O great god-king Xerxes Essay Example for Free

O great god-king Xerxes Essay O great god-king Xerxes, I have heard that you are planning to launch a full-scale invasion of the Greek nations following on the steps of your father, Darius. I come here before you to attempt to dissuade you of your plans for Greece. As I am once a prominent citizen of one of the many city-states in the nation, it would do you well to listen to my advice as it contains extensive knowledge of what you are about to face if you push through with your plans. O King, barely ten years ago, your father Darius launched a similar invasion against the Greek city-states in retaliation to the Athenians’ aiding the Ionians in their revolt against his rule. Although it had been initially successful, the invasion was ultimately put to an end by his defeat during the Battle of Marathon. It could be worth noting that, despite the battle being a victory, it was a desperate attack by the Athenian army that caused the defeat of your father’s armed forces. Sparta, perhaps the state with the most powerful military in all of Greece, was absent from the battle and even then the Greeks scored a victory. Each city-state in Greece acts independently from each other. They are each governed by their respective rulers and are not influenced by the affairs of the other city-states. However, it is not impossible for each of them to call for aid to one another as evidenced by the Ionian call for aid during the previous war. Sartus was taken thanks to the aid provided by Athens, who had the major contribution in the allied army, and by Eretria. Sparta had chosen delay sending military aid as it had decided a full moon needed to pass before they do anything and were thus absent from the Battle of Marathon, where your father’s army was defeated utterly. Had Sparta’s forces been present, its superior military might compared to Athens would likely contribute to utter decimation of the Persian forces under your father’s command. However, even then, your father’s soldiers lost under the Greeks. If you attack now, O King, you risk provoking an even greater alliance that can now include Sparta, which is your most formidable enemy on the plains of Greece. The Spartans are a race that places utmost emphasis on military training and raising superior soldiers that have been tested in war. Furthermore, the Spartans will never participate and are not interested in any alliance that will not mean leadership to them. They can be a vain and arrogant nation but with the strength to back their vanity up. If you threaten the entire Greek country now, your Majesty, the major powers of the nation will definitely ally themselves with Sparta at the helm. With Spartan tactics and warriors at the vanguard, your army – no matter how great – will run into serious opposition which can result into an even greater demise than what has happened to your father’s forces in Marathon. As could be expected from any nation, the Greeks have devised battle tactics that are best suited to their terrain. They know their land; you can expect them to take advantage of that and lure your forces into a disadvantage in battle. With a possible alliance under Spartan leadership, the Greek can have a tactical and strategic advantage even if your army is greater in number. O Wise King, great wisdom it would be not to rely on the greater numbers of your armed host. The Greeks, especially the Spartans, will not be easily daunted. They have tactics that can be quite effective when employed in terrain which they know well. For example, your father Darius in Marathon faced a tactic called the phalanx. By definition, a Greek battle line deployed in a phalanx means there is equal strength in all sides of the battle formation. However, in Marathon, the Greek commander faced superior numbers but was able to modify the phalanx into an effective variant: he strengthened the wings of his battle formation while weakening the center. At first you would think that the Greeks were committing suicide and, indeed, the Greeks seemed to be at the point of desperation. However, stronger wings meant that the Greeks managed to hold off the wings of your father’s formations, holding them back and disabling them from reinforcing the center of King Darius’ battle lines. Thus, it was then that the Persian armies were surrounded and routed by the Greek army in Marathon. The results of the battle were horrific. Your father lost a sizable portion of his soldiers, sixty times more than what the Greeks lost in that same battle. A second Marathon is not the only thing that you should worry about in the conduct of battle in this planned invasion. A worse battle awaits your forces if you push through. In Greece, there is a place which we call the â€Å"Hot Gates† or Thermopylae. This place is a narrow pass bordered by a sheer cliff wall on one side, and the sea on the other side. This is a battleground ideal for the phalanx. In such a narrow pass, the phalanx will serve as a wedge that will drive through your attacking forces. The Greeks need only to strengthen their front lines with the rear guard merely pushing the front soldiers forward. In here, the superior numbers of your great army will definitely count for nothing. The Greeks, especially the Spartans and the Athenians, are aware of this pass; they will definitely use this to their advantage to hold off your army while a greater force amasses for retaliation. A Spartan-led phalanx could be as devastating as any phalanx, which had been proven by the Athenian tactics in Marathon. As you could see, Great King Xerxes, the sheer size of your army is both your strength and your liability. To support such a large host, you need a sizable navy to carry supplies back and forth. Your navy will be stretched thin supporting your great army; it will also have to endure against whatever naval counterattacks and offensives that the Greeks may launch against you. You could face a naval situation similar to Thermopylae in Salamis. It is a narrow channel, one which can reduce your navy into a bottleneck and reduce their effectiveness. The Greeks can pick your ships off one by one even if they may be smaller in size. Consider my wisdom in this matter, King Xerxes. I daresay that, even if you hold the greater number of forces, you would find it hard to manage them effectively at smaller levels. The Greeks, my former countrymen, are geniuses both in scholarship and in battle; your father Darius learnt that the hard way in the fields of Marathon under the Athenians alone. With a possible pan-Greek alliance – with the mighty Spartans leading – your forces face yet another humiliating defeat similar to Marathon, only this time you will be facing the combined might of all the city-states of Greece. Abandon this plan now, before this results to destruction of your mighty host. Sources: Wheeler, Kevin. (2001). â€Å"Ancient Greek Battles of Marathon, Thermopylae, Artemisium and Salamis. † Retrieved November 30, 2008, from Ancient World Battles website: http://www. geocities. com/caesarkevin/battles/Greekbattles1. html Lendering, Jona. (2005). â€Å"Phalanx and Hoplites. † Retrieved November 30, 2008 from Livius. org website: http://www. livius. org/pha-phd/phalanx/phalanx. html Lopez, Vincent. (2008) â€Å"Shock Tactics on the Ancient Battlefield. † Retrieved November 30, 2008 from Armchair General website: http://www. armchairgeneral. com/shock-tactics-on-the-ancient-battlefield. htm/5 Stewart, Michael. People, Places Things: Xerxes I, Greek Mythology: From the Iliad to the Fall of the Last Tyrant. Retrieved November 30, 2008 from Messagenet website: http://messagenet. com/myths/ppt/Xerxes_I_1. html Freedom44. (2004). â€Å"The First Persian War Greek Wars. † Retrieved from Free Republic website: http://freerepublic. com/focus/f-news/1196577/posts

Marvin Gaye Author Of Soul Music :: essays research papers fc

Marvin Gaye; Author of Love Music Bibliography Bayles, Martha. Hole In Our Soul. New York: The Free Press, 1994 Coleman, Nick. â€Å"Lost Soul.† New Statesman 4 Sept. 1998: 127. EBSCO Host. Centennial High School Lib., Franklin, TN. 14 Feb. 2001 <http://www.epnet.com/ehost/login.html>. Editor’s of Time-Life Books. Turbulent Years: The 60s. Our American Century. Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1998. â€Å"Gaye, Marvin (Pentz Jr.).† Biography.com: 4. Online. World Wide Web. 12 Feb. 2001. Available http//www.biography.com. Gracyk, Theodore. An Aesthetics Of Rock. Duke University: Duke University Press Durham and London 1996 Haa, Erikka. Soul. New York: Friedman\Fairfax, 1994. â€Å"Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).† Discovering Biography. Windows Version. CD-ROM. Detroit: Gale Research, 1997. Outline I. Intro II. Music A. Sex B. Feelings C. Life III. Life A. Early Life B. Addictions C. Death IV. Conclusion Harrington 1 Kci & Jojo, R. Kelly, and Blackstreet are all musicians who have modernized the music of Soul; the music invented by Marvin Gaye. Marvin Gaye used his feelings of himself, surroundings, and life to write his one-of-a-kind music. Soul music, often referred to as "love man music", was not about drugs or winning a championship it was about sex, romance, and passion, Marvin Gaye was about it all and more. Marvin Gaye, the Prince of Motown, revolutionized his music into one of America's most controversial musical forms, "love man music", which would later become Soul Music. Marvin Gaye's music became so popular with the public because it was so risquà ©; the music was about sex. Gaye adored the respect and attention he received from his fans. Songs like "Lets get it on" and "Sexual Healing" became so popular because they were so deeply involved in lovemaking. A loyal fan on Gaye, David Ritz, explains the love expressed in Gaye's music: [Gaye] loved fully orchestrated, wildly romantic music... By now he had mastered multi-track vocalizing, the art of playing with his voices. The use of moaning women in the background sounded childish, but sexual noise was an integral part of the little boy fantasy which lay at the heart of what seems to me a work of rare beauty. (Bayles 271) His music was new, something people have experienced, but were ready for it and excited to hear it. "Love music" also appeared so sudden because the people were tired of the Rock and Roll scene that swarmed America. An unknown fan of the love Harrington 2 music that was coming about, explains why it took the place of Rock at the top of the charts. "The assumption was that every woman in her right mind would prefer the love men's smooth talking satin-sheets-on-the-waterbed approach to the ear blistering screeching of white boys with road kill hair (Bayles 271).

Role of A Computer Programmer

Computer programmers write, test, and maintain the detailed instructions, called programs, that computers must follow to perform their functions. They also conceive, design, and test logical structures for solving problems by computer. Many technical innovations in programming-advanced computing technologies and sophisticated new languages and programming tools-have redefined the role of a programmer and elevated much of the programming work done today. Job titles and descriptions may vary, depending on the organization. Computer programs tell the computer what to do, which information to identify and access, how to process it, and what equipment to use. Programs vary widely depending upon the type of information to be accessed or generated. For example, the instructions involved in updating financial records are very different from those required to duplicate conditions on board an aircraft for pilots training in a flight simulator. Although simple programs can be written in a few hours, programs that use complex mathematical formulas, whose solutions can only be approximated, or that draw data from many existing systems may require more than a year of work. In most cases, several programmers work together as a team under a senior programmer's supervision. Programmers write programs according to the specifications determined primarily by computer software engineers and systems analysts. After the design process is complete, it is the job of the programmer to convert that design into a logical series of instructions that the computer can follow. The programmer then codes these instructions in a conventional programming language, such as COBOL; an artificial intelligence language, such as Prolog; or one of the most advanced object-oriented languages such as Java, C++, or Smalltalk. Different programming languages are used depending on the purpose of the program. COBOL, for example, is commonly used for business applications, whereas Fortran (short for â€Å"formula translation†) is used in science and engineering. C++ is widely used for both scientific and business applications. Many programmers at the enterprise level are also expected to know platform-specific languages used in database programming. Programmers generally know more than one programming language and, because many languages are similar, they often can learn new languages relatively easily. In practice, programmers often are referred to by the language they know, as are Java programmers, or the type of function they perform or environment in which they work, which is the case for database programmers, mainframe programmers, or Web programmers. Programmers often are grouped into two broad types, applications programmers and systems programmers. Applications programmers write programs to handle a specific job, such as a program to track inventory within an organization. They may also revise existing packaged software or customize generic applications called middleware. Systems programmers, on the other hand, write programs to maintain and control computer systems software, such as operating systems, networked systems, and database systems. These workers make changes in the sets of instructions that determine how the network, workstations, and central processing unit of the system handle the various jobs they have been given, and how they communicate with peripheral equipment such as terminals, printers, and disk drives. Because of their knowledge of the entire computer system, systems programmers often help applications programmers to determine the source of problems that may occur with their programs. Most systems programmers hold a 4-year degree in computer science. Extensive knowledge of a variety of operating systems is essential for such workers. This includes being able to configure an operating system to work with different types of hardware and having the skills needed to adapt the operating system to best meet the needs of a particular organization. Systems programmers also must be able to work with database systems, such as DB2, Oracle, or Sybase. Programmers in software development companies may work directly with experts from various fields to create software, either programs designed for specific clients or packaged software for general use, ranging from games and educational software to programs for desktop publishing and financial planning. Much of this type of programming takes place in the preparation of packaged software, which constitutes one of the most rapidly growing segments of the computer services industry. In some organizations, particularly small ones, workers commonly known as programmer-analysts are responsible for both the systems analysis and the actual programming work. Advanced programming languages and new object-oriented programming capabilities are increasing the efficiency and productivity of both programmers and users. The transition from a mainframe environment to one that is based primarily on personal computers (PCs) has blurred the once rigid distinction between the programmer and the user. Increasingly, adept end-users are taking over many of the tasks previously performed by programmers. For example, the growing use of packaged software, such as spreadsheet and database management software packages, allows users to write simple programs to access data and perform calculations. Required skills vary from job to job, but the demand for various skills generally is driven by changes in technology. Employers using computers for scientific or engineering applications usually prefer college graduates who have degrees in computer or information science, mathematics, engineering, or the physical sciences. Graduate degrees in related fields are required for some jobs. Employers who use computers for business applications prefer to hire people who have had college courses in management information systems (MIS) and business and who possess strong programming skills. Although knowledge of traditional languages still is important, employers are placing increasing emphasis on newer, object-oriented programming languages and tools, such as C++ and Java. Additionally, employers are seeking persons familiar with fourth- and fifth-generation languages that involve graphic user interface (GUI) and systems programming. Employers also prefer applicants who have general business skills and experience related to the operations of the firm.

People’ Attitude Towards Work Essay

People’s attitude to work varies a lot i.e. in relation to the individuals’ personal experience and their overall perception of others (employers, colleagues) and how they are actually perceived by other people. As emphasized by various key theorists (e.g. Frederick Taylor, Maslow, Douglas McGregor etc.) discussed in Behaviour At Work element 11.1, we (people) make assumption about other people based on our own experience in that, it is a way of making sense of relating to others. We each set ourselves certain standards and expect other people to adhere to them, even though they may not share our views and have different standards for themselves. Motivation is both individual and complex and there is a difference between what motivates people to perform above average and what leads to below average performance. Douglas McGregor emphasized that managers make either theory X or Y assumptions about the way others behave. Theory X assumption includes; * an average human being inherently dislikes work and will avoid it if possible hence, these types of people must be coerced, controlled, directed or even threatened with punishment to get them to put in adequate effort at work. * an average person prefers to be directed, wishes to avoid responsibility, has relatively little ambition and wants security above any other thing. Theory Y assumptions on the other hand stresses that; * people do not inherently dislike work and that the conditions of work reflects peoples satisfaction * people will generally exercise self direction and self control in pursuit of the objective to which they are committed * people mostly learn under proper conditions, not only to accept but to seek responsibility * people are not being used by organisations to their full potential * in order to obtain commitment from employees rewards should fulfill an individuals self actualization needs Choosing either Theory X or Y has an overall effect on people, be it positive or negative i.e. there will be a tendency within an organisation for people to respond to the way they are managed thus, if employees feel that they are not being trusted, this may result in them behaving in a less trustworthy way. PEOPLE’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS WORK (CONT.) Conclusion: Due to the fact that there is a range of reasons why people behave differently in work situations, hence, it is unrealistic to make generalized assumption about individuals attitude to work i.e. reasons for performing better or worse than average. Behaviour of each group is most likely to be unpredictable e.g. in the case of our Young business enterprise, GNVQ group A unlike group B spent a lot of time meeting despite the fact that there was conflict between individuals, thus we all had to put personal problems aside in order to achieve the same common goal which alternatively reflects on the successful trading carried out via high level of cooperation. Peoples attitude in a particular organisation can be measured by implementing techniques such as; * Preparation of questionnaires which is distributed to a certain number of selected individuals in a particular organisation. (Ref. example of questionnaire which may be used by organisations – appendix 1) * Face-to-face interviews – this refers to actually forming a one to one communication strategy which deals specifically with obtaining necessary information on employees general attitude towards their work and what motivates them to work harder and effectively. Face-to-face interviews are mainly used to obtain a direct response from the people affected by each policy thus, generating a more realistic subjective view of the employees involved as opposed to making an assumption. Some of the questions which can be included while carrying out an interview are as follows; (1) Can you describe any job you have held where you were faced with problems and pressures which tested your ability to cope? (2) Can you give me an example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree? (3) What stimulates you in your work and how does this motivate you? (4) Would you be willing to work in a position where you are expected to make decisions and how will you conduct yourself? (5) How do you feel about the way you are managed by your superior and what will contribute to you working even better? * Surveys – surveys takes different forms depending on the level of workers which are being examined. It can also be seen as a combination of the methods mentioned above i.e. in generating more response so as to obtain an overall result i.e. a more factual information regarding employees, which can obviously be relied on. (Ref. Example of a personnel performance indicator which can be used in highlighting peoples attitude to work – appendix 2) (Appendix 1) Questionnaire (1) Would you consider yourself satisfied with the level of responsibility your job involves? Yes[] No[] (2) What motivates you to work? Money[] Promotion[] Job security[] Other †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. (3) How would you describe you working condition? V. good[] Good[] Average[] Below average[] (4) Do you like working as a group[] ; individually[] ; or both [] (5) Would you like to be included in decision making or quality circle? Yes[] No[] Don’t know[] (6) What do you enjoy most in doing your job? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. (7) Have you had any complaint in relation to your level of participation in your job? Yes[] No[] If yes, how do you view this †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. (8) How well do you deal with criticism? V. well[] Average [] Below average[] (9) Does criticism affect your overall performance? Yes[] No[] (10) Would you consider yourself Highly motivated[] Easily motivated[] Not easily motivated[] Don’t know[] FACTORS AFFECTING MOTIVATION People’s level of motivation is affected by certain issues, which may lead to an extensive breakdown in communication within an organisation due to lack of cooperation between employees and employees or employees and employers. These factors includes; * Hierarchy of needs – this inter relates to Maslow’s theory of human behaviour i.e. that individuals have five level of needs which they sought to satisfy. The human needs as established by Maslow states that the lowest of our needs include the basic physiological need for food, drink and shelter, once it is satisfied, individuals then needs to protect himself/herself against danger, threat and deprivation thereafter the levels of needs rise through social needs, need for self esteem and status to the need for self actualization. This affects motivation on an individual basis i.e. an individual may focus on each step before actually moving towards self actualization thus, if he/she is not completely satisfy on any of the stages the person tends to struggle a lot in working to his/her best ability – this may not be the case for lots of other people. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Self actualization (the need to do the work we like) Esteem (the need to feel worthy and respected) Social needs (the need to be liked/loved and to be a member of a given group) Security (the need to feel safe and secure) Survival (the need to stay alive, to eat, to drink, sleep and reproduce) FACTORS AFFECTING MOTIVATION (CONT.) * Job Satisfaction – this affects the way in which people feel about their work in terms of achievement or recognition from others, the work involved, level of responsibility, opportunities for advancement, company policy and administration, supervisions, salary, interpersonal relations and working conditions. In the case where these are not dealt with in a constructive manner, it may give rise to a high level of dissatisfaction at work which may in turn lead to persistent lateness or absenteeism, below average performance and real or imagined illness on the part of workers i.e. due to a downfall in level of motivation. * Challenge – if the work involved is not challenging enough for certain employees, it may lead to low staff morale that is, workers may not feel the need to give the job their absolute best. On the other hand, if the job is too broad compared to a relatively low number of employees, it may also have the same negative effect in motivating the workers. * Motivators such as: reward, training, promotion etc. If these motivators lacks in an organisation, workers tend to feel that their needs are not being catered for, hence, developing a negative attitude towards employers which alternatively affect the level of work which is put into the organisation i.e. workers in this situation will only work because they feel the need to work not because they want to work. However, in order to get employees fully involved, various kinds of motivators e.g. shared ownership, cash bonuses etc. should be introduced to commend hard working employees thus, serving as a source of motivation in that people actually perform better when they are willing to work so as to meet a certain target rather than employers forcing work on them because they have to. * Career Development – this proves vital in maintaining or improving the level of staff motivation in that, people like to think that their hard work will pay off well as opposed to go unrecognized thus, if there is an opportunity for career development, workers tend to perform well so as to develop their individual skills and at the same time climb up the management ladder. In a situation where it is the opposite, it may lead to a wide spread low morale amongst employees. * Level of Expectancy – this may have an overall effect on an individual’s attitude towards work i.e. in relation to the expectancy theory developed by Victor Vroom, for example, an individual may respond in a positive way to a high level of expectancy from employers while another employee of the same calibre breakdown under pressure thus, it all boils down to an individual’s desire for something in relation to the person’s estimation of how likely it can be achieved. MOTIVATORS APPROPRIATE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE As established by Frederick Taylor (1947) â€Å"what the workforce want from their employers beyond anything else is high wages and what employers want from their workforce most of all is low labour costs† – the existence or absence of these two elements forms the basis for either a good or bad management. The major factors which makes people feel satisfied with their job and motivates individuals to work effectively includes; high level of achievement, recognition, opportunities for advancement and responsibility as well as the actual content of the work which is being carried out. On the other hand, factors which affects employees adversely and which lead to high level of dissatisfaction with their individual tasks include negative company policy, low level of salary and benefits, interpersonal relations and the overall working conditions (as described earlier). The following motivators are required so as to encourage individuals to work harder thus, enhancing the workers individual performance; * Autonomy – this refers to the amount of freedom and discretion an individual can exercise over a certain job, this gives the worker a higher level of responsibility providing that the person wants and can cope with the responsibility. This will boost an individual’s self-reliance thus, being able to meet target more effectively. Although some people prefer jobs with low level of responsibility, this is often common when people have a highly complex and demanding life outside work. However they are not likely to be high achievers. * Praise – workers generally feel the need to be praised for hard work hence, serving as a motivator in encouraging the particular worker to keep doing a specific task to his/her best ability. Praise actually has an overall effect on the quality and quantity of goods and services produced, so therefore it is vital for employers to recognize and commend a high quality work. MOTIVATORS APPROPRIATE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE (CONT.) Delegating – this motivates people to work harder in that, it also involves giving workers more responsibility for the tasks they carry out. Delegating is used in a situation where by the particular job holds certain responsibilities, but additional responsibility is giving through delegation, this may help in providing more time for more important tasks, thus, helping in increasing an individuals’ job satisfaction. Reluctant or poor delegation can be worse than no delegation at all, hence, this is why most employers tend to delegate trustworthy employees to carry out certain tasks. Delegation also helps in meeting target, improving cooperation between staff and employer, and improving the quality and quantity of work carried out. * Shared Ownership – shared ownership schemes proves to be very successful in motivating workers in that, employees handle tasks more efficiently due to the fact that they also have a stake in the company hence, people tend to work very well if there is some kind of benefit to derive from their hard work on the long run. The introduction of shared ownership enhances general individual performance i.e. people tend to be self reliance thus, meeting targets, encouraging and maintaining good relationship with co-workers and employers which in turn helps in developing and delivering good quality of work (high standard) as well as improving the quantity of work achieved. * Quality Circle – the implementation of quality circle serves as a motivator because it makes employees feel more involved in all the aspects of product development. Quality circle is usually set up to tackle a particular project where quality improvement is necessary therefore, making it easy to recognize each team’s ability and alternatively rewarding individual teams for the level of work they put in improving the quality and the amount of goods actually produced. EFFECTS OF MOTIVATORS ON INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE In an event whereby employees’ needs are catered for promptly and effectively, organisations can benefit a great deal. For instance, in order for quality circles to be successful, quality improvement programmes needs full commitment from employees. The motivators discussed earlier helps in; * enhancing employees commitment to a particular organisation thus, being more reliable in performing tasks individually as well as part of a team. * boost loyalty – the level of employees loyalty will be improved if they are being treated with respect they deserve e.g. if employees are offered shared ownership of an organisation as a reward for hard work, the employee will be willing to stay loyal for a long period in that, the employee will be obliged to support the particular organisations’ internal and external activities i.e. outside and within the organisation. On the whole, these motivators helps in providing opportunities for increased skills, flexible working and individual development. Motivators also provide social companionship and a sense of pride in the overall working relationship in regards to achievements derived from motivating workers in the correct manner. Further Analysis: GAINING EMPLOYEE COOPERATION THROUGH MOTIVATION It is essential that the reward strategy adopted by employers fulfills employees needs i.e. if motivation to work is to be maintained or increased, it is necessary that an individual is convinced that by putting in extra effort at work, his/her performance will be improved and that the reward he/she values will be forthcoming. In order to gain employee cooperation, employers’ focus on motivating employees in various ways depending on the organisation involved, some of the methods used in achieving this are as follows; * Job Security – by providing a secure job opportunity, workers will have the opportunity for career progression, therefore, they will feel motivated to work hard so as to get on. A major example of this relates to the Japanese economy that is, because employers often offer a job for life to potential individuals thus, they tend to expect a high degree of loyalty from their workers as well as commitment to work to the very best of their ability. * Merit Rating – this refers to recognizing an individuals’ performance and selecting personal qualities which an organisation believes to be important and assessing these qualities hence, giving the organisation an overall idea on how to reward individual performance effectively. (Ref. Merit rating form – appendix 3) * Appraisal – this is also used to pin point performance, appraisal is needed for assessing the performance of an individual in discharging specific responsibilities and/or the potential performance of the individual in other roles. Appraisal often involves assessing both job performance and personality characteristics relevant to the particular job. Performance appraisal is an extension and development of merit rating, it may or may not be used as a basis for increase in salary (performance related pay). GAINING EMPLOYEE COOPERATION THROUGH MOTIVATION (CONT.) An example of appraisal of an employee may take the form below; Job Knowledge and Technical Ability Comments Exceptional Good Satisfactory Marginal Inadequate Energy and Application Comments Exceptional Good Satisfactory Marginal Inadequate Organizing Ability Comments Exceptional Good Satisfactory Marginal Inadequate Overall Assessment 1. Reserved for employees whose distinguished performance is clearly obvious to all. 2. Seasoned employees whose performance is noticeable better than satisfactory. 3. Satisfactory 4. Performance close to being satisfactory but needs further development. 5. Performance clearly below the accountability level required for a certain task or set of tasks (this may include newcomers). 6. Totally unsatisfactory (Ref. Performance Appraisal by: T.L . Whisler and S.F . Harper, research and practice by: Holt, Rinehart and Winston) GAINING EMPLOYEE COOPERATION THROUGH MOTIVATION (CONT.) * Incentive Schemes – this may be used to gain cooperation due to the fact that it is a valuable motivator. Incentive schemes means the payment to employees of a regular bonus related to productivity, this is designed to encourage employees to cooperate with management in raising productivity and the overall performance of the organisation. This emphasizes the relationship between performance and payment, in that money remains a major motivator in enhancing growth in the level of work performed. * Management By Objectives – this focuses on increasing workers performance by agreeing individual objectives with managers and measuring progress by the degree of attainment of the objectives i.e. management by objectives involves setting specific organizational objectives for a future time period. This is a mutual setting of objectives between each position holder and his/her supervisor and the use of the objectives as standards for evaluating the employee’s performance. MBOs are used in gaining cooperation in regards to employee and employer relationship that is, employees will respond a lot better to discussions rather than orders/commands. POTENTIAL BENEFITS REGARDING GOOD COOPERATION As established by Frank Herzberg (1968), increased job satisfaction will not always result in increased performance but nevertheless increasing the level of job satisfaction within an organisation has lots of advantages i.e. in relation to the organisation, the managers and each individual employee. Potential benefits Potential benefits to employees to management * more interesting work Through better Through increased * scope for development working methods motivation * more autonomy * companionship and team pride * share in any benefits to employers * better quality * reduced absence * lower turnover * more flexibility * higher productivity Potential organizational benefits * high level of commitment to the organisation * improved industrial relations climate * organisation growth This table lays emphasis on – improving job design and work organisation to meet individual needs. (Ref. The effective manager, book 4, open university, 1990) POTENTIAL BENEFITS REGARDING GOOD COOPERATION (CONT.) Benefits which are derived from successful communication between employers and employees includes; Organizational Benefits: * In a situation whereby employees are satisfied with the work they perform as well as their working environment, employees tend to identify more closely with the actual organisation. * Employees who are committed to the organisation are likely to work harder towards organizational goals, seize opportunities, contribute new ideas and act as good public relations officers for their employer. * Effective communication within an organisation will also give rise to less chance of industrial disputes in that, employees will have little or no dissatisfaction and the organisation as a whole can therefore expect to survive competition and prosper. Management Benefits: * If workers are highly motivated, managers will be able to expect better quality performance. * The symptoms of dissatisfaction i.e. absenteeism and illness will be minimal or not present hence, the management will be able to discover that staff are willing and able to perform a range of tasks if their individual skills and abilities are fully developed. On the long run, this benefit will lead to improved productivity and better quality service. Individual Benefits: * If a person with certain skills and abilities finds his/her job suited to the qualities he/she possess, the work the individual participate in, will become more interesting and therefore less likely to produce stress or dissatisfaction. * A job which involves various source of motivation i.e. providing an individual with a scope for development, this will be encouraging to the individual, hence, the particular person will then be able to focus on opportunities for improvement and advancement. On the whole, the level of advantages of job satisfaction outweighs its disadvantages hence, in a situation whereby everybody works hand in hand with a view of a common interest i.e. putting aside personal differences, the organisation tend to survive on the long run – the young business enterprise group A is a perfect example to qualify this statement. CONCLUSION: Motivation in Regards to Group Development In order for people to get along well enough as a group so as to be able to benefit the business as a whole, motivators such as praise, autonomy, giving ideas, feedback and so on was implemented in that, for us to achieve each group development stage effectively before moving to the next important stage, it is vital for each group member to deal with the tasks given to the best of his/her ability. * Praise – this was used indirectly at regular intervals, so as to show an appreciation for a good level of effort put in by each group member. * Autonomy – enough opportunity was given to each group member to work on certain tasks as an individual thus, giving the person overall responsibility without too much questioning. * Giving Ideas – each group member was involved in the initial brainstorm for the product ideas as well as designs to be produced and each and every idea brought forward was welcomed and discussed in further depth hence, making each group member feel as part of the business which alternatively led to intense commitment. * Feedback – people need to know whether they are performing their jobs satisfactorily, they need praise for doing things well and they need help and advice if they are not performing up to standard, this is achieved through feedback during business meetings. This is used to the advantage of the business venture, in that, people who are not pulling their weight (contributing) were told directly by group members to do so, thus, giving rise to people actually performing much better in some cases and no apparent change in other cases. On the whole, the level of motivational skills applied to the business venture proves to be effective for the individuals within the group as well as in the general group development.

Satire in Oranges Arent the Only Fruit and Picka Pocketoni Essays

Satire in Oranges Arent the Only Fruit and Picka Pocketoni Essays Satire in Oranges Arent the Only Fruit and Picka Pocketoni Paper Satire in Oranges Arent the Only Fruit and Picka Pocketoni Paper Essay Topic: The Book Thief In Oranges Arent The Only Fruit and Picka Pocketoni, the authors Jeanette Winterson and David Sedaris created the idea of satire to mock a stereotype. The stereotype being mocked was that same sexes couldnt be together and how certain people, in this case the French, smelled or acted a certain way. They used examples of diction and hyperboles cto compare and contrast similar and different tones between the two. Throughout both the stories that were told, they tried to make it so the audience could find humor of some sort. In other words, Sedaris and Winterson both set two different types of tones in their writing. To start it off, Sedaris was using hyperbole,which is not to be taken literally,to exemplify to the readers that people assume things and are stereotypical people. They are stereotypical because they are following based off what society sets the expectations for people. In Picka Pocketoni, an American, Martin, was on the train with his wife in Paris and noticed an odor. Based off of poor judgement, Martin assumed that due to David not having a pleasurable scent that he was French. It is known to society that French people dont bathe. Although David was not French, Martin was being ignorant and assumed it; David was American as well. Since Martin was American, a stereotype was set for him in addition. American tourists are arrogant, ignorant, and unconcerned of other cultures. It was noticeable that Martin didnt know what he was talking about and was judging a book by its cover. Martins wife said, Do they all smell this bad?. In other words, the author is conveying that people act st ereotypical. As a result, David Sedaris created his idea of satire mocking a stereotype. For Picka Pocketoni, David states, I was a stinkpot and a thief, then later says, another few minutes and he might decide I was a crack dealer and white slaver. The author was not being literal and seriously meant that he was those things

Aircraft Drawings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aircraft Drawings - Essay Example The drawing of Fokker IIV aircraft also has an installation drawing section. Installation section is the last in the working drawing of the aircraft. It provides all the necessary information for a part in its final position in the aircraft. It reveals dimensions for the location of specific parts with reference to useful dimensions in the workshop. In explaining the principle of operation, a schematic diagram is the most suitable. The mechanic installing the aircraft must have a comprehensive understanding and interpretation of the symbols and follow the schematic diagram flow. Mechanics should also understand the concept of wiring diagrams in the aircraft drawings. Wiring diagrams show electrical wiring and circuit operations. They have identification codes that applies to all electrical appliances and devices used in an aircraft (Faa, 2001, p. 15). The knowledge of wiring diagrams and schematics is very crucial to technicians mandated to repair and install electricity. Wire charts also the technicians to understand the flow sequence of events. Troubleshooting flow charts and logic flow charts are the categories of charts with distinguished functions. It is imperative for technicians installing and repairing the aircrafts and electrical appliances to learn and understand its

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 10

Research paper - Essay Example Therefore, the given paper will examine some of the public and official responses, as well as some of the most important applications on human cloning, and its potential promises. Firstly, the two major cloning techniques will be analyzed in order to understand what cloning involves, and clarify the meaning of the term itself. Secondly, various opinions about the issues, moral and ethical problems it evokes will be presented and analyzed in order to clarify the fact that cloning is not actually immoral or unethical, as many prefer to claim. Cell mass division is the only technique that has been used on human beings. It was first used to multiply human embryos in October 1993, by Robert Stillman and Jerry Hall at George Washington Medical Center (Stock, 2000). They cloned human embryos by splitting early two- to eight-cell embryos into single embryo cells. Each embryo cell will grow up to create a distinct individual, completely separated from the other embryo cells. Therefore, cloning using the cell mass division does not produce copies of an individual. It only produces one more individual with the same genotype. We should never forget that cloning will only produce twins with the same genotype which means that each individual will be a distinct person. This technique is based on the idea that nuclei from cells derived from an adult could be reprogrammed, or that the full genetic complement of such a cell could be reactivated well into the chronological life of the cell. To date, there has been only a single reported case of cloning using this technique on a higher animal. It is important to recognize that this procedure has a great number of important applications in research. One of these applications is to clone genetically engineered animals to produce large quantities of powerful pharmacological agents or to produce