Thursday, December 26, 2019

Emily Brown Short Story - 727 Words

â€Å"Lily Brown†, a short story by Diane Goodman, follows the working life of a young woman with an apparent disability. Working as the voice of the short story, this young woman describes her various working positions and the numerous accounts that follow. Each job position she holds further reveals more about her internal well being, struggling with her disability. Working in multiple telemarketing firms, this young woman connects people to countless products. Using exaggeration, aliases, and her soothing voice, she takes on a new character each time she picks up the phone. Early in the narrative, she claims, â€Å"I know telemarketing is my calling,† (Goodman 42) proving that she finds comfort in this job position. Hiding behind her telephone,†¦show more content†¦She comes to terms with her outward appearance to the public when she expresses their initial reactions to her. She says, â€Å"People would walk in, see me, and stop in their tracks. A couple pe ople actually gasped. People are afraid of change, I guess, but I am the master of change, so I was pretty understanding (44). Overall, this shows that she is still in denial with the reality of her situation. Having a job where her disability is not hidden, and her underlying self-consciousness consumes her subconsciousness, she attempts to find an outlet for herself. The young woman returns to the idea that she was meant to help people. She comes to this conclusion after various encounters at the grocery store, and decides to take action. She claims that, â€Å"..offering deals was what I was born to do† (45). Due to her new position at the grocery store, it is revealed that her willingness to help other people stems from the fact that she wants to give back, and give people what they need. For majority of her time, Alma has been taking care of her, giving her whatever she needs, and providing for her. The woman, not being able to repay her, finds her release in helping oth ers. At her new job, she uses this as her new escape from the reality of her disability. She creates a new bulletin board business within the grocery store. Providing and offering services of the neighbors to the store. She finds a sense of pride in her project, connectingShow MoreRelatedEssay on Hawthorne To Faulkner: The Evolution Of The Short Story1594 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Short Story Nathaniel Hawthorne and William Faulkner’s short stories â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† use a moral to endorse particular ideals or values. Through their characters examination and evaluation of one another, the author’s lesson is brought forth. The authors’ style of preaching morals is reminiscent of the fables of Aesop and the religious parables of the Old and New Testament. The reader is faced with a life lesson after reading Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown:† youRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner931 Words   |  4 PagesShort Stories A Rose for Emily is a short story written by William Faulkner. This story takes place in Faulkner s fictional city, Jefferson, Mississippi, in Yoknapatawpha County. Young Goodman Brown is a short story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This story takes place during the 17th century and discusses the Puritan belief that all of humanity exists in a state of corruption, except those who are fortunately born into a state of grace. In â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† Emily’s house is a commemorationRead MoreAnalysis Of A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1407 Words   |  6 Pages204 December 15, 2015 1. Choose one story in which the setting is significant and discuss how the setting contributes to the central meaning of the story. In William Faulkner’s short story, A Rose for Emily, the southern town’s setting is a stark contrast to today’s society, where many elderly people live in poverty, receive little respect, and lose their family homes due to the inability to pay taxes. After the death of her father forty years earlier, Emily Grierson’s social and financial statusRead MoreA Stream of Consciousness in A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner745 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a short story written by American author William Faulkner and centres around an old lady named Emily. The story is written in the classic Faulkner method of a streaming consciousness. By constructing the story through use of the stream of consciousness, Faulkner is able to manipulate the predetermined short story structure and create an outstanding, critically acclaimed story. In using the thematic concept of creating contrasts between two opposing entities, Faulkner is ableRead MoreT aking Life for Granted in The Necklace, My Left Foot, and Our Town635 Words   |  3 Pagesof the characters in the stories we have read often do this. In â€Å"The Necklace†, Mathilda does this by always thinking of herself and nobody else. My Left Foot shows how Christy Brown never takes his life for granted, and by doing this it helped him overcome his disabilities. In the story Our Town not taking life for granted is one of the main themes, such as when Emily dies and George becomes very upset about it. In the story My Left Foot, Christy Brown was diagnosed at the age ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Racism In A Rose For Emily914 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"A Rose for Emily† was about how Emily Grierson was viewed as a relic that need to be preserved. The old generation allowed Emily to not pay her taxes because her father was someone important to the town, but the new generation wanted to change that. They sent many notices to her but they were not receiving any payments from her. I can connect this to a New York Times article, the article is called â€Å"Dove Drops an Ad Accused of Racism†, the article talks about how Dove and many other soap companiesRead MoreA Rose For Emily, By William Faulkner Essay2322 Words   |  10 Pagesseparate from others whereas solitude is the state of being alone. Isolation and solitude are tremendous, effective and beating emotions. They forces the capacity to devastate a people life by overpowering it with despair and murkiness. A short story, A Rose for Emily, by William Faulkner, was initially published on April 30, 1930. William Cuthbert Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi, on September 25, 1897. As he experienced childhood in New Albany, Mississippi, the Southern culture impactedRead Moreâ€Å"a Rose for Emily, † â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and â€Å"Good Country People, †1823 Words   |  8 PagesIsolation: Loneliness from Society The time moves on for all people. If we cannot come to terms with that, bad things can happen. A short story, A Rose for Emil, by William Faulkner, was first published on April 30, 1930. William Cuthbert Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi, on September 25, 1897. He is one of the greatest writers in America and obtained Nobel Prize laureate. As he grew up in New Albany, Mississippi, the Southern society influenced to him. Through his works such aRead MoreA History of Submissive Women in Literature2215 Words   |  9 Pagesone that has been repressed throughout history and forced to acclimate itself to a world dominated by men. Although major improvements have been made in the strife for equality, this continues to be a man’s world. In the short stories â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† and â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† as well as in the drama â€Å"A Doll’s House,† the protagonists are all frustrated women who are unfulfilled with their subservient lives. Partly imposed upon them by their setting’s historical and societal norms, they chooseRead MoreA Rose For Emily Symbolism Analysis1376 Words   |  6 PagesThe Symbolism of the Setting in Faulkner’s and Hemingway’s Stories The place where the story is set plays the most significant role in the majority of fiction pieces, since it is the setting that outlines the plot development and influences the heroes’ decisions and general characteristics. In Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† the setting is raised to the symbolic level. When the outside portrayal does not correspond to what is happening inside the character

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Cause Of World War I - 966 Words

World War I is known today as one of America’s worst wars in history, due to the facts because it was the First World War and well over eight million people died. World War I was between the countries of Germany, United States, Russia, France, and among many others. There are many causes of World War I, both immediate and underlying causes. Immediate causes meaning a specific short-term occurrence that is directly related to the event and essentially what created the event. The immediate cause of World War I is the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife on June 28th, 1914. They were both assassinated by a Serbian nationalist of the Black Hand at Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital (Poon). To continue, there are also underlying causes. Underlying causes means that that it develops over a period of time and indirectly leads up to an event. Underlying causes of World War I include nationalism, imperialism, and militarism. Along with the events that specifically led the United S tates to even become a part of the war in the first place. Europe found ways to evade many wars until nationalism spread throughout the entire area. Nationalism is the conviction that faithfulness to one s country and its financial and political objectives precedes whatever other open dedication (Llewellyn). It was the primary explanation behind the explode of numerous little issues into significant question. Italy and Germany rose to end up incredible forces. However, Austria-Hungary, Footrest TurkeyShow MoreRelatedThe Causes of World War I674 Words   |  3 PagesThe Causes of World War I World War I has several causes, including four decades of conflict which led up to its actual beginning (McMeekin, 2011). Alliances between countries, nationalism, military structures and imperialism all played significant roles in the conflict, but there were more immediate origins that were also important when it came down to the decision to go to war (Barnes, 1929). During the crisis of 1914 there were decisions made and actions taken by generals and statesmen, includingRead MoreThe Causes of World War I1090 Words   |  5 Pagesterrifying wars in history broke out. One by one, starting with Germany, the nations of Europe picked up their weapons and entered a four-year period of annihilation and destruction. Germany was by all means responsible for the conditions that led to the outbreak of World War I due to their hunger for sovereignty which crippled the balance of power in Europe, their unconditional support for Austria, and the German war plan which transformed what should h ave been a local war into a horrendous world war.Read MoreThe Causes Of World War I1171 Words   |  5 PagesA Historical Analysis of the Causes of World War I (187)The initial causes of World War I can be defined through the problematic issues of late British Imperialism during the Boxer rebellion in 1900. Many Chinese citizens had become rebellious to German imperialism, which allowed Kaiser Wilhelm II to send the German East Asia Squadron to quell the uprising. This action forced the Great Powers, such as Great Britain and Russia, to also send troops to stop the rebellion. Due to the rising power ofRead MoreCauses of World War I Essay1167 Words   |  5 Pagesevents happens to be World War I, which was evoked by many different causes. The most significant and immediate causes of this catastrophe was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie. Numerous nations were involved in this war, and two examples of opposing forces are Germany and Russia. World War I was resolved to an extent with the Treaty of Versailles, but it was not entirely settled. This is clear because World War II was a result of World War I. The assassinationRead More The Causes of World War I Essay1065 Words   |  5 PagesThe Causes of World War I World War I was the result of certain countries aggression towards others and by the rising nationalism of the European nations. Economic and imperial competition and fear of war triggered military alliances and an arms race, which further escalated the tension contributing to the outbreak of war. At the settlement of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the idea of nationalism was ignored to preserve the peace. Germany and Italy were dividedRead MoreEssay on The Causes of World War I860 Words   |  4 PagesThe Causes of World War I It has been suggested that naval rivalry was the main cause of World War One because, this was one of the most significant causes of tension between some of the most powerful countries in Europe. I strongly agree that this contributed to World War One but there are also several other factors that have to be considered such as the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the First Moroccan Crisis, the Second Moroccan Crisis, the Balkan WarsRead MoreThe Underlying Cause Of World War I1436 Words   |  6 Pages Yuri Nazaire 3A- Honors Global Studies MR:Binns 05-27-16 What were the underlying causes of World War I- Research paper World War I, also known as the first World War, or the Great War, was a global war originating in Europe the began on the 28th of July 1914 and lasted until the 11th of November 1918. World War I was a war that was fought between two sides with a few of the World’s greatest Nations of that time. The two sides were Triple Entente which included Britain, France, and RussiaRead MoreNationalism As A Cause Of World War I1477 Words   |  6 PagesNationalism as a Cause of World War I Matthew Moore Ms. Beck Honors World Cultures Period 3 19 May 2017 Nationalism entails the people of a nation â€Å"exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups.† The concept of nationalism, essentially an extremist’s angle to patriotism, fueled the actions of many countries heading into World War I. Before the war, nationalism hadRead MoreThe Cause of World War I Essay740 Words   |  3 PagesThe Cause of World War I There is not just one reason alone why the WWI started, one moment two countries would be fighting and then straight after another country could be fighting. Europe was pretty much at each others throats from 1871 until the war started in 1914. The many long term causes were building lots of tension between the complex alliances and eventually the tension would grow so big and would only need one thing to spark off a world war. In this essayRead More Cause of World War I Essay575 Words   |  3 Pages WWI Causes World War I, a war that started out locally in Europe between Austria-Hungary and Serbia that later ended up including thirty two different nations. This war has been around for almost a century and yet the causes of it are still being debated. There are many different scenarios that have been considered. Some of the key reasons that were believed to have instigated WWI were nationalism, imperialism, militarism, and an arrangement of treaties. Also the assassination of Archduke Franz

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

ITS Ethics and Problems-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Questions: 1.What are the Ethical problems you identified in your chosen YouTube video? 2.Why are these Ethical problems? 3.Who is responsible for these problems? 4.Who is affected by these problems? 5.What Project Management Strategies could have prevented these problems from arising in the first place? 6.Which of the three actions in your chosen YouTube video is better? Why? 7.What action other than the three in your chosen YouTube video, can best resolve the problems? 8.Who should take the best action? Why? 9.What are the Implications of the best action on the projects time, cost and quality? 10.What are the Consequences of the best action on the Project Stakeholders? Answers: 1.The ethical problem which is seen in the Selected YouTube video is that a software without proper encryption is being delivered to the client. This is basically done due to the factor of time constraint. This directly helps in delivering the project on time but compromise is done in the encryption process. 2.The problem which is seen in the scenario is an ethical problem due to the factor that a software without its basic encryption is liable for hackers to indulge into the system. This makes the system liable to vulnerability. The data in the system can be directly be hacked and the data can be used by the hackers for many activities according to their need. This issue can result in a big problem if the data include personal information of the user which may include password and email addresses. 3.The responsibility of these aspect directly lies in the hand of the developer of the software. There are responsible due to the factor that it is the responsibility of the program director to provide all the necessary security measures. This security measures does not only help in protecting the software but also help in providing a basic framework which provides necessary measures to protect it from hackers (Ding et al., 2014). 4.This problem would directly affect the client. This is due to the factor that the developers tend to deliver the system on time lagging behind the basic concepts of the security (Chen et al., 2016). On the other hand the clients data would be at a risk of getting into the hand of hackers who could use the data for their own purpose (Kumar, Khan Khan, 2015). On the other hand the stakeholders are also affected by means of budgeting constraints due to the factor that it would involve more after sales service such as sending the patch of the encryption and updating the system. This could be very much a haptic job from the point of view of the project manager as this could lead to problem in the near future. 5.The strategy that could have prevented such a situation is extra precaution on the deadline aspect. It should have been considered that the delivery of the project is approaching and it should have been delay in a proper way so that the project meet the necessary deadline. This factor could have been managed by preparing a basic project management schedule. Taking into consideration the waterfall model of the project management could have been taken into consideration. The model provides a basic framework which deals with all the steps which are involved in the process of the software development. 6.Among the three action plans that are being chosen in the YouTube video, the best action that should be taken into consideration is that the program director ignores project manager recommendation (Pires et al., 2016). This action would directly involve delay in the delivery of the project but on the other hand the quality of the product would not be compromised. If the compromise of the sector of the quality is not altered it would directly affect the reputation of the company. And on the other hand after sales service would not be required which involves may added disadvantage. 7.Other option that can help in resolving the issue is that, every client wants the software to be perfect that does not involve any security issue involved in it. The date of the launch of the software can wait until all the security aspects are meet and treated properly. This would result in no issue related to security in the near future. 8.The best action should be taken from the side of the program director who is the overall leader in the main implementation of the software. The security issue that should be implemented in the software so that it is not vulnerable to any security issue is best known by the program director (Sadeghi et al., 2017). The program director in every situation is the main player who plays a very important role in different role from the initiation of the project to the completion of the project and its delivery. 9.The implication of the factor of delaying of the launch would hamper the factor of time which was estimated for the launch but quality can be considered as a factor which should not be avoided in any circumstances. If the factor of the quality is compromised it would directly affect the reputation of the company involved in the manufacture (Scott-Hayward, Natarajan Sezer, 2016). 10.The project stakeholders would be affected by the delay in the delivery of the project. The cost of the project would be affected and this would be a negative aspect leading towards the project. The cost issue can be considered to be the only factor that would be hampering when taking into account the delay of then project delivery. But on the other hand the quality of the software should not be compromised with as it directly involve the reputation of the company. References Pires, R., Pasin, M., Felber, P., Fetzer, C. (2016, November). Secure content-based routing using intel software guard extensions. InProceedings of the 17th International Middleware Conference(p. 10). ACM. Scott-Hayward, S., Natarajan, S., Sezer, S. (2016). A survey of security in software defined networks.IEEE Communications Surveys Tutorials,18(1), 623-654. Chen, M., Qian, Y., Mao, S., Tang, W., Yang, X. (2016). Software-defined mobile networks security.Mobile Networks and Applications,21(5), 729-743. Ding, A. Y., Crowcroft, J., Tarkoma, S., Flinck, H. (2014). Software defined networking for security enhancement in wireless mobile networks.Computer Networks,66, 94-101. Sadeghi, A., Bagheri, H., Garcia, J., Malek, S. (2017). A taxonomy and qualitative comparison of program analysis techniques for security assessment of android software.IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering,43(6), 492-530. Kumar, R., Khan, S. A., Khan, R. A. (2015). Revisiting software security: durability perspective.International Journal of Hybrid Information Technology (SERSC),8(2), 311-322.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Physician-Assisted Suicide For and Against Essay Sample free essay sample

The history of the argument for physician-assisted self-destruction has been long. even following back to the Greek and Roman times. 1. 2 The argument originally was centered around the Hippocratic curse and the disapprobation of the pattern. With the rush of Christianity. many doctors continued to reprobate the pattern. Within the last two centuries the populace has spurned many treatments about Physician-assisted self-destruction and Euthanasia from many different historic perpectives1. Although this argument has been drawn-out and many of the issues discussed over the centuries are insistent. new thoughts and concerns make emerge with the current argument. Many footings are used in the argument for Physician-assisted self-destruction. and in order to relieve confusion through out the paper a few definitions will be given. Voluntary active mercy killing is the deliberately administering medicine or other intercessions to do the patient’s decease at the patient’s expli cit petition and with to the full informed consent. We will write a custom essay sample on Physician-Assisted Suicide: For and Against Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Involuntary active mercy killing is the deliberately administering medicines or other intercessions to do patient’s decease when patient was competent but without the patient’s expressed petition and/or to the full informed consent. Nonvoluntary active mercy killing is the deliberately administering medicine or other intercessions to do patient’s decease when patient was unqualified or non able to explicitly bespeaking it. Ending vital interventions is keep backing or retreating vital medical interventions from the patient to allow him or her dice. Palliative attention or indirect mercy killing is administrating narcotics or other medicines to alleviate hurting with incidental effect of doing sufficient respiratory depression to ensue in the patient’s decease. Physician-assisted self-destruction is a physician providing medicine or other intercessions to a patient with the apprehension that the patient intends to utilize them to perpetrate suicide 2. Altho ugh there are many footings. confusion can abound. However the treatment of physician-assisted self-destruction will be the focal point of the paper. since most of the imperativeness and treatment has been about this capable 3. 4. 5. 8. 12. 13. A few public advocators have spoken for physician-assisted self-destruction. Besides Doctor Jack Kervokian with his â€Å"death machine† . Dr. Timothy Quill shows the compassionate side of physician-assisted self-destruction. In the narrative of Diane. Dr. Quill tries to convert doctors to take earnestly the petition of a patient to decease 3. Currently Oregon is merely province that allows physician-assisted self-destruction. Many of the protagonists say there is a right to take when and where one dies. Quill does talk in favour of legalising physician-assisted self-destruction 4. However he brings up thoughts about dignified decease. The statement of the right to decease comes from the right to end vital intervention. The writers of this statement say there is no indispensable difference between physician-assisted self-destruction and expiration of vital intervention. since refusal of vital intervention is an upheld legal right. The analogy is one of a individual sitting on a beach waiting for the tide to come in to submerge and so another individual walking into the ocean to submerge. 5 Before the Supreme Court opinion in 1997. some argued that the right to end attention would be expanded to physician-assisted self-destruction and hence doing it a right. 5 However. the Supreme Court did non state physician-assisted self-destruction is a right. ( See subsequently treatment of ruling. ) In response to the claim there is a right to decease. there was elaborate article published in the Hastings Center Report about the development of rights. Harmonizing to the original broad minds on rights. the right to perpetrate self-destruction goes against the thought of a natural right. The philosophical statements go to demo there is no historical case in point for a right to be made dead. allow entirely necessitating others to assist. The kernel of single freedom is a sense of non belonging to person else. non simply making whatever you please. The current positing of rights to make whatever 1 pleases is a modern development and is seldom upheld in tribunals. 6 So the statement that there is a natural right to decease is a stretch from reading of rights and presently has no footing in the U. S. Constitution. Although there may or may non be a righ t to decease. there are other statements for physician-assisted self-destruction. Quill showed how compassion can take to the assisting of one’s decease. 3 However at the same clip Quill has discussed how a patient inquiring to decease may non ever be doing a legitimate petition. His thought is that this petition should take to a question about decease and the options should be explored. alternatively of a simple yes or no reply. His illustration of a 55 twelvemonth old adult females who requested to decease was truly a response to non desiring to undergo any more intervention for malignant neoplastic disease and a desire to take a more symptom-related intervention way. Some patients are in a religious crisis. psychosocial jobs. and even clinical depression. All of these petitions for aid. with proper treatment of options can take to a more positive terminal of life experience. Doctors can experience sympathetic to a state of affairs where there is nil they can due to relieve the hurting of a patient. For many. merely side-stepping the inquiry is unethical since the inquiry can stand for a call for aid. 7 So the compassion for a patient who is in terminal hurting can take doctors to help in physician-assisted self-destruction now even though it is illegal. Although there is know legal. medical. or philosophical historical case in point to let physician-assisted self-destruction. doctors believe in physician-assisted self-destruction adequate to knowingly interrupt the jurisprudence. Since the treatment of physician-assisted suicide environments feelings and unsure state of affairss. the treatment has turned slightly from why to hold physician-assisted self-destruction to how. A proposal has been published on the conditions of physician-assisted self-destruction. 4 The first demand is that the patient must hold a status that is incurable and associated with terrible. grim agony and understand the forecast. Second the doctor must be certain the petition is non made because of unequal hurting control. Third the patient must clearly and repeatedly bespeak to decease. Fourth the doctor must be certain the patient’s opinion is non distorted. Fifth. the physician-assisted self-destruction should be merely carried out in a meaningful ph ysician patient relationship. A doctor should non be forced to take part in any act that they deem unethical. Sixth. audience with another experient doctor is required to guarantee it is a sincere petition. Seventh. all of the stairss should be clearly documented. 4 This policy takes sensible sets to see the process is non abused. but the opportunity of maltreatment is ever present. To cut down the possibility maltreatment. the tribunals have recommended that the patient’s judgement be evaluated by a head-shrinker. 8 Using a head-shrinker as a gatekeeper to physician-assisted self-destruction brings up many other disturbing points. In the field of psychopathology. the desire to perpetrate self-destruction is considered a mental unwellness that can be treated. With this attitude how can a psychiatrist say person is of sound head with the desire to perpetrate suicide? Normally the profession considers a self-destruction as an unsuccessful intervention of a upset. National surveies have showed that 90 % of all self-destructions in the general population demo some kind of psychiatric upset. 9 However these instances do non concentrate on the terminally sick. The surveies of terminall y sick patients who desire physician-assisted self-destruction and the prevalence of diagnosed depression can run from 13 % to 77 % . 10. 11. 12 Most of these surveies have little Numberss of patients wanting physician-assisted self-destruction so at that place needs to be farther survey along this line. Besides these surveies were in a society where physician-assisted self-destruction was non openly allowed. The desire for physician-assisted self-destruction might alter if it was legal. thereby altering the trying pool. Besides there are no surveies analyzing the likeliness of terminally ill. self-destructive patients altering their heads about self-destruction after having psychotherapeutics. So there is a deficiency of information on desire for self-destruction in terminal patients. Besides the instance of non cognizing the true nature of the desires for self-destruction in terminally sick patients. finding the patient’s capacity to do a determination could be hard for a head-shrinker. How true will a patient be with a head-shrinker if one believes that they will non be allowed to end their life if the head-shrinker does non believe they are competent? Besides. is depression a ground to keep back the determination for physician-assisted self-destruction? Many head-shrinkers believe depression is a normal response to severe medical unwellness and non a mark of psychiatric unwellness. 9 So. confer withing a head-shrinker to find competency may forestall maltreatments. but it leads to its ain predicament. since head-shrinkers may non desire to execute this map. Although many issues about physician-assisted self-destruction remain. many surveies have shown a strong support of it in medical doctors and in the general populace in two published surveies. In Oregon. 60 per centum of physician believed that the physician-assisted self-destruction should be legal in some instances. 46 per centum said they would order a deadly dosage. Furthermore. 7 per centum have admitted to following with a petition of a patient for a deadly dosage. although this act was illegal at the clip. 13 In the Michigan survey. the populace and doctors were questioned. The proportion of respondants prefering the legalisation was 56 per centum of doctors and 66 per centum of the populace. This was compared to 37 per centum of doctors and 26 per centum of the populace who favor an straight-out prohibition. 14 The grounds for each single pick can change but there is a support for the legalisation of physician-assisted self-destruction that in some manner demands to be addres sed. Besides the fact the Dr. Kevokian has neer been convicted may be another illustration the support for physician-assisted self-destruction in Michigan. Although some statements for physician-assisted self-destruction are strong. many do have unresolved issues. Furthermore. the statement against physician-assisted self-destruction has many strong points. One of the most common statements is the slippery incline. This statement is presented as a manner to still let the procedure to be illegal although there may be a moral authorization in utmost instances. 15 The presidential study of 1983 said â€Å"The Commission finds this restriction on single self-government [ i. e. . physician-assisted self-destruction ] to be an acceptable cost of procuring the general protection of human life afforded by the prohibition of direct violent death. †16 The study expressed a concern for the general protection of all life. The study did non believe the bound few who would be helped with patterns such as physician assisted self-destruction is worth the forfeit to the general protection of human life. The fright is that the fiscal costs of inte rvention or force per unit areas from the household will do the determination of the patient to hold physician-assisted self-destruction performed. The â€Å"slippery slope† claim is that the right to physician-assisted self-destruction will easy distribute to the handicapped or mentally competent grownups who are non terminally ill. The concluding extreme of the slippery incline statement is that it will eventually make a point of nonvoluntary euthansia. 15 Many cite the Dutch illustration of what will go on. nevertheless this treatment will be deferred to later. The statements for the slippery incline usually do non separate a difference between mercy killing and physician-assisted self-destruction. as noted by Mark Siegler. Society and legislators have all made a distinguishable difference between physician-assisted self-destruction and mercy killing. Besides. the slippery incline statement ignores the current rights of existent people in favour of the bad injuries that may be visited in future people. 5 Another major expostulation to physician-assisted self-destruction is the loss of trust of a physician. What will a patient think if it is known that their physician actively aided in person else’s decease. One axiom of medical attention is â€Å"Cure sometimes. alleviate frequently. comfort ever. † Many times a doctor can non bring around a disease and or alleviate the symptoms. But how would a patient feel cognizing that the physician gave up on another patient particularly if they were terminally sick and allowed the self-destruction to happen. The doctor-patient relationship is the foundation of all interactions and to hold aided in decease comes in the center of it. would do more than a few patients uncomfortable. Besides another axiom of a doctor is to foremost make no injury ; suicide can be seen as injury to a patient. The statement along these lines provinces that physician-assisted self-destruction distorts the mending intent of medical specialty. 17 This statement is valid and does do many jobs. nevertheless they must besides be weighed against the demands of the peculiar patient. which each doctor has to do. One issue that is hard to decide is the morality of physician-assisted self-destruction. Many doctors and patients have a moral quandary with physician-assisted self-destruction. Another aspect involves the morality of the nurses who are involved with a possible action of physician-assisted self-destruction. If they object do they mention the patient to another nurse. or how do they voice their sentiment against this action without affecting the patient in the struggle between the doctor and nurse? 18 Besides the nurse there are many others who are involved every bit good. How do establishments do their policy clear plenty in front of clip to relieve any jobs particularly in the state of affairs with terminally sick patients? What is the pharmacist’s moral duty in this scenario? Do they inquire the patient if the medicine is for perpetrating self-destruction? If they consciously object to physician-assisted self-destruction how do they execute their map? Do they non make full the prescription outright. or do they merely fill the prescription to a degree where the patient can non perpetrate self-destruction? Another facet of this is the duty of the physician to supply farther attention. What happens if the self-destruction is botched someway. or if other complications make the self-destruction impossible? There are many issues involved with the existent act and how it affects all of the people involved in the wellness attention of the patient. 19 Another statement against physician-assisted self-destruction is that the physicians’ professi onal societies. in peculiar the America Medical Association. has come out against the legalisation of physician-assisted self-destruction. They have actively campaigned against the Torahs in Washington. California. and Oregon. The thought that the national organisation stands against this step is good for public policy support. nevertheless as antecedently mentioned many of the doctors polled in different surveies responded positive to the legalisation of the physician-assisted self-destruction. Some have claimed that the conservative leaders of organisations like the AMA are non needfully representative of their components. 20 though the AMA did urge a more careful scrutiny of the issue. While there are many moral and practical determinations about the legalisation of physician-assisted self-destruction. there is the illustration of the Netherlands. Although aided self-destruction is still illegal in the Netherlands. the tribunals and authorities have come out with a set of guidelines that when followed guarantee that a doctor will non be prosecuted — in kernel legalizing the act. However. in the Netherlands the re is non much of a differentiation made between physician-assisted self-destruction and mercy killing since framers of the jurisprudence did non desire to know apart against patients who could non consequence their ain decease. There are four guidelines given to forestall a doctor from being prosecuted. The first is the patient must be mentally competent grownup. The 2nd demand must bespeak mercy killing voluntarily and repeatedly and the physician needs to document the petitions. The 3rd demand is the patient must be enduring unacceptably. with no chance of alleviation. The Forth is the physician must confer with with another doctor non involved with the instance. In 1990 and 1995 the Dutch authorities commissioned studies to see the true nature of mercy killing in the Netherlands. The studies were headed by Professor Jan Remelink. the lawyer general of the Dutch Supreme Court. The Remelink studies have been tossed around between the two sides of the treatment of physician-assisted self-destruction. with both sides claiming that the studies prove their points. Initially the 1990 study showed that merely 18 per centum of all mercy killing was reported to the authorities with the proper certification. the fi gure has since risen to 41 per centum in 1995. The rise in figure could be contributed to the alteration in coverage processs. There are many grounds why doctors still do non make full out the signifiers. 23 so the coverage is non to the full accurate. Some of the grounds mentioned for non registering the study are it is clip devouring. burdensome and perchance implying. 23 The illustration of the Netherlands is usually selected to demo grounds of a slippery incline. but van der Maas. vader Wal. Haverkate. and remainder of the writers themselves claim â€Å"our informations provide no conclusive grounds in either direction† in respects to the slippery incline. 22 Many perceivers disagree with them. 21. 24 The startling fact that many cite as grounds of a slippery incline is the reported 1030 deceases in 1990 and 948 deceases in 1995 where the stoping of a life occurred without the petition of the patient. Many of the physicians involved in these instances claimed that many of the patients expressed involvement in the deter mination in front of clip and at the terminal they were in a place where the patient could non inquire. Still. there were a few studies of physicians stoping the lives without the expressed petition of a patient. The nonvoluntary deceases is besides non increasing. so some believe that the Dutch doctors continue to pattern physician-assisted deceasing merely reluctantly and under obliging fortunes. 25 However others argue that the society is going more tolerant of physician-aided decease and that any decease with out expressed petition is morally obnoxious and any system that allows that is non justified and that the Netherlands is skiding down the slippery incline towards involuntary active mercy killing. 21. 25 While the Netherlands can supply insight into physician-assisted death. a few differences need to be noted. First the lone treatment in America is for physician-assisted self-destruction. Second the societies of the Netherlands and America are different and we each subscribe to different ideals. This does non intend that all of the grounds from the Netherlands is non of import . we merely necessitate to recognize that there is a bound to how far we project the consequences of the Netherlands onto American civilization. While physician-assisted self-destruction is non legal in the U. S. except in Oregon. the Supreme Court ruled on the states’ right to make up ones mind separately on the legality of physician-assisted self-destruction. The two instances were Vacco v. Quill and Washington v. Glucksberg. where the tribunal upheld the right for the provinces to criminalize physician-assisted self-destruction. 26. 27 The Supreme Court reversed both determinations of the lower court’s sentiment claiming it was illegal to criminalize physician-assisted self-destruction ; nevertheless the Supreme Court did non state there was a right to physician-assisted self-destruction. The Supreme Court did state in the concurring sentiments that the patient had a right to palliative attention. They did believe that when a doctor gave hurting medicines to alleviate the agony of a patient such intervention would be allowable even if another effect of that hurting medicine is a shortening of the patient’s life. The Supreme Court did let provinces to go through their ain Torahs on the topic and allowed a treatment of the right to physician-assisted self-destruction in the populace. In the instance of Lee v. State of Oregon. the tribunals ruled that there was non adequate protection for the terminally sick patient who may stop up in a premature decease who may really desire to populate. This deficiency of protection came from the absence of a mental wellness professional consult when physician-assisted self-destruction is requested. 8 So the tribunals do state there is a province involvement in protecting patients who may desire to populate. While the provinces involvement in protecting patients is one of the cardinal legal statements against physician-assisted self-destruction and doing physician-assisted suicide illegal. So the tribunals have upheld the pillars of protecting the patient. However. in trying to protect the patient the tribunals have incorporated the head-shrinker. which brings up the quandary of the psychopathology antecedently mentioned. Many doctors agree with the opinion that alleviative attention is really of import and should non be restricted. 28. 29. 30 However they besides agree that the argument for physician-assisted self-destruction is non over. Some nevertheless disagree with the thought of a right to palliative attention. They do non differ with the thought of soothing patients at the terminal of their decease. but they do believe calming person to decease is ethically debatable. The claim is that terminal sedation is tantamount to a slow mercy killing. If one sedates person to a deep slumbe r and so retreat nutrient and H2O. does this ethically follow the guidelines of right to decline medical intervention? The doctor is seting the patient in a place where unreal support can be lawfully removed. Dr. Orentlicher claims the tribunal rejected the thought that terminal sedation â€Å"is covert physician-assisted self-destruction. † He besides claims that in rejecting a right to physician-assisted self-destruction they embraced a direct signifier of mercy killing. which can be easy abused. 31 While terminal sedation can be abused and at best there is still debate on the permissibility of terminally calming a patient and retreating life support. the tribunals have upheld a right to palliative attention. every bit long as the primary intent of the sedation is to alleviate hurting and non rush decease. While the moral and ethical argument furies in the populace and the tribunals. doctors have to cover with such state of affairss every twenty-four hours. Looking back to the survey of Oregon doctors. 4 per centum of the doctors studied had given a deadly prescription to a patient and the p atient had taken it. while 7 per centum of doctors admitted to really giving the medicine. While this figure may look low. one must retrieve while the survey was conducted it was illegal to compose a deadly prescription. Attempts have been made at countrywide studies of the pattern of physician-assisted self-destruction. but non many of the studies are returned and those that are can non be factually verified. So the current prevalence of physician-assisted self-destruction is wholly unknown. The pattern. if it does happen. is non talked about openly. due to the legal branchings. Additional research must find the current existent pattern of doctors. In the argument of physician-assisted self-destruction. there are many valid statements on each side. This paper has merely been able to touch on the surface of many of the statements. Whichever path society does take in respects to physician-assisted self-destruction. moral expostulations will necessitate to be addressed. Either manner. the public needs to be educated about the different legal options refering the end-of-life attention and the effects of any alterations in Torahs regulating such attention. Endnotes: 1. Emanuel E J. Euthanasia: historical. ethical. and empiric positions. Archivess of Internal Medicine 1994 ; 154:1890-1901. 2. Nyman DJ. Eidelman LA. Sprung CL. Euthanasia. Critical Care Clinics Jan 1996 ; 12:85-96. 3. Quill TE. Death and Dignity: a instance of individualised determination devising. New England Journal of Medicine 1991 ; 324:691-694. 4. Quill TE. Cassel CK. Meier DE. Care of the hopelessly ailment: Proposed Clinical Criteria for Physician-Assisted Suicide. New England Journal of Medicine 1992 ; 327:1380-1384. 5. Canick. SM Constitutional Aspects of Physician-Assisted Suicide After Lee v. Oregon. American Journal of Law and Medicine 1997 ; 23:69-96. 6. Kass LR. Is at that place a right to Die? Hastings Center Report Jan-Feb1993 ; 34-43. 7. Quill TE. Doctor. I want to Die. Will You Help Me? Journal of the American Medical Association 1993 ; 270:870-873. 8. Lee v. State of Oregon 891 F. Supp. 1429. 9. Zauble TS. Sullivan MD. Psychiatry and Physician-Assisted Suicide. Psychiatric Clinics of North America September 1996 ; 19:413-427. 10. Chochinov HM. Wilson KG. Enns M. et Al. Prevalnece of depression in the terminally sick: Effectss of diagnostic standards and symptom threshold judgements. American Journal of Psychiatry 1994 ; 151:537-540. 11. Chochinov HM. Wilson KG. Enns M. et Al. Desire for Death in the terminally ill. American Journal of Psychiatry 1995 ; 152:1185-1191. 12. Bukberg j. Penman D. Holland JC: Depression in hospitalized malignant neoplastic disease patients. Psychosomatic Medicine 1984 ; 46:199-212. 13. Lee MA. Nelson HD. Tilden VP. et Al. Legalizing Assisted Suicide – positions of Physicians in Oregon. New England Journal of Medicine 1996 ; 334:310-315. 14. Bachman JG. Alcser KH. Doukas DJ.et Al. Attitudes of Michigan Physicians and the Public toward Legalizing Physician-Assisted Suicide and voluntary Euthanasia. New England Journal of Medicine 1996 ; 33 4:303-309. 15. Siegler M. Is there a Role for Physician-Assisted Suicide in Cancer? No. Important progresss in oncology 1996 ; 281-291. 16. President’s Commission on Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavior Research. Deciding to Forgo Life-Sustaining Treatment. A Report on the Ethical and Legal Issue in intervention Decisions. Washington. DC: Government Printing Office. 1983. 17. Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs. American Medical Association. Decisions near the terminal of life. JAMA 1992 ; 267:2229-2233. 18. Haddad A. A adult female with terminal bone malignant neoplastic disease has asked her doctor to assist her terminal her life. He plans to impart aid. If he asks you to do a deadly drug available to this patient What would you make? RN March 1997 ; 17-20. 19. Alpers A. Lo B. Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon: a bold experiment. Journal of the American Medical Association 1995 ; 274:483-487. 20. McKhann CF. Is There a function for Physician-Assis ted Suicide in Cancer? Yes. Important Progresss in Oncology 1996 ; 267-279. 21. Hendin H. Rutenfrans C. Zylicz Z. Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in the Netherlands. Journal of American Medical Association 1997 ; 277:1720-1722. 22. van der Maas PJ. new wave der Wal G. Haverkate I. et Al Euthanasia. physician-assisted self-destruction. and other medical patterns affecting the terminal of life in the Netherlands. 1990-1995. New England Journal of Medicine 1996 ; 335:1699-1705. 23. Van der Wal G. new wave der Mass PJ. Bosma JM. Evaluation of the presentment processs for physician-assisted decease in the Netherlands. New England Journal of Medicine 1996 ; 335:1706-1711. 24. 10s Have HAMJ. Velie JVM. Euthanasia in the Netherlands. Critical Care Clinics Jan 1996 ; 12:97-108. 25. Angell M. Euthanasia in the Netherlands-Good News or Bad? New England Journal of Medicine 1996 ; 335:1676-1678. 26. Vacco v. Quill. 117 S. Ct. 2293 ( 1997 ) . 27. Washington v. Glucksberg. 117 S. Ct. 2258 ( 1997 ) .28. Paola FA. How Dead Is the federal Constitutional Right to Assisted Suicide? American Journal of Medicine 1998 ; 104:565-568. 29. Burt RA. The Supreme Court Speaks: non assisted self-destruction but a constitutional right to palliative attention. New England Journal of Medicine 1997 ; 337:1234-1236. 30. Quill TE. Meier D. Block SD. et Al. The Argument over Physician-AssistedSuicide: Empirical Data and Convergent Views. Annalss of Internal Medicine 1998 ; 128:552-558. 31. Orentlicher D. The Supreme Court and Physician-Assisted Suicide: rejecting assisted suicide but encompassing mercy killing. New England Journal of Medicine 1997 ; 337:1236-1239.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Conquest of Aztecs

Conquest of Aztecs Introduction Conquest in history. The conquest of Mexico can be considered one of the events in the world history that can be perceived in accordance with the literary sources available on the conquest. As such, two reputable sources Five Letters of Cortà ©s to the Emperor: 1519-1526 by Hernan Cortà ©s and The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico by Miguel Leyn-Portilla advocate different perspectives on this historic phenomenon with detailed descriptions and evidence.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Conquest of Aztecs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, to have a full picture of what has happened in Mexico in the era of the Aztec empire, it is necessary to take into account both perspectives and analyze views of both sides of the conflict. Disparities in Amerindian and Spanish versions. The main portion of disparities in the versions reported by Spaniards and Amerindians concerns the ro le of both sides in the conflict and the position they advocate. Thus, Spaniards, whose version has been regarded as the only documentary source of the conquest, perceive this conflict as an ordinary thing when they told the inhabitants about their friendly intentions but razed the city to collect gold and other riches. At the same time, Amerindians’ perspective reflects the culture of the Aztecs and lack of knowledge about the real plans of Spaniards. Though these two sources are completely different, they have a lot in common as they demonstrate the same events from different perspectives and seem t complement each other. Comparison of Sources First reports about the contact of Spaniards and Aztecs, mission of Spaniards, and perception of Aztecs. The first encounters of Spaniards and Aztecs are perceived in different ways by the two authors. As such, Cortà ©s claims that Spaniards were friendly to the natives and wanted to establish commercial relations with the representa tives of the Aztec empire in order to trade with them while the natives welcomed them in a hostile manner and many Spaniards were killed or wounded: Cortà ©s, replying by means of the native interpreter whom he had with him, informed them he was going to do them no harm but admonish them and bring them to the knowledge of our Holy Catholic Faith, that they might become vassals of your Majesty and serve and obey him, as had the Indians and peoples of those parts which are already peopled with Spanish subjects of your Majesty (Cortà ©s Five Letters 4). At the same time, this event was described in a completely different way by Leyn-Portilla.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Aztecs were terrified when they came to know about the arrival of strangers but though them to be of divine origin. So, â€Å"Prince Ixtlilxochitl of Tezcoco †¦ left his city with a group of follow ers to greet Cortà ©s in peace† (Leyn-Portilla II-330). This means that the Aztecs were ready to welcome the strangers and share everything they had with them because they believed Spaniards to be the gods that returned to their country to rule it. In other words, the perception of Aztecs was widely marked with their religious traditions and cultural peculiarities whereas the perception of Spaniards was marked only with a desire to serve the crown of his Majesty, spread Christianity at all costs, and enrich themselves and the Spanish rulers with the gold they noticed in the continent. The difference occurs due to the varieties in the perception of the conquest as a concept by both sides as for one party this was a massacre and destruction of the empire while for another this became a source of wealth. The image of Aztecs by Spaniards, and image of conquistadors by Aztecs. The image of each party differs greatly from another. This happens due to the disparities in their views, background knowledge of both sides, ability to infer from what they see, and use the information acquired for further development. At the same time, both authors emphasize the divine origin of Spaniards as perceived by Aztecs. For instance, Amerindians thought Spaniard to be their gods and were ready to accept whatever they say due to their desire to be helpful for their gods. The first contacts of Spaniards and Aztecs reflect the admiration of both parties, â€Å"the prince was astonished to see a man with such white skin and with a beard and with so much courage and majesty† (Leyn-Portilla II-331) as well as Cortà ©s openly admired the people he saw. This means that friendly relationships could be the basis for future cooperation, commerce, and partnership. The main reason for Spaniards to attack the Aztecs included their desire to serve the Spanish crown and â€Å"bring the natives of the land to the knowledge of our Catholic faith† (Cortà ©s The Fifth Letter 4) and collect the riches of the land in order to bring those to the mainland for their rulers. As reported by Townsend, â€Å"The belief was part and parcel of their [Aztecs’] cosmology and does not by any means indicate that they were lacking in intelligence or that their culture was ‘less developed’† (para. 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Conquest of Aztecs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main reason for their differences was the way they wanted to cooperate because it was important for Aztecs to remain a state with its own ruler and culture whereas the Spaniards tried to spread their faith by any means and retrieve as much gold and other riches from this abundant land as they could using violence to persuade people take their side. Tenochtitlan and Cortà ©s razing the main city of Aztec empire. The aspect of cooperation is viewed differently by the two authors who provide eviden ce to support their perspectives. At the same time, this aspect appears to be decisive for both parties as they have different missions and have different means for their accomplishment. As such, it is necessary to review the source by Chaliand who cites an excerpt from the book Letters from Mexico by Hernan Cortà ©s where the captain Cortà ©s reports the rulers of Spain about the victory over natives and the results of their campaign and the city they have captured. Moreover, the author enumerates the cities they have destroyed and other ‘successful outcomes’. On the contrary, this situation with the main city of the Aztec empire called Tenochtitlan was perceived as the cruel and unfair action of Spaniards toward the native inhabitants of this land. Leyn-Portilla describes: â€Å"When the Spaniards entered the Royal House, they placed Motecuhzoma under guard and kept him under their vigilance† (II-334). This means that they pretended to be friendly only to rea ch the gold and were not interested in commerce with these people. Spaniards used Aztecs to reach their goal and performed their tasks with special cruelty; they â€Å"gathered all the gold into a great mount and set fire to everything else, regardless of its value† (Leyn-Portilla II-334). This means that Spaniards did not care about the cultural heritage of the native people of Mexico because they wanted gold and they received gold – the goal was attained. However, the razing of the city of Tenochtitlan is not described by Cortà ©s as something inappropriate which should not have been done or special needs of soldiers or aggression from natives that could have caused such violent response. The more interesting is the question why the natives allowed Spaniards to capture their chief and burn their houses and deprive them of their riches and other valuable issues. Warfare: Gap in technological issues. The gap in technology made the Aztecs unable to conquer the Spaniard s and defend themselves and their princes. IfAdvertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cortà ©s writes that the Aztecs â€Å"many enclosures, pits and ditches, and many kinds of weapons† (131); however, these weapons were mostly for fighting with other people from other settlings and for hunting. Such perspective helps to analyze the entire concepts of the conquest and its success for Spaniards because they could use their more advanced weapon to conquer these people with spending minimal human resources on this. The weapons of Aztecs are described in another way by â€Å"The most important offensive weapon of the Aztecs was the Macana, a sort of paddle-shaped wooden club edged with sharp bits of obsidian†¦during the Conquest warriors beheaded Spanish horses at a single stroke† (Leyn-Portilla II-328). Besides, the rituals were an integral part of the Aztec culture and they did not start a war without declaring it to the enemies. In fact, the tradition to declare war explains everything as the Aztecs were not ready to fight because they welcomed Spa niards as their friends. At the same time, both perspectives include description of weapons and warfare skills of the Aztec warriors contrasted to the lack of knowledge about the territory possessed by the Spaniards. In other words, the main technological advantage of the Spaniards can be considered the way they started the war without declaring it and caught them unawares. Though Spaniards had indigenous allies among natives, they suffered from endemic diseases which were one of the main drawbacks of their army whereas natives were less vulnerable in terms of their health and endemic diseases but truly believed in respect and other virtues typical of noble men (as you remember, they admired the courage and majesty of Cortà ©s when they first saw him). Conclusion The controversy that arises after reviewing the sources on the Mexican conquest can be directed into another way. After accurately analyzing the evidence provided by Hernan Cortà ©s and Miguel Leyn-Portilla in their books suggesting quite opposing accounts of this historic event, it is possible to advocate the idea that these two sources complement each other because it is inappropriate to infer after regarding the perspective of only one party of the conflict. This means that the differences in the description of first contacts, razing of Tenochtitlan, and analysis of warfare peculiarities can be smoothed with the help of dual perspective. In other words, the importance of objective idea about the main historic events is the key way to success and this approach should be used every time certain controversy over the issue arises. Chaliand, Gà ©rard. The Art of War in World History: From Antiquity to the Nuclear Age. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1994. Print. Cortà ©s, Hernn. The Fifth Letter of Hernan Cortes to the Emperor Charles V, Containing an Account of His Expedition to Honduras. Elibron.com, 2001. Print. Cortà ©s, Hernndo. Five Letters of Cortà ©s to the Emperor: 1519-1526 . New York: W. W. Norton Company, Inc., 1991. Print. Leyn-Portilla, Miguel. The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1992. Web. Townsend, Camilla. â€Å"Burying the White Gods: New Perspectives on the Conquest of Mexico.† The American Historical Review 108.3 (2003): 56 pars. Web. https://historycooperative.org/journal/burying-the-white-gods-new-perspectives-on-the-conquest-of-mexico/.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Analysis of the Four Seasons Hotel and its business strategy in the luxury hotel Industry

Analysis of the Four Seasons Hotel and its business strategy in the luxury hotel Industry INTRODUCTIONMethodology of ReportThe following report was derived from the primary use of secondary sources, in addition to telephone contact with hotel representatives. Secondary sources included research from the Internet, industry books, company marketing communications, trade and general business newspapers and magazines, among others. Through all the sources, relevant data and information was extracted into the report's appendices. After individual analysis and group discussion, the following report was devised. The mandate of this report is to provide a macro examination of the luxury hotel industry and specifically the future outlook of Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts, Inc.Company History and BackgroundThe vision for Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts (FSH) began back in the 1960's when current chairman and CEO, Isadore Sharp, envisioned a luxury lodging chain that was able to set itself apart by focusing on personalized and quality services. This has proven to be a fruitful strate gy as FSH's success has placed it as one of the world's largest luxury hotel chains and has earned a 5-year return on equity of approximately 19-20% (Refer to Appendix 16).hotel room camera obscuraToday FSH has expanded from being a single hotel operating in one country to having 55 properties in 25 countries. FSH is mostly involved with management operations in hotels and resorts, however, it has recently ventured into non-hotel endeavours. The firm is currently involved in 3 lines of businesses, ranging from hotels to resorts to residential condominiums all around the world (Refer to Appendix 9).The origin of FSH was rooted in ownership operations, whereby the corporation owned both the real estate and the building. In addition, the firm would manage the hotel or resort's daily operating activities. In more recent times, FSH has realized that management operations is actually a more lucrative business model that also...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Nude Descending a Staircase versus Mystery and Melancholy of the Assignment

Nude Descending a Staircase versus Mystery and Melancholy of the Street - Assignment Example The paper "Nude Descending a Staircase versus Mystery and Melancholy of the Street" focuses on the contrast of two paintings by Marcel Duchamp and Giorgio De Chirico. The painting has dark outlines, which serve as motion lines and provide limitations of the body contours. The motion lines in the painting are significant because they provide emphasis on the moving figure. The painting also has dotted lines of accented arcs. The lines are effective in showing motion because of the ease to detect from the painting that the movement rotated in an anticlockwise direction, which is from the upper left to the lower right corner. Similarly, Melancholy and Mystery of a Street painting focus on contours because of the great color use. The artist did the work with great preciseness to set a seemingly void atmosphere. The painting shows, at the bottom corner, a peaceful girl in the play mood with her bicycle rim and a stick, which balances her perfectly with the entire painting. In the painting, De Chirico uses lines and contours to portray elongated shadows, empty arcades, mannequins, and towers. He excels in his arrangements to create the images of emptiness, as well as forlornness. Consequently, the painting succeeds in conveying the mood and feeling of freedom and power in a paradoxical manner. The contours color and lines help to explain shows a distinction between shadows and the clear sunshine that suggests a clear sky. Consequently, the shadows and sunlight create an apparent mental illusion.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Feature-length American film with a theatrical release between 1970 - Essay

Feature-length American film with a theatrical release between 1970 - 1999 - Essay Example As he came running out of the house, he dropped a folder and had to bend to the ground to pick up the documents that had fallen out (American Beauty 1). However, I think that the angles of the camera changed after Lester learned to stand up for himself. One particular scene that I found to be interesting was when Lester yells at his wife as they are lying in bed as opposed to the usual muttering that he always does under his breath. Here the camera moves from a high angle shot to a slightly low-angle one while Carolyn is shot in a slightly high angle shot. This I think, was intended to reflect on the audience the fact that Lester was now becoming more confident in himself and that Carolyn’s power over him was essentially decreasing (American Beauty 1). I also think that this was also a way for the director to show the audience that a number of positive things were to occur in Lester’s life. At the end of the film, both Carolyn and Lester are viewed through a mid shot showing how each of them was striving to live his life how he wanted it-I saw this when I watched Carolyn having an affair and Lester turning to smoking m arijuana(American Beauty 1). In another scene showing a basketball game, a long shot is taken from a high angle view and is used to provide an overview of the school gymnasium where Angela and Jane will begin acting as cheerleaders. Thereafter a single-cut of Angela and Jane is quickly followed by a medium shot that is in a straight on-angle and which shows Jane making complaints about her parents (American Beauty 1). This particular shot for me served as an introduction to Angela and essentially enabled me to have a clear image of the role that she will play later on in this scene. A match-cut shows Lester and Carolyn driving to the gym to watch Jane cheerleading. Here the shot changes from a close up to a

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Political Institutions Essay Example for Free

Political Institutions Essay The parliament which is officially known as the European Parliament is the only union’s body that directly elected. It is made up of 785 members who are elected for five year terms by universal suffrage and are determined by the political loyalty. By virtue of being the only elected body of the union, parliament reflects the more than 500 million citizen’s wishes, however, it has relatively weaker power as compared to the council in some areas such having the absolute legislative   powers. Its powers include co-owning the legislative and budgetary authority of the union with the council. Further, it has power over the commission which the council do not enjoy and hence earning it the praises that it is the most powerful and democratic legislature in the globe. [Parliament overview, 2007] Its current president who also doubles as its speaker is Hans-Gert Pottering elected in 2007. The council of the European Union which was also known as the Council of Ministers due to its composition, it is composed of national ministers, one per nation, who meets various capacities depending with the issue to be discussed e.g. if it is security matters being discussed then the respective ministers in charge of security matters in every nation attends the council. It co-holds both the legislative and budgetary powers with the parliament, and further it holds the executive powers, making it the main decision making organ of the EU. The power of the council is however, kept at bay through a rotating kind of its leadership, its presidency rotates between the member states every six months and therefore preventing any attempts to override the mandate of the council over the other unions institutions. Again, the decision making is subject to voting with majority or unanimity being set as the requirements, with the votes being allocated by the ratio of population. The council’s power also extends to the control of the other two pillars of the union namely; the common Foreign and Security Policy and the Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal matters. [The Council of the European Union, 2007] The commission of the European Communities forms the executive arm of the union; its composition includes one member each from the union’s states i.e. twenty seven. The members are elected on condition that they will not represent their respective national interests. The body’s main duty is to draft all the law of the union and has a monopoly of legislative inventiveness within the European Community pillar; however, the laws are subject to approval by both the parliament and the council. Again, its powers extend to overseeing the daily  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   activities of the union and also it has got a duty to up hold the law and treaties and hence playing the role of a â€Å"Guardian of the Treaties† that makeup the union. Its powers are put to check by the fact that the president who is the commissions head is nominated by the council and approved by the parliament. Other members of the commission who are known as the commissioners are proposed by member states in consultation with the commission’s president and again approved by the parliament. The commission’s current president is Jose Manuel Baroso who together with his commission was elected into office in 2004. [Institutions: Commission, 2007]   This is the supreme court of justice of the European Communities also known as the European Court of Justice; it acts on Union law matters. It is composed of twenty seven judges one apiece from the member states, the court president is chosen (elected) from among the 27, currently Vassilos Skouris is the occupier of the post. The courts major role is to make sure that the Union law is adhered to by all the member states, its supremacy is seen on the fact that the Union law overrides national laws of members nations. For instance in 2001 it ruled that a section of the national constitution of Germany was not in order with the Union law because it barred women from engaging in military roles. [20] The court of justice does not act all alone in matters concerning the Union law; it is assisted by two lesser courts known as the Court of First Instance of the European Communities (CFI) and Civil Service Tribunal. [Institutions: Court of Justice, 2007] The sensitivity of fraud cases and the fact that the Union’s Budget involved large amounts of money, an auditing body was necessary; the court of auditors is responsible for the monitoring of the expenditure of the union and preparing yearly audits on the Union’s budget. Its name does not necessarily imply any legal or judicial powers but it gives views on legislations that involve financial matters. It is composed of one member apiece from the union members and who are appointed by the council every six years, with the president being elected every three years from among them, currently Hubert Weber occupies the seat. [Institutions: Court of Auditors, 2007] With new laws and treaties being enacted chiefly to accommodate new members and new ideologies and partly to streamline the functioning of the Unions institutions, new institutions have been proposed to be created. Under Lisbon Treaty of Changes the following institutions are proposed; the European Council, which has been formerly acting as an informal body under the Council â€Å"of ministers†. Its inception will see it assuming the executive powers that were initially the preserve of the council of ministers and therefore becoming the highest political body of the Union. Other powers will include delineating the Union’s policy agenda and creating the momentum for integration, other features will be similar to that of the council of ministers. The other proposed institution is the European Central Bank, this bank is tipped to represent the interests of the euro-zone i.e. the fifteen states that have adopted the euro, and the main idea behind the formation of this body is to induce fiscal controls in order to sustain price stability. Its governance will include a board made national bank governors and a president appointed by the European Council; currently Jean-Claude Trichet is the president. [Draft Treaty modifying, 2007] The European Union system of government though unique can be likened to other models of governance, for instance, Germany’s federalism and the Swiss federal council where power is principally shared between the state and the federal government with the states having a principal say in the decision making process even at the federal level unlike in US where powers are clearly divided between the state and the federal government with the state having limited say over decision making process. The rotating presidency, the choice of lesser cities to host the headquarters of the Community Institutions, the spreading of executive powers between the institutions, are some of the   equal representation measures employed by the EU. [Borzel, Tanja A, 2002]    References:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   EU Law Blog, available at;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://eulaw.typad.com, accessed on November 26, 2008 Merging of the executives, available at;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.enalu?lang=2doc=473, accessed on November 26, 2008 EUR-Lex: Treaties, available at;

Friday, November 15, 2019

College Admissions Essay: A Person is Nothing Without Dreams :: College Admissions Essays

A Person is Nothing Without Dreams    My inspiration to succeed has always come from within. As a child, I had the vision of becoming a star and a role model for the next generation. I applied to Harvard because I believe it will help me fulfill those dreams. I am a person who is driven to achieve, and help others. The adversity of living in a small town, the frustration of being different, of looking to rise above and realize my own autonomy has helped me grow. The next step in my growth is Harvard. I am also a person who has a strong connection to beauty and art. I have been able to surmount any and all tribulations, and use music as my outlet. Music for me is the manifestation of one's own expression beyond words. Music is something that has always helped me go beyond the status quo and realize who I am and who I want to be. Music is knowledge, which will lead me to my own meaning of life. With the help of college, experience, and my own expression I hope to gain knowledge and wisdom. College is a process (among many others), which directs me to my next move in life. It is a step that I am obliged to take to gain a wider horizon of this world. One day I hope to apply all that I have learned to reach my goals and help others. A person is nothing without dreams. I live every day with this constant reminder written on a post-it note hidden in my wallet. It reminds me that I have a long way to go in life. I am still small and insignificant in many ways and have not yet broken free from my cocoon.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Analysis of My Big Fat Greek Wedding

During the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, there was a lot of positive and negative communication that influenced the main character’s life decisions. The story is about a young woman, named Toula, that is of Greek decent who is fearful of being stuck in the life she is now living. She is a frumpy girl that works in her family’s restaurant because she has not been able to find a Greek man to marry, and because of this, her family claims that she is old and has failed in life. She is allowed to attend college, which in turn, gives her new confidence and she is able to fall in love with a non-Greek man that is named, Ian.During the movie she struggles to get her family to accept him as the man she loves, and she also finally comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity. At the end of the movie, Ian is accepted into the family, he becomes a baptized Greek, agrees to marry in the Greek Orthodox Church and participate in the Greek culture. Despite the happy ending of the movie, Toula struggled to follow the rules and values of her culture, practiced nonverbal communication with Ian, and received empathy from her mother while Ian had to deal with a language barrier of English and Greek.Toula has a hard time accepting the culture of her family. From the movie, it seems as though the Greek culture is a high context culture. High context cultures have a strong sense of tradition and history, and they do not change much over time. In the beginning of the movie, Toula states that her family expects her to â€Å"marry a Greek boy, make Greek babies, and feed everyone in the family till the day she dies. † Since she has not been married she is stuck working in the family restaurant until she does. She breaks tradition when she starts dating and then marries, Ian, because he is not a â€Å"Greek boy, and not from a Greek family. She also does the unthinkable since she marryed Ian and changes the history and tradition of the culture, as high c ontext cultures do not change over time. It is also a tradition for the Greeks to have big families; Toula explains to Ian that she has twenty-seven first cousins and Ian seems to be very interested in what she is telling him because he only has two cousins. Ian’s family is American and they are the opposite of Toula’s family, they are part of the low context culture, like many other American families.One of the biggest differences is that Toula’s family is loud, big and always together and Ian’s family is small, quite, and only see each other on special occasions. Toula and Ian practiced different forms of nonverbal communication during the movie. Nonverbal communication means messages expressed by nonlinguistic means. Ian and Toula have both used face and eyes as a form of nonverbal communication. When Toula was still working as a waitress in her family restaurant, the dancing Zorba’s, she was caught staring at Ian by Ian and his friend.Her stari ng suggests that she was very interested in Ian and thought that he was handsome but Ian’s friend assumed that she was crazy because of how she was staring at Ian. Toula also caught Ian staring at her in the window of the travel agency that her aunt owns. Ian’s staring at Toula suggested that he was interested in her and thought that she was pretty. Ian used substituting, a form of nonverbal communication, to say hi to Toula in the window of the travel agency by waving and smiling at her. There were no words spoken to each other during this scene.Toula used body orientation to hide from Ian in her family’s restaurant behind the counter as he was leaving. She did this because she may have been embarrassed for getting caught staring at him and she may have also been shy. The same thing also happened in the travel agency when Toula hid behind the water dispenser when Ian turned his back to her to talk with his friend. When he turned back around he could not find he r and he walked off. Before Ian ran into the older lady on the street in front of the travel agency, he was using the gesture of possibly a duck, to get Toula’s attention and to make her laugh.This gesture made her laugh and smile and it was able to help her loosen up and feel a little more comfortable. Ian had to deal with the language barrier a few times in the movie, but there were two scenes that were quite comical. Ian asked Nick, how do you say â€Å"thank you† in Greek and he also asked Angelo, Toula’s cousin, how to say â€Å"everyone let’s go in the house,† and both times he was told something entirely different. This is similar to the â€Å"English-speaking representative of a U. S. soft drink manufacturer naively drew laughs from Mexican customers when she offered free samples of Fresca soda pop.In Mexican slang, the word fresca means ‘lesbian’(Adler). † In both of these cases, Ian and the representative thought they were saying one thing but it meant something else in the other language. Empathy was shown in the movie when Toula was turned down by her father for wanting to go to college for computer classes. When this happened her mother, Maria, showed empathy. Empathy means being able to experience the world form the other person’s point of view. Maria explained to Toula that Toula was just like her when she was her age.Maria stated that she knew how she felt and she would talk to Toula’s father about the computer classes. Maria showed the emotional dimension that helped her to get closer to Toula’s feelings. She also showed genuine concern for the welfare her daughter Toula. I can relate to people being interested in my culture just as Ian was very interested in Toula’s culture because it is different, but unlike Toula, I enjoy my culture and I embrace it. I have found that having a different culture, because most of my family is not from America, as a good thing.E ven though it makes you a little different, it also makes you unique and it adds to your identity as a person. If I were in the situations that Toula was in, I would have done some things different. If I were her, I would have told my parents before anything got serious, because it was shown in the movie that lies only lead to more problems. Telling them early that she found someone non-Greek would have also cause problems but because they wanted her to get married so bad, I think they would have became welcoming sooner.It is important to be proud of your culture and not ashamed because your culture and the people that raise you make you who you are. Also, many facial expressions can be perceived as in ways that you would not want or expect, like Toula getting caught staring at Ian and his friend, thinking that she was a little crazy. So sometimes when communicating nonverbally, it may be best to use words to communicate your actual feelings. ? Works Cited Page(s): 187, Looking Out, Looking In, 13th Edition by Ronald B. Adler, Cengage Learning

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Girl with green eyes Essay

It hardly needs a commentary that a movie â€Å"Girl with green eyes† is not just a standard drama which tells a story of unhappy love. It would be no exaggeration to stress that it is a great masterpiece of cinematography.   â€Å"Girl with green eyes† was released in 1964 and it was an innovation introduced by the debutant director Desmond Davis. He not only narrated a story, common to the 60s, about a rural girl who has a burning ambition to conquer the city, but made a deep plunge into the characters of his main heroes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The film is based on Edna O’Brien’s novella â€Å"The Lonely Girl† and is a tender, touching and humorous little drama of a lonely Irish girl. It is about Kate Brady (starring Rita Tushingham), a naà ¯ve, insecure young girl who lives on the family farm in Dublin. The girl wants to escape from this country convent and run away into a big city and change her life. She rooms with another girl Baba Brenan (Lynn Redgrave) who is a lot different than Kate. Heroine appears to be a quite and reserved young lady.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The character of Kate in this movie is very complex. In the beginning of it she is a gawky rural girl from the catholic family with high morals. However, she has a strong urge to enter the modern world. The 60’s epoch is shown in the movie and Kate and her friend   are trying to become a part of it, they go out to the rock n roll clubs and date with boys. Even though Kate used to be very shy back at home now she grows up into another person. The friends meet a middle aged writer Eugene Gaillard (Peter Finch). Kate and Eugene start going out. For Kate it seems like her dream is going to come true. They start to live together and at first Kate cherishes every moment they have together. She believes in miracles and hopes that it is hers. She makes the first step in their relationship with Eugene. She invites him for tea. That’s where everything started from. The scenes where Kate attempts to attract Eugene’s attention are among the best in this movie. It looks very cute when the immature girl, assisted by her friend, tries to get acquainted with an older man. And then their first affected endeavor of love-making, their fulfillment of a simply necessary love and then the tensions of possessiveness and boredom that this fulfillment brings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As director, Desmond Davis is a very talented professional. He was especially good at making the scenes, where Kate is growing up. He shows how her facial expression, speech and mood change. When she arrived in the city her clothes were provincial. With every episode we witness some outside transformations as well as the inside transformations. Director brilliantly shows the alteration of her character. Simple provincial naive girl grows into a young woman with complicated feelings. When she meets Eugene, we definitely know she’s childish (in positive sense of this word). Her looks express her fidelity, love and tenderness to her, so to say, master. However, later the changes on Kate’s face are noticeable in every episode, when she talks with Eugene. Her lovely smile appears less and less. Operator zooms in her look in every single tickler.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kate’s family finds out by an anonymous letter that she has an affair with a married man. Her father comes to Kate’s work and tries to persuade Kate to return home, she shows real firmness of her intensions and refuses to leave Eugene. That is the part, where she acts not like a childish girl, but as a serious woman. In this scene, she is confident and certain of her deeds, even though she was going against her father’s will and resisting the catholic duties. We can notice how Kate fights inside of her soul with all these factors and tries to find the right answer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the â€Å"honey moon† period some friction appears in Kate and Eugene’s relationship. The film was shot in the way, for the audience to deep in Kate’s thoughts along with her and it seems like they are real. Everything around freezes, dies down, when she recalls her home. Director shows peace around in moments like this. But there is reality and it all finally comes to the end when Eugene’s wife reappears and the couple is forced to confront the reality of what is left of their relationship. She leaves him and heads for London.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This movie became such a success mainly because of an artful performance of Rita Tushingham, the leading actress. She was so fluent with her facial expressions and her every move and gesture made sense. It seems that she became this volatile girl, full of controversy, where aggression meets with generosity and selfishness with honesty and hope. This film is full of emotions and impressions. That’s what makes it so bright and colorful, even though it is a black-and-white picture. Sources: Crowthersley, 1964, http://movies2.nytimes.com/mem/movies/review Desmond Davis, dir., Girl with green eyes, Lopert Pictures, 1964   

Friday, November 8, 2019

Managing People The Case of Virgin Atlantic

Managing People The Case of Virgin Atlantic Introduction The aviation industry has emerged as one of the most dynamic and fastest growing sectors of the global economy. This rapid growth has brought forth both opportunities and challenges.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Managing People: The Case of Virgin Atlantic specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the one hand, the increasing demand for air transport has enabled this industry to remain productive even in the face of financial uncertainty (Boxall Purcell 2012). On the other hand, the threat of new entrants (particularly the low-cost airliners) has intensified completion (Balmforth 2009). As such, the momentum of change and the shifting landscape has increased the need for a new generation of leaders (Bratton Good 2012). One of the challenges that the airline CEO faces now is adopting strategic practices that will facilitate talent management. Virgin Atlantic is one of the most progressive airliners that h ave maintained their competitive edge despite the turbulences in the aviation industry. The company has experienced unprecedented growth over the years by expanding into various global destinations. Virgin Atlantic stands out as one of the most successful companies in the United Kingdom in terms of market value and competiveness. The company’s success story means that it has adopted sound human resource practices to sustain its growth (Balmforth 2009). Bakker and Schaufeli (2008) have asserted that the human resource function plays a significant role in enhancing productivity, which translates into profitability.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This report will review the human resources practices that Virgin Atlantic has adopted over the years to maintain its competitiveness. The report will emphasize the role of employee involvement and engagement. In add ition, the ensuing discussions will also analyse the leadership styles that are effective in encouraging employee involvement and engagement in the company. Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) has increasing become a norm in HRM practices. This report will also analyse the role of SHRM with particular reference to the delegation of HR functions to the line managers. Finally, the analysis will provide recommendations for enhancing the current HR practices. Employee Engagement and Involvement The airline industry is safety-sensitive, extremely competitive and technology –intensive. The combination of these aspects has critical implications for players in the sector in relation to organizational culture, strategy and management. The traditional top-down model of governance, operations and policy is increasingly becoming archaic and inappropriate (McLeod Clarke 2009). The high knowledge base that characterises this service market calls for flexible and transformational le adership. In addition, the trend of globalisation has also necessitated the development of diversity policies to provide equal employment opportunities (Frees 2008). The HRM function is now imperative in selecting and retaining a workforce that meets the changing demands of customers (Armstrong Taylor 2014). The threat of new entrants, coupled with the rising costs of fuel and operations has increased competition in the airline industry. Consequently, some airliners have recorded massive losses due to poor performance.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Managing People: The Case of Virgin Atlantic specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The affected companies may recover, stagnate, or close down depending on the strategy adopted in such tough situations (Getenby et al. 2009). Virgin Atlantic has also encountered these challenges although the company has remained productive. Conversely, the company should enhance its employe e involvement and engagement practices to maintain a comparative and competitive advantage. This goal is essential considering the stiff competition from Asian and Middle East-based airliners (Balmforth 2009). Employee engagement has moved to the forefront as one of the most viable HRM practices. Nonetheless, there is no consensus on a single definition of employee engagement (McLeod Clarke 2009). Firstly, Markos and Sridevi (2010) have defined employee engagement as the ability and willingness of the employees to support the realisation of the organizational goals. Secondly, Frees (2008) conceptualises this concept as the active involvement in work-related tasks with passion and enthusiasm. Thirdly, Endres and Mancheno-Smoak (2008) have hypothesised employee engagement in terms of employees’ perceptions and values. The common theme of these multiple definitions is the two-way relationships between the employers and their employees (Frees 2008). The divergent views in the HR discourses do not demean the value of employee engagement. On the contrary, all HR managers concede that employee engagement generates positive organizational outcomes (Daniels, Davis Shipton 2008).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The employees engaged and involved in decision-making processes are more productive than those who are not (Markos Sridevi 2010). Armstrong and Taylor (2014) found out that employee engagement reduced the rate of turnover and absenteeism significantly. Further, Frees (2008) has demonstrated that enhances the quality of customer service. The ongoing advances in technology have laid the foundation of innovation. Bakker and Schaufeli (2008) have argued that employee engagement increases the level of satisfaction, which is a prerequisite of innovative behaviour. The primary concern is that the majority of companies (if not all) do not encourage employee engagement. MacLeod and Clarke (2009) underscored the critical role of an engaged workforce in both individual well-being and organisational success. Conversely, Gatenby et al. (2009) have found out that organization and companies in the UK do not value employee engagement. The principal concern is that HR consultants and professionals have limited knowledge about the application of employee engagement. According to MacLeod and Clarke, three aspects underpin the concept of employee engagement. These issues include the commitment to organizational values and goals, motivation and personal development. Virgin Atlantic should promote employee engagement in various ways. First, the airliner should encourage an entrepreneurial culture within its system. The increasing trend towards air travel has presented growth opportunities. One area that the management should focus on is the promotion of personalised services. An entrepreneurial environment will allow performing employees to recommend new starters for the company (Frees 2008). For example, the flight attendants can participate in the development of in-flight protocols. Bakker and Schaufeli (2008) have argued that an entrepreneurial culture motivates the employees to make real contributions to organizational growth, in addition to influencing the strategic direction . Second, the competitive business environment inherent in the aviation industry calls for more productivity and efficiency than before. Although the unprecedented advances in technology will revolutionise the service market, they demand employees who posses superior professional and technical skills (Endres Mancheno-Smoak 2008). The CEOs cannot manage the highly knowledge-based workforce using the outdated system of totalitarian management. By contrast, these individuals expect a high level of job satisfaction, motivation and operational autonomy (Markos Sridevi 2010). In essence, Frees (2008) has noted that the current management practices are shifting focus to the employees. Virgin Atlantic should promote employee engagement by involving them in decision-making processes. Third, Virgin Atlantic should develop a two-way communication to enhance employee engagement. The aviation industry is dynamic and fluid considering the ongoing advances in technology and consumer demands (Bal mforth 2009). As such, Virgin Atlantic will have to implement change progressively and continuously to adapt to both internal and external pressures (McLeod Clarke 2009). Effectual change management requires the active involvement of the employees in making strategic decisions from planning to implementation (Armstrong Taylor 2014). The Virgin Atlantic top management should adopt a consistent and clear communication of the company’s strategic direction. This strategy should also include the role of the employees in bringing this goal to fruition. Both the HR managers and employees recognise the fact that effectual communication can have a revolutionary and dramatic effect on organizational performance and productivity (Bakker Schaufeli 2008). Markos and Srivedi (2010) have asserted that interactions within the organization influence the direction of all strategic decisions. Effective communication is especially crucial when planning and implementing changes (Boxall Purcel l 2012). Virgin Atlantic should develop systems that enhance internal communication between executives and the employees. These initiatives should pay more attention on the input of junior staff. The free flow of information and mutual trust will help the company to implement change. Fourth, Virgin Atlantic should establish a robust performance management system of providing feedback. Change is a continuous process that mandates constant monitoring and evaluation to identify gaps and opportunities (Frees 2008). The company should conduct regular surveys to determine the factors that drive engagement. Endres and Mancheno-Smoak (2008) have shown that this activity enables the HR and line managers to concentrate on the aspects of engagement that have a fundamental influence on the employees. The top management should use the evidence from the surveys to develop SMART (Specific-Measurable-Accountable-Realistic-Time bound) action-oriented plans. Further, it is essential for the top manag ement to demonstrate their commitment to employee engagement. Gonos and Gallo (2013) have opined that the followers are often sceptical when the top management does not believe in employee engagement. In fact, Frees (2008) has found out the actions taken by leaders influence the direction of their followers. For example, the Virgin Atlantic CEO should lead by example by owning the process before passing it down to the low-level managers and employees. According to Markos and Sridevi (2010), lip services that are not commensurate with commitment portray employee engagement as a corporate or HR fad. Thus, the top management of Virgin Atlantic should match their words with actions. Strategic Human Resource Management The HR function is increasingly becoming an integrated component of strategic thinking considering the role that employees play in the realization of organizational goals (Henderson 2011). The role of employees in supporting the achievement of strategic objectives has supp orted the introduction and development of the Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). SHRM evolved in the 1990s to facilitate the promotion of a value-driven, integrative, and proactive approach to human resource management (Reyner 2009). The primary goal of SHRM is to assimilate HR practices into the organizational strategy. Thus, SHRM is crucial to facilitate the active participation of employees in making strategic decisions (Henderson 2011). Virgin Atlantic faces the challenge of making strategic decisions just like the other players in the industry. Most airliners are now outsourcing some of the previously held in-house functions to respond adequately to industry fluctuations (Wang Wang 2015). One of these approaches has been the adoption of the Shared Services approach. This strategic decision has helped Virgin Atlantic to expand its services to the international markets (Balmforth 2009). Conversely, Bakker and Schaufeli (2008) have found out that most companies do not in clude the HR functions in the development of their strategic plans. Consequently, the employees are often dissatisfied or resist change because they do not own the strategic processes (Ramphal 2011). The SHRM should assume a crucial role in employee engagement and participation processes. Mergers and acquisitions (MA) have become prevalent in the aviation and other industries. The essence of MA is to enhance productivity and efficiency by rationalising the use of scarce resources (Claydon Beardwell 2007). Virgin Atlantic merged with Delta Airlines in 2013 as a means of reducing costs and enhancing the delivery of transatlantic services. The transatlantic partnership was critical to counter the competition from its fiercest rival, the British Airways (Gregory 2014). Despite its benefits, this merger has brought to the limelight practical challenges. For instance, Delta may decide to realign the HR function since it will own 49% of Virgin Atlantic’s shares. Such an action migh t result into employee rationalisation to reduce costs. The scenario presented above highlights the significance of adopting the SHRM by Virgin Atlantic. The elemental concern is that the failure to adopt efficient HR practices during the development of Shared Services and MA contributes to failure (Creasy, Stull Peck 2009). The primary function of the HR managers is to facilitate employee engagement and participation during the change processes (Denison, Adkins Guidroz 2011). According to Rayner (2009), the achievement of this goal necessitates the development of HR systems that are both adaptable and compatible with the strategic choices. Virgin Atlantic continues to undergo significant transformations to remain productive and competitive. As such, it is essential for the company to increase the scope of SHRM practices. The adoption of the SHRM function will require the inclusion and involvement of HR managers in strategic decision-making processes. The HR managers should not be bystanders but rather equal partners alongside the other senior managers (Creasy et al. 2009). Denison et al. (2011) have found out that such opportunities ensure that the HR managers present the employees’ concerns from the outset. The misrepresentation of employees amounts to a violation of labour laws. Virgin Atlantic will avoid the consequences of litigation if it addresses the demands of workers before implementing strategic decisions. One of the areas that the company should optimise on is the delegation of some of the HR practices to the line managers. The line managers have a frequent and direct contact with employees. As such, these employees are more conversant with the needs of these employees than the senior HR managers do (Purcell Hutchinson 2007). Some of the functions of the line managers include interviewing prospective candidates and making recommendations for salary increments (Frees 2008). Nonetheless, the company should only assign the HR duties to the l ine managers who have appropriate skills and competencies. The senior HR managers should form strategic partnerships with the line managers. This collaboration will facilitate the provision of resources and training to ensure that the HR practices are in line with the established policies (McLeod Clarke 2009). Another crucial component of SHRM that Virgin Atlantic should consider is the development of an innovative selection and recruitment system. The competitive and dynamic nature of the airline industry mandates the identification of appropriate talents to realise organisational goals. A rigorous recruitment and selection system creates a sense of high expectations about performance (Marchington Wilkinson 2012). The mismatch between organisational demands and personal capabilities increases the risk of poor performance (McLeod Clarke 2009). The company should complement these efforts by developing comprehensive career development and training programmes. For instance, the pilo ts should undergo in-house training regularly to update their skills of using modern technologies. Finally, the trend of globalisation has diversified global communities. This diversity also manifests in HR practices (Markos Sridevi 2010). Virgin Atlantic must adopt and implement inclusion policies to provide equal employment opportunities by promoting a distinctive corporate culture. An organizational culture that emphasises mutual respect will enable the company to achieve its strategic goals (Frees 2008). Such customs will make the company attractive to both customers and prospective employees from diverse cultural backgrounds. Markos Sridevi (2010) have indicated that companies improve their performance and productivity when they harmonise organizational cultures. Bakker and Schaufeli (2008) have noted that the poor management of diverse cultures causes conflict. Personal Reflections on Effective Leadership Styles The preceding sections have highlighted the significance of emp loyee engagement and strategic human resource management (SHRM). The common theme between these two components is the employer-employee relationships, particularly the interaction between managers and the junior staff. These aspects then bring to the forefront the issue of leadership. The volatility and uncertainty in the aviation industry call for a new style of leadership to facilitate innovative thinking and change management. The human resource executives should assume a leading role in developing the required generation of leaders. The starting point will entail the alignment of strategic priorities with the future demands for skilled talent. Employee engagement is one of the primary functions of change management. It is imperative to reiterate the fact that the airline industry will continue to encounter massive transformations. Conversely, the successful implementation of change will require leaders who are both transformative and visionary (Marquez 2007). Transformational le adership is central in management discourses and is the most applied style in modern society. A transformational leader influences the actions of followers by transforming their attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs about change (Gonos Gallo 2013). One of the major challenges faced by many organizations is achieving constant productivity and profitability. A transformational leader identifies the need for change and rallies followers towards realizing change (Alkahtani, Abu-Jared Suleiman 2010). The critical pillars of transformational leadership are visionary and coaching leadership styles (Chen Chen 2008). Virgin Atlantic will continue to experience continuous change. Nonetheless, not all the employees will be receptive to the change initiatives. The company CEO and other senior managers should adopt the transformational leadership style to influence planning and implementation processes efficiently. These leaders should share their visions and goals with the employees through co nsultations and active engagement. According to Gonos and Gallo (2013), transformational and visionary leaders do not impose change on their followers. The rapid transformations and advances in technology necessitate the development of continuous education programmes for the employees. These initiatives will ensure that the employees have the requisite skills and competencies that are in tandem with modern practices (Bakker Schaufeli 2008). The changing landscape of the airline industry has created the urgency for transformation. The top management of Virgin Atlantic should coach and train the employees to enhance productivity and profitability. The company cannot compete favourably in the volatile market unless it has highly skilled personnel. Marquez (2007) has affirmed that a transformative and visionary leader does not give orders and wait for progress reports. By contrast, such leaders are part of the operations team and lead by example (Purcell Hutchinson 2007). Leadership a nd management are common terms in academic and business discourses that generate divergent viewpoints. These discussions often centre on the perceived differences and similarities between the two concepts (Gonos Gallo 2013). Several definitions exist regarding theories, styles and attributes of leadership and management. Both leadership and management emphasize the coordination of the HR functions (Chen Chen 2008). The only difference lies in the manner in the coordination processed. While managers control the realisation of organizational goals, leaders influence people to embrace change (Alkahtani, Abu-Jared Suleiman 2010). The Virgin Atlantic CEO and other line managers should strike a balance between the two to achieve optimal outcomes. Conclusion Employee engagement has moved to the forefront as one of the most viable HRM practices. Nonetheless, there is no consensus on a single definition of employee engagement. Despite these contentions, employee management is a critical c omponent of human resource management. The concept of employee engagement is particularly crucial in the airline industry considering the dynamic and competitive nature of this service sector. Virgin Atlantic is one of the prominent airliners in the UK and across the globe. Although the company has remained productive and competitive, the external threats will most likely challenge this hegemony. As such, the company should adopt a strategic plan to remain afloat in a highly competitive market place. Virgin Atlantic should encourage employee engagement practices by fostering effective communication and interactions. Conversely, employee engagement is a complex and long-term process. The company will achieve this goal if it adopts broad cultural and organizational strategies that involves employees at all the organizational levels. The company should align these initiatives with the human resource practices. Change is inevitable in the aviation industry but the employees should be pa rt of the transformations. The company CEO and managers should foster transformational leadership styles to influence the employees to adapt to the change successfully. In conclusion, collaboration, strong communication and mutual trust should form the basis for implementing employee engagement. Reference List Alkahtani, AH, Abu-Jared, I Suleiman, M 2010, ‘The impact of personality and leadership styles on leading change capability of Malaysian managers’, Australian Journal of Business and Management Research, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 70-99. 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