Monday, September 30, 2019
Martha?S Vineyard – Labov
1. 0      Introduction 1. 1     Martha? s Vineyard – where old traditions are still of value Martha? s Vineyard is a small island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, USA. The island has a permanent population of about 6000 inhabitants. It is separated from the mainland by the Atlantic Ocean and there are no big businesses or any McDonald to be found on the island. Here, life is not as hectic as on the mainland and old traditions are still of value. The inhabitants have a way of showing their connection and dedication to their homeland, which is also a way of identifying themselves.This term paper will be about sound changes in connection with social identity. I will examine the innovative study of language variation and change in the islands community, observed and examined by William Labov (1963). I will analyze and discuss the study made by Labov. Labov? s study is based on the characteristic sound pattern discovered while listening to the inhabitants of Martha? s Vineyard. This sound change has a focus on the centralization of diphthongs. Centralization is the phonological change in which a vowel becomes more central than normal (Lawrence Trask 2000 : 53).Diphthong is a vowel sound which is pronounced by quickly moving from one vowel position to another (Deckert, Vickers 2011 : 33). The sound changes made by inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard, observed by Labov were: /ay/ as in fight, right and sight and /aw/ as in loud and about. Labov? s observations exposed that the centralized diphthongs only occurred in a particular linguistic context. Some groups used the sound change more than others. The group of fishermen was among these. Labov also observed that some inhabitants purposely did not pronounce the diphthongs differently to people from the mainland.Having looked at different social factors, as for example, age, ethnic group and occupation it became obvious that the attitude towards the island was an essential aspect to explain this phenomenon. The decision whether or not to use the island or the mainland pronunciation depended the attitude towards Martha’s Vineyard, whether or not being positive or negative. Labov named this phenomenon â€Å"island identity†(1963). To understand what â€Å"island identity†is it is important to define the term â€Å"identity†. What is identity and how do we identify ourselves?Can there be a connection between identity and speech? In this term paper I will attempt to answer these questions. 2. 0 The study, sociolinguistic pattern and meaning 2. 1 Background knowledge Martha’s Vineyard is divided into two parts, which are the up-island and the down-island. By the time Labov made this study, the island had approximately 6000 inhabitants. The majority lived in an area of the down-island which contains of three small towns, called Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. The remaining inhabitants lived in the rur al up-island area with only a few villages (Labov 1972: 5).The inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard were divided into four major ethnic groups. The main group was the descendants of old families with English origin. The second major group was descendants of Portuguese origin who migrated from the Azores and the Cap Verde Islands. The third group was descendants of remnant native Americans. The last group consists of inhabitants of various origins, who were of no relevance for this study (Labov 1972: 6). Another group became relevant for this study. This was the group of summer visitors who came in large groups in June and July.There would be around 42. 000 visitors on the island every summer (Labov 1972: 6). It could be a possibility that the summer visitors brought the sound change from the mainland to the island, which would mean that this group would have the major influence on the pronunciation of the diphthongs /ay/ and /aw/ but it becomes clear that the influence of visitor s are not as obvious as it might seem, since Labov only mentioned that this group had an indirect influence. To clarify this, it is essential to have a look at the economic situation of the island.In 1960 Martha's Vineyard was the poorest of all countries of Massachusetts and this was not only due to the high unemployment rate in Massachusetts back then (Labov 1972: 27). The islands? major industry was the fishing industry on the up-island. The large-scale of fishing went out of New Bedford on the Grand Banks and as a result it became harder to keep this industry going (Labov 1972: 27). It became almost impossible for the fishermen to make a living from their wages and their families became dependent on two earnings. Another problem forced the economic and psychological pressure.Convenience goods were at a very high price (Labov 1972: 28) and the goods were brought on the island with ferry from the mainland. This transport was expensive and permitted the salesmen to expand the price s of their goods. Some would say that the constantly growing tourism came as a blessing for the inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard, but at the same time it also became a curse, especially for the fishermen who felt very connected to the island and the traditions connected to it. For them it was difficult to accept the increasing dependence on tourism.The following observations and results are of importance in order to understand the connection between the above mentioned background information and the language variation in this study. 2. 2 Accomplishment by Labov and its meaning for the inhabitants In 1963, as the study of Martha’s Vineyard was relized, Labov observed a striking way of pronouncing words such a fight, right and sight, and words such as loud and about. This striking ways of pronunciation clearly diverged from the near parts of the mainland (Meyerhoff 2006: 16f. ). The inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard pronounced the diphthongs /ay/ and /aw/ in a more entral position which is a phonological change termed centralization. In order to figure out why many inhabitants used the centralized diphthongs, Labov deliberated an interview schedule in which /ay/ and /aw/ frequently occurred (Labov 1972: 12). Here Labov did not only put his focus on the linguistic aspect but on the social aspect as well. This means that Labov did not only put focus on the language but furthermore he wanted to examine the reasons for this sound change and in which way it was used in a social context and by whom. Why did some speakers use the centralized diphthongs more than others?This is why this study by Labov is not just of study of linguistics but also counts as a sociolinguistic study (Deckert, Vickers 2011: 1). Labov started asking inhabitants questions concerning their lives on the island. He also recorded them while they were reading lists of words naturally containing /ay/ and /aw/ sounds out loud (Meyerhoff 2006: 17). He interviewed 69 inhabitants of different ages, occupation, ethnic groups and from different geographical distribution. The table underneath is taken from Labov? s study and shows age levels and numbers of inhabitants using the centralized vowels /ay/ and /aw/:Table 1 (Labov 1972: 22) |age |(ay) |(aw) | |75- |25 |22 | |61-75 |35 |37 | |46-60 |62 |44 | |31-45 |81 |88 | |14-30 |37 |46 | Having a look at this table, it appears that inhabitants from the age of thirty-one up to age forty-five frequently tended to centralize the diphthongs. However, inhabitants younger than thirty-one and older than forty-five, did not have a high use of the centralized diphthongs.This means that the sound change could not only be dependent on the age of inhabitants being interviewed. Therefore Labov focused on other social factors which might have an effect on the production of this sound change. He interviewed inhabitants from different parts of residence, hereby people form the up-island as well as people living at the down-island. T he statistics shown below demonstrates different cities on Martha’s Vineyard. It also shows the numbers of inhabitants from these cities using the centralized diphthongs: Table 2 (Labov 1972: 25)  |(ay) |(aw) | |Down-island |35 |33 | |Edgartown |48 |55 | |Oak |33 |10 | |Bluffs                    | | | |Vineyard Haven            |24 |33 | |Up-island                   |61 |66 | |Oak |71 |99 | |Bluffs                    | | | |N. 35 |13 | |Tisbury                    | | | |West Tisbury                |51 |51 | |Chilmark    |100 |81 | |Gay Head                     |51 |81 | This t able clearly shows that the inhabitants living on the up-island used the sound change more frequently than inhabitants living on the down-island, especially the inhabitants of the town Chilmark. In Chilmark they were shown o have a unique tendency of centralized diphthongs. The up-island was more of a rural area and it was known for its fishing industry. Most fishermen were living and working in Chilmark. The following table shows the centralization by the different occupational groups observed by Labov. . Table 3 (Labov 1972: 26) | |(ay) |(aw) | |Fishermen |100 |79 | |Farmers |32 |22 | |Others |41 |57 |According to this table which shows the usage of centralized diphthong by fishermen, farmers and other occupations, shows it becomes clear that the fishermen were the one group who most frequently made use of centralization. Some of the farmers and people of other occupations also used this sound change but their numbers were strikingly low compared to the numbers of fishermen us ing the centralization. When comparing the results of all three tables it becomes obvious that the Chilmark fishermen in the middle working age level were using the centralization more frequently than any other groups on the island.However, hereby it is still not revealed why this group of inhabitants at this age and living and working in that one place where the fishing industry still played a big role in the island economy (Labov 1972: 29), were using the sound change more frequently than the other groups of inhabitants. It is central to understand the meaning and importance of the fishing industry for the inhabitants and the island itself to fully understand the interaction of social and linguistic patterns. Most of the fishermen from Chilmark felt deeply connected to the island since most of them were descendants of the old families (Labov 1972: 28).The fishing industry used to be a major part of the economy, before the large-scale fishing went out of New Bedford on the Grand Ba nks (Labov 1972: 27). The fishermen were proud to be independent, to stand on their own feet and earn their living with their own bare hands. Fishing was an old tradition on this island (Labov 1972: 29) but as an ever-growing number of summer visitors came to the island a big part of the fishing industry moved away and the inhabitants became forced to be more dependent on tourism. Chilmark changed from the traditional fishing industry to modern tourism.Many of the inhabitants accepted but the fishermen had a hard time acknowledging this change (Labov 1972: 28). They made their living from fishing. For these men fishing was not just a job, but it was also a way of living and an old tradition they did not want to give up. Two brothers from Edgartown which were also fishermen were among the interviewed. They both had a tendency to centralize the diphthongs very frequently (Labov 1972: 30). These two brothers were the last decendants from the old families (Labov 1972: 30).If they were t o leave the island, there would be no descendant left in Edgartown and there would be no one to keep up the traditions of the old families. These two brothers are another example that clarifies the importance of the fishing industry. It also clarifies that the Chilmark fishermen as well as the fishermen from Edgartown shared social orientation. They felt deeply connected to the island which was their home. For this reason they also both shared an aversion to the many summer visitors. The summer visitors would invade the cities of Martha’s Vineyard, and thereby the growing tourism would invade ajor a part in the economy. Though many of the inhabitants appreciate the tourism, the fishermen suffered more and more under economic as well as psychological pressure (Labov 1972: 28). The dependence on summer visitors grew and thereby the independence of the fishermen was reduced. The more inhabitants lived a traditional way of life the more they used the centralization. This fact dem onstrates the relationship to the diphthong centralization and the social orientation. Labov learned that another social factor had an outstanding influence on the sound change.He observed attitude towards the island, whether it was positive or negative, was of reason for the usage of this sound change. Labov found out that high school students and their use of the centralization depended on their plan whether or not to stay on the island. He therefore interviewed students from Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. The students who wanted to stay on the island showed a much higher use of the centralized diphthongs than the students who wanted to leave the island after finishing school (Labov 1972: 32).Not only inhabitants from the old families had a high use of the centralization, but Portuguese at the age of thirty-one to forty-five revealed to have a very high use of the sound change in comparison to the other age groups (Labov 1972: 26). The Portuguese of this age group belonge d to the third and fourth generation. This generation was the first one which had entirely adopted the ways of life on the island (Labov 1972: 33). They too felt deeply connected to the island, their home.The middle aged Portuguese showed a higher use of centralization than the younger Portuguese, even though the younger Portuguese showed a higher centralization than the young inhabitants with English origin (Labov 1972: 26). This phenomenon can be explained by the attitude towards the island. Most of the young inhabitants with English origin wanted to leave the island opposed to the majority of the young Portuguese who wanted to stay on the island (Labov 1972: 26). This proves that social attitude towards Martha’s Vineyard was to blame for the use of the centralization.In relation to the social attitude the term â€Å"island identity†becomes important. To fully understand this term it is important to explain what â€Å"identity†really means. To define what â €Å"identity†really is, is easier said than done. Identity can be a name of a person but it can also be a way of behaving or other details like gestures or mimics. In Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English by Langenscheidt, there are more than a few explanations. For example: â€Å"The qualities and attitudes that a person or a group of people have, that make them different from other people†(Langenscheidt 2006: 805).The term â€Å"national/cultural/social identity†is listed in this dictionary as well and is defined as â€Å"a strong feeling of belonging to particular group, race, etc. †(Langenscheidt 2006: 805). After having studied Labov`s observations, his results and defining the term identity, it becomes clear that the inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard used the sound change to identify themselves. They created an access to their identity with the help of language, and used the centralization as a way to differentiate themselves from sum mer visitors. This strong bond to their home, the island, is termed by Labov as â€Å"island identity†. Island identity†describes the use of the centralization as an expression of the strong connection, the inhabitant? s ancestry and their home land. Inhabitants who used this sound change also revealed their attitude and connection to the island. The ones using the sound change were the ones who felt deeply connected and identified themselves with the island. Thereby the sound change became an indicator of the inhabitant's attitude. The inhabitants who showed a negative attitude towards the island the ones who did not feel connected to it and wanted to leave, did not use this centralization.They simply did not identify themselves with the island. On behalf of those inhabitants who had a positive attitude towards the island the language variant hold prestige. For some inhabitants the sound change had a higher status than for others, although the speakers were not always aware of the importance of the sound change. This is the reason why there are two types of prestige which are termed overt and covert prestige (Meyerhoff 2006: 37). Overt prestige is linked with language variants that speakers use for special reasons.The speakers using the overt prestige have the motive of sounding, for example, politer or even more educated, which means that they obviously are aware of using that variant (Meyerhoff 2006: 37). For the inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard the covert prestige played a central role. The speakers who were using the centralization did not want to sound nicer or better than other people on the island. This pronunciation was not the standard or the general norm but it was based on group identity and the way the inhabitants differentiated themselves from other inhabitants and summer visitors. 3. 0 ConclusionThrough the study of Labov, he demonstrated that social factors play a role in how people speak and he also clarified the deep soci al function language has to define sn identity. Labov? s study was of importance for the social linguistic. The centralized diphthongs observed by Labov were most frequently used by the thirty-one up to forty-five age group and was typically observed used by people who lived and worked on the island, who felt deeply connected to the island. The connection between the positive attitude towards life on the island and the usage of centralization was outstanding.The inhabitants who lived a traditional way of life, had the highest degree of centralization. Since being a fisherman was a traditional occupation, this means that the main part of the inhabitants on the up-island had a higher use of the sound change since that was the place where the fishing industry was based. The down-island was the area where less people were using the centralization. It consist of small towns and these towns were the attraction for the increasing number of summer visitors.Consequently, it can be said that the centralization is an indicator of solidarity. A way of showing where you belong and that you are proud of your home and its traditions. For the inhabitants of Martha’s Vineyard it was also a way to oppose to the people of the mainland and the new service economy. This sound change made them stand out. By centralizing the diphthongs the inhabitants of island created a way to connect their social identity to language. The language functions as a tool to stick out of the crowd. It is as a reminder of their roots. . 0 Bibliography Deckert, Sharon K. ; Vickers, Caroline H. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. 2011. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. Labov, William. Sociolinguistic Patterns. 1972. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Langenscheidt. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. 2006 Meyerhoff, Miriam. Introducing Sociolinguistics. 2006. Abingdon: Routledge Trask, Robert Lawrence. The Dictionary of Historical and Comparative Linguistics. 2 000. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Ltd
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Japanese television Essay
I have always believed that there is no other better way to learn than by teaching. Many people say that you lean best by studying yet I disagree and say that one always learns best when teaching. Education is a two way street. The student learns from the teacher and the teacher learns about the student and more about life. It is with this in my heart that I have come to make the decision that I want to move to Japan, to teach and to learn and to live. I must confess that there is much of Japan that I do not know about. What I do know of Japan comes from my childhood and from my brief stay in Japan in 2005. As a child I was always fascinated by the magic of Japanese television; shows such as Godzilla (Gojira) and Space Giants (Ambassador Magma) would fill up my afternoon television slots. In class, I would often share the beauty of Japan with my class by creating posters on Japan in the hope that others could enjoy the magic and beauty that Japan possesses. I knew early on in my life that I wanted to live out my magical fantasy in Japan. In 2005, I was given that opportunity to live out my childhood fantasy. I was given the chance to go to Tokyo. It is such a wonderful place. I distinctly recall enjoying Hiroo, Ebsu and Shibuya. It is an experience that I will never forget. There is something for all the senses: The wonderful food (the sushi, the sashimi, the colorful and scrumptious bento meals); the warmth and friendliness of the people (especially the teachers of AEON) around; the colorful sights from billboards and store signs; the chorus that one hears from the people on the street yakking on their cellular phones and of course the overwhelming love that felt for Japan. There is no other place in the world that seamlessly and effortlessly incorporates such high tech innovations and gadgetry with the quiet yet powerful beauty of ancient Japan all in one place. WHY I WANT TO LIVE AND WORK IN JAPAN PAGE # 2 These experiences of mine with Japan have solidified my desire to want to return to Japan and to live there. I know that my experience with Japan has been minimal to say the least yet I cannot deny that even the one brief immersion in Japan that I’ve had is enough for me to say that I have truly fallen in love with this beautiful country and its people. This is the main reason why I want to return to Japan and teach there and live there and fall in love with Japan all over again. As I mentioned earlier, I believe that through teaching one learns and this is what I plan to do in Japan. I believe that I am a natural teacher and more importantly I want to learn. I’ve had many experiences with Japanese students in the past and the interaction that I experienced when I taught them was delightful. The Japanese students that I met were all very respectful and always had the most amazing stories to tell. The best part of that experience was that by teaching them English I was also helping them achieve their goals and dreams. There were those who studied English in order to work in America while others to get a promotion and some to learn English as a way to expand their horizons and I took a certain amount of pride in being able to play a role in helping them achieve their dreams. Now that I too have this opportunity to live in Japan and experience more of the beauty that I’ve seen and lived before would fall nothing short of having been able to have a dream and have it come true. Living in Japan, experiencing its sights and sounds, being immersed in the culture, interacting with the people and also being given the chance to play a role in helping students achieve their own goals and dreams by teaching them will definitely be such a wonderful experience. To be able to be part of a school as reputable as AEON, to contribute my efforts to helping others attain their dreams and to live my own dream by teaching and learning is a dream of mine and I hope I’m given a chance to live out my dream. Arigatou Gozaimas.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Art history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Art history - Essay Example Each of them had a specific view on the role of art within society, as well as its purpose and techniques. This is why, in my paper, I will study the most important artistic movements, starting with the 1800s and leading my analysis up to nowadays in order to understand how the definition of art has changed over the past 200 years and how can the term â€Å"aesthetic†be used in relation to contemporary art. The late 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century were intellectually and culturally defined by the virtuous and rational Enlightenment movement. The ideas that it advocated were fueled from a renewed admiration for antiquity that sprung among intellectuals and artists at the time. This also triggered the development of the artistic movement called Neoclassicism, â€Å"which incorporated the subjects and styles of ancient art†(Kleiner 766). For Johann Joachim Winckelmann, the first modern art historian, the â€Å"discovery of the beauty of Greek art was not of merely antiquarian interest: it was of vital importance to the creation of new beauty in the present and future†(Prettejohn 32). ... Representative artists for this period are Jacques-Louis David and Angelica Kauffmann who favored subjects inspired from the Roman ancient history. However, towards the middle of the 19th century, beauty in art slips from its neoclassical simplicity and rational purity towards mystic and subjective grounds. Even David’s students, Antoine-Jean Gros, Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, although pursuing the study of ancient Greek and Roman art, started to manifest interest in new, unexplored subjects that were a deviation from the neoclassicist principles: â€Å"the realm of the exotic and the erotic†as well as â€Å"fictional narratives for the subjects of their paintings†(Kleiner 781). These artists eased in the transition from Neoclassicism to a new artistic movement, known as the Romantic movement. Romanticism promoted the freedom of imagination and shifted art towards a strong emphasis on feeling, intuition and emotion. While neocla ssical artists were concerned to transmit an idea in a simple, yet perfect form, the romantic artists aimed to convey dramatic emotion through powerful images. For romantics, beauty was not to be found at the surface of forms, but in the deep human imagination; they were driven towards the occult, the fantastic and the deep, unexplored craters of human unconsciousness. If Neoclassicism found its inspiration in Antiquity, Romanticism found it in the Middle Ages, also known as, the Dark Ages. Important romantic artists are William Blake, Eugene Delacroix and Francisco Goya who depicted historical, heroic or extraordinary characters that were living an almost theatrical experience on the canvas. This Romantic explosion in emotion and
Friday, September 27, 2019
Fashion As A Form Of Art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Fashion As A Form Of Art - Research Paper Example The essay "Fashion As A Form Of Art" concerns Fashion. As Lyssens states, fashion is as relevant as art in the sense it mirrors the habits and tastes of days ago, teaching us history of others and our own. A well execute art of fashion has the ability to redefine how we see things. It takes a creative mind to have an outstanding couture, skill and ability to use media. In the same manner a painter would work out his dreams on a canvas so does a designer work out their vision on clothes. The designer becomes the artist as the cloth becomes the canvas. The skills involved in both are the same, an idea is made visible by first drawing it, and then it is worked on. If a designer has an idea he first draws it down same as the painter or sculptor. Just like other forms of art, fashion takes into account certain principles such as colour, texture, line and shapes. And fashion is known to follow trends that are artistic as the bond between the two just as witnessed during Art Nouveau cannot be denied. Fashion on the other hand has offer art platforms; witness in the New York fashion week in 2010, the directors incorporated other forms of art such as music, opera and fashion films into the event. Artists like Picasso would design costumes for their ballet dances in 1920 during the Ballet Russes. Fashion media houses have also employed fine artistes to work out their designs as photographers have enabled fashion transform into a street art by turning to the streets to boost their style savvy.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
The reasearch paper about Apple INC Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words
The reasearch paper about Apple INC - Coursework Example The overall external environment and other strategic factors become important to manage in order to lengthen the stay of each organization in a particular stage of its life cycle. Apple Inc is one of the largest growing companies in the world which has been able to withstand much of economic downturn. Over the period of time, it has revolutionized many industries and changed the very fundamentals of doing business in consumer electronics market. Duly supported by the visionary leadership of its late CEO Steve Jobs, Apple has become a new force in consumer electronics industry while dominating handheld music devices, smartphones, tablet PCs and other consumer electronics items. This report will be based upon Apple Inc, what advantages and disadvantages it has enjoyed during its growth phase and how it can deal with its external environment for maintaining its sustainable development and growth achieved during last few years. Apple Inc- A general Introduction Apple Inc was incorporated as Apple Computers Inc is a global organization engaged in the manufacturing, development and marketing of consumer electronics items. It also produces consumer software and commercial servers which are used for storage as well as for other associated purposes. Apple’s range of core products however, is based upon a portfolio of consumer electronics items and is most importantly I.T. oriented. Its flagship products include IPod, IPhone, Ipad as well as Mac laptops. (Levy, 2008) The IPod comes in different models and shapes and is used as an MP3 music player. It can be used to store and play music as well as movies. IPod is also connected with Apple’s music store with the name of ITunes where users can directly download the music and listen the same immediately on their IPods. It was also one of the main products launched by Apple which it started its journey towards hyper growth it achieved during the recent past. IPhone is a smartphone whereas IPads are tablet comput ers and are considered as the leading products of Apple Inc now. Advantages & Disadvantages of Growth The recent growth observed by Apple has brought in different advantages and disadvantages to its business. Over the recent past, following advantages and disadvantages have been enjoyed by Apple Inc due to its growth: A Dedicated base of Consumers Apple’s growth has provided it a dedicated base of consumers which are more loyal to it than any other brand offering similar products. Recent growth of the firm has actually provided Apple a loyal group of users who value its brand and remain stuck with what is offered by Apple. It has been able to sell over 1 million IPhones; over 300 million of IPods have been sold whereas Ipad is also a hot selling product. These figures suggest that Apple’s growth has offered it a dedicated base of consumers who are willing to buy different product ranges offered by Apple. Technology and Customer lock-in Apple’s growth is often at tributed to its ability to design aesthetically good products duly supported by excellent engineering and designs. As Apple grew in its size, it has been able to tap into far superior technology which is not used by other competitors. It has been able to design products which are considered technologically superior with longer useful lives and are considered as more durable. This aspect of its business therefore has helped Apple to lock in its customers as users
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Critical Thinking Exercises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Critical Thinking Exercises - Essay Example As a consultant, the data that should be reviewed and analyzed to determine whether the Ford Motor Company is discriminating against their employees because of age is the following: the age of the employees, the year the employees was hired, and whether the employees have reached or is approaching the age of retirement. First, the age of the employees would be evaluated because the lawsuits were claiming that the Ford Motor Company is discriminating against age. Should the Ford Motor Company be discriminating against age, the ages of most employees should range within the younger age brackets, depending on the age after which the Ford Motor Company considers employees to be "older." Second, the year the employees were hired is important because, in the Title VII class action age and reverse discrimination suit, President Jacques Nasser was accused of eliminating older employees because he wanted to build his management team with younger employees. The year the employees were hired would help determine whether the employees were employed on with the Ford Motor Company during Nasser's presidency. Lastly, whether employees have reached or are approaching the age of retirement is important because it would settle the reason why older employees who have reached or are approaching the age... Additionally, the Ford appraisal system is fair in that it rates the employees on job performance. Employees should perform their job well in order to maintain their position at the company. Ford has much to offer their employees, and they probably adopted the forced-discrimination approach to eliminating their employees because they needed to eliminate the employees that were employed but not performing their jobs well. 8.1 - Workplace Diversity Training The diversity program that will be designed for incoming freshman will, first, consist of training towards all of the ethnicities of the university. Further, all ethnicities of the university will be represented because the freshman will, most likely, encounter all of the ethnicities at least once during their term as a student at the university. Second, the diversity program will consist of training for both male and female students. Women are not the only ones that have problems with racial comments or sexual harassment in the workplace. Men are also subjected to this treatment. As a result, the training should be geared towards both men and women. Third, the freshman will be entered into groups where they will role-play situations in which they might find themselves. All ethnicities of the university might not be represented in the students present, but the role-plays will include a script for all ethnicities.Males will discover diversity and harassment in the workplace from a female's perspective, and the females will get to portray the males. The different ethnicities will have a chance to portray another ethnicity and realize the situations with which they are presented. The diversity program will also have training
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Risk investment in Construction industry Essay
Risk investment in Construction industry - Essay Example In addition, a case study in China’s construction industry is included to demonstrate the effectiveness of risk management. Although the Chinese construction industry has organised a risk management campaign, the anticipated continuous improvement in risk alleviation fails to be realised in the industry. There are some obstacles to the successful implementation of risk management practices in a planned economy including those stemming from both within (internal) and outside (external) an organisation. This study aims to unveil these major obstacles by a survey analysed with the proper methodology. These obstacles include the mandatory requirement by the government; acute competition in the construction market; commitment and leadership of top management; bidding policies; labor training; unique specialties of the industry; statistical methods; organisation structures and teamwork; and resource input. The study reveals that such actions should be implemented that affects the industry’s external factor, in which, it is more crucial than internal factors in hampering the successful progress of the co nstruction industry in Asia, specifically in China. Based on the analysis of risk management approaches and the pitfalls of quality certification in the construction industry of China, this paper proposes that active implementation of a risk management system is more effective than passive implementation in the pursuit of continuous risk management for quality improvement. The construction industry plays a very important role in the national economy in both developed and developing countries (Miles and Neale, 1991). There is normally a vigorous demand for construction in industrialisation and urbanisation, which is reflected from the sizeable proportion of added value of the construction industry in the gross domestic product (GDP) (Hillebrandt, 2000). In the period of economy take-off in Japan from 1956 to 1973, the percentage of the
Monday, September 23, 2019
Motivational Effects of Technology in Music Education Essay
Motivational Effects of Technology in Music Education - Essay Example This report stresses that one of the main issues facing music education is the technological gap between the teachers and the real world. This is because most of the teachers are from another generation of learning and hence they did not acquire technological skills and knowledge in their training. In order to avoid this problem, music teachers and curriculum developers should integrate technology in their learning activities. It is important to note that in this context technology is a purveyor of many benefits which have virtually transformed the music world. Therefore, technology inclusion in the school system is not an imposition but rather a necessity. This paper makes a conclusion technology in music education has many benefits ranging from ease of study accruing from repetitive teaching tasks by computers to unlimited availability and accessibility of learning materials. Music as a subject is not very popular as compared to other disciplines such as engineering. There have been attempts by some countries to reform their music curriculum in a bid to appeal to more students . For instance, Scotland has implemented major reforms in its music schools including establishing technologically-enhanced music rooms for their schools . Technology seems to be the only solution to a seemingly unviable field of study . Integrating technology in a formal learning setting is bound to affect the involved parties in various ways . The effects of technology in education have already been studied in other curriculum.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Tendonitis and apoptosis Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Tendonitis and apoptosis - Literature review Example Other factors that could initiate cell apoptosis such as vulnerability of tendons to hypoxia which leads to hypoxia-induced cell death, excessive tensile load on the tendons, lack of vascularisation within connective tissues, degenerating balance of growth factors and presence of apoptosis-signalling enzymes, and injections such as anti-inflammatory glucocortisoids also hasten the process of the degradation of tenocytes leading to tissue necroses (Busch, et al., 2012; Dean, Franklin & Carr, 2012; Klatte-Schulz, et al., 2012; Liang, et al., Maeda, et al., 2009; Poulsen, Carr & Hulley, 2011). While most of these studies independently experimented on the mechanisms of how tenocytes degenerate and regenerate as well as the effects of certain drugs to prevent further cell death, some of the reports performed tests with regards to the influence of naturally-occurring compounds such as reseveratrol and curcumin on apoptosis genes, including the identification of the mechanisms of downregula tion or upregulation on the targeted sequences (Buhrmann, et al., 2011; Busch, et al., 2012). ... The study was undertaken to fully explain the role of Sirt-1 in the upregulation or downregulation of genes normally associated with cellular apoptosis. Since Sirt-1 is not fully studied, the effects of regulating its expression was used to explain how it triggers the signalling pathways of apoptosis among tenocytes in vitro, along with its possibility of being connected with other apoptosis proteins such as p53, Bax, SCAX, among others (Busch, et al., 2012). Aside from aiming to identify how Sirt-1 can be repressed or induced, the addition of resveratrol, an organic compound from grapes and testing its anti-inflammatory and repressive effects on Sirt-1 in tenocytes treated with either SO or ASO were also conducted. Using in vitro monolayer cell cultures of tenocytes, tests were conducted using immunological, immunofluorescence and immunoblotting assays, transfect ions of anti-sense Sirt-1 sequences, cell viability and apoptotic assays, and immune complex kinase assays, and these wer e observed using microscopy, purifications through electrophoresis and pelleting, and were analysed statistically using t-tests (Busch, et al., 2012). Results showed that the introduction of ASO in the tenocytes significantly affected the expression of Sirt-1 and its products by downregulating it, resulting to the initiation of apoptotic signalling pathways, while the addition of SO did not affect Sirt-1 and its products through downregulation, thus it was comparable to the control (Figures 2-4). However, it was rather surprising for the researchers to observe that while the addition of resveratrol in either control or SO-treated cells greatly inhibited inflammatory responses and cell apoptosis, in ASO-treated cells it enhanced and even hastened cellular
Saturday, September 21, 2019
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay Example for Free
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay During the nineteenth century, regional and period language was used in a way that most 21st century readers would find offensive, for modern society standards do not tolerate overt racism. In Mark Twain’s classic 1884 novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, particular words are so disturbing that individuals across the country are still, to this day, attempting to have the book banned in schools and libraries. The idea that any book should be locked away in a vault, let alone an example of a beloved American classic such as this, is profoundly disturbing. Such acts are against what America stands for. Works of art, like this book, should be used to open dialogue and analysis on both the piece itself and the society from which it came. Rather than attempting to censor this particular novel, society should encourage students to have a discussion about why the offending words are so egregious, and why it is important that a record of these words and attitudes exist for generations to come. Words carry weight, and the significance of the â€Å"N†word in Huckleberry Finn is heavy and dripping with a sordid history of racism. It is a term that holds an impassable amount of cultural appropriation and painful association. The word, used in a classic literary context, is then a perfect way to open up a dialogue about issues that are difficult to talk about. Political correctness, racial slurs, America’s dark pastâ€â€these are all topics that can be used to teach young people how to have a meaningful conversation about a torrid subject matter. Instead of banning the book and ignoring the past, society should be embracing the story and teaching people how to deal with the words in a tactful and progressive way. If young people can understand the horrible impact of such language, they will be less likely to use these words in casual conversations. Moving forward from America’s shameful history of racism is difficult and taxing. But the only way to progress toward a more loving and tolerant future is to learn from past mistakes. Twain was a product of his time, putting words into the mouths of his characters that would easily have come from the mouths of real people. It is also important to remember that the character of Huck Finn himself is anti-racist, so teaching the book to young people is not teaching racism, but acceptance. It is imperative for people to connect with the period of history that Huckleberry Finn comes from because suppressing these truths about America’s past can easily create a skewed interpretation of facts. If this occurs, society is one step closer to forgetting and repeating mistakes from past events. Banning books is an effective way to censor, and in the case of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, censorship would directly resolve inappropriate language being heard and used in the high school English class. With this said, Americans whole-heartedly believe that open expression is a very important personal right. The right to free speech is sacred, and it is mostly untouched even in circumstances where highly polarizing or hateful words are being used. A work of fiction that integrates dialogue containing the â€Å"N†word may seem hateful to some, but it is unequivocally the intention of the author to use it in a context of satire. Censorship will effectively close the book on meaningful discussion when what society really needs is to open it for thoughtful examination. At a time when it is nearly impossible to find an adult engaged in a healthy debate or discussion, teaching young adults how to think and speak analytically and fairly is a dire need. Using fictional novels such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a bridge to a discussion of what used to be, and what has become, is a perfect opportunity that this country cannot afford to dismiss. By keeping books deemed controversial in public education, Americans can begin to understand the preciousness of the right to speak their minds, as well as respect and acknowledge the lessons of the past. This alone will heal the mistakes of the past and create a future of tolerance and opportunity for all.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Impact Of Culture On Human Resource Management Management Essay
Impact Of Culture On Human Resource Management Management Essay The global anarchy has witnessed the growing importance of Human Resource Management in both business and public life. The stormy business climate brought in the wake of liberalization, globalization, changing technologies, development in knowledge and advances in information technology is offering managers a complex and challenging situation (Davis, 1995). So researchers are looking into Human Resource Management (HRM) practices on a comparative basis comes across a major question. This question has to do with the extent at which societal culture influences the way firms manage their personnel and the way HRM practices are developed and implemented within firms across various countries in the world. Globalization has shifted the attention of both researchers and practitioners to the way that organizational practices, and especially HRM, are differentiated across various countries as per their cultural context. In the literature one can find several comparative HRM studies concluding , in their majority, that national culture is a conclusive factor in shaping HRM (Heijltjes et al., 1996; Sparrow et al., 1994). In studying about Multi National Companies (MNCs) in 12 countries, Sparrow et al. (1994) found differences in the HRM practices that are perceived to be a source of competitive advantage across the countries. Of all the factors affecting Human Resource Management (HRM) perhaps none is more effective than the national culture and the most popular model for comparison at the level of national culture is that of Hofstede (1980, 1991), which has been the base of numerous research studies in the area of management in general. Hofstede (1980, 1991) argued that American management theories represent their own cultural environment. So, it can be said d that American management cannot be detached from American culture. In the meantime, Laurent (1986:92) viewed that every culture has developed through its own history, some specific and unique insight into the managing of organization and their human resources. Every culture has also developed specific and unique blind spots in the art of managing and organizing (Singh, 2009). Aycan et al (2000) described that due to the increasing demands of the globalized and liberalized business environment, both researchers and practitioners have started paying more attention to the study of culture as an explanatory variable. The researchers have also come to realize that the uncritical adaptation of HRM practices and techniques evolved in the context of Western cultural values may not be effective in other socio-cultural environments. By using Hofstedes framework of national culture, the objective of research is to examine the impact of national culture on HRM practice by applying the Hofstedes (1980) cultural dimensions of collectivism/individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and femininity/masculinity theory. Background of the study: In the new global economy, HRM has become a vital issue for the effectiveness of organizations. In accordance with the existing studies, the shift to globalization required from corporations to achieve focused performance by all means. This shift emphasized the necessity for businesses to fully utilize their human resources engaging suitable practices and strategies (Schuler and Jackson, 2005). The presence of supportive cultural factors is essential for the efficiency and success of the HRM result. It seems obvious that the ways western organizations cope with HRM practices are different from the ways Middle Eastern organizations with their different cultural and institutional situations cope with these issues (Westerduin, 2010). Because Arabic countries have different values and attitudes than the developed countries, which may determine and shape specific managerial approaches in human resource as cited by cultural research perspective. As Mendonca and Kanungo (1996) determined th at one of most important cultural dimensions, which is different in western and eastern cultures and is exclusively important in shaping their HRM strategies, is the assumption about human resource capability. This restlessness to adopt western HRM tools could results lack of suitable practice in the Arabian context (Binjabi, 2011). Saudi Arabia is the most traditional country in the Arab world; it is also the largest member of the six Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states and has the largest known oil reserves in the world estimated at around 25% of the proved reserves (Mellahi, 2006). Taking into account its strategic geo-political position and energy resources, Saudi Arabia is a major player in the stability of the regional and global economy. Saudi Arabia during the era of King Abdullah since 2005 has also introduced numerous laws and policies such as privatization and foreign investment laws to stimulate competition. He also in a smart step to diversify the economy and create more jobs for Saudis in the privet sector and attract the local and foreign investments has launched giant projects with hundreds of billions dollars. To achieve these development goals, Saudi Arabia has a major investment in human resources management in order to raise its average skill level (Mellahi, 2007). Developing the HRM syste m in a very conservative tribal society, there would be as a natural result numerous Saudi cultural impacts on the HRM system (Albugamy, 2010). The present research will reside on HRM practices in the context of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the influence of the cultural factors on HRM practices in this country will be examined for its wider implications. Rationale behind choice of setting: Saudi Arabia is chosen as the setting for this study since it is a typical example of a developing economy in Arab with the most conventional and historic cultural environment. According to U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council (2008-09), the construction sector in Saudi Arabia is the largest and fastest growing market in the Gulf region. This sector is the most developed, organized, and diverse also in terms of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices in the country. Ongoing construction projects in the Gulf are valued at $1.9 trillion, and one-quarter of the developments are located in Saudi Arabia. The sector has both foreign and local organizations that bring out the different HRM practices employed by various organizations. Identification of the Problem: It is attempted through this research to create a better description of the effect of culture on HRM practices in Saudi Arabia as we know culturally Arab countries are completely different from other countries. At this moment there is some literature available on the research subject, but not much research on this subject conducted until this moment in the context of Arab countries which present an overview of the current status and trends of HRM in Middle East. It could emerge that the knowledge of HRM in Arab culture that these organizations use at this moment is outdated, or that these organization should be aware of the direction in which the differences between HRM in Western countries and HRM in Middle Eastern countries are evolving. Also, there are problems in the image that people in the Western world have of the Arab world. Negative images in the media of the Middle East prevent these people of obtaining a correct view of all aspects of the Arab culture and values. The curre nt research is an attempt to contribute in order to find out the truth. Also by the help of this research compatibility of HRM practices chosen and implemented by organizations would be checked with the respect of the Arab world (in particular, in the Saudi context with a focus on the construction sector). Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of Saudi Arabian national culture on the Human Resource Management (HRM) practices within the organizations and how the cultural elements play a key role in that issue. To this end, HRM practices are viewed in terms of Reduction of status distinctions, Employment security, Performance appraisal and Selective hiring whereas National culture is viewed in terms of Power distance, Uncertainty avoidance, Individualism/Collectivism and Feminity/ Masculinity. On the basis of the stated research aim, the following objectives are formulated: O1:- To investigate the relationship between the national culture and HRM practices. O2: To identify the effect of the cultural attributes on HRM practices. Significance of the study: It is expected that the current study will make a considerable novel contribution to the academic research in the field of organizational Human Resource Management (HRM). To be more specific, it will assess the role of cultural determinants in the Saudi Arabian context, which was not given enough attention in the previous studies. The significance of the study is that it will lead to the better explanation of HRM lessons in an international environment. On practical basis, the findings that will be drawn from the current study could serve as a guide in transferring HRM policies within the construction sector of Middle East. It also offers insights into what type of HRM practices are more likely to positively influence the organizational performance. It will also add value by suggesting the need for modified HRM practices to fit the Saudi Arabian as well as the international context. Literature Review Human Resource Management (HRM) and Culture: The impact of national culture on a variety of Human Resource (HR) practices has become one of the most important topics in management research (Chen et al., 2006; Gahan and Abeysekera, 2009). From the perspective of institutional theory (Scott et al., 2003; Westney, 2005) it is suggested that HR practices are affected by differences in national culture and that HR practices will be largely dependent on managers abilities to understand and balance different cultural values and practices (Wang et al., 2008). The contingency or external fit perspective emphasizes the fit between national culture and HR practices, implying that specific HR policies are affected by national culture. According to Alcazar et al. (2008), the theories on Human Resource Management (HRM) have focused on universalistic perspectives for number of years. Researchers have put great efforts in finding a single human resources theory that is applicable in every situation, in every organization, every culture, and every country worldwide, therefore a best practices model. During these expansions it became more and more clear that this universalistic theory was nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ existent, and that the solution to the universalistic HRM model should be sought in a contextual, contingent theory which takes into account a wide range of factors that influence the fitness of an HRM model in the given setting. By regarded it, the researchers admitted that a single outline for HRM practices does not exist. The further globalization of businesses meant that the approach HRM takes to her tasks differs from several years ago. HRM departments need to take more factors in consideration than before, inclu ding cultural differences, different labor laws in different countries and different views on labor of the employees (Westerduin, 2010). So research (Sonja and Phillips, 2004) assumes that managers in todays multicultural global business community often encounter cultural differences, which can hinder with management practices in organizations. Leat and El-kot, (2007) have emphasized the effect of national culture, a concept that includes traditions, values, beliefs, attitudes and behavior which influence HRM practices. Laurent (1986) proposed that HRM methods in any country are a reflection of the national culture of that country (Albugamy, 2010). Triandis (1972) and Schein (1992) defined culture in terms of shared ways of thinking, feeling, and reacting; shared socially constructed environments and commonly experienced events including the history, language, and religion of their members (Pellegrini Scandura, 2006). National culture is also defined as the ideas, set of beliefs and norms followed by the people of a certain country; the countrys history, religion and traditions make up for the national culture (Majee d et al., 2010). In comparing cultures of different countries, cross-cultural researchers have focused their attentions on an examination of a set of cultural value dimensions developed by Hofstede. These dimensions are based on a large sample of employees from 40 countries from the large multinational IBM, whom he studied from 1960s, 70s and 80s. According to Gannon Newman, (2002), after investigates, examines, and compares more than 50 countries; he is regarded as the authority in culture differences and how culture differences influence management strategies. He said: in global economic integration of the world, the strategies of all companies in the world are focused on how to meet the largest market to most customers by products and services; while the study of different cultures and values, is the key to success of such strategies (Jing, 2010). Leading value systems of different countries can be ordered along Hofstedes set of cultural value dimensions (Hofstede, 1980; Hofstede Bond, 1988). Peoples Dominant value systems have been crystallized in the institutions these people have built together: their family structures, religious organizations, educational structures, associations, systems of government, work organizations, law and regulations, literature, settlement arrangements, and buildings. All of these reflect common beliefs that derive from the mutual culture. Whereas the value systems affect human thinking, feeling, action, and the behavior of organizations and institutions in predictable ways, the value dimensions reflect basic problems that any society has to cope with but for which solutions differ from country to country (Hofstede, 1983). Current study (Gelfand, 2000) concludes that managers in organizations are recognizing that it is impossible to maintain bias views while doing business across different cultures. Cultural knowledge and a global focus are crucial to survive, and to thrive, within todays business environment. However, the same literature does not give a global focus that is accordant with the global reality of business. Discussion and empirical assessment of culture and HRM practices (Aycan, et al, 2000) has been focused on specific developed countries and developing countries have been given little attention (Nyambegera et al, 2000) which is the gap in the existing academic knowledge. Variables of the study For the purpose of this study the study variables have been grouped into two categories, namely cultural variables that include sub variables as defined by Hofstede, 2001, and organization variables that include HR practices as defined by Gong et al., 2009. Cultural variables: The first category of variables includes the societal culture as defined by Hofstede (2001). Power Distance: Power distance is the degree to which individuals agree that power should be dispersed unequally in the society (Hofstede, 2001). Hofstedes Power Distance Index tells how much one countrys less powerful people accept and respect the unequal power distributed. The inequality of the society is followed by peoples earlier different life experiences such as value and norms. Some cultures present the Power Distance obviously, some present inconspicuously (Jing, 2010). High power distance cultures tend to view inequality as normal or natural. In such cultures, lower-status people are addressed by their first names, while for higher-status people different prefixes are added before their first names (Pellegrini and Scandura, 2006). In low power distance cultures lower-status people are more likely to believe that they should have voice in decision processes (Alves et al., 2006), and will be less motivated if this is withdrawn. Power distance has significant implication for management styles and practices (Emmerik et al., 2008). In low power distance cultures there is a preference for leadership styles that promote flexibility, innovation, job mobility, and general skills, rather than the specialized skills that are preferred in high power distance cultures (Dickson et al., 2003). Power distance plays a role in employees willingness to accept supervisory direction, and on their emphasis on gaining support from those in positions of authority (Taleghani, 2010). People in high power distance cultures accept more guidance from superiors, and this extra attention makes high-status employees more enthusiastic about work. In lower power distance cultures wage differentials between men and women are smaller (Hofstede, 2001). Uncertainty Avoidance: Hofstede (2001) defines uncertainty avoidance denotes to the extent to which individuals feel threatened by and try to avoid vague and uncertain situations. Uncertainty about the future is a basic fact of human life, extreme uncertainty creates unbearable anxiety, and human society has created ways to avoid the uncertainty, for example by the mean of technology, which helps us defend ourselves against uncertainty caused by nature and laws, which help us against the actions of others, religions, which help us accept the uncertainties we cannot protect ourselves against. Different societies have different ways to adapt to uncertainty, how tolerant for the uncertain anxiety a single society has is talking about the Uncertainty Avoidance Index. The high Uncertainty Avoidance society has more worries about the future and anything uncertain, and therefore more ways to defend against those anxieties; and the low Uncertainty Avoidance society has fewer fears about the uncertainties, and therefore such society doesnt care so much about the rules (Jing, 2010). Dikson claims that in societies high on UA, career stability, formal rules and the development of expertise tend to be valued, whereas in low UA cultures, more flexibility in roles and jobs, an emphasis on general rather than specialized skills and more job mobility is more typical. People in uncertainty avoiding cultures are also more expressive, and driven by inner nervous energy. People in uncertainty accepting cultures may be more tolerant of different opinions and relatively unstructured situation s. In the work environment, uncertainty avoidance may lead individuals to try to avoid ambiguous situations and look for precise alternatives. Within such a cultural context, there will be many established formal rules or informal norms controlling the rights and duties of employees (Chang et al., 2007). Individualism/Collectivism: Hofstede (2001) defines individualism against its opposite, collectivism, as the degree to which the society encourages and rewards collective action (Pellegrini Scandura, 2006). The culture inclined to be individualistic is more focused on ones own desires and values, and serves their own interests by relying on individual exertion; the relations between people are regarded less important than oneself. On the other hand, compared with individualism, the culture inclined to be collective is more focused on a combination of strong social organizations, which is divided into inside the group and outside the group. People cared for by members inside the group, and pay back by their loyalty; they love their group like themselves, and they can sacrifice their own likings for the group (Jing, 2010). In collectivist societies, supervisors rely on loyalty of staff, reliability and harmonized group relationship with others while people in individualism culture people enjoy personal particula rs and successes in order to define themselves. The dimension of individualism and collectivism has received the most attention in cross-cultural organizational research (Triandis, 1994). It has been shown to have major implication for the motivational as well as employment practices. For example, in more individualistic societies HR practices tend to differentiate between employees based on their individual performance. These societies also use differentiation in the reward system (Beer and Katz, 2003). At the same time, employees from collectivistic countries prefer reward systems that are non-competitive in nature (Chiang and Birtch, 2005). Employees from more individualistic cultures tend to be more driven by improving themselves and their own positions in life, and are also characterized by feeling comfortable in competitive environments (Probst et al., 1999), whereas employees from more collectivistic countries tend to be more motivated by the success of the group as a whole. More individualistic cultures will tend to emphasize HR practices that stress individual rewards management (e.g. offering individual bonuses and perks, promoting on performance) more than in collectivistic cultures. Masculinity/Femininity: Hofstede (2001) refers to masculinity/femininity, as the distribution of roles between the genders. It is also referred to as assertiveness (House et al., 1999), which emphases on competition, success, aggressive social relationships, and limited emotional involvement with others. His research showed that womens values differ less among societies than mens values; and mens values from one country to another contain a dimension from very assertive and competitive and maximally different from womens values on the one side, to modest and caring and similar to womens values on the other. Hofstede (1998) stated that in high masculine societies, men are supposed to be firm, tough, and focusing on material success; woman are supposed to be more modest, affectionate, and concerned with the quality of life. A man has the obligation to earn money for his family; he should work hard to be successful in society, the harder he works, the more respect he gets from his family and society. Therefore , competition in a masculinity society is very fierce and people pay attention to the work performance very much, they believe life is for work. In high femininity society, both man and woman are supposed to be concerned with the quality of life. A woman has the obligation to take care of the house work, such as cooking, cleaning, and the children, so that her husband can go out and earn money without any worries (Jing, 2010). Research showed that the distribution of gender roles has major implications for HR practices and for career strategies as well as career opportunities of women. Hofstede (2001) described that masculine and feminine cultures create different leader hero types. The heroic manager in masculine cultures is decisive and aggressive. In feminine cultures, the hero is less visible, seeks consensus, and is intuitive and cooperative rather than tough and decisive. At work, in more feminine societies more weight is attached to subjective, intuition-oriented conditions such as care, nurturing and relationships (Alves et al., 2006). At the same time, in more masculine societies people ascribe greater value on monet ary rewards, while in turn more feminine societies place greater importance on non-financial rewards (Chiang and Birtch, 2005). Saudi Arabian culture in Hofstede cultural perspective: Studies of the culture in Saudi Arabia have specified that it is fairly homogenous, like most Middle Eastern nations (Idrees, 2007). Analyzing and comparing Saudi cultural orientations based upon a typology developed by Geert Hofstede show that on the above mentioned cultural dimensions Saudi Arabia presents a unique culture. Saudi Arabias power distance ranking of 80 is revealing of a high level of inequality of power and wealth within the society. This ranking advocates that the population has an expectation and acceptance that leaders will separate themselves from the group and this condition is not essentially undermined upon the population, but rather accepted by the society as their cultural heritage. Idris (2007) indicated the high power distance in Saudi Arabia is evident in the Saudis strong preference for managerial positions due to the belief that labor jobs are dishonorable and considered by many to be a cause of embarrassment. Saudi Arabias high power distance also impacts decision making. Bhuian (1998) described that, generally, Saudi managers make decisions autocratically and paternalistically to subordinates who are considered as having strong dependence needs (Cassell Blake, 2011). Saudi Arabias uncertainty avoidance ranking of 68 shows the societys low level of tolerance for uncertainty. Saudi Arabias ranking suggests that new projects will be carefully analyzed to assure that whatever risk they represent is thoroughly understood and addressed. In order for change to take hold, the idea needs to be perceived as good for the group and be accepted by the group. Due to Saudi Arabias uncertainty avoidance ranking, there is a conception that Saudis prefer government intervention in business practices. Bhuian, 1998 mentioned that within organizations, the ranking is evident in the fact that Saudi managers are generally not tolerant of deviation of the generally inflexible company rules (Cassell Blake, 2011). Saudi Arabias individualism ranking of 38 interprets into a Collectivist society as compared to Individualist culture and is revealed in a close long-term commitment to the member group, that being a family, extended family, or extended relationships. Alanazi and Rodrigues in 2003 also described the Saudi culture as collectivistic with strict devotion to the teachings of Islam, which governs the social behavior and provides a strong cultural fabric that covers the whole nation. Essentially, business is affected by the collective thinking of the Saudis, which dictates that relationships trump business dealings (Idris, 2007). Saudi Arabia scores 52 on the dimension of masculinity/femininity, thus Saudi Arabia has a more feministic culture. So, in Saudi Arabia people maintain good relationships with each other. Saudi Arabias ranking also impacts hiring and firing practices. Research has found that terminations for poor performance rarely happen because the desire for relationships results in long life employment (Idris, 2007). Historically, the society has been characterized as valuing behavior displaying kindness, selflessness, and generosity; deference to those above in the hierarchy of the family; freedom from reliance on others and mastery over ones emotions; and a willingness to support other family members and accept responsibility for their errors as well (Cassell Blake, 2011). HR Management Practices in Saudi Arabia: HR professionals in Saudi Arabia view HR as a core strategy for improving organizational performance (Ramlall et al., 2012). Pillai et al., (1999) explained management practices in the Islamic world (of which Saudi Arabia is a major part) as influenced by tribal traditions where the manager is expected to act as a father figure. This means favoring the continuity of the family concept over improved organizational effectiveness and competitiveness. Their study showed that this reliance on the father-figure relationship means that leaders and managers in the Middle East face difficulties convincing the employees to be part of the solution to management problems. According to Yavas (1997), a prevailing organizational structure in which the manager makes all the decisions repels positive change. According to Bhuian et al., (2001) the people of the kingdom need to be guided and told what to do and actually prefer government involvements in business practices (Idris, 2007). Beer e t al., (1985) specified, Since, Saudi Arabias collective culture values group work, the pay-for-performance system that recognizes individuals is destabilized when management tries to moderate it by writing comforting statements on the appraisal forms to compensate for low salary increases for poor performers. The prevailing culture is in favor of life employment, so managers are restrained from purging poor performers and substituting them with high performers. Unless the difference in compensation of the high performers and low performers is great, companies risk discouraging the high performers whereas motivating the low performers to remain unproductive (Idris, 2007). Organizational Variables: The second category of variables includes the HRM practices that reflect cultural dimensions in which they were developed. HR practices that are likely to be sensitive to cultural influences are followings (Gong et al., 2009); Employment security: Employment security can be characterized as maintenance-oriented HRM because they defend employees well-being. Employment security may encourage employees to stay in their job. In the literature, employment security usually refers to protection against unfair or unjustified dismissals. According to ILO (1995) employment security means that workers have protection against arbitrary and short notice dismissal from employment, as well as having long-term contracts of employment and having employment relations that avoid casualization. Evidently this definition covers only one category of the labor market wage and salary workers. It is they who are employed by some legal entity, and are at risk of being dismissed by that legal entity, and can have a stable or unstable employment relation with their employer (Dasgupta, 2001). In an era of downsizing and rightsizing, employment security can confer yet another advantage, in that it boosts people to take a longer-term perspective on their jobs and organizational performance. Employment security policies will also lead to more cautious hiring, because the firm knows it cannot simply let people go quickly if it has overestimated its labor demand. Slenderer staffing can actually make the work force more productive, with less people doing extra work. Additionally, employment security maintained over time helps to build trust and belief between people and their employer, which can lead to better spirit in the company (Pfeffer, 1998). Reduction of Status Distinctions: The basic premise of high-performance management systems is that organizations perform at a higher level when they are able to tap the ideas, abilities, skills, and struggle of all of their people. One way in which they do this is by organizing people in work teams, a topic already briefly covered here. But neither individuals nor teams will feel comfortable or stimulated to contribute their minds as well as their physical energy to the organization if it has sent signals that they are not both valuable and valued. In order to help make all organizational members feel important and devoted to improving organizational operations, so, most high-commitment management systems attempt to reduce the status distinctions that separate individuals and groups and cause some to feel less valued. This is accomplished in two ways: symbolically, through the use of language and labels, physical space, and dress, and practically, in the reduction of the organizations degree of wage disparity. Status differences are reduced and a sense of common fate established by limiting the difference in compensation between senior management and other employees. The reduction of status differences inspires open communication, essential in an organization in which learning and adaptation are encouraged. Status differences are reduced and a sense of common fate developed by limiting the difference in compensation between senior management and other employees (Pfeffer, 1998). Conclusively reduced status distinctions include dress, language, of ¬Ã‚ ce arrangements, wage differences and behaviors across levels (Ahmad Schroeder, 2003). Selective hiring: Selective hiring is aimed at developing an organizations talent pool. Organizations serious about gaining profits through pe
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Ancient Native American Traditions Essay -- History culture Indians Es
Ancient Native American Traditions The novel "Reservation Blues" does not describe or deal with real Indians. The real Native Americans were forever destroyed by the government the second that they set foot upon the makeshift reservation. That very second saw the perish of all the age-long values and traditions that, before that moment, defined, raised, and watched over every Indian boy and girl, every Indian husband and wife, and every Indian father and mother. The U.S. government easily and nonviolently accomplished what the army has been struggling to do for many years, it wiped out a whole race of people, turning them into a mindless horde that was of concern to no one. The result were people who were hardly more Indian than you or me, people without culture, morals, or traditions; these people were lost. The only thing they had in common was the color of their skin and nothing else. This paper takes a look at ancient Native American traditions such as: unity, storytelling, communication with nature, and pride in their culture and shows how they were all but absent from this particular reservation and the mindsets of its inhabitants.      The greatest thing that Indians shared is unity. Their culture viewed the tribe as a living and breathing thing, needing every member's cooperation and participation in order to survive. Throughout the years, Indians have always relied on each other for help and support, whether hunting, raising children, or defending their territory. In addition, possessions were shared equally between the members, and everything was done for the benefit of the tribe. On the Spokane reservation there is no such concept as unity. People live for their own good, barely tolerating their own kind. Defying their ancestor's traditions, characters such as Victor and Joseph bully others into submission in order to get what they want or just for fun. Michael White Hawk attacks the band members out of jealousy. After the band starts their public performances, the whole town splits into two groups, one supporting the musicians, the other detesting them. There is no unity to be found anywher e. Same thing goes for support. Not many souls believed in them. "Tribal Chairman David WalksAlong was even more pessimistic about the future of Coyote Springs. "Listen, those Skins ain't got a chance in New York City...Coyote Springs is done for. I'm... ... and courageous animal, looked up to by the children, but in the real world it was simply a mean of amusement. The Spokane tribe had hastily forgot one of the most important concepts of Indian heritage, the concept that should have defined them.      The only thing on the Spokane reservation that still contained Indian culture and heritage was Big Mom, or the nature. However, no Indian ever remembered, or wished to remember his or her own roots. They knew about Big Mom’s existence, yet they refused to believe in her. It was simpler to live life as they did, without any real purpose or direction. â€Å"There were a million stories about Big Mom. But no matter how many stories were told, Indians still refused to believe in her. Even though she lived on the reservation, some Spokanes still doubted her.†(199) She watched the Indians deny and defy everything that was in their culture, all the traditions and all of the morals, powerless to stop it. The-man-who-was-probably-Lakota saw and understood what was happening, and repeated the same line over and over again, â€Å"The end of the world is near, the end of the world is near.†However, for these Indians the end had already came and gone.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Romeo And Juliets Fate :: essays research papers
William Shakespeare wrote many great plays in his day. His tale of Romeo and Juliet portrays a tragic love. This play ends with the deaths of the key characters Romeo and Juliet, because of their forbidden love. Many factors contribute to their demise. The scene of when they first meet, the fight between Tybalt and Mercutio, and the final death scene all reveal why the two of them cannot be together in the end. Romeo and Juliet are ultimately killed because of their decisions and fate. The effects of Romeo and Juliet’s decisions and fate are first apparent in the scene when they first come together. When Romeo says to Juliet in the Capulet party, "Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purged" (I,v,108), and then he kisses her, it obviously exhibitions how they exercise their choice to love each other. After discovering each other’s identities, Romeo proclaims, "My life is my foe’s debt" (I,v,119), and Juliet states, "My only love sprung from my only hate" (I,v,140). These lines foreshadow that there will be many impediments keeping them apart and eventually killing them both. It might be thought that the tragic ending is caused by them choosing to love each other. However, if fate does not bring them together in the first place, they will never have the opportunity to establish their love. Romeo and Juliet are affected by their choices and fate right from the beginning. Romeo’s actions and chance also cause the chaos in Romeo and Mercutio’s fight scene with Tybalt. When Romeo replies to Tybalt when he is first insulted and threatened on the street, "I do protest I never injure thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise" (III,I,67-8), it means he does not mean Tybalt any harm and is walking away from the fight. Then, Mercutio steps in for Romeo and starts fighting with Tybalt. Romeo gets between them, which allows Tybalt to kill Mercutio, and later results in Romeo killing Tybalt. It is very easy to point the finger at Romeo and accuse him of allowing Mercutio to be killed. His decision directly allows Tybalt to stab Mercutio, but he is trying work it out so no one will be injured, like peer mediation. Although he has no clue that he will do more harm, Romeo is actually trying to help. That’s where fate affects him. Also, it can be said that Romeo is entirely responsible for killing Tybalt.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Pervasive Computing: IBMs Autonomic System and the Cautions Necessary
Pervasive Computing: IBM's Autonomic System and the Cautions Necessary Pervasive computing is here. It is being integrated into our society in as many ways that can be thought up. Chips are popping up in everyday objects. Cars, planes, ships, phones, PDA’s, refrigerators, and soon a person’s hat, shoes, and clothing. This is all well and good, the advancement of technology is something that has always and will always be a constant in our culture. The need for more interconnectivity is becoming more apparent in business, schools, and personal lives. IBM is working on a project, called Autonomic Computing, which will create a universal standard for technology and the integration of electronic devices. One of their claims for the necessity of the project is a quote, â€Å"Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them." - Alfred North Whitehead. They say that we make cultural advances by taking the processes and procedures we have now and automating them, thus giv ing the freedom to explore new and unique ways to complete the left over processes and procedures. The advancement of the culture is a necessity for any society, but the relinquishment of control of certain processes has to be regulated. IBM says that the problem is because of the rapid expansion of information and technology we as humans cannot keep up with the increase. Access to information is becoming rampant through the creation of wireless and handheld devices. These devices need a standard of production and connection to provide the greatest effect. IBM’s solution is a computer network that is â€Å"flexible, accessible, and transparent.†(The Solution, IBM Research) The system will... ...lems are cause for worry. Humans ultimately need to have the control over the system, having the option to monitor and observe the system, limit its sphere of influence, or completely deactivate the system. Bibliography 1. http://www.research.ibm.com/autonomic/ Autonomic computing; IBM, 2. http://www.doorsofperception.com/projects/chi/ â€Å"The design challenge of pervasive computing,†John Thackara Doors of Perception, April 2000.. 3. http://www.nathan.com/thoughts/unified/unified.pdf Information Interaction Design: A Unified Field Theory of Design, Nathan Shedroff, Chief Creative Officer, vivid studios, 1994 4. Halligan, Tom., (1999) â€Å"Lose the remote, take in some oxygen.†Electronic Design. p. 16 (database: Applied Science & Technology Abstracts 1983 – Present) 5. Electronics industry index from www.encyclopedia.com
Monday, September 16, 2019
Advertising: the Magazine Game Informer
Informer an advertisement for Old Spice caught my eye. The reason for this was because it was large scale, in your face, and took up two pages. The way that this ad established and reinforced the brand name was very clever. The ad used very neutral, warm welcoming colors such as dark orange, and blue with bold white text. This seems to be a typical old spice ad in my eyes. I say this because the way old spice portrays its self is humorous but at the same time, without a doubt seriously manly.This is an obvious point, because in the add the man is covered in the old spice foaming body wash while riding a giant crow away from the sunset while being struck by lighting. This makes a very bold point that it is the manly of manliest body washes. This is apparent because not any average man could tackle riding a giant crow as well as a substantial lightning strike all while covered in a foamy blanket of body wash. When it comes to the question of what I think they are trying to create, I be lieve they are trying to portray this superior man of men image.I am able to link this ad with others that I have seen for old spice in the same manner. Such as a commercial I remember about â€Å"the man that your man could smell like†the slogan of the ad is that â€Å"We're not saying this body wash will make your man into a romantic millionaire jet fighter pilot, but we are insinuating it. †This reinforces my point that the company Old Spice is trying to create a superior image that their body wash represents. Back to the magazine ad, I feel that creating this superior image targets young as well as older men.They appear cool to a younger age group while also targeting a more middle age group that represents everything they could have been in their lives, but can be by using their body wash so as insinuated in the commercial I talked about previously. The placement of this ad in the magazine is more towards the end. The ad itself is outlined by a white border, whi ch complements the bold large white text. The man riding the massive bird takes up one page while a close up of the mans face takes up the other half.This is important because I believe that they are trying to show what the man is capable of by showing him riding the bird while holding the body wash, while on the other half of the ad they show a close up of his face, which displays confidence. You can tell this by his facial expression. He seems sympathetic but also sincere at the same time. While on the other hand he is riding the bird with a yelling face, such as athletes do when they are getting â€Å"pumped†up. This is relevant because this is an NFL endorsed ad.I believe that this can also portray two sides to the body wash, such as confident and outgoing but also compassionate. This may also have to do with the scent â€Å"showtime†that they are advertising. Which probably has to do with meaning business. This ad influences me, and attracts me to their product because I feel that this scent will make me feel as if I am more confident and ready for business, or â€Å"showtime. †This is something that is important to many people as well as me.If I am feeling good about myself and how I smell, I may be more apt to be more outgoing and in a better mood throughout my day or night. I feel like people are looking for products that give them more drive. I say this because that is something that I look for, such as more appeal and confidence. Overall, I believe that this ad is trying to impose the â€Å"coolness†that everyone wants. They are able to do this by showing two different sides of a person through this two page-spanning ad designed around the scent â€Å"showtime. This is represented through the warm subtle colors surrounding the ad, with the popping lightning bolt striking the man and the body wash bottle in the background. Which is displaying the more confident outgoing side of the scent. These are important characteri stics, because when it comes to smelling right it is very important. People do not want over dominating scents, they want scents that attract others, and give them a new sense of achievement and accomplishment like old spice portrays this scent to be.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
A Problem in the American Education System Essay
This problem will have dire effects on those dropouts as well as other aspects such as financial and health problems. Many factors ultimately push the students off their path to a bachelor’s degree and end their dreams of ever becoming a doctor or maybe even a businessman. Along with those causes, there are serious consequences for those college dropouts. One effect that happens when a college student drops out of school would be that a huge debt must be paid back and since they dropped out it turn to be a wasted investment. Students looking to go to college, hen dropout have no answer to pay the money back which they were hoping to find a career with a college degree they wanted. Students often put a lot of money into college, thus putting them into debt. When the payments are finally too high for them they cannot afford to stay in school and all the money they put in is for naught. The students are under so much debt after dropping out and have nothing to show for it. That college degree they were hoping to receive at their graduation in non-existent which they were hoping to use as a tool in order to become successful. Who knows hat career a degree could have got them into, maybe a well-paying Job that would keep them from going broke from paying all the loans they used to go to school. All the money that could have been used in order to gain knowledge will be down the drain and the student now would have a harder time paying back those loans and supporting themselves. This also affects the schools and the taxpayers. All the money they are putting into paying and helping students with their schooling has nothing to showing for it. The millions of dollars that are being put into paving the way for the tudents financially do not pay off and instead money is lost. This slows down the whole country as there are less available new young workers to fill the positions of new work. Without a college degree, students earning potential are much lower than those of graduates. In order to pay off debts from loans to go to school and bills, students have to find a source of income and without a degree, finding a Job is much harder. Dropouts have a harder time finding a Job than those already with a degree. With a bachelor’s degree, it is easier to find Jobs as many opportunities are now open. A cause of college students dropping out is the amount they have to pay for just one semester. As many students do not even have a Job it is difficult for them to support themselves after paying for tuition and also pay for supplies they would later need for classes such as textbooks. A report from the Public Agenda for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation shows the students from the ages of 22 to 30 years old shows state that their main reason for leaving school is their problems with financial stability. From my experience as of today even now I have a problem having to pay for school at CSULB. Luckily I have financial aid because without it I would it I don’t think that I could have survived the first semester of college. Family problems such as having kids during school, or taking care of a sick family member could cause someone to leave college. Having to spend a large amount of time away from thing such as studying for an upcoming test really hurts the students in the long run. This hurts them because it keeps them preoccupied with things that they need to accomplish which is their dream of finding a career in their major and pursue it. Stress develops which may be from the numerous personal problems. Rising uition make students actually have to think about what they buy next. Most students already have to Juggle work and school at the same time Oohnson). I know for a fact that going to college is a hard task even now as a freshman, there is more homework and students have to pay for everything themselves. I understand why most students drop out because they cannot handle the pressure. Another cause for college dropouts is their scores on exams. Of course doing bad on a test will make students fail your class as this is already obvious. Lots of factors also cause students to do poorly on their exams such as stress and financial roblems One final cause for students leaving college early is their lack of motivation and preparation. As most students say their high schools did a poor Job in preparing them for their next step in life stated from a survey by Public Agenda (Crosseley). In college students have to manage their time socially and their time for school. Prioritizing this time is now critical of the all the times spent in school. Being bored really will not help you succeed in receiving a bachelor’s degree in your hand. For the many college students that attend today that go to college it may be a hard task. Still, college dropouts remain a problem in the American education system.
A Snowflake Is Winter’s Butterfly
A snowflake is winter’s butterfly. When I awakened, very early, the ground was covered with little pearly snowflakes. They had floated gently from the sky, twirling and whirling. Millions in flight, blanketing the ground with sparkling little pictures traced in a line, and shining whitely. Some magician must have come and by the starlight, worked through all the quiet darkness. I must be dreaming, after what happened†¦ Daddy told me he had a surprise for me, boy do I like surprises! We were going to hunt for reindeers in the mountains near our house. My eyes immediately set aglow, my heart felt warm and excitement rushed through my body.I was finally going to kill my first reindeer and he will fall before me after my finger pulled that trigger. Although I was just a little girl, I always wanted to go and hunt with my daddy and now was my opportunity so I packed a full picnic basket with lots of freshly baked cookies. I gazed in wonder at my first coat as we were leaving t he house. We walked and talked for hours. Although the air was crisp and stirring, love kept me warm and laughter filled me with unspeakable joy. We had a map and when dad said he was just going to peek if the river was nearby, as indicated on the map, I saw something and ran after it.I ran till my lungs burnt and finally came to a sudden stop. I looked around in horror for my daddy but he was now where to be found. After minutes of searching, which felt like hours, the sun said good bye and the night sky greeted with a very chilly, thin wind. I was freezing, shivering and shaking like a pudding in a mould. I was colder than the contents of a million ice cream cones. Oh, I could not feel my fingers neither my toes. Wait, there was something but I couldn’t move. It has been hours in this snow storm. It came closer and closer†¦ A reindeer approached me, pushing his nose against me.I was scared to death and therefore prayed for help. A sudden relief swept over me and the re indeer pushed his nose against me for the second time as if to tell me – â€Å"You’re going to be all right†. A sound escaped it’s throat, and the second reindeer came closer, watching, guiding and then in seconds, the two reindeers came lying beside me, covering me, and warming me. I fell asleep as graceful beauty came raining down, each snowflake like a falling star, smiling beauty that spun afar. I felt peace and serenity before me for the first time in hours.The sun rose higher and higher with his wand of golden fire. I was suddenly awake after the most beautiful dream. DADDY!!! He was calling for me. He searched all night and when he saw me lying there he joyfully embraced me. I told him the miraculous story and he smiled down at me with love and happiness. A snowflake is winter’s butterfly. It doesn’t have the intention of harming you, nor trying to kill you with a snowflake-thunderstorm. It touches your soul lightly until finally you are saved by love. Even by the love of an animal you were so excitedly ready to kill. Charlene Total words: 553
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 10
September 4, 1864 Midnight. Too late to fall asleep, too early to be awake. A candle burns on my nightstand, the flickering shadows foreboding. I am haunted already. Will I ever forgive myself for not finding Rosalyn until it was too late? And why is she –the one I vowed to forget–still on my mind? My head is pounding. Cordelia is always at the door, offering drinks, lozenges, powdered herbs. I take them, like a recuperating child. Father and Damon glance at me when they think I'm asleep. Do they know of the nightmares? I thought marriage was a fate worse than death. I was wrong. I was wrong about so many things, too many things, and all I can do is pray for forgiveness and hope that somehow, somewhere, I can summon strength from the depths of my existence to step firmly onto the path of the right again. I will do it. I must. For Rosalyn. And for her. Now I will blow out the candle and hope for sleep–like that of the dead –to engulf me quickly†¦. â€Å"Stefan! Time to get up!†my father called, slamming my bedroom door. â€Å"What?†I struggled to sit, not sure what hour it was, or what day it was, or how much time had passed since Rosalyn's death. Day faded into night, and I could never really sleep, only doze into terrifying dreams. I wouldn't have eaten anything, except that Cordelia continued to come into my room with her concoctions, spoon-feeding them to me to ensure that they were eaten. She'd make fried chicken and okra and a thick mash of what she called sufferer stew which she said would , make me feel better. She'd left another one, a drink this time, on my nightstand. I drank it quickly. â€Å"Get ready. Alfred will help you prepare,†my father said. â€Å"Get ready for what?†I asked, swinging my legs onto the floor. I hobbled to the mirror. I had stubble over my chin, and my tawny hair stood up on all ends. My eyes were red, and my nightshirt was hanging off my shoulders. I looked awful. Father stood behind me, appraising my reflection. â€Å"Y ou'll pull yourself together. Today is Rosalyn's funeral, and it's important to me and the Cartwrights that we are there. We want to show everyone that we must band together against the evil that's scourging our town.†While Father prattled on about demons, I thought about facing the Cartwrights for the first time. I still felt horribly guilty. I couldn't help thinking that the attack wouldn't have happened if I'd been waiting for Rosalyn on the porch, instead of lingering in the study with Katherine. If I'd been outside, waiting for Rosalyn, I would have seen her walking from the fields in her pink dress. Maybe I could have faced death with her, too, and she wouldn't have had to confront that nightmarish animal alone. I may not have loved Rosalyn, but I couldn't forgive myself for not being there to save her. â€Å"Well, come on,†Father said impatiently as Alfred walked in, holding a white linen shirt and a double-breasted black suit. I blanched. It was the suit I'd have worn at my wedding–and the church where we were mourning Rosalyn was to have been the site of the ceremony establishing our union. Still, I managed to change into the suit, allowed Alfred to help me shave, since my hands allowed Alfred to help me shave, since my hands were so shaky, and emerged an hour later ready to do what I had to do. I kept my eyes down as I followed Father and Damon to the carriage. Father sat up front, next to Alfred, while Damon sat in the back with me. â€Å"How are you, brother?†Damon asked above the familiar clip-clop of Duke's and Jake's hooves down Willow Creek Road. â€Å"Not very well,†I said formally, a stiff lump in my throat. Damon put a hand on my shoulder. The magpies chattered, the bees buzzed, and the sun cast a golden glow on the trees. The entire coach smelled like ginger, and I felt my stomach heave. It was the smell of guilt over lusting after a woman who was never to be–could never be–my wife. â€Å"Your first death, the first one you witness, changes you,†Damon said finally, as the coach pulled up to the white clapboard church. The church bells were ringing, and every business in town was closed for the day. â€Å"But perhaps it can change you for the better.†â€Å"Maybe,†I said as I descended from the coach. But I didn't see how. We reached the door as Dr. Janes hobbled into the church, his cane in one hand and a flask of whiskey in another. Pearl and Anna were sitting together, and Jonathan Gilbert sat behind them, his elbows perched on the edge of Pearl's pew, just inches from her shoulder. Sheriff Forbes was in his usual place in the second pew, glaring at the cluster of rouged women from the tavern who had come to pay their respects. At the edge of their circle was Alice, the barmaid, cooling herself with a silk fan. Calvin Bailey, the organist, was playing an adaptation of Mozart's Requiem, but he seemed to hit a sour note every few chords. In the front pew, Mr. Cartwright stared straight ahead, while Mrs. Cartwright sobbed and occasionally blew her nose into a lace handkerchief. At the front of the church, a closed oak casket was covered with flowers. Wordlessly, I walked to the casket and knelt down in front of it. â€Å"I'm so sorry,†I whispered, touching the casket, which felt cold and hard. Unbidden, images of my betrothed popped up in my mind: Rosalyn giggling over her new puppy, giddily discussing flower combinations for our wedding, risking the wrath of her maid by planting a covert kiss on my cheek at the end of one visit. I moved my hands off the casket and put them together, as if in prayer. â€Å"I hope that you and Penny have found each other in Heaven.†I leaned down, letting my lips graze the casket. I wanted her to know, wherever she was, that I would have learned to love her. â€Å"Good-bye.†I turned to take my seat and stopped short. Right behind me was Katherine. She was wearing a dark-blue cotton dress that stood out in the sea a dark-blue cotton dress that stood out in the sea of black crepe that filled the pews. â€Å"I'm so sorry for your loss,†Katherine said, touching my arm. I flinched and drew my arm back. How dare she touch me so familiarly in public? Didn't she realize that if we hadn't been carrying on at the barbecue in the first place, the tragedy might never have happened? Concern registered in her dark eyes. â€Å"I know how hard this must be for you,†she said. â€Å"Please let me know if you need anything.†I immediately felt a wave of guilt for assuming she was doing anything other than showing sympathy. After all, her parents had died. She was just a young girl, reaching out to offer her support. She looked so sad that for one wild second, I was tempted to cross the aisle and comfort her. â€Å"Thank you,†I said instead, sucking in my stale breath and walking back to the pew. I slid next to Damon, who had his hands crossed piously over a Bible. I noticed his eyes flick up as Katherine briefly knelt down by the coffin. I followed his gaze, noticing the way several curls had escaped from beneath her hat and were curling around the ornate clasp on her blue necklace. A few minutes later, the Requiem ended, and Pastor Collins strode up to the pulpit. â€Å"We're here to celebrate a life cut far too short. There is evil among us, and we will mourn this death, but we will also draw strength from this death †¦,†he intoned. I covertly glanced across the aisle at Katherine. Her servant, Emily, was sitting next to her on one side and Pearl on the other. Katherine's hands were folded as if in prayer. She turned slightly, as if to look at me. I forced myself to look away before our eyes could meet. I would not dishonor Rosalyn by thinking of Katherine. I gazed up at the unfinished, steepled beams of the church. I'm sorry, I thought, sending the message upward and hoping that Rosalyn, wherever she was, heard it.
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