Describe Romeo and Juliet’s love and the way it develops in the course of the play. (Look carefully at the language used and use short quotations to illustrate your answer. ) Shakespeare meant for his plays to be performed on a stage and not to be read, he was a very skilled play write and he made his audiences believe things that in reality could not happen in such a short space of time. Romeo and Juliet’s love for one another shows their disobedience towards their parents. The houses that the pair of ‘star cross’d lovers’ belong to are involved in an ‘ancient’ feud. We are made aware of the feud before we even meet the lovers; it is the very first thing that the Chorus, who is a single person on the stage which Shakespeare and many other play writes used to calm down a disorderly audience and give background information on the play, says: ‘Two households both alike in dignity In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. ‘ Their love is ill-fated from the moment they first meet, at Capulet’s party, because of the dispute that has been going on for generations. When we first meet Romeo, his father Lord Montague describes Romeo’s melancholic mood, this fits exactly the contemporary ideas of lovesickness in Shakespeare’s time. Lord Montague and Benvolio contrast Romeo’s feelings for Rosaline and how they have changed his personality. We can see that Romeo is not himself as he says: ‘Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here; This is not Romeo, he’s some other where. ‘ The many oxymorons, Romeo uses in his speech are meant to suggest his confused state of mind: ‘Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, Still-waking sleep,’Romeo sees Rosaline as the most beautiful woman on earth he matches her beauty to those of saints: ‘When the devout religion of mine eye Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fire! ‘ It seems that Romeo is only in love with the idea of being in love. On our first meeting with Juliet her mother is calling her. She replies to her mother in a formal way: ‘Madam, I am here. What is your will? ‘ She is modest, quiet and beautiful. Since she is from a powerful Verona family she is well dressed. When Lady Capulet suggests that the County Paris would make a good husband, Juliet responds:’I’ll look to like, if looking liking move. But no more deep will I endart mine eye Than your consent gives strength to make it fly. ‘ In the times when the play was written it was normal for parents to arrange who their daughter would marry. When Romeo sees Juliet for the first time his extravagant declarations of love for Rosaline vanish in a second. He now speaks with tenderness and plainness: ‘Beauty to rich for use, for earth to dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows. ‘ In the last line of his speech, ‘Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night. ‘ What Romeo says, is that what he said earlier in the play was silly and wrong. Ironically, when Benvolio was persuading Romeo to go to the party he told him he would soon forget Rosaline and this is just what happened. Romeo anticipates the line of approach he will take during the dance by saying that her touch will ‘bless’ his hand. It was believed at this time that true love always struck at first sight; love that grew gradually was no love at all. ‘This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand’. This is a quick-witted bout of flirtation in which both sides are equally smitten, as is made clear by what follows, but in which Juliet plays the proper young girl’s role of cutting up Romeo’s ‘lines’ as fast as he can think them up. ‘Saints do not move, but grant for prayers’ sake. ‘ ‘Then have my lips the sin that they have took. ‘ and ‘You kiss by the book. ‘ This shows Juliet to be much wittier than a typical 13 year old girl. This flirtatious fourteen-line passage is actually a sonnet; it was popular in the sixteenth century and generally regarded as the proper means for love poetry. Juliet manages to tease Romeo slightly in the earnest gesture of the devotion that they declare: ‘For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,’ and ‘Ay, pilgrim, lips that they use in prayer. ‘ Juliet is encouraging Romeo to kiss her in a subtle way. She takes early charge of the relationship. Romeo’s love for Juliet is unmistakably passionate, which an Elizabethan audience would have loved. He uses a lot of effective imagery. For example the image of the sun: ‘It is the east, and Juliet the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,’ Romeo is putting Juliet on a higher pedestal, saying she is a higher being, he is also referring to the brightness of her beauty, and that she brings light into his world of darkness. In calling for the triumph of the sun over the moon, Romeo is hoping she will not remain a virgin much longer. Women who prolonged their virginity excessively were thought to suffer from â€Å"green-sickness,† a problem that could only be cured by healthy lovemaking. The entire opening soliloquy to this scene is devoted to Romeo’s fevered desire that Juliet will make love with him. Despite his passion, he is shy enough, and polite enough, not to simply burst in upon her. It is the tension between his overwhelming desire and his reserve that shows how much he truly loves her. The comparison of a woman’s eyes to bright stars was a usual thing, but Romeo elaborates it in a dazzling series of lines dwelling on the brightness of Juliet’s beauty: ‘The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars As daylight doth a lamp. Her eyes in heaven’ Romeo is impetuous, impulsive and has his head in the clouds; he uses phrases of elaborate description. Whereas Juliet is down-to-earth, practical, natural and spontaneous by her speech we can tell that it is her first experience of love and that she is young and because of the language she uses that Romeo excites her. It is Juliet who is thinking through the consequences of their love more systematically and practically than is Romeo. She almost immediately speaks of the death that threatens him: ‘And the place of death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here’ Romeo replies that love cannot be held out by ‘stony limits’. Romeo believes that love has directed him to Juliet. From the beginning their dialogue is riddled with reference to death. This is dramatically ironic because the chorus already told the audience that they will die because of their love. When Romeo says: ‘Alack, there lies more peril in thine eyes; And thou but love me, let them find me here’ He is using conventional and courtly language, which goes back centuries. Juliet’s long speech makes clear that she is still an honourable young woman who wishes her love had not been so promptly revealed; but now that it has been, she does not intend to look backward. She indirectly refers that Jove laughs at the oaths of lovers. Just as Romeo had scorned the moon for its virginity, Juliet rejects it as too variable: ‘O swear not by the moon, th’ inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. ‘ Juliet is honest. She feels that she has been too easily won by Romeo: ‘Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won, I’ll frown and be perverse and say thee nay, So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world. ‘ Again Juliet allows herself to flirt with oath in calling Romeo her God. Romeo insists that he will love Juliet faithfully. Having proclaimed her love once, the basis of Juliet’s expression is unstopped, and she becomes the dominant figure in the rest of the scene. This young pair know very little about each other except that they are extremely attractive and witty. Juliet’s has split moods in this scene one is lead by her head and one by her heart. Her head is her practical side; her heart is spontaneous and excited. Falconry was a popular sport in Elizabethan England. Juliet is comparing Romeo to a falcon, and what she would like is for Romeo to be her falcon, she likes the idea of being able to call him back to her hand whenever she needs him: ‘Hist! Romeo, hist! O for a falconer’s voice, To lure this tassel-gentle back again! ‘ When Romeo asked the Friar to marry Juliet and himself, the Friar agreed only because he is hoping that the marriage of Romeo and Juliet will put an end to feud between the houses of Montague and Capulet. From the text we can tell that Friar Laurence is Romeo’s confident, a father-figure. Children in the 14th/15th Centuries who had important parents didn’t have the same relationship as children today have with their parents. This is why Juliet confides in her nurse and Romeo in Friar Laurence. The last line in Act two Scene one, Friar Laurence is saying to Romeo that he should take it slow because those that go to fast will ‘stumble’ later on: ‘Wisely and slow: they stumble that run fast. ‘ In the marriage scene it is Friar Laurence who is thinking ahead, he says: ‘So smile the heavens upon this holy act, That after hours with sorrow chide us not! ‘ Romeo, lives only in the present, and says so: ‘Amen, amen! But come what sorrow can, It cannot countervail the exchange of joy That one short minute gives me in her sight. ‘ In his view, the joy of a minute with Juliet will be greater than all the possible sorrow of any later hours. Romeo adds that he is ready to face the greatest sorrow of all: ‘Do thou but close our hands with holy words, Then love-devouring death do what he dare; It is enough I may but call her mine. ‘ These exulting words foreshadow what actually happens; ‘love-devouring death’ makes its first appearance shortly after the wedding. The Friar understands that Romeo thinks love will make him bullet-proof, and tries to talk some sense into him: ‘These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume. ‘ On their wedding night Friar Laurence anticipates that they will ‘consume’ each other (consummate their marriage). Just like the nurse anticipates for Juliet. The Friar says that the ecstasies of love can’t last forever. ‘The sweetest honey Is loathsome in his own deliciousness, And in the taste confounds the appetite†:’ In other words, too much honey can ruin its taste. The Friar concludes his little talk by advising Romeo to ‘love moderately’ as, ‘Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow’. Juliet reveals her innermost feelings in her soliloquy. She is apprehensive and excited: she makes a reference to the classical god Phoebus Apollo: ‘Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, Towards Phoebus’ lodging; such a waggoner. ‘ Juliet uses a lot of phrases that make her seem impatient like, ‘Gallop’, ‘leap’ and ‘fiery-footed steeds’. Juliet is nervous about what is going to happen when Romeo arrives. She extends the falcon image: ‘Hood my unmann’d blood, bating in my cheeks, With thy black mantle; till strange love, grown bold,’ She gives the impression that she is worried about her body and that she will not fulfil Romeo’s needs. The repetitive use of the word ‘come’ refers to her impatience for Romeo to arrive quickly to her. Most of the soliloquy is of a sexual nature but some of it is not, for example: ‘Give me my Romeo. And when I shall die Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the faces of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night,’ This is extremely romantic. It also refers to death. When the nurse tells Juliet that Romeo has killed Tybalt, Juliet uses oxymorons, these show that she is confused, ‘beautiful tyrant’ and ‘fiend angelical’. However, when the nurse starts to criticise Romeo, Juliet cuts off the nurse and defends him, ‘Blister’d be thy tongue’. Juliet implies that banishment is worse than death. She seems more mature and her practical side is seen especially when she says: ‘My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain; And Tybalt’s dead, that would have slain my husband:’ Romeo uses direct and romantic speech that shows his sincere and loving feelings; ‘It was the lark, the herald of the morn, No nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east. Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. I must be gone and live, or stay and die. ‘ This shows that he is mature; much more than Juliet earlier in the play. Their mature dreamy roles are swapped. Romeo reassures Juliet that they will be together again: ‘I doubt it not; and all these woes shall serve For sweet discourses in our time to come. ‘ Juliet’s reply to this phrase is: ‘O God! I have an ill-divining soul: Methinks I see thee, now art so low, As one dead in the bottom of a tomb: Either my eyesight fails, or thou look’st pale. ‘ This is dramatic irony because when Juliet wakes up from the potion she does see Romeo on the floor of the tomb. Juliet seeks the help of Friar Laurence because she has been abandoned by her parents and her nurse, the one person she is closest to, except for Romeo but it seems that he too has deserted her. She feels suicidal when she talks to Friar Laurence; she would rather die than marry the County Paris. When Friar Laurence suggests that she takes the potion she appears to be relieved. Though out the scene she is very courageous. The soliloquy dwells on her fear of the vault; it enlarges what she had already said to Friar Laurence. The speech confirms that the vault is connected with the catastrophic climax of the play. She is determined to kill her self in the potion does not put her in a slight coma: ‘What if this mixture do not work at all? Shall I be married than tomorrow morning? No, no; this shall forbid it: lie thou there. ‘ She fears it could be poison and she then contradicts that statement in the next one. She feels that she may go mad in the tomb if Romeo is not there when she wakes, the horror of these images make her go mad. In the end she takes the potion for Romeo’s sake: ‘Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink – I drink to thee! ‘ Romeo’s speech before taking the poison is direct and simple poetry. He is still referring to Juliet as ‘light’. In the speech Romeo personifies death and accuses death of trying to keep Juliet beautiful so that death can use her for his pleasure: ‘That unsubstantial death is amorous, And that the lean abhorred monster keeps Thee here in the dark to be his paramour? ‘ He uses grotesque metaphors and similes. He appears to be preparing himself for death. ‘A dateless bargain to engrossing death! ‘ He is trying to prolong the moment. His love for Juliet is obvious at this point in the play; he drinks the poison for Juliet, ‘Here’s to my love! ‘ all he wants is to be with Juliet and if they can’t be together in life then the must be in death. As a result of the lovers’ deaths the families are brought together. Prince Escalus makes sure that the blame is shared; he makes that very clear: ‘Where be these enemies? – Capulet! Montague! See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love; And I, for winking at your discords too, Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished. ‘ The prince is also blaming himself; he knows that all had a part to play is Romeo and Juliet’s deaths, and this is why it is such a tragic ending which is written in a very expert way.

Decision Analysis Task

Decision Analysis has been established to advance theory, application, and teaching of all aspects of decision-making methods. . When It comes to beginning to make decisions for any business, almost everyone can feel uncertainty and fear. The more Information given, then the most likely the decisions made are the right ones. TLS Includes being able to trade off the values of certain outcomes against Its probability. Data shows the truest form of the Information given. The knowledge changes from data to information, from information to facts, and lastly from facts to knowledge.The entire decision making process is done under uncertainty and immeasurable variables. Values and numbers become much easier for people to use and understand. Once the numbers and circumstances are in place, the true analysis can begin. Using the work cell method, the company can have the following advantages: (1) reduced work in progress inventory, (2) less floor space use, (3) reduced raw material and finish ed goods inventory, (4) reduced labor costs, (5) more employee participation, (6) increased equipment and machinery use, and (7) reduced investment in machinery and equipment.I have chosen this decision analysis tool by imputing the performance times for each task given of A through H and the sequence requirements into an assembly line balancing tool to perform an analysis to determine the proper number of stations and the most efficient workflow possible. The analysis tool calculated that the number of workstations needed was 5. Total station task time needed was 10 minutes and the time needed per cycle was 46 minutes. These calculations gave this process an efficiency of 100. 00%. This decision tool was selected to help achieve a higher efficiency of production and a possible deduction in production floor space. A properly balanced line will increase throughput and lower production costs.Hopefully, by recommending this tool, the company will be able to eliminate significant errors that can result in false assumptions, inaccurate estimations of probabilities, too much relying on expectations, wrong measuring in functions, and/or forecasting errors. B. 1. The impact of costs on the decision to move forward with the new Maim Sandal line is as follows: As the production continues, the hours needed for each batch, or individual pair, will begin to decrease. By continuing to produce this line the total labor costs will continue to decrease, but most likely, at a slower rate as more sandals are produced. This data can help the company decide employment levels, capacity, costs, and their pricing of this particular merchandise in the open market.