Renaissance Food Essays - Breads, Baking, Bread, World Cuisine

Renaissance Food You are the owner of a large ship. You sail around the world and trade goods with other countries. A French investor has agreed to pay for your next trip if you can bring back a profit and, hopefully, goods that he can sell to local merchants. If for any reason you do not return with a profit, he has the right to back out of the deal, and you'll be stuck paying for everything. Before you sail from your homeport in Lisbon, Portugal, you will need to make several important decisions about how to prepare for your journey and what route to take. If you succeed, you will be extremely wealthy and will cement your reputation as a spice trader, ensuring that more rich investors come your way. But if you fail, you may go bankrupt and lose your ship, not to mention ruin your reputation. Food and spices of the Renaissance were the fruit of explorers' labor. Through exploration and trade, bizarre and exotic foods native to newly found territories became commonly traded goods. In addition new ways were found to use already common staples, and the number of spices went from a few to a few hundred. The Renaissance was a time of great discovery, and new foods were one of them. During the Renaissance, different regions of Europe had foods that were more common to them and less common to other areas. Around the coast fish was the food of choice. Herring and cod were prevalent in the north, and in the south sardines, anchovies, and tuna were among the more commonly consumed fish1. On the other hand cattle and other domestic animals were more common around inland regions. Cows, sheep, and goats were among the most commonly raised domestic animals. As meat most of these animals were eaten when they were young as veal, lamb, and kid2. Of the all the foods that were common throughout all of Europe bread and grain were by far the most common. Peasants and aristocrats alike consumed bread. The rich ate white bread made of refined wheat flour3. Where as the poor ate darker breads and flat bread because they were much cheaper4. In England biscuits became very popular. Grains, such as polenta and oats were also a universally consumed staple. Of all the many foods during the Renaissance foods of the bread group were among the most common. They were not only very cheap but were very healthy. The making of bread was highly regulated during the renaissance5. At first, rules were imposed upon bakers from the higher authorities. Grouping the bakers together was simply a more efficient way of ensuring that they followed the rules. As local economies developed, however, these organizations began to go off on their own. Groups began to formulate their own regulations to better profit from their status in the public diet. Some forms of public health regulations have undoubtedly been around since the start of urbanization. For bakers, the easiest rules to impose were those regarding bread weights and prices. Requirements on bread prices, quality, weight, and freshness have been documented to well before even the renaissance6. Generally, however, regulations were enforced at the local level. Standards varied from town to town according to grain availability and tastes. For example, the Winchester Assize of 1203 stated that "white bread made in our city of Winchester shall weigh thirty shillings, but black bread sixty-five shillings7." The most widespread regulation was the "Assize of Bread". This English law made in 1266 attempted to standardize the various local policies8. The Assize directed bakers to make a common weight of bread known as a penny loaf. However, the loaf could vary in weight, and thus price, according to the type of flour used. the white loaf was made from the finest white flour available. The "wheaten" loaf was coarser, and weighed half as much. "household" loaves were approximately double the weight of white loaves, made from unbolted flour9. Although the assize of bread made a good attempt, bread weights were inconsistently based on the going local rate of grain, and weights differed throughout the country. The Judgment of the Pillary was a law spelling out procedures to investigate and punish offenders10. In times of famine or grain shortages, authorities had the power to "take over" bakers and force them to operate at below-market rates11. Bakers in this situation were not allowed to raise prices even though their ingredients were more expensive. Sometimes bread was simply taken from them to feed the town. For example,

Free Essays on Z For Zachariah

were, â€Å"I am hopeful.† This shows us that Ann has a positive attitude in life and still looks forward to the future, even although the odds are against her. Her farm upbringing has equipped her with a great deal of common sense, practicality and resourcefulness. Ann can shoot, cook and drive a tractor, as well as fish and do agricultural work. Thus helping her to make life on her own a lot less of a struggle and showing us that she has good survival skills. This shows us that she is independent and well organised. A stranger arrives one day in a plastic suit and Ann watches him explore the valley from the cave that she is observing him from. Ann has mixed feelings: â€Å"I am both exited and afraid.† She longs for companionship but she’s also ... Free Essays on Z For Zachariah Free Essays on Z For Zachariah â€Å"Z for Zachariah† The sci-fi novel entitled â€Å"Z for Zachariah† which was written by Robert O Brien is what I have been studying in class. It was first published in 1973 and was written during the â€Å"Cold War.† The plot of the novel is basically about isolation and the struggle to survive the after effects of a nuclear war. The main character in the novel is Ann Burden, from Burden Valley, in the United States of America. A nuclear war has left Ann all alone, as her parents, brother and cousin have been killed by the disaster: â€Å"When I look beyond I see that all the trees are dead, and there is never a sign of anything moving. I don’t go out there.† The valley however has been untouched by the devastation. Ann is entrapped, as everything beyond the circumference of Burden is unproductive of life. She leads a simple life-style. Cleverly using nature to survive. She shuts herself off from the past, and looks forward to the future: â€Å"I am hoping to be an English teacher.† I believe that Ann is a very optimistic person who never gives up on hope, as she is continually persistent on â€Å"her† idea of hope. In the very last paragraph of the novel, her final words were, â€Å"I am hopeful.† This shows us that Ann has a positive attitude in life and still looks f orward to the future, even although the odds are against her. Her farm upbringing has equipped her with a great deal of common sense, practicality and resourcefulness. Ann can shoot, cook and drive a tractor, as well as fish and do agricultural work. Thus helping her to make life on her own a lot less of a struggle and showing us that she has good survival skills. This shows us that she is independent and well organised. A stranger arrives one day in a plastic suit and Ann watches him explore the valley from the cave that she is observing him from. Ann has mixed feelings: â€Å"I am both exited and afraid.† She longs for companionship but she’s also ...

Power, Authority and Decision Making Research Paper

Power, Authority and Decision Making - Research Paper Example This paper tells that power may consist of anything that builds and maintains control of man over a fellow man. It tends to be defined as a force despite the fact that one with the power is the initiator or a responder. Thus, power is understood as a relational phenomenon in that persons exert power over others, and that power of an individual to do something constitutes a social relationship that is comparable to another person (Etzioni-Halevy, 1979). In light of this, power has been a crucial aspect of human civilization since time immemorial. In essence, power is physical, political or social. Additionally, in terms of business, power dynamics have the tendency to influence decisions and transactions of people heavily. Consequently, the definition of power could be challenging as it is understood and interpreted in various ways. Hence, power emanates from position or authority, which is capable of influencing people both positively and negatively. For this reason, the concept of p ower is placed in various categories for emphasis for simplicity and understanding (Wrong, 2002). Coercive Power Coercive power is the ability to use the threat to make people do what one desires. In essence, it forces people to submit to one’s demand for fear of losing something. According to Wrong 2002, power in terms of coercion can take many forms. For instance, in the political arena modern state imprison those people who do not act in accordance with the legal mandates (Fairholm, 2009). In regard to history, a majority of nations of the world joined in the boycott of Iraqi Oil in the hope of forcing the Iraqi government to honor the peace agreement that had been put forward in order to end the Gulf War of 1991. In the social arena, coercive power entails pushing someone into a behavior one would not engage in. It is worth noting that most of the coercive power is associated with physical violence. Coercive power is most efficient, when the threat of violence or punishme nt associated with it, is sufficient enough to make the responder consent to the demand. Coercive power is advantageous in situations of impending danger, assuring internal cohesion, over and above, disputes that are of great value to the initiator. For instance, the European countries used extreme and often brutal, coercive power to launch their rule over Africa, and other regions such as Asia. Conversely, even though the power may be impressive in specific situations, it might be useless in some situations especially when the responders to the power choose not to agree to the given threat (Wey 2009). Legitimate Power Legitimate power is derived from the authority of a person’s rate and position in a commanding chain. It is used in day to day life and it increases according to the responsibilities that are entitled to somebody. Never the less, legitimate power can be decreased in case the person who has the responsibility fails to fully meet them. The duration of this type o f power is short-lived as the person can only use it as he, or she holds a particular position.  

Sula Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sula - Essay Example It begins in the year 1919 and proceeds with chapters titled 1920, 1922.1927,1937 and so on to the year 1965. Each chapter represents a particular event around which resolves the past ,present and future significance. The narrative unfolds like a firmly interwoven oral folktale. In this novel the past present and future collapse into a kind of synchronic action. The setting in Sula is an isolated neighborhood called â€Å"The Bottom†, but it is a neighborhood of recent historical past and therefore â€Å"The Bottom and its inhabitants assume, like a narrative itself, a mythological quality. They and their environment are drawn from the rich tradition of black folktale and legend. However the inhabitants of â€Å"the Bottom are not often prey to the extreme seduction of dominant culture. Patrick Bryce Bjorn in the â€Å" The Novels of Tonni Morrison: The search for self and Place within the community says that , instead they are presented as having a world of their own , and thus the delimiting of an external gaze and the valorization of black values and traditions further emphasize Morrison’s singular concern for black life†. Morrison. in all her novels likes to examine the community and its characters. It has become a familiar motif in all her novels. In Sula this motif is played conspicuously in the dialectal tension between communities as monolithic status. The novel has the family of self sustaining black female characters Matriarch, Eva Peace , her daughter Hanna and her granddaughter ,the protagonist of the novel Sula Peace, who combine to provide the oppositional energy to redefine both selfhood and black womanhood. The novel begins with the end to â€Å"The Bottom â€Å"a neighborhood once isolated from and eventually destroyed by white progress in Medallion City, Ohio . A master gave this â€Å"the Bottom to slave and it was considered as a gift given to his master to his former slave. He made them believe that the land is wor thwhile because it is closer to heaven .thus there grows a particular community. But there is a threat from the white that they decided t builds golf course there. The first living being introduced to the reader is Shadreack who returns to the Bottom. He in order to overcome fears of death invents National Suicide Day. He is a representative of who dislike war. Sula the protagonist is friendly with Nel. They are from different family set ups. Nel is from a conventional family. The theme of friendship is treated effectively in this novel. The converging point in the novel is the death of a boy Chicken Little while playing with Sula and Nel. They hide this fact. But guilt conscious arise in the mind is Sula. She considers herself as responsible for the death of the boy, She is suffering from acute feeling that she is an evil character. At the sane time Nel develops a positive attitude to life and she slowly began to move away from Sula. Soon we find that Sula’s mother dies of b urning. When Sula takes a different path of fierce independence and total disregard for social conventions Nel takes the path of a peaceful married life. Sula leaves the bottom for ten more years. During that time she makes affairs with especially white man. When she returns to â€Å"The Bottom† the people considers her as a figure of evil, particularly because of her interracial relations. She even develops relation with Nel’s husband Jude. Jude abandons Nel for that. Later when Sula dies Nel herself blames herself admits her

Switzerland Country Analysis pt 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Switzerland Country Analysis pt 4 - Assignment Example Swaziland is situated adjacent to major cities and is being considered as a centre for international trade and business due to its strategic location (Oberson & Hull, 2011). Despite being a land lock country, the country has a competitive edge over other countries in the surrounding. According to a Global Competitive Report, 2012 Switzerland is among the most competitive countries in international trade. The country is made up of a strong federal political systems, infrastructure and judiciary system that makes more competitive that its counter parts. Additionally, the country consists of cities like Geneva and Zurich where, the headquarters for various international banks and financial institutions are situated (Global Competitive Report, 2012). In above connection, Switzerland participates in international trade in various ways. For instance, Switzerland contains approximate 2/3 of its international investments in Europe and the rest in the united state, Germany, Italy and France (Federal Department of Environment Transport, Energy & Communication, 2012). Switzerland has been undergoing via a tremendous economic growth. However, Switzerland international business has been affected by political and economic activities (Ghauri, 2003). However, various firms in Switzerland come together to form collaborations such as; strategic alliances in order to overcome this challenges. Strategic alliances help towards ensuring effective participation in the international business (Ghauri, 2003). Additionally, strategic partnership and alliances ensures efficient flow of imports and exports (Ghauri, 2003).Additionally, Switzerland has well established international labor organization that is based in ‘Geneva.... The country has well defined strategies that help towards value creation as well as poverty reduction (Ghauri, 2003). The federal government of Switzerland has well established Information Communication technology that enhances efficiency in communication process (Federal Department of Environment Transport, Energy & Communication, 2012). Additionally, Switzerland has formulated poverty reduction strategy. Those strategies aim at ensuring alleviation of poverty through harmonization of development activities across the country (Federal Department of Environment Transport, Energy & Communication, 2012). Initially, Switzerland was a centralized state made up of small independent states united by treaties (Kalin, 2000). The country was made up of twenty six cantons as well as communes who had an approximate figure of three hundreds before they decided to become decentralized under one federal government (Kalin, 2000). The country become decentralized in 1884 with an aim of establishing a common market that could allow free flow of goods and services between different state.Additionally, the old system of government was unable to solve disputes and relied heavily on Cantons (Kalin, 2000). Therefore, there was a great need to formulate a decentralized federal system of government that could help local governments at grass root levels in solving their problems (Kalin, 2000). Majority of the firms in Switzerland have functional and divisional structures as well as matrix organizational structures (Hoag & Cooper, 2006). Functional structures tend to allot task based on expertise that each department can perform better. On the contrary, divisional structures

Wet Mix and Dry Mix Concrete: Cost and Quality

Wet Mix and Dry Mix Concrete: Cost and Quality This is a conceptual proposal in which the main objective is to determine the cost and quality effectiveness on the application of modular wet mix and dry mix concrete batching plant. Based on the data collected over the pass years, a detail study was being conducted to determine the various cost factors arising from the setting up of concrete batching plant, production operations, quality control, inventory and delivery of the products to the customers. As this study covers the entire overall operations of a commercial concrete batching plant, the complexity of the various processes and functionalities has to be identified to provide a full understanding on the limitations on the speed, cost, quality, flexibility and dependability. This proposal is also inline with the company long term strategy of increasing the marketing share by twenty percent annual growth. Therefore, to achieve this goal, various steps have to be taken into consideration such as the speed, cost, quality, flexibility and dependability. Existing Dry Mix Concrete Batch Plant Plant Component The basic components of dry mix concrete batch plant and its related facilities are as tabulated below:- Item Descriptions Remarks 1 Ground Hopper For feeding of raw material, coarse and fine aggregates 2 Movable Inclined Conveyor To convey the coarse and fine aggregate to the designated storage compartment 3 Aggregate Storage Bin For storage on top of the aggregate weighing bin 4 Aggregate Weighing Bin For weighing of the coarse and fine aggregates 5 Shooting Conveyor To convey the coarse and fine aggregates at high speed which shoot directly into the mixer drum of the mixer truck 6 Cement Storage Silos For storage of cement OPC, PFA and Slag Cement 7 Cement Weighing Bin For weighing of various cement 8 Water Weighing Bin For weighing of water 9 Admixtures Weighing Bin For weighing of admixtures 10 Control Room To provide staff on the control of the production 11 Water Storage Tank For water storage 12 Aggregate Stockpile For storage of coarse and fine aggregates 13 Slump Check Platform For concrete slump check 14 Wheel Loader For material handling from aggregate stockpiles to ground hopper 15 Mixer Truck For mixing of concrete and delivery of finished products to customers 16 QC Laboratory For quality control and testing 17 Power Supply To provide power supply to the plants and other facilities either by TNB or generator set 18 Waste Material Storage To collect all waste material and disposed to designated area Figure 1 in the Appendix shows a typical dry mix concrete batch plant layout. The ideal size for setting up is plant is 2,950m2, this set up will include a laboratory for quality control, a site office for staff and other facilities such as workshop and weighbridge on material control. Process Flow of Dry Mix Plant The process flow of the entire dry mix plant operation per 8 m3 load is as illustrated below:- Cycle Time per Load = Batching + Mixing Slump Check + Delivery + Discharging + Return + Queuing = 5 min + 15 min + 30 min + 45 min + 30 min + 10 min = 135 min From the process flow mapping, it is clearly shown that the complete process cycle time for 8 m3 load is 135 minutes. As the plant capacity is 80m3/hour, if the efficiency of the plant is 80%, therefore the plant is capable of producing 8 loads of 8m3-load but all the rest of the processes are done by the mixer trucks from mixing to discharging at site. In order to have a smooth operation flow, the number of mixer truck required by this dry mix plant is calculated as below: Number of Mixer Truck = 135/60X8 = 18 From the calculation above, 18 units of mixer truck is required for the smooth operation. Quality of the Product In dry mix plant, all the pre-determined materials are charged into the mixer drum of the mixer truck, then the mixing and quality check are carried out by the individual mixer truck operator accordingly. The product quality is not consistent as this is done by the 18 mixer truck operators and therefore, quality is becoming a major issue in this type of plant as the requirement of the quality is increasing with the advancement in construction technology. This quality will also hinder the further penetration of market share and jeopardise in achieving the long term strategic goal. Cost This operating cost is only covering all the facilities except the raw material cost as this remains consistent either dry mix or wet mix plant. But there are other costs that everyone is aware of such as the maintenance cost of the mixer truck. In this case, the operating cost of the plant is cheap but the mixer truck is much higher as there are 18 units of mixer drums which are having high wear and tear parts as they are used for mixing the concrete. These costs will be tabulated in the comparison and the overall operating cost will be identified. Flexibility In term of flexibility, this dry mix plant will have a limitation in producing high grade concrete as the mixing is done by mixer truck. The mixer truck will not be able to mix consistently and thoroughly inside the mixer drum of the mixer truck as the mixing is only dependent on the ploughing and dropping action of the mixer blade on the side wall of the mixer drum. Other than this, it is the same as in other type of plants. Dependability The availability, reliability and maintainability of this plant is actually quite similar to the other types of plant available in the market but duration for each maintenance will be a little bit shorter than wet mix plant because the components is less and the mixing is transferred to the mixer truck, therefore the availability is better. The reason for this is, there are 18 units of mixer instead of 1 unit of mixer. Proposed Modular Wet Mix Plant Basic Plant Components The basic components of dry mix concrete batch plant and its related facilities are as tabulated below:- Item Descriptions Remarks 1 Ground Hopper For feeding of raw material, coarse and fine aggregates 2 Aggregate Weighing Bin For weighing of various types of aggregates 3 Horizontal Conveyor To convey the weighed coarse and fine aggregates to Inclined Conveyor 4 Inclined Conveyor To convey the weighed coarse and fine aggregates to the aggregate transfer bin 5 Aggregate Transfer Bin For storage on top of the Mixer 6 Mixer For mixing of concrete 7 Concrete Holding Hopper For holding of finished product before discharging into mixer truck 8 Cement Storage Silos For storage of cement OPC, PFA and Slag Cement 9 Cement Weighing Bin For weighing of various cement 10 Water Weighing Bin For weighing of water 11 Admixtures Weighing Bin For weighing of admixtures 12 Control Room To provide staff on the control of the production 13 Water Storage Tank For water storage 14 Aggregate Stockpile For storage of coarse and fine aggregates 15 Wheel Loader For material handling from aggregate stockpiles to ground hopper 16 Mixer Truck For mixing of concrete and delivery of finished products to customers 17 QC Laboratory For quality control and testing 18 Power Supply To provide power supply to the plants and other facilities either by TNB or generator set 19 Waste Material Storage To collect all waste material and disposed to designated area Figure 2 in the Appendix shows a typical modular wet mix concrete batch plant layout. The ideal size for setting up is also plant is 2,950m2, this set up will include a laboratory for quality control, a site office for staff and other facilities such as workshop and weighbridge on material control. Process Flow of Modular Wet Mix Plant The process flow of the entire modular wet mix plant operation per 8 m3 load is as illustrated below:- Cycle Time per 8 m3Load = Batching + Delivery + Discharging + Return + Queuing = 5 min + 30 min + 45 min + 30 min + 10 min = 120 min From the process flow mapping, it is clearly shown that the complete process cycle time for 8 m3 load is 120 minutes. As the plant capacity is 80m3/hour, if the efficiency of the plant is 80%, therefore the plant is capable of producing 8 loads of 8m3-load in just 5 minutes as the process of mixing is done by the mixer and mixer truck is only used for delivery and discharging at site. In order to have a smooth operation flow, the number of mixer truck required by this dry mix plant is calculated as below: Number of Mixer Truck = 120/60X8 = 16 From the calculation above, 16 units of mixer truck is required for the smooth operation. Comparison of Process Flow Item Descriptions Dry Mix Plant Wet Mix Plant 1 Batching 5 minutes 5 minutes (Mixing by Mixer) 2 Mixing 15 minutes (By Mixer Truck) 3 Delivery to Site 30 minutes 30 minutes 4 Discharging at Site 45 minutes 45 minutes 5 Return to Plant 30 minutes 30 minutes 6 Queuing at Plant 10 minutes 10 minutes 7 Total Cycle Time per Load 135 minutes 120 minutes 8 Mixer Truck Required 18 16 By looking at the table above, it is clearly shown that the cycle time per load is reduced by 15 minutes or 11%. The number of mixer truck required to complete the work in progress is also reduced by 2 units, there will be a significant improvement in the whole process flow and this will be reflected in the investment cost and operating cost later. Quality of the Product In wet mix plant, all the weighed materials are charged into the mixer of the mixer for mixing and quality check are controlled by the batching operator accordingly of which the product quality is consistent therefore, quality issues can be minimized in this type of plant as the requirement of the quality can be assured to fulfil the modern construction technology. This quality assurance will also help increase the image and market recognition thus, to further penetrate into the untapped market share and also in achieving the long term strategic goal. Cost This operating cost is only covering all the facilities except the raw material cost as this remains consistent either dry mix or wet mix plant. Tabulated on the next page is the comparison of the overall operating cost of the whole process flow. It can be shown that the overall operating cost is reduced by RM1.26/m3 or 7.2% and it is very significant and substantial as the annual production is huge. For example, an annual production of 1 million cubic meters will mean a saving of RM1.26 million and so on and so forth, thus increasing the profitability of the sales and competency in the market place. Comparison on Wet and Dry Mix Plant Operational Cost excluding Raw Material Flexibility In term of flexibility, the wet mix plant will have less limitation in producing high grade concrete as the mixing is done by mixer. The mixer will be able to mix consistently and thoroughly inside the mixer as the mixer is specially design for this specific purpose. It can also produce different types of design mix as required by customers. Another advantage is that the supply radius can be increased by 5 km, thus the coverage area. Dependability The availability, reliability and maintainability of this plant is actually quite similar to the other types of plant available in the market and the duration for each maintenance will be a little bit longer than dry mix plant because the components is more, therefore the availability is slightly less but this can be eliminated by pre-planned preventive maintenance. Conclusion With the study and experience that had been merged and input, it is strongly advisable to convert all the dry mix plant into the modular wet mix plant for the following reasons:- Cheaper operating cost as justified on the operating cost Better flexibility for high grade concrete Less mixer truck requirement Quality consistency and assurance All the above implementations will be justifiable to achieve the company long term strategy to provide the highest quality, service at the lowest cost and to increase the market share in the next 10 year.

Bluest Eye :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye reveals the trauma of an eleven-year-old African-American girl named Pecola Breedlove. This story takes place in the town of Lorain, Ohio during the 1940’s. It is told from the perspective of a young girl named Claudia MacTeer. She and her sister, Frieda, become witness to the terrible path that Pecola is forced to endure because she is not considered beautiful by society. Pecola chooses to hide from life behind her clouded dream of having the bluest of eyes so that those around her will view her as beautiful as the light skinned, blond haired, blue eyed girls that got so much favoritism. The Breedlove’s constant bickering and ever growing poverty contributes to the emotional downfall of this little girl. Pecola’s misery and insecurity is caused by her father’s hand and the community’s struggle with racial separation, anger, and ignorance. â€Å"Characters in the black community accept thei r status as the Other, which has been imposed upon them by the white community. In turn, blacks assign the status of Other to individuals like Pecola within the black community (Toni Morrison).† Her innocence is harshly ripped from her grasp as her father rapes her. The community’s anger with it’s own insecurities is taken out on this poor, ugly, black, non-ideal young girl. She shields herself from this sorrow behind her obsessive plea for blue eyes. Her eyes do not replace the pain of carrying her fleeing father’s baby, nor do they protect her from the sideways glances of her neighbors. Though this book discuses negative and disturbing situations, it teaches a very positive lesson about the importance of self respect and positive thinking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Bluest Eye explores how outside influences affect one’s own sense of beauty and how it is harmful to consider yourself ugly. This theme seems to follow the conclusion of Brown v. Board of Education, that when a society presents the idea of beauty in certain way, those who do not fit into that image are â€Å"susceptible to low self esteem, hatred of their own racial lineage, and preferences towards whites (Tushnet).† Toni Morrison shows this through each of her characters in this novel. For example, when Claudia, Frieda, Pecola, and Maureen Peal, a white snob, are walking home from school the girls begin to bicker. Their conversation ends with Maureen stomping away and establishing the fact that she is indeed â€Å"cute,† implying that they most definitely are not.

Lisa Benton Case Essay

This case was interesting because it provided a few examples of the conflicts that are stated in organization behavior theories and models. The main issues that we see in this particular case are those dealing with perception, personality, and motivation. There seem to be both internal and external factors that are causing the issues. In specific, the internal issues derive from the personality of select individuals, which influence their behavior; but there are external factors that derive from the management and organization itself that are attributing to the individual’s negative behavior. In the following paragraphs, we will explore these issues further by identifying specific incidents that affected Lisa Benton’s performance. In evaluating the job choices that Lisa Benton, one can assume that she was a â€Å"Type A† achiever. We can see this because of the particular strengths and weaknesses that she evaluated per company to make her final job selection. Using McClelland’s theory, we can label Lisa Benton as having a Type A personality because the position she was seeking would require her to have personal responsibility, feedback, and moderate risks. Both job opportunities offered personal responsibly and feedback, however, the position at Right-Away was too visible, therefore, the risks of failing would have been more noticeable to the company’s upper management because it was a smaller organization. Thus, the risks were more than moderate and at that time Lisa Benton did not have sufficient self-efficacy to think she could qualify for the Right Away management position. Furthermore, we can have an idea about what motivates Lisa Benton and in examining the case, Lisa finds the intrinsic rewards more important than the extrinsic rewards. For example, the case states that even though the position at Right Away offered a better salary and upper management position, the learning and training opportunities, the recognition, and career development at Houseworld were more valuable. Linton makes it clear that she does not like or is impressed with Harvard MBAs, therefore, she is explicitly stating her personal bias against individuals with Lisa’s particular educational/ professional background. The specific perceptual process bias is the â€Å"stereotyping/ implicit personality theories and contrast error. Linton only familiarizes herself with Linton by reviewing her resume, but immediately generalizes Lisa with other MBA graduates that may have exhibited certain personality traits that Linton did not find favorable. Consequently, Linton is stereotyping Lisa before she has an opportunity to show her skill sets, to see that Lisa has a very approachable personality, and does whatever tasks are needed regardless of her role. Linton does not have an MBA and the case states that she was in Lisa’s previous position, so Linton’s approach to career development may be different from Lisa. This contrast error also contributes to their poor working relationship because Linton considers Lisa different from her, so perhaps an individual that she could identify with would have made her feel more comfortable. This may be the reason that Linton and Scoville, who both have similar backgrounds, work together effectively and share the same bias towards Lisa Benton. In respect to Scoville, he is also a personality Type A, however, unlike Lisa Benton his Type A behavior is more extreme. He displays a higher level of competiveness, time urgency, and anger. Interestingly, Lisa Benton and Scoville are both Type A personalities, however, Lisa Benton possess a higher sense of self-monitoring. Scoville also has high self-efficacy, but on the extreme side of the spectrum because his self-efficacy over rides his ability to work effectively in a team and does not seem to care on how he impacts the morale of his peers, in which ultimately impact their performance and perception on the organization. Lisa Benton has a Type A personality, but has an external locus of control. She feels that her performance and the drawbacks she is experiencing are solely caused by this particular management team. She is not considering that her direct lack of action (internal locus of control) is also contributing to the negative behavior from her management team. This can be seen in Scoville as well, when at the end of the case he expresses to Lisa how his behavior is due to his frustration with the organization and the lack of promotion opportunities; however, Scoville is failing to realize that perhaps his inability to self-monitor his negative behavior and inability to effectively interact with others are the reasons that the organization does not consider him for a promotion. One particular effect that we see happening in the case is the way that Scoville influences Lisa Benton’s performance. His constant reminder that she is on a â€Å"learning curve† and her performance is expected to stay at a minimal level, including her participation in projects, until she eventually receives sufficient training to perform at a higher level. This Pygmalion Effect that takes place does indeed impact Lisa’s performance as she hesitates to take initiatives on certain project tasks or provide more opinions and feedback during presentations. Scoville’s expectations of her limited performance, despite that she did have the ability to be a high performer, were believed and accepted by Lisa Benton. Additionally, another theory that we can see in this case is Kelly’s theory of casual attribution. Lisa Benton complains to other peers about her working relationship with Scoville and eventually her boss’s lack of managerial skills. This theory is relevant because it shows that Lisa’s statements about her current management team and their negative behavior is shared by other employees (consensus), her management team often exhibits negative behavior (consistency), and even in informal settings such as the lunch meetings she’s had with Scoville and Linton (distinctiveness). The negative performance review was also an issue with this case. The specific issues with the negative performance review can be seen in how it lacked the proper performance review cycle. During the beginning of the case, Lisa Benton’s boss failed to provide her with specific tasks, goals, and did not establish standards. Therefore, when Lisa requested her 3 month evaluation, Linton was not able to properly review her performance record. As a matter of fact, she was so focused on the negative aspects of what she perceived as being Lisa’s weaknesses, that she did not mention any of the strengths that contributed to the team’s performance. One of the few things that Lisa should have considered after the negative performance review is to schedule a follow up review immediately in a formal setting in order to properly document her strengths, weaknesses, and goals. The performance review would have also allowed Lisa to document the external factors that were contributing to her mediocre performance and force Linton to properly address them. If Linton would have refused to provide her with a formal performance review, then she should have approached the group product manager and address this issue with him. The negative aspect of this action is that it may have further alienated her from the current management team, since Linton may have felt that Lisa disregarded the chain of command by expressing her concerns with upper management versus addressing it directly with her. The pros of this approach may have been that the negative behavior of her current management team would have been brought to the attention of upper management or human resources and finally addressed to avoid future incidents. My recommendations for alternative solutions to the problems identified may have been to continue pursuing a formal performance review, and establish reoccurring one on one meeting with her boss in order to improve their working relationship. Perhaps by interacting with her boss more often (even if forced), her boss may have overcome her bias of Lisa due to her educational background. The weakness in this recommendation may be that it can alienate Scoville and contribute to his negative behavior. He may feel that Lisa is attempting to overshadow his role in the team. Further, I would have expressed my concerns about the negative behavior and its impact on my performance to the group product manager, so he would be aware of these issues. It is important that upper management is informed of this kind of behavior in order to quickly address them before valuable employees leave the company.

Writing Assignment #3 “Luck” Essays

Reading/Writing Assignment #3 â€Å"Luck† Essays Reading/Writing Assignment #3 â€Å"Luck† Essay Reading/Writing Assignment #3 â€Å"Luck† Essay Reading/Writing Assignment #3 â€Å"Luck† 1. In Greek Mythology, King Midas was a Phrygian king. He was given the ability to turn everything he touched into gold by Dionysus. The Midas touch can be interpreted as the ability to make money or the ability to make success. Mark Twain applies this in the story â€Å"Luck† by comparing Scoresby with King Midas. Because every blunder Scoresby made turned into something worth praising about, it seemed like he had the Midas touch. 2. A close reading is a detailed analyzing of a specific passage or poem. It is like using a magnifying glass to zoom in to see the details. It is used to explain characters, situations, ideas, word selections and etc. 3. By analyzing the two paragraphs in depth, the reader gets a better understanding of the style of Twain’s writing. In the essay, the vocabulary is examined in detail and the choice of words is compared to the situations and the settings. Based on these examinations, the essay explains how they are directly relevant to Twain’s comical sense. When reading the whole story, the reader does not get the comedy in his writing. However, when in depth, it comes out. 4. According to Dictionary. com, a sketch is a brief usually descriptive and informal essay or other literary composition. A sketch may have very little or no plot at all. Twain’s â€Å"Luck† is more of a sketch than a short story because it didn’t have that much of a plot. It focused mainly on the impression and thought of the reverend on Scoresby. 5. I have never experienced a situation similar to the one in â€Å"Luck†. I might have, but I just do not remember. However, I can relate to the reverend’s situation if I put myself into the story. For example, if I happened to be working at a mid-level office job and one of my co-workers had gotten promoted because of a blunder, I would be furious. I would feel even worse if I had helped him out. He would not know what to do in the upper-level job and he might make even more mistakes and ruin everything! Hopefully I never have to experience this in real life.

An Overview to Chaos Theory in Sociology

An Overview to Chaos Theory in Sociology Chaos theory is a field of study in mathematics; however, it has applications in several disciplines, including sociology and other social sciences. In the social sciences, chaos theory is the study of complex non-linear systems of social complexity. It is not about disorder but rather about very complicated systems of order. Nature, including some instances of social behavior and social systems, is highly complex, and the only prediction you can make is that it is unpredictable. Chaos theory looks at this unpredictability of nature and tries to make sense of it. Chaos theory aims to find the general order of social systems, and particularly social systems that are similar to each other. The assumption here is that the unpredictability in a system can be represented as overall behavior, which gives some amount of predictability, even when the system is unstable. Chaotic systems are not random systems. Chaotic systems have some kind of order, with an equation that determines overall behavior. The first chaos theorists discovered that complex systems often go through a kind of cycle, even though specific situations are rarely duplicated or repeated. For example, say there is a city of 10,000 people. In order to accommodate these people, a supermarket is built, two swimming pools are installed, a library is erected, and three churches go up. In this case, these accommodations please everybody and equilibrium is achieved. Then a company decides to open a factory on the outskirts of town, opening jobs for 10,000 more people. The town then expands to accommodate 20,000 people instead of 10,000. Another supermarket is added, as are two more swimming pools, another library, and three more churches. The equilibrium is thus maintained. Chaos theorists study this equilibrium, the factors that affect this type of cycle, and what happens (what the outcomes are) when the equilibrium is broken. Qualities of a Chaotic System A chaotic system has three simple defining features: Chaotic systems are deterministic. That is, they have some determining equation ruling their behavior.Chaotic systems are sensitive to initial conditions. Even a very slight change in the starting point can lead to significant different outcomes.Chaotic systems are not random, nor disorderly. Truly random systems are not chaotic. Rather, chaos has a send of order and pattern. Concepts There are several key terms and concepts used in chaos theory: Butterfly effect (also called sensitivity to initial conditions): The idea that even the slightest change in the starting point can lead to greatly different results or outcomes.Attractor: Equilibrium within the system. It represents a state to which a system finally settles.Strange attractor: A dynamic kind of equilibrium which represents some kind of trajectory upon which a system runs from situation to situation without ever settling down. Applications in Real-Life Chaos theory, which emerged in the 1970s, has impacted several aspects of real-life in its short life thus far and continues to impact all sciences. For instance, it has helped answer previously unsolvable problems in quantum mechanics and cosmology. It has also revolutionized the understanding of heart arrhythmias and brain function. Toys and games have also developed from chaos research, such as the Sim line of computer games (SimLife, SimCity, SimAnt, etc.).

Family Friendly Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Family Friendly Workplace - Essay Example On the other hand in stage two, this is where there is a more supportive culture, widened perception of work and family, and a well-planned or coordinated set of reactions. Finally, in the last stage, is where companies or workplace organizations start to encounter the status quo and putting their attention towards forming a real family-friendly culture and neighboring community (Poelmans, & Caligiuri, 2008). Once an organization has put into practice one program or policy, the initial anxieties is unnecessary but instead, the firm has the prospective of widen its programs and carry on with the same for over a long period of time. The following figure illustrates the evolution and advancement work/family programs based on the research conducted by Family and Work Institute. The prospect of many business organizations or varied work places based on the quality of life for the employees’ families may rely entirely on how work and family engagements are solved. According to Crout er, & Booth (2009) adequate focus to these issues will be significant for promoting growth and development of the businesses or any organization. STAGE ONE Coming up with a programmatic approach or response STEP TWO Constructing an integrated attitude STEP THREE Transforming the culture COMMITMENT Emerging though uncertain issue Family friendly work place as a human resource issue Work life a competitive Overcoming presumptions: Forming a family friendly workplace is not a business issue. Parity implies the same policy for all workers Family friendly work place is a woman’s affair Child care assistance implies forming on or near-site amenities. Attention on child care is widened to entail other work/ family aspects such as relocation and elder care. Programs and policies widened The aspects of family friendly workplace in the entire company are incorporated in such subjects as gender parity and diversity. There is a drive towards a life-cycle attitude, hence widening the idea of work-family to work/life Company concerns extends to world issues and concerns Constructing work-family policies is recognized as a continuous, vibrant and problem-solving procedure PROCESS Recognizing the problem Integrating the duties for work/family programs and policies Mainstreaming the matters Devoted individuals takes on the responsibility of making a business case for a firm to react to work-family matters Part or full time duty is assigned to an individual at higher rank usually manager, director or vice president Executing flexible leave and time policies and programs become central. Champion (s) persuades and convinces the firm’s management that ignoring the work/life programs comes with consequences such as workers may miss time and become less productive to the firm especially if the issues are related to family life such as child care are not met The place of work-family coordinator may be established, high rank commitment starts to show up Work-family polic ies and programs are recognized as a key to engaging and maintaining competent workers Varying the workplace to be more comfortable and flexible to the worker calls for organizational culture assumptions to be put into considerations. Work-family administration training is carried out or such training is incorporated into central management training programs Champion(s) illustrate variety of possible solutions if a task force is established to evaluate and determine the

How the enviroment plays a role in learning Research Paper

How the enviroment plays a role in learning - Research Paper Example Generally, people learn by reading, listening, watching etc. All these can take place as a part of educational experience or working experience. Learning is also important in the context of an organization. Organizational learning is the process in which collective knowledge and beliefs are developed among the members of the organization. The definition of organizational learning could be â€Å"as change in an organization’s potential behavior as a result of acquiring new shared mental models, change in norms, rules, processes, structure, or coordination of behavior† (Zhong, Collins, Egmon, n.d.). Learning is crucial for any organization because organizational learning process helps its members to manage the organization as well as its environment with more efficiency. The members capacity of understanding of the organization and the work going on in it is improved by the process of learning. Organizational learning is dependent on various factors such as organizational development, its environment, willingness of its employees and top management in the learning process, the organizations capacity to learn etc. Environment is the crucial factor in both individual and organizational learning. There must be suitable internal and external environment in case of individual as well as organizational learning. The learning process of an individual gets hampered if the environment is not suitable for learning, even though there might be innumerable opportunities for learning from its environment. Individual learning is dependent on one’s own personal experience, reading, listening and watching. An individual can learn from any kind of environment. Generally, formal learning starts from school and ends at colleges or universities, where the environment is totally learning friendly, because people go to these places with a mindset of learning. Apart from these academic places individuals also learn from normal daily environment in which they are involved.