Power in Employee Relation

Power in Employee Relation Introduction Kelly (1998, p. 88) notes that ‘power is perhaps the most widely used concept in the field of industrial relations, yet little research on the subject of power either theoretically or empirically has been done, â€Å"†¦.to the extent that it now represents a major theoretical lacuna (gap) within the discipline (Kirkbride 1985, p. 44).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Power in Employee Relation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rose (2004, p. 6) defines power as â€Å"†¦ the extent to which one party to a relationship can compel the other to do something he otherwise would not do voluntarily†. Employment relationships, according to Rose (2004, p. 8) it refers to â€Å"†¦the study of the regulation of the employment relationship between employer and employee, both collectively and individually, and the determination of substantive and procedural issues at organizational and work place levels.† The paper critically examines the importance and implications of power in employment relationships, its comparison to policy and the inherent conflicts. Literature Review The players in employee relations theory include employers and managers, employer representatives, employees and workers, employee representatives, the state, its agencies and other supra -national bodies. Faber Dunlop (1958, p. 28) pioneered the systems approach’. He defines it as a sub system within the industrial society. â€Å"†¦an analytical subsystem of society†. By this definition, power becomes a consequence of distribution of power in a bigger society. Kirkbride (1985, p. 47) criticizes this definition on three grounds: it ignores any critical investigation into the processes of power within industrial relations. The systems approach rejects the importance of behavioral processes in favor of structural processes (102). Furthermore, the systems approach creates a po ssibility of conflict within the industrial relations because it does not recognize opposition (Poole 1981, p. 75).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Unitary theory assumes that there is no possibility of opposition because the organization body is viewed as one integrated family, bound together by the values of the organization. Power as a concept is neglected by the unitary approach (Kirkbride 1985, p. 46). Action theory gives recognition to the theory of power in industrial relations â€Å"†¦it focuses on the relative power of the parties in the exchange relationship† Kirkbride (1985, p. 45). Though it lacks a definite form, two branches of analysis are clear, analysis of decision making of the various players in the industrial relations framework and of the interaction between the players. However, it fails to elaborate how an agreement is reached dur ing the bargaining process. It has restricted focus on the negotiating table. The major strong point of the action theory is that it focuses on behavioral theory. Because of the inherent weakness on the negotiation table, it does neglect the possibility of conflict within the different organizations in the industrial relations frame work (Clarke 1977b, p. 109). Pluralist theory assumes distinct sectional groups within an organization, each with competing interests. Through joint regulation or collective bargaining, Flanders (1970, p. 19) argues that the diverse and competing interests can be regulated. Hyman (1975, p. 69), argues that pluralist focus on regulation conceals the firmness of power in the process of industrial relations. He asserts that employment relationship â€Å"†¦can never be frozen in a single rule.† However, it is rather dynamic and changing. The Marxist Perspective emphasizes the issue of power (Glaser Strauss 1967, p. 71). According to the Marxist, since the capital owners own the means of production, they have more wealth and therefore have advantage over the suppliers of labor. When there is a larger pool of labor, capital is at an advantage because the labor supply exceeds its demand, the labor price is low. Hyman (1975, p. 72) observes, â€Å"It is true that the possession of scarce skills, or the existence of a tight labor market may help lessen the imbalance. Hyman (1975, p. 75) observes â€Å"for a while the powers of the employer are enormous he is at the same time dependent on his labor force.†Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Power in Employee Relation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Capital may be dependent upon labour in a number of ways; the Marxist position points that the relationship between capital and labor may continuously fluctuate. The Marxist perspective offers a useful perspective into the analysis of power and employee relation s. However, his view of power as a zero-sum game phenomenon and failure to develop power at micro level attract criticism (Kirkbride 1985, p. 47). Discussion Employment relations is the contemporary term for industrial relations, the theoretical perspectives and the way their points of view can has been discussed in the literature reviews. Modern management approaches today strike a balance between unitary and pluralism. The approach chosen depends on the employee relations climate. When trade union power is low, management makes the decision, when union power is high, then negotiation and consultation are adopted (Purcell Sisson 1983, p. 210). The bargaining power of the unions can be estimated based on membership density, strike frequency statistics, bargaining outcomes, structural factors and leadership. The 21 century has witnessed a decline in both union strength and influence due to the shift from manufacturing to services in the developed world. The smaller workspace in the service sector has hindered union organization and recruitment. Even though, employees still have a voice- â€Å"a whole variety of processes and structures which enable and at a times empower, employees, directly and indirectly to contribute to decision making in the firm† (Boxall Purcell 2003, p. 162). The employees can air their voice formally and informally, directly or through representation, collectively or individually depending on the intention. Some forms of employee voices are bottom-up arising from a desire among the employees to be listened to. In most cases however, management often initiates the modalities for employee voice either out of pressure from employees or as a strategy to be more inclusive. Dundon Rollinson (2007, p. 121) call the difference between how much influence employees report have over management decisions and how much influence they would like to have, the â€Å"representative gap†.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Wilkinson et al. (2004, p. 306) acknowledged four categories of employee involvement and participation that give employees varying levels of power in their work places; downward communication, upward problem solving, representative participation, and financial participation. Downward communication is a top- down strategy communication from management to employees, for example, through newsletters, notice boards among others. It does not give the employees much power. Upward problem solving empowers the employees to improve work processes. They suggest solutions to specific problems and this gives them great possession over decisions. Under representative participation, the employees interest are represented by their leaders (elected workers representatives) (McBride 2004, p. 82). It provides employees with some degree of influence over a number of issues such as work councils and advisory councils. Trade union representation often has a greater power over decisions because failure t o respect employees views can result in industrial action. Collective bargaining, refer to joint regulation of specific aspects of the employment relationship between employers and recognized trade union representatives (Faber Dunlop 1958, p. 56). Workers capitalize on their solidarity that gives them a stronger bargaining position against management. They focus on substantive issues like payment and conditions of work. Finally, according to Marchington et al. (1992, p. 63), financial participation, allows the employees to have financial share in the firm. Strauss (2006) asserts that financial participation compliments voice initiatives. It seeks to develop long term relationships between the employees and their employer by linking the overall firms success with an individual reward. They include employee share ownership, sharing of profits and payment of bonuses. In conclusion, it is clear that the concept of power in employee relation has evolved over time. List of References Cla rke, J., 1977b. Workers in the Tyneside Shipyards in McCord, N. (Ed) (1977) Essays in Tyneside Labour. History. Newcastle: Department of Humanities. Dundon, T., and Rollinson D. 2007. Understanding Employment Relations. McGraw Hill: Maidenhead. Faber, F., and Dunlop J., 1958. Industrial Relations Systems. New York: Holt. Flanders, A 1970, Management and Unions: The Theory and Reform of Industrial Relations. Glaser, B., and Strauss A. 1967. The discovery of grounded theory. Chicago: Aldine. Hyman, R. 1975. Industrial relations: A Marxist introduction. London: Macmillan. Kelly, J., 1998. Rethinking Industrial Relations: Mobilization, Collectivism and Long Waves. London: Routledge. Kirkbride, P. 1985. Power in industrial relations research. Industrial Relations Journal, vol.16, pp. 44-56. McBride, J. 2004. Renewal or resilience? the persistence of shop steward organization in the Tyneside maritime construction industry. London: Capital Class. Poole, M., 1981. Theories of Trade Unionis m: A Sociology of Industrial Relations. Routledge Kegan Paul. Rose, E. 1994. The Disorganized Paradigm British Industrial Relations in the 1990s. Employee Relations, vol. 16, no.1, pp. 27-40. Wilkinson, A et al. 2004. Changing patterns of employee voice: Case studies from the UK and Republic of Ireland. The Journal of Industrial Relations, vol.46 no.3 pp. 298–322.

How to Make a Volcano Using Pop Rocks

How to Make a Volcano Using Pop Rocks The classic homemade chemical volcano relies on a reaction between baking soda and vinegar to produce an eruption of foamy lava, but you can make a volcano even if you dont have these ingredients. One easy way is to use Pop Rocks candy and carbonated soda. The reaction between these two ingredients gave rise to the false notion that drinking cola and eating Pop Rocks would cause your stomach to explode. Its true the two ingredients combine to produce a lot of gas, but if you eat them, you burp out the bubbles. In a homemade volcano, you can make a cool eruption. Heres what you do: Pop Rocks Volcano Materials 20-oz bottle of any soda or other carbonate beveragepacket of Pop Rocks candy (red or orange colored flavors look most like lava)model volcano If you dont have a model volcano, you can use homemade dough to form the shape of a volcano around the unopened soda bottle. If you like, paint or decorate the dough so it looks like a volcano. How To Make the Volcano Erupt The eruption can be messy, much like the Mentos and soda reaction, so its a good idea to set up your volcano outdoors, on a kitchen counter, or in a bathtub. Otherwise, place a plastic tablecloth around the volcano to make clean-up easier.Dont open the soda until you are ready for the eruption. When its time, carefully uncap the bottle. Disturb it as little as possible, to help prevent gas from escaping.Pour in the Pop Rocks candies. One way to get all the candy into the volcano at once is to roll up a sheet of paper into a tube. Put your finger on the end of the tube to close it off and pour in the Pop Rocks. Release the candies over the mouth of the bottle. Move away quickly or youll get sprayed with lava! How the Volcano Works Pop Rocks contain pressurized carbon dioxide gas that is trapped inside a candy coating. When you eat them, your saliva dissolves the sugar, releasing the gas. The sudden release of pressure makes the popping and cracking sound  since ​the  pressure of the gas breaks out of the candy once it gets thin enough. The volcano works much the same way, except its the soda that dissolves the candy shell to release the gas. The eruption is made more forceful by the sudden release of carbon dioxide in the soda. The bits of candy provide surface area for the dissolve carbon dioxide in the soda to collect and form bubbles, which push their way out of the narrow mouth of the bottle. Things To Try If you want lava that overflows the volcano, try adding a squirt of dishwashing soda to the soda before you add the Pop Rocks. For more colorful lava, add a few drops of red or orange food coloring to the soda or else use a red-colored soda, like Big Red, or a brown soda, like Dr. Pepper or any brand of root beer. Some energy drinks are also lava-colored. At that matters is that the drink is carbonated.

A Reflective Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A Reflective Paper - Essay Example This calls for the strategic intervention of the human resource manager or the HR. the HR has many duties which include recruitment of the workforce, human resource development, benefits and compensation, safety and health and enhancing better employee and labor relations. These factors are instrumental to the success of the organization and the approach that is taken by the HR to achieve this largely defines the success of the organization in achieving its objectives. To achieve these HR functions and responsibility and ensuring a culture of performance in the organization, the HR has to adopt an operation excellence approach that ensures making of benchmarks in the global market today. Schuler & Jackson (2007) define operation excellence as a set of strategic results that an organization aims to achieve over specific time, as demonstrated by factors such as strategic improvement in all the areas of concern, sustained improvement in all departments of an organization and laying down strategies to achieve high benchmark results. These are the essential driving forces behind a globalised approach in HR functions. Human resource recruitment, planning and selection One of the most important functions of the HR is to recruit, and critically plan on human resource that would be entrusted with the task of ensuring the success of meeting objectives in the organization. Largely, the recruited employees and staff have a large impact towards the performance of the organization in meeting its objectives. According to Brumfitt et al (2001), the complexity and extensive recruitment criteria that is involved in workforce recruitment has led many companies to hire consultancy firms in recruiting its workforce. In the current highly competitive market, this approach by the HR might not offer a competitive workforce, and it is the role of the HR to ensure that employees are recruited as per extensive criteria that rhymes with the philosophy of the organization. Johnston and Joh nston a leader in pharmaceuticals has such criteria that portray leadership in employee recruitment. The criteria involve more than 60 guidelines that guide the recruitment process and is highly integrated and linked with the philosophy of the company (Beiske, 2003). Such recruitment criteria would ensure that the process has a good fit and is well integrated to the values of the individual and the culture of the organization. The resulting workforce would lead to a culture of performance excellence. The use of assessment centers where prospective employees are critically evaluated over a short time has also proven to be instrumental in the recruitment process. Human resources development Human resources development ensures that employees are occasionally trained to meet the expected performance of a globalised market as well as improving their performance skills. It is the role of HR to plan, manage and implement occasional training of the workforce to ensure sustainable and consis tent performance of the workforce. According to Saiyadin (2009) GlaxoSmithKline a giant pharmaceutical has some of the best global human resource development strategies. The company uses assessment centers where each employee has to undergo assessment after a certain time to compare their skills with the required skills to perform the expected duties. The center reveals areas of weaknesses and

Module 7 DQ 1 and 2 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Module 7 DQ 1 and 2 - Article Example The medical staff feels that the technical aspects of EHR and following laws take away from their time treating patients. The HIT manager therefore takes that burden away from them and by doing his or her job; the clinical people can be free to concentrate on their main concern, the patient. Goetz et al (2013) published a survey in The American Journal of Managed Care in which she states under HIT, communication is the main benefit and that the physician’s records are more organized. As business people also, the medical personnel feel that the greatest challenge is the increased cost of the equipment and people required for implementation. The Journal of AHIMA (2013) has published a list of those items absolutely essential for good strategy planning. For one thing, the article states that IT should be involved in all facets of the brainstorming. Another is that the involvement and representation from all levels in the facility (all stakeholders) is likewise necessary for the plans to succeed. In the ongoing controversy between top down and bottom up philosophy in deploying a healthcare IT system, IBM has put together a white paper concerning the advantages and disadvantages of both (2005). Although almost eight years is an eternity in information technology, the points brought out are still very much relevant. The bottom up approach offers more clinical saturation early on. As initial costs are lower, benefits are realized much sooner, material and otherwise. As well, password security is managed better. Yet the main disadvantage is that later changes to the system are not necessarily very easily accomplished. Therefore, it can be said that top down is a mirror image of the bottom up method. Although initial costs are much greater, its main advantage is that the entire facility is not disrupted during the implementation process. Because of the higher costs, it will take a longer period to realize a payback. In addition, custom

Deborah Moggach uses humour to address social issues consider how she does this, paying particular attention to her use of language Essay Example for Free

Deborah Moggach uses humour to address social issues consider how she does this, paying particular attention to her use of language Essay n this essay I will look at how Deborah Moggach uses humour to address social issues. I will give my own opinion and I will also pay particular attention to her use of language. In this essay I will focus on ‘fool for love’ by Deborah Moggach, she addresses the social issues of older women having a relationship with younger men. In this story there is a middle age mother with two teenagers and she found a 26 year old man for a relationship through her day time job in a dispatch room. Deborah Moggach uses humour to address a social issue a number of times throughout the story. The first time we see this is when Deborah Moggach the 26 year old man ask Esther out, ‘want to help me buy a Christmas present for my mum’. This is used as a social issue as he is asking to spend time with her. However the humour comes in later when Deborah Moggach says ‘but did he just want the advice of mature woman’. This makes the audience think and brings reality into the story and reminds us of Esther’s age. We are reminded by the young man’s age later on in the story through humour when Esther is telling him about the state of her son’s bedroom until she realise he is young himself ‘you couldn’t complain about adolescents to somebody who was practically one himself’. This humour is shown as it is as if Esther is relating the young man of her dreams to her son. Deborah Moggach then uses humour when she gets into how Esther feels about how long it had been since she had fallen in ‘love again’ and ‘Since she had shaved her legs every single day’. This humour is shown to emphasis what it is like to fall in love and what ladies do on a daily bases to show that they care top their man. This is also linked to a social issue as it is the reason she is ‘shaving her legs on a daily bases’ for the social aspect of seeing the man. In the sixth paragraph of ‘fool for love’, Deborah Moggach uses humour by saying ‘she had lent him  £10-he never had any money-and he still paid her back’. This is used in a social issue as they are socialising together more carefully now as the story goes on. This is also humours’ as people can relate towards it and it shows that he cares for his feelings and cares for her. ‘Fool for love’ by Deborah Moggach is a story that people are able to relate to well. It seems to be that everyone has fallen in love and had ups and downs, whether they would die to be with them for the rest of their lives or be with them for a period of time. ‘Fool for love’ emphasises just how strong love can be and how powerful it is to some people and this is how people are able to relate towards the story. Humour for a social issues is used a lot of the time throughout the story as a mature woman with a younger man does happen it is not too common which gives Deborah Moggach the perfect chance to play with the writing and ass humour into the story. ‘Fool for love’ is all about social issues with Esther meeting a new young man at work to meeting her son from the airport. I lot of the things that Esther does is because of a social issue and how she wants to come across to people when being social able.

Essay --

Michael Jackson Michael Jackson was a very charismatic, influential individual. He took the world by surprise as his long, successful career blossomed at such a young age. Throughout his many years of hard work, and unparalleled performances, he changed the world with his music. He became one of the most popular recording artists, delivering his sweet, funky tones, smooth dance moves, and versatile music capabilities across the world. He was a legend that continues to influence other musicians, as well as his large, loyal fan-base, and is well-deserving of the title of â€Å"The King of Pop† Michael was born on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana. He lived with his 5 siblings, and his Parents. The Jackson family was poor, but managed to get by in their little house on, coincidentally-named, Jackson St. The Jackson brothers were born into a musical life. Their father, Joseph had previous musical experience with his blues group, The Falcons. Unfortunately their career did not take off, and they eventually broke up. Joseph saw something in his children. He saw what they were capable of, musically, and in the early 1960’s formed a group with Michael’s three older brothers, Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine known as, â€Å"The Jackson Brothers†. Michael at a very young age was influenced by artists such as Sammy Davis Jr., Smokey Robinson, and James Brown. At the age of only five years old, his mother would watch him singing and dancing along to old James Brown 45s, and she knew there was something special in him. (Jackson, â€Å"Michael Jackson: The Life o f an Icon). Michael was presented to his brothers and father, and was a quick addition to the Jackson’s musical group, taking over his brother, Jermaine’s position as lead singer. Joinin... ...o come. â€Å"If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with.† - Michael Jackson Jackson, Michael. Moonwalk. Crown Archetype, 2009. Print. "Triumph & Tragedy: The Life of Michael Jackson." Rolling Stone, n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2014. . "Michael Jackson." Billboard, n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2014. . Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon. Dir. Andrew Eastel. Universal Pictures, 2011. DVD. Torribio, Sarah. "The Man in the Mirror: Jackson's skewed self-image." Examiner, 1 July 2009. Web. 17 Jan. 2014. . This Is It. Dir. Kenny Ortega. Sony Pictures, 2009. DVD.

Cultural Schock

Sabrina Monforte Essay 2 Critical analysis ‘To what extend are you convinced by Tange’s (2005) position regarding cultural adaptation? ’ Regarding the topic of cultural adaptation there are many theories. This essay, essentially, will analyse in depth the opinion of a Professor in the Department of Language and Business communication – Hanne Tange – , whos major is inside the field of Intercultural communication, in opposite cultural and shock adaptation proposed by Sverre Lysgaard in 1995. At first, Tange illustrates in her article ‘In a cultural No Man’s Land – or, how long does ulture shock last? ’ the meaning of sojourn, a key word in her study, to understand that it represents a short stay in another country, usually between a couple of months and a few years, to conduct an international project or a general work in order to expanded the company’s view over the world, in order to gain a greater successful income for it. However, cultural shock has not been analysed from both sides, Tange’s and Lysgaard, because of the fact that Tange’s has been too subjective by taking in consideration this theme. So that, I can not be extended to one of those theories.Anyway, let’s introduce the argument by saying that cultural adaptation is relevant to employees to gain the maximum result from their tasks. During their stay, in the host country, so that they can acquire international competence to benefit their enterprises. According to Tange, to gain the best from a sojourn it is important that also the company should be involved in all the process of adaptation, by following the sojourn, and not to leave the employee on his own. So that the gain of high international qualified skills, can be elaborated as resources for international business.But Tangle introduces the definition of another author by saying that, ‘the process of acculturation rarely moves beyond the level of on stage culture’ (Varner and Beamer 2005: 3), which starts during the process of involvement at the beginning in their own country and it ends there. However, to support the conception of cultural adaptation beyond their own national borders, there are two quite distinct approaches: Lysgasrd’s and Tange’s model. According to Lysgard’s model which is related to the 50’s, cultural adaptation follows a U shape curve. Indeed, ‘at the beginning of the stage, adjustment is felt o be easy; than follows a ‘crisis’ in which one feels less well adjusted, somewhat lonely and unhappy; finally one begins to feel better adjusted again, becoming more integrated into the foreign community’ ( Lysgaard cited in Tange, 2005). To arrive at this explanation, one survey has been conducted by analysing Norwegians visitingThe United States of America. On the other hand, against the previous theory, we have Tange who states that cross cultural adapt ation is divided in three steps: arrival, two years crisis, intercultural stage. In this case, the finding into the research of ‘intercultural business communication benefit rom a qualitative method development in the anthropology and ethnology’ ( Tangle, 2005). Furthermore, to make this survey more reliable, she has taken seven people which they had to move from Scotland to Denmark, aged between 25 and 44 years old, and she has assessed the interviewees through an informal dialogue. Due to this reason it is hardly to think that her methodology can be thought reliable, because of the lowest number of interviewees. It is reasonable to ‘distinguish between the concept of sojourners and immigrants’ (Tangle, 2005).Tangle refers to Stella Ting-Toomey to explain that the main differences are more ased on a intercultural encounter rather then the natural experience of itself. This is due to the reason of a different point of view. Immigrants are more likely to be stressed and this lead to an expectation of a permanent residence, which can be obtained by the Government only by following some standard roules, for instance, having a permanent job, staying in the same country for a couple of years without leaving it, receiving a good income. On the other hand, sojourners are also stressed; however, they do not need to stay for all their life in the host country, ut the duration of the residence it is subject to the contract with their own company. Anyway they can feel anxious in the second stage, according to Tangle’s method, as a reaction of being far away from their country, and this is equivalent to: homesickness, and more in detail means missing – family, friends, their own culture -. In addition to that consequence, ‘they experience also mild identity dislocation, disorientation and loneliness’ ( Ting-Toomey 1999: 248). Although this is the second stage, the first one and the last one are quite similar to each oth er from the aspect of feelings.The interviewees showed an exited and relaxed attitude. It seems that the arrival stage consists of cultural assimilation, which refers to new exiting social networks, thus they feel emotionally charged up and curious about the new culture. While the third stage is blurred for the interviewees, because under this stage everything is absorbed at the subconscious level and are unlikely to show in a quantitative survey. But we can state that as they gain an inside perspective on their new culture, the frustration might be tail-off but for someone is totally erased.For example, upon their return to the home country, they might find deviation between their own natural behaviour and their behavioural patterns, and it is unlikely to settle into their old way. In outlining the result from the survey, we can highlight the fact that most of the employees have been sent home, when they had the right feeling to use their intercultural skills to benefit their enter prise. According to Tange’s, it is mainly advisable to extend sojourns over three years to strengthen the company’s position in a particular market abroad.At the opposite side, Tange suggests that Lysgaaed’s model of the culture shock is not clear and fails to account for cultural overlapping. Whereas she sustains: ‘Tangle model is based on a simplified version of reality’ (Tangle, 2005). However that may be, dare I say that even if Tangle is approaching to the topic using a qualitative method, which is useful to measure something compared to real-life situation, the weakness aspect is that the interviewees analysed are concentrated. Thereof, we can add that the way putting the article is too subjective and she did not nalyse in depth Lysgaard model. In conclusion, notwithstanding what Tangle thinks about Lysgaard strategy, it could be also valuable if analysed.By evaluating the article, the strength is the duration of the survey taken from the empl oyees settled down in the host country, and moreover it is written in an understandable way for a general audience, even if it might be written for big companies with subsidiaries branches. Tangle gained her aim by combining theories of sojourner adaptation with qualitative results but without countering her arguments. In fact, it is reasonable to imagine hat the article and the survey are clashing. Taking over that, I would suggest, HR of big companies have to invest in personnel development for a cultural overview, to prepare them and push trough the stationing overseas in a reasonable way. Thereof, it is relevant that during the training and the sojourn, all the employees are accompanied by their partners, who can help them settle into their new place and to let them facing what they are going to expect. An also, HR have to send employees in another country within their same cultural region, so that they are likely to feel more relaxed.Tangle survey could be hold in a different w ay by taking also other resources. 1200 words References Lysgaard S. , 1995. â€Å" Adjustment in a foreign society: Norwegian Fulbright Grantees Visiting The United States† in International Social Science Bulletin 7: 45-51. Tange H. , 2005, ‘In a cultural No Man’s Land – or, how long does culture shock last? ’, Journal of Intercultural Communication, issue 10. Ting-Tomey S. , 1999. Communication Across Cultures. New York: The Guliford Press. Varner, I. and L. Beamer, 2005. Intercultural Communication in the Global Workplace. 3rd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

A Compare/Contrast of Monet’s Grainstack(Sunset) and van Gogh’s The Sower

In this essay I will compare and contrast two paintings. The first is Grainstack (Sunset), painted by Claude Monet in 1891. The second is The Sower, which was painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1888. Both paintings were painted around the same time and are very similar in style and subject, but their differences illustrate the change that was happening from the Impressionist to the Post-Impressionist movement. Just beginning with the obvious, both Monet and van Gogh used the same medium, oil on canvas. Both Grainstack and The Sower were paintings of the outdoors around sunset, focusing on the way that the setting sun played with the colors of the environment. They are representational artworks, portraying natural objects in recognizable form, although Monet’s Grainstack is more naturalistic than van Gogh’s Sower. When Monet painted Grainstack, he was experimenting with perceptual color. The idea of the Impressionist movement was to objectively record nature as it was seen by the painter, focusing on the effects of color and light. He painted Grainstack the way he saw it; not the actual color that we know it was, but the colors that the sunset made it appear. Van Gogh, at the beginning of the Post-Impressionist movement, was not merely trying to paint what he saw, but wanted to express emotion in the colors and lines. He was initially drawn to the subject matter by the contrasting colors of the sky and the field, how the contrast of the violet shadows on the field and the yellow sun in the sky almost irritated the eye. Where Monet painted what he saw, van Gogh changed and softened the image so as to portray the emotion in the contrasting colors while still making the painting pleasing to the eye. This became a recurring theme for van Gogh, as can be seen in The Night Cafe, which he painted very soon after The Sower. In both Grainstack and The Sower, the artists use a technique very similar to pointillism. They paint with visible brushstrokes, using colors that blend together to create the images that the artists wish us to see. However, where Monet uses smaller, thinner strokes to create a more streamlined image; van Gogh is more loose and free with his brush strokes, conveying emotion in the broad, expressive lines. This is another example of the transition from Impressionism to Post-Impressionism. The way that Monet and van Gogh approached these two paintings are slightly different. The focal point of Grainstack is the actual haystack. Its lines lead you toward the center of the page, but the main focus is the haystack, sitting off to the side. This gives it a slightly unbalanced feel. In The Sower, van Gogh achieves an asymmetrical balance by countering the visual weight of the farmer on the right, with the path, the birds and the house, all leading the eye to the left and back into the contrasting colors of the environment. While these two paintings may not seem very different at first glance, once you delve into them a little deeper, their differences almost outweigh their similarities. Painted right on the cusp of the transition from Impressionism to Post-Impressionism, these two paintings illustrate the slowly changing style of the period. Their color, line, and subject matter make Grainstack and The Sower perfect examples of the embodiment of their respective movements, and the subtle changes in style that were occurring. References: Doyle, Marc; Art Movements Timeline; The Art Industri Group Van der Wolk, J.; Vincent Van Gogh: Paintings and Drawings; 1990

Explore Fascinating Facts About Forest Biomes

Explore Fascinating Facts About Forest Biomes The forest biome includes terrestrial habitats that are dominated by trees and other woody plants. Today, forests cover about one-third of the worlds land surface and are found in many different terrestrial regions around the globe. There are three general types of forests- temperate forests, tropical forests, and boreal forests. Each of these forest types differs in climate, species composition, and community structure. The forests of the world have changed in composition over the course of evolution. The first forests evolved during the Silurian Period, about 400 million years ago. These ancient forests were very different than present-day forests and were dominated not by the species of trees we see today but instead by giant ferns, horsetails, and club mosses. As the evolution of land plants progressed, the species composition of forests changed. During the Triassic Period, gymnosperms (such as conifers, cycads, ginkgoes, and gnetales) dominated forests. By the Cretaceous Period, angiosperms (such as hardwood trees) had evolved. Although the flora, fauna, and structure of forests vary greatly, they often can be broken down into several structural layers. These include the forest floor, herb layer, shrub layer, understory, canopy, and emergents. The forest floor is the ground layer that is often covered with decaying plant material. The herb layer consists of herbaceous plants such as grasses, ferns, and wildflowers. The shrub layer is characterized by the presence of woody vegetation such as bushes and brambles. The understory consists of immature and small trees that are shorter than the main canopy layer. The canopy consists of the crowns of mature trees. The emergent layer includes the crowns of the tallest trees, which grow above the rest of the canopy. Key Characteristics The following are the key characteristics of the forest biome: largest and most complex terrestrial biomedominated by trees and other woody vegetationsignificant role in the global intake of carbon dioxide and production of oxygenthreatened by deforestation for logging, agriculture, and human habitation Classification The forest biome is classified within the following habitat hierarchy: Biomes of the World Forest Biome The Forest Biome Is Divided Into the Following Habitats Temperate Forests Temperate forests are forests that grow in temperate regions such as those found in eastern North America, western and central Europe, and northeastern Asia. Temperate forests have a moderate climate and a growing season that lasts between 140 and 200 days of the year. Precipitation is generally distributed evenly throughout the year. Tropical Forests Tropical forests are forests that grow in tropical and subtropical regions. These include tropical moist forests (such as those found in the Amazon Basin and the Congo Basin) and tropical dry forests (such as those found in southern Mexico, the lowlands of Bolivia, and the western regions of Madagascar). Boreal Forests Boreal forests are a band of coniferous forests that encircle the globe in the high northern latitudes between about 50Â °N and 70Â °N. Boreal forests form a circumpolar ecoregion that stretches across Canada and extends across northern Europe and Asia. Boreal forests are the worlds largest terrestrial biome and account for more than one-quarter of all the forested land on Earth. Animals of the Forest Biome Some of the animals that inhabit the forest biome include: Pine Marten (Martes martes) - The pine marten is a medium-sized mustelid that inhabits the temperate forests of Europe. Pine martens have sharp claws are good climbers. They feed on small mammals, birds, carrion, as well as some plant materials such as berries and nuts. Pine martens are most active at dusk and during the night.Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) - The gray wolf is a large canid whose range includes the temperate and boreal forests of North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa. Gray wolves are territorial carnivores that form packs of a mated pair and their offspring.Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) - The caribou is a member of the deer family that inhabits the boreal forests and tundra of North America, Siberia, and Europe. Caribou are grazing herbivores that feed on the leaves of willows and birches, as well as mushrooms, grasses, sedges, and lichen.Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) - Brown bears live in a variety of habitats including boreal forests, alpine forests and meadows, tundra, a nd coastal regions. Their range is the most extensive of all bears and includes northern and central Europe, Asia, Alaska, Canada, and the western United States. Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) - The eastern gorilla is a species of gorilla that inhabits the lowland tropical forests of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa. Like all gorillas, the eastern lowland gorilla feeds on fruit and other plant materials.Black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus) - The black-tailed deer inhabits the temperate rainforests that blanket the coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest. Black-tailed deer prefer the edges of forests where understory growth is sufficient to provide them reliable food resources.

MBA Admission Essay

MBA Admission Essay MBA Admission Essay Some of the essay questions hide inside ethical conflicts. Admission committee is not interested in your moral standards and considerations, or in your personal files, above all, they want to understand from your admission essay how you cansettle difficult problems. In other words, business schools are looking for people rather smart and clever than good one. Usually, such types of questions contain dilemmas. You need to keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers, but there are good or bad college admission essays. For example, if your essay question is to describe how you fought with yourself in a search for the right decision, it isn't a dilemma. The dilemma should have two possible answers, two results, or two argumentations because these two possible answers can be equally strong. The most acceptable way for writing admission essay is to find a compromise which will satisfy everybody. Of course, it is not easy to come up with a compromise, especially when it is not evident, thus, it requires a lot of thinking to find it. Even if you didn't find the compromise while writing an essay, don't be upset. Your points of view raised in admission essay should be supported by reasonable arguments. While writing a college essay, try to justify your own points of view. Describe what would you do in a case of negative circumstances of the decision you've made. MBA admission essays are your chance to demonstrate your unique qualification. MBA admission essay is an essential part of the admission process and you should devote enough time to writing it: Admission Essay Topics The most difficult task of admission essay writing is finding a proper topic. Of course, it is easier to find a solution for a known problem than for a situation you will never face. That is why you need to cover only real situations and provide real example. For example, you work at nonprofit organization which helps people with AIDS disease. There was a transfer of large amount of money and you've found out that this was a result of governmental mistake. What would you do? Would you save this money for the sake of ill people or report about the mistake? Possible answers may be as follows in your essay. You've decided to reserve money explaining that they'll bring more benefits for ill people. And the second one is your decision to report about this mistake because you are not entitled to solve matters governmental money distribution.The compromise may be the following. You write a proposal about how additional money might be used. Then you find generous sponsors and show them your proposal. Finally, governmental money returns to the true owner. If you don't find the compromise while writing a college admission essay, choose the most acceptable decision from your perspective. However, remember that your argumentation has to be strong, interesting, and carefully justified. Order Admission Essay Writing Help If you need an admission essay and do not know how to start writing it, you have found a place to ask for assistance. Ordering custom admission essay writing service at .com, you receive impressive college essay which gains the attention from the first lines! Do not lose this chance to improve your grades without any efforts! Read also: Self Critique Essay Assignments for Sale Custom Beowulf Essay Essay Assignment Essay Company

Education Platform and Learning Theory Assignment

Education Platform and Learning Theory - Assignment Example Often memory is fallible and hugely unreliable upon first encounter with information and the importance of continuous and repeated study and practice to enhance memory of content can never be over emphasized. This makes exercise a principle of learning, core in daily undertakings with students. In his book, Thorndike mentions the principle of exercise and states that, that which is often repeated and revised is remembered best and I strongly agree. Primacy also, as a law of learning insists that the state of being first creates a strong impression in that the first experience a learner has with a particular subject matter often sticks and has therefore to be positive and form basis of what is to follow. For example, unlearning and retracting a wrong first impression can be difficult and confusing to the students and may even put the teacher’s mastery of subject to question; a situation that must be avoided (Thorndike and Gates, 1929). ... Greater freedom on the other hand means greater advancement and often stimulates personal responsibility. An Ideal Educator As stated in Guthrie’s Encyclopedia of Education, an ideal educator, above all else, must have adequate, if not thorough, knowledge and command of content, subject and curriculum of study. This also involves diverse knowledge on related subjects and any questions that may arise from the students, relevant or not, should be handled with relative ease and competence. An ideal educator must be one who loves to read and remain ever abreast with the subject; constantly updating themselves (Guthrie, 2003). He/ she ought also to be patient as students have different abilities and the slow ones may have as much or even more desire to learn as the skilled. An ideal educator should have integrity and be a good role model for the students. This ranges from good, decent, and neat dressing to strong rapport with students and fellow educators, good tone, friendly and a n appropriate sense of humor. They should be fair and not appearing to favor anyone, engaging, interactive, listening and able to drive the students toward more creative and critical thinking. Good oral and writing skill together with self confidence as such from facial expressions and a positive attitude are critical too and are a major plus (Guthrie, 2003). Ideal Education Work Environment A suitable educational environment would be one that makes me, fellow employees as well as students feel good about coming to work and study and at ease and peace with the students, teachers and auxiliary staff across the board. This promotes a sense of community