Role of Independent Non-Executive Directors Essay

Role of Independent Non-Executive Directors - Essay Example Perhaps the most summarized in the Federal Law "On Joint Stock Companies", which refers primarily to the independence of Board members from the management. Incidentally, the definition of "independence" of directors is given in Sec. 9, "The interest in the commission of public transactions," so this definition can be regarded as purely utilitarian. A much more detailed vision of independent directors make the Code of Conduct and the Association of investor protection . Last added to the list of groups that should not affect the directors, yet the state, as well as major shareholders and partners of the company. Perhaps, except for employees (excluding top management), lists all of steykholde-ditch. However, if we take into account our current realities, placing the company's employees to the stakeholders (directly or through participation in trade unions) will be more a tribute to the generally accepted world practice, rather than a reflection of reality (Arbouw, 2004, pp. 8). Thus, in the most general case, it can be argued that an independent director is independent from all stakeholder groups. Of course, there is a statistic that confirms that the involvement of independent directors correlates with the high efficiency of enterprises and their degree of success. Moreover, already in 1992 Cadbury report was published, which stated that "the level and number of non-executive directors on the board of directors shall be such that their views have made a significant contribution to the decision of the Board of Directors". Later, in 1998, these provisions were reaffirmed in the group, Sir Ronald Hampel of the fundamental principles of corporate governance. However, I venture to suggest that the need for independent directors in the UK there was still earlier than the institution of independent directors. In his article, M. Samosudov concludes that, in speaking of "independence" of directors, "to talk about the independence of judgments of the Board of Directors ( Barratt, 2002, pp.9). That is understood that members of the board of directors and board of directors as a whole should be in every situation to express opinions, make decisions, guided solely by considerations of their own professionalism and efficiency of the company as a whole, but not by considerations of any individual participants of corporate relations. â€Å"Then we come to the following conclusion: the independent director is a highly qualified specialist who can satisfy the needs to implement the functions and exercising the authority of the Board of Directors the most effective way, regardless of the views of various stakeholder groups. Main Body From this definition we can draw three conclusions. First, an independent director - not a position, and the profession, such as, for example, an electrical engineer or an accountant, with all ensuing consequences. Secondly, any shareholder, being of sound mind and memory of, must carry out the appointment of board members only from among the independent directors (the best, besides no one is appointed by, say, a professional accountant to the position electrician). And thirdly, to the service must be approached with the same criteria as any other service or any other product: the light of its value (how effective or that the applicant) and prices (the value of his services). As an option - to hold a competition for filling vacant board member. It is clear that, if we exclude from consideration all animate objects, the "Company" is a mere collection of assets and related liabilities to shareholders and third parties. Therefore, to talk about the "public interest" makes no sense. However, there are a lot of sense to talk about the interests of employees and its top managers. In this case we have to, first, to

How to Develop Self-Confidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How to Develop Self-Confidence - Essay Example It is rightly said that self confidence is all in your mind. The first step that should be taken for the development of self confidence is to realize one’s own self. First of all make a list of qualities present in the personality and read it daily until your mind starts believing on such qualities in the character. (Robert Anthony - Self-Help, 2005) Another important way to develop self confidence is self talk. It is very important in the way of success to express all your thoughts in the figure of words. For such ability one has to eliminate self doubt from the personality. Once this quality develops in the character it will become helpful in every race of life. Self praising is also an important activity for the development of confidence. One should praise himself that he is gorgeous, talented and possesses all the qualities that one should have to be a successful person. This appreciation will of course help him in reducing hesitation from his behavior. In contrast, never criticize one’s own self. It plays a great role in suppressing the self-belief. It may demodulate the mind and develop feeling of hopelessness in one’s character. Self confidence may also generate by the elimination of bad habits from the personality and replace them by positive activities. If an individual gets command on his behavior he will definitely become confident in his all dealings of routine life (Coon et al 2009). One more important thing that should be mentioned here is that there is no need to hide your progress in any race of life. Let the people know your efficacy towards your objective. To hide anything would always irritate the mind. It keeps suppressing the confidence. Once the confidence has developed avoid the company of people who diminish your self confidence with their negative comments and opinions. Continuous

Which Theoretical Perspective Of Politics Is Most Persuasive?

Which Theoretical Perspective Of Politics Is Most Persuasive? This essay will highlight that pluralism is the most persuasive political state theory as it reflects democracy and equality within the state. I will indicate why I am persuaded most by pluralism by highlighting its ontological and epistemological position, pluralistic beliefs on the diffusion of power, plurality of groups and the presence of pluralist issues, such as multiculturalism, in our current society. This essay will go on to explain that despite being persuaded most by pluralism, like all theories, it has downfalls, for example its limited belief in faces of power. In order to highlight weaknesses in pluralist state theory I will draw on Marxism and elitism, which are becoming increasingly persuasive as their presence in society escalates. Pluralists argue that there are essential differences of being that provide the foundations upon which social life is built (Marsh Furlong, 2002, p.18). This statement reflects pluralists as ontologically foundational as they recognise the importance of social interaction in order for a state to function efficiently. Elitists and Marxists, on the other hand, are anti-foundational by believing nothing is definitive as everything can be altered. Ontologically, pluralisms foundational belief is more persuasive as they identify that social differences in norms and belief shape our society; they recognise that change occurs at a local level but in order to maintain stability diversity must remain at the base of society. In order to explain behaviour pluralists establish causal relationships between social phenomena emphasising their positivist epistemological positioning (Marsh Furlong: 2002:20). Positivists promote unity within a society to maximise equality and prevent power being unfairly dispersed. Realism, which includes Marxism and elitism, is the opposite to positivism in terms of epistemological positioning. Realists concentrate on government and power rather than society in order to focus on their own national interests instead of the interests of society (Ferraro: mytholyke.edu). They disregard society from political processes in order to act in the interest of the state rather than the people; for example Marxism focuses on individuals who want to maximise capital for their own benefits. This highlights that pluralists foundational position is more persuasive as, unlike realism, it focuses on the interests of the people, as society and politics are interrelated. Pluralism is perceived as instrumentalist as it sees the state as an instrument rather than a set of structures (Hay: 2002: 174) meaning pluralists do not regard the state as a uniform and primary body in itself, but rather as a society of societies (McLennan: 1995: 33). Pluralists believe the states responsibility is to allow society to voice its beliefs by placing citizens at the heart of the institution; rather than a centralized state based purely on politics and governments (Stears cited in Smith: 2006: 24). The pluralist view of the state is more socially inclusive than Marxist and elitist state theory as they believe groups and the diffusion of power within society provides the foundations of the state and politics (Smith: 2006: 23). This is juxtaposed by elitist state theory which believes power is concentrated in the state and citizens have little or no impact on policy decision (Kavanagh, Richards, Smith Geddes: 2006: 25). Elitism and Marxism, like pluralism, see the state as instrumentalist, however, whilst pluralists believe the state to be an instrument used by society to maintain equality and democracy, Marxism and elitism see the state as an instrument in the hands of the ruling class for enforcing and guaranteeing the stability of the class structure itself (Sweezy cited in Hay: 2006: 61). Here the state is observed as a vital nodal point in societal functioning as elites hold onto power and use it to influence and imprint their wants on society. Pluralisms view of the state is the most persuasive as it grants society with the ability to bring about change instead of elites dominating society, politics and the economy. Over the years Pluralism has adapted to social changes and academic critiques in order to advance in the political arena by offering a more realistic view of society and politics (Smith: 2006: 37). All three pluralist models classical, reformed (elite) and neo-pluralism acknowledge the dispersion of power between a variety of institutions and interest groups, Mouffe states that a pluralist society is the articulation of a multiplicity of identities (cited in Buckler: 2002: 190). By allowing group plurality it encourages the dispersion of power, preventing a single group or interest to dominate society which is common in elitism and Marxism (McAnulla: 2002: 278). Pluralists believe the dispersion of power between a variety of groups is key to a democratic state as it is the building block of politics and the state (Smith: 2006: 23). It allows non-governmental organisations, media and political parties to voice their beliefs in a society which appreciates the importance of an eclecti c range of attitudes and beliefs. Group plurality and the interests of the citizens are key in maintaining a diverse socio-culture and preventing elitists dominating society. Reformed and neo-pluralists have identified that in certain areas, such as the business sector, power may become more concentrated as the influence businesses hold over the government increases and state policies are created in consideration of key business sectors (McLenna: 1995: 36). Lindblom, a neo-pluralist, saw business as not just having power through its lobbying ability but having structural power (cited in Smith: 2006: 28). In todays society, globalisation has led to a rise in the power and influence of businesses as governments recognise that trade and business relations assist their state as they reap the social, political and economic benefits. The acknowledgement of the concentration of power in certain areas augments pluralisms persuasive power as reformed and neo-pluralists highlight adaptations made to the classical model in order to make it more precise. This belief sways me to believe pluralism is the most persuasive theory by offering a true representation of socie tys attitudes and beliefs. Pluralists believe that power is located within society, however, elitists believe it originates in the political arena and Marxists in the economic arena. Pluralism provides the most appropriate and democratic arena for power as it relies on the people in society to voice their beliefs and influence politics; representing national interests rather than self-interest (McAnulla: 2002: 278). Marxism, however, believes politics and economics are interlinked, whilst pluralists are careful to separate politics and economic power as they identify that all economically powerful actors do not automatically have political power (Kavanagh, Richards, Smith Geddes: 2006: 24). Marxists think that economic power equals political power but this is not the case in a democratic world. This places pluralism in a more persuasive position as it recognises that capital is not necessary in order to gain power. Pluralism is visible in society by the presence of multi-level governance, meaning there is not a single centre of government but many, which link together as a whole variety of actors, be they at the local, national or supranational level (Smith: 2006: 31). Multi-level governance allows greater, more influential social involvement with the government and politics. This reiterates pluralists belief in the dispersion of power as it prevents the concentration of political power and decision-making in one political arena, instead disperses it between local government constituencies (Widdicombe report cited in Wilson: 2003: 270). Local government is important to pluralists as they believe it is the most comprehensive method of social involvement in politics by reflecting the political beliefs of citizens in peripheral areas. Multi-level governance is present in order to represent the people, however, this is contrary to the views of elitists and Marxists who are self-interested actors an d do not share similar beliefs about the dispersion of political power. In elitist theory there is a clear dichotomy between classes, Evans states: In all societiestwo classes of people appear a class that rules and a class that is ruled. The first class, always the less numerous, performs all political functions, monopolizes power and enjoys the advantages that power brings, whereas the second, the more numerous class, is directed and controlled by the first. (2006: 39) Elitists believe politics is characterised by elite domination; individuals who do not communicate and form relationships with society, instead create legislation favourable only to elites. They see the state as consisting of us elites and them citizens without social or political standing instead of recognising that to achieve an efficient and democratic state the two classes must be inter-related. This lack of communication between politics and society is detrimental to the existence of elitism as citizens want their voice heard in the political arena and without multi-level governance this is difficult to achieve. Self-interested Marxists also fail to recognise the importance of multi-level governance as their concern is not the public good, but increasing budgets because this increases their power, status and job security (Kavanagh, Richards, Smith Geddes: 2006: 28). Marxists are concerned with legislation which maximises economic returns for the government, for example income tax, rather than focusing on social or political issues. The elitist and Marxist conceptions of a governing elite and ruling class are very similar as both concepts highlight socio-economic and political inequalities between rulers and the masses (Evans: 2006: 39). However, both are undermined by their lack of attention to the presence of politics in the social arena, they disregard citizens as both theories see them as underdogs to political and capital elites. Pluralism, on the other hand, recognises the importance of societys voice in political proceedings, justifying the existence of multi-level governance. The pre sence of multi-level governance, therefore, is evidence why I believe pluralism to be a persuasive theory the people come first. Pluralists encourage group plurality not only in politics but also in everyday society. Multiculturalism is based on the idea that no single set of norms or values should dominate a society, therefore, reinforcing the pluralist belief of equality and power dispersion (Smith: 2006: 35). In a multicultural society, a range of cultures, attitudes and beliefs from a variety of ethnic backgrounds become integrated within the community, producing an impartial framework without elite domination (Modood: 2005: 109). Over the years, Britain has been witness to a growing number of cultures in our country, welcoming and incorporated them into our own, such numbers have arrived that we can no longer state that whites are Britains elite. For example, London is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world as it is home to 300 languages, 50 non-indigenous communities with populations of 10,000 or morealmost a third of the citys residents were born outside England (2.2m) (guardian.co.uk: 2005). Pluralism believes multiculturalism within Britain highlights the importance of social diversity and the acceptance of a different cultures and norms in order to maintain equality, thus offering concrete evidence for pluralism being the most persuasive state theory. Like all theories there are weaknesses in pluralist state theory, to highlight these I will now critique pluralism with elitism and Marxism. The most controversial issue surrounding pluralism is their view of power. Classical pluralists believe in the first face of power which states that power is witnessed by an individual, so can therefore be measured. It was the Classical pluralist, Robert Dahl who defined the first face as A had power over B to the extent that s/he can get B to do something B would not do otherwise' (cited in Hay: 1997: 46). The first face of power is known as the decision-making process as the decision made by A consequently influences the actions of B. Pluralists believe that powerful actors are those whose opinion holds sway in the decision-making arena, whether a parliament, cabinet or diplomatic negotiation (Hay: 2002: 172). Elitists believe that there are two faces and that decision-making is not the only means of attaining power. The pluralist first face provides the foundations of elitisms second face of power. This face was created by Bachrach and Baratz who recognised that power could be gained through the process of agenda-setting, not only decision-making (Hay: 1997: 46). Agenda-setting occurs when A sets an agenda leaving B with a restricted number of options in the decision-making process. Bachrach and Baratz believed that the process of agenda-setting would broaden the concept of power, and with it the political as pluralisms first face restricted these (Hay: 2002: 175). Pluralists describe power as explicit as it can be easily observed, the elitist second face, however, is more implicit and unobservable as it depicts how power can be handled by A in an attempt to alter Bs decision. In 1971, a third face of power was created by Steven Lukes, a Marxist. His third face recognises a persons ability to manipulate a persons wants through the mechanisms of institutionalised persuasion via a process known as preference shaping (Lukes cited in Hay: 2002: 179). Marxists accept that it is not always possible to observe power, so focus their ideas around the second and third faces of power. This highlights weaknesses in the pluralist view of power as they fail to consider the possibility of power being manipulated or concealed within society. This means the pluralist view of power is not the most persuasive, instead the Marxist view can be seen as most persuasive as it identifies unobservable power and acknowledges the ability to manipulate power (Hay: 1997: 47). Pluralism can be seen as an idealised view of the state where everyone is equal, a view which is not wholly realistic in todays world. Many believe that Marxism and elitism provide more accurate representations of the world today due to globalisation. Whilst pluralism is preferred by citizens as they feel it gives them hope for political and social equality, in reality Marxist and elitist beliefs control our society due to a select number of institutions and actors dominating decision-making arenas. Globalisation is vastly important for global trade and development, however, it is run by elites purely to maximise capital; the wants of the people are not considered. In recent years elitism has paved the way for globalisation as we have seen the emergence of new elites at the transnational (e.g. multinational corporations), supranational (e.g. the European Union bureaucratic elite) and international (e.g. international policy-making elites associated with global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank) levels (Evans: 2006: 40). These institutions are supervised by elites who have the power to dictate our lives from afar. A key example of elitist domination is the Lisbon Treaty recently ratified by the European Union (EU) which many believe to be undemocratic as it limits member states sovereignty. Due to the Treaty, the European Parliament, Council, Commission and the Court have the power to make decisions which member states have to abide to by EU law (Maurer: 1999: 3). The decision-making process here is centred around EU institutions and left in the hands of elites who dictate laws to member states; the citizens lack the power or influence to instigate change. One could say that elitist globalisation requires aspects of pluralism, as in order for these institutions to operate a network must exist allowing co-operation between parties. These institutions recognise the need for a support network in order to maximise efficiency, a global elite network is thus created in order to maintain its power base in society (Evans: 2006: 40). It is clear to see how elites, whether political or business, can dominate global decision-making via globalisation, globalisation has aided elite domination by restricting societys hold on politics. Globalisation can be interpreted, not only through elitist beliefs, but also Marxist beliefs as globalisation is the internationalisation of capital (Jessop cited in Hay: 2006: 77). Globalisation centres around trade as trade generates capital accumulation which is of primary importance to capitalists. Engels stated the modern stateis essentially a capitalist machine as maximising profit was the only aspect of the state deemed important (Cited in Hay: 2006: 62). Marxists highlight the influence self-interested capitalists have had on the globalisation process by centralizing economic greed, rather than considering the political or social needs of the state. Marxist theory can therefore, offer an accurate analysis of globalisation as capitalists, like the elites, are working against the people in an attempt to fulfil their own needs. This highlights that Marxism and elitism, despite disadvantaging society, are more persuasive theories in reality due to the impact and influence globali sation is having on the world. Elitists believe rulers of society are engaged in an ongoing process of competitive elitism (Evans: 2006: 40). Competitive elitism allows elites to compete against each other in order to achieve something they other party may also want, for example politicians see the electoral arena like a market and have to attract the greatest possible number of votes (Kavanagh, Richards, Smith Geddes: 2006: 27). At face value, politicians want to appear to consider the wants of society in order to win votes, however, in reality they do not care as much about the people as they appear to; winning the election and beating their opponent is more important. A prime example of competitive elitism occurring in society is the upcoming elections as each party is focussing on the oppositions negatives rather than what they will offer the country if they win the election. This is an attempt to smear their rivals campaign by highlighting negatives within their agendas, for example, the Conservative Partys campaign posters for the 2010 elections mar Gordon Browns actions whilst Prime Minister with headlines such as I doubled the tax rate for the poor. Vote for me. And I took billions from pensions. Vote for me. (conservatives.com: 2010). Actions such as these undertaken by political actors emphasise competitive elitism within politics; the national interest takes second place to the wants of the political elites. Competitive elitism highlights the occurrence of elitism within society as elites are self-interested and want to maximise power, despite degrading politics and society in the process. I conclude that pluralism is the most persuasive political state theory due to its belief in the dispersion of power and group plurality enhancing equality, both socially and politically, making the state more democratic as the voices of the people are heard. However, emancipation of the people has not yet succeeded as pluralism is seen as too idealistic, instead elitism and Marxism remain in control and restrict society. Globalisation is fuelling these state theories as institutions and actors are too concerned with their own interests to consider others. This essay concludes, therefore, that despite pluralism comprising of idealistic qualities there are aspects of it in todays society, which gives society hope for the future. An equal and democratic pluralist state is within reach providing globalisation and the actions of elites are monitored.

The Red Room and The Judges House - Typical Nineteenth Century Ghost

The Red Room and The Judge's House - Typical Nineteenth Century Ghost Stories? Nineteenth century ghost stories are typical of the gothic genre. They are referred to as stereotypical, because in the period they were written in, it was the practice to include several distinctive elements which are now exclusively associated with this genre. 'The Red Room' by H. G. Wells (1894) and 'The Judge's House' by Bram Stoker (1891) will be discussed in this essay to assess them as distinctive examples of ghost stories. There are various elements which are distinctive of characteristics of a nineteenth century ghost story. The criteria used to determine 'The Red Room' and 'The Judge's House' are of nineteenth century ghost stories in this essay are, firstly, the setting. This is the background scenery to the story and is, typically of this genre, an isolated place or house. The second element is the inclusion of characters with a variable state of mind throughout the story. This could be a terrifying consuming fear or the complete loss of reason leading to insanity. The incorporation of characters which believe and do not believe in the supernatural is the third element. This allows a wider range of people to read the story and associate with the characters. The fourth criterion is an ancient prophecy or a history of disturbances surrounding the place where the story is set. The fifth element is light. Ghost stories make use of shadows, darkness, night-time, and the diffusive light of a candle to help develop tension and suspense. The final element is imagery used by authors. The images created tend to be appealing to the five human senses of touch, sight, taste, smell and hearing. I will compare 'The Red Room' and 'The Judge's House' base... ...t and inflamed', plus, 'red eyes'. This gives the sense of you being watched. The references to, 'monstrous shadow', 'grotesque custodians', and, 'the human qualities seem to drop from old people insensibly day by day', shows that they aren't like normal human beings and are out of this world. 'The Judge's House' is a perfect example of the three types of characters. Malcolmson obviously being the non-believer, Mrs Witham, Mrs Dempster and Dr. Thornhill are the believers. While the Judge's spirit is the supernatural. Malcolmson is also a rational person like the narrator of 'The Red Room'. He believes in knowledge not fictional stories. 'A man who is reading for the Mathematical Tripos', and, 'disturbed by any of these mysterious somethings'. It doesn't have many references to Malcolmson attitude to the Judge's house. But from this quote, we can see he is not afraid.

Control pollution Essay

Whether cars should be banned in all town centres is a complicated issue, and one which many people have strong feelings about. There are some reasons why cars should be banned. Firstly, it would reduce pollution greatly, which is especially important since town centres always consist of tall buildings and narrow spaces which often hold the pollution in one spot. Secondly, with less traffic there would be fewer accidents, and hence society would save money because of reduced medical expenses. Finally, with no cars in town centres there would be no need for large, ugly car parks and parking spaces. This would allow more space for buildings, houses, parks and the movement of buses and people, which could enhance a city greatly. However, there are some reasons why cars should not be banned. Firstly, it would make it very difficult for many people to travel to work. Most people would have to use public transport (trains and buses) which may become overcrowded and unable to cope with the additional commuters*. Secondly, many people prefer cars because of the freedom it gives them, so banning cars would not be popular, and hence very difficult to implement* since few politicians would support the idea. Finally, cars are sometimes necessary to travel to parts of a city where public transport does not go. Cars are a more flexible transport, especially for the elderly or sick (or lazy). In my opinion, cars should be restricted from town centres but only during peak hours. It would be impractical and impossible to ban cars completely because they are such an essential part of modern city living, however the problems of pollution and traffic congestion must be reduced. This solution is not perfect but the best we can do, and infact is done already in some major cities like Melborn in Australia.

Filippo Brunelleschi

Filippo Brunelleschi Many people before I have said that Filippo is the father of Renaissance architecture. During his lifetime, he was indisputably the most prominent architect in Italy. Filippo, the second of three children, was born in Florence, Italy in 1377, to a lawyer and father, Brunellesco Di Lippo and his mother, Giuliana Spini. In 1392, he began his apprenticeship in a small workshop in Florence. After only 6 years, he passed his examination and became a guild master goldsmith. An important influence on him at this time was Paolo dal Toscanelli, a merchant and medical doctor. Paolo had an interest in science and mathematics and eventually taught Filippo the principles of geometry. He also brought out Brunelleschi interest in technology. In 1401, Brunelleschi entered a competition with seven other esteemed artists to design the bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery. Though his work was amazing, another artist was the victor in the competition. Therefore, he was given the job as the assistant to the artist in control of the commission. After this setback, Brunelleschi turned more towards to architecture. He then stayed 7 years in Rome working beside his friend, Donatello. In 1415, Filippo made an important achievement in the mathematics field. He rediscovered the principles of linear perspective, only using mirrors. With this discovery, he now understood that there should be a single vanishing point to which all parallel lines in a plane, other that the plane of the canvas. During this time, he also made the time to understand the scale and other mathematical principles. From the year 1409 and onward Filippo became fascinated by the uncompleted Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, the Cathedral in Florence. Work on this cathedral began in 1296 but problems persisted on the huge engineering problem of how to place the dome on the octagonal Baptistery. After another competition, Filippo won and was give the commission to finish the cathedral with machines and a unique design that he came up with. The cathedral was a prolonged process in which it was almost finished when Filippo died in 1446. All that was left to do was add a lantern that Filippo had already designed. Although the dome of this astounding cathedral was Brunelleschi’s most famous architectural achievements, he has created much more works of art. For example, he redesigned and created the Church of San Lorenzo in the early 1400’s. Another famous work was the Pazzi Chapel. Filippo has even more claims to fame. During 1421, he became the first person to attain an industrial patent. This patent gave him a three-year domination on the manufacture of a barge with hoisting gear. In 1477, Filippo Brunelleschi died. He was buried in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Remarkably, his tomb was only found in 1972 after it was lost for hundreds of years. Filippo Brunelleschi was an intelligent man who suits the title ‘ideal man’ perfectly. He was one the men who lived during the renaissance that had it all. Filippo had brains and the will to educate himself further. He was an exceptional artist and architect. He also conquered the fields of mathematics and science. All of this was shown in his architectural works and his works as a goldsmith. If Filippo weren’t inspired to be an architect, landmarks all throughout Florence, Italy would not be the same. The Church of San Lorenzo and the dome of the cathedral in Duomo would not be such magnificent feats. The idea of counterweights would have been discovered much later in time along with many other principles. In Conclusion, Filippo Brunelleschi was a man who set higher standards for the rest of the men during his time period. Discovering new ideas and conquering more feats, Brunelleschi is one of the few men that can truly be called a Renaissance man.

Synaptic transmission and how drugs may modify this activity essays

Synaptic transmission and how drugs may modify this activity essays Discuss the mechanism of synaptic transmission and how drugs may modify this activity. Synapses are crucial to the function of the nervous system. The majority of the synapses in the nervous system in vertebrates are chemical synapses, where chemicals are used to transmit information between cells; however there are also some electrical synapses (Carlson 2004, Sjaastad et al. 2003). The cells in smooth musculature and cardiac musculature are electrically connected through gap junctions which are exceptionally large protein channels forming membrane pores extending from cell to cell, enabling small molecules and ions to move freely between the cells (Sjaastad et al. 2003). But nevertheless, the majority of the synapses in vertebrates are chemical. Mechanism of chemical synaptic transmission When a nerve impulse reaches a chemical synapse, neurotransmitters, which are signal molecules, are released from the nerve terminal and diffuse to the membrane of the target cell (Sjaastad et al. 2003). The target cell contains receptor molecules where the neurotransmitters bind, and this binding will results in changes in the membrane potential, and will excite or inhibit the electrical activity of the target cell (Sjaastad et al. 2003). In the pre-synaptic cell, you can find small vesicles containing the synthesized neurotransmitters, and the action potential will cause an influx of Ca2+ through voltage-gated calcium channels, fusing the vesicle membrane with the presynaptic membrane causing a release of the neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft (Carlson 2004, Sjaastad et al. 2003). The neurotransmitter will diffuse across the synaptic cleft, and when the neurotransmitters bind to the postsynaptic receptors, these receptors will open neurotransmitter-dependent ion channels (Sj aastad et al. 2003). There are at least two different ways of opening these channels: directly and indirectly (Carlson 2004). In the direct method, the ion channel ...

How to Make Marketing Employee Performance Reviews Easy (Templates)

How to Make Marketing Employee Performance Reviews Easy (Templates) No one enjoys doing employee performance reviews. They’re often slightly uncomfortable conversations, and even in a best-case scenario, everyone involved feels relieved when they’re done. That isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for their value, necessity, or how we feel about them. However, they are valuable, they are necessary, and when conducted with a thoughtful process, they can be something you approach with less anxiety. When you can repeat that process effectively with consistent results, you can spend less time planning for reviews, and more time working through them efficiently with the results  you want. In this post, you’ll learn: Why are performance reviews important for marketing managers and teams? What steps should they include and which questions should be asked? How can marketing teams develop a repeatable review process that works? Best of all, this is the actual process the team  uses, which has been time-tested and shown to work well. In other words, this post is geared specifically toward what marketing managers need to know most about this topic. Be a Better Manager With Free Performance Review + Evaluation Form Templates.Be a Better Manager With Free Performance Review + Evaluation Form Templates Employee reviews don’t need to be overly complex. However, you will need to keep documentation of your conversation so you have something to reference in the future, to ensure the important details of the review aren’t forgotten later. Youll also need to accurately evaluate performance before going into each meeting. To get started, download these two templates: Marketing Performance Evaluation Form (Word): Answer six simple questions to gauge performance. Marketing Employee Performance Review Template (Word): Then, use this sheet to document the meeting. Both are short and simple to streamline the process effectively. Grab them quick before moving on:How Can Help Evaluate Team Productivity? As a marketing project management platform, is purpose-built for managing busy marketing teams. That includes your tasks and workflows for all projects and making sure everyone is getting their stuff done on time. One way measures that last item is with Team Performance Reports. It measures who’s rocking it and who’s falling behind so you can actually know who’s hitting their deadlines. Here's a quick look at how it works: What Exactly is an Employee Performance Review? Here’s a short definition this post will work with: An employee performance review is an opportunity for team members and managers to assess what’s going well, what isn’t going well, and what’s necessary for future success with a company or organization. There are a few things to note about this definition: It shouldn’t feel like an interrogation. A good review shouldn’t focus solely on negatives. They aren’t one-and-done meetings. Feedback gathered in a review should be considered and implemented throughout the year. This should be a two-way conversation. They aren’t just about assessing the team member’s performance; they’re also an opportunity to get the employee’s take on how they’re doing and how the company is doing, too. Recommended Reading: The Best Way to Plan a Successful Marketing Performance Management Process What Are the Benefits to Running Employee Reviews for Marketers? First things first, it’s important to understand that these meetings are more than just an annual requirement that you have to fulfill to keep HR happy. Here are a few reasons why they shouldn’t be blown off or phoned in without careful consideration for their purpose. Your team members need an honest assessment of their performance. If they don’t know how they’re doing (positively or negatively) or where they need to improve, they’re unlikely to reach their potential. You need to know what your team members need to succeed. Likewise, you can’t help your team achieve success unless you understand what they need from you. If you don’t set up employees for success, someone else will (when they leave your company). The market for marketing talent is tight. Don’t let people leave because they didn’t feel supported. Help Your Team, Help Your Company (Before They Leave) As a case in point, according to Smart Insights, 54.9% of marketers switch companies in order to find a new challenge. Why not provide that challenge for them instead of leaving them to find it somewhere else? And if that statistic doesn’t have you convinced, these might: Who Should Be in an Employee Review Meeting? In most cases, a marketing manager, their supervisor(s), and the employee themselves should be sufficient. If possible, including the CEO too is a good idea (at , CEO Garrett Moon offers direct feedback to each employee in the company during reviews). Then, once the review is completed, human resources will likely need to approve review paperwork (and any pay raises the team member might be due). Work with your HR department if you’re unsure what your internal processes are there. How Often Should Reviews Be Conducted? Here’s a common misconception: staff reviews are a once-a-year deal where you get all your feedback out at once. This could not be more incorrect, but unfortunately, it’s a common attitude (particularly at large companies where one-on-one communication might be challenging to schedule, or just doesn’t happen organically). So, how often should feedback be scheduled? Consider the following: Weekly syncs: Set up a recurring one-on-one meeting with each team member to check in on how things are going. Quarterly check-ins: Then, schedule quarterly meetings to review how things have gone year-to-date and what’s needed for success over the long term. Annual reviews: Finally, these are holistic performance evaluations that take the entire previous year into consideration. For marketers, ongoing mentorship with leadership is invaluable for development. Also, this post will stress this point multiple times: an annual review should not be the first time an employee hears a given piece of feedback. This is a sign they don’t feel like they can be open and honest with how things are going outside of times allotted for feedback, and that’s corrosive for everyone’s productivity and happiness at work. Recommended Reading: 6 Things You Need To Know About Marketing Management (+ 4 Free Templates) Scheduling Your Review Meetings The best way to make sure your review meetings actually happen is to schedule them on a regular basis. Schedule the following using your company’s shared Google or Outlook calendar: Weekly meetings: Stick to a set time each week. Quarterly reviews: Stick as closely to a 90-day window as you can. Annual reviews: Same as with quarterly reviews, they should be close to their start date each year. Map these all out in advance so they don’t catch anyone off guard. If you’re a customer and use Google Calendar, you can even sync your calendar with with Zapier, so they’ll appear alongside all your other projects. Evaluating Employees Prior to Your Meetings Before heading into a review, you’ll need to know for yourself what you honestly think about each employee’s performance, both in terms of what they’re doing well and where they can improve. It can help to have some sort of checklist to run through when assessing each team member, especially if you have a large team. In order to keep your meetings focused and conversational, do this before meeting face to face. Here’s an outline of a checklist you can use: Does the team member demonstrate high level of job knowledge? Does the team member complete work accurately and on time? Does the team member work well with others? Does the team member communicate effectively? Does the team member demonstrate initiative? Does the team member consistent show up to work on time? These are basic performance-oriented questions you’ll need to assess, and running through them as an exercise might help you identify strengths and areas in need of improvement. If you’d prefer this in a Word doc, there’s one included in this post’s template bundle. You can jump back up to the top of the post here to download it quick. Here's what it looks like: Planning Your Review Questions Once you’re face-to-face for a review, what should you ask? It might be tempting to prepare a detailed list of questions to dig deep into the needs of your team members. That might work. After all, it stands to reason that more granular questions will get more detailed answers, right? Well, you might be able to have a more productive and insightful conversation by keeping your questions simple. There are only three you really need to ask: What’s going well? This can be an open-ended discussion around what’s going right for the employee, their work, and the company. What isn’t going well? Same as above, but for things that need improvement. What’s needed for a successful future? What should the employee keep doing? What should they change? And likewise, is there anything you or the company may need to consider as well? Generally, it’s best to keep this an open-ended conversation. But, as that conversation moves forward, how do you make sure it stays on track and the words you choose to maintain a productive tone?

Gastar Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples

Gastar Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples The Spanish verb gastar is a regular -ar verb that means to spend. The conjugation pattern for gastar is similar to that of other regular -ar verbs like bajar, tratar and llamar. This article includes gastar conjugations in the present, past, conditional, and future indicative mood, the present and past subjunctive mood, the imperative mood, and other verb forms. Using the Verb Gastar The most frequent use of the verb gastar is to spend money. For example, El chico gastà ³ mucho dinero en el regalo para su novia (The boy spent a lot of money on the gift for his girlfriend). Gastar can also be used to talk about time, but in that case, it means to waste time. For example, No debes gastar tiempo jugando videojuegos (You should not waste time playing video games). In order to talk about spending time, in Spanish we use the verb pasar tiempo, as in Me gusta pasar tiempo con mi familia (I like to spend time with my family). The verb gastar can also mean to use or to use up. For example, you can say Se gastà ³ la tinta de la impresora (The printers ink got used up), or Ese carro gasta mucha gasolina (That car uses a lot of gas). In addition, gastar can mean to wear out, as in Gastaste la suela de tus zapatos de tanto correr (You wore out the soles of your shoes from running so much). Gastar Present Indicative Yo gasto I spend Yo gasto muchos lpices en la escuela. Tà º gastas You spend Tà º gastas dinero en cosas innecesarias. Usted/à ©l/ella gasta You/he/she spends Ella gasta mucha electricidad en su casa. Nosotros gastamos We spend Nosotros gastamos mucha gasolina en el viaje. Vosotros gastis Youspend Vosotros gastis tiempo viendo fotos en el trabajo. Ustedes/ellos/ellas gastan You/they spend Ellos gastan mucha agua regando el jardà ­n. Gastar Preterite Indicative There are two past tenses in Spanish. The preterite tense is used to describe actions completed in the past. Yo gastà © I spent Yo gastà © muchos lpices en la escuela. Tà º gastaste You spent Tà º gastaste dinero en cosas innecesarias. Usted/à ©l/ella gastà ³ You/he/she spent Ella gastà ³ mucha electricidad en su casa. Nosotros gastamos We spent Nosotros gastamos mucha gasolina en el viaje. Vosotros gastasteis Youspent Vosotros gastasteis tiempo viendo fotos en el trabajo. Ustedes/ellos/ellas gastaron You/they spent Ellos gastaron mucha agua regando el jardà ­n. Gastar Imperfect Indicative The other past tense in Spanish is the imperfect, which is used to talk about ongoing or repeated actions in the past. The imperfect can be translated to English as was spending or used to spend. Yo gastaba I used to spend Yo gastaba muchos lpices en la escuela. Tà º gastabas You used to spend Tà º gastabas dinero en cosas innecesarias. Usted/à ©l/ella gastaba You/he/she used to spend Ella gastaba mucha electricidad en su casa. Nosotros gastbamos We used to spend Nosotros gastbamos mucha gasolina en el viaje. Vosotros gastabais Youused to spend Vosotros gastabais tiempoviendo fotosen el trabajo. Ustedes/ellos/ellas gastaban You/they used to spend Ellos gastaban mucha agua regando el jardà ­n. Gastar Future Indicative Yo gastarà © I will spend Yo gastarà © muchos lpices en la escuela. Tà º gastars You will spend Tà º gastars dinero en cosas innecesarias. Usted/à ©l/ella gastar You/he/she will spend Ella gastar mucha electricidad en su casa. Nosotros gastaremos We will spend Nosotros gastaremos mucha gasolina en el viaje. Vosotros gastarà ©is Youwill spend Vosotros gastarà ©is tiempo viendo fotosen el trabajo. Ustedes/ellos/ellas gastarn You/they will spend Ellos gastarn mucha agua regando el jardà ­n. Gastar Periphrastic  Future Indicative   The periphrastic future is formed with three components: the present indicative conjugation of the verb ir (to go), the preposition a, and the infinitive gastar. Yo voy a gastar I am going to spend Yo voya gastar muchos lpices en la escuela. Tà º vasa gastar You aregoing to spend Tà º vasa gastar dinero en cosas innecesarias. Usted/à ©l/ella vaa gastar You/he/she isgoing to spend Ella vaa gastar mucha electricidad en su casa. Nosotros vamosa gastar We aregoing to spend Nosotros vamosa gastar mucha gasolina en el viaje. Vosotros vaisa gastar Youaregoing to spend Vosotros vaisa gastar tiempo viendo fotosen el trabajo. Ustedes/ellos/ellas vana gastar You/they aregoing to spend Ellos vana gastar mucha agua regando el jardà ­n. Gastar Present Progressive/Gerund Form To form the present progressive you need the gerund or present participle (the English -ing form). Present Progressive ofGastar est gastando Is spending Ella est gastando mucha electricidad en su casa. Gastar Past Participle To form perfect tenses like the present perfect, you need the past participle of the verb. Present Perfect of Gastar ha gastado Has spent Ella ha gastado mucha electricidad en su casa. Gastar Conditional Indicative To talk about possibilities, you can use the conditional tense. Yo gastarà ­a I would spend Yo gastarà ­a muchos lpices en la escuela si me gustara escribir. Tà º gastarà ­as You would spend Tà º gastarà ­as dinero en cosas innecesarias si fueras millonario. Usted/à ©l/ella gastarà ­a You/he/she would spend Ella gastarà ­a mucha electricidad en su casa, pero siempre apaga las luces. Nosotros gastarà ­amos We would spend Nosotros gastarà ­amos mucha gasolina en el viaje si fuà ©ramos en carro. Vosotros gastarà ­ais Youwould spend Vosotros gastarà ­ais tiempo viendo fotosen el trabajo, pero el jefe no os lo permite. Ustedes/ellos/ellas gastarà ­an You/they would spend Ellos gastarà ­an mucha agua regando el jardà ­n, pero por suerte ha llovido bastante. Gastar Present Subjunctive The present subjunctive is used in sentences with two clauses, when the speaker is expressing a desire, doubt, denial, emotion, negation, possibility, or other subjective situations. Que yo gaste That I spend La maestra espera que yo gaste muchos lpices en la escuela. Que tà º gastes That you spend Tu madre no quiere que tà º gastes dinero en cosas innecesarias. Que usted/à ©l/ella gaste That you/he/she spend Carlos no cree que ella gaste mucha electricidad en su casa. Que nosotros gastemos That we spend Andrea no quiere que nosotros gastemos mucha gasolina en el viaje. Que vosotros gastà ©is That you spend El jefe no permite que vosotros gastà ©is tiempo en el trabajo. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas gasten That you/they spend El jardinero recomienda que ellos gasten mucha agua regando el jardà ­n. Gastar Imperfect Subjunctive The imperfect subjunctive can be conjugated in two different ways: Option 1 Que yo gastara That I spent La maestra esperaba que yo gastara muchos lpices en la escuela. Que tà º gastaras That you spent Tu madre no querà ­a que tà º gastaras dinero en cosas innecesarias. Que usted/à ©l/ella gastara That you/he/she spent Carlosno creà ­a que ella gastara mucha electricidad en su casa. Que nosotros gastramos That we spent Andrea no querà ­a que nosotros gastramos mucha gasolina en el viaje. Que vosotros gastarais That you spent El jefe no permità ­a que vosotros gastarais tiempo viendo fotosen el trabajo. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas gastaran That you/they spent El jardinero recomendaba que ellos gastaran mucha agua regando el jardà ­n. Option 2 Que yo gastase That I spent La maestra esperaba que yo gastase muchos lpices en la escuela. Que tà º gastases That you spent Tu madre no querà ­a que tà º gastases dinero en cosas innecesarias. Que usted/à ©l/ella gastase That you/he/she spent Carlos no creà ­a que ella gastase mucha electricidad en su casa. Que nosotros gastsemos That we spent Andrea no querà ­a que nosotros gastsemos mucha gasolina en el viaje. Que vosotros gastaseis That you spent El jefe no permità ­a que vosotros gastaseis tiempo viendo fotosen el trabajo. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas gastasen That you/they spent El jardinero recomendaba que ellos gastasen mucha agua regando el jardà ­n. Gastar Imperative The imperative mood is used to give commands.There are slightly different versions for positive and negative commands. Positive Commands Tà º gasta Spend!  ¡Gasta dinero en cosas innecesarias! Usted gaste Spend!  ¡Gaste mucha electricidad en su casa! Nosotros gastemos Let's spend!  ¡Gastemos mucha gasolina en el viaje! Vosotros gastad Spend!  ¡Gastad tiempo viendo fotosen el trabajo! Ustedes gasten Spend!  ¡Gasten mucha agua regando el jardà ­n! Negative Commands Tà º no gastes Don't spend!  ¡No gastes dinero en cosas innecesarias! Usted no gaste Don't spend!  ¡No gaste mucha electricidad en su casa! Nosotros no gastemos Let's not spend!  ¡No gastemos mucha gasolina en el viaje! Vosotros no gastà ©is Don't spend!  ¡No gastà ©is tiempo viendo fotosen el trabajo! Ustedes no gasten Don't spend!  ¡No gasten mucha agua regando el jardà ­n!

Boardman Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Boardman Management - Case Study Example The word processing software should be effective for future strategic growth of the company and its development. The main will cover: service provision, planning, inventory and customer relations. This initial section of the management audit examines the major parts of the service function and its relation to other functional areas. The opening section is related not only to planning and service delivery, but also to inventory and purchasing. Similarly, it can be related to the sale and distribution of service4. Overall, this beginning overview section is an integral part of the materials- and information-flow evaluation (Phillips 2002). The second step is to inform Smith Systems Consulting about current software nad its applications. The evaluation of the IT group starts with examining the competency of its management. Important questions relating to long-range plans are set forth for evaluation, followed by analogous questions on short- to medium-range plans. Ultimately, these short- to longrange planning questions evaluate the caliber of the IT planning group and their ability to undertake their assigned tasks. Is it flexible enough to meet changing conditions as well as ensure efficient and economical operations Building upon these subsections, the adequacy of leadership by the IT group is assessed. Specifically, questions are asked to determine if IT planning management provides the necessary leadership to achieve desired organizational goals. Complementary to the leadership subsection is the capacity of the group to communicate important information to departments for economy and efficiency in ongoing operatio ns. The third step is one of the most important. The Baderman Island resort should explain its strategic goals and aims, and vision of future. This step is important because it will help Smith Systems Consulting to understand the gap between current word processing software and future needs of the company. The main focus of the next subsection is on the effectiveness of the IT for meeting organizational goals. For the most part, questions are asked that relate to the capabilities of the service facilities to provide efficient and economical service provision. Going beyond the organization structure, leadership, or lack thereof, in the management function is analyzed in the next subsection. Questions relating to the degree of teamwork between service management and its subordinates are asked. Overall, leadership of service delivery supervisors focuses on the economy and efficiency of operations within the various service work centers. Translating the long-range plans into a shorter time f rame, typical questions are raised concerning the adequacy or short- to medium-range inventory plans to meet the requirements of the web-based marketing as well as the need for protection against inventory stockouts. In addition, there are questions evaluating the compatibility of the inventory structure with short to long-range plans. Complementary to this subsection is one on communication, whose purpose is to determine if proper information is forwarded to management for keeping service under control. In the final subsection, the degree of control over service delivery is examined. If an out-of-control condition exists, appropriate management action can be undertaken so as to restore the service delivery situation to normal (Phillips 2002). The next step is to evaluate budget

Hospitality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hospitality - Essay Example Although some hotel rooms may offer two or double rooms, timeshares offer queen or king beds set up in private rooms. Hotels only offer television sets in rooms while for timeshares, television is found in bedroom and living areas. Other amenities offered by timeshares but not offered by hotels include Jacuzzi tub in bathroom, fully equipped kitchen and washer suites. Customers may consider investment initial investment involved in buying a timeshare. Although this could be high, with time, they become cheaper. Six types of timeshares are available for buyers in the market in relation to their tastes, affordability, time and period of ownership, capacity, luxury, and availability. During their early days of invention, most developers provided a fixed one-week unit annually meaning the buyer could only occupy the unit once a week every year. However, many developments and modifications have come into place and flexibility in the product has been rising with increased demand and customer tastes. Until recently, developers did not spend enough time and money in making the structures. It is worth noting, â€Å"Most early timeshare resorts were conversions of old hotels, motels, rental-apartment complexes, or unsold condominiums† (Schreier 3). She further stresses that conversion typically undergo extensive renovation, and they may involve adaptive reuse of historic structures. Today, more time and resources are spent on constructing structures for timesharing purposes. Deeded timeshares gives the customer freedom of owning and using the property until the time of passing to the next party. This means that a title deed is issued to the owner to prove ownership of the property which could also be handed down to an heir if the owner so wishes. Life property timeshares allows the buyer to use the property every year for the rest of his life from the date of ownership. The disadvantage is that their benefits end at the time of death of the owner,

Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Question - Essay Example Intelligence is a personal resource that helps a person to attain personal growth and adjustment into a learning environment. Intelligence is a shield against psychological stress and diseases. Personality on the other hand, is an icon of the intellectual capability of an individual. It affects the person's academic performance by influencing the intellectual functioning of the person. Personality factors determine the results of intelligence test. Personality is responsible for the development of cognitive-adoptive ability that enhances a person's capability to cope with a certain learning environment (American Psychological Association, 1999, p. 30). Personality develops context-bound practical intelligence. This is the kind of intelligence that enables an individual to handle a situational context, and in the case of a learning environment, the learner is able to handle the learning environmental situations, and adapt to the learning environment accordingly. Life span theories have great influence on the teaching strategies that teachers adopt. Life span theories shape the strategies of teaching in that, the instructor must put in mind that, there are general principles that guide development in human beings at different levels of human development (American Psychological Association, 1999, p. 31).

Managing Crisis and Risk Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Crisis and Risk - Coursework Example It is also for the effective and appropriate purchases and sales of the required financial assets. There are quite a number of techniques that are put into place for the modeling. Some of the measurers are the marketing risk, the historical simulation, the value at risk as well as extreme value theory. It is also important to highlight that a business should be guided appropriately with certain principles as well as theories for the successful operation of the business (Jacques, 2007). Just as the saying goes, for one to be successful; and rich, one must be ready to venture into a risky business. It is therefore of the fact that one bears all these risks in the action. It is important to highlight that risks are in segmented into different categories. These are credit risk, liquidity risks, Market risk as well as the operational risks (Jacques, 2011). These are risks that are anticipated in a financial institution or any business entity based on the credit transactions that occur or might have occurred during the moment of truth. It is important to highlight that for a credit transaction, it is important to consider the credit worthiness of the buyer, the financial status or position of the buyer, the frequency of the buyer purchasing firm the business entity, the credit worthiness of the buyer as well as the amount of stock that is available in the business entity. This helps the business people in evading certain risks after they become well equipped with the consumer knowledge. Under this category of risk, the following are the risks that form up this group: These are risks that are associated with the consumer either making a purchase or consuming the product or service or the consumer accessing some form of financial assistance. These in many cases are experienced in cases that the consumer thereby defaults in making payments. This thereby results into bad debts that would therefore force the financial managers or

Project management---management of project organization Essay - 2

Project management---management of project organization - Essay Example Basically, a typical construction contractor should have a tall structure while a management consulting company should a flat structure. This will help the consulting company to make informed decisions after consulting other members in the organization. Different organizational structures pose different challenges on managing projects. Decision making in a tall organizational structure is long and in some cases information is lost. Bureaucratic structures can make it difficult to manage a project. On the other hand, a flat organizational structure can make it easy to manage a project since different functions are delegated to other parties. For projects that cross functional boundaries, a flat structure is ideal. Decisions are promptly made and changes can also be quickly made. The outcome of a project in such a case is determined by the nature of the structure of the organization as well as how the tasks are assigned to different people involved. The project manager will delegate other tasks to other members in functional departments and these people would help him manage the project since he may not be able to oversee all the functions especially in a big project. Project management can be conceptualised as technology. According to Jones (2013), technology refers to the â€Å"skills, knowledge, abilities, techniques, materials, machines, computers, tools, and other equipment that people use to convert or change raw materials into valuable goods and services.† Technology is further categorised as individual, functional or organizational. The structure of the organization has a bearing on the technology used in carrying out project management. For instance, a centralised structure is effective in as far as technology is concerned in carrying out a project in small organizations. In the event that technology used is routine, a

Managing Innovation and Creativity at Topman Essay

Managing Innovation and Creativity at Topman - Essay Example One such business is Topman the seller of men’s fashion. Topman is actually a stand-alone fashion business that was started by Peter Robinson in 1978. Topman exclusively caters to men and their stores can be found throughout the United Kingdom. The point that Topman wants to make is to â€Å"provide a new approach to menswear retailing† (Fashion Model Directory, 2011). Their main product offering is men’s fashionable clothes from formal suits to casual styles; they also carry footwear and accessories. Topman states that they have something for any fellow who is looking for something unique and different. Some of the designer clothes they carry includes items by Fred Perry, Licentious, Carolyn Massey, Material Boy, Dexter Wong Ltd. Topman is also interested in collaborating with young designers and they have worked with Markus Lupfer, Peter Jensen, Kim Jones and they have launched their own premium label called, â€Å"Topman Design.† Topman is also collabor ating with Fashion East to produce a menswear event â€Å"MAN† that takes place during London Fashion Week.... Each company creates their own corporate culture and the owners must be able to express their vision for the business to their employees and to their target market. Creativity is also a large part of advertising. The more creative a business owner is in their advertising, the easier it will be to capture the audience they want to capture. Wallas (qtd. in McLeod 2009) states that there are five stages of creativity that are quite relevant to this discussion. The five stages that Wallas described were: 1. Preparation – the individual begins to work on a particular problem and begins to think about the problem. 2. Incubation – the individual continues to think about the problem mentally but does not yet do anything physically about it. 3. Intimation – the creative individual now begins to get ideas about the problem and how they can work with it. 4. Illumination or insight – the creative individual now has some ideas to begin putting on paper or constructing to solve the problem. 5. Verification – the individual finally understands what they need to do in the problem and they begin to consciously do something about it. These five stages seem to imply that creativity is more an unconscious process that comes into consciousness for the individual. This shows how people are inspired to do great things. 1.2 Topman and Creativity Topman has worked hard to differentiate itself from other clothing designers and retailers. It is part of another business called TopShop and both stores cater to men’s fashions. Men can find reasonably proceed apparel that was created by well known designers or by new, up and coming designers.

Project management---management of project organization Essay - 2

Project management---management of project organization - Essay Example Basically, a typical construction contractor should have a tall structure while a management consulting company should a flat structure. This will help the consulting company to make informed decisions after consulting other members in the organization. Different organizational structures pose different challenges on managing projects. Decision making in a tall organizational structure is long and in some cases information is lost. Bureaucratic structures can make it difficult to manage a project. On the other hand, a flat organizational structure can make it easy to manage a project since different functions are delegated to other parties. For projects that cross functional boundaries, a flat structure is ideal. Decisions are promptly made and changes can also be quickly made. The outcome of a project in such a case is determined by the nature of the structure of the organization as well as how the tasks are assigned to different people involved. The project manager will delegate other tasks to other members in functional departments and these people would help him manage the project since he may not be able to oversee all the functions especially in a big project. Project management can be conceptualised as technology. According to Jones (2013), technology refers to the â€Å"skills, knowledge, abilities, techniques, materials, machines, computers, tools, and other equipment that people use to convert or change raw materials into valuable goods and services.† Technology is further categorised as individual, functional or organizational. The structure of the organization has a bearing on the technology used in carrying out project management. For instance, a centralised structure is effective in as far as technology is concerned in carrying out a project in small organizations. In the event that technology used is routine, a

Nursery Rhymes Essay Example for Free

Nursery Rhymes Essay So here I am, really scared and nervous, but here’s a secret my mum told me, adults are just as anxious talking in public, the trick is to picture everyone in clown suits; my Apa’s red nose really suits her. Hmm, my speech is supposed to be humorous and as a 6 year old nothing is more hilarious as old nursery rhymes I mean can you really picture a huge egg perched on a wall, and why on earth did the king send his army to help humpty when maybe a chef would’ve done instead. Again, why on earth was the king involved? Then you get insy wincy, for being a spider he wasn’t a very bright spark. He firstly climbed up a water spout.. let’s see, cloudy day, water sprout..rain..light bulb..ting†¦but no, he goes and climbs up the spout. Again next time use the wall, he must have been a male, duh.. We pass the old age home every day on our way to school. I always feel sorry for these poor people; I mean how can people leave their mom’s there. But then I think about the old women who lived in a shoe.. Now that’s really sad, sure do hope it’s a really big shoe. Nursery rhymes are really silly, but if you can’t beat them join them. There’s my version: There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. The place was disgusting and smelled like pee-ewe! The windows were drafty. The roof was a leaker. But thats what you get When you live in a sneaker. Humpty Dumpty sat in a tree. Humpty Dumpty got stung by a bee. He fell out and hit his head, and now he thinks his name is Fred. The tighty-whity spider went down the waterslide. Got a water wedgie halfway down the ride. Jumped up and screamed and ran around in pain. Now the tighty-whity spider will not do that again.

How to Determine Face Shape

How to Determine Face Shape How to determine Face Shape. Face Shape Calculator. What ismyface shape? All people have one of 7  basic face shapes: round, square, long (or â€Å"oblong†), triangle or pear, heart or inverted triangle, diamond or oval  shaped faces. With respect to  beauty, the  face shape  plays a part.And though many people may not have thought about the  shape of their face, there are many whose faces have characteristics they do not love. Knowing your face shape  can help you make confident and informed decisions about many things,  hairstyles, spectacles  included. To figure it out, pull or comb your hair completely away from your face.Now,you’ll need a ruler or a tape measure. Be sure to write down the numbers for each step: Start with the forehead. Measure across your  forehead  at the widest point. Move on the cheeks. Measure the widest length across your  cheekbones. Now on to the jaw. Measure your jawline at its widest point. Finally, measure the length of your face.Place the ruler at the top of your forehead at your hairline and measure to your chin. Your ratio will either be 1 (your width) to 1 1/2 (your length) or 1 to 1 or 1 to 2. Heart Shaped Face Heart-shaped faces  are wider at the forehead and gently narrow down at the jawline.Thechin may be  pointed  in this  face shape. This shape is also known as the â€Å"inverted-triangle.† Square Shaped Face You have  square face  if your face has the following measurements: The width of your forehead, cheekbones, and jaw are equal. The facehas sharp, angular features including a sharp jawline. (Ifthefeatures are soft and rounded, you are likely a â€Å"round face shape.†) The facecross ratio is 1 to 1 (Length = Width) or 1 to 1 1/2. Round Shaped Face You have a classic  round face  if you fit the following: The width of your forehead, cheekbones, and jaw are equal Thejaw is slightly rounded as opposed to angular. The round face hassoft features in general. The  difference between a round face and a square face  (which also measures the same across as long) lies in the angles.  Square faces  have strong, angular features, whereas around face  has soft features. The  facecross ratio  is 1 to 1 (length = width). Diamond Shaped Face You have a  diamond face  if you are widest at your cheekbones, and your jawline and forehead are the same length (but still narrower than your cheeks). Long Shaped Face (Oblong Shaped Face) Long face shapes  are longer than they are wide. Ifthe length to the width of the faceis more than 1 1/2, then you fall into this face shape zone. Oval Shaped Face The length is equal to one and a half times width. Triangle Face Shape Which is the best Face Shape? How does Face Shape correlate with Looks Beauty? In the  beauty  industry, whether it’s  makeup,  hair  or even  clothing being discussed,  face shape  plays a very important part. Face Shapes can play an important role in how both  men women look. Best Face Shape For Men There is a large percentage ofmenwho have a  square  face shape, and it is the  most ideal and desired shape  to work with. The angular jaw line, well defined chin, clefted chin, all give rise to the  manly faceas we know it.Therefore, when it comes to  haircuts and beards, the goal is to square off the face, while taking into consideration any imperfections and how to camouflage them. Best Face Shape For Women Face Shape  plays a very important role in making women appear feminine (What Makes  Beautiful Women?). The  oval face  is considered the  best facial shape for women. An  oval face  can get away with almost any  haircut and jewelry,  because of its balanced proportions. How to Alter / Accentuate your Face Shape Make it Ideal Perfect Shaped? Can you Shape your Face Shape? 1) Hairstyles Round Face Try  hairstyles  that fall just  below the chin, like the long bob, or soft, adapted layers that are  shoulder length. Avoid  one length, blunt cuts  like theclassic bob-cut. Square Face Experiment with curls, or long, sleek  haircuts  with layers that begin from the jawline and downward. Avoid  blunt-cut bangs  and  one-length bob hairstyles,  which highlight your angular jaw rather than downplay it. Oval Face An  oval face shape  can usually sustain any sort of  haircut. Find your best feature and highlight it with your hairstyle. Great bone structure? Consider an angular bob that complements your chin.Gorgeous eyes?  Blunt or side-swept bangs will draw attention there. Heart Face Draw attention away from the chin with side swept bangs or brow-skimming bangs. Avoid choppy layers thatmake the chin prominent. Triangular Face Short haircuts  with a lot of volume are ideal for triangular faces. You can also choose along cut, as long as it hits at your collarbone or lower. Diamond Face Try to create  width at the forehead  with bangs, and balance it out with layers that start at the  chin. Long Face Brow-skimming, side swept bangs or chin-length bobs are ideal for creating the illusion of width. Curls and waves also work well when adding width. Keep  haircuts short, never long because they tend to drag down the face. 2) Spectacles Sunglasses for Face Shapes Round Face To make around face  appear thinner and longer, try  angular narrow eyeglass frames  to lengthen the face, a clearbridgethat widens the eyes, and  frames  that are  wider  than they are deep, such as a  rectangular shape. Oval Face To keep the  oval face’s  natural balance, look for  eyeglass frames  that are as wide as (or wider than) the broadest part of the face, or  walnut-shaped frames  that are not too deep or too narrow. Oblong Face To make an  oblong face  appear shorter and more balanced,  try frames that have more depth than width, decorative or contrasting temples that add width to the face, or a low bridge to shorten the nose. Diamond Face This is the  rarest face shape. To highlight the eyes and soften the cheekbones, try  frames  that have detailing or distinctive brow lines, or try  rimless framesoroval and cat-eye shapes. Square Face To make a square face look longer and soften the angles, try  narrow frame styles, frames that have more width than depth, and  narrow ovals. Triangular Face To add width and emphasize the narrow upper third of the  face, try  frames  that are heavily accented with color and detailing on the top half or cat-eye shapes. 3) Change Face Shape Through Cosmetic Surgery A)  Botox For Masseter Hypertrophy  Masseter muscle reduction  is a procedure often requested by Asian ethnicities and now very commonly in  India. The Masster is a muscle in the jaw area an  enlarged masseter muscle  leads to formation of a  square shaped masculine appearing face in women. The use of  botulinum toxin  can effectively  treat the masseter hypertrophy, reduce and change the shape of the face predictably  (make the face and the jawline slim),  without any unwanted surgical trauma and complications. To read more on how  Botox  works, read this blogpost:https://debrajshome.wordpress.com/2012/03/03/best-botox-injections-in-mumbai-india/ B) Fillers to Augment Cheeks Chins Dermal Filler Injections  like  Juvederm Voluma  play an important role in  adding volume  where necessary, easily, painlessly, without surgery. So, the  chin can be augmented  or the cheeks, as necessary. C) Use of Chin Implants to elongate the face. Works in  diamond shaped oblong faces  to make them oval, by adding  width at the chin area. This also markedly improves  profile pictures. D) Use of Cheek Implants to widen Mid-Face Area Works in  oblong faces, to add  width to the cheeks  and balance the face. E)  VASER Liposuction Works in  round faces  to  reduce the increased fat  and make the jawline chin more defined and angular. Also,  removes the double chin. F) Orthognathic Surgery Complex Maxillo-Facial Surgery in which the bones of the face are cut re-arranged to change facial shape. In summary, working out your  face shape type  can be the first step in evaluating many things:  which hairstyles will suit you, which spectacles sunglasses will look good on you, how you should apply makeup, etc. In fact,  understanding your face shape  is the first step in understanding you. Once you know your face shape, you can rectify the deficiencies aim for the  best face shape  by visually changing your face shape via hairstyles, makeup, glasses or even by using  cosmetic surgery procedures.

Comparing Death in D.H. Lawrence’s The Horse Dealer’s Daughter and Kath

Comparing Death in D.H. Lawrence’s The Horse Dealer’s Daughter and Katherine Mansfield’s The Garden Party Controlling the movements of the short stories, death is a regnant theme in D.H. Lawrence’s â€Å"The Horse Dealer’s Daughter† and Katherine Mansfield’s â€Å"The Garden Party.† Death brings forth consciousness and it excites the need for an epiphany within the protagonists. To a lesser extent, death creates tremors in the worlds of the antagonists. Death furthermore makes the indifferences of the secondary characters more pronounced. Affecting the lives of the protagonists, the antagonists, and the secondary characters of these two short stories, death plays an integral role in the themes of these works. Lawrence’s â€Å"The Horse Dealer’s Daughter† was originally called â€Å"The Miracle,† marking the protagonist’s rebirth of love out of death. Mabel, the twenty-seven year old spinster, is revived physically and spiritually after her submergence in the â€Å"dead cold pond† (2337). For a decade, Mabel played housekeeper for her â€Å"ineffectual brothers† and although she was not happy, the â€Å"sense of money†¦kept her proud, confident†(2334). After the death of Mabel’s father, the family’s horse-dealing business collapses and Mabel becomes â€Å"mindless and persistent, [enduring] from day to day† (2335). Distant from her brothers and receiving no visitors other than dealers and â€Å"coarse men† (2334), Mabel concludes that her life is like a barren field. Even though Mabel reassures herself that she â€Å"would always hold the keys of her own situation† (2335), she has a lready died a spiritual death – a death that is mirrored by the imageries of the desolate house and the â€Å"sloping, dank, winter-dark fields† (2334). Mabel does not have any hopes for ... ... resonates throughout both short stories and it spurs the growths of the protagonists and antagonists, characters who reach new heights of understanding about themselves and others. These characters are also able to resolve the peace with death, the purgative process that transforms them. The secondary characters in these two stories are unfazed by death, thus uncovering their insensitivity towards the loss of others. Albeit tragic in many ways, â€Å"The Horse Dealer’s Daughter† and â€Å"The Garden Party† reveal glimmers of hope and humanity in the shadow of death. Works Cited Lawrence, D.H. â€Å"The Horse Dealer’s Daughter.† 1922. Norton Anthology of English Literature. 7th ed. 2 vols. New York: Norton, 2000, 2: 2330-2341. Mansfield, Katherine. â€Å"The Garden Party.† 1921, 1922. Norton Anthology of English Literature. 7th ed. 2 vols. New York: Norton, 2000, 2: 2423-2433.

Obamas First Inaugural Speech -- Inauguration, American Presidents

Picture this: a cold January day in Washington D.C, the first African American president is about to be inaugurated with a combined audience of over 38 million looking to be inspired. Ted Sorensen, a former speechwriter for John F. Kennedy, believes â€Å"An inaugural address is by definition a defining moment for any new president.† An inaugural address is a stepping stone for each new administration because it creates a first impression; the address marks the time when the president stops trying to win votes and starts taking action. Barack Obama's speech is filled with eloquent language, and it lived up to the expectations of both critics and the public. The speech, as described in the â€Å"Think Again† section of the New York Times was â€Å"...rather than being a sustained performance with a cumulative power [it was] a framework on which a succession of verbal ornaments was hung, and we were being invited not to move forward but to stop and ponder significances only hinted at.† â€Å"’Just words’ is how a president manages to operate. ‘Just words’ is how he engages the spirit of progress for th...

School Age Observation

I observed Mark in his fourth grade classroom during a science lesson. Mark is an intelligent ten year old child, but he has a difficult time paying attention to his teacher. He likes to get a lot of attention and when he gets bored he turns his focus to other destructive matters, such as, throwing pencils up into the ceiling. Throwing pencils in the ceiling has gotten him in trouble many times, and once he was kicked out of the classroom for it. When he becomes uninterested he stops paying attention to instruction completely. When he is bored, he needs to find another activity to fill the void, and that activity will be something that distracts the teacher and his classmates; two characteristics that make it interesting and entertaining to him. From my observations, I believe Mark’s behavior problems are the result of a lack of attention and disinterest from the people in his life, and a general sense of laziness and intimidation for tasks that seem difficult. Mark comes to school with an unclean appearance (dirty clothes, messy hair, looking like he has not bathed) and without the proper tools to actively complete his assignments. For example, he comes to school without any pencils or paper and his backpack is a mess of old crumpled papers. Mark’s behavior problems decreased as his teacher had time to give him one on one attention and break down his tasks into smaller assignments while giving him encouragement and the sense of working hard and having accomplished something. Mark read well, but at a slow pace that would become frustrating to him. He stumbled over words and his classmates had annoyed looks on their faces as he took so long to read a paragraph aloud. His teacher also realized this and later took the time to explain the textbook pictures and figures to him so he could visualize the content he was reading about. His teacher told him that if he becomes bored of the assigned work of looking up vocabulary words then he should switch tasks for a few minutes so he can take a break. When he would start to lose interest he would start trying to talk and get the others’ attention. He would stop his work, look around, and then call out, â€Å"This is boring! to the kids around him. There was a boy sitting next to him at his table that he would poke with a pencil and laugh at when the boy would get mad. He also spent a lot of time staring out the window and digging a groove into his pink erasure with his pencil. When his teacher was able to come and give him one on one attention he was attentive and looked at the teacher as she talked. Mark’s teacher creates a â€Å"to do† list for him so that he can check things off as they are completed. At the end of the section Mark was able to check off several things from his list, and he was proud that he was able to complete so many things. He bragged to his classmates at his table by showing them his list so they could see everything that he had finished. Mark is not a mean child, nor does he want to hurt others, but he needs more positive attention in his life. With the absence of positive interest from those around him, he seeks out anything he can get, which naturally ends up being the negative attention. His teacher does not always have the time during a lesson to cater to Mark, but she tries to check on him frequently because of the results it brings. After he was given extra help and saw what he was able to accomplish when he set his mind to a task the effects began to show in the classroom. Of his own initiative, Mark took out a piece of paper and started taking notes once his math lesson began. He teacher commented to me that that does not happen very often.

Amy Tan and Functionalism Essay

This essay will explore the real life of Amy Tan and the translation of her life through her large body of work. The research will not only involve biographical information but quotes from her books as they relate to her life and the influence of Asian culture on those works as well as her life. The works that will be focused on in this essay will The Joy Luck Club and other others. The main development of the essay will be based upon the comparing qualities found in The Joy Luck Club. This essay will be partly analytical and partly research based in its design. Amy Tan’s work, though broad in theme will usually bear the relationship of the mother-daughter paradigm in the weight of the story incorporating a functionalist theory. Cognitive processes performed by the brain allow for construction of an internal model of reality from the sensory data. This also coincides with consensual reality or perceived reality which is the function of the normal processes of the brain. Sensory perception is a crux by which cognitive science develops its theories. As such, the mind is in a continuous learning equation. The brain chronically categorizes representations of reality (objects, feelings, events, etc) and learns how to problem solve, and compute these different sensory receptions. This is a self-organizing process by which the mind acts like a computer and stores information from sensory events into a coded mechanism. Amy Tan writes about the way in which an Asian woman grows up in a Western culture and the effects of this on the mother-daughter relationship. Thus, not only is the theme of the familial relationship relevant but also the theme of the first generation Asian American important. Especially in the novel The Joy Luck Club the view of Asian values as they are pitted against Western culture is examined, just as in Amy Tan’s life, such issues were relevant. Tan’s novels peak with relevance to the negotiation of the characters toward their assimilation into Western society †¦Asian American culture emerges out of the contradictions of Asian immigration, which in the last century and a half of Asian entry into the United States have placed Asians within the United States nation-state, its workplaces, and its markets, yet linguistically, culturally and racially marked Asians as foreign and outside the national polity. Under such contradictions, late nineteenth-century Chinese immigrants labored in mining agriculture, and railroad construction but were excluded from citizenship and political participations in the state†¦By insisting on Asian American formation as contradictory, and therefore as dialectical and critical†¦while immigration has been the locus of legal and political restriction of Asians as the other in America, immigration has simultaneously been the site fro the emergence of critical negations of the nation-state for which those legislations are the expression†¦The national institutionalization of unity becomes the measure of the nation’s condition of heterogeneity. If the nation proposes American culture as the key site for ht resolution of inequalities and stratifications that cannot be resoled on the political terrain of representative democracy, then that culture performs that reconciliation by naturalizing a universality that exempts the non-American from its history or aestheticizes ethnic differences as if they could be separated form history (Lowe 11). Asian Americans are prone to negotiation and this interaction between cultures as well as between generations is especially prevalent in The Joy Luck Club as it relates to Tan’s life. In the context of this process is the history of Tan’s own life. She was a first generation Asian American born in Oakland California. Her parents were Chinese immigrants. Her father was a Baptist minister and her mother was a Shanghai nurse. When Tan was fourteen years old, her father as well as her elder brother died of brain tumors. After the death of the figurehead of the family and the brother, Tan, her mother Daisy and the younger brother Peter moved to Montreux, Switzerland. As Tan grew older she began to realize the great gap that existed between herself and her mother due to their difference in culture. As Tan grew up she realized that there was much tension between herself and her mother. Tan eventually moved away from home and gained her master’s degree in linguistics at San Jose State University. Tan’s first job was as a children’s speech therapist. Within the context of Tan’s writing there exists these elements of her life; integration, acceptance, alienation both in terms of culture and through this culture of familial ties. The ideal behind the immigration to America is extrapolated in her novels as a way of achieving the American dream. This issue is brought subtly to the foreground by way of the parents’ expectations of their children and the children’s noncompliance to these wishes, a sort of shucking off of the parents’ ideal for the children’s own interest, Although ‘Asian values’ have continued to define the material success of Asian Americans in American culture and society since the 1980’s, these values have equally been deployed to suggest the inability of Asian Americans to embrace the American Dream, a problem that would culminate in the myth of ‘perpetual foreigner. ’†¦the history of Asians in America can be fully understood only if we regard them as both immigrants and members of nonwhite minority groups precisely because Asian Americans have never been completely absorbed into American society and its body politic (Shu 93). Thus, Tan’s novels, as juxtaposed with her life emphasize the alienation first generation Asian Americans deal with as being ostracized from either culture, Culture is the medium of the present—the imagined equivalences and identifications through which the individual invents lived relationship with the national collective. But it is simultaneously the site that mediates the past, through whih history is grasped as difference, as fragments, shocks, and flashes of disjunction. It is through culture that the subject becomes, acts, and speaks itself as American. It is likewise in culture that individuals and collectivities struggle and remember, and in that difficult remembering, imagine and practice both subject and community differently (Lowe 10). In Tan’s novel The Joy Luck Club the main attraction for readers resides in the focus of the four main Chinese-American families. These families unite in the club they formed called The Joy Luck Club in which the mothers, and towards the end of the novel the daughters play the Chinese game Mahjong for money while also partaking of a myriad of Chinese dishes. In fact, Tan brings a lot of Chinese culture into her stories through food. The novel is written in a vignettes style in which the characters lives are portrayed in sixteen chapters divided into four sections where the narrative is dedicated to both the mother and the daughter. The beginning of the novel begins with Jing-Mei or ‘June’ who has at this point lost her mother Suyuan to an aneurysm. The Joy Luck Club requests that June take the place of her mother at their game. This begins the novel in a fashion of exploration and a journey in which June discovers who her mother was and thereby finds her own identity through her mother on behalf of the information gleaned from Suyuan’s friends. This topic of finding the self through the mother relates to Tan’s own life and her relationship with her mother. This is also a cultural issue in which the daughter denies her heritage, in this case both Tan and June, and only through this journey of discovering who the mother is does the daughter begin to understand her own self, In contrast, the cultural productions emerging out of the contradictions of immigrant marginality displace the fiction of reconciliation, disrupt the myth of national identity by revealing its gaps and fissures, an intervene in the narrative of national development that would illegitimately locate the immigrant before history, or exempt the immigrant from history. The universals proposed by the political and cultural forms of the nation precisely generate the critical acts that negate those universals. These acts compose the agency of Asian immigrants and Asian Americas: the acts of labor, resistance, memory, and survival as well as the politicized cultural work that emerges from dislocation and disidentification. Asian immigrants and Asian Americans have not only been subject to immigration exclusion and restriction, but have also been subjects of the migration process and are agents of political change, cultural expression, and social transformation (Lowe 11-12). Tan’s novels also focus on the American dream as it is reinterpreted by her characters. Tan’s use of culture as it applies to the characters is also applicable through the identity of being an immigrant. The loss of self through the loss of culture becomes a very viable source of depression for the characters in the novel just as Tan wrote that her own family suffered from this disease. Depression is prevalent with the daughters of the novel in struggling to find their identity and for June in finding out who her mother was as a person and as a mother. The novel deals greatly in behind the scene actions and events that are not revealed to the protagonist until the right time toward the end of the novel. In a way the old adage of a woman not becoming a woman until the death of her mother plays a specific role in this novel just as it does for Tan’s life. When June’s mother dies June must take on her mother’s responsibilities in the Joy Luck Club and in a way become her mother for these women. It is in this position that June learns of Suyuan’s life before being a mother just as much as she is an identity as a mother. Tan stated that her mother Daisy witnessed her mother’s suicide. This theme was emphasized in The Bonesetter’s Daughter when the mother tried to contact Precious Auntie. The form of contact that June clutches to in The Joy Luck Club is found in Suyuan’s circle of friends My father has asked me to be the fourth corner at the Joy Luck Club. I am to replace my mother whose seat at the mah jong table has been empty since she died two months ago. My father thinks she was killed by her own thoughts†¦My mother could sense that the women of these families also had unspeakable tragedies they left behind in China and hopes they couldn’t begin to express in their fragile English. Or at least, my mother recognized the numbness in these women’s faces. And she saw how quickly their eyes moved as she told them her idea for the Joy Luck Club (Tan 19-20). The pressure that mother insists upon the daughter is prevalent in Tan’s live as well as it is presented in the lives of her characters, especially June. There is a theme concurrent with this idea of memory, escape and eventual recognition in The Joy Luck Club which persists with the image and symbolism of the piano. Jing-mei’s mother Mrs. Woo insists that Jing-mei is a musical prodigy but during her debut recital both mother and daughter realize how bad she is at playing the instrument. As a result of this terrible recital Jing-mei shouts at her mother that she wishes she had never been born, that she were dead like those twins Mrs. Woo had to abandon. The mother then backs off and allows Jing-mei to forget about the piano. Later in the story the piano is given to Jing-mei as a thirtieth birthday presents and in this gift Jing-mei realizes that her mother only wanted her to find something worthwhile in her life. The gift of the piano reminds Jing-mei of the daughters that her mother had to leave behind, however, it is only after her mother’s death that Jing-mei can come to accept the gift of the piano. As she plays the piano Tan’s underlying theme becomes refocused on the American Dream translated into Chinese culture. Jing-mei’s mother wanted her to make something of herself, hence the piano. In Jing-mei’s ugly comment about wanting to be dead like her twin sisters the reader realizes that this is a metaphorical death, that Jing-mei is realizing that she is the product of a Chinese household but with ever growing dreams persuade by Western culture. Jing-mei eventually goes to China to meet with her twin sisters and in so doing she becomes reunited with her mother in the stories that she must give them, but all is revealed in that initial hug between the sisters. The mother’s children unite thereby uniting the family after so many years dislocated. In this way Tan’s focus is one of Diaspora, in the lack of home and the journey emotionally, spiritually and physically that each character in The Joy Luck Club must undertake to come to recognition with their identity, as Asian Americans, immigrants, products of a cultural dichotomy and as daughters and mothers, Tan also explores the effect of popular culture on the immigrant. Mrs. Woo gets her ideas from television and popular magazines. She does not question the validity of these sources. The magazines range from the bizarre—Ripley’s Believe It or Not—to the commonplace—Good Housekeeping and Reader’s Digest. Everything has been predigested for mass consumption (Shu 93). This predigested concept elicits for Tan the idea of self as seen through culture. The mother in this passage is seeking to redefine and assimilate into a culture for which she is ill designed. The theme then, as it was for Tan who was a first generation Asian American who later moved to Switzerland and then back to the San Francisco Bay area, is this idea of relocation, Diaspora. Through this concept of Diaspora through Tan’s novels it is easy to understand the psyche of her characters in relation to her own sentiments about life, immigration, identity as they in turn relate back, each of them, to the mother and daughter relationship. These forced concepts of becoming a woman and struggling with identity as it pertains to these outside forces is a daunting realization for each other Tan’s characters as it must have been difficult for her to define her life growing up a first generation Asian American. Amy Tan’s talent for writing is based on her affiliation with true life events which is a very functionalist way to write. Thus, when she writes her fiction novels she is also writing in part her biography as the thoughts of the characters are revealed to be strikingly similar to the sentiments that Tan must have felt growing up and finding out the history of her own mother who witnessed her mother’s suicide. Through the incorporation of these personal thoughts there is also the element in this way of thinking that focuses on Asian culture. The concept of the immigrant as it applies to Western culture is inclusive of being ostracized. Thus, the characters in Tan’s novels are in search of identity; identity as it relates to the dichotomy of Asian and Western culture, mother-daughter relationships, and the self. Through the arrival of the mother’s past revealed to the daughters in each of Tan’s novel, the daughter comes to an epiphany. The daughter realizes that she is her mother in part, and that is where her home is found. Thus, Tan is able to transfer this personal quest of self in the novel, as well as her real life, into the notion of the self being identified through the struggle of the mother for the daughter and the sacrifice therein. This concept is proved especially with June’s character, but for Tan , the idea of the mother defining the daughter is constant. Work Cited Lowe, Lisa. â€Å"The Power of Culture†. Journal of Asian American Studies. Vol. 1, No. 1. 1996. Shu, Yuan. â€Å"Globalization and ‘Asian Values’: Teaching and Theorizing Asian American Literature. † College Literature. Vol. 32, No. 1. Winter 2005. Tan, Amy. â€Å"The Joy Luck Club†. Putnam. 1989. Tan, Amy. â€Å"The Bonesetter’s Daughter. † Putnam. 2001.