Investigate how a major event can influence the hospitality, travel and tourism industry free essay sample

Executive Summary Within this report it outlines how a major event can influence the hospitality, travel and tourism industries. It will go into great detail about the chosen event and how this particular event impacted these industries, with topics such as what an event is, the chosen event in detail, and how this event impacted these industries. Table of Contents I. Methodology II. Introduction III. Findings IV. Conclusion V. References VI. Appendices VII. Bibliography Methodology After already establishing the basis of the theoretical view of this report, it is now required to reflect on how the evidence will be composed to support the theory and research within this report. There are a number of ways in which this research will be collected. Firstly it will be important to establish what an actual event is as well as definitions of the terms hospitality, travel and tourism. This can be done through secondary sources such as books e. We will write a custom essay sample on Investigate how a major event can influence the hospitality, travel and tourism industry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page g. Allen, O’Toole et al 2011, websites and newspapers. The chosen event will then show how it has impacted the hospitality, travel and tourism industries in Belfast as well as how the Northern Ireland Tourism Board had this planned as part of Northern Ireland’s preparation of making Northern Ireland a huge tourist destination. Introduction The subject matter of this report is too educate how a major event can influence the hospitality, travel and tourism industries, looking a single event in particular, so that the impacts are more in a personal tone rather than generalising to looking into events as a whole. Definitions will be given of what an event, hospitality, travel and tourism actually are. Topics will include information on the chosen event that will be discussed in greater detail, Belfast as a tourist destination, important impacts on the hospitality, travel and tourism industries. Benefits of a major event within a city. How a major event can impact on a city or destination improvements, and a brief incite into Northern Ireland’s Tourist Board’s plan for Northern Ireland to become a huge and popular tourist destination in the future. Investigate how a major event can influence the hospitality, travel and tourism industry. For this report I have chosen to research and ‘Investigate how a major event can influence the hospitality, travel and tourism industry. ’ The event in which I aim on investigating is the opening if the Titanic Signature Building. This report will explain in detail how the opening of the Titanic Signature Building influenced the hospitality, travel and tourism industries. Within this report you will be introduced to the main question of this report. Topics will include talking about the building itself, its visitor numbers, Belfast as a tourism destination, the impacts the building had on Belfast’s hospitality, travel tourism industry. â€Å"The hospitality and tourism industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry with 700 million international travellers per year around the world,† said Zainal (2012) in his book, ‘Current Issues in Hospitality and Tourism: Research and Innovations. ’ According to the oxford dictionary the exact definitions of what an event, hospitality and tourism actually are. â€Å"An event is described as a thing that happens or takes place, especially one of importance, a planned public or social occasion. † â€Å"Hospitality is the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers. † And the definition of tourism is the â€Å"temporary movement of people to destinations outside their normal places of work and residence, the activity undertaken during the stay in those destinations, and the facilities created to cater for their needs. † According to Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) the Northern Ireland vision is, ‘To create the new Northern Ireland experience and get it on everyone’s destination wish list. ’ As the well-known slogan for Northern Ireland 2012 was that â€Å"Northern Ireland 2012 is our time, our place† This means that NITB have stated that they think Northern Ireland is a rising tourist destination. And that Northern Ireland is trying to offer a unique way to be involved and to celebrate. And we as a city need to take our story to a wider audience. So as part of this transaction to take ‘our story’ to a wider audience, the Titanic signature building project started. Shone and Parry (2010) said that â€Å"for a town or city wishing to become a tourist destination, elements such as attractions, accommodation, transport, infrastructure and facilities must be present. † Belfast has been in the middle of this process over the past few years, and especially as 2012 was meant to be ‘our time, our place’ Belfast certainly lived up to this. And a huge part was the titanic signature building. The Titanic Signature building is the world’s largest Titanic visitor attraction 400,000 visitors were expected to visit the building per annum 900,000 per annum footfall through the building. Within the first 6 months, 500,000 people had already visited Titanic Belfast. â€Å"One of the most important impacts is the tourism revenue generated by an event. In addition to their spending at the event, external visitors are likely to spend on travel, accommodation, and goods and services in the host city. Titanic Belfast was part of NITB’s plan to attract visitors to Belfast and Northern Ireland with a consequent increase in revenue, which will generate jobs and income. Based on projected visitor numbers its one off the most expensive buildings of its kind in Europe. It cost ? 77million to construct, with most of the funding (? 60million) coming from the public’s wallet. Mike Smith, the chief executive of the building said that, â€Å"We think the building is good value for money. † The opening of the Titanic Belfast produced instant employment benefits as it was estimated that 200 people would be needed to work in the building. The projected increase in visitor numbers, from within the UK and Ireland as well as internationally, will lead to a corresponding demand for local hotels and services, therefore generating job opportunities in the construction and hospitality sectors. Allen, O’Toole et al 2011, talked about how a major event has potential to bring ‘new money’ into Belfast from outside visitors. â€Å"The role event tourism is required to play in a destination’s tourism development efforts will vary according to the overall tourism strategy that is being pursued. † (Allen, O’Toole et al 2011) Belfast is now a popular short-break destination and one of Europes top visitor destinations. In 2006, Belfast had 6. 8 million tourists compared to 2011 when we had 7. 86 million tourists. There was quite a number if impacts the opening of Titanic Belfast had on tourism on not only Belfast but Northern Ireland as a whole. The Titanic Signature building is located only 5 minutes from the city centre, so therefore this increasingly popular tourism attraction is not difficult to travel to, there are buses to the Titanic Quarter every 10-15 minutes from the City Centre. It is also within walking distance. The city centre is always crowded with tourist companies who are there to promote tours of the city, these tours run every day and very frequently, they seem to be every popular and since the opening of the Titanic Signature Building, a new tour opened up that was solely about the Titanic alone and it’s attractions. â€Å"Events add to the range of experiences a destination can offer, and this then adds to its capacity to attract and hold visitors for longer periods of time. † (Getz and Wicks 1994) Since the opening of the Titanic Building, this saw Belfasts biggest jump in hotel occupancy in March 2012 in nearly a decade and a 12% year on year hike in revenues. Then in April saw the year on year occupancy in Belfasts leading hotels increase by 25%, the average is usually are 15% over April 2011. Belfast’s PWC partner Stephen Curragh said, â€Å"Overall, 2012 has been a successful year for Belfast hotels thus far, but it is off a very low base and will require sustained visitor numbers to bring Belfast back to pre-downturn levels of profitability. † Allen, O’Toole et al (2011) said that events can also provide a significant spur to both public and private investment in a destination. Large scale events can play in destination renewal and in the later development of a destination’s attractiveness and capacity as a tourist destination. NITB have identified excellent events and business tourism as two of their winning themes with the potential to deliver competitive advantages for Northern Ireland as part of their tourism Strategic Framework for Action 2004-2007. NITB said, â€Å"Note for the Excellent Events theme, research confirms that events are an effective tool for changing perceptions and attracting visitors. † Opportunity 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total Additional Visitors 150,00 333,000 200,000 150,000 833,00 Additional Revenue ?24 million ?52 million ?34 million ?30 million ?140 million Created Jobs 612 1,326 867 765 3,570 This table, which can be found on NITB’s 2012 guide, shows NITB’s goal for the future, which is to increase tourism spend to ? 1 million by 2020 and to increase visitor numbers to 4. 5 million by 2020 It shows NITB’s plan in more detail. In 2013 their plan is at its peak by expecting to have 333,000 additional visitors into Northern Ireland which will then create 52 million additional revenue and will generate 1,326 extra jobs in Northern Ireland. Events can affect the hospitality, travel tourism industries in many ways. In Belfast due to the opening of the titanic building we have shown you that there has been quite a high incline in Belfast as a tourist destination. Overall we found that the Titanic Building has had an positive impact on hospitality and tourism in Belfast. â€Å"2012 is about changing global perceptions and trying to get tourists to come to Northern Ireland,† Arlene Foster.

Lighter-Than-Air Craft History

Lighter-Than-Air Craft History The history of lighter-than-air flight began with the first hot-air balloon built in 1783 by Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier in France. Immediately after the first flight - well, float might be more accurate - engineers and inventors worked toward perfecting a lighter-than-air craft. Although inventors were able to make many advancements, the biggest challenge was to find a way to successfully steer the craft. Inventors conceived numerous ideas - some seemingly reasonable, like adding oars or sails, others a little far-fetched, like harnessing teams of vultures. The problem wasnt solved until 1886 when Gottlieb Daimler created a light-weight gasoline engine. Thus, by the time of the American Civil War (1861-1865), the lighter-than-air crafts were still unsteerable. However, they quickly proved to be an invaluable military asset. In a tethered balloon several hundred feet in the air, a military scout could survey the battlefield or reconnoiter an enemys position. Contributions of Count Zeppelin In 1863, 25-year-old Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin was on a years leave from the Wurttemberg (Germany) army to observe the American Civil War. On August 19, 1863, Count Zeppelin had his first lighter-than-air experience. Yet it wasnt until his forced retirement from the military in 1890 at age 52 that Count Zeppelin began to design and build his own lighter-than-air crafts. While Daimlers 1886 lightweight gasoline engine had inspired many new inventors to attempt a sturdy lighter-than-air craft, Count Zeppelins crafts were different because of their rigid structure. Count Zeppelin, partly using notes he had recorded in 1874 and partly implementing new design elements, created his first lighter-than-air craft, the Luftschiff Zeppelin One (LZ 1). The LZ 1 was 416-feet-long, made of a frame of aluminum (a lightweight metal not commercially produced until 1886), and powered by two 16-horsepower Daimler engines. In July 1900, the LZ 1 flew for 18 minutes but was forced to land because of some technical problems. Watching the second attempt of the LZ 1 in October 1900 was an unimpressed Dr. Hugo Eckener who was covering the event for the newspaper, the Frankfurter Zeitung. Eckener soon met Count Zeppelin and over several years cultivated a lasting friendship. Little did Eckener know at this time that he would soon command the first lighter-than-air ship to fly around the world as well as become famous for popularizing airship travel. Count Zeppelin made some technical changes to the design of LZ 1, implementing them in the construction of LZ 2 (first flown in 1905), which was soon followed by LZ 3 (1906), and then followed by LZ 4 (1908). The continued success of his lighter-than-air craft changed Count Zeppelins image from the foolish count his contemporaries had called him in the 1890s to a man whose name became synonymous with lighter-than-air crafts. Though Count Zeppelin had been inspired to create lighter-than-air crafts for military purposes, he was forced to concede the advantage of paying civilian passengers (World War I again changed the zeppelins into military machines). As early as 1909, Count Zeppelin founded the German Airship Transport Company (Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktien-Gesellschaft DELAG). Between 1911 and 1914, DELAG carried 34,028 passengers. Considering that Count Zeppelins first lighter-than-air craft had flown in 1900, air travel had quickly become popular.

Early Childhood Care and Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Early Childhood Care and Education - Assignment Example Both were fond of reading books. At this young age, Margaret's first encounter with the schools in Iverness left a lasting impression in her mind. The children were given Corporal punishment for bad behaviours; basic sanitation, water facilities and hygiene were not maintained in the class rooms and in the surroundings. Except academics importance was not given to other aspects of child development either physical or emotional. This resulted in an insecure feeling and stress in the children. Where the place of learning should be a pleasant one, it proved to be opposite for children. Margaret McMillan was deeply disturbed by this and could recall all these even at her old age. This also would have made her to work for the welfare of children when she faced young ones living in similar conditions at a later age .Jean McMillan who was very keen that the children got good education and worked hard to meet that goal died when Margaret was 17 years old. Margaret McMillan moved to London to train as a Governess for young girls and her sister stayed back for filial commitment towards their ailing grandmother. Margaret McMillan started working as a Superintendent for young girls in London. Around this time her sister Rachel also moved to London and stated to work in similar job. Prior to this Rachel McMillan got introduced to the Christian Socialist movement and got impressed and convinced with their principles. She started reading the groups newspaper Justice and liked the articles written for the young By Peter Kropotkin. She contributed to the socialist magazine. When she joined her sister in London in the year 1888, she convinced Margaret McMillan to join the Socialists. From this time on Rachel McMillan remained as great influence to her sister throughout her life. They both started attending the Socialist meetings and met important people in the group namely William Morris, Peter Kropotkin, and H.M.Hyndman who were instrumental in bringing the changes in the girls. Moved with their plight, they decided that basic education and awareness would enhance the lives of these people. They approached young working girls and offered to teach them in the evenings. Though the girls were not convinced, they attended the classes. But soon Margaret found out that they were not serious about learning and were coming for a sort of relaxation. The girls endured a very hard life at that young age and the hardships they suffered had completely changed their personalities. In 1892 the sisters shifted to Braford, the place which later came to be associated with Margaret McMillan's contribution to nursery education. Here they toured the industrial work places extensively to meet the people and could see the conditions of the children first hand. The infants and toddlers of the workers were totally neglected, child labour was prevalent and basic sanitation facilities were not available. Children were deprived of any medical facilities too. Here apart from the socialist movement, the sisters were drawn towards the Fabian movement which had an aim to construct a fair and just society with high moral values. Also they entered into politics by joining the Independent Labour Party which later helped Margaret to campaign for her goals towards the children welfare. At

Term structure of interest rates Research Paper

Term structure of interest rates - Research Paper Example The tendency to slope upwards occurs when short-term rates of interest are low, and the tendency to slope downwards occurs when short-term rates of interest are high. Thirdly, in most cases, the yield curve slopes upwards (Fisher, 6). The paper shall also present a model that can be used for the pricing of bonds. The model is known as Vasicek’s Model. According to economic theory, one primary factor used to explain the differences in interest rates on various securities might be variations in their terms. That is in terms of lengths of time before maturity. The term structure of interest rates refers to the association between the terms of securities and their market rates of interest (Russell, 36). Economists usually use a diagram known as a yield curve to designate the term structure of interest rates on particular types of securities at a certain point in time. Consequently, the theory of the yield curve is used to describe the term structure of interest rates (Russell, 36). The determinants of the relationship between returns on securities and their terms of maturity have remained an issue of interest, for economists for a long time. By providing a conclusive schedule of interest rates over a period, the term structure captures the market’s speculations of future events. A description of the term structure offers a means of extracting this information and predicting how variations in the underlying variables affect the yield curve (Cox, Ingersoll, and Ross, 385). In an attempt to understand the term structure of interest rates, this paper shall explore three common theories that have long been used to explain the term structure. These theories include the Expectations Hypothesis, the Segmented Markets Theory, and the Preferred Habitat or Liquidity Premium Theory. The expectations hypothesis has several variations. However, they all place a predominant focus on holding-period returns or the expected values of future spot

In reference to abnormal psychology, what causes substance-related Research Proposal

In reference to abnormal psychology, what causes substance-related disorders, particularly those dealing with alcohol abuse - Research Proposal Example Increased tolerance for alcohol is genetically mediated (Alcohol abuse, Mental health channel). Neurobiological influences: People use illegal drugs and alcohol for their pleasurable experiences. Human brain has a pleasure pathway that mediates our experience of reward. Researchers have proposed the domaminergic system and its opioid-releasing neurons as the pleasurable pathway. This begins in the midbrain ventral segmental area and then work its way forward through the nucleus accumbens and on the frontal vortex (Barlow & Durand, 2004). The substances activate this center and impart feelings of pleasure. Drugs like amphetamine and cocaine directly activate the dopaminergic system. Opiates inhibit GABA which inturn stops the GABA neurons from inhibiting dopamine, thus making dopamine more available in the reward center (Barlow & Durand, 2004). Other than imparting pleasures, these drugs also have anxiolytic effect and remove unpleasant experiences like pain and feelings of illness. Alcohol has a strong anxiolytic effect. The anxiolytic effects are because of the drugs are due to their involvement with septal/hippocampal system which have a large number of GABA-sensitive neurons (Barlow & Durand, 2004). Many of the drugs enhance the activity of GABA in this region and inhibit the brains normal reaction to anxiety-producing situations. Some studies have pointed to a relation between certain brain wave patterns and an increased risk for alcoholism (Barlow & Durand, 2004). Racial influences: Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans have deficiency or absence of alcohol dehydrogenase and hence tend to drink less and are at lower risk for alcoholism (Alcohol abuse, Mental health channel). This is because, the inability to metabolize alcohol in these people causes various symptoms like vomiting, flushing, and increased heart rate, thus making drinking difficult.

Concept of leadership

Concept of leadership Leaders are born and Leadership skills can be developed represent two fundamentally different perspectives towards the development of leadership quality. Which perspective would you support, and what implications may this have for management development in organisations? Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The concept of leadership is as old as man himself. This is because ever since men came together for the purpose of achieving their different goals (communal, economic, political etc), there has always been the existence of a position for a leader/ leaders who would set the path towards the achievement of decided goals. This paper seeks to assume the position that leadership skills can be developed. One truth we know is that all leaders are born and when thrust with responsibilities performs with mixed results: some perform well; others perform woefully while others are able to balance the scales of performance. Upon the study of the various available literatures on leadership it was discovered that so many people have posited beautiful logical arguments for both sides of the divide. Nevertheless the question at hand demands that a position be assumed and supported and this is what i seek to do. The position of this paper is to logically argue against the notion of a breed of people born as leaders as those qualities are not inscribed on a mans forehead but are developed through certain challenges which bring out those qualities which become evident to everyone. As would be highlighted in subsequent sub-topics the paper would attempt to make a point for is assumed position. What is Leadership?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Like many other concepts there are many definitions of leadership. Nevertheless they all assume that it involves the headship of any entity, organization, or group. Many scholars might argue back and forth about the philosophy of leadership, but the fact remains that the leader is the one who determines the path the group or entity would follow. Antonakis, Cianciolo and Sternberg (2004) agree with this point of view as they point out that it is a concept which is very easy to identify but difficult to define.Fieldler, cited in Antonakis et al (2004) also noted that there are many definitions of the concept as there are theorists and scholars working on the subject. John Maxwell, the author of the book 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership believes that leadership is nothing more than influence. Thus a leader to him is the person with the most influence among a group or within an entity. Northouse (2006) however argues that leadership is a diverse concept that might mean many things to different people. Nevertheless he assumes that there are common elements in all the definitions of leadership and he based his view on these common elements. To him, leadership is a systematic process whereby a person is able to influence other people to achieve common goals. Northouse posits that his definition is rooted in the following elements namely: process, influence, groups and common goals. Bryman (1986) is also in support of the position that the context in which the concept of leadership is applied varies from scholar to scholar. He also highlights that there have been ethical attempts by scholars to distinguish between leadership and other methods of influence like power and authority.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership is a concept that is present in every group or entity be it a school, church, business organization, state, association (local and international) etc. There are so many reasons why people emerge as leaders of the various groups they find themselves in. Some emerge by popular consent e.g. as found in a democratic state like the United States, others emerge by appointment e.g. the chief executive officer of an organization or business corporation. Others yet emerge as leaders via their possession or control of the means of coercion e.g. military leaders and dictators and in the business world boardroom politics and manipulation might see the emergence of a new head/ boss. Leadership is an essential feature of all entities that must be present as an entity without leadership might be brought down by internal and external instability. It is for this reason that scholars have taken time to study about leadership and the role it plays in achieving org anizational goals. The recognition of its importance has given rise to the question of ethics in leadership and the dichotomy between good and bad leadership. Nevertheless it must be said on hand that the ethics of leadership is dependent on the position of the interested scholar. Thus while some scholars may concern themselves with leadership by consent, others may be more Machiavellian in nature. However this paper does not want to delve in to the ethics of the matter but rather wishes to pay attention to the question at hand. THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP Many scholars over the years have opined and debated on the various approaches to understanding the concept of leadership. This debate has spanned from the time of early philosophers like Plato down to modern theorist. According to literature there are a number of theories which helps one to understand the concept of leadership and these we shall take a note of briefly. Seleshi Sissaye (2001) provides us with some of the well known theories namely Trait theory Functional theory Situational theory Trait theory According to Sissaye the trait theory can be seen as that which argues that leadership traits are acquired at birth. It is one of the earliest theories as it assumes the notion that some people have these traits while others lack it. It has however been criticized for its inconsistency although it later regained prominence in later years. Northouse (2009) also refers to it as the great man theory because it concerns itself with those qualities that made men great. He further noted that unlike other theories this one was focused on the nature of the leader and not the followers. Functional Theory Sissaye (2001) says that this theory came after the trait theory and it is an important one because it takes recognition of the role that leaders play in their environment. It was propounded by Parsons in 1951. Reisman in Sissaye further teaches that in this theory the leader actually serves three roles in his institution: facilitator, administrator and model. Situational Theory To Sissaye (2001), the situational theory came to replace both the functional and the trait theories of leadership. It is founded on the contingency theory of social organization. Hamilton in Sissaye postulates that the core of this theory is the argument that the nature of the job determines the emergence of the leader. In other words, a leader emerges based on the opportunities presented or on the circumstance he/ she find himself in. Northouse (2009) observed that that this type of leadership theory involved a directive and supportive dimension and these have to be applied when the occasion calls for it. Are Leaders Born?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is an interesting question. It is one because it attempts to understand the notion that leaders are a special breed of people who come into the world to fulfil their role of leadership. Thus it bears an element of destiny in it. Roger Gill (2006) noted that scholars and philosophers have debated this position over the years like Shakespeare and Aristotle. However many scholars of the modern period have also argued this position on the grounds that there is an innate characteristic in certain individuals which might be highlighted or can be moulded to attain the desired level of leadership characteristics. Indeed Nicholson and Norburn in Gill assume the position that there are innate genetic cells in individuals which may be developed to the desired standard. To them since all people are not leaders it is only reasonable to assume that the leaders have a certain leadership trait that has placed them in that position. This argument is also supported by Kilpatrick and Locke in Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2008). They also believe that leaders possess certain genetical leadership traits such as drive, motivation and self confidence which make it easier for them to perform well in leadership positions. The truth is that all leaders are biologically born. They are all products of the biological reactions which bring forth everyone- leaders as well as followers. There is nothing extraordinary about the birth of leaders because so many factors are involved in the emergence of a leader and it is these factors if favourable to the leaders success that might lend some validity to this statement. This notion makes one to question the existence of the followers. If leaders are born and developed from the womb to be leaders, then are followers already predetermined to become followers from birth? Finzel (2007) proposes that real leaders arent born but learn by trial and error and that inability to learn good leadership habits might haunt a ge neration of subsequent leaders. Cohen (1999) makes an interesting point that there are so many people who are educated and have good qualifications but this does not naturally endow them to lead. Rather than support the claim this paper wishes to disapprove of this philosophy that leaders are born not made and that leadership skills can be developed. Leaders and their skills are developed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership Development according to McCauley, cited in Day (2001) involves the collective expansion of organizational members to involve themselves in leadership roles and processes. The fact is that all human beings are born with various traits talent and skills: psychological and physical. Leadership should however not be viewed in this light. This is because unlike genetical traits like eye colour, lip colour, looks etc, leadership is a combination of opportunity and ability. Leadership traits as argued by scholars of the trait school are not as evident as those physical traits which individuals are known to exhibit. Thus we might say that all individuals are born with leadership skills all of which are not made manifest, rather their skills are honed and sharpened through the various challenges they face and opportunities presented to them. His/ her ability to head a group visibly confers on him the status of leader (although in some cases the visible head might not be the real leader e.g. as in the case of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru in India. In management circles a leader is identified through his ability to handle different difficult situations put in his charge. These opportunities are presented to identify key areas of strength and weakness and this gives people the chance to weigh and determine the kind of leader they want at the top. Lenore Mewton (2009) in her paper argues this position by admitting that although it is very possible for individuals to possess traits and qualities which equip them for positions of leadership, it can also be learned and developed from executives and other business practitioners as their experience helps shape and individuals decision making processes. She believes that for a leader to be prepared he must assume leadership of himself of self leadership and proposes that individuals must be conscious and aware of their qualities and abilities as this allows them to decide on which to employ whi le taking decisions in leadership position.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lets take a closer look at this position. Leadership development might start from any point in an individuals life. Factors such as the environment and the individual a leader comes in contact with also shape the way his leadership abilities are developed. An individual who attends school, goes to church or mosque and develops through life might remain a follower unless given such positions that bring out such leadership qualities in him. It is for this reason why many institutions such as businesses, governments, non-governmental organizations etc spend lots of money engaging their staff in various leadership courses within and outside state boundaries. For instance in institutions such as the military, soldiers rise through the ranks and are given positions of command. Their success in handling these various assignment given to them determines how the move up the military hierarchy. This view is in agreement with the opinion of Lussier and Achua (2009) w ho argue also that most of the worlds major corporations spend millions of dollars on various leadership seminars and training programs around the world. They further posit that irrespective of an individuals talents, he/she could be developed to lead if given a chance or provided an opportunity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In trying to justify the position of this paper the argument would rely greatly on the opinions of the development theorists. This is because many of the popular businesses in the world today depend on leaders that are developed through their ability to handle various challenges presented to them. The modern business environment is such that the only leaders that are recognized are those who have risen through the ranks and have had their abilities tested and developed through the various programs, seminars and leadership programs they have found themselves in which has brought out those leadership qualities in them. The next sub heading would try to look at how leadership skills are developed in an organizational context. Leadership Skills Development in an Organization   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How are leadership skills developed in organizations? What are the processes? What does it entail? Do the beneficiaries of such processes end up becoming good leaders? These are some of the questions that this sub heading hopes to answer in a brief yet concise way. Many organizations have many ways of ensuring that leadership skills of her staff are harnessed to the fullest. Many of the popular corporate names like General Motors, General Electric, IBM, Procter and Gamble etc have a culture of developing their staff to bring out the leadership skills in their staff. This was further confirmed in a Fortune Magazine online article of the World best companies for leaders which saw those companies listed earlier as examples as part of the top ten. A look through the list of companies and their profiles show that the companies all have various strategies and methods for identifying and developing managerial talents into the kind of leaders that would benefit th e corporate world. For instance in Procter and Gamble top executives also participate in training staff at the companys leadership colleges, while at IBM mobility assignments are given to thousands of staff spanning from a range of three to six months. At Titan Cement, which also made the Fortune list, their own leadership program also includes a one year program known as the career pre heater, as well as a value system for evaluating people thereby identifying leadership material through their performance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why do companies take the effort to develop the leadership skills of their staff? A personal opinion might be that companies prepare to advance to the next phase of growth by preparing their staff and developing their leadership skills so as to ensure that the business has a viable leadership to steer them through to that next phase of growth. A lot of the major corporations try to satisfy their leadership needs internally by developing special leadership programs for their leadership talents or high performing managers. For instance Hewlett Packard or HP for short, the PC and InfoTech Company based in the US according to Carter, Ulrich and Goldsmith (2005) through their Workforce Development and Organizational Effectiveness Group developed a program called Dynamic Leadership; a program which according to HP was to improve decision making and leadership amongst other objectives set by the then CEO Carly Fiorina. The end product of this program was after a study and analysis of the process was that they benefitted financially over the long term after evaluation of various processes as well as successfully merging with another PC company-Compaq. A lot of the big corporations also have a similar pattern for identifying and filling leadership gaps within the organization. Other big corporations that have implemented a similar model to that of HP include Macdonalds Corporation, Intel, Lockheed Martin etc. Macdonalds Corporation for instance is one of the biggest fast food ventures in the world. In 2001 its HR Design Centre created a program for its key managerial staff called the Macdonalds Leadership Development Experience. This program was specifically designed to bring out leadership qualities of staff that would go on to occupy a key position within the Macdonald hierarchy namely the position of Regional Manager. The candidates undertook training and the scholars, Ulrich et al considered the training process good enough to bring out t he leadership qualities in these candidates. However many people are developed through structural positions of leadership. Thus their ability to head a position determines if they have the Capacity to handle people and resources on a larger scale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Day (2001,a) however notes that there are other methods by which companies develop their potential leaders. Some of the examples given include the 360 degree feedback, which involves the collection of different points of view of an individuals performance, as well as mentoring, which Day defines as formal developmental relationships while performing duties on the job. McCauley and Brutus (1998) identify with Job Assignments as an important tool in training potential leaders and Day (2001, b) notes that this has been employed by Businesses like the Coca Cola Company. IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT IN ORGANIZATION. What are the implications of leadership development in organizations? How does management benefit from the leadership skills development that many organizations are now focusing on? It must be said that a lot of companies in the world today are investing in leadership development because they are aware of the benefits that come with good leadership in business. This is what Mullins (2007) believes, that businesses identify people who would be beneficial to the companys management in the long term. If we borrow from the resource based view of HRM we would understand that leadership skills constitute part of the resources which give a company competitive advantage against rival businesses. Shajahan (2007) is also of the opinion that leadership programs directed at skill development serve as a source of competitive advantage. Some implications which i personally identified include the following namely: Continuity Smooth flow of Communication Identification of the right leaders for the business. Continuity: One of the reasons why companies undertake leadership skills program is to ensure continuity of leadership. Thus businesses undertake different strategies of leadership skills development to ensure that there is continuity in the business. This is because only good leaders have the foresight to keep a company going through to the next phase of growth. As Shajahan (2007) noted in the example of General Electric (GE), while its iconic C.E.O, Jack Welch, was preparing to retire in 2001, executives where being recruited to report to the potential successors of Welch. Thus Shajahans point is that companies concerned with leadership do not wait until the last minute to get a leader. They rather start the process early enough and continue till the process till whenever the process becomes unnecessary. Smooth flow of Communication: Leadership Skills development allows for a smooth flow of communication between potential leaders and other staff. This is because staffs that are trained under these leadership development schemes are knowledgeable of the internal workings of the organization as well as the people who bring about these workings and functions i.e. the staff. Thus it is easier for them to communicate and pass down directives because of their knowledge of the system and familiarity with those that operate the system. This can be seen in companies that recruit their management staff internally. Identification of Right leaders for the business: This is also similar with the first point but is also unique in its nature. Leadership development is a process which highlights the leadership potential of all participants involved in the development program. As a result such programs do not only provide leadership options in times of succession and continuity but also provide options for those who would take charge of key areas of business. Such people might mature over time to take over the leadership mantle if need be as such key positions handled by these persons constitute part of their leadership training process. Others might not assume leadership positions in that company but might be suitable and well qualified for like positions in other companies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are other key implications of leadership skills development which are crucial to management success in an organization. Nevertheless it can be seen that it is a process that is very good in bringing out that part of individuals which is usually hidden unless identified and sharpened to suit the objectives and mission of the organization. CRITIQUE OF THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT POSITION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although i have taken the position that leadership skills can be developed, there are still some criticisms that linger over it and much of it come from the philosophical school of thought that leadership qualities are in born, a position adopted by the trait school of leadership theory. These scholars have made some reasonable points that are worthy of consideration and analysis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Gill (2006), the argument about leaders being born or made started with Hippocrates description of personality types based on body humour. In his book, Gill argues the point that this position is a psychological one, which makes it important because its concerns are crucial to the success and making of a leader. Such psychological concerns include interpersonal, psychological and emotional concerns. One of the major flaws of the leadership development position thus is that it downplays the importance of psychology in leadership. Although it can be argued that leaders are developed over time to suit their roles, one must not ignore the fact that leaders also have certain qualities that identify them as natural born leaders. For instance Northouse in Gill (2006) identified in his analysis certain trait qualities associated with leadership namely integrity, dominance, self confidence and sociability. Judge in Gill (2006) also identified some more characteristics which could be identified with leaders namely agreeableness, extraversion and conscientiousness. This view is also upheld by Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) who argue that leaders possess those special traits which push them further to develop those identified traits. They make use of examples of personal characteristics of some leaders like Sam Walton of Wal-Mart and John Paul Jones of the US Navy to drive home their point of the relationship between trait and leadership. Nevertheless it must be noted that although possession of leadership traits is a factor, it does not determine the success of a leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another criticism noted with this leadership development position is that the fact that leadership skills which are developed through certain training schemes either formal or informal does not guarantee the success of a leader. Skills development does not uniquely give leaders a successful tenure in their organization just as traits alone does not explain leadership success. CONCLUSION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper has briefly reviewed the concept of leadership and has seen that leadership although identifiable cannot be given an encompassing definition. Many people see leadership in different lights; influence, management, control, power etc and as a result it cannot be given a wholesome definition to embrace all these points of view. The theories surrounding the concept of leadership have also been briefly reviewed as it is the opinion of this paper that these theories have a great influence on the question of concern. The two points of opinion: leaders are born and leadership skills can be developed have also been reviewed in a bid to provide a bit of understanding on the debate. While this paper has adopted the position of leadership development, it nevertheless has sought to point out that any of the positions is subject to the beliefs and opinions of the individual as there is no universally acceptable position on the subject of leadership. One might be forced to make the conclusion that an argument like this is more of a philosophical question and with leaders coming up in different sectors and carrying out their duties in different ways there is no clear superior argument as both positions have considerable weight. Nevertheless the position of this paper still stands: that leadership skill can be honed and sharpened to suit and lead a people in a particular way. This stands because people have certain qualities that could be shaped to be of better use to the larger society, community, organization or country.

1984 and Brave New World Essay -- 1984 Brave New World

1984 and Brave New World Undoubtedly, the thought of living in, or forming a utopian society has flashed through nearly every person’s mind. A few people have even tried to make this ideal dream society a reality. Unfortunately, within the pursuit of these societies the leaders become corrupt and begin to become paranoid with the fear of rebellion. Hundreds of people were murdered during the reigns of Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin in what they considered measures to maintain peace and stability within their respective â€Å"perfect† society. One must also consider the hardships that the citizens were forced to endure while living under these oppressive governments. This dream of forming and maintaining a utopian society was immortalized in two novels dealing with the same basic ideas, 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Both of these novels deal with the lives of main characters that inadvertently become subversives in a totalitarian government. These two books differ greatly however with the manner in which the government controls the population and the strictness of the measures taken to maintain this stability. This essay with compare and contrast the message and tone of each novel as well as consider whether the utopia is a positive or negative one. In 1984, George Orwell explores the many facets of a negative utopia. Orwell seems to focus on the measures that the government takes to maintain a public of plebeians who have no personality or identity and believe that they are not unique individuals, but instead are part of a greater senseless mob of people who constantly work for a hostile and oppressive government which is involved in incessant wars. These people are taught to love. They then learn to fear their government because they believe all of the propaganda that is constantly instilled into their minds. They willing follow their government without contest for the duration of their meaningless lives. The government controls all forms of the media (thus denying the people the basic right of free speech) and use it to personify the government (known as â€Å"big brother†) .The government therefore seems omnipotent, or all knowing and always correct. Forecasts are changed from one week to the next always proving the g overnment was correct. As was mentioned before, many of the rights that present day Westerners take for gran... ...nly contemplate living as an alpha or beta because we cannot contemplate living without being able to formulate ideas or basically think. No one considers living as one of the lower castes and only working throughout life until death. Thus, it seems that Huxley intended to portray an acceptable society on the surface with undesirable traits hidden deeper. In conclusion, both of these novels portray an attractive life in a utopian society, if one can conform to the rules. When people cannot conform to the societies in which they dwell (as the main characters of both novels cannot) they are branded as subversives and punished as traitors. Life in 1984 would be almost too unbearable to live. Life in Brave New World is only acceptable if one is willing to live a life of the caste one is in, that is to produce (as a lower caste) or consume (as a higher caste). This essay has compared the differences between the societies in these two novels. There is one great similarity however that both make me thankful for having been born into a freethinking society where a person can be truly free. Our present society may not be truly perfect, but as these two novels show, it could be worse.

Existentialism is a Humanism Essay

In Existentialism is a Humanism, Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) presents an accessible description of existentialism. A key idea of existentialism—and of the human condition— is that existence precedes essence. The essence of something is its meaning, its intended purpose. A paper cutter is made to cut paper; that is its point. Humans, however, do not have an essence. Man exists, turns up, appears on the scene, and, only afterwards, defines himself. We have no greater purpose, no pre-determined plan, no ultimate meaning. We have, in Sartre’s words, no human nature, since there is nothing (e.g. God) outside of us which would conceive of it for us. We are simply here, and it is up to us to define ourselves. Responsibility Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself. We have choice, we have subjectivity, and we choose what we will make ourselves to be; we are entirely responsible for our existence: Thus, existentialism’s first move is to make every man aware of what he is and to make the full responsibility of his existence rest on him. This thought is often not easily accepted. ‘Subjectivity’ is a word that riles up many. â€Å"If everything is subjective then nothing is objective; nothing is absolute! Our values are nothing more than our whims! Nothing is right or wrong! Rabble, rabble, rabble!† Sartre replies that, â€Å"it is impossible for man to transcend human subjectivity.† He isn’t saying â€Å"I prefer subjectivity over objectivity,† he’s asking, â€Å"how can we possibly not be subjective?† Even the religious individual who believes that morality is absolute and comes from God must, at some point, choose to bel ieve that this is the case. Our responsibility is a blessing and a curse. It leads us to feel things like anguish, forlornness, and despair. Anguish We experience anguish in the face of our subjectivity, because by choosing what we are to do, we ‘choose for everyone’. When you make a decision you are saying â€Å"this is how anyone ought to behave given these circumstances.† Many people don’t feel anguish, but this is because they are â€Å"fleeing from it.† If you don’t feel a sense of anxiety when you make decisions, it’s because you are forgetting about your â€Å"total and deep responsibility† toward yourself and all of humanity. Forlornness Forlornness is the idea that â€Å"God does not exist and that we have to face all the consequences of this.† There is no morality a priori. There is no absolute right or wrong. There is no ultimate judge. This is a very distressing idea. As Dostoievsky said, â€Å"If God didn’t exist, everything would be possible [permissible].† Without God we have nothing to cling to. â€Å"There is no determinism, man is free, man is freedom. [†¦] We have no values or commands to turn to which legitimize our conduct.† In other words, we have no excuses, and we are entirely responsible for our decisions. What are our values? The only way to determine them is to make a decision. At the end of the day, your ideals aren’t what matter; what matters is what you actually did. Despair Despair arises because we only have power to change things that are within our power to change—and there is a lot we cannot change. Reality is impartial and out of your control, except for small aspects of it here and there. We despair because we can never have full control of the future. What Will Happen Will Happen Tomorrow, after my death, some men may decide to set up Fascism, and the others may be cowardly and muddled enough to let them do it. Fascism will then be the human reality, so much the worse for us. Regardless of what is right or wrong, good or bad, and regardless of whether these are absolutes or not, â€Å"things will be as man will have decided they are to be.† What will happen will happen and humanity will be entirely responsible for what it does. Does this mean we ought to become passively accepting of what will happen? Sartre says the exact opposite. Does that mean that I should abandon myself to quietism? No. [†¦] Quietism is the attitude of people who say, â€Å"Let others do what I can’t do.† The doctrine I am presenting is the very opposite of quietism, since it declares, â€Å"There is no reality except in action.† Moreover, it goes further, since it adds, â€Å"Man is nothing else than his plan; he exists only to the extent that he fulfills himself; he is therefore nothing else than the ensemble of his acts, nothing else than his life. No Excuses This is why existentialism horrifies some people. It puts such a burden of responsibility squarely on their shoulders. They can’t stand to think they were at fault for not being a great or successful person, for having no great friendships or love. They think they are the victim of circumstances; they haven’t had the proper education, leisure, or incentives; they haven’t found the right person yet; they haven’t had the opportunity to show their greatness. Sartre, however, says that â€Å"The coward makes himself cowardly, the hero makes himself heroic.† The artist is an artist because of the works of art he created, not because of what he could have created. The mathematician is famous for the math he did, not what he maybe could have done. We find that this is â€Å"a harsh thought to someone whose life hasn’t been a success.† We are responsible for our successes and failures. But at the same time, this harshness forces us to face the incredibly important fact that: Reality alone is what counts. Sartre sees these views not as a pessimism, but as an â€Å"optimistic toughness.† Optimistic in that we are the rulers of our lives; our destiny is within our hands; we are encouraged to take action. Sartre summarizes his idea of optimism and action in the following passage. Thus, I think we have answered a number of the charges concerning existentialism. You see that it can not be taken for a philosophy of quietism, since it defines man in terms of action; nor for a pessimistic description of man—there is no doctrine more optimistic, since man’s destiny is within himself; nor for an attempt to discourage man from acting, since it tells him that the only hope is in his acting and that action is the only thing that enables a man to live. Is Choice Arbitrary? Sartre ends this piece with a further defence of subjectivism, in which I wish he had gone into a little more detail. He says people are still not satisfied with the idea of subjectivism, and objections usually come in one of the following forms: 1. â€Å"Well then, you’re able to do anything, no matter what! You’re promoting anarchy!† But this isn’t the point. It is not possible to not choose. In not making a choice you are still choosing not to choose. Choice is inescapable; we are â€Å"condemned to be free† because we are human, whether or not we are existentialists. 2. â€Å"You can’t pass judgement on others, because there’s no reason to prefer one idea to another!† We can still hold values, and values appear out of the choices we make. Through our actions (as an individual and as a group), we create ethics. 3. â€Å"Everything about your choice is arbitrary!† We define ourselves through our actions, â€Å"in relationship to involvement.† And as we make ourselves—as we make choices—it is absurd to say we are choosing arbitrarily.

Explain How a Working Relationship is Different From a Personal Relationship Essay

Outline What is Meant by Agreed Ways of working relationship Outcome 1 understand working relationships in social care settings 1.1 explain how a working relationship is different from a personal relationship There are many different personal relationships that we have within our lives and we act differently to each of those it may be from a family relationship or a work friendship. It is the same with our working relationship with the individuals that we meet, some over step boundaries and turn into friendships. In a working relationship you are in a relationship with someone because it is your job, where as a family or friend relationship is built upon a different reason. In our job we may also have relations between other professionals or work colleagues which is necessary as it is part of the job and in the interests to the people we care for. 1.2 describe different working relationships in social care setting In the role of the health and social care worker are many different working relationships. Worker Answers What are the four main working relationships: colleagues manager other professionals such as doctors or paramedics individuals we care for Individual’s family and friends. For each you develop a different type of working relationship and some will be more formal than others. You may not greet a visiting doctor the same way you may address a close friend, we must ensure that we maintain a professional manner at all times. Outcome 2 Understand the importance of working in ways that are agreed with the employer 2.1 Describe why it is important to adhere to the agreed scope of the job It  is important to stick to the scope of the job As this is what has been outlined for you to do and is the best form of working for yourself and others around you. The scope gives you information on what will be expected from you and your roles and responsibilities if you do not adhere to these then accidents may happen and further action can also be taken. Usually when an employer advertises a job the description will be there of what is expected: The responsibilities of the role Location of work Who supervises and who you may need to go to Any staff you may be responsible for It is also giving you the safest way you will be working which will not put anyone at harm or danger. 2.2 outline what is meant by agreed ways of working Our employer identifies what we are to do in our job description but sets out how it is done in the policies and procedures that you are given before starting work. Most companies have these policies in place: Equal opportunities – this sets out how the organisation ensures there is no discrimination in the Most companies have these policies in place: Equal opportunities – this sets out how the organisation ensures there is no discrimination in the work place Bullying and harassment – sets out how it is dealt with for the staff being bullied or bullying others Confidentiality – the steps that are taken when people’s information is not kept confidential and on a need to know basis Data protection – how information is handled and stored Supervision 0 how staff are given professional support and supervision Procedures also outline how to deal with disciplinary issues, allegations of abuse, managing risk, deal with grievance or death, respond to emergencies that we have in which supports us on how we work effectively and correctly which allows us to give the best level of care we can give to individuals. 2.3 explain the importance of full and up to date details of agreed ways of working Sometimes we may have changes within the policies or in the law which will always need to be changed immediately so we adhere to the correct ways of working. If we do not change or follow the new changes then further action can be taken or even be breaking the law, this can put yourself,  residents, colleagues and also the home at risk. Outcome 3 Understand the importance of working in partnership with others 3.1 explain why it is important to work in partnership with others Being able to do our job effectively we work with many different people that come together to deliver the best quality service we can provide, these partnerships matter in delivering good quality social care. This is because there are so many aspects involved in delivering a good quality of service that no one person or organisation can deliver alone. 3.2 explain ways of working that can help improve partnership working There are many steps we can take to ensure that any partnership is able to work effectively Communication – this is one of the most essential steps we take, in failing with effective communication can cause friction and instant dislike which may create an unhealthy relationship. We need to ensure we keep good communication so we pass on vital information which may contribute towards the care towards the individuals’. * Respect and value work of others – when others or you do not feel appreciated for the work they do it can make others down and Respect and value work of others – when others or you do not feel appreciated for the work they do it can make others down and fed up which may affect the way they work. Just by valuing and appreciating the things people do for others will make the work place a lot more happier and keep relationships from turning negative, each person brings different knowledge and skills which are helpful and useful for the smooth running of delivering a good level of care. * Making clear decisions – all involved should feel confident enough that the decisions being made within the team are following the agreed process. There should be Making clear decisions – all involved should feel confident enough that the decisions being made within the team are following the agreed process. There should be concern if not all involved feel some decisions are being taken outside the team and that not everyone is being involved. If there is an agreed procedure for making decisions it is usually best to use it to keep peace and relations positive. 3.3 identify skills and approaches needed for resolving conflicts A conflict can sometimes be quite aggressive in order to resolve these we must use a different range of skills and approaches to help maintain it from escalating. We can use good listening skills, communication skills, holdinginformation, also being diplomatic and analysing the situation. Our approach needs to be tactful and calm also good body language showing we are open and ready to help resolve the issue. 3.4 explain how and when to access support and advice about: Partnership working Resolving conflicts Works Cited Angipie. â€Å"Develop Work Relationships.† WikiHow, 6 Dec. 2016, www.wikihow.com/Develop-Work-Relationships. GSA and the Courts: a Working Relationship. Washington, D.C., The Administration, 1991. â€Å"Personal Relationships.† Personal Relationships, vol. 23, no. 1, 2016, doi:10.1111/pere.2016.23.issue-1. Stelck, Lisa, and Cheryl Newman. The Working Relationship: Management Strategies for Contemporary Couples. New York, Villard Books, 1986. â€Å"Workplace Relationships.† Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_relationships.

How does Nabokov use narrative techniques in Lolita Essays

How does Nabokov use narrative techniques in Lolita Essays How does Nabokov use narrative techniques in Lolita Paper How does Nabokov use narrative techniques in Lolita Paper novel pretending to be a memoir. 1 Humbert is writing from his prison cell awaiting trial and there is an implied reader as if Humbert is writing an apology to the courtroom, addressing the ladies and gentlemen of the jury. The third paragraph in section one is written in conversational form, answering implied questions from an unspecified interlocutor, in the manner of a dramatic monologue. 2 Humbert asks the question, Did she have a precursor, and then answers the reader, as of course they can not, She did, indeed she did. Humbert indicates to us that he is in prison and is constantly being watched, I am writing under observation, and by his method of speaking directly to the reader he tells us to, tells us to look out for codes and clues and beware of the literal. 3 Ironically this immediately convinces us of his undeniable guilt. The narration begins in the present tense in the first line. Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. However, in the next section we are thrust back into the past tense, and throughout the extract Nabokov uses a clever narrative technique, when, amidst the descriptions of Humberts encounters with Annabel and his subsequent career, we are constantly reminded of his nagging sense of longing for Lolita by his method of bringing us back to the present tense. .. and this is how I see Lolita The extract is seen through the eyes of Humbert Humbert and his is the narrative voice through which we are told the story therefore the extract exhibits mimesis in that t he narrator is telling us the story. However, there is an omnicient narrator in Nabokovs own authorial comment and the narration switches from the third person authorial commentary in the past tense diagesis to the first person in the present tense: Humberts own point of view, which is mimesis, but this only happens once in the extract. But let us be prim and civilised. Humbert Humbert tried hard to be good. Really and truly, he did. He had the utmost respect for ordinary children, with their purity and vulnerability, and under no circumstances would he have interfered with the innocence of a child, if there was the least risk of a row So life went, Humbert was perfectly capable of intercourse with Eve, but it was Lilith he longed for. The bud stage of breast development appears early (10. 7 years) in the sequence of somatic changes accompanying pubescence. And the next maturational item available is the first appearance of pigmented pubic hair (11. 2 years). My little cup brims with tiddles. The underlined section indicates where there is a change from the authorial commentary to free direct speech as Humbert takes over the narration and it moves into the present tense letting us into Humberts stream of consciousness. Finally, in the last sentence we are fully aware that Humbert has taken over the narration, as we move into the final sentence, my little cup brims with tiddles, and the narration moves into the first person. Perhaps this sudden change from the authorial commentary to free direct speech is contrasted so dramatically to illustrate Humberts sexual preoccupation with children and to show us in this dramatic style that he is constantly thinking about it. However, Humbert is an unreliable narrator as we are never completely sure of his sanity and that what we are being told is the truth. One indication of this is his desperate attempt to convince us that the affection he holds for Lolita is completely normal and should not be judged as unwholesome in modern society. Marriage and cohabitation before the age of puberty are still not uncommon in certain East Indian provinces. Lepcha old men of eighty copulate with girls of eight, and nobody minds. This is an extremely clever technique as it makes the reader begin to question the actual sanity behind a culture which does not allow these practises as we are drawn into his madness, until we remind ourselves that he is, in fact, insane. Another feature of the extract which illustrates Humbert as an unreliable narrator is the fact that we are immediately thrust into oppositions at the beginning if the passage. My sin / My soul Light of my Life / Fire in my loins Humbert tries to make his obsession with Lolita seem respectable but the contradictions in his speech let the reader know that his intentions are not honourable. The language of Lolita is also worthy of comment in that Nabokov exhibits a style of writing known as fancy prose, and this can be explained as being that works of fiction generally have no rules, therefore the author can be as flamboyant and as decorative as he pleases. Nabokov uses excessive alliteration in the first paragraph, indeed David Lodge calls it, a veritable firework display of alliteration. Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. The use of repetition is also employed, that is, repetition of particular sounds, similar to that which is used in poetry. The metaphor of the tongue indicates a double meaning, and is an extremely apt use of imagery, suggesting both his verbosity in this eloquent appraisal of Lolita and also indicating his animalistic lust for her. This illustrates the style in which Nabokov writes, and he mockingly acknowledges this fact with the line, can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style. To conclude, the narrative techniques employed in the extract all cleverly illustrate Humberts obsession with Lolita. From the extract it can be assumed that the majority of the novel is written in the narration of Humbert himself with very little authorial comment. However, from the small amount that there is the construction of the text is very misleading in the figure of the narrator, as it jumps from authorial commentary to Humberts narrative without any clear indication other than the change in tense. However, we can deduce that the authors point of view and the narrators are extremely similar as though he is sympathising with the plight of the principle character. We are also aware that Humbert is an unreliable narrator and cannot be relied upon for an honest account of the story and, as a result, this also further implicates his madness. The imagery of the courtroom also suggests to us at the beginning of the extract to deliver a guilty verdict before hearing his plea.

Social Policy Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Social Policy Analysis - Assignment Example One such reform that is going to be discussed in this paper is the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). Child Abuse is an issue that is spreading around like a contagion. Though there have been numerous efforts to curb this issue, but the facts revealed from a number of studies show that it is continuously on the rise and is also intensifying with the passage of time (Gil, 1973). Such studies give a disturbing insight into the alarming amount of impact that it is having by plaguing societies. Specifically shedding light on the issue at grass root level, child abuse can be defined as any act that threatens to be harmful to the health and/or welfare of a child. A child, in such a case, generally refers to persons under the age of 18 that are under parental care or in the care of a guardian (Stoltzfus, 2009). The abuse on the other hand in case of child abuse can be anything on part of the parent or caretaker that leads to any sort of emotional or physical harm to the child; or any sort of exploitation or sexual abuse. It even constitutes the domain of neglect on part of the parent/guardian in terms of failure to act that leads to any sort of harm to the child (McClennen, 2010). Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act is a legislation incepted in 1974 in United States pursuing to ensure child protection. It has been reviewed and reformed six times since its inception in efforts to further refine and expand its scope of operations (US Dept of Health and Human Services, 2003). The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act has been crafted in view of various studies that show that there are over a 1000,000 children in America that suffer from abuse and neglect every year, which in turn leave marks due to which they suffer throughout their lives. Most of these children never even receive any sort of treatment or protection from such mishandling. It was only when the enormity of the situation got serious that

How the Reduced Shakespeare Company's rendition of Shakespeare plays Research Paper

How the Reduced Shakespeare Company's rendition of Shakespeare plays is a positive influence in the world of theater - Research Paper Example The success of the RSC’s works can be gauged from the fact that three of their shows ran for nine straight years in the Criterion Theatre located in Piccadilly Circus. These shows have been recognised as London’s longest running comedies and have even superseded Andrew Lloyd Weber’s shows in the West End. (Reduced Shakespeare Company) The RSC has some typical methodologies for performing on stage and on adapting popular works. One technique is to abridge entire pieces of literature into manageable pieces of performance on stage. This ensures that the audience is involved in the performance. Another technique is the use of comedy within these works through improvisation and planning to make these performances more entertaining for the audience. Improvisation is a major facet of the way that the RSC conducts its stage performances. The acts are known to be highly varied from one performance to the other, even with the same cast because of the improvisation involved . (Utah Shakespearen Festival) This introduces another favourable aspect of the RSC’s performance style. The constant improvisation ensures that the performances presented are in sync with contemporary trends and styles. This ensures that the pieces of literature and theology presented by the RSC are relevant to audiences even today. In the words of Daniel Singer, the founder of the RSC, the work of the RSC helps modern audiences connect with classic literature. He contends that without such connections, classic literature and performances would turn into a â€Å"ghettoistic† culture. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Evolution The RSC’s most popular presence on stage, television and other forms of media has been The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. This popular piece evolved over a number of years from various experiences and experiments. The founder of the RSC, Daniel Singer and a few other young performers were trying to create a half an hour ve rsion of Shakespeare’s Hamlet for a performance at the Novato California Renaissance Pleasure Faire. The venue where the play was staged was hot, full of dust, noisy and full of distractions. It was next to impossible to keep the audience’s attention. The performance venue was frequented by â€Å"drunken hecklers, intrusive parades and backstage confusion† in the words of David Singer. Consequently, the cast was forced to improvise extensively. This improvisation improved by a large degree as the performances proceeded. (Singer) Consequently, Daniel Singer along with Adam Long and Jess Winfield began to enact various pieces of literature in rather hilarious ways. The performances were well adapted in terms of time so that the audience did not drift away. The subject material of the piece of literature was delivered using contemporary trends in the performing arts. New trends such as the use of matinee programming, hip hop etc. were also introduced with time to k eep the audience engrossed in the performance. Various works from Shakespeare were adapted including Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet, Merchant of Venice, the line of dramas about England’s kings and the like. Eventually, the troupe decided to merge all of these acts into one performance. This laid the foundation for what became The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Eventually the entire lineage of Shakespeare’s work was put together and the performance was fine tuned to last a total of