Arnolfini Analysis free essay sample

His salary and position in the court system made Van Eyck a successful artist in comparison to other Netherlands artists, whose survival was dependent upon what they made from paintings alone. Jan van Eyck did paintings for private customers outside of his salaried Job. One thing that is unique about Van Eyck is that he signs his paintings in rare and unusual places, an example is the Arnolflni Double Portrait. The Arnolfini Double Portrait is an oil painting that was done on an oak panel that was dated by Van Eyck in 1434. This particular ainting has been known by a couple of titles such as The Arnolfini Wedding, The Arnolflni Marriage and the Portrait of Giovanni Arnolflni and his Wife. This painting is not very large in size it measures 33 X 221/2 but it does have a large story to tell which is not exactly obvious in the painting itself. The painting is thought to be a portrait of Giovanni Arnolflni and his wife, in their home in the Flemish city of Bruges. We will write a custom essay sample on Arnolfini Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This painting was bought by the National Gallery in London in 1842. Today the painting is in really good condition considering how old it is, the paint loss is minimal nd has been touched up. Van Eyck used vertical and horizontal lines to show the depth of the room as well as the objects in the room. At first glance, the painting is very realistic and depicts a man and a woman that are holding hands. The couple is obviously inside a room with a substantial amount of light coming through the windows, and the woman appears to be pregnant. The couple is assumed to be Giovanni di Arrigo Arnolfini and his wife Giovanna Cenami and is supposedly painted in their bedroom. This particular painting is also suggested to be a form of a marriage certificate for the couple. Van Eyck has many hidden meanings to things in this painting. Once you look closer at the painting you will notice small things such as the chandelier candle holder only has one candle lit on the entire thing. This is supposed to symbolize marriage in the Flemish culture and the one candle being lit is also supposed to symbolize the presence of the Holy information and different perspectives about this ordinary looking painting. I went to wiki first to look up the overall information about the Arnolflni Double Portrait. According to the wiki the way in which the couple is standing shows a onventional 1 5th century view on marriage and the roles. By the young woman standing next to the bed and being next to the man in the portrait shows her role as the caretaker while his position next to the open window shows that his role takes place outside of the house. Another thing that Jan van Eyck did to symbolize the role of the two was by their gazes; Giovanni was looking straight ahead while she was not looking straight ahead but directly at her husband to her right. The way in which the couples hands are positioned is yet another indication of the roles in which the two lay. His hand, according to wiki, represented his commanding position of authority, while her hand is in a more submissive position. This doesnt directly mean that her role is any less than his but that they are on a more equal level. Her face may be gazing at him, this shows that she is his equal because she is not looking down at the floor; by her not looking directly at the floor it also shows that the couple comes from wealth. I had learned in my art appreciation class from high school that the wife in the painting appears to be pregnant but actually was not. In that era it was the amount of material that measured your wealth, by the woman having an excess of material that she has to hold up symbolizes that they are a wealthy couple. Also an interesting fact that Mrs. Guthrie shared was that the woman in the painting supposedly died without ever having a kid, so if that is the case then the woman could not be pregnant but only appears to be pregnant. After doing some more research and reading I found out that the style of clothing for wealthy woman was very similar to her dress, which further supports the reason for Van Eyck to paint her in that ashion. Another opinion of her attire is that it symbolizes fertility and the hope for a child in the future. The green color of her dress also means hope and the white cap could mean that she is either a virgin or already married to Giovanni. The shoes being off and to the side of the room is said to be done out of respect for the wedding ceremony and to symbolize that the ceremony is taking place on what was known as holy ground. Another interesting fact I found was that during this era husbands would give their wives clogs to show stability and tranquility. Behind the ouple you can notice that the curtains on the bed and bed set are both red which signifies love, and red on the bed shows the physical part of love as a married couple. Van Eyck used many different things to signify the couples desire to have a child. The dog in the front center helps to symbolize this. If you look to the headboard you can see what is thought to be a carved fgure of Saint Margaret who is supposed to be the saint of pregnancy and childbirth. You can look past the subjects and see that there is a mirror in the back of the room, you may not be able to correctly identify what is een in the mirror unless you zoom in and look a little closer. Once you look closely at the mirror you will see that around the frame of the mirror there are different scenes that are from the Passion of Christ and could quite possibly represent the promise of salvation from God. Also the thing that I found even more interesting was that Van supports the idea that this painting is actually a form of a marriage certificate since there were witnesses present. Jan van Eyck did an awesome Job on capturing this moment in time. He created this ainting with nice complimentary colors that have meaning behind them such as the uses of red and green. This particular painting he chose to use oil paint instead of the easier choice of tempera paint. With the oil paint he was able to blend the colors together by painting wet in wet to give the painting a three dimensional form. Van Eyck was truly a talented artist from his time and this particular painting shows Just how talented he was. Works Cited http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Arnolfini_Portrait http://www. ibiblio. org/wm/paint/auth/eyck/arnolflni/

Once Upon a Psychological Theory essays

Once Upon a Psychological Theory essays Many parents read fairy tales to their children. Young people are able to use their imaginations while listening to these fantastical stories. Filled with dragons, witches, damsels in distress, and heroes, these tales stay in the mind children for years to come. However, these young listeners are getting much more than a happy ending. Fairy tales such as The Goose Girl, The Three Little Pigs, Cinderella, and Snow White one can find theories of psychology. Erik Eriksons theories of social development as well as Sigmund Freuds theory of the map of the mind and his controversial Oedipal complex can be found in many fairy tales. Within every fairy tale there lies a hidden lesson in psychology. In 1963, psychoanalyst Erik Erikson developed one of the most comprehensive theories of social development. The theory centers around eight stages of psychological development. One of the stages, autonomy versus shame and doubt, occurs between the ages of one and a half and three years old. In this stage toddlers develop independence if freedom and exploration are encouraged. Autonomy itself means having control over oneself. At any given moment, our behavior, including this sense [autonomy], is influenced by the outer environment and our inner psychological state (Restak 268). If they are overly restricted and protected they develop shame. Shame is the estrangement of being exposed and conscious of being looked at disapprovingly, of wishing to bury ones face or sink into the ground. (Blake 115). The key to developing autonomy over shame and doubt lies in the amount of control. If parents control their children too much the children will not be able to develop their own se nse of control in the environment around them. However, if the parents provide too little control the children will become overly demanding. Gain...

Recommendation Report on Water Provision Methods at St. Osyth Essay

Recommendation Report on Water Provision Methods at St. Osyth - Essay Example Alternative ways of providing water t-o people living in this area is necessary so as to eliminate problems associated with water scarcity such as starvation and dehydration. This report is a recommendation of the best ways to provide water in these arid areas for the people around there (Funamizu et al, 2008; p. 15). The participants in this investigation were drawn from different t sectors in order to understand how the geographical limits would be combated in order to deliver effective provision of water. Background information St. Osyth in the coastal strip of East Anglia in Britain was identified as one of the areas that require recommendations of efficient water supply. Off0icially, it is the driest area in Britain with an annual rainfall of 20.20 in (513mm). As such, two ways of water provisions were selected for analysis and comparison in order to identify if whether both can be alternatively applied or if only one can be adopted for success of solving water shortage and cris is that often characterized these regions. These investigation and its consequent recommendations follow a long list of studies that have been done in identifying the problems associated with water supply and sanitation and that also face the OECD countries. However, several problems have been identified with regard to water supply and sanitation in general. The major problem has always been the balance of cost and sustainability with regard to water supply infrastructure.... Water provision typology Decentralized versus Centralized infrastructure Decentralized water provision infrastructure describes a local source of water and is also treated locally. At St. Osyth, wells can be dug in large scale in order to provide water at the local levels for use. The area administration should take it upon itself to commission a couple of large wells that have the potentials of producing enough water that can sustain the demand. The harvest of grey water which describes the recycling of non-industrial waste water, majorly a product of the domestic usage can be put into good use. The water is harvest treated and stored to feed the demand when the levels of water in the wells go down. According to USEPA, this non-industrial water is undrinkable but can fit efficiently in flushing of toilets, farm irrigation and other necessary purposes apart from drinking. Decentralized water infrastructure also includes the reclamation of water. Reclaimed water refers to originally w aste water but which been subjected to different levels of treatment in order to remove certain water impurities and solid waste. This water can be used for fire suppression, dust control and most importantly irrigation. When highly advanced treatment methods are applied, the reclaimed water can be used for more potable use such discharging the water into another water body before being utilized in other potable systems (Dolnicar and Schafer, 2009; p. 83). Centralized Fresh water Rain and storm water, reclaimed and grey water may be described under decentralized infrastructure but can also be identified as a singly different way of providing water at St.Osyth. However, in this case the most

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business Research Paper

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business - Research Paper Example 2. Compare the American legal system to the international legal environment of business.   We live in a global economy where goods are manufactured in one country and are packed in other country. In search of cheap labor, raw material and talent, businesses have expanded themselves and have crossed the physical boundaries. The legal of system of every country is different from other. Different countries possess different legal systems however some countries share same legal system for instance countries like Australia, United States and India uses common law systems. In a civil law system, legal system and laws are based upon different and unique circumstances. Some countries legal systems and ideologies are based upon religion for instance Saudi Arabia, Middle East, Pakistan and Iran etc. These nations follow the systems of Koran and Sunnah. Some countries have civil legal system where judges do not have much flexibility and authority to apply law such as Germany, Russia and Franc e. It is highly essential to interpret the legal system and law while doing business international and its affect on commercial activities (Hiray, 2007). 3. Recognize the principal legal and ethical issues facing managers Managers have to face number of issues in their day-to-day dealings. Most of them are related to ethical and legalities. Some principle ethical and legal issues faced by managers are: Ethical Issues Identifying and resolving the dilemmas of ethical situations Maintaining high standards of ethics while conducting business transactions Providing uniform treatment to all the workers in the work environment Keeping the rights, obligations and concern for environment, stakeholders, employees and company Taking decisions after considering the ethical consequences Legal Issues Safeguarding the private and confidential information of the company in accordance with the law Complying with the domestic and international laws while doing business dealings Accepting accountabil ity for the actions and judgments of individual Apart from above mentioned principles, some other ethical and legal issues are related to fraud, marketing tactics and discrimination. 4. Argue the importance of ethics and social responsibility in the business world.   The importance of ethical and social responsibility in any business is that ignoring these important aspects can cause loss of huge time and money to any business. The unquestionable and unethical social practices can be devastating for any size of business. Nowadays, the impact of business decisions on environment has become more important than ever before. Consumers and watchdogs do not leave a single chance to suspect and call out a business, which is mistreating the natural resources and causing devastating effects on environment. Good social and ethical practices are keys to any company’s success. Therefore, nowadays, along with the objective of making profits, the companies are also trying to make an obje ctive of being environmental friendly. The idea that philanthropic efforts are unfavorable to the success and profitability of any business has become obsolete option. 5. Apply ethical frameworks to business situations.   In case of any ethical dilemma, the best way to resolve the issues is to apply ethical framework to that situations. The most widely known ethical framework is mentioned below. Recognizing the Ethical Dilemma Gathering Facts and

Civil Rights Activist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Civil Rights Activist - Essay Example The Civil Rights Movement is often compared to the "David against the Goliath" fable because it was a tough battle against overwhelming odds. On one hand were the oppressors who were extremely powerful in terms of strength, numbers and political power, while on the other hand were the oppressed, and all they had was a dream, and an undying tenacity to achieve that dream. What makes it one of the most important events in the annals of world history is that this movement was largely successful. This is bolstered by acts such as The Brown decision in 1954, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act in 1965 all of which helped bring about the demise of the entangling web of legislation that bound blacks to second class citizenship (loc.gov, nd). During these turbulent times, there were several visionaries who surfaced to make a change. These were great men who saw and understood that what was happening around them and to them was unfair. The Civil Rights Movement is largely associated with the life and struggle of Martin Luther King JR, however, it would be unfair not to identify the work done by several other men and women of that time in this regard. One such person who is unfortunately barely ever mentioned or completely ignored in the pages of history was Medgar Evers. It was in an oppressive world of White domination that Medgar Evers was born, on July 2 1925 to James and Jesse Evers in Decatur, Mississippi (Evers & Marable, 2005). Having taken birth in a devout Christian family, Medgar was instilled with virtues such as self-reliance, pride and self-respect right from a very young age. This made him an assertive boy. He was seen as mean by the local neighborhood. In the autobiography it has been documented that a lync hing of a neighbor that he eye-witnessed, had a profound impact on Medgar's feelings about the racist conditions that surrounded him (Evers & Marable, 2005). In 1943 Medgar left high school and joined the Army. He served the Army in World War II and was stationed in England and France. When he came back home, he joined Alcorn College in Mississippi majoring in Business. Medgar was a very popular student and also received the recognition by being named in the Who's Who in American Colleges. In 1951, Medgar married Myrlie, a freshman girl from his college. By 1952, Medgar had started in his own ways, several attempts to improve the lives of the black American people. In 1952, he became the founding member of Regional Council of Negro Leadership (RCNL) and in that capacity, started assisting the rural blacks to register to vote and promoting memberships in NAACP. Unlike Martin Luther King JR, Medgar was not a supporter of non-violence. He believed that oppressed blacks must fight back, and if necessary also cross the line. In 1954 he was appointed Mississippi's first field secretary for the NAACP. In this role he actively worked for the betterment of the lives of black Americans. He ran several boycott campaigns against racism and institutions that supported it. He also worked towards integrating schools instead of racial segregation. He took up cases where black Americans were not granted their rights in form of denied admissions or rejected loans, and fought for them to obtain justice. Increasingly, Medgar was asked to give public spe eches to inspire

Bharatanatyam Dance Shape Tamil Cultural Cultural Studies Essay

Bharatanatyam Dance Shape Tamil Cultural Cultural Studies Essay Bharatantyam has been embedded in the Tamil culture for centuries, transmitted from generation to generation and evolving over time to uphold its sacredness and its representation of the states traditional identity. Today Bharatanaytam has spread worldwide, performed and practiced across countries and accepted by both traditional and modern masses. However it was only after its rebirth in 1930, when the Devadasi Act was passed, and due to E. Krishna Iyers reworking of the dances movement vocabulary into a socially accepted dance form (On, 2011), that Bharatanatyam gained its respectable social status and hence is why today it plays a crucial role in portraying Indias cultural and traditional identity. This portrayal may be seen as what Bourdieu would call a habitus, which is created through a social, rather an individual process leading to patterns that are enduring and transferrable from one context to another (Powercube, 2012). More precisely, Bharatanatyam is a social measure used to maintain and promote a certain habitus, defining the cultures values which are transferred both through time and across the nations, whilst also acting as a guide for the Tamil generations today. This essay analyses, based substantially on Bourdieus habitus theory, to what extent Bharatanatyam shapes Tamil cultural identity, especially abroad. Art forms in general, especially when practiced over centuries, have proven to be central to any articulation of ethnic identity (Hyder, cited in David, 2009) and this is even more true when a population lives outside of its home nation. There were, and still are, a significant amount of Tamilians that immigrate from India and Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom, especially during and after the British colonialism period. For many Tamilians in London, especially the older generation, Bharatanatyam is the element that contains within it all of their cultural and religious identity: it represents an idealism that they must try to incorporate and preserve. Bharatnayam acts as what Foster would consider an ideal body, something that the material body looks up to and tries to achieve. This ideal cultural representation in Bharatanaym has been transmitted over the years to future generations and to this day young Tamilians explain how Bharatanatyam is part of [their] culture and prevents the culture and religion [from] being forgotten, especially in the West (David, 2009). Two students, Maya and Mahumita, reinforce this statement by confirming that studying Bharatanatyam is their way of learning about their cultural heritage whilst living abroad. For example, most of Bharatanatyams bodily movements and facial expressions bear a prominent representation of Tamil womanhood. This can be seen in small gestures such as the application of the kumkum on the forehead (in representation of the third eye), the plaiting of the hair or the folding of the sari, all symbolizing a feminized social body (David, 2009), describing how a woman should appear and behave in this cultural context. Another more specific example would be that of the heroine character, known as the nayika, and how she uses stylized gestures to prepare herself to meet the hero, the nayaka. Through these gestures the dance transmits an idea of femininity and grace which acts as an ideal for all Tamil women to try live up to and admire. This also links to Bourdieus concept of doxa, which is formed through a combination of unspoken norms and beliefs that are taken-for-granted assumptions or common sense behind the distinctions we make (Powercube, 2012), which in this case is the portrayal of how women are expected to behave. These characteristics that Tamil women need to behold are part of an unstated conduct that is reinforced through the dances movements and storytelling, constantly reminding the Tamil population, and women in particular, what their role in society is. As author Ann R. David explains, for the Tamil middle class, Bharatanatyam promises respectability and a traditional femininity and is, therefore, a prized carrier of tradition (David, 2009). As a result, purity of Tamil tradition, their rituals and religion, their language and their social behaviour (such as the importance of womens chastity in the Tamil civilization) is upheld substantially through Bharatanatyam it is consi dered an influential tool used to craft social status and conduct, uniting Tamil cultural identity across the world. However, first-generation Tamil immigrants, and especially Tamil Hindu groups, are concerned that the external pressures of the West may overwhelm the younger generations and cause them to lose sight of their national identity as Tamilians. In order to preserve this sense of cultural identity, several schools have been built abroad to encourage and indulge the youth in their Tamil culture, ensuring that their roots are not forgotten. These classes would, according to Ann R. David, allow the transmission of traditional culture and assist immigrants in maintaining Tamil identity in local diasporic settings where the acquisition of Tamil social, cultural, and religious values does not necessarily take place (David, 2009). Most Sri Lankan Tamil temples and Tamil weekend classes in London are led by Tamil conservationists who try to stay true to their cultural identity by discouraging their dance pupils to attend international performances to keep them from any outside influences. In add ition, most of the syllabus is written and taught in Tamil, despite the fact that the second generations are likely to have grown up with English as their first language given their educational and social context. This obsession to ensure that Bharatanatyam is practised and incorporated in the lives of immigrated Tamilians means that, as a result, the dance now bears more rituals and ceremonies attached to it today than it had during the period of its revival (David, 2009). For example, the offering of flowers on stage, known as pushpanjali, and the dedication of bells on the stage are common rituals now that were not required previously in Bharatanatyam. As part of their cultural essentialism, none of the teachers in the London Tamil temples have introduced any creative or slightly unconventional material to their students, ensuring that the history of the dance is untouched in order to transfer a pure concept of their Tamil cultural identity. This may be considered as what Bourdie u refers to as misrecognition, similar to Marxs concept of false consciousness, which is the conscious manipulation of a certain group or individual. In this case, the conservationists use Bharatanatyam to encourage certain social pressures that have been accepted without questioning such as, as previously discussed, the role of obedient women in the Tamil society. But is this pressure of preserving Tamil traditions through Bharatanatyam having the contrary effect and pushing away the younger generations from exploring their cultural identity? Some may argue yes, as certain teachers and practitioners, mostly in other countries in Europe and in North America, support Tamil nationalism through change and development. Aided and supported by the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), Tamil Sri Lankan nationalism in particular is encouraged to evolve through more creative Bharatanatyam choreographies. For example, a Bharatanatyam piece was choreographed narrating the story of a military woman who sacrifices her male relatives to be a part of the Sri Lankan war. These types of narrations are unconventional compared to any of the traditional Bharatanatyam stories which usually involve Gods and their relationship with mankind. Another example would be the Akademi centre today whose goal is to enlarge received aesthetic definitions of the traditional and classical through strategic acts of cultural translation and situate Indian dance on the multicultural map of Great Britain (Meduri, 2004). Therefore, this modernising of Bharatanatyam and the use of its representative symbolic movements to express contemporary concerns is going against the work of the preservationists. This contemporary development of Bharatanayam can be seen as creating a new, more current and perhaps global cultural identity. This sense of global identity seems to be growing, even in Britain, especially amongst the second generation as they have no strong, direct ties to their homeland. They hence tend to see themselves more as British, British Asian or British Hindu citizens who are made up of both cultures, yet belong strongly to neither. These young Tamilians are part of a global youth culture (Saldanha, cited in David, 2009) which means they hold a global identity, unlike their elder relatives who struggle to maintain their traditional cultural identity whilst living in a different country amidst a completely different set of values. In the late 20th century all Indian dance forms were put under the label of South Asian dance, despite the fact that South Asia evidently consists of many more countries than just India, hence not only creating a rather vague category for these Indian dances, but also merging internationalism with nationalism. The specific classical dance Bharatantyam being thrown amidst numerous other Indian dances and renamed as a part of a South Asian dance was a huge turning point as it enlarged the Indian label and made visible the diverse dance, performance, and theatre practices of the Indian/Asian diaspora (Meduri, 2004). But some Bharatanatyam dancers and teachers, such as Mira Kaushik, encouraged this relocation of Bharatanatyam dance within the broader category of South Asian dance. Kaushik claimed that although Indian dance might look Indian, it is South Asian dance in the United Kingdom because it is performed not just by immigrant dancers from India but by hundreds of South Asian dancers belonging to the different nations of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, and Africa (Meduri, 2004). One may argue that Kaushik challenges the idea that Bharatanatyam is specially reserved for Tamilians as their source of cultural identity; she brings a whole new concept to Bharatanatyam by suggesting that it can appeal, be understood and performed by many o ther nationalities. This reform therefore alters and reshapes the key tool Bharatanatyam that traditionally promotes the estalished Tamil habitus. By reintegrating Bharatanaytam with a more futuristic and contemporary aspect, it challenges the cultures original habitus and its centuries of unquestioned customs. Therefore Bharatnatyam may actually be seen as a source of creativity and as a catalyst for a new global identity, rather than a source of tradition and preservation of a purely Tamil identity. Bharatnayam has been adopted and reworked since the very beginning of the 1900s by the West, especially in the United States to begin with. For example, in 1906 Ruth St. Denis, the co-founder of the dance company Denishawn, was hugely inspired by South Asian dance and she immersed herself in Indian writings and culture. She used these resources to later on choreograph dance pieces, such as Incense, The Legend of the Peacock, Radha and further on group productions such as The Flute of Krishna in the 1920s. Another distinct dance pioneer, La Meri, even created a rendition of Swan Lake through Bharatanatyam vocabulary. Especially since the 1930s, Bharatnayam has opened up, as men now feel comfortable to interpret womanly roles, whilst also many dancers from outside of the Tamil nationality have b egan practicing Bharatanatyam, even to a professional level. But does this globalisation of Bharatanatyam necessarily affect the preservation and the influence it has on the Tamil population and their cultural identity? Rather on the contrary, although Bharatantyam has been increasingly globalised since the early 1900s, the dance itself to this day remains associated with tradition and symbolism. Both in local Indian communities and abroad, Bharatanatyam is an art that globally and continually promotes the habitus of the Tamil community and its values: whether a non-Tamilian dances it, whether a contemporary story is being told or whether a man dances a womans character the movement vocabulary and the concepts behind the dance remains the same for example, even the interpretation of Swan Lake by Le Meri through Bharatanaym essentially needs to use the dances symbolized codes to tell the story. Bharatanatyam is based intricately on traditional meanings, and therefore whatever context it may be placed in, it will stay true to its Tamil origin. Especially in countries such as Britain and Indonesia where the Tamil population is significant, Bharatanatyam remains a key pathway to not only identify themselves with their distant Tamil customs and embody their cultures habitus, but to spread it worldwide. Word count: 2,005

Pony Express :: essays research papers

Pony Express   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before 1860 it was virtually impossible to get a letter or other form of correspondence from St. Joseph Missouri to Sacramento California in less than 20 days. 20 days seemed entirely too long for the west coast merchants and bankers to wait for documents from the east. So three men, William Russell, Alexander Majors and William Waddell created the Pony Express. The Pony Express ensured fast and safe delivery of the mail.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To ensure the fast pace delivery of the mail, the Pony Express purchased 600 broncos, mostly thorough breads, mustangs, and morgans. Still the horses weren’t all needed. They also had to find men who would be able to handle the adverse weather conditions, Indians and be able to ride for 75 miles with out stopping. The riders were generally under 20 years of age and weighed no more than 120 pounds. They had to be excellent horsemen and have experience with guns. The Pony Express was a relay of mail running day and night.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On April 3rd, 1860, the first rider Johnny Fug headed west bound for Sacramento. Every rider road for 75 miles and they would switch horses every 10-15 miles. The very first letter traveled the 2,000-mile journey from St Joseph Missouri to Sacramento California in only 10 days to the hour of departure. This journey used 27 men and 133 horses. The Pony Express cut the normal 20 days of travel into 10 days, nearly cutting it in half.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the amazing delivery of mail in 10 days across 2,000-miles of prairie land, mountains and deserts led many people to use them. With the growth communication between the east and the west the Pony Express grew in popularity. The Pony Express proved that the central route through the U.S could be traveled all winter. It supported the cattle route for the Transcontinental Railroad to meet with the Union Pacific Railroad. Communications was kept open with California during the Civil War. The Pony Express was the fastest communication between the east and west until the telegraph. It captured the hearts and imagination of people all over the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With all its success the Pony Express like all things suffered failures. Such as the owners spent $17,000, on the Pony Express and has a 2,000 deficit.

Leadership strategy Essay

A primary task of high performance leadership is to provide strategic direction to the organisation, various departments and divisions within the organisation, and to the people who ultimately implement strategic leadership. But regular employees are seldom involved in the process. Authoritarian governance has had two powerful and mutually reinforcing dynamics: People at â€Å"the top† of the organisation, normally in senior managerial positions, have tended to maintain control over strategic processes. They have often become alienated from the realities of operational or shop floor demands and challenges People at operational levels have been part of authoritarian behaviour in different ways (passivity, fear, frustrated) The core challenge is to position strategic leadership as an integrated set of activities and processes which ensure that people across all levels and functions understand their own roles and accountabilities as it relates to the organisation’s strategic leadership Successful strategic leadership occurs when people across all levels and functions have a common understanding about a few essential issues: Knowledge of how strategic leadership is formulated, translated and communicated, implemented and assured within the organisation The formal business processes. The specific and different roles, rights and accountabilities of stakeholders Clear understanding of personal and team roles Comprehension of the various requirements and roles Popular acceptance that legitimate hierarchy and rank are essential components Definition and acceptance of the roles, rights and accountabilities The challenge is crafting solutions which create legitimate and popularly supported rank and hierarchy, and with clearly understood boundaries which describe what may and what may not be done by optimally empowered people Rank, hierarchy and boundaries per se are not only a feature of authoritarian systems. They are an essential part of successful democratic workplaces where a culture of high performance through high involvement can thrive There is still a need for clear definition of a range of roles, rights and accountabilities. There is a need to define two mutually reinforcing parameters: What are the roles, rights and accountabilities that have to be acknowledged by everybody to ensure the organisation’s capacity to fulfill the requirements of high performance What are the constraints, the limits or conditions of high involvement Drucker proposes that strategic leadership needs to fulfill requirements in four areas: Effectiveness Efficiency Long-term Short-term VISION (Long-term effectiveness): Understanding the organisation’s total competitive environment, and positioning it in the present so that it is appropriately placed INTERDEPENDENCE (Long-term efficiency): Identifying, balancing, integrating and aligning all of the external and internal variables that are likely to have an impact on the organisation’s capacity to fulfill its strategic leadership STRUCTURE (Short-term efficiency): Establish replicable standards, approaches and methods which minimize the need for duplication and enhances the capacity to deliver uniform or required quality as a matter of course ACTION (Short-term effectiveness): Taking the necessary steps and action to ensure the delivery of products and services which meet the needs of both internal and external customers An integrated strategic leadership consists of all four VISA elements. The dominance of only one element could perhaps be described as: Only vision: Exciting bankruptcy. People cannot identify with the development of strategies Only Interdependence: Happy bankruptcy: never-ending cycles of consultation Only Structure: Precise bankruptcy: bureaucracy and red tape Only Action: Busy bankruptcy: people perpetually busy but not necessarily productive The absence or weakness of any component of strategic leadership will undermine the success of the organisation: 0ISA: Weakness of vision leaves people without common direction V0SA: Poor interdependence almost always leads to some stakeholders feeling that their legitimate interests are not being met VI0A: Insufficient emphasis on standardization leads to lack of essential disciplines and conformance to necessary standards VIS0: Ultimately the organisation can only survive and thereby satisfy the interests of all its stakeholders if it has a high propensity for action Organisations and teams regularly develop a bias that values some elements more than they do others. Personal styles and approaches also contribute to establish our individual preferences and approaches. It is useful to rate your personal approaches and preferences, as well as that of your team or organisation Vision provides a compelling dream that galvanizes and aligns the behaviours and contributions of people across all levels and functions. A real vision is very active. It is filled with drive, energy and perpetual motion. The vision, or long term effectiveness element of strategic leadership, is achieved by fulfilling the following requirements: 1. Scan the external environment and conditions 2. enable leadership to anticipate long-term forces of change 3. create a challenging view of the future 4. tension between the desirable future and those elements of the present that could inhibit progress 5. communicated with passion 6. evaluated against the present 7. new challenges emerge 8. leadership must always act with insufficient information 9. interacting with stakeholders 10. dynamic and living process Interdependence acknowledges that no organisation operates in isolation. Every organisation is a system operating within a system. It requires the acknowledgement and willingness to embrace the interests of a variety of diverse stakeholders. The interdependent or long-term efficiency component of strategic leadership is fulfilled in the following ways: 1. Variables must be identified 2. The interests of all stakeholders must be defined and appreciated 3. Balance and meet all possible diverse stakeholder needs 4. The support of all stakeholders must be gained and increased over time 5. Interaction must be facilitated between stakeholders for them to appreciate their interdependent nature 6. There will inevitably be conflict between stakeholders 7. The roles and accountabilities that various people and stakeholders have to fulfill must be defined quite clearly 8. Keeping people adequately informed is a crucial element of interdependence 9. Mutual trust and respect 10. help people to define their own specific contributions to the organisation As organisations become more complex, and as the world within which we operate becomes increasingly unpredictable, the need for Structure increases significantly. Successful organisational strategic leadership has to establish and maintain a range of activities that introduce and maintain Structure: 1. The specific interests of stakeholders need to be both quantified and qualified 2. In today’s competitive environment it is essential for organisations to establish required benchmarks of performance 3. There is a constant interplay between specific stakeholder interests and meeting required benchmarks of performance 4. provision of relevant and useful information 5. Standards have to be set and communicated on an ongoing basis 6. Standards are no longer a fixed point on the horizon 7. The discipline of continuously and regularly monitoring performance is one that cannot be sacrificed 8. It also has to look at elements such as leadership style, living of values, and commitment to the subtleties of people development 9. Consequences of non-conformance need to be defined, understood and applied 10. people across all levels and functions thrive on information–driven problem solving Action is the level at which products and services are actually delivered to meet the interests of customers. Creating and keeping more customers. A sustained and high propensity for action is achieved in the following ways: 1. The organisation’s vision must be made relevant to operational areas 2. Customer needs cannot be fulfilled only by sales and distribution functions 3. Accountability has to be placed as close as possible to the source of action 4. people have to be continuously part of determining the limits and constraints within which they are expected to operate 5. Successful action is driven by leaders who establish their personal power of presence (top executives have no time) 6. Quality and productivity has to be an in-built function 7. demonstration of attitude and will 8. Emphasis on people development 9. attitude that accepts error as an inevitable consequence of innovation and action 10. A propensity for innovation and action LEARNING The growing complexity and competitiveness of the international and local economic environments within which organisations have to survive and prosper makes it essential for leaders of the future to value learning Leaders must develop the capacity to think simultaneously about paradoxical and contradictory requirements. The act of leadership is, as Peter Drucker puts it, the challenge of constructive destruction, of doing things differently and doing different things Kolb: real learning has only taken place when every one of the four facets has been included in the process: Abstract Conceptualization: â€Å"think about the previously unthinkable or unknowable†. It requires the capacity for hypothetical formulation Reflective Observation: need to stand back and observe what is happening Concrete Experience: ability to continuously asses what has worked and to pass this experience on to others. concrete experience remains one of the only ways in which organisations can develop replicable application of processes and activities that ensure minimum conformance to standards Active Experimentation: often organisations still limit the ability and space for people to become involved in such activities. Active experimentation requires calculated risk-taking The relationsip can be described as follows: Abstract conceptualization x reflective observation x concrete experience x active experimentation = Learning and Leadership Abstract Conceptualization x 0 x 0 x 0 = 0: we often remain hamstrung by old experiences which may have become irrelevant 0 x Reflective Observation x 0 x 0 = 0: Nothing happens and there is no real threat that anything will happen! 0 x 0 x Concrete Experience = 0: People relying predominantly upon concrete experience for their learning are caught in a perpetual search for the infallible, predictable, pre-planned, scheduled, structured, all-eventuality, and all bases covered solutions to problems – â€Å"late adapters† 0 x 0 x 0 x Active Experimentation = 0: All that matters for them is the exhilaration of making things up as you go The Consequences of Undervaluing any Facet of Learning: 0 x Reflective Observation x Concrete Experience x Active Experimentation = 0 (The absence of Abstract Conceptualization): It is much easier to define this symptom than it is to resolve it Abstract Conceptualization x 0 x Concrete Experience x Active Experimentation = 0 (The absence of Reflective Observation): The number of continuously changing variables which are capable of influencing the performance of an organisation are virtually endless. people either stopped taking a hard and reflective look at what was going on, or they stopped asking appropriate questions. he managers, and more often the specialist staff functions, start to confuse doing lots of things with an integrated and holistic approach, but they lack congruence and theoretical integration. without an integrative framework and commonly shared model, people rapidly lose their commitment and stamina to sustain focused activity Abstract Conceptualization x Reflective Observation x 0 x Active Experimentation = 0 (The absence of Concrete Experience): things become redundant while they are still on the drawing board or as soon as they are launched. age-old and essential facet of learning – the assimilation and valuing of concrete experience. The single most common symptom is that untested assumptions abound Abstract Conceptualization x Reflective Observation x Concrete Experimentation x 0 = 0 (The absence of Active Experimentation): People develop an inward approach to problems and issues. It does not take too long for such insularity to develop into suspicion of external developments By critically evaluating how organisations learn, and constantly determining whether all the facets of learning are being fully developed and utilized, we can provide a much more tenacious learning environment.

Microeconomic Concept Essays

Microeconomic Concept Essays Microeconomic Concept Essay Microeconomic Concept Essay Project Description: In this project, you will apply the theories studied in class to analyze the microeconomic forces affecting a business. Each and every data/graph/ table should have the Source with it. The contents of your presentation must incorporate concepts from the course. RESEARCH OUTLINE Choose your industry and your company Brief background of the company. Explain the circular flow diagram and concentrate on each part to explain the following. DEMAND THEORY Consumer Behavior and pattern Price elasticity of demand of the product and the shape of the demand curve. FIRM THEORY Cost structure of your company 2-3 years of actual data. ? Fixed costs, variable costs and your analysis of the same. MARKET THEORY Identify the market structure level of competition; the barriers to entry; any game theory application PRICING THEORY Pricing strategy of the company; price movements in the last 4-5 years. CONCLUSION EXTRA CREDIT Relevant materials, apart from the PowerPoint, that will enhance the understanding of the microeconomic concepts that you have included in your resentation. ?Research (newspapers or any other authentic sources) which you can include in a meaningful way in the presentation. ? Use of actual data of your company from annual reports, financial statements ? Your own survey, interview, analysis that you carried out for this project ? Involvement of your colleagues during the presentation / discussion. ? Creativity in your presentation. Your preparation and conf idence during the presentation. I would like to choose Mcdonalds as a firm in this research microeconomic concept By falmarzooqil

Analysis Of Influence Factors Social Policy Essay Example

Analysis Of Influence Factors Social Policy Essay Example Analysis Of Influence Factors Social Policy Essay Analysis Of Influence Factors Social Policy Essay As for a good authorities, the valuable public policy, which refers to the authorities action or inactivity to cover with peculiar issues, can be regarded as one of the rating standards. Therefore, it seems that the procedure of policy devising, turning the authorities political vision into the existent plans and actions in the existent universe ( Cabinet Office, 1999 ) , becomes important which should be put on much more accent. Particularly, good quality policy doing depends on high quality information, derived from a assortment of sources-expert cognition ; bing domestic and international research ; bing statistics ; stakeholder audience ; rating of old policies and new research ( Cabinet Office, 1999 ) . The high quality information here chiefly refers to grounds which becomes more and more of import portion for the policy devising. Even more, the increasing usage of assorted sorts of grounds by authorities has determined the cardinal function of grounds in policy devising for twenty-first century. The term evidence-based policymaking of course comes up at the same clip. Actually, the rise function of grounds in policy devising does hold its ain grounds. As the development of modern society, the growing of knowing and intelligent public cast their involvement to the exact information provided by the authorities and inquire why. Therefore in certain distance, it facilitates the authorities to research the precise informations of all types with the aid of developed information engineering ( Davies, Nutley and Smith, 2000 ) . What s more, an increasing demand on answerability in authorities goads on the significance of grounds in a democratic society. Due to the above grounds, in UK the Blair Government, who was elected on the footing of What matters is what works , announced that to bring forth policies that truly cover with jobs, that are advanced and shaped by grounds instead than a response to short-run force per unit area, that tackles causes ; non symptoms ( Modernizing Government, 1999 White Paper ) , and demonstrated that it was a good clip for the new authorities to get down grounds based- attack to public policy ( Gary Banks AO, 2009 ) , At the same clip, they built a new relationship between societal scientific discipline and authorities every bit good as pointed out that public policy had to be driven by grounds. So, what precisely does grounds mean? UK Cabinet office defines it as analysis of the result of audience, costings of policy options and the consequences of economic or statistical mold ( Cabinet Office, 1999 ) Harmonizing to Chambers Dictionary, grounds consists of consequences of systematic probe towards increasing the amount of cognition ( Davies, Nutley and Smith, 2000 ) . Both two definitions can be divided into four sorts functioning for policy devising: descriptive informations, analytic findings, appraising grounds, and policy analytic prognosiss ( Carol Hirschon Weiss, 2001 ) . Descriptive information is a tool to demo objects status, location, relation and way of alteration. See, for case, before the Hong Kong Government introduced the environmental levy strategy on plastic shopping bags, sum of informations are collected to demo the increasing danger brought by the plastic bags. 3-the mean figure of plastic bags is used by Hong Kong people per twenty-four hours. 13, 503-the figure of dozenss of solid waste is disposed of at landfills per twenty-four hours ( EPD Hong Kong, 2009 ) . 20 to 1000-the old ages are needed to break up the plastic bag. From the exact informations, authorities could clearly see the negative environmental affect caused by the plastic bag. Thus, authorities s policy is made on the footing of big and comprehensive informations. The 2nd sort is analytic findings which refer to the identified information conducted by an academic research and analysis system, detecting the relationship between factors and current state of affairss ( Carol Hirschon Weiss, 2001 ) . Besides in the same policy-the environmental levy strategy on plastic shopping bags, after academic analysis, we can reason that the low environmental consciousness of public endangers the state of affairs of indiscriminate usage of plastic bags. The analytic findings are the way for seeking positive solutions in the procedure of policy devising. Evaluation serves for straight analyzing the bing policies in other states or topographic points, and so selectively taking for ain usage. Taiwan, as one of the innovators in environmental protection, provides valuable experience for the Hong Kong Government ordaining the plastic bag levy strategy. After measuring positive and negative sides of Taiwan s Restricted Use Policy on Plastic Shopping Bags and Disposable Plastic Tableware ( Our Group s Essay on Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags, 2009 ) , the HK Government adopts the same policy of restricted usage of plastic shopping bags while temporarily abandons the unavailable policy on plastic tableware. The last one is policy analytic prognosiss. In common state of affairss, analyst will cipher and foretell the possible cost and benefits of the coming policy. The study of anticipation will act upon the concluding release of the new policy ( Carol Hirschon Weiss, 2001 ) . In short, these four sorts of grounds are used as the footing of the authorities policy devising. However, no affair how of import grounds is, in the procedure of policy devising, its nature has several restrictions and troubles. Harmonizing to Gary Banks research on evidence-based policy devising, methodology the authorities choose, informations lack or overload, grounds transparence, people who research and analyze grounds, and the limited clip to make the information aggregation are all the possible factors to act upon the effectivity of grounds used in policy devising ( Gary Banks AO, 2009 ) . Sometimes, quantitative informations could be collected, but that does non intend they are the existent valuable informations needed. The addition usage of plastic shopping bags has no necessary correlativity with the heavy air pollution job. Therefore, the grounds for air pollution should straight from auto emanation, industrial emanation, waste deposition, etc. Peoples with diverse political value or involvement could be non loath to accept the grounds which obeys their involvement. What s more, even for the policy shapers, they would wish to put the manner of policy foremost and so look for verification grounds. In this sense, grounds merely can be regarded as one of the important factors in policy devising. It will be much more appropriate to name that evidence-influenced policy devising ( H.K. Wong s talk note ) . In add-on, other three chief factors-political, economic and societal factors, besides have a intensive power to impact the complex procedure of policy devising. Politicss here concerns with political system and crisis. On one manus, as we know, the stable political system determines the usual manner of the authorities policy doing. From the first beginning of policy proposal to the audience and to the concluding policy devising, every measure complies with a certain regulate with minor alteration. Furthermore, the same as the steady political system, political political orientation and beliefs besides become the major elements to coerce the policy made ( Philip Davies, 2004 ) . On the other manus, crisis detonation becomes the direct primacord to press the authorities to ordain and implement a new policy in the immediate clip. After the detonation of the planetary fiscal crisis, one time the economic state of affairs in Hong Kong got worse quickly, and the Hong Kong Government carried out series of policy to excite the recovery and development of economic system. In the 2009-2010 Budget, the authorities introduced several steps to guarantee the stableness of fiscal establishments and the market to bolster public assurance in our fiscal systems , including the proviso of liquidness aid to the banking system and the constitution of a Contingent Bank Capital Facility ( The 2009-2010 Budget of Hong Kong ) . Meanwhile, in order to diminish the unemployment rate caused by the fiscal crisis, the Hong Kong Government besides sustained the proviso of more than 60000 employment opportunities, increased the enlisting of civil retainers, and closely cooperated with Guangdong Province to make more occupations ( The 2009-2010 Budget of Hong Kong ) . Therefore, it seems that in some certain state of affairss, political factors are more available than grounds which needs clip to roll up and analyse. The economic system is frequently closely connected with the political relations. The long-standing development of economic system should establish on valuable policies. In every twelvemonth s policy reference, economic policy is the most of import 1. Harmonizing to the specific economic state of affairss, the authorities have emphasised their policy on different facets. For case, when the Hong Kong market was to a great extent hit by the fiscal tsunami, the policy accent are placed on how to get by with it and how to retrieve this twelvemonth. This is why the authorities make great attempt to stabilise the fiscal system, support endeavors and continue employment ( 2009-2010 Policy Address ) . Comparing to the old twelvemonth, there was no fiscal tsunami s striking, the Hong Kong Government focused more on 10 large-scale Infrastructure Projects which aimed to better Hong Kong s transit and associate up socio-cultural and concern activities with more efficient transit systems ( 20 07-2008 Policy Address ) . When speaking about economic factors, we should detect that every policy is restricted within the authorities finance. As we know, if the budget of a policy is mostly beyond the authorities s fiscal endurance after exact computation and the cost effectiveness/efficiency system, the policy will be cut off. Social factors here include experience and opinion of policy shapers, wont and tradition, force per unit area groups and advisers ( Philip Davies, 2004 ) . Normally, the experience and opinion of policy shapers are cherished decision on the footing on the old policy success or failure, incarnating rational capital and tacit cognition ( Philip Davies, 2004 ) . They are see as an influence factor. Actually, the usage of experience and opinion frequently appears in the status where the grounds is uncomplete or non-existent ( Grimshaw, et Al, 2003 ) . It can be regarded as a complement for grounds in the procedure of policy devising. Habit and tradition constitutes another societal factor impacting policy devising. Some establishments stagnate due to the unchanging wont and tradition. They refuse to do and implement new policy to excite the development of themselves. To a certain extent, Changing traditional and accustomed ways of making things to suit the forces of reason and modernnes s presents a major challenge for policy devising ( Philip Davies, 2004 ) . The last societal factor-pressure groups and advisers, progressively act upon the policy devising in the current yearss. The fast development of think armored combat vehicles in society, they have already profoundly penetrated into the political relations. Particularly when a policy contradicts with think-tanks and force per unit area groups involvement, their sentiments are powerful plenty to impact the policy devising. In a word, all the above factors come together to act upon the procedure of policy devising. Evidence, political, economic and societal factors supplement with each other, fixing for the to the full consideration of policy devising. However, factors come together here does non intend that every factor should go one necessary portion in a policy. In most conditions, there are merely two or three factors influence the policy devising. Now, I will analyse how these factors come together to impact policy doing within one instance. Small Class Teaching in Hong Kong is a typical instance which could turn out many elements come together to influence policy devising. As the development of modern knowledge-based society, more and more demands are raised on instruction system and method. Particularly, for the comprehensive development of younger coevals, it is normally supposed that little category with smaller figure of pupils per category is much more helpful than the normal big category in primary and secondary school. As for the instructors in little category, they could cut down their heavy work load, pay more attending to every single pupil and so learn pupils harmonizing to their ability. For the pupil, in little category they would hold more chances to pass on with instructors and schoolmates, participant in category activities and acquire more immediate feedback of their ain survey from instructors ( Group 2 s Essay on Small Class Teaching ) . Since July 1998, an unwritten inquiry on category size in primary and secondary schools was foremost raised by Hon Cheung Man-kwong in the Legislative Council. Till 2007, the Chief Executive eventually announced that the little category instruction would be launch in 2009/10 school twelvemonth in his 2007-2008 Policy Address. During the long period of policy devising, in order to roll up more resource every bit good as sing some contention issues concerned with the little category instruction, the authorities conducted a pilot survey in primary school with effectiveness schemes of category and group instruction in 2003/04 school twelvemonth and another strategy in primary schools with high concentration of disadvantaged students with consequence from 2005/06 school twelvemonth. During the survey, sum of feedback and quantitative informations have been collected from instructors and pupils through the manner of questionnaire. Qualitative information, carefully analyzed through syste matic lesson observations and instance surveies, acquire a decision that schools and instructors have non truly benefited a batch from the little category instruction ( Group 2 s essay on Small Class Teaching ) . Even though the concluding consequence of the survey has non been released to the populace, from the facet of grounds , it can be regarded as a good manner to get down. In add-on, the rating and experience-learning on the footing of abroad experience is besides a sort of grounds. The United State is a successful illustration on the execution of little category instruction, who conducts specific cost-effectiveness analysis and to the full considers the allotment of financess, the mark popularity, the category size and so on ( Group 2 s essay on Small Class Teaching ) . From the facet of societal factors, most of academic and parents representatives concurred with the policy of little category learning with the grounds that instructors should be professionally trained and care more about single pupil s demand. Furthermore, political parties such as Democratic Party and Liberal Party, besides agreed with the execution of this policy. Therefore, a great major of stakeholders were consentaneous the execution of little category learning which they believed pupils and instructors would profit a batch from it. In this sense, the strong sentiments for stakeholders have a certain impact on the whole policy procedure. From the facet of political factors, in 2002, the Consolidating High Cost and Under-utilized Primary Schools policy was introduced by Education and Manpower Bureau, taking to a threaten to sum of instructors occupations. Thousands of instructors hold a March and protested against the policy in July 2003 ( SING TAO, 2003 ) . This political force per unit area became one component to act upon the devising of little category instruction policy. Originally, the Hong Kong Government attempted to pattern evidence-based policy devising by carry oning the pilot survey, measuring and analysing the research every bit good as larning from abroad experience. However, political and societal factors partly become the elements of impacting the policy devising. Thus, grounds in this instance is still the most of import factor and the policy of little category instruction could be called evidence-influenced policy. To reason, in the complex procedure of policy devising, grounds every bit good as the political, economic and societal factors constitutes the influence elements. On one manus, Evidence, by agencies of descriptive informations, analytic findings, appraising grounds, and policy analytic prognosiss, occupies the most important place in policy devising. On the other manus, to some extent, the restrictions and troubles of grounds restrict the policy s formation. It leads to the evidence-influenced policy , alternatively of evidence-based policy . Yet, the being of the political, economic and societal factors makes up the restriction of grounds in a certain distance. They all serve for the whole policy procedure. Mention Cabinet Office, 1999, Professional Policy-Making for the Twenty-first Century, Strategic Policy Making Team, London, Cabinet Office. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.civilservant.org.uk/profpolicymaking.pdf ( accessed on 18 November, 2009 ) Cabinet Office, 1999a, Modernizing Government, White Paper, London, Cabinet Office. Carmen, Fiona, Helen, Gloria, Selin and Yvonne, November 2009, Group Paper: Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags Carol Hirschon Weiss, 2001, What Kind of Evidence in Evidence-Based Policy? Third International, Inter-disciplinary Evidence-Based Policies and Indicator Systems Conference, July 2001 hypertext transfer protocol: //www.cemcentre.org/Documents/CEM % 20Extra/EBE/EBE2001/P284-291 % 20Carol % 20Weiss.pdf ( accessed on 19 November, 2009 ) Chau Kam Yan, Hon Heung-Kwan, Kung Tin Ho, Leung Lok-Sum, So Tsit, October 2009, Group Essay on Small Class Teaching Donald Tsang, 2007, Policy Address 2007-2008: A New Direction for Hong Kong, policyaddress.gov.hk, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.policyaddress.gov.hk/07-08/eng/agenda.html ( accessed on 20 November, 2009 ) Donald Tsang, 2009, Policy Address 2009-2010: Interrupting New Ground Together, policyaddress.gov.hk, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.policyaddress.gov.hk/09-10/eng/index.html ( accessed on 20 November, 2009 ) Environmental Protection Department Hong Kong, 2009. Environmental Levy on Plastic Shopping Bags. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/prob_solutions/env_levy.html ( accessed on 3 November, 2009 ) Gary Banks AO, 2009, Challenges of Evidence-Based Policy-Making, Australia Public Service Commission, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.apsc.gov.au/publications09/evidencebasedpolicy.htm ( accessed on 19 November, 2009 ) Grimshaw, J.M. , Thomas, R.E. , MacLennan, G. , Fraser, C. , and Ramsay, C.R. , 2003, Effectiveness and Efficiency of Guideline Dissemination and Implementation Strategies, Final Report, Aberdeen, Health Services Research Unit. H.K. Wong, 2009, Lecture Note 3: The Rhetorics and Reality of EBPM Hum Davies, Sandra Nutley and Peter Smith, 2000, Introducing Evidence-Based Policy and Practice in Public Services, In What Works? Evidence Based Policy and Practice in the Public Services, Chapter One, 1-11, Bristol: Policy Imperativeness John Tsang Chun-wah, 2009, the 2009-2010 Budget, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.budget.gov.hk/2009/eng/speech.html ( accessed on 19 November, 2009 ) Philip Davies, 2004, Is Evidence-Based Government Possible? To be presented at the 4th Annual Campbell Collaboration Colloquium, Washington D.C. , 19 February 2004 hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nationalschool.gov.uk/policyhub/downloads/JerryLeeLecture1202041.pdf ( accessed on 20 November, 2009 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.singtao.com/archive/fullstory.asp? andor=or A ; year1=2003 A ; month1=07 A ; day1=21 A ; year2=2003 A ; month2=07 A ; day2=21 A ; category=all A ; id=20030721a01 A ; keyword1= A ; keyword2= ( accessed on 20 November, 2009 )

Participant Observation in Prague Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Participant Observation in Prague - Essay Example People of all ethnicity fill the site when a group of around twenty students enter the church. Camera flashes seem to increase shining on the statue with the arrival of the group. They are accompanied by and older and more composed man. He seems not to be frightened as compared to his companions. He briefly gives the history of the hand at the statue to his students. The teacher explains to his students that they still have one more site to visit as the dark tourism sites in Prague are many. As the group streams out of the church one of the students faults the early Christians in Prague for nailing the thiefs hand on the sculpture. An Asian lady in their midst does not seem to clearly understand and corrects them by saying the thief deserved it. She mentions that they ought to visit more similar sites in their future academic trips. The group discuss their next move, and they decide to tour Theresienstadt concentration camp. At the entrance of the camp, the group is silent. They enter the camp after parting with a few coins which the gate fellow explains it is for maintenance of the camp. Inside the camp, the group is directed to a small fortress. When the guide was explaining camp a young woman breaks down and starts to cry. The emotions are running high as her peers console her, and they leave the room. Opposite where the group is standing there is a couple who from their dressing are Jewish. The couple is holding hands as a tour guide explains to them the events that took place at the fortress. The group is lead through a thin corridor to a yard that was an excursion ground. The couple follows the group letter to the yard. The lady now seems very weak and is held firmly with her husband. The couple later head towards the Star of David and whisper a prayer. The students return into the fortress and enter to a small room. As the guide explains to the group the function of the room, all concentration is on

Masks Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Masks - Term Paper Example I imagined meeting new friends and acquiring all the freedom in the world. I believe this is what many people still imagine before joining high school. Ask anybody if you ever get the chance and you will most probably prove me right. The long awaited day soon came and I was accompanied to my new school by my father. I always believed that I was his favorite child because I more often than not accompanied him to all places, and unlike my sisters and my other brother, he accompanied me to my new school singly. He must have been the tallest man in the Yorkshire area because I never saw anyone greet him without having to bend low, nor did I ever see him enter any house without bending his head, however slightly. The principal of my new school was a short bald-headed man. He looked so mean and I hated him at once. He was seated at the middle of a large room, a laptop on the table in front of him, and several forms on his right hand side. He had a large belly that touched the hedge of the table. After a thirty-minute talk and other formalities, I was officially admitted to the school and my father left. I felt my body shrivel and a fear ran down my spine. I controlled tears from running down my face. A week later, I was accustomed to the life of the place. Though it was not as I expected, I learned to love it altogether. Little did I know that I was to be chosen as the school’s spy. Whatever, criteria was used to have me chosen has been beyond my knowledge to date. As a spy, I would be an obvious target and would be baited if the other students came to learn of it. I, therefore, tried all I could to ensure that no one, even my closest friends, came to learn of it. However, to my disappointment, some students knew about it and spread the news to the rest of the students. This was so upsetting and perplexing. I would have wished to quit, but there were several privileges that I enjoyed that held me firmly to the task. Secretly, and theoretically of course, I wou ld inform the head teacher of any evil plans within the school, or even of any crimes already committed or due. I hated, and shall forever hate the role I played more than any words can explain. I was hated by almost all students within the school. Most students sneered at me whenever I passed and made mocking sounds towards me. I was stuck in the midst of the office I served, and my anger against the students who tried to make my role impossible. As much as I was hated by most students, I still had faithful and close friends I would rely on. However, it was difficult for me to trust them wholly because they could well have evil plans. Nevertheless, I tried the much I could to save them whenever there was trouble. This, I felt compelled to do to secure a place in their friendship. I knew it was not right, but I had to do it anyway. One day, something I least expected happened. It was an incident that gave me a better understanding of the real scenery of hatred. It was late at night when all students were expected to be in their beds. I had come to learn that most of the evil plans within the school were planned and carried out at this time of the night. There had been peace and everything had been smooth for the past few weeks. I therefore, did not expect any trouble that night or the rest of the week. I therefore, retired to my bed. Before I could fall asleep, my cell phone (one of the privileges I enjoyed) rang. â€Å"