What the different between personnel management and HR management Essay

What the different between personnel management and HR management - Essay Example They do not hold identical views about the similarities and dissimilarities between human resource management and personnel management. Human resource management often regards employees as resources. This encourages investment in training and development as well as other activities, which increase the worth of the investments making them motivated to fulfill their job roles. On other hand, personnel management views the employees as costs of the business and has to be controlled and kept to a minimum. Hence, employees are one of the largest costs of a business. Furthermore, human resource management is naturally practical. Its main area of concern is the existing conditions within an organization, but it anticipates future requirements and then it comes up with an action plan. On the other hand, personnel management is naturally reactive. It suits itself by making sure that peaceful relations as regards to management of labor exist in the present. Human resource management gives emphasis to unlimited contracts, which can be customized based on the existing business demands. In this regard, management is tasked with the responsibility of motivating its staff and this is often a catalyst for improved performance. Personnel management gives emphasis to the strict observance of established contracts, procedures, and rules that oversee the relationship between the management and the employees (Chandramohan, 2008). Based on the differences outlined above, it is worth concluding that human resource management is most crucial in an organization. In addition, social significance of personnel management is evident since it enhances the dignity of people at work by satisfying their social

Bombardier Aerospace Essay Example for Free

Bombardier Aerospace Essay After acquiring a few companies, Bombardier Aerospace was now faced with the challenge of how to align the operations of these companies who all had different sets of data, processes and systems. Major areas of concern were process delays, low inventory turn, inconsistent pricing and billing of materials among others. Bombardier introduced the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) into its aerospace division with a vision to achieve higher efficiency in manufacturing and also to significantly save cost. To assess the performance of this IT project, Bombardier Aerospace needs to consider the following six variables which are interdependent as far as success or failure is concerned. System Quality examines the desirable characteristics of an information system. These may include ease of use, system flexibility, system variability and ease of learning. If we take a look at the first phase of the project which was carried out at the Mirabel Plant, we realize that this element of system quality is not very solid. There were complaints from users with regards to the IT system. Problems were encountered after the Go Live and as a result, several users were still using legacy systems for some aspects of their work. In the second phase at the Saint-Laurent plant, we realize that after robust measures were put in place, they achieved data accuracy of 97 percent. The second variable to consider is Information Quality. This examines the desirable qualities of the system output such as its relevance, understandability, currency, timeliness and usability. The methods employees encountered delays in modifying bills of materials. Also, it took some time before they could understand what information the newly formed Master Data group required of them. This tells us that Information Quality was poor in the first phase of ERP implementation. As far as the Use of the IT project is concerned, Bombardier Aerospace needs to look at the degree and manner in which staff and users utilize the capabilities of the system. For instance, the amount of use, frequency of use, appropriateness of use or the purpose of the use. In the phase two, most users of the new system reacted positively to it but the project at the Mirabel plant was quite different. Sourcing agents could not approve a purchase order for a part if its contract did not contain a price or if the current price was different from that stated in the contract. This was a flaw in the system as far as its use was concerned. Another way to assess the IT project’s success or failure is by measuring the User Satisfaction. Not until after about one year after Go live, user satisfaction at the Mirabel plant was not good enough. Users from various functions complained about significant delays in getting answers to their queries. At the Saint-Laurent plant on the hand, most users felt that the new system made their job easier. The ERP implementation had different impacts on individuals. Employees in finance at the Mirabel plant were frustrated by the system. They had to make manual corrections to the general ledger if materials were issued incorrectly. At the Mirabel plant, the majority of users thought that the new system had impacted them positively. They thought that their inputs were taken into consideration and they virtually used the system in all instances. In terms of organizational impact, we are able to tell from the case that the project was a successful one. One of the primary goals of implementing this system was improve visibility and reduce the value of inventory held by Bombardier Aerospace. The BMIS contributed to reducing inventories by $1.2 billion in just less than a year after Go Live. Also Procurement became more efficient and integrated due to the implementation.

Trench Warfare In 1914

Trench Warfare In 1914 World War I began in 1914 and lasted up until 1918; the war involved two sides which were entitled the Central Powers and the Allies. The Allied powers consisted of: France, the British Empire, the Russian Empire, Italy, United States, Japan, Romania, Serbia Belgium, Greece, and Portugal. The Central Powers consisted of: the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. Many factors led up World War I such as nationalism, imperialism, and the assassination in Sarajevo. The Western Front was quickly lined with trenches producing a stalemate for most of the war. With the introduction of these deadly trenches it soon brought new devastating tactics such as poison gas, hand grenades, tanks, and heavy mortar attacks.  [1]  During World War I trench warfare had significant and lasting effects on soldiers due to the devastating and horrid conditions. Over two hundred thousand men died in the trenches during World War I.  [2]  Trench warfare was first started during the development of rapid firing small firearms and artillery strikes. With these new developments it made infantry charges a lot less effective and impracticable, thus bringing stalemate to both sides. Trench warfare was a type of fighting were soldiers on both sides stayed in trenches to avoid enemy fire. The soldiers built their beds into the side of the trenches. They dug holes in the ground to use as bathrooms. In order to get around in the trenches they needed to walk on boards to keep from sinking in the soft soil. If a solder should lift his head above the trench he would risk being shot by an enemy sniper. The trenches that were constructed were made in a zigzag pattern, never being in a straight line, and were approximately twelve feet deep. By being dug in a zigzag pattern it made it so it was not possible to see more then ten feet down the trench. The re ason being was so that if the trench was infiltrated with enemies the enemy would not be able to gain access to the hole trench, but rather only one point Another reason for the zigzagged trenches was to compress a bomb or bomb shell if it landed in the trench. Death within the trenches was a continuous cycle that never ended, even with the absence of any raids that were launched by the enemy. Nonstop artillery attacks were set out by the enemies directed at the trenches brought unsystematic death to men that were either relaxing in the dugout and laid flat down in the trench.  [1]  New soldiers that had never been in trenches were often killed due to curiosity while looking over the trenches into no mans land. Millions of rats infested trenches of World War I. With so many rats infesting the trenches they were eventually classified into type types of rats, the brown rat and the black rat. The rats could grow up to the size of a cat by crawling into the corpses of dead bodies and eating their internal parts, completely changing the dead soldiers appetence.  [2]  Soldiers, becoming exhausted and afraid of the rats, tried many different ways to kill them such as hitting them to death, shooting them, and even using the bayonets at the end of their guns. Rats could produce up to nine hundred offspring a year which would later on spread infections within the trenches and contaminate foods. Lice were among many of the other problems faced in trench warfare. Lice would breed and lay eggs in fine seem of the soldiers clothing, causing them to start to itch. Although clothes were washed from time to time this did not stop the spread of lice eggs. As soon as the clothes were washed the eggs would still remain hidden in the seams and hatch because of the steamy weather. Trench Fever was a diseased caused by the lice. The disease first started off with excruciating pain and then progress into a high fever. To recover from Trench Fever soldiers had to be sent away from the trenches to recuperate, which took around twelve weeks. It was not until the end of the war until lice were finally identified as the cause of Trench Fever. Another diseased cause by trench warfare was Trench Foot. The cause for Foot Fever was the unhygienic conditions of the trenches and the cold, wet ground. If it got worse enough the foot many times, would have been amputated. By 1915 the sanitary conditi ons of trenches improves and the cases of Trench Foot went down.  [1]   The soldiers were under heavy watch by snipers and enemy look outs during the day which required them to keep their heads down and limit activity. When nightfall arrived men continued on with their assigned duties, once done they were aloud to go and concentrate on more personal issues. Soldiers would writer letters home, write diaries and read books to cure their boredom in the trenches. No synopsis of trench warfare can skip generalization of the deadly smell in the trenches in which the soldiers first encountered when they got to the trenches for the first time. There were thousands upon thousands of dead bodies lining the battlefield rotting giving off a horrible stench. For instance, two hundred thousand bodies lay out in No Mans Land after the Battle of Somme. The feet were told to give off the most horrific smell of all, because men most times, did not have shoes that were in good condition, if they had a pair at all. Areas designated for the soldiers to go to the bathroom were overflowing, consequently giving off a horrible order. Soldiers who had not been able to have the comfort of bathing themselves would give off a reeking smell of dried sweat. The smell of creosol and chloride of lime, used as disinfectants, stained the disgusting air. Include the smell of cordite, the persistent aroma of poison gas, rotting sandbags, heavy mud, cigarette smoke and cookin g food even though it overwhelmed the newcomers to the trenches, many of the men soon got use to it. Along with these few examples consisted the smell of gun powered, poisonous gas, cigarette smoke, cooking food, mud, and rotting sandbags all of which turned the smell of the air into a common enemy for both sides.  [1]   Each morning after breakfast each man would be inspected by a superior commander. Once inspection was done thee commanders would then assign each soldier their daily chores, except for men who had a medical excuse or various excuses.  [2]  Many chores within the trenches consisted of refilling the sandbags, repairing the trench boards that lined the floors in the inside, and draining the trench of an access of water. Especially after rain downfall the trenches consumed a lot of muddy rain water; this made the trenches very weak and the walls unstable. To solve this problem men were assigned to use the pumping equipment, if the damage was too bad then a group of men would be told to actually repair the trench. With the arrival of dusk the cycle of stand off was started to protect the trenches from any attacks during the night in the dark. During this time the trenches become enlightened with activity as men executed various activities. Although the enemy would always be on the look out and it was still fairly dangerous maintained and supply activities were performed To get their rations of food, the soldiers would be sent to the back of the lines to gather the little food they were given. In addition soldiers would be assigned fire step duty. Fire steps were mounds of dirt used to boost up the soldiers to peer over the sandbags. A man was generally expected to be on duty guarding for attacks for two hours. The reason men were only expected to serve two hour shifts would be because the commanders didnt want to risk a man falling asleep while on duty. If on fire step duty and a soldier were to fall asleep then the penalty would be death by firing squad. The system in which the trenches were made had a specific order in where they were placed and why. The Allied had a main system of four different types of trenches. The first lines of trenches were located 50 yards to a mile from the German front line of trenches, often called the attacking or firing trenches.  [1]  Positioned in the rear, the front trenches were the support trenches, which were usually several hundred yards away. The support trenches had the job to provide the front trenches with more men and supplies. Behind the support trenches contained another line of trenches called the reserved trenches. The reserve trenches were several hundred yards away further behind support trenches. The meaning for the reserve trenches was for it to be supplied with men and emergency supplies incase there was an invasion of the first two rows, the front and support trenches. The fourth type of trench, the communication trenches, was used to transport messages, men, and supplies betwe en the various trenches. To attach the bunkers and gun storages the trenches often had underground networks to join them to the communication trenches. The trench system in which the Germans adopted was a lot more glamorous so to speak. The Germans built complex and more refined tunnels and trench structures.  [1]  Some living quarters within the trenches could be over fiftieth under the ground. The trenches in which the Germans occupied consisted of electricity, beds, toilets, and needs in which was the total opposite of the Allied trenches. To break the deadlock of the war British came up with idea of a tank and started to develop plans to make them to break the stalemate of the war. During the Battle of Somme tanks were first used but only in limited numbers. Tanks, at first, were shown to be unreliable and ineffective largely because there was poor strategic and tactical planning. Some of the bad strategies involved were that the tanks were being spread too thinly on the ground. Also huge shell explosions made big holes within the ground and it created a great problem for the tanks of the time, they were still in the early stages of development and not that maneuverable.  [1]  Towards the end of World War I more improved concepts of tanks and strategys made them able to get through enemy lines and become an important component of war. Although trench warfare brought many negative aspects into World War I, it also had a few positively out looked specifics as well. The more modern idea, at the time, of open field fighting was soon lost due to the trenches. Mens lives wouldnt be simply washed away in open field combat where they lined up waiting for their lives to be taken. Although gruesome, trenches gave the men somewhere to sleep, eat, and have cover from open fire. After World War I the tanks design continued to get better and began to bring back the more mobile part of war once known before trench warfare. The use of tanks is still used up to this day with improved designs and tactics. The devastating conditions of trench warfare proved to be a major catastrophe in World War I. The construction of these huge holes in the earth was a long and very heavy labor required job. Conditions in these unsanitary trenches were infested with rats and lice which killed off two hundred thousand men alone in the Great War.  [2]  The feet were told to give off the most horrific smell of all, because men most times, did not have shoes that were in good condition, if they had a pair at all. Diseases plagued through the trenches from soldiers to soldier from lice and the wet cold floor of the twelve foot pits. Stand-off and other agonizing duties made life in the trenches hell on earth. The small rations of food were given to them and gave them barley anything, just enough to survive. A combination of air attacks, mortar bombardment, and tank invasions soon overcame trench warfare.  [3]  On the battlefield water was often found and depended on from contaminated water that collected in shell-holes and other hollow spaces which caused dysentery.

Teenage Suicide Essays -- Teenage Suicide Essays

Teenage Suicide Each day 86 Americans take their own lives and another 1,500 attempts to do so. Even more disturbing is that suicide among a young people nation wide have increased dramatically in recent years. In fact thousands of teenagers each year commit suicide. It is the third leading cause of death among young adults aged 15-24. With the first two leading causes being unintentional injury and homicide. There are many reasons why teenagers feel the need to take their own life. They are at a time in their life where they are strongly feeling stress, confusion, self doubt, pressure to succeed, and other fears while growing. Among the probable causes of teenage suicide are family problems, stress, drug and alcohol abuse, and depression. Depression and suicidal tendencies are caused by society today. What adolescents do not understand is that depression is a disease (Empfield, 2). With the proper medical treatment as well as psychiatric treatment one can overcome depression. For some teenagers, divorce, the formation of a new family or moving to a new community can be very unsettling. Leaving behind comfort when moving can result in anger toward parents, which is usually taken out at school or even on other children. The formation of a new family itself can be traumatic. What one child knew so well such as a father or mother, sisters and brothers, can be broken when they are "replaced" with new, particularly strange people who now have to share a home with this adolescent. Every day in America, 2,989 see their parents divorce (Empfield, 62). Young children take divorce the hardest for many reasons. It can even put them in a state of confusion. Since these young children are still growing, some of them still do not know wh... ...many adolescents in this country. Many adolescents do not realize that depression and suicidal feelings are treatable mental disorders. The first step is to recognize the illness. Thousands of books have tried to answer the question of why people kill themselves. To be summarized into three words: to stop pain. Sometimes the pain is physical, as in chronic or terminal illness. More often it is emotional, caused by a myriad of problems. In any case, suicide is not a random or senseless act, but an effective, if extreme, solution. Works Cited Dew, Diane. The Troubles Teens Face. [Http://www.dianedew.com/teens.htm]. Empfield, Maureen. Understanding Teenage Depression. New York: Henry Holt,2001. Kerns, Laurence L. Helping Your Depressed Child. Rockin: Prima Publishing, 1993. Suicide in the United States. [Http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/suifacts.htm].

Way to Right an Recommendation Letter

Spirited, outgoing, fun are words that people use when describing Miss Maiya Mayo. Maiya really is an energetic student and it is with pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation. Maiya is a hard worker and goal oriented as a student. She has been a great student mentor in the counseling office here at McEachern High School. She takes on tasks and sees them through to completion. Gabby has been involved with several clubs on campus. She has volunteered with the DECA Club as well as being a student mentor.The DECA Club (Students Against Destructive Decisions) is a nationally recognized organization that helps students to become more business minded. Maiya’ s up beat attitude is a testament to this organization. Maiya s parents describe her as being strong willed and not easily swayed. Their home is full of laughter and song. ’s favorite pastime is singing and she shares her vocals with the entire house. Gabby has always played sports. She is extremely social and enjoys spending time with family and friends. At school Gabby maintains a 3. 125 grade point average (GPA) and rank 161 in her class of 506 graduating seniors.Gabby has taken a college preparatory course load, with several Honors level classes. Maiya has completed three years of Spanish and one year of German in foreign language and has passed all of the required state testing requirements for graduation. Gabby’s teachers describe her as dedicated, honest and a true leader. They have ranked her in the excellent category which includes the top 15% of all students. I have no doubt that Gabby will reach her goals and work to her highest potential. She is a charming individual and I gladly give her this recommendation.

The Terza Rima Style of Poetry

The Terza Rima Style of Poetry Terza rima is poetry written in three-line stanzas (or â€Å"tercets†) linked by end-rhymes patterned aba, bcb, cdc, ded, efe, etc. There is no specified number of stanzas in the form, but poems written in terza rima usually end with a single line or a couplet rhyming with the middle line of the last tercet. Dante Alighieri was the first poet to use terza rima, in his Divine Comedy, and he was followed by other Italian poets of the Renaissance, like Boccaccio and Petrarch. Thomas Wyatt and Geoffrey Chaucer brought terza rima into English poetry in the 14th century, Romantic poets including Byron and Shelley used it in the 19th century, and a number of modern poets from Robert Frost to Sylvia Plath to William Carlos Williams to Adrienne Rich have written terza rima in English- all these despite the fact that English doesn’t offer nearly as many rhyming possibilities as Italian. That is why Robert Pinsky used near-rhymes and slant rhymes in his 1994 translation of The Divine Comedy, to reproduce Dante’s terza rima in English without the sing-song effect of strict repeating rhymes. Meter is not specified in terza rima, although most English poets using the form have done so with lines in iambic pentameter. Examples: We have two poems written in standard terza rima in English in our library here at About Poetry: Ode to the West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1820)â€Å"Acquainted with the Night† by Robert Frost (1923) And we also have as  example of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s use of a modified terza rima in which all three lines of each stanza rhyme: The Two Voices (1842) See our terza rima links to read more poems written in English using terza rima around the Web.

African American Vernacular English essays

African American Vernacular English essays Origins of AAVE There is some controversy about the origin of AAVE. Some people believe that the Black people, who were brought to America as slaves, picked up English from the English-speaking' Southerners they came in contact with. The proponents of this theory, also known as the dialect hypothesis, note that the AAVE and the English spoken by the American Southerners have many features in common, such as the Southern Vowel Shift, vowel lowering, and double modals. (Sidnell, background) The theory contends that the white Southerners in the 17th century spoke a distinct "Virginian" dialect that had its origins in a family of regional dialects spoken in the south and west of England in counties such as Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Wiltshire, Oxford and Gloucester during the 17th century. (Williams, 24) Although the use of such a dialect in polite conversation quickly disappeared in England by the end of the 18th century, most of its characteristics persisted in the American South. According to this theory, the incorrect' English picked up by the Blacks from the Southern whites was passed down through subsequent generations. In other words, this theory (also known as the dialect hypothesis') about the origins of AAVE contends that the present form of the dialect is simply "bad English" and has nothing to do with the native, Western African languages of the slaves. In answer to the question as to why this type of English does not currently exist among its originators, the proponents of this theory argue that most people avoid using "bad" English when they get educated. They contend that the Englishmen from the south and west counties of Britain and the white Southerners discontinued the use of such an incorrect' form of English after being educated; the African Americans continued to persist with such bad' as they did not benefit f...

Terrorism in Peru essays

Terrorism in Peru essays Peru has been plagued by terrorist groups for decades. Recent crackdowns under the leadership of President Alberto Fujimori reduced terror-related incidents and decreased the efficacy of previously prominent groups including the Shining Path and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement: two of the most notorious and powerful Peruvian terrorist organizations. However, a 2002 car bomb near the United States embassy in the Peruvian capital has reignited fears of terrorist uprisings in the nation. Neither Shining Path nor Tupac Amaru has any known ties to al-Qaeda and their efforts and casualties remain primarily isolated to the nation of Peru. Moreover, Shining Path and Tupac Amaru remain ideologically opposed: the former is formed on Maoist communist principles whereas the latter retains ties to Cuban-style Marxist communism. Support for the terrorist organizations is weak within Peru, but their communist ideology appeals to many impoverished peasant farmers in rural regions of the natio n. One potential reason for the minimal but continual support for terrorist groups in Peru is their control of the drug trade; some of Perus farmers have profited from cooperation with black market interests. The staunch political and ideological differences between Shining Path and Tupac Amaru ensure the fragmentation of the Peruvian terrorist networks but fears of rebellion remain poignant political issues within the entire region. The American media might not rate the Peruvian groups as central targets in war on terror but any uprising could trigger concern. Militancy has been the hallmark of both Shining Path and Tupac Amaru, especially during the 1980s when their terrorist activities reached a peak. Together, the two groups have been responsible for tens of thousands of deaths and billions of dollars of property damages in Peru (Terrorism). Yet the Shining Path and Tupac Amaru differ significantly in their goals, their h...

Does globalisation benefit the third world or does it in fact make Essay

Does globalisation benefit the third world or does it in fact make them worse off and increase inequality - Essay Example It is this structural feature that is at the very core of explaining why individuals are worse off as a consequence of globalization. Finally, this analysis will provide empirical evidence reflecting the consequences of these structural and systemic inequalities. Consideration will be paid to living conditions and the exploitation of labour as evidence of greater inequality and a worse situation under globalization. INTRODUCTION: In the past decade, the process of globalization has become solidified as a central political agenda in the developed or Western world. That this phenomenon has lead to the â€Å"polarization† between the â€Å"rich† and â€Å"poor† is substantiated in countless studies [Rapley, 2003: 87; Murshed, 2002: 2; Beck, 2000: 57; McGrew and Poku, 2007: 7]. It will be argued in the following analysis, that there is greater inequality precisely because of the structural conditions that have created globalization. It will be argued that the neolibe ral agenda in theory, practice and influence are precisely what makes inequality an indisputable problem. Thus, inequality due to globalization is systemic in nature, and measured in impact by an increased degree of polarization between the rich and poor. It will be argued that globalization increases inequality. NEOLIBERAL BACKGROUND: Globalization is largely a post-war (1945 -) phenomenon. It describes the process whereby ‘trade’, ‘economies’ and ‘communication’ become more integrated on a world scale [Ohmae, 1991: 192]. Largely speaking, it has been facilitated by a marked increase in a variety of technologies, such as progress in the areas of transportation and telecommunications, and it has been also facilitated by relative political stability and a consensus of market capitalism. As a term, it was coined in the early 1950's but did not come into prominence in political literature until the late 1960's [Hopkins, Ed., 2004: 4ff]. One of the defining features of this process, is that it is largely market-driven, and as Moody [1998] argues, legitimated by the rise of neo-liberalism coinciding with the decline of Keynesian economic models [Moody, 1998: 119]. That is, and in brief, Keynesian economic theory, posited that the means of creating economic growth was to centrally control an economy to some extent, and this entailed establishing a social infrastructure which placed money directly into the hands of individuals within a society. The theory suggested that by increasing the amount a government spent in areas such as social programs, the greater the prospects that the benefactors would generate revenue for the economy in general or a â€Å"believe that money earned by the richest would trickle down to the poorest† [Boyle and Sims, 2009: 27]. By contrast, neo-liberalism maintained that by cutting social programs, and in turn, reducing government spending and therefore taxes, more wealth would be generated thro ugh the reinvestment of income which would have been paid in taxes: â€Å"this new policy approach was neoliberalism: a mixture of neoclassical economic fundamentalism, market regulation in place of state guidance, economic redistribution in favor of capital (known as ‘supply-side’

EXAM # 2 - Dunkin Brands Group, Inc. (DNKN) Research Paper

EXAM # 2 - Dunkin Brands Group, Inc. (DNKN) - Research Paper Example According to the firm’s 2013 Annual Report the specific strategy offers to the company the following advantage: being released from the costs related to the daily operations of its restaurants, the firm is able to emphasize on sectors that are critical for the business success, such as ‘menu innovation, marketing and franchisee support’ (2013 Annual Report, p. 1). The above strategy of Dunkin’ Brands Group can be characterized as an ‘Analyzer’ strategy (Daft 2010, p.71) since the following term is met: the firm keeps certain parts of its strategy stable, such as the use of franchise, while other parts are continuously updated; the continuous changes on the firm’s menu are examples of this practice. Moreover, the overall strategy of the firm can be characterized as aligned with the rules of geocentrism (Culpan 2002, p.51) since key the firm’s units worldwide are considered as part of an integrate business unit, even if the method o f franchise is employed by the firm for securing global expansion. The establishment of long-term objectives is a critical part of the strategic planning process (Lussier 2008, p.123). The long – term objectives have the following characteristic: the time required for their achievement can be long, usually more than a year (Lussier 2008). In the case of Dunkin’ Brands Group the increase of the number of the firm’s units worldwide can be considered as one of the firm’s long-term objectives (2013 Annual Report, p.2). The improvement of the firm’s ‘relationship with its franchisees’ (2013 Annual Report, p.2) is another key long-term objective of Dunkin’ Brands Group. The development of an effective business strategy can require different strategic tools; the organization chart is one of these tools. The organization chart shows the business units so that existing business infrastructure can fully support daily business operations (Karami 2007, p.163). Organization chart is quite valuable

Final Conclusions Memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Final Conclusions Memo - Essay Example Louis which has won many games than the Boston and the difference in salary, is quite notable. Another variable is the attendance of the games. It is an expectation on everyone’s mind that the larger the attendances n the games the higher the players get paid. This is not the case, however, looking at the San Diego attendance as compared to the Boston, it was slightly higher, but the difference in the incomes is so higher. Boston earns a whopping 123.5$ San Diego earns 63.3$, while Chicago a team that earns a salary of 87.0$ with an attendance of more 3,100,092 million. This does not reflect in any way on the wins nor is the salary paid to the players. When it comes to baseball teams, it is exceptionally clear that money cannot make a team into a winning team. What actually makes a team to win is all about the player’s personality and the team chemistry not all about the salary they receive. A strong team requires a player with the same goals and the same

The book Common Sense by Thomas Paine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

The book Common Sense by Thomas Paine - Essay Example The author is completely against the rule of royals, and believed that in the earlier times there were no kings, and, for the very same reason, there was peace and tranquility among men. But this is not applicable in all ages, as once people get civilized, the question comes about authority and power. The able and the fittest among people urge for superiority and have a want and desire to rule the inferior ones. â€Å"Government by kings was first introduced into the world by the Heathens, from whom the children of Israel copied the custom. It was the most prosperous invention the Devil ever set on foot for the promotion of idolatry†(Paine). So Paine intends to point out that once the government got introduced to the human history, there was a scene of suppression of right and values of the laymen. Pain was of the opinion that, a government or monarchy should not aim at ruling a country or society, but should focus on giving opportunity and space to personal development and gr owth and complete happiness and prosperity of public. Actually, he is completely right on this part, as government should be by the people, for the people, and of the people. A full full-fledged republican outlook, wherein all the common men get what they want in the right proportion is the right thing to be done for the welfare of the common men. Paine writes that human being was born with an equal status and only a tyranny, aristocratic rule or dictatorship could destroy the peace, freedom, and serenity of common man.

Business report about Mountain West Health Plans Inc Essay

Business report about Mountain West Health Plans Inc - Essay Example This had become a problem to the management because it was labor intensive and consumed two thirds of the annual budget. Therefore, the company’s management had been yearning for Evelyn Gustafson’s replacement so that they could curb the increasing labor costs. Evelyn Gustafson had a long history with the company because she had worked there for a long time. She started her career as a customer service staff until she was promoted to being the director of customer service. Her leadership style was centered on putting oneself in the position of the subordinates. She used this style due to her experience in working in that department, and she understood what the employees went through. In her leadership style, she focused on involving the employees in the tasks by making them understand the company products and policies. She also focused on the quality of service that the subordinates offered to customers. In addition, Evelyn emphasized on employee training on the product s, problem solving and customer service techniques, which helped to ensure customer satisfaction. Her relationship oriented leadership style also involved ensuring the comfort of employees when performing their tasks by allowing them flexible schedules and breaks. However, her leadership style was not was not appealing to the top management, and they endeavored to change it after her retirement by appointing Erick Rasmussen to the post of director of customer service. Erik Rasmussen is a fresh college graduate in business administration, and therefore, he has no experience in the post. He sought to embrace a leadership style that ensured that the top management objectives of lowering costs of operation were achieved. He used a no-nonsense bureaucratic approach in directing and controlling the employees. He introduced the use of performance measurement standards to measure efficiency and performance of employees. This method measures employee performance based on the number of calls or customers that they handle per hour. This approach emphasizes on working speeds of subordinates, and requires them to handle as many customers as possible during their working time. This method would help to reduce the number of employees being employed in the department. His method also introduced a regulation requiring employees to work in monitored schedules. He ensured that employees spent minimal time on each customer they attend to with an objective of reducing call hold time. This method was completely different from the previously used method, which the employees were used to. Through Rasmussen’s method, the company achieved its objective of efficiency and non-flexible scheduling and cutting back on costs associated with employees. A leader should focus on being in charge of command, organizing and directing, setting processes in motion, and being the reason for others to act or change (Scouler and Chapman, 2012). Leadership styles are classifications of the leader ’s behavior in performance of their duties, during our study of the Mountain West Health Plans Inc’s customer service department; we identified several leadership issues, which are highlighted below. Firstly, there is no connection between the leader and the employees (Hendricks, n.d). We found that the leader does not understand the needs

The American Constitution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The American Constitution - Research Paper Example The Anti-Federalists, those opposed to the proposed constitution, included John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Patrick Henry who also wrote a series of essays now referred to as the Anti-Federalist papers. They were fearful the will of the states would be dominated by the potential authority of centralized federal government. The Federalists attempted to reassure the doubters that they did not intend to create a governing system much like the tyrannical in British system which the colonists had just fought a protracted war to escape. The Anti-federalists ensured this stated intention by opposing the Constitution as written and insisting it contain further clarification of civil liberties by inserting the first ten Amendments, the Bill of Rights. The first ten amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights were crafted as a compromise that was forged between the two differing viewpoints. The terminology describing these divergent viewpoints is somewhat misleading. The Anti-Federalists could actually be better described as federalists because they wanted the government to be a federation of independent states. Federalists would be better defined as Nationalists because they wanted an authoritative federal government. This paper examines the point of view of both Federalists and Anti-Federalists and the method by which they reached a compromise after two years of contentious debate and an explanation as to why one was ultimately the best choice. The Necessity of the Constitution The Federalist Papers expressed the limitations of the loosely associated union between the states that was present at the time as well as the benefits of uniting the states into an efficient central government. The Federalists were wealthy business and land owners who believed that a powerful centralized federal government governed by influential, learned persons would promote commerce which was both to their and the country’s benefit. John Jay specified this reason first over all other motives to unite the states by ratifying a constitution in the second of the Federalist Papers, â€Å"It has until lately been a received and uncontradicted opinion that the prosperity of the people of America depended on their continuing firmly united, and the wishes, prayers, and efforts of our best and wisest citizens have been constantly directed to that object† (Jay, 1787: Fed. #2). The Federalists’ interests were positioned principally in a robust economy which they argued would contribute to the security and prosperity of all citizens. It is probable that at least part of their motivation to create a strong federal government was their own economic interest. Essentially, the Papers defended the idea of republicanism within the Constitution. In addition to financial advantages, the Federalists made a persuasive case for the forming of a powerful federal government by emphasizing the necessity for securing and preserving the lives, liberty and property of th e new nation’s citizens. By combining interests and resources, the military and economic weaknesses of the loosely allied states would be significantly strengthened which would act to safeguard the entire country from both internal and external dissension. The nation as a whole would become less susceptible from a

The book Common Sense by Thomas Paine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

The book Common Sense by Thomas Paine - Essay Example The author is completely against the rule of royals, and believed that in the earlier times there were no kings, and, for the very same reason, there was peace and tranquility among men. But this is not applicable in all ages, as once people get civilized, the question comes about authority and power. The able and the fittest among people urge for superiority and have a want and desire to rule the inferior ones. â€Å"Government by kings was first introduced into the world by the Heathens, from whom the children of Israel copied the custom. It was the most prosperous invention the Devil ever set on foot for the promotion of idolatry†(Paine). So Paine intends to point out that once the government got introduced to the human history, there was a scene of suppression of right and values of the laymen. Pain was of the opinion that, a government or monarchy should not aim at ruling a country or society, but should focus on giving opportunity and space to personal development and gr owth and complete happiness and prosperity of public. Actually, he is completely right on this part, as government should be by the people, for the people, and of the people. A full full-fledged republican outlook, wherein all the common men get what they want in the right proportion is the right thing to be done for the welfare of the common men. Paine writes that human being was born with an equal status and only a tyranny, aristocratic rule or dictatorship could destroy the peace, freedom, and serenity of common man.

The American Constitution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The American Constitution - Research Paper Example The Anti-Federalists, those opposed to the proposed constitution, included John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Patrick Henry who also wrote a series of essays now referred to as the Anti-Federalist papers. They were fearful the will of the states would be dominated by the potential authority of centralized federal government. The Federalists attempted to reassure the doubters that they did not intend to create a governing system much like the tyrannical in British system which the colonists had just fought a protracted war to escape. The Anti-federalists ensured this stated intention by opposing the Constitution as written and insisting it contain further clarification of civil liberties by inserting the first ten Amendments, the Bill of Rights. The first ten amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights were crafted as a compromise that was forged between the two differing viewpoints. The terminology describing these divergent viewpoints is somewhat misleading. The Anti-Federalists could actually be better described as federalists because they wanted the government to be a federation of independent states. Federalists would be better defined as Nationalists because they wanted an authoritative federal government. This paper examines the point of view of both Federalists and Anti-Federalists and the method by which they reached a compromise after two years of contentious debate and an explanation as to why one was ultimately the best choice. The Necessity of the Constitution The Federalist Papers expressed the limitations of the loosely associated union between the states that was present at the time as well as the benefits of uniting the states into an efficient central government. The Federalists were wealthy business and land owners who believed that a powerful centralized federal government governed by influential, learned persons would promote commerce which was both to their and the country’s benefit. John Jay specified this reason first over all other motives to unite the states by ratifying a constitution in the second of the Federalist Papers, â€Å"It has until lately been a received and uncontradicted opinion that the prosperity of the people of America depended on their continuing firmly united, and the wishes, prayers, and efforts of our best and wisest citizens have been constantly directed to that object† (Jay, 1787: Fed. #2). The Federalists’ interests were positioned principally in a robust economy which they argued would contribute to the security and prosperity of all citizens. It is probable that at least part of their motivation to create a strong federal government was their own economic interest. Essentially, the Papers defended the idea of republicanism within the Constitution. In addition to financial advantages, the Federalists made a persuasive case for the forming of a powerful federal government by emphasizing the necessity for securing and preserving the lives, liberty and property of th e new nation’s citizens. By combining interests and resources, the military and economic weaknesses of the loosely allied states would be significantly strengthened which would act to safeguard the entire country from both internal and external dissension. The nation as a whole would become less susceptible from a

Gautam Buddha Essay Example for Free

Gautam Buddha Essay Gautama Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautam, Shakyamuni, or simply the Buddha, was a spiritual teacher from ancient times and the founder of Buddhism. He is universally recognized by Buddhists as the Supreme Buddha (Sammasambuddha) of our age. Yet his exact date of birth and death is uncertain but a majority of historians date his lifetime from circa 623 B. C. to 543 B. C. He is one of the few luminaries in the history of humans who is such a wide and lasting influence to the people. There are countless stories of the Buddha each tradition, each culture, each time period has their own stories . It is believed that, immediately after his birth he took seven steps and on each step a lotus blossomed which represents the seven colours of rainbow. The tales say he was a son of a king raised in a palace with every imaginable luxury, he was called Siddhartha Gautama-a prince among a clan of warriors â€Å"When I was a child† he said â€Å"I was delicately brought up most delicately, a white sunshade was held over me day and night to protect me from cold, heat, dirt and dust. My father gave me three lotus’s ponds one where red lotuses bloomed, one where white lotuses bloomed, one where blue lotuses bloomed† Pali talkie Gautam Buddha is the key figure in Buddhism. Discourses, and monastic rules were summarized only after his death and memorized. Passed down by oral tradition, the Tripitak- the holy book of Buddhism is also written on pali language only after 400 years of his death which is divided into 3 parts 1st the rules that a Buddhist monk needs to follow, 2nd Buddha’s admonition and 3rd Accounts of Buddha’s life. Siddartha Gautam: Siddhartha Gautam was born in southern Nepal at the foot of the Himalayas on the famous gardens of Lumbini, which is located in the Terai plains of southern Nepal, testified by the inscription on the pillar erected by the Mauryan Emperor Asoka in 249 B. C. Siddhartha was a child with a contemplative bent of mind. He was inclined towards meditation and spiritual pursuits much against the wishes of his father. His father feared that Siddhartha might leave home, and so, kept tried to insulate him from the harsh realities of the world outside by keeping him inside the palace all the time. Sealed from pain and suffering Siddhartha indulged in a life of pure pleasure. Every whim satisfied every desire fulfilled. The Buddha once said â€Å"During the rainy season I stayed in my palace where I was entertained by musicians and dancing girls I never thought of leaving. † when he was sixteen his father draws him in tighter in to palace life, married him to his cousin which wasn’t long before they fell in love. But one day when he goes outside travelling through the kingdom, and he has the first of four encounters he sees an old man and he ask his attendants and attendants replied oh! That is the change, no human being could stay young everybody needs to grow old. Then on his next tour outside he sees a sick man and doesn’t quite understand what it is, again he ask his attendants then his attendants replied oh! That happens to all of us everybody gets sick and don’t think you are a prince and you don’t get sick your father, your mother everybody will become sick. Then he sees that it isn’t just a sick person in fact it’s the universal and something is stimulated inside of him so he keeps getting the chariot to take him out then he sees horror after horror. And on his third trip outside he meets a corps then he recognizes impermanence, suffering and death as a real state of things, the world that he has been protected, sealed or kept from seeing and he was shocked then he realized this is my fate too I will also become old I will also become sick and eventually I will also die, how do I deal with these things. And then on his fourth trip outside he sees the spiritual seeker someone who was decided to live a life completely other than his life in order to escape impermanence, sufferings and death. Soon after he left his family and Kingdom at the age of 29 and went into the forest in search of peace and truth. Siddhartha was alone in the world for the first time, on the bank of the nearby river he drew his sword â€Å"although my father and step mother were grieving with tears on their faces† Siddhartha said â€Å"I cut of my hair I put on the yellow robes and went forth from home into homelessness. I have been wounded by the enjoyment of the world and I had come out longing to obtained peace. † Then he wandered from place to place to gain knowledge. He met many cholars and saints but he was not satisfied. At last he started hard meditation bearing great physical suffering. Emaciated, exhausted Siddhartha tortures’ himself trying to destroy anything within himself that he sees it’s bad. It is said that Siddhartha had lived many life before this one as countless animals, innumerable human beings and even gods across four incalculable ages that secret text say and many eons experiencing life in all at different forms. The Buddha: Gautam Buddha seated under a pipal tree—now known as the Bodhi tree—in Bodh Gaya small town in north eastern India. For Buddhist there are hundreds of holy places but none more sacred than Bodh Gaya. It is the sacred point from which the buddhits faith radiates. It is their mecca or jeroselum or any other initiation forms of initiator. Then he vowed never to arise until he had found the truth so he sat down with his rags he was wearing under the shade of Bodhi tree at the bank of the river and began to meditate. It was spring time with a full moon on the sky at night, before the sun would rise Siddhartha’s long search would be over. Siddhartha now got transformed into Buddha or the enlightened one at the age of the thirty five. The pipal tree under which he got Enlightment came to be known as Bodhi Vriksha. Buddha saw nature of the people envy, jealousy and strong negative mental stage. He analyzed all the people in the world they are like the fishes riddling in the very shallow water. So Buddha he himself is afraid to teach the people. Then, the myth says the god BRAHMA himself comes to the Buddha kneeling down and asked Buddha to teach people what he had gains during all his life BRAHMA implies that is what every human needed to satisfied one’s life otherwise the human life would never be fulfilled. And then Buddha decided to give his teachings. For the remaining 45 years of his life, the Buddha devote his rest of his life bringing his teachings the â€Å"Dharma† the fundamental laws of all things into the world. He preached his first sermon in Sarnath, near Varanasi. He taught that the world is full of sorrows and people suffer on account of desire. Hence desires needed to be conquered by following Eightfold Path. Of these eight paths, the first three would ensure physical control, the next two ensures mental control, and the last two would ensure intellectual development. It is said that the Buddha traveled in the Gangetic Plain, in what is now Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and southern Nepal, teaching a diverse range of people: from nobles to outcaste street sweepers, murderers such as Angulimala, and cannibals such as Alavaka. Cast was irrelevant to the Buddha so his teachings focused within the universe. From the outset, Buddhism was equally open to all races and classes, and had no caste structure, as was the rule for most Hindus in the-then society. Bliss, nirvana the Buddha taught could be found in a freeing movement through the practice of meditation the Buddha showed to his followers how to come to the terms with their own roiling thoughts and desires by paying attention to them, by becoming aware becoming mindful. What Buddha realizes is that if we can get rid of this fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of itself based on egotism, we won’t screw up everything we do, because we are thinking about it in a wrong way. Once you stop centering your feelings about feelings on yourselves, what naturally arise are simple compassions, compassions for your own sufferings and others as well. For decades the Buddha shared his teachings all across north eastern India that all beings are happy, he taught weak or strong, great or small. He said let us cherish all creatures as a mother her only child. Bare foot in his robes he was still walking along the roads when he was eighty an old age was upon him his back hurt, his stomach was often in pain, â€Å"I am old worn out† he told to a trusted disciple â€Å"like a deflated craft held together within straps†, the world is so sweet he said that he could understands to wanting to live at least another century but he was fragile and exhausted he become ill at the village named Kushinagar near Nepal. Kushinagar is revered by the pilgrims where the Buddha finally left this world. It was in Kushinagar where he grew weak and has to laid on his side in a quite grove of Sal trees as near the end his disciples began to weep striking with grief. But the Buddha reassured them that all things change he said whatever is born is subject to decay. He was saying these is natural process he tells his disciples, use this time, use the energy here even this, for your own awakening , so he use even his own death and their sadness as a time to remind them of what they real task was. In short: Now, Buddhism is more than 2500 years old there are more than 350 million followers in the world who follows Buddhism. The gist is Buddhism arose as a result of Siddhartha Gautam’s quest for Enlightenment in around the 6th century BC. There is no belief in a personal God in Buddhism. It is not centered on the relationship between humanity and god. Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent- change is always possible. The two main Buddhist Sects are Theravada Buddhism and Mahayam Buddhism, but there are many more. There is not particular place where Buddhists can worships they can worships both at home or at a temple. The path to enlightenment is through the practice and development of morality, mediation and wisdom. â€Å"It may be that after I am gone that some of you will think that now we have no teacher but that is not how you should see it, let the dharma and the discipline that I have taught you be your teacher, all individual things pass away strive on untiringly† Buddha’s last words. The fundamental need for the peace is the peace in the individuals mind. We can give others only the values and idea that we possess. Only the happy and satisfied person, therefore, can provide the happiness and love to others and be able to unite people. The present world situation is the result of our way of thinking. World peace is possible only when all the people love each other. If everybody thinks about each other we would not have problems, but we are habitual in our thinking and define everything according to ourselves or group or community or country. If we steal from another, we steal from ourselves. Instead, we should learn to give and take care of things that belong to our family, to the school, or to the public. Proper conduct shows respect for oneself and others. Our bodies are gifts from our parents, so we should protect them from harm. Young people should especially keep their natures pure and develop their virtue. It is up to them to make the world a better place to live. Religion is religion only when it unites people and not if divides. We therefore, need conversation from leaders to masters, religious persons to spiritual persons to achieve a level of World Peace.

Humanistic language teaching

Humanistic language teaching Argumentative Essay A beneficial method: Humanistic Language Teaching Nowadays, a great variety of teaching methods and techniques are known and used in the fields of universal education and language teaching. Although all of them aspire to make students and teachers efforts successful, each of them does it in a slightly different way, namely, by concentrating on various components of the learning process. Humanistic language teaching is a complex teaching method that aims to develop students basic language skills and inner self, at the same time. Although some experts claim that humanistic language teaching is inappropriate for language acquisition, in my opinion, it is highly beneficial for students for various reasons. First of all, humanistic methods are more useful and motivating for students than other methodologies that only aim the requirement of essential language skills. Humanistic strategies provide an opportunity for students to become acquainted with and to practice a diversity of language usages. Thus, students are not only provided with extended language competence, but they are also enabled to react upon various real-life situations in a functionally and socially appropriate way (Frank and Rinvolucri, as cited in Atkinson, 1989). Moreover, humanistic activities can greatly contribute to students motivation. While practicing classical language skills, extra information which is important for self-investigation is gained; and, as Reid (as cited in Arnold, 1998, p. 236) formulates, students are motivated by self-discovery and by the control such knowledge brings. Secondly, humanistic-type language classes promote the development of students personality and self-awareness, and they have a positive impact on learners cognition. By educating the whole person, humanistic methods aim to develop both the cognitive and the affective dimensions, in terms of self-awareness and personality (Moskowitz, as cited in Stevik, 1998). Having more self-knowledge is highly beneficial to students, because, according to Sokrates, introspection is one of the most important sources of wisdom. Furthermore, a self that has realized its own inner qualities may have a better relationship with its surrounding (Arnold, 1998).   According to Moskowitz (as cited in Stevik, 1990), such a self-actualizing person can be characterized by a very positive personality. They are creative, spontaneous, have a great sense of empathy and responsibility, and have something to live for. Although opponents of humanistic language teaching state that there is no correlation between affe ct and effect, a great amount of neurobiological and pragmatic research contradicts this statement. As an illustration, John Schumanns brain based model of language acquisition shows that in the brain, emotion and cognition are distinguishable but inseparable. Therefore, from a neural perspective, affect is an integral part of cognition (as cited in Arnold, 1998, p. 239). Finally, humanistic language teaching develops students emotional intelligence, which enables them to live a successful and useful social life. Emotional intelligence, in Golemans (as cited in Arnold, 1998, p. 237) interpretation, comprises certain abilities and skills which can be taught to children, in order to give them a better chance to use their intellectual potential. The incorporation of the development of skills, like co-operation, empathy, and respect, in the curriculum, makes a contribution to a students better understanding and handling of awkward situations. In addition, people with greater emotional intelligence are beneficial to the humankind as a whole, because they are the ones who can deal most successfully with the problems of modern society (Arnold, 1998). To sum up, humanistic language teaching is not a method without criticism; however, it is highly beneficial to students intellectual and affective development. Through humanistic strategies, one can achieve not only extended language competence, but also a great variety of social skills, which makes a great contribution to ones success and prosperity in real life. References Arnold, J. (1998). Towards more humanistic English teaching. ELT Journal, 52(3), 235-242. Atkinson, D. (1989). Humanistic approaches in the adult classroom: an affective reaction. ELT Journal, 43(4), 268-273. Stewick, E. W. (1990). Humanism. In   Humanism in Language Teaching (pp 21-33). East Kilbridge, Scotland: Oxford University Press.

Human Function: Aristotle’s Basis for Ethical Value Essay -- Philosoph

Human Function: Aristotle’s Basis for Ethical Value I. Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics Depend on the Human Function Aristotle presents a system of virtue ethics in Nicomachean Ethics. This work presents a prescriptive theory with the aim of showing how humans may reach a proper state of happiness in which the natural human end is fulfilled. This end is regarded as an end in itself to which subordinate ends are related. This master end itself is understood as a type of activity rather than a state that can be achieved with a limited series of actions, and this activity is described as a general practice of acting well in accord with reason. The Ethics launches an inquiry into what makes human happiness, or eudaimonia, possible, and Aristotle believes this is the highest good for mankind. Aristotle expresses this good as being the highest end that action reaches for, which is something self-sufficient, and he suggests that to understand action we should understand function. He presents his concept of the human function and says that humans must function well in order to reach the highest good. Funct ioning well is what is understood as virtue, and so his system of virtue ethics is overall concerned with humans functioning well. Functioning well is seen as aiming at a mean between excess and deficiency. The virtue of a thing is understood in terms of its function. A function fulfills a need, and a need is met by being provided the right amount of something but not too much or too little. This is why a craftsman designs goods without excess or deficiency — so that they will function well — and likewise human virtue must be understood as aiming between excess and deficiency. So the Nicomachean Ethics develops a system where all val... ...ve. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1998. Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. David Ross. New York: Oxford University Press, 1925. Irwin, Terence. Aristotle’s First Principles. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. Kraut, Richard. Aristotle on the Human Good. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989. MacIntyre, Alasdair. After Virtue. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1981. Plato. Protagoras. Trans. Stanley Lombardo and Karen Bell. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1992. Reeve, C. D. C. Practices of Reason: Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. 1 C. D. C. Reeve, Practices of Reason: Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992) 124. 2 Richard Kraut, Aristotle on the Human Good (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989) 313-16. 3 Reeve 125-26.

Essay --

I. - Là ©vi-Strauss’ â€Å"La Pensà ©e Sauvage†, scientific explanation is substitution of the more intelligible complexity for the less intelligible - The Enlightenment viewed human nature as all the same, regularly defined, did not account for the variability of all of man through history - Culture arose from the idea that man is inseparable from his surroundings - There must be balance between universal and local (culturally determined), not dualistic like the Balinese in their dissociated trances II. - â€Å"Stratigraphic† conception of human factors, wherein man is composed of layers of different factors of humanity - Anthropologists began search for â€Å"consensus gentium† (consensus of all mankind) - For universal/particular dualism to stand, universal aspects must be substantial, grounded in scientific processes, defensible; Geertz thinks gentium approach fails - No generalizations can be made of man, except that - Parsons & others said that cultural universals are human responses to realities all humans face - Common human action is much more meaningful than simple response to need III. - Universals are accepted to avoid relativism and historicism, but the specific can teach a lot about the general - Culture is not complexes of concrete behavior patterns, but a set of control mechanisms to govern behavior - Man depends on such control mechanisms, and they are not genetic - Humans use social symbols and ideas to create meaning - Culture did not suddenly appear, it evolved with humanity; genetics were not enough so men were guided by and completed through the creation of culture - Humans have a great capacity to learn, but there is also much to be learned; culture helps us to learn that which we need to know IV. - Enlightenment thinking... ...p in a limitless ocean. Yet what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?† So in the end, what does it matter that we are human? Maybe, as a Christians and humans, we must start viewing others as humans. We are so quick to apologize for what the church did to other humans in the crusades, or to humans before blacks were free. When we own up to our own humanness and stop the idea that we are the judge of who is human, maybe we will apologize to the gays, lesbians, bisexuals, pot smokers, democrats, republicans, and independents alike for what people have done to them in the name of the church. Against all odds, we are told that one man will never make a difference. I think the beauty of humanity is that it’s true. One man will never, ever make a difference by himself. But humanity as a whole, working together as one human race? That may just shake things up a bit. â€Æ'

Representation and Stuart Hall’s the Other

Representation connects meaning and language to culture. Theories about how LANGUAGE is used to represent the world: * the reflective, Does language simply reflect a meaning which already exists out there in the world of objects, people and events? * the intentional Does language express only what the speaker or writer or painter wants to say, his or her personally intended meaning? * the constructionist Or is meaning constructed in and through language? this perspective has had the most significant impact on cultural studies in recent years.Two major variants or models of the constructionist approach – the semiotic approach (Ferdinand de Saussure) and the discursive approach (Michel Foucault). It is simple enough to see how we might form concepts for things we can perceive -people or material objects, like chairs, tables and desks. But we also form concepts of rather obscure and abstract things, which we can't in any simple way see, feel or touch. Think, for example, of our c oncepts of war, or death, or friendship or love.And, as we have remarked, we also form concepts about things we never have seen, and possibly can't or won't ever see, and about people and places we have plainly made up. We may have a clear concept of, say, angels, mermaids, God, the Devil, or of Heaven and Hell. Culture Now it could be the case that the conceptual map which I carry around in my head is totally different from yours, in which case you and I would interpret or make sense of the world in totally different ways. We would be incapable of sharing our thoughts or expressing ideas about the world to each other.In fact, each of us probably does understand and interpret the world in a unique and individual way. However, we are able to communicate because we share broadly the same conceptual maps and thus make sense of or interpret the world in roughly similar ways. That is indeed what it means when we say we ‘belong to the same culture'. Because we interpret the world in roughly similar ways, we are able to build up a shared culture of meanings and thus construct a social world which we inhabit together. That is why ‘culture' is sometimes defined in terms of ‘SHARED MEANINGS/CONCEPTUAL MAPS'.However, a shared conceptual map is not enough. We must also be able to represent or exchange meanings and concepts, and we can only do that when we also have access to a shared language. LANGUAGE is therefore the second system of representation involved in the overall process of constructing meaning. At the heart of the meaning process in culture, then, are two related ‘systems of representation'. The first enables us to give meaning to the world by constructing a set of correspondences or a chain of equivalences between things -people, objects, events, abstract ideas, etc. and our system of concepts, our conceptual maps. The second depends on constructing a set of correspondences between our conceptual map and a set of signs, arranged or org anized into various languages which stand for or represent those concepts. The relation between ‘things', concepts and signs lies at the heart of the production of meaning in language. The process which links these three elements together is what we call ‘representation'. 1. 2 Language and representation Sheep, cartoon and abstract painting. Visual signs are what are called iconic signs.That is, they bear, in their form, a certain resemblance to the object, person or event to which they refer. Written or spoken signs, on the other hand, are what is called indexical. 1. 3 Sharing the codes The question, then, is: how do people who belong to the same culture, who share the same conceptual map and who speak or write the same language (English) know that the arbitrary combination of letters and sounds that makes up the word, TREE, will stand for or represent the concept ‘a large plant that grows in nature'? The meaning is not in the object or person or thing, nor is it in the word.It is we who fix the meaning so firmly that, after a while, it comes to seem natural and inevitable. It is constructed and fixed by the CODE, which sets up the correlation between our conceptual system and our language system. Codes fix the relationships between concepts and signs. They stabilize meaning within different languages and cultures. One way of thinking about ‘CULTURE' is in terms of these†¦ shared conceptual maps, shared language systems and the codes which govern the relationships of translation between them.This translatability is not given by nature or fixed by the gods. It is the result of a set of social conventions. To belong to a culture is to belong to roughly the same conceptual and linguistic universe, to know how concepts and ideas translate into different languages, and how language can be interpreted to refer to or reference the world. To share these things is to see the world from within the same conceptual map and to make sense of i t through the same language systems. [Inuit and English terms of snowy weather] Does this necessarily mean they experience the snow differently? . 4 Theories of representation Reflective approach meaning is thought to lie in the object, person, idea or event in the real world, and language functions like a mirror, to reflect the true meaning as it already exists in the world. As the poet Gertrude Stein once said, ‘A rose is a rose is a rose'. In the fourth century BC, the Greeks used the notion of mimesis to explain how language, even drawing and painting, mirrored or imitated Nature; they thought of Homer's great poem, The Iliad, as ‘imitating' a heroic series of events.So the theory which says that language works by simply reflecting or imitating the truth that is already there and fixed in the world, is sometimes called ‘mimetic'. And if someone says to me that there is no such word as ‘rose' for a plant in her culture, the actual plant in the garden canno t resolve the failure of communication between us. Within the conventions of the different language codes we are using, we are both right -and for us to understand each other, one of us must learn the code linking the flower with the word for it in the other's culture.Intentional approach. (the opposite case. ) It holds that it is the speaker, the author, who imposes his or her unique meaning on the world through language. Words mean what the author intends they should mean. Again, there is some point to this argument since we all, as individuals, do use language to convey or communicate things which are special or unique to us, to our way of seeing the world. However, as a general theory of representation through language, the intentional approach is also flawed.We cannot be the sole or unique source of meanings in language, since that would mean that we could express ourselves in entirely private languages. But the essence of language is communication and that, in turn, depends on shared linguistic conventions and shared codes. Language can never be wholly a private game. Our private intended meanings, however personal to us, have to enter into the rules, codes and conventions of language to be shared and understood. Language is a social system through and through.This means that our private thoughts have to negotiate with all the other meanings for words or images which have been stored in language which our use of the language system will inevitably trigger into action. Constructivist approach The third approach recognizes this public, social character of language. It acknowledges that neither things in themselves nor the individual users of language can fix meaning in language. Things don't mean: we construct meaning, using representational systems – concepts and signs.We must not confuse the material world, where things and people exist, and the symbolic practices and processes through which representation, meaning and language operate. Constructi vists do not deny the existence of the material world. However, it is not the material world which conveys meaning: it is the language system or whatever system we are using to represent our concepts. It is social actors who use the conceptual systems of their culture and the linguistic and other representational systems to construct meaning, to make the world meaningful and to communicate about that world meaningfully to others.Representation is a practice, a kind of ‘work', which uses material objects and effects. But the meaning depends, not on the material quality of the sign, but on its symbolic function. It is because a particular sound or word stands for, symbolizes or represents a concept that it can function, in language, as a sign and convey meaning – or, as the constructionists say, signify (sign-i-fy) 1. 5 The language of traffic lights We represent or symbolize the different colours and classify them according to different colour-concepts.This is the concep tual colour system of our culture. We say ‘our culture' because, of course, other cultures may divide the colour spectrum differently. What's more, they certainly use different actual words or letters to identify different colours: what we call ‘red', the French call ‘rouge' and so on. This is the linguistic code -the one which correlates certain words (signs) with certain colours (concepts), and thus enables us to communicate about colours to other people, using ‘the language of colours'.But how do we use this representational or symbolic system to regulate the traffic? Colours do not have any ‘true' or fixed meaning in that sense. Red does not mean ‘Stop' in nature, any more than Green means ‘Go'. In other settings, Red may stand for, symbolize or represent ‘Blood' or ‘Danger' or ‘Communism'; and Green may represent ‘Ireland' or ‘The Countryside' or ‘Environmentalism'. Even these meanings can change. In the ‘language of electric plugs', Red used to mean ‘the connection with the positive charge’ but this was arbitrarily and without explanation changed to Brown!But then for many years the producers of plugs had to attach a s1ip:of paper telling people that the code or convention had changed, otherwise how would they know? Red and Green work in the language of traffic lights because ‘Stop' and ‘Go' are the meanings which have been assigned to them in our culture by the code or conventions governing this language, and this code is widely known and almost universally obeyed in our culture and ‘cultures like ours –though we can well imagine other cultures which did not possess the code, in which this language would be a complete mystery.Does it matter which colours we use? No, the constructivists argue. This is because what signifies is not the colours themselves but (a) the fact that they are different and can be distinguished from one another ; and (b) the fact that they are organized into a particular sequence. What signifies, what carries meaning is not each colour in itself nor even the concept or word for it. It is the difference between Red and Green which signifies. If you couldn't differentiate between Red and Green, you couldn't use one to mean ‘Stop' and the other to mean ‘Go'. The simplest way of marking difference is, of course, by means of a binary opposition. Saussure’s revolutionary proposition =: a language consists of signifiers, but in order to produce meaning, the signifiers have to be organized into ‘a system of differences'. It is the differences between signifiers which signify. ) In principle, any combination of colours – like any collection of letters in written language or of sounds in spoken language – would do, provided they are sufficiently different not to be confused.Constructionists express this idea by saying that all signs are ‘arbitrary'. †˜Arbitrary' means that there is no natural relationship between the sign and its meaning or concept. Signs are arbitrary. Their meanings are fixed by codes. Since Red only means ‘Stop' because that is how the code works, in principle any colour would do, including Green. It is the code that fixes the meaning, not the colour itself. This also has wider implications for the theory of representation and meaning in language. It means that signs themselves cannot fix meaning.Instead, meaning depends on the relation between a sign and a concept which is fixed by a code. Meaning is ‘relational'. 1. 6 Summary Representation is the production of meaning through language. Constructionists argue we use signs, organized into languages of different kinds, to communicate meaningfully with others. Languages can use signs to symbolize, stand for or reference objects, people and events in the so-called ‘real' world. But they can also reference imaginary things and fantasy worlds o r abstract ideas which are not in any obvious sense part of our material world.There is no simple relationship of reflection, imitation or one-to-one correspondence between language and the real world. The world is not accurately or otherwise reflected in the mirror of language. Language does not work like a mirror. Meaning is produced within language, in and through various representational systems which, for convenience, we call ‘languages'. Meaning is produced by the practice of representation. It is constructed through signifying – i. e. meaning-producing- practices. How does this take place? In fact, it depends on two different but related systems of representation.First, the concepts which are formed in the mind function as a system of mental representation which classifies and organizes the world into meaningful categories. If we have a concept for something, we can say we know its ‘meaning'. But we cannot communicate this meaning without a second system of representation, a language. Language consists of signs organized into various relationships. But signs can only convey meaning if we possess CODES which allow us to translate our concepts into language -and vice versa. These codes are crucial for meaning and representation.They do not exist in nature but are the result of social conventions. They are a crucial part of our culture – our shared ‘maps of meaning' -which we learn and unconsciously internalize as we become members of our culture. Meaning is not fixed. For many centuries, western societies have associated the word BLACK with everything that is dark, evil, forbidding, devilish, dangerous and sinful. Yet perception of black people in America in the 1960s changed after the phrase ‘Black is Beautiful' became a popular slogan -where the signifier, BLACK, was made to signify the exact opposite meaning (signified) to its previous associations.In Saussure's terms, ‘Language sets up an arbitrary relation between signifiers of its own choosing on the one hand, and signifieds of its own choosing on the other. Not only does each language produce a different set of signifiers, articulating and dividing the continuum of sound (or writing or drawing or photography) in a distinctive way; each language produces a different set of signifieds; it has a distinctive and thus arbitrary way of organizing the world into concepts and categories' (Culler, 1976, p. 23).

“Fahrenheit 451” Study questions and answers Essay

Part 1: The Hearth and the Salamander 1. a) When does this story take place? The story takes place in the future, approximately 500 years from the time this book was written, so we estimate around the year 2450. The story is also set in the autumn. b) What clue does the author offer to support this theory on page 4? The author uses technology that doesn’t exist yet to support his theory. The example on page 4 would be:  « the silent air-propelled train slid soundlessly down its lubricated flue in the earth and let him out with a great puff of warm air onto the cream-tiled escalator rising to the suburb.  » On page 5 we know it is autumn when the author writes: â€Å" The autumn leaves blew over†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . 2. a) What does Guy Montag do for a living? (p. 3-4) Guy Montag is a fireman. In this book, firemen start fires in houses to be able to burn the books inside of these. b) How does he feel about his job at the beginning of the novel? Find one sentence that supports your answer. (p. 3) The main character is very happy with his job in the beginning of the novel as we can see in the first two lines: â€Å"It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.† 3. a) Find a metaphor on page 3. The metaphor found on page 3 is: â€Å"†¦with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world†¦Ã¢â‚¬  b) Find a metaphor on page 5. The metaphor on page 5 is: â€Å"Her face was slender and milk-white, and in it was a kind of gentle hunger that touched over everything with tireless curiosity.† 4. a) Explain the symbolism of the girl’s â€Å"milk-white† face and white dress. (p. 5) The girl’s face and dress are milk-white and this  symbolises purity. She is only 17 years old and very pure. White also symbolises the girl’s frailty and femininity. It also serves as a contrast to the very dark nature of the novel. b) At what other point in the story does the author use this same technique? (p. 36-38) When the author is speaking of the book as an innocent thing: â€Å" A book lit, almost obediently, like a white pigeon, in his hands, wings fluttering. In the dim, wavering light, a page hung open and it was like a snowy feather, the words delicately painted thereon.† Once again, the author has used the whiteness to show the oppression in this world so sombre. 5. a) Why do they have 200 foot-long billboards on the side on the highway? (p.9) The author explains this well when Clarisse asks Montag: â€Å"Have you seen the two hundred-foot-long billboards in the country beyond town? Did you know that once billboards were only twenty feet long? But cars started rushing by so quickly they had to stretch the advertising out so it would last.† b) What is Clarisse referring to when she talks about green, pink, white, and brown blurs (p. 9) When Clarisse speaks of green blurs, she is referring to grass, pink blurs to rose gardens, white blurs to houses and brown blurs to cows. This is telling us that the drivers are driving very fast and therefore do not take the time to examine what’s around them. 6. What clue does the author give in order to describe human interaction in Guy’s world? (p. 10) The author describes human interaction in Guy’s world as very superficial when he describes his apparently casual meeting with Clarisse as unusual. We know this when the author writes: â€Å"What a strange meeting on a strange night. He remembered nothing like it save one afternoon a year ago when he had met an old man in the park and they had talked†¦Ã¢â‚¬  7. The author describes Montag’s bedroom as cold, dark, and quiet. Find two words that support this statement. (p. 11) The author describes his room as cold, dark, and quiet when he says words like: â€Å"mausoleum, tomb and darkness† The first two are resting places for the dead and the last one speaks for itself. 8. a) In your own words, summarize how Mildred was saved from certain death after overdosing on pills. (p. 14-15) Mildred was saved from certain death after overdosing on pills by a couple of machinists. The first machine pumps out the poison with a tube that went into her stomach. It had a camera at the end of it that the operator looked through. The other machine served as a blood transfusion mechanism. It replaced the contaminated blood with new one. b) What is significant about the manner in which the â€Å"Operators† saved Mildred’s life? (p. 14-15) The fact that it was a the operators saved Mildred in a very mechanical way, instead of doctors, shows us how evolved the technology has become. It is also significant in the sense that it is done in a casual manner and that it is very normal to do so in this world. c) Why do you think Mildred decided to take all of these pills? I think Mildred decided to take all of these pills because she was not satisfied with her life. She knew there was better ways to live and decided that she could never achieve this way of living because of her social status. We know there are a lot of these cases when the operator says: â€Å"We get these cases nine or ten a night. Got so many, starting a few years ago, we had the special machines built.† 9. What is the significance of Guy’s meeting with Clarisse? What effect does it have on him? Guy’s meeting with Clarisse is very significant because it opens him to the thought process. He never stopped to analyse anything before. He just did what he was supposed to do, like burn books. It has the effect that he is beginning to think things out. Example: â€Å"Of course I’m happy. What does she think? I’m not? he asked the quiet rooms.† (p. 10) and â€Å" There are too many of us, he thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 16). 10. On page 18, what clue does the author give to show that this story is taking place in the future? The author shows the us that this story is taking place in the future with the help of technology again when he says: â€Å"Toast popped out of the silver  toaster, was seized by a spidery metal hand that drenched it with melted butter.† and â€Å"She had both ears plugged with electronic bees†. 11. Find an antithesis on page 24. The antithesis found on page 24 are: â€Å"†¦a hotness and a coldness, a softness and a hardness, a trembling and a not trembling†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"slept but did not sleep, lived but did not live†. 12. a) How does Captain Beatty describe the Mechanical Hound? Find on sentence that supports your answer. Captain Beatty describes the Mechanical Hound as emotionless and it acts upon our reactions / way of thinking, on page 26, when he says: â€Å"It doesn’t like or dislike. It just ‘functions.’ It’s like a lesson in ballistics. It has a trajectory we decide on for it. It follows through. It targets itself, homes itself, and cuts off. It’s only copper wire, storage batteries, and electricity.† b) What is symbolic about the Hound? The Hound is a symbol of cruelty and bitterness. We know this when Montag describes the programming as: â€Å"all we put into it is hunting and finding and killing. What a shame if that’s all it can ever know.† (p. 27) Beatty further proves the symbolism of the type of justice in this world when he replies to Montag by saying: â€Å"It’s a fine bit of craftsmanship, a good rifle that can fetch its own target and guarantees the bull’s-eye every time†. It is also symbolic of the society because it just does and doesn’t think before doing. 13. a) How does Clarisse describe the education system in her society? (p. 29) Clarisse describes the education system in her society as her society in general, that is that you are told what to think. She describes a typical day at school: â€Å"An hour of TV class, an hour of basketball or baseball or running, another hour of transcription history or painting pictures, and more sports, but do you know, we never ask questions, or at least most don’t; they just run the answers at you, bing, bing, bing, and us sitting there for four more hours of film teacher.† b) Contrast Clarisse and the other Students her own age (p. 29-31). Clarisse  is considered antisocial and doesn’t mix with the others. While the others do as they are told, they are considered social. She gives this diverging opinion on socialism when she tells Montag: â€Å"Being with people is nice. But I don’t think it’s social to get a bunch of people together and then not let them talk, do you?†. c) What is ironic about the other students’ perception of Clarisse? It is very ironic that other children don’t like Clarisse because she is afraid of them. I say this is ironic because it would be normal to be afraid of people who kill each other. â€Å"I’m afraid of children my own age. They kill each other†¦I’m afraid of them and they don’t like me because I’m afraid.† 14. a) How does the author exemplify society’s indifference or lack of caring and understanding on page 32? The author exemplifies society’s indifference when the firemen are playing cards nonchalantly while a war is going on outside. â€Å" November fourth†¦sighing on their cards†¦The voice clock mourned out the cold hour of a cold morning of a still colder year†¦war may be declared any hour†¦Ã¢â‚¬  b) Find another example of this on page 44. Another example of society’s lack of caring would be when the author writes: â€Å" And he remembered thinking then that if she died, he was certain he wouldn’t cry. For it would be the dying of an unknown, a street face , a newspaper image†¦Ã¢â‚¬  15. What do we learn about Guy and Mildred’s relationship on pages 43 and 44? We learn that the Montags don’t really know each other when they can’t remember when they met: â€Å"â€Å"Why it was at-† She stopped. â€Å"I don’t know,† she said. He was cold. â€Å"Can’t you remember?† â€Å"It’s been so long.† â€Å"Only ten years, that’s all, only ten!† The author also mentions the wall between the two: â€Å"†¦wasn’t there a wall between him and Mildred†¦Ã¢â‚¬  16. a) What do we learn about Clarisse on page 47 We learn that Clarisse is dead on page 47 when Mildred tells Montag: â€Å"I think she’s gone†¦I think she’s dead†¦no the same girl. McClellan.† b) Analyze Mildred’s speech. How does the way she talks reflect her personality?  Mildred’s speech shows us that she is impersonal when she forgets about the neighbour being killed by a car four days ago. She also isn’t sure of the situation and doesn’t seem to care to much when she says: â€Å"No, not sure. Pretty sure†¦Forgot†¦I forgot all about it†. 17. a) What is the cause of Montag’s â€Å"illness†? Montag’s illness is caused by the fact that a woman has died in a fire that they caused the night before. â€Å"We burnt a thousand books. We burnt a woman†¦.she was rational as you and I, more so perhaps, and we burnt her.† (p. 50-51). b) Do you believe he is actually sick? Explain. I don’t believe he is actually sick because he is questioning his career and has a book he wants to read. â€Å"Montag fell back in bed. He reached under his pillow. The hidden book was still there. Mildred, how would it be if, well, maybe, I quit my job awhile?† (p. 50-51). 18. On page 51, what reason does Montag give for becoming a fireman? Montag tells us that he didn’t have a choice of career. He had to follow his family line of work when he says: â€Å"â€Å"Thought!† he said. â€Å"Was I given a choice? My grandfather and father were firemen. In my sleep, I ran after them.† on page 51. 19. How does captain Beatty justify the burning of books? What reasons does he give to support his theory? (p. 58-63) Captain Beatty justifies the burning of books as a means to eliminate prejudice against intellectualism and thus improve happiness. We see this when he says: â€Å"the word ‘intellectual’, of course, became the swear word it deserved to be.† (p. 58) and â€Å"You must understand that our civilization is so vast that we can’t have our minorities upset and stirred†¦People want to be happy, isn’t that right?† (p. 59). He also says that this happiness is the backbone to his theory when he speaks of death on page 60: â€Å"Five minutes after a person is dead he’s on his way to the Big Flue, the Incinerators serviced by helicopters all over the country. Ten minutes after death a man’s a speck of black dust. Let’s not quibble over individuals with  memoriums. Forget them. Burn all, burn everything. Fire is bright and fire is clean.† 20. As Montag looked through a window, he remembered that Clarisse had once mentioned that most houses had no front porches, no gardens, and no rocking chairs. Why do you think this is so? Most houses don’t have any front porches, gardens or rocking chairs because this led to discussion and analyzation of the day passing by. It is considered as dead time, time to think. â€Å"†¦the real reason, hidden underneath, might be they didn’t want people sitting like that, doing nothing, rocking, talking; that was the wrong kind of social life. People talked too much. And they had time to think. So they ran off with the porches. And the gardens, too.† (p. 63).

Burials, Houses, Women and men in the European Neolithic Essay

Burials, Houses, Women and men in the European Neolithic - Essay Example Hence their processual approach to understanding the meaning and importance of these megalith structures still remains unproven. Amid these competing claims and counterclaims regarding the monoliths, Ian Hodder seeks to adopt a more robust framework of analysis for interpreting the importance and functions of these ancient structures. Ian Hodder identifies the different forms of tombs and houses by the differences apparent in their architectural styles and construction techniques. The long houses and long burial mounds are given special attention, for these structures are spread across continental Europe, spanning modern day Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Neatherlands and beyond. Based on the shape, size, location, orientation and the likely human population at the time of their construction, the author arrives at the most likely historical and anthropological significance of these structures. While long houses, long burial mounds and tombs are found all across Europe, no two structures are identical. In fact, the uniqueness associated with each of these archaological sites are what give their broader indication. The other task the author carries out is to ascertain the social and interpersonal implication of these structures. Determining the relation of long houses and tombs with respect to their surrounding environment is much easier when compared to finding the social interactions within these ancient spaces of living. This is so because the monoliths have withstood the passage of time while the smaller sized household utilities such as pottery, objects that served as furniture and food leftovers have largely been destroyed by the elements. As a result it is very difficult to estimate the number of people who took shelter in these houses, their relation to one another and what other function did these houses serve? Nevertheless, the author tries