Review of ‘Dressed to Kill Consumption, Style and the...

Cultural Influences Mark Farwell Review of ‘Dressed to Kill: Consumption, Style and the Gangster (Ruth, 1996)’ By Daniel De Brett The introduction of the ‘gangster’, comprising of personality, characteristics, image, consumption patterns, behaviours and attitudes, into the American society during the 1920s had a significant impact and influence on people’s society and culture. The public enemy, defined by business organisation, violent criminality and stylish consumption, was deployed by many Americans during the development of a new consumer society. The gangster was introduced and became a fascination to Americans at the peak of development of the new consumer society. Within this new society, consumerism had increased†¦show more content†¦Social divisions seem to become blurred by both lower and higher status people and that now ‘the respectable and the disreputable were linked as consumers’, social divisions seemed to be non existent. The gangster embodied the promise of new consumerism, however also consisted of dangers, as the gangster’s perceived wealth su ggested economic mobility with the blurring of social class. As the gangster could with ease mix with leading citizens in restaurants and bars, it suggests an enfacement of conventional distinctions between the respectable and disreputable. For Americans that situated themselves in the respected middle class, the shift of consumer society’s class relations became confused of social terrain. The middle class of the late nineteenth century ranged across several categories, often linked by ethnicity, religion and public behaviour. After the turn of the century, social changes made the category more problematic, with some of the issues involving the working class, including immigrants. During the First World War, the income gap decreased as white collar earnings stagnated, while the unskilled worker experienced increased real wages. This change in life, created the problematic middle class, as many Americans across the class scale, participated in quest for pleasure and gratifica tion that marked immigrants and working class as different. The new American economy promised

The American Dream in Death Of A Salesman, by Arthur...

Success: Accomplishing Your Dream Completing the American Dream is a controversial issue. The American Dream can be defined as having a nice car, maybe two or three of them, having a beautiful, healthy family, making an impact on the world, or even just having extra spending money when the bills are paid. In the play Death Of A Salesman, by Arthur Miller, the American Dream deals with prosperity, status, and being immortalized. Willy Loman, a hard worker aged to his sixties never accomplished this goal. He always talked the talked, but never achieved to walk the walk. Willy Loman would always talk about who hes met and how he has always well known and liked, but truthfully he never was. Willy: Hes liked, but†¦show more content†¦Charley: It was a very nice funeral. Linda: But where are all the people he knew? (REQUIEM, lines 7-8). Willys funeral was tiny as well as his talk. Willys dreams were shallow and unlived even until his death. Success was part of Willy Lomans dream. Willy dreams of both he and his sons being successful. Willy: Bernard is not well liked, is he? Biff: Hes liked, but hes not well liked. Happy: Thats right, Pop. Willy: Thats just what I mean. Bernard can get the best marks in school, yunderstand, but when he gets out in the business world, yunderstand, you are going to be five times ahead of him. Thats why I thank Almighty God youre both built like Adonises. Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates a personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want. You take me for instance†¦ (ACT I, lines 270-272). Biff and Happy, the Loman brothers, are two blind followers, falling for Willys dream. They have never seen what Willy has actually done. Theyve heard the words. Louis Gordon wrote this about the play: Hap, less favored by nature and his father, perhaps as Willy was in comparison with Ben, has escaped the close ness with his father that destroys Biff in social terms. Thus worshipping his father from afar, Hap has never fully come to realize that phony part of his father and his fathers dreams. He does have longings to be outdoors and to get away from theShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller1127 Words   |  5 PagesMany people dream of the American dream. To have a big house, two kids and a picket fence. In Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman every character uses lies and deceit as a way to escape reality. With this said, it is only Biff’s character that is dynamic, realizing the error of his ways. Constantly, each character escapes their problems with deceit. Even Biff remains in this state of falsehood, until he reaches his epiphany. The main character Willy Loman, is constantly fooling himself intoRead MoreThe American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller1598 Words   |  7 Pagesalways been prominent in the American culture. 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The American Dream in todays society is dead and isRead More Achieving the American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller1189 Words   |  5 PagesAchieving the American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Willy Loman is a man on a mission. His purpose in life is to achieve a false sense of the American Dream, but is this what Willy Loman really wants? In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller analyzes the American Dream by portraying to us a few days in the life of a washed up salesman named Willy Loman. The American Dream is a definite goal of many people, meaning something different to everyone. Willys version is different fromRead More The Collapse of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller,2034 Words   |  9 Pagesinvolves the American Dream, generally speaking. Some people think this dream is something automatically granted; or in contrast, as in the story â€Å"Death of a Salesman† written by Arthur Miller, as something that has to be achieved in order to be successful in life. The play takes issues with those in America who place to much stress on material gain, instead of more admirable values. American society is exemplified with Miller’s work a nd demonstrates how a dream could turn into a nightmare. Arthur Miller’sRead MoreThe American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald1096 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald In a majority of literature written in the 20th century, the theme of the American Dream has been a prevalent theme. This dream affects the plot and characters of many novels, and in some books, the intent of the author is to illustrate the reality of the American Dream. However, there is no one definition of the American Dream. Is it the right to pursue your hearts wish,Read MoreA Detailed Analysis of Death of a Salesman1199 Words   |  5 PagesLook at Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman has been accepted worldwide as one of the greatest American dramas to premier in theatre. The story behind the play is based on Miller’s interactions with his Uncle, a salesman whose efforts to obtain the â€Å"American Dream† and pass his success on to his two sons becomes his main focus. Miller’s life during the preparation of Death of a Salesman provides the spark and inspiration needed to pen a literary classic. Almost five decades later, Death of a Salesman’sRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman 1136 Words   |  5 PagesGarett Miller Mr. James Mahle THE2000 2 August 2, 2016 Arthur Miller’s Impact Arthur Miller was born in 1915, and he died in 2005. He is possibly the most well-known and influential American playwright. He grew up during the Great Depression, so many of his plays deal with the American middleclass lifestyle. His two most influential works are Death of a Salesman and The Crucible. Death of a Salesman is about the tragic white collar worker, Willy Loman, while The Crucible is about the Salem witchRead MoreWilly Loman And The American Dream Analysis1075 Words   |  5 PagesPursuit of Happiness in the American Dream In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, Willy Lomans pursuit of the American Dream is characterized by his selfishness, demonstrating how the American Dream can subtly turn into the American Nightmare. However, Willy’s role is quite important because he often led to failure through the creation of the American Dream and the real world. To fully understand the storyline of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, one must evaluate each member of theRead MoreArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman1144 Words   |  5 Pages Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman Life for many in America are missing the same elements that â€Å"Death of a Salesman† exposed. Those element are love and direction. Many people face these struggles at some point in their life, but don’t know what to do to progress. Arthur Miller devised a style whereby he could show how your past can continuously impact on your future. Each character highlights the powerlessness of a dream to give meaning and control to human life. I disagree with some

Proctor and Elizabeth Relationship Free Essays

‘The Crucible’ is a novel which was written by Arthur Miller in 1953. It takes place during the times of the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts. This was a time of much hypocrisy in the people of the town of Salem. We will write a custom essay sample on Proctor and Elizabeth Relationship or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many people believed anything they heard or saw. Although The Crucible is fictitious, the story depicts the historical information of the Salem witch trials, and blends them with fictitious characters to create a very realistic plot and conflict in the story. Miller wrote this play as a response to the political environment in which he lived. The story relates to the McCarthy trials. During the 1950’s Senator Joseph McCarthy accused many American leaders of being communists. This lead to many accusations that people were communists. Some people believed him because they had fear of communism. McCarthy was, in effect, conducting â€Å"witch hunts†. The Red Scare was a witch hunt where the US government was searching for â€Å"dangerous communists. † Accusations came from left and right, much the same as the characters did for â€Å"real witches† in The Crucible. This meant that people were forced to either confess to the crime of witchery or shove the blame towards a different person. As an effect of this bias, the accused were never discharged, but were given the opportunity to confess to the crime of witchcraft to lessen their sentence. With the red scare, the accused were given a chance to give up names of other suspected communists to lessen their sentence as well. In both situations, there were people who confessed even though they had no relation to the crime at all. The majority, however, valued their morals and refused to give into political pressure by lying. This is shown as abuse of power. The puritans were a group of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th century. The entire plot of the novel is moulded by the repressive Puritan society. Like many puritan women, Elizabeth Proctor is dutiful and loves her husband dearly. Yet, Elizabeth is hurt by the fact that her husband was having an affair with their â€Å"strikingly beautiful† young servant (Abigail). She finds it hard to show emotion and this affects her relationship with John Proctor vastly. In Act One we can see that there is ‘heat’ and ‘passion’ between John and Elizabeth. When Abigail says, ‘I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! ’ She’s saying that John still lusts after her, breaking into a sweat when he sees her. She’s holding the affair over his head and reminding him how he has sinned would like to sin again. We can see that Abigail has real feelings for John and they have a sexual attraction between them. With Abigail being a 17 year old puritan girl and John being a married man, this is clearly outrageous and shows that he was prepared to break his rules. Proctor convinced himself he was a sinful man that had done wrong, and to have respect for himself once again, he must break off all ties with Abigail. When Abigail mentioned to Proctor the relationship she and he once had, he said to her, â€Å"No, no, Abby. That’s done with,† and, â€Å"Abby, you’ll put it out of mind. I’ll not be comin’ for you more. Even when Abigail tried to persuade Proctor to admit his love for her, he still denied it and claimed he had no love for her any longer. In all of Abigail’s persuasion to try to get him to admit his love for her, Proctor replied, â€Å"Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby. † Proctor saying to Abigail that they never touched was his way of trying to get through to her that the relationship between the both of them had to end here. In Proctor’s mind, saying that to Abigail was a finalization of their affair and gave him the closure that he needed to truly forget what he and Abigail had between them. The affair between Proctor and Abigail also had made his love for Elizabeth grow stronger. The guilt of the affair made him realize how Elizabeth was a good woman and deserved more than a cheating husband, and he refused to allow Abigail to speak wickedly about her. Abigail said bitterly to Proctor, â€Å"Oh, I marvel how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife be -,† in which he interrupted angrily with, â€Å"You’ll speak nothin’ of Elizabeth! Abigail, realising the respect he now had for Elizabeth as to not let her speak of Elizabeth in such a manner, then tried to convince Proctor otherwise, saying, â€Å"She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold, snivelling woman†¦ † Elizabeth is shown as a ‘cold’ woman whereas Abigail and Proctor have ‘heat’ – ‘no wintry man’. The anger he felt at this time was not only towards Abigail, but also towards himself. He felt he had sinned greatly and did not provide Elizabeth, a mother of three children, with the respect and loyalty that one would expect out of a husband. How to cite Proctor and Elizabeth Relationship, Essay examples

Nightingale and the Rose free essay sample

â€Å"The Nightingale and the Rose† by Oscar Wilde Situational Irony is very evident in â€Å"The Nightingale and the Rose†. The outcome of the story is far from what readers expect. First, the readers would assume that there is actually true love between the student and the Professor’s daughter and that the in the end of a story lies a happy ending for the two. From the introduction to almost the end of the story (except the last 6 paragraphs from 57-62), the author tries to establish that the story is about true love- understanding it, finding it, and sacrificing to get it. From paragraph 3, the student gives us the impression that he has a deeper understanding or meaning for true happiness, he thinks that happiness must not depend on such a little thing like a single red rose. Furthermore in paragraphs 5, 7 and 37, we see how the student’s life seems to revolve around the Professor’s daughter. More than anything, he wants to find this red rose that will allow him to share a dance with this girl and be able to profess his â€Å"true love† for her because not being able to do so will break his heart [#57: â€Å"But there is no red rose in my garden, so I shall sit lonely and she will pass me by. She will have no heed of me, and my heart will break† and he flung himself down on the grass and buried his face in his hands, and wept]. However, there is a great irony waiting in the end of the story. As we are given hope that the impossible might be possible when the student is able to get a red rose, unexpectedly, as he gives it to the girl, they still do not share a romantic moment together. Rather, the girl seems indifferent [paragraphs 57-60], saying that she wouldn’t go the ball because she doesn’t like her dress and not even showing the smallest appreciation for the red rose she requested. In these same paragraphs, we also see how she really has a materialistic view on â€Å"love†. She liked the red rose because it was a flower that was sure to cost a lot yet she loses interest in it when she gets real jewels that cost more than the flower. In paragraphs 59-62, we also see a great change in the student who was supposedly had deep feelings for the girl and who was expected to fight for his love. However in the end, after he hears what the girl had said, he just snaps, throws the red rose he had given so much time inding, easily gets over the girl he â€Å"loved† and moped about and suddenly gives a different view on love- [#6162: â€Å"what a silly thing love is. It is not half as useful as logic. † So he returns to his room, pulled out a great dusty book and began to read]. â€Å"The Nightingale and the Rose† leads the readers to think that it is about true love and there is actually such a thing as true love however, as we read further, we realize that as we were expecting a story of true love and happiness, ironically, we actually get a story of unrequited love and materialistic happiness. As explained, the supposed â€Å"love† between the student and the girl proves to be just infatuation, a shallow love based on materialistic happiness. Secondly, the story’s irony lies on the relationship between the nightingale and the student. Throughout the story, we see how the nightingale thinks that she is finally being able to witness true love and does all she can to help the student and his dream girl have their happy ending. She is one with the sorrow that the student feels tries to find the red rose that will be the supposed key to the happiness of the two people [paragraph 6, 13-29]. This nightingale also agrees to sacrifice his life for what she sees is â€Å"true love† between the student and the professor’s daughter [#31: â€Å"Death is a great price to pay for a red rose and life is dear to all†¦Yet love is better than life, and what is the heart of a bird compared to the heart of a man? †]. One irony here is that it seems to us that the only character that gives pure and unconditional love in the story is the nightingale. She was ready to give up her life for the student’s rose. It is quite intriguing to see that the one character that really shows true love is not repaid even the slightest bit. The bird gives up his life and yet the student doesn’t even notice its dead body lying in the long grass nor does he know how much the bird had to suffer for that single rose which he will only in the end throw. Another irony is that the nightingale sacrifices his life for love and happiness, which turns up to be useless and shallow [#34: â€Å"be happy; you shall have your red rose. I will build it out of music by moonlight and stain it with my own heart’s-blood. All I ask of you in return is that you will be a true lover, for love is wiser than Philosophy and mightier than power]. We also see the irony in that exact line, the nightingale expects that the student will appreciate, understand and prioritize love above anything else yet in the end of the story, the exact opposite happens. What the nightingale did not wish to happen, happened. Power and Philosophy triumphed over love. [#60: â€Å"who are you? Only a student. Why I don’t believe you even got silver buckles on your shoes like the Chamberlains’ nephew has] [#61: â€Å"What a silly thing love is†¦ In fact, it is quite unpractical, and as in this age to be practical is everything. I shall go back to studying Philosophy and study metaphysics. †]. Oscar Wilde definitely gives a new view of love. What may seem as true love may turn out to be nothing but selfish desire that blinds people from what is real. This was seen in â€Å"The nightingale and the rose†, the story gives the readers the idealistic feel that a true love will develop but in the end of the story, we see that realistically, this isn’t how life and love always turns up. Not everyone ends up in a fairy tale like that of beauty and the beast..

Interview Narrative free essay sample

Interview Narrative With a loud creak, the door of my sisters apartment opens and in comes Brianna freshly from a long, hard day of work at the National Wildlife Research Center. She doesnt seem to be in the best of moods at first, but as soon as she sees me she cant help but grin, for we hadnt seen each other in months. She takes a seat beside me on the small yet comfortable couch in the center of her living room. As she had Just gotten off of work she remains in her work clothes, which consists of a classy black polo. Khaki pants, and a pair of dainty black flats. I let her relax for a couple moments and then I begin asking her questions about her past and high school experience. She then begins fondly reminiscing on her former memories of the activities, goals, and such that she had and took part in throughout high school. We will write a custom essay sample on Interview Narrative or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She first begins by recalling the goals she once had throughout high school and what measures she took to try and reach them. Her biggest goal in high school starting from freshman year was to obtain a 4. 0 GPA and letter in academics. She studied awfully hard and really focused on her academics to attempt to achieve her oal. Unfortunately she did not reach this goal, l got very close, having all As and one B my sophomore year, she says disappointedly. However, it seems that she has made her way passed it as she says, It was kind of devastating if Im honest, but I mean what can I do now, IVe moved on. This then lead to a description of how the triumphs and trials she encountered helped her to be more prepared to face the world after high school. She describes high school as Just another four years of my life, and that what took place then doesnt really affect her regularly today. High chool showed me that if life brings you down, you will get back up, move on, and get through it; there is always a new tomorrow. Brianna seemed very proud to say that she took part in plenty of extra curricular activities at her high school. She played soccer from her sophomore year to Junior and was involved with FBLA (future business leaders of America) in her freshman year. Brianna also played softball and was in DECA from her sophomore year to her senior year, in which two of those years she was an officer in DECA. She took part in JROTC for two years, and in MECHA for all four years serving as president her senior ear as well. l tried to dip my toes in as many extra curricular activities as I could. I just loved being involved in extra curricular activities because in a way, they give you a sense of belonging, she says warmly. Under her breath, seeming as if she didnt mean for me to hear her, she admits that DECA was her favorite of the activities she was involved in. However, she noticed that I caught what she said and fondly said, l loved the people I was with in DECA, managing and organizing events such as MORP and I Just loved business in general. She feels that she lived her high school life to ullest extra curricular activity-wise however she regrets not attending some big events that took place while she was in high school. l do wish that I would have gone school to its fullest, however there was always a reason behind everything that I did and did not attend and to this day I stand by those choices. Brianna begins to dig deep as she recalls her fondest memory throughout her entire high school career. Her proudest and most memorable moment in high school was in her senior year when she happened to take 4th place at the State DECA Conference. l took 4th place in entrepreneurship written, which is one of the ategories, and I was the only one to compete by myself that year, writing a 30-page business manual and presenting it, she says humbly. Taking 4th at the State Conference brought her to the National Conference in Orlando, Florida. l was the only one from my high school that had made it to Nationals that year and it was nice to see how my 30-page business manual actually paid off in the end, and was totally worth the hard work and determination it entailed. With this achievement in mind, reminds her of some not necessarily downfalls that took place in high school, but something that she isnt particularly proud of. That certain something happens to be procrastination. Procrastination played a heavy role in her high school career because once she procrastinated something for the first time; it became a bad habit of hers. With indignity, she put her head down and said, Lets Just say I put the pr0 in procrastination. She looks back on one of her least proud moments that not surprisingly, had everything to do with procrastination. In my Junior year, I had a poster-presentation due in my fifth hour class, and on that very day that it was due I purchased a poster board from the high school in my first hour. In my first through ourth hour, I rushed through it and completed it and turned it in the board on time in my fifth hour and surprisingly ended up receiving a 100%. She felt that in this situation, she Just got lucky and highly suggests to everyone to not procrastinate for there are some but very few cases in which it may work out. I tried to consume as much information as I possibly could, and about midway through our discussion, it became so that she is now part of my motivation to obtain a successful yet fun high school experience. Currently, I have the same goal that Brianna once had, which is to get a 4. 0 GPA and letter in academics and to make her nd myself proud, I am going to try my hardest and push myself further than she did to achieve that goal. Also knowing that Brianna regrets not attending massive events such as dances or Friday-night football games, I now know that I should not miss out on such events, as I will most likely regret not going later on in life. Just as my sister did, I hope to take part in plenty of extra-curricular activities and hopefully, I plan to accomplish as much as she did in the clubs she took part in. Perhaps if I get into DECA my sophomore year I can work my way up and make it to the National Conference Just as she did. It became very clear to me that Brianna whom is my older sister is an inspiration to me in a way because she gives me motivation to achieve greatness and hope that there is always a new tomorrow. Its relieving in a sense to know that I will overcome the difficulties that I will be and am currently facing in high school. I began wrapping it up as I transcribed her last few comments, and thanked her for the time she took out her day to do this interview. I hope to use this information she gave me wisely and try to learn from what took place in her high school experience to make mine even more enjoyable.

In the late nineteenth century, a select few Americans separated themselves from the rest by fulfilling the American Dream.

In the late nineteenth century, a select few Americans separated themselves from the rest by fulfilling the American Dream. In the late nineteenth century, a select few Americans separated themselves from the rest by fulfilling the American Dream. William H. Vanderbilt attained wealth as a successful railroad executive when he joined the family railroad businesses and eventually succeeded his father as president. Andrew Carnegie became one the richest people through his domination of the steel industry. John D. Rockefeller intuitive business practices in the oil industry resulted in his addition to the history books as one of the wealthiest tycoons ever. To a large extent, it was fair to characterize the industrial leaders of the late nineteenth century as either "robber barons" or "industrial statesmen" because of their harsh business practices, philanthropic efforts, and opinion of the general public that were commonly seen in men of such economic stature.Harsh business practices often resulted in successful industrialist being labeled "robber barons" because their success entailed others failure. Compe tition as Andrew Carnegie saw it was a double edged sword; he said, "The price which society pays for the law of competition, like the price it pays for cheap comforts and luxuries, is also great; but the advantages of this law are also greater still."Andrew Carnegie Signature(D. #C) John B. Weaver took note to the corruption entangled in trusts which several industrialist took advantage of. (D. #D) Mr. Weaver stated, "The main weapons of trusts are threats, intimidation, bribery, fraud, wreck, and pillage." (D. #D) Russell H. Conwell, an American Baptist Minister, the founder and first president of Temple University, and a lecturer pleaded the "industrial statesmen" label for most of the industrial rich. (D. #E) He went as far as to say, "ninety-eight out of one hundred of the rich men in America are honest. That is why they are rich." (D. #E) The illustration in document F clearly breaks down...

The Role of of a phlebotomist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Role of of a phlebotomist - Essay Example Therefore, the responsibilities of a phlebotomist in any healthcare organization are to explain to the patients about the procedures to be undertaken, encourage patients in case they are worried, draw the blood into a tube by inserting a hypodermic needle in the vain, dress the puncture created by the needle, mark the blood sample, deliver the blood sample within the stipulated time and ensuring that the records are complete and data entered in a computer. A Phlebotomist needs also to ensure that any lab tools are disposed off correctly (Stein 2). As a phlebotomist, an individual needs to follow several ethical roles. He or she needs to handle the patient with a lot of care and respect. A phlebotomist should constantly communicate with patients and do his or her best so as to avoid harming the patients. It is also ethical for phlebotomists to ensure that they are in a good relationship with the co-workers. Phlebotomists are supposed to treat their peers with a lot of kindness and respect. The guidelines, rules and regulations formulated by an employer should be followed strictly by a phlebotomist (McCall 150). From the discussion, it is clear that the major function of a phlebotomist is to draw blood specimens from patients. It is also evident that there are several ethical roles of a phlebotomist. Phlebotomist should handle his or her patients with care, relate well with co-workers and follow the formulated rules, regulations and

Avon Calls on Foreign Markets Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Avon Calls on Foreign Markets - Case Study Example 62). Avon’s marketing orientations For the US market, Avon has resorted to door to door selling via saleswomen who have been marketing the products via the word of mouth and establishing personal contacts with the customers and tapping a huge customer base. Globally Avon had resorted to country specific marketing, such as naming some of its products in the local language, when taking over a local company with a goodwill Avon kept certain names unchanged. For Asian regions, as customers tend to but products which are foreign, Avon kept their foreign names and prints instructions in the local language. It has also gone forward with the Hello Tomorrow campaign to signify a brand which is looking towards the future and also associated with breast cancer awareness (Daniels, Radebaugh, Sullivan, 2010, pp 622-624). Avon’s foreign operations The predicted growth for the company in the U.S. was low, since it had no new place to spread within the country to create a market for co smetics, toiletries and fragrances. The number of companies manufacturing these kinds of products in the US being large, Avon was facing considerable amount of competition. So Avon decided to expand its operations to other potential countries where it could register growth through increased sales. Also Avon’s lady representatives were the ones who sold Avon products, tapped customers and registered orders. This was cost saving for the company as this system required smaller number of employees and helped Avon to maintain low prices, a good image and a constant customer base. In the late 90’s, when US women started working in multinational companies fulltime, Avon found it difficult to get saleswomen. When the US market dried up, Avon found new ground in countries like Brazil and Philippines, where the women are usually do not leave their home. There was sufficient number of saleswomen available to reach out to the desolate areas to sell Avon products. (Daniels, Radebau gh, Sullivan, 2010, pp 621,622) Socioeconomic and demographic changes affecting Avon Socioeconomic changes involve the way society views a product. Demographic changes include aging customers. Both of these may affect the demand. From the socioeconomic point of view, a new type of conditioner may become important, whereas aging customers may want different age specific products according to their wants and needs. Accordingly Avon will have to come out with variants of the products and introduce new ones where necessary to maintain their customer base (Klepacki, 2005, pp 55, 56). Recession, a boom for Avon Every company and industry is affected by a recession as so many international aspects are related. The fields where Avon may feel the pinch are sales, suppliers and employees. Surprisingly when the recession hit in 2008 and the world felt the crisis deepening, the company recruited many saleswomen and men for their sales jobs. This happened because the recession led to massive lay offs, which in turn meant that more people were now available to do Avon’s door-to-door selling. Avon also took in male representatives, so as to allow men to be secure with a job, although it was traditionally reserved only for women (Daniels, Radebaugh, Sullivan, 2010, pp 622; Pauline, 2009). Avon’s Competitive Advantage Avon has a major competitive advantage over its competitors. It has an unparallel reputation in the beauty products market. Its main competition area had been the direct sales area,

How should organisation manage psychological contracts during PR Essay

How should organisation manage psychological contracts during PR Scandals - Essay Example Thismakesitessentialfor an organization to manage Psychological contract before theyare affected by publicrelationscandals. Therefore, managingpsychologicalcontract is important during publicscandals like fundembezzlement, falseaccusations of theftorsexualabuse within theorganization (Conway, 2005). In theprocess of managingpsychologicalcontract, an organization should performsomeactions. First, theorganization should be fair to allemployees and customers in terms of promotion, work allocation, payments, forexample, salaryandallowancesand deliverance of goods and services.Employeesalsoexpect to be consulted in making organizational decisions since theyfeelmoreimportant to theorganization. In case of a publicrelationscandal like misconduct of an employee, theorganization should be fair in judging theemployee. Forinstance, theemployee can be suspendedforsometimerather than beingsacked.An example of a real life situation is a case whereby during the presidential debate, KitchenAid tweeted to it fans â€Å"Obamas gma even knew it was going 2 b bad! ‘She died 3days b4 he became president†. The tweet was immediately deleted, and an apology was posted. The apology was posted on behalf of the employee who had tweeted(Male, 2009). Secondly, in case of a publicrelationscandal like an accusation, theorganization should maintaineffectivecommunication with theaffectedparties. Communication within theorganization should flowwell. Everymanager, employee or customer,should getthecorrectinformation within therighttimeschedule. Theemployer should alsoenhanceface to facecommunicationbecausethisgivestheemployee a chance of expression (CPID, 2010). Dialoguealso is a goodway to wintheemployees’ and customers’cooperation. Some companies fail to communicate to their customers effectively hence leading to future scandals. In 2000, executives of Merck failed to recall their drugs after

The Importance of Heritage Conservation

The Importance of Heritage Conservation Heritage conservation is important for identifying, recording, analysing and protecting heritage and cultural resources. Conservation of heritage buildings is an important tool in city development which can be seen in some cities in the world. It plays an important role to define the landmark within the heritage area as well as to generate economic return and to support the tourism industry. Conservation of heritage buildings is very important because it provides a sense of identity and continuity in a fast changing world for future generations. Heritage buildings basically represent the past history and culture of a nation. They constitute together the architectural heritage of an area. Heritage buildings possess historical values resulting from their beautiful architecture and their correlation with important events that occurred in the heritage area such as religious, social and political events. Heritage buildings are subjected to processes of degradation with time, which leads to a situation in which they became not able to fulfil the purpose for which they were built. For example, in Canada about 20 percent of pre-1920 heritage buildings to demolition over the last 30 years has been lost (Heritage Canada Foundation website, 20 December 2012). Therefore, heritage buildings need an important tool to protect them. Conservation guidelines of heritage buildings are one of the proposed resolutions for protecting heritage buildings. The absence of these guidelines leads inevitably to deterioration of heritage buildings. They must be created and developed to ensure that any important changes in conservation work are undertaken in the most ways possible to preserve the heritage structures, historic character and features. They prevent the random works that have spread in the conservation projects of heritage buildings. On this basis, conservation guidelines for developing and utilizing these properties must be established. Libya is a treasure chest of historic and ancient cultures. Great civilizations flourished in the country, including Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic. They all left lasting imprints of their cultures. Libya has five official UNESCO cultural heritage sites. The five sites added to the World Heritage List between 1982 and 1986 provide a clear illustration that Libya has a heritage whose incalculable value belongs to all humanity. The old city of Ghadames (OCG) is one of the official UNESCO cultural heritage sites that Libya has. The OCG is a major desert city and played an important role as a cultural and trade centre between the Mediterranean and Africa for over 1400 years. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1986 in recognition of its rich cultural heritage. Tourism plays an important role in the old city of Ghadames with many visitors from all over the world coming to attend the Annual Festival of Dates which is held in October. The conservation of heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames will preserve and restore a valuable piece of Libyas heritage and also contribute to the development of the city as an important tourist destination. This research attempts to assess the overall structural integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames as well as provide and develop conservation procedures and guidelines for repairing and conserving heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site. Problem Statements Defects of heritage buildings can result from the degradation of the construction materials or from the damage of the heritage building elements due to mechanical actions. Heritage buildings are subject to process of degradation with time. In other words, the degradation of the construction materials is a process that develops naturally with time, and can be accelerated by chemical, physical or biological actions. For this reason, several researches were conducted all over the world to assess the existing conditions of heritage buildings. For instance, A Ghafar Ahmad et al. (2008) assessed the existing conditions of heritage buildings in Malaysia with the main focus on the conditions of building defects and conservation approach used for these buildings. The research found that most of the defects that occur in heritage buildings in Malaysia were at external walls followed by internal walls and etc. Other research by Hashimah Shuhana (2005) where the two researchers assessed the strength of the old shophouses and the impending factors that threaten the continuous presence of these heritage buildings Malaysian town. The findings indicated that the practice of conserving the old shophouses is still not effective. A more effective measure in preserving the old shophouses needs to be undertaken. In addition, Itma M. A., (2007) assessed the situations of conservation projects in Palestine especially in the old city of Nablus. He found that heritage buildings of the old city of Nablus, Palestine, suffer from many random preservation. Although defects of heritage buildings can result from the degradation of the construction materials or from the damage of the heritage building elements due to mechanical actions. However, there is another risk which threatens the sustainability of the heritage buildings. Move of inhabitants of heritage buildings to modern concrete buildings with modern amenities is also a great risk that leads to heritage buildings deterioration. When inhabitants live in the heritage buildings, their houses are well maintained; some continue to be in excellent conditions and are properly cared for. If inhabitants stay in their heritage houses, they surely perform maintenance works periodically. In contrast, if they abandon their heritage houses, it will lose its vitality. This occurred in many heritage cities in the world. For example, many people moved away from the neighbourhood of Le Village in Cornwall, Ontario in Canada and sold their homes to investors who rented them out, when the textile mi lls in the area shut their doors. The layoff of many residents of Le Village marked the beginning of the deterioration of the communitys physical conditions. To resolve this problem, Friedman et al. (2002) developed urban and architectural guidelines for conservation of the neighbourhood of Le Village in Cornwall, Ontario. Another example occurred in China, when many younger and richer residents have moved from the old city of Yangzhou to the new city areas due to the deteriorating physical conditions of the heritage buildings. To make people return back to the old city of Yangzhou, Longbin (2007) developed a detailed design guideline for the whole old city Yangzhou in China. Like these events occurred also in the old city of Ghadames, Libya when the inhabitants moved out of their heritage houses of the old city to modern city in the early 1980s. Since then, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has carried out a project on the old city of Ghadames its objective was to encourage and motivate the inhabitants to come back to the old city. The project was completed in 2004 as part of the Tourism Master Plan (United Nations Development Programme and UNDP Office for Project Services Report, 2007). Even though the project maintained source of water (Ain Al-Faras), restored some heritage buildings a nd repaired streets. However, right now the inhabitants have not come back to the old city yet. This is also confirmed by UNESCO Report (2010) where the report mentioned that the old city of Ghadames has not yet seen the return of its inhabitants. Based on the above, assessment of the overall structural integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya is very important before developing the conservation guidelines for heritage buildings in the old city. Furthermore, there is a significant lack of researches conducted on the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames in spite of its heritage importance. Even though few studies were done on the old city and the modern city of Ghadames. However, none of them assessed the overall structural integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. Additionally, none of them attempted to develop conservation guidelines to protect the heritage buildings of the old city. Some of research studies were carried out by Chojnacki, (2003); Elwefati, (2007); and Nura S. et al. (2006). Besides that there is a lack of expertise and specific conservation guidelines for heritage buildings in the old city of Ghadames resulted of dilemma in the management of the municipality to preserve the heritage buildings. The level of understanding of the heritage buildings in Libya still remains low. Without any documentation the beauty of the heritage buildings will be lost due to age factor and climate change. Lack of expertise in the maintenance of heritage buildings is also a source of beautiful heritage buildings are damaged or destroyed. There is a lack of technical knowledge to repair and maintain heritage buildings in the old city of Ghadames. Since late 1980s, several studies on the conservation of heritage building of the old city of Ghadames have been undertaken with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and specialized (UN) agencies and other private or government entities. However, none of these studies have led to any concrete steps or conservation of heritage buildings of the old city in translating the plans into specific actions (UNDP Report, 2001). So far, no guideline on conservation guidelines for preserving heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames has been developed in spite of its importance to protect heritage buildings (Arrabti, 2011; Al-Hasi, 2011). This was confirmed by Azzuz (2000) where the researcher has confirmed non-existence of any guidelines to maintain and enhance the character and integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. Based on the discussion above, the main problem of this research results from the lack of: (1) Studies conducted on conservation of heritage buildings in Libya, (2) expertise and specific guidelines for heritage buildings in the old city of Ghadames, and (3) a suitable system in force for discovering and recording the heritage buildings in Libya. Therefore, the current research aims at identifying problems encountered in the heritage buildings in the old city of Ghadames, and suggests some conservation guidelines and references for the conservation of heritage buildings in the old city and which are all gazetted as national heritage buildings. Policies and guidelines to be provided are generally and specifically on an analysis of the heritage buildings. Research Questions Based on the research problem statements, the research questions mainly focus on the following areas: Is there any structural damage in the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya? How to repair and maintain the structural damages of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya? Is there any conservation guidelines on heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya? Objectives of the Research The main thesis objective is to assess the overall structural integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames as well as provide and develop conservation procedures and guidelines for repairing and conserving heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site. The objectives of this research are: To assess the overall structural integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya. To provide conservation procedures for repairing and maintaining the structural damages of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya. To develop the conservation guidelines and policy for the improvement and conservation of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya. Scope of the Research Conservation of heritage sites includes generally, buildings, artefacts, structures, areas and precincts of historic, aesthetic, architectural, cultural or environmentally significant nature (heritage buildings and heritage precincts), natural feature areas of environmental significance or the sites of scenic beauty. The research does not discuss heritage in general, but mainly focuses on the built environment. The economic and social aspects are mentioned, but are not the main emphasis in this research. For instance, when discussing about the impact of conservation on the economy, the built environment is regarded as the main emphasis. The defined scope of the research is then conservation of heritage buildings in Libya. Heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames were chosen as a representative city for conservation of heritage buildings in Libya. This was done so that to address its past, present and its future possibilities. The old city of Ghadames is one of the most typical tourism cities in Libya. This research does not cover all heritage cities in Libya, but the case of the old city of Ghadames has some characteristics and features with other heritage cities. Namely, the present research covers heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames including houses, mosques, and shops. Public buildings and the surrounding environment of the heritage area of the old city of Ghadames are not addressed by this research. Therefore, the study focuses on heritage houses, mosques, and shops of the old city of Ghadames as one of the famous places of the Ghadames heritage area. 1.6 Significance of the Research The significance of the research results from the historical importance of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. Heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames are an interesting case for investigation because the old city is considered one of the most prominent tourist destinations, and one of the most beautiful heritage cities in the desert. It has been recognized by several important international organizations such as the UNESCO and the Organization of World Heritage Cities. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has classified the old city of Ghadames like a heritage city and protected by the organisation in 1986, and classified it the third oldest city in the world (United Nations Development Programme and the UNDP Office for Project Services Report, 2007). The significance of this research also highlights from the architectural design of the heritage buildings of the old city which makes the old city of Ghadames important for studying its heritage buildings. The architecture of the heritage buildings of the old city is focused on resolving the climate problem and privacy. According to Nura S. et al., (2006), most of the people leave their houses in the new town of Ghadames and migrate to the old town and other cities during the summer, because the material of building construction and the air-conditioning in modern houses is unable to cope with the torrid heat of the desert and only the clay houses of the old town maintaining a degree of coolness, in summer-time the old town is still comfortable for living because of the good shelter against the extreme desert heat. In addition, the old city of Ghadames is located in desert regions. Therefore, it can be seen that its buildings are designed with flat roofs, small openings, and heavy weight materials such as dried mud. The thick exterior roof and walls help to absorb temperature fluctuations and, therefore, keep internal temperatures from rising above the outside surface temperature. An important function of the roof is its colour. A white or light coloured roof will stay approximately the same temperature as the outdoor air during the day, and 6-10 Celsius cooler than the outside air at night. This is an important feature because the cooler night times air will be channelled down by the slope of the roof and into the rooms in the building. One function of the small openings is to prevent dust from entering buildings. Windows are arranged so that equal areas are open on the windward and leeward sides of the building. The reason for this is very simple; the air stream can be directed into rooms tha t need constant ventilation such as the bedroom. When one window is positioned higher than another, thermal force will direct the airflow from the high window to the lower window creating good ventilation. Courtyards, patios, and verandas are other common features of heritage buildings in the old city of Ghadames. With high walls, these outside areas provide shade and a relaxing environment for their inhabitants for social gatherings, evening entertainment, food preparation, and domestic work such as laundry. Another way to provide shade in a more aesthetically pleasing way is through greenery. For example, trees, shrubs, and bushes provide natural shade from the sun while giving the courtyard area a pleasing look. Why are these outside areas so important? They are important because essential functions happen outside like cooking and entertaining. The outside environment in hot regions is just as important as the inside because it is a daytime relief from the intense climate. This beautiful architecture is worthy to investigate by study. This research is important because it focuses on heritage conservation which generates significant benefits to the economy. Based on the literature, benefits of the conservation of the heritage buildings are many. Economical benefits are considered one of them. Several studies confirmed that historic conservation yields significant benefits to the economy. In other words, these studies revealed that historic conservation is considered as an economic development tool. Namely, it yields significant benefits to the economy. For example Rypkema (1991) compared the relative costs of building conservation versus new construction, and found that building conservation makes more economic sense than new construction. Another study by Wolf et al (1999) where the researchers reached the same conclusion by Rypkema (1991). They found that in many cases; it is more efficient and profitable to preserve historic buildings than construct a new building. In addition, A Colorado Historical Society repo rt (based on an economic study conducted by Clarion Associates, et al, (2002) began, Studies across the country have shown that historic preservation acts as a powerful economic engine, creating tens of thousands of jobs and generating significant household income. On this basis, this research is deemed very important because it helps to develop tourism resources and exploitation of the architectural patrimony through re-using them and creating jobs. The significance of the research appears also from its main objective. As mentioned previously, this research attempts to develop conservation guidelines for the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. According to the literature, conservation guidelines should be developed to control changes done by conservation works on heritage buildings and to prevent random conservation works that lead to deterioration of the heritage building. A research by Itma, (2007) confirmed that issuance of instructions for maintaining heritage buildings such as obtaining the official demobilization to change or demolition or addition of a supplement of the heritage building is very important. Therefore, conservation guidelines ensure a better way to preserve heritage buildings. It is a good tool for protecting heritage areas. Accordingly, this research is considered very important. Research Contributions The following contributions can be highlighted from this research: This research is expected to give a contribution in providing policy and guidelines that will become the future reference for other heritage buildings located in the desert region. In addition, the appropriate conservation guidelines provided by this research can be used by the conservator and building contractors to guide them through conservation works. The investigation into this area increases the understanding of the role of conservation guidelines to protect heritage buildings and contribute to the literature by extending the current body of knowledge on this issue. The study can be benefited by policy maker, professional urban planners, architects, and historians. This study attempts to adopt historic conservation policies for heritage buildings in Libya. Therefore, policy maker may utilize findings of this study in determining their policies and practices. 1.8 Organisation of the Research The research is organised as follows: Chapter One, Introduction, provides background to the research and delineates the structure of the thesis. It presents research issues including the research problem and outlines research questions. The Chapter exhibits the research objectives which establish the purpose of the study, considers potential limitations, discusses significance of the research and outlines the contributions of the research findings. Chapter Two, Literature Review, reviews the relevant literature regarding conservation of heritage buildings. It discusses international organisations that have an interest with heritage buildings, approach of architectural conservation and heritage buildings. In addition, the Chapter outlines conservation theory related to this research. Chapter Three, Research Methodology, explains the way, which is selected for this independent study to show the applied research method in this part. It gives an understanding of how the practical work and data collection has been conducted, as well as how the results have been analysed. It describes the research methodology base on the literature review in Chapter Two. Chapter Four, The Overview of the Old City of Ghadames, outlines the case study of the old city of Ghadames. It provides background information on the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. The Chapter discusses also the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the World Heritage Site of Ghadames and shows the heritage sites added to the World Heritage List in Libya. Chapter Five, Case Studies, is dedicated to case studies. Some international experiences are addressed in this Chapter to benefit from them to achieve objectives of the research in chapter one. Chapter Six, Analysis and Findings, offers an in-depth discussion on the development of the conservation guidelines for the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. Chapter Seven, Conclusions, discusses the outcome of the research (i.e. Design guidelines). It also provides a discussion for the testing of research objectives.

Feminist Performance and the Silence of Isabella in Measure for Measure

Feminist Performance and the Silence of Isabella in Measure for Measure      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a chapter entitled â€Å"When Is a Character Not a Character?† Alan Sinfield presents the argument that the female figures in Shakespeare’s plays are not really â€Å"characters† at all, since they do not possess continuous and psychologically consistent interior lives. Although such roles as that of Desdemona, Olivia, and Lady Macbeth are written so as to suggest the presence of uninterrupted interior consciousness, this impression collapses under the pressure of the plot’s movement toward closure, which reveals the figures to represent nothing more than a â€Å"disjointed sequence of positions that women are conventionally supposed to occupy†(53). In order to preserve a textual organization that sustains a particular gender hierarchy, female characters abruptly shift from one stereotypical version of femininity to another without coherent linkages between them. For instance, despite their volubi lity throughout the early acts, at the conclusions of the plays, as Sinfield notes, Shakespeare’s women often â€Å"fall silent at moments when their speech could only undermine the play’s attempt at ideological coherence† (73). Thus, â€Å"the point at which the text falls silent is the point at which its ideological project is disclosed† (74). One of the most prominent of such silences appears at the end of Measure for Measure, where Isabella, â€Å"the bold woman silenced most spectacularly when marriage is proposed† (74), fails to react verbally to the Duke’s two offers of wedlock. According to Sinfield, this lack of response occurs because Isabella is suspended between two conventional female roles, and the disjunction between them makes manifest the agenda of the text’... ... The Stratford Season, 1992.† Shakespeare Quarterly 44 (1993): 477-83. Riefer, Marcia. â€Å"‘Instruments of Some More Mightier Member’: The Constriction of Female Power in Measure for Measure.† Shakespeare Quarterly 35 (1984): 157-69. Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Ed. David Bevington. 4th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1992. -----. Measure for Measure. The Arden Shakespeare. Ed. J.W. Lever. London: Routledge, 1965. Sinfield, Alan. Faultlines: Cultural Materialism and the Politics of Dissident Reading. Berkeley: U of California P, 1992. Sundelson, David. â€Å"Misogyny and Rule in Measure for Measure.† Women’s Studies 9 (1981): 83-91. Weil, Herbert S., Jr. â€Å"Stratford Festival Canada.† Shakespeare Quarterly 37 (1986): 245-50. Williamson, Marilyn L. The Patriarchy of Shakespeare’s Comedies. Detroit: Wayne State UP, 1986.    Feminist Performance and the Silence of Isabella in Measure for Measure Feminist Performance and the Silence of Isabella in Measure for Measure      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a chapter entitled â€Å"When Is a Character Not a Character?† Alan Sinfield presents the argument that the female figures in Shakespeare’s plays are not really â€Å"characters† at all, since they do not possess continuous and psychologically consistent interior lives. Although such roles as that of Desdemona, Olivia, and Lady Macbeth are written so as to suggest the presence of uninterrupted interior consciousness, this impression collapses under the pressure of the plot’s movement toward closure, which reveals the figures to represent nothing more than a â€Å"disjointed sequence of positions that women are conventionally supposed to occupy†(53). In order to preserve a textual organization that sustains a particular gender hierarchy, female characters abruptly shift from one stereotypical version of femininity to another without coherent linkages between them. For instance, despite their volubi lity throughout the early acts, at the conclusions of the plays, as Sinfield notes, Shakespeare’s women often â€Å"fall silent at moments when their speech could only undermine the play’s attempt at ideological coherence† (73). Thus, â€Å"the point at which the text falls silent is the point at which its ideological project is disclosed† (74). One of the most prominent of such silences appears at the end of Measure for Measure, where Isabella, â€Å"the bold woman silenced most spectacularly when marriage is proposed† (74), fails to react verbally to the Duke’s two offers of wedlock. According to Sinfield, this lack of response occurs because Isabella is suspended between two conventional female roles, and the disjunction between them makes manifest the agenda of the text’... ... The Stratford Season, 1992.† Shakespeare Quarterly 44 (1993): 477-83. Riefer, Marcia. â€Å"‘Instruments of Some More Mightier Member’: The Constriction of Female Power in Measure for Measure.† Shakespeare Quarterly 35 (1984): 157-69. Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Ed. David Bevington. 4th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1992. -----. Measure for Measure. The Arden Shakespeare. Ed. J.W. Lever. London: Routledge, 1965. Sinfield, Alan. Faultlines: Cultural Materialism and the Politics of Dissident Reading. Berkeley: U of California P, 1992. Sundelson, David. â€Å"Misogyny and Rule in Measure for Measure.† Women’s Studies 9 (1981): 83-91. Weil, Herbert S., Jr. â€Å"Stratford Festival Canada.† Shakespeare Quarterly 37 (1986): 245-50. Williamson, Marilyn L. The Patriarchy of Shakespeare’s Comedies. Detroit: Wayne State UP, 1986.   

Life Before and After the Fall of Communism in the Czech Republic

Do 1 Life Before and After the Fall of Communism in the Czech Republic Recently the senate and county elections in the Czech Republic confirmed that the preference of Czech voters is shifting to the left, what's more the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia got the second highest number of votes. The results are disturbing, because the last time Communists won the polls, the Czechs ended up being oppressed for over 40 years until they managed to overthrow the government. Now it seems that the same people have suffered from a collective memory loss.Have they forgotten how life was before 1989 and what crimes the communists committed during their reign? Voting for the communists is a mistake, which should never be made, because it is considerably better not to have them interfere in our lives. One of the biggest differences between now and then is the atmosphere of the time. Back then people described the atmosphere as â€Å"shades of grey†. They were not encouraged to be diff erent, on contrary individualism was oppressed and frowned upon. As a result most of the people were afraid to do or say anything that would make them stand out of the crowd.This resulted also in an atmosphere of fear. Nowadays individualism is supported in almost any area possible. From a young age people are pushed to be creative and this creativity distinguishes us from others. We have freedom of speech, which means that we can complain about anything even our current government, whereas back then if you said anything negative about the communists they would put you in prison. The concept of freedom was also very different. There wasn't a real democracy with the communists in power. The communistic regime in Czechoslovakia was characterized by the absence of free elections.Many basic human rights were limited such as freedom in political or religious beliefs, freedom of speech, the right to assemble or the right to education. This affected the Do 2 lives of people immensely and m any of them were unsatisfied and angry, however the majority of the society was afraid to do anything. The reason was that the communists got rid of inconvenient people. They fired people, they made sure their children couldn't get on the desired universities; they blackmailed, tortured and killed people through staged trials.For the majority of society it was simpler to act as if they were okay with the regime. In this day and age human rights are secured through countless declarations, laws and treaties. International organizations oversee observance and countries that breach these contracts have to face sanctions and they have to answer to the International Court of Justice. There are also major differences in the everyday life of normal people back then and now. During the reign of Communists it was forbidden to travel out of Czechoslovakia.Only those, who had special permission, could travel abroad and even then, most of these people were monitored by the secret service. Commun ism is strictly against capitalism hence the Communists tried to convince the public that the capitalistic countries were bad and that economically and socially communistic countries were better off than most of the western capitalistic world. Thus they couldn't let people travel abroad, because it would be clear right away that they were knowingly deceiving them. People had also a hard time when they went to shop.There were no products from capitalistic countries and everywhere the selection was very poor. Things as clothes, modern technology or even meat were scarce products. This may sound almost unbelievable to a person, who didn't experience this era or who was born after the fall of communism. We live in a global world today. People travel to the furthest corners of the world. It takes a few clicks to order anything from anywhere in the world through the Internet. People are surrounded by shopping malls with a huge selection. In other words we have everything that we need at t he reach of our hands. Do 3As we can see life during the communistic regime was much harder than life today and it was full of fear, uncertainty, and injustice. People lost many of their basic human rights, they had to suppress their individuality and succumb to the regime. If we compare it to the life that we have now, we have really nothing to complain about and it is obvious that we are better off without the Communists in the government. It is then very hard to comprehend why the Czechs are forgetting so quickly, what the communists have done in this country only a few decades ago and why so many of them have voted in their favor.I would suggest more informational campaigns about this period of history in order for the Czechs to learn properly about their history, because as George Santayana once wrote: â€Å"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it† (1). Do Thuy Linh (Linda) Paula Solon Composition I Comparison and Contrast Essay – Life Before and After the Fall of Communism in the Czech Republic November 8, 2012 Essay Outline Thesis: Voting for the communists is a mistake, which should never be made, because it is considerably better not to have them interfere in our lives.Introduction: The results of recent elections in the Czech Republic show a shift of voters' preference to the left. The most disturbing outcome is that the second highest number of votes belongs to the Communists. The atmosphere back then and now. â€Å"Shades of grey† and atmosphere of fear People feel safe and free Concept of freedom back then and now/ There was no real democracy and basic human rights were violated Human rights are nowadays secured through countless international contracts Everyday life of normal people back then and now.Things as travelling and shopping were hindered or denied Today in this global world we can go anywhere and buy almost anything Conclusion: Comparing life back then and now it is clear that we have nothing t o complain about. It is then hard to believe how the Communists got so many votes. Maybe the Czechs need more informational campaigns in order to learn properly about their history. Works Cited 1. Santayana, George. The Life of Reason. London: Prometheus Books, 1998. Print.

Idea of Critical Thinking

Idea of Critical Thinking The world is paining through a troublesome era. While a few are stubbornly fighting against the nearly intangible enemy that is terrorism, others are suffering. The question is whom should we trust, and who is doing the right thing? What about George W. Bush and his greedy friends? To be well-informed and capable of holding our own opinion in the middle of all this mischief comes down to one essential quality: critical thinking.Sometimes, we receive faulty or biased information. Thus, there needs to be a filter in our thinking that stops this bad information from affecting our judgment towards a manipulated opinion. To me, that filter is the essence of critical thinking. With the help of the knowledge and understanding of fallacies, someone is well-armed to overcome prejudice, illogic deductions and biased information. Critical thinking is to seek all the viewpoints of a given problem before coming to a conclusion.English: There are no symbols that represent skept...It is to require the original sources before assuming the truth of a statement or fact. Also, it consists of separating our immediate feelings from our thinking, in a way that will keep our reasoning to pure logic. Take for example the news media. In TV shows like 'Cops' and most crime news coverage, it has been proven that Africans Americans are seen as outlaws far more often than any other ethnicity. From seeing a majority of criminals being African American on television, people with weak critical thinking may falsely deduct that all of them are evil. The reasoning goes as follows: criminals are evil and most African Americans are criminals, so most African Americans are evil. A person with stronger critical thinking will be able to see the big picture, thus being conscious that not all criminals are Africans Americans and not all African Americans are criminals.In another perspective, creative thinking is an essential quality for good argumentation. It defines whether a statement is logical or i llogical. Sometimes, people tend to use easy arguments, which are nearly impossible to respond to, but that are not funded and illogical. Someone armed with a good sense of critical thinking will be able to use those statements as an asset. Take the example of the exploitation of the poor due to world trade. Someone with weak critical thinking may say: corporations exploit the poor countries and world trade is ruled by corporations, so world trade exploits the poor countries. An opponent with strong critical thinking may simply break the first premise by saying that some corporations exploit the poor countries while others are very human and offer great opportunities to workers from all over the world. Making a deduction from this would mean that world trade offers great opportunities, but once again this is an incomplete fallacy, since some corporations do exploit the poor countries.Finally, I think that being a critical thinker has a sense of self-discipline. People who think in a critical way seek the truth and expect more from themselves, so in my opinion they are the ones who tend to reach higher. Choosing the easy way just because it has no immediate consequences shows no critical thinking at all. On the other hand, to challenge ourselves constantly and be true to our goals is the best way to become a critical thinker. Critical thinking is more than knowing about fallacies; it's a philosophy and an attitude.

Marriage and Wilfred Owens War Essay

Marriage and Wilfred Owens War Essay Marriage and Wilfred Owens War Essay Explore the ways in which writers present disturbed minds in a selection of Wilfred Owen’s war poems and William Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet† Throughout both Hamlet and Wilfred Owen’s war poems they both show the uncertainty of the nature of death and the afterlife which are triggered through deep contemplations which creates disturbance. However in Hamlet he is not merely disturbed by death, he is also disturbed by the marriage of his uncle and mother. In Wilfred Owen he is disturbed by the violence and destructive nature of war in which affects him mentally and physically. In one of Wilfred Owens war poems â€Å"Mental Cases† he presents the tortured minds of the soldiers in which are completely trapped in the war. Wilfred compares the soldiers to skulls when saying ‘Baring teeth that leer like skulls’ teeth wicked?’ this is because they are like the living dead with fixed smiles on their skulls as they have to put on a brave face. The word ‘wicked’ shows an evil image that mankind should not be faced too as there youth has been taken away from them. He describes the eyes of the soldiers as ‘fretted sockets’ which gives an image of black dark circles around the eyes as they have nightmares of the war and can’t sleep. Owen has had these experiences when being shellshock therefore he is one of the mental cases which creates a disturbed mind as he has already experienced this and it is happening to other people. In the second stanza Wilfred capitalizes ‘Dead’ to emphasis death in whi ch is personified through the poem. Death being personified means that it is a disturbing thing as the war is hopeless and is creating a loss of those close to him(like Hamlet losing his father). The ‘memory fingers in their hair of murders’ shows that the soldiers are having to live with bad memories as they have murdered people, although they do not like to see it as that as it is an act of duty. However they can’t get away from all the bad memories as it is stuck in there head hanging in the back of their mind. Also Wilfred describes how the air that created the chuckle and laughter is now gone which is an disturbing

K Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

K - Assignment Example Also when certain operations are not running well, I point out the problem, act with speed and resolve the issue. Wrong information leads to great and unexpected losses. They must be dealt with as fast as possible and great conscious to avoid further misleading information. For an organization to run smoothly and efficiently, rules and regulations must be totally adhered to. For this reason, I fearlessly make sure that all the organizations rules and regulations are well set, well known to all and also followed to the letter by all the employees within the organization. This can be simpler during recruiting and hiring new staff where they will sign the rules they will apprehend with before they are hired. Also strict penalties to those who fail to abide. Different problems arise in different occasions as well as from different personnel’s. As a result, once a problem is reported to me, I’ll identify the cause of the problem by listening to the grievances from both parties and together we come up with a long lasting solution. Different problems call for different solutions and a lot of attention will be a necessity to avoid future recurrences. It is always my great pleasure and passion to work and properly relate with different personnel’s from different cultures, tribe, and country. This has given me a chance to learn more about other cultures and learn new things. This brings along different ideas that can also bring around accepted changes and growth to the company. Proper interaction with people of different race, culture and country will help them feel accepted, motivated and recognized. Whenever I receive any kind of information from any employee of my organization, I listen and handle the information carefully. I secretly investigate and analyze the information which leads me to better conclusions that will always favour the organization and all its employees and still maintain the informer

Racial Communitarianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Racial Communitarianism - Essay Example This is a post-post-modernist development in the sense that it engulfs not only traditions of libertarianism, modernity of civil society and peculiar amalgamation of both these to bring forth something anew as good governance but also its quest for a balanced form of State and social ethos. Racial Communitarianism thus reflects a search and global movement for equal respect and opportunities to people of all races in the pursuance of their duties as human beings and citizens of a global civil society. Rights will then be natural corollary of duties so performed professionally. Communitarianism is also an attempt to work towards fighting various apparently fascist tendencies of libertarianism such as overarching power channels and structures like the Security Council of the United Nations and the all powerful stature of the President of United States despite inherent checks and balances in the political system. Communitarianism is, indeed, an emerging movement to go beyond the shackles of a sovereign nation-state. It is moving ahead into the realms of a global civil society tackling a number of its issues and problems on its own without always looking up to the State for all its solution. Standing on one's own feet, preserving one's self-respect, economic and multicultural empowerment alongwith individual based and logically viable soc

Person- Centred Counselling in Action by Dave Mearns & Brian Thorne, 1988 Essay Example for Free

Person- Centred Counselling in Action by Dave Mearns Brian Thorne, 1988 Essay Person- Centred Counselling in Action by Dave Mearns Brian Thorne, 1988 Person-centred counselling originated in 1930’s and 40’s from the work of the American psychologist Carl Rogers. Rogers came to believe that as it is the client who is hurting, then ultimately it is the client themselves who holds the answers about how best to move forward. At the time, this approach was a departure from others forms of counselling which relied on clients being advised, guided or somehow influenced on which direction to take. Using the person centred approach, it is the counsellor’s job to help the client connect with their own inner resources enabling them to find their own unique solutions. In this book the authors undertake to explain the theories and principles of person centred counselling by relating them to actual practice. The book is intended as a practical and comprehensive guide for trainee counsellors, those training them and also for established counsellors wishing to familiarise themselves with the person centred approach to counselling. Coming from the standpoint of someone just starting out as a trainee counsellor, the writer was first attracted by the short, snappy title of ‘Person Centred Counselling in Action’. The word ‘action’ hints that the work will not be a dry, difficult to read book concentrating only on the theoretical side of things but the reader will actually get to see how the process works in practice. In this regard, the book did not disappoint. -2- The main body of the book explores in some depth, the conditions (known as the core conditions) of empathy, acceptance and congruence, which are essential to the practice of the person- centred counsellor. The final three chapters draw on one particular case study showing how the core conditions are used in practice. These final chapters look at the experience from both the counsellor’s and the client’s point of view. The writer found the contents of the book to be written in a logical fashion and in the main uses straight forward language. The writer felt that the down to earth style of writing and avoidance of jargon made the book more accessible than some others of the same genre. Also very helpful is that as  new concepts are introduced, examples of the concept being discussed are highlighted in boxes throughout the text. This helped to reinforce the writer’s understanding of ideas that are unfamiliar to her at this stage of her learning. One of the main themes of the book is an in-depth exploration of the three elements that make up what is referred to in person centred literature, as the ‘core conditions’. In the first chapter the book clearly states what these are as follows: â€Å"The creation of a growth producing climate in a therapeutic relationship requires  That the counsellor can: 1. be genuine or congruent 2. offer unconditional positive regard and total acceptance -3- 3. feel and communicate a deep empathic understanding† While this statement is useful for clarity it is obvious on reading further that these conditions are not easily attained. They take commitment on the part of the counsellor to develop and maintain these attitudes and are so significant, say the authors, that not only do they have profound implications for the counsellor’s professional practice but also for the counsellor’s life as a whole. This thought makes the writer pause and reflect on how powerful the core conditions are and the words ‘life changing’ spring unbidden to mind. Although in practice, the core conditions are inextricably linked, for the purposes of this review the writer has chosen to focus on the book’s exploration of acceptance or ‘unconditional positive regard’. The authors speak of unconditional positive regard as being an attitude held by the counsellor and give the following clear definition: â€Å"Unconditional positive regard is the label given to the fundamental attitude of the person-centred counsellor towards her client. The counsellor who holds this attitude deeply values the humanity of her client and is not deflected in that valuing by any particular client behaviours. The attitude manifests itself in the counsellor’s consistent acceptance of and enduring warmth towards her client†. It struck the writer that although this attitude of unconditional positive regard can be viewed as highly commendable, it may also in practice, be difficult to attain. The writer agrees with the -4-  authors’ opinion that unconditionality cannot be guaranteed due to each counsellor being fallible, human and having personal limits. The writer however questions the authors’ statement that â€Å" the person centred counsellor is likely to be ‘less conditional’ than most other people with whom the client will relate†. The writer feels that this is a sweeping generalisation of clients’ relationships and may not be true. That said, the writer believes that the attitude of unconditional positive regard is one that every counsellor, irrespective of tradition, should actively seek to develop and maintain. The authors pose the question â€Å"Why is unconditional positive regard important? † In answer to this question a picture is drawn of a client who has been brought up to believe that it is only by meeting conditions imposed on them by significant others that they have any value. By consistently having an attitude of unconditional positive regard and by valuing the client in their own right, irrespective of conditions imposed by others, the counsellor is directly challenging the client’s long held beliefs about their self- worth. The authors describe the client as being in a negative, self-defeating cycle, not expecting to be valued and relate to others by being self-protective or defensive. They may well be displaying behaviours that drive others away such as being inappropriately aggressive, not showing any feelings or perhaps withdrawing from any demanding social contact. In driving others away, the client’s belief that he is unworthy or unlovable is reinforced. The authors explain that by having an attitude of unconditional positive regard, the counsellor can gradually break into the client’s self- defeating cycle. Once the cycle is broken, the client -5- no longer needs to be defensive towards the counsellor. His fear reduces and an environment of trust and safety is created where the client feels able to explore what troubles him. The authors claim that not only will the client have been influenced to question conditions of worth imposed on him and been helped to become less defensive but that somehow the client will begin to experience the counsellor’s attitude for himself and begin the journey towards self-acceptance. The writer, though inexperience, agrees with the writers’ view that the counsellor’s attitude of unconditional positive regard can eventually have dramatic positive effects for the client. The writer also takes on board the authors’ advice to bear this dramatic effect in mind, early in the therapeutic process when the client can display a number of difficult, off-putting behaviours. There was some discussion by the authors about ‘defensive’ clients. They give examples of three clients with very different problems. Mary an unkempt 45 year old lady with poor personal hygiene who is filled with self-loathing; Roger a hard-nosed 35 year old, cut-throat business man who blames his wife for all their marital problems and James a suspicious, angry 18 year old who used most of his first counselling session to verbally abuse the counsellor. It later became clear that the three clients had four things in common: 1. They all had a deep sadness, 2. Felt intensely unloved, 3. Did not love themselves and 4. Were all extremely vulnerable. The authors note that although the clients behaviours were very different their defensiveness was acting as a shield which repelled others and hid what kind of people they really were. The -6- authors advise that unconditional positive regard means that the counsellor should not be put off by these behaviours but should continue to value the worth of the client and eventually earn the right to be given access to what lies behind the shield. The writer can imagine that it could sometimes be difficult for the counsellor to accept their client. The authors examine this problem in some depth and also give practical steps for the counsellor to take when confronted with this situation. They advise the conscious use of empathy which helps the counsellor to focus more on the client and less on her own negative feelings towards the client. Using empathy can also encourage the client to open up more and cause the counsellor to question her earlier judgement. The authors also suggest that it would be beneficial for the counsellor to explore the matter more fully in supervision. The dislike belongs to the counsellor, say the authors and is therefore her responsibility to deal with it and not blame the client for her feelings. In the chapter on unconditional positive regard, the authors go onto discuss in some depth other matters worthy of consideration and study such as ‘Can the Client Accept My Acceptance? Focus on Warmth’, ‘Focus on Conditionality’ and ‘Accepting the Client who loves you’. Unfortunately time does not allow the writer to discuss these topics any further. The writer found the whole book very engaging and informative and would recommend the newer edition to anyone wanting to learn more about person-centred counselling. Its ‘hands on’ style is very readable and gives many useful examples of the process in action. In conclusion, it ‘does what it says on the tin’! (Word Count 1,565)

Leadership In A Changing Environment Nhs Management Essay

Leadership In A Changing Environment Nhs Management Essay Spending on the NHS has risen from  £447m a year to  £96bn over the last 60 years (Ham 1997), nearly a 10-fold increase after adjustment for inflation (Hawe 2008). In 2000 the Labour government initiated a programme of investment of 7% budget increases for 7 years that was unprecedented for any healthcare system (Department of Health 2000). However, Andrew Lansley the new health secretary, recently announced that the NHS budget would continue to rise above inflation in the coming years, but signalled that the NHS may need to make more savings than the previously announced  £20bn in efficiency cuts, a move health experts described as extremely ambitious and unions warned could have a devastating impact on hospitals (The Guardian, 2010). The government say it is necessary to make savings on such a scale because of the squeeze in public spending. So the NHS, with a budget of  £100bn amounting to a fifth of total public spending will have to do more with less. The individuals charged with steering the NHS through this period of relative famine will no doubt be required to display all the qualities of good leadership in order to meet the demanding financial and strategic challenges that face the organisation. But what are those qualities? How are they being developed within the NHS, and are they even the right qualities needed to produce effective leadership in an organisation as complex and demanding as the NHS? This paper firstly takes a critical look at what might constitute good healthcare leadership with reference to the current NHS Leadership Qualities Framework (NHS Institute of Innovation and Improvement, 2005) and presents an alternative to the individualistic approach of seeing leadership as a set of distinct personal qualities, capabilities and/or behaviours. Some of the theoretical and methodological weaknesses of the individualistic approach are exposed in an attempt to challenge the established formula for good leadership, and argue that in the increasingly tough economic climate that the NHS has to operate in, a new style of leadership is required to meet the challenge of delivering high quality healthcare whilst balancing the books. Secondly we look at the role of organisational change in facilitating this new approach to leadership. Established models of culture change are summarised and analysed to see if they might fit within this new approach to leadership. Finally the author discusses his own personal style of leadership in light of the findings and attempts to apply theory to practice within his own working environment. Leadership in the context of the NHS The NHS employs more than 1.3 million  people spread across hundreds of organisations.  Leaders of NHS organisations need to provide strong, strategic leadership for their organisation while being held to account by local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) and other regulatory bodies for nationally and locally set objectives.  The performance of these organisations is dependant on the performance of clinicians who are often leaders in their own right, and due to the nature of their profession are expected to work under a great deal of autonomy. This is a problem that the NHS has been struggling with over its entire history. In 1983 the Conservative government of the time commissioned the Griffiths Report, which was a key trigger to the development of management and leadership in the NHS.  In the report, Roy Griffiths famously said, If Florence Nightingale were carrying her lamp through the NHS today she would be searching for the people in charge.  (Griffiths, 1983). The report is best known for recommending that general managers be introduced into the NHS. During the 1980s, hospitals began to integrate the medical profession into the management structure. In the early 1990s, however, with the introduction of the internal market, managers and leaders were tasked very clearly with balancing the books.  This resulted in managers becoming stereotyped as bean counters, a popular viewpoint still held by many (Kings fund, 2009). It was important then that the publication of Lord Darzis NHS Next Stage Review in 2008 (Doh, 2008) shifted the focus from general management onto the need for more clinical leadership.  Clinicians are being asked to have increasing involvement with the management agenda and take responsibility for the delivery of services locally. As a result of this increased recognition of a need for high quality leadership to deliver the NHS Plan (Doh, 2000) in 2009 the Chief Executive of the NHS, David Nicholson, established, and currently chairs the National Leadership Council (NLC). The Council has five main work streams: Top Leaders, Emerging Leaders, Board Development, Inclusion, and Clinical Leadership. This development represents a switch from where people were left to work out their career options for themselves, to a more nurturing environment, with a greater focus on support to both individuals and organisations. The Leadership Qualities Framework The document that underpins the development of leaders through the (NLC) is the Leadership Qualities Framework which has a number of applications and builds on the increasing emphasis in management recruitment, development and education on nurturing individual character traits in leaders, with the sole purpose of producing a set of abilities and transferable skills that can be applied in a variety of situations and contexts. Through this approach, NHS organisations hope to produce adaptable leaders, able to work across a multitude of complex environments and systems typical of a healthcare organisation. The term leadership is applied then to those who seemingly possess the abilities deemed necessary to lead, such as communication, people management, decision making and problem-solving. This dominant approach focuses on individual personal qualities for leadership development and is the latest in a long line of competency frameworks that have emerged in the last 50 years. The history of competency frameworks Leadership thinking has developed substantially over the last 50 years. The idea of individual character traits that started with Stogdill (1950) soon expanded into other schools of thought with McGregor pioneering the behavioural approach (1960) and Fiedler the contingency school (1967). These ideas were added to by Hersey Blanchard (1977) with situational leadership and Burns with transformational leadership (1978). All these approaches focus on leadership as a set of qualities embedded in the individual and can be thought of as competency approaches. There focus is on leaders who impress others; inspire people; push through transformations; get the job done; have compelling, even gripping visions; stir enthusiasm; and have personal magnetism (Maccoby, 2000). The NHS Leadership Qualities Framework is the latest such tool that adopts the individualistic approach with a focus on 15 core personal characteristics such as self-belief, empowering others, intellectual flexibility, political astuteness and integrity. These personal qualities are undoubtedly important but do not probably tell the whole story of what makes a good leader. Sanderson (2002) makes the point that management is more likely a consequence of complex contextually-situated interrelations, thoughts reiterated by Mintzberg in 2004 who suggests that our view of leadership is more likely to be an over-simplification of a vast pool of environmental data compressed into a few key people. So what are the major criticisms of competency models such as the LQF, and how might such a model have to adapt to ensure that the National Leadership Council produces the right kind of leaders needed for the future? Weaknesses of competency approaches to leadership There are at least five areas where the competency approach could be seen to be flawed (Bolden et al, 2006). Firstly it can be seen to be reductionist in the sense that it reduces the management role to its constituent parts rather than seeing it as a whole (Lester, 1994 Ecclestone, 1997). Secondly, the competencies that are listed as prerequisites for good leadership are often generic with no accounting of the nature of the task or situation (Swales Roodhouse, 2003). Thirdly, that focusing on personal traits may reinforce stereotypes about leadership rather than challenge them (Cullen, 1992). Fourthly, that not enough attention is given to the subtle qualities such as the moral and emotional elements of leadership that are difficult to quantify and measure (Bell et al. 2002). The fifth and final main criticism of competency frameworks is that their content forms part of an approach to education that aims to train individuals to improve their performance at work rather than develop more general cognitive abilities (Grugulis, 1997). If we accept the above weakness as legitimate, then it does cast doubt over the validity of competency frameworks such as the LQF to actually select and develop leaders. Salaman (2004) suggests that these frameworks may actually be confusing the issue when he states that The problems it promised to resolve are not capable of resolution and its promise consisted largely of a sleight of hand whereby organizational problems were simply restated as management responsibilities Weaknesses specific to the LQF include the fact that the initial research on which it was built was taken from interviews with Directors and Chief Executives rather than observation of good leadership in practice (NHS Leadership centre 2005). Also the qualities being promoted such as awareness, self-belief and integrity may be admiral in their own right but do not necessarily automatically lead to effective leadership. Bolden et al (2006) lists the characteristics as (a) a somewhat persecutory list of oughts, and (b) suggest that the characteristics still do little to get effective leadership done. One may be visionary, communicative and honest and still find leadership to be elusive. This then is the great paradox found within the competency approaches; that while they aim to highlight the skills that may be needed in certain situations, it is highly unlikely that people will encounter the exact same set of circumstances in their own practice because of the inherent complex nature of working life. Also, that while providing prescriptive solutions to problems may increase consistency, they may stifle any original though in the leader wanting to apply their own reasoning to the problem. The characteristics of the LQF seem then to be then a description of the qualities found in people in the top jobs rather than the prerequisites for leadership. The difference in viewing these traits as descriptive rather than prescriptive cannot be underestimated. Such descriptions however tend to oversimplify and may prove to be of limited, practical value within the climate of complexity, interdependence and fragmentation that arguably characterizes multi-disciplinary organizations such as the NHS (Blackler et al., 1999). Additionally, individuals are likely to try and define themselves according to the corporate language found within competency frameworks to legitimise their role rather than seek new ways of working and improving their practice (Holman Hall, 1997). Going back to Sandersons earlier point that management is more likely a consequence of complex contextually-situated interrelations, we can see how in a medical setting such as in a busy outpatient department the desired outcomes can only be achieved as a consequence of multiple staffing/patient/organisational/medical factors working in synergy. Successful leadership in this sort of environment is not likely to be the result of any one individual, but a result of all the characters competently playing their respective parts. Marx (1973) suggests that we should not focus on a few key individuals when trying to explain leadership in an organisation, because if we do so there is the danger that individuals become pigeonholed as either leader/follower and the nuances of the group interactions as a whole become lost. He ultimately describes the leadership focus on a few key people as an illusion. Using the earlier example of a trip to the outpatient department there is no point looking fo r a leader throughout the care process, as responsibility passes between various individuals, especially if you include the initial referral from the GP and follow up staff such as home help after the visit. Beyond individual competencies So if traditional competency frameworks, including the Qualities Leadership Framework are flawed, how can a view of leadership based on contextual factors better steer the future of leadership development within the NHS? Building on the initial thoughts of Marx in 1973, Bolden et al (2006) develop the argument that leadership is an organic process that is an ongoing, ever developing situation that individuals find themselves in whilst interacting with others. Leadership can come and go depending on the relationships that people have with each other and is inextricably linked to the particular environment of the time. Like power, leadership is an internal relation, constantly in-tension and subject to a myriad of meanings, values, ideals and discourse processes (Alvesson, 1996). One of the implications of reclassifying leadership in this way is that good and effective leadership cannot now be taught, only experienced by others. Sandberg (2000) interviewed assembly line workers and concluded that finding purpose at work led to appropriate competencies arising naturally. He proposes that by engaging in dialogue to clarify a workers purpose leads to better outcomes compared to presenting them with a list of competencies to achieve. Within the outpatient department example it is likely that the unified sense of purpose will bind the individual players, creating an environment that facilitates the emergence of positive behaviours when required. In light of the increasing economic constraints that health organisations have to operate within, it would be wise to promote leadership as potentially accessible to all by placing more emphasis on personal autonomy. Perhaps then this re-conceptualisation would encourage a shift not only in how leadership is researched, but also in how it is recognised, rewarded and developed within the NHS. Practically speaking the NHS needs to cast its net a bit wider when trying to define good leadership. It means opening up leadership from multiple angles, searching its small details, minor shifts and subtle contours (Dreyfuss Rabinow, 1982) to see it in the context of its environment. Bringing about organisational change In light of our proposal that it would be wise to promote leadership as potentially accessible to all by placing more emphasis on personal autonomy, there needs to be a way that leaders can disseminate this culture within their organisations. As many health organisations are built on strict hierarchical chains of command it is inevitable then that many organisation will have to go through some form of culture change to embrace new ideas and practices. Many people working in health organisations will be familiar with organisational change of some sort. But most would associate organisational change with shifts in management structures or indeed the creation/removal of whole new organisations. When structural change is implemented it is usually with the intention of bringing about change to meet wider goals such as introducing stronger leadership, achieving financial balance or addressing a previously unmet service need. There is however an alternative, the option of attempting to chan ge the culture within the organisation to meet these same goals. There are a vast range of models for understanding organisational culture change which were reviewed by Brown in 1995. His extensive review of the literature identified five main models detailed in Box 1. Lundbergs model, based on earlier learning-cycle models of organisational change; emphasises external environmental factors as well as internal characteristics of organisations. Dyers model, posits that the perception of crisis in conjunction with a leadership change are required for culture change to occur. Scheins model, based on a simple life-cycle framework; posits that different culture change mechanisms are associated with different stages in an organisations development. Gagliardis model, suggests that only incremental culture change can properly be described as a form of organisational change. A composite model, based on the ideas of Lewin, Beyer and Trice, and Isabella; provides some insights into the microprocesses of culture. Box 1: Five Models of Organisational Culture Change (Scott et al., 2003, adapted and derived from Brown 1995). No model is comprehensive enough to be said to be the definitive blueprint for change processes, but the merits and weaknesses of each are briefly listed in turn: Lundbergs model Figure 1 Lundbergs organisational learning cycle of culture change (Lundberg, 1985) and reproduced in Brown (1995). Lundbergs model (1985) recognises the presence of multiple subcultures that operate within organisations, and at each stage there are various internal and external conditions that need to be met in order to move round the cycle and for change to occur. It is not possible to go into all the detail that surrounds this model, but Lundberg describes the numerous precipitating events that can spark change (otherwise known as the trigger events) before describing the types of strategies employed by leaders and the different forms of action planning required to bring about change. Critics (Scott, 2003) suggest that the model is rather mechanistic, failing to fully acknowledge the dynamism and uncertainty between cause and effect in organisational life. It also fails to address the political forces (doctor-managerial tensions) within organisations, or recognise the influence of key individuals and groups in facilitating and resisting culture change (Mannion, 2010). Dyers cycle of cultural evolution Figure 2 The cycle of cultural evolution in organisations (Dyer 1985) and reproduced in Brown, (1995). Dyers model (1985) suggests that a crisis paves the way for a culture breakdown within an organisation, which in turn leads to the emergence of new leadership. A power struggle ensues whereby the new leadership has to assert their dominance over the old leadership by being seen to resolve the conflict between to two parties. To aid with this transition the new leadership introduce new values, symbols and artefacts into the organisation to banish the old organisational history. New people are recruited who support the new values and so the new culture is sustained. One advantage of Dyers model over many other theoretical models is that its two essential conditions for cultural transformation crisis and new leadership are relatively easy to identify and test in organisational settings. There is also a particular focus on leadership in organisational culture and change. However Scott (2003) again criticises the model for oversimplifying the change process, pointing out that the roles of the majority of individuals in an organisational culture are de-emphasised in favour of a focus on innovative leadership. Mannion (2010) mentions that Dyers model also fails to ask a crucial and rather obvious question about the causes of crises in organisations. Scheins Life Cycle Model Figure 3 Growth stages, functions of culture, and mechanisms of change. Reproduced from Schein (1985) and reproduced in Brown, (1995) Scheins life-cycle model of organisational culture change (1985) suggests that organisations undergo the three distinct stages of birth and early growth, organisational midlife, and organisational maturity. In the early birth and growth stages the organisation battles with its identity, characterised by revolutionary change and possible challenges to the leadership from individuals from the old culture. The midlife phase is characterised by deeply embedded values that need be brought to the surface through organisational development to bring about change. Other factors that can precipitate change during this stage however are new technology, scandals (such as the Bristol heart surgery tragedy/Harold Shipman) and the gradual drip feeding of new ideas by the leadership described by Quinn as Incrementalism (1978). The final mature stage implies that change would come easily to this type of organisation. In fact the opposite is true, and companies may have to go through large turnaround projects to detour from their well established courses. Leaders are also more likely to need to use coercive strategies for change when more subtle approaches have failed to produce results. Gagliardis model Figure 4 Gagliardis model: Cultural change as an incremental process (Brown 1995) Gagliardi (1986) agues that rather than seeing old cultures as totally replaced by new ones, the old ones are merely built upon to incorporate the new values. Leaders will ascribe success to the new ways of doing things despite the fact that the new process might have no connection to that particular outcome. This model of cultural change is interesting because it embraces the fact that gradual change can happen over time, and that the way that this happens can often be as a result of the way that successful leaders attribute the reasons behind the organisations success to previous decision making, even though those decisions would have made little or no effect on the result. The Composite model of Lewin, Beyer and Trice, and Isabella Figure 5 Understanding organisation culture change: three related domains (reproduced from Roberts and Brown (1992) The final model of organisational change discussed by Brown (1995) is a compilation model based on the ideas of Lewin (1951) as modified by Schein (1964), Beyer and Trice (1988) and Isabella (1990). Essentially the model describes the three stages of learning as freezing- clinging to what one knows, unfreezing exploring ideas, issues and approaches and refreezing identifying, utilising and integrating values, attitudes and skills with those previously held and currently desired. The framework is very general and applicable to any type of organisation and to any level within an organisation. However the model (much like Lundbergs in model 1) paints a very mechanistic picture of change, and it does not recognise the often painful transitions that can to take place moving between the three stages. This type of planned change model is not without its critics, and Garvin (1994) argues that change cannot occur from one stable state to another in the turbulent business environment that exists today. Bamford and Forrester (2003) suggest that the planned approach assumes that all parties are in agreement on their goals and direction and this is rarely the case. Hayes (2002) highlights that some organisations may have to change initially for environmental reasons but have no desire to define the end state. It serves then as a fairly limited descriptive tool, and does not attempt to inform as to whether any change programme has been successful or not. In contrast to planned change, emergent approaches see change as less reliant on the manager (Wilson 1992) and less prescriptive and more analytical in nature (Dawson 1994). Dawson claims that change must be linked to developments in markets, work organisation, systems of management control and the shifting nature of the organisational boundaries and relationships. There is therefore more emphasis on bottom-up action rather than top-down control in commencing and implementing organisational change. Given the need for NHS managers to harness the cooperation of professional staff and work across complex organisational boundaries, emergent approaches are often well suited to achieving change because the role of senior management shifts from a controller to a facilitator. Personal responses to leadership In having to reflect on my own leadership style I am immediately presented with a dilemma. The objective of this paper was to deconstruct the established models of leadership (including the NHS Leadership Qualities Framework) and adopt a new approach to leadership that incorporates the situational context and other social factors. I refer back to Dreyfuss Rabinow, (1982) who encourage us to open up leadership from multiple angles, searching its small details, minor shifts and subtle contours to see it in the context of its environment. There are at least five major weaknesses to this individualistic approach which have been discussed at length already, so I will not repeat myself here. But essentially by subjecting myself to these established competency frameworks I would undoubtedly be shoehorning myself into a set of constructs that would probably do little to help me establish how best to operate in my individual working environment. To take this thought one step further I would say that the best leaders are therefore the individuals most able to analyse their environment, adapt their interactions and self actualize within that environment appropriately. In light of the fact that NHS organisations are moving from large highly structured institutions to smaller stakeholder organisations with multiple players, the skills most required to lead will most probably be relational and persuasive. Perhaps then ones ability to interact with others according to model of relational proximity best describes the leaders of the future. This model lists the values needed for effective relationships such as focusing on the quality of the communication process, maintaining relationships, breadth of knowledge, use and abuse of power and valuing similarity and difference. I am again however again inclined to see this model as too prescriptive, and as Bolden mentions earlier lists the characteristics as (a) a somewhat persecutory list of oughts, and (b) suggest that the characteristics still do little to get effective leadership done. As a manager working in a Primary Care Trust I am able to see first hand how the general move towards decentralisation with greater autonomy does seem to be creating a paradox within the organisation. The combined effects of commissioning organisations splitting away from their provider arms and an increasing move towards an open market has created a more mechanistic approach towards commissioning and providing services. This seems to pull against the other central directive of remaining flexible to meet local need. Effective leadership for me then and I suspect all working a healthcare environment is to somehow thread the needle by employing on the one hand a mechanistic approach that satisfies the performance management demands from monitoring bodies, while at the same time remaining flexible enough to respond to the changing healthcare marketplace. Concluding remarks This paper has set out to demonstrate that the existing emphasis on developing leadership through competency based models such as the Leadership Qualities Framework is a flawed. Less emphasis needs to be placed on individual leaders and more attention paid to the environmental and situational factors that encourage leadership to thrive. The NHS is an organisation dependent on responsible shared leadership. It would not be accurate to attribute its successes and failures to the few as that viewpoint is likely to be an over-simplification of a vast pool of environmental data compressed into a few key people. Organisational culture change was discussed as a vehicle for introducing new approaches to leadership and the five main models of organisational change as reviewed by Brown in 1995 were summarised and discussed. None of these models were found to comprehensively describe the change process and most could be accused of being rather mechanistic, failing to fully acknowledge the dynamism and uncertainty between cause and effect in organisational life (Scott, 2003). The mixed messages distributed by policy makers centrally add to the confusion within healthcare, requesting that workers are both centrally accountable and at the same time expected to work flexibly and autonomously. The argument being then, that it is not possible (or even preferable) to maintain one leadership style in this context. Further research it seems is required to deepen our understanding of ideal environmental factors that allow leadership to blossom through bottom-up emergent processes as opposed to imposed top-down structural changes and rigid concepts of what constitutes good leadership.