Angel of History essays

Angel of History essays History, according to Websters Dictionary, can be defined as, A chronological record of events, as of the life or development of a people or institution, often including an explanation of or commentary on those events. We must remember, however, that even though history is in the past, it is not inert. It is not dead. The past does, and continues to, have an effect on the present. Through the different articles we read, Sloukas Hitlers Couch, Millhausers The Barnum Museum, and James E. Youngs At Memorys Edge: After Images of the Holocaust in Contemporary Art and Architecture, one can see the relationship that the past has with our present day life and visa versa. Sloukas Hitlers Couch, tells of Hitlers final days. With the American and Russian armies moving swiftly towards Berlin, the fate of the Third Reich was in serious jeopardy. As Russian artillery shells fell upon Berlin, Goebbels, Hitlers Propaganda Minister, would read to Hitler the History of Frederick the Great. Within this reading Hitler found hope for Germany, Sensing a promise, an omen of redemption in Carlyes description of Fredericks deliverance...just as Prussia had been saved...by the death of the Czarina so the Third Reich would survive her harshest trails....A few days later Goebbels had his miracle, his Czarina... Franklin Roosevelt was dead (Slouka, p.54). Upon the news reaching the German Supreme Command a minister said, This, was the Angel of History! We felt its wings flutter through the room (Slouka, p. 54). Now, there is no real definition for what the Angel of History is. It could, however, be a metaphor, of how the past repeats itself in some aspects. The Angel c ould be the collector of history, and when important events happen they are collected as one might say by the Angel. ...

Young Goodman Brown essays

Young Goodman Brown essays Young Goodman Brown is a story that spotlights on a man that has to choose between right and wrong, and good and evil. Towards the end, Goodmans journey from the village through the forest and back again is turned into a self assessment about his own faith, trust, innocence, and experience. The story is about a good young man struggling on his own spiritual path, which can be paralleled to any of our lives in which we are tempted and have personal struggles of our own. He leaves his familiar place promising his wife, Faith, that he will return after one night. Brown is faced with many obstacles leading him to the choice between good and evil. His vision, though not defined as reality or a dream, he sees people he knows, friends and family, heading towards evil, but in the end he is able to avoid being drawn into the dark evil side. This story basically portrays the simple and not so simple choices that people have to make daily and as they progress through their lives. The story disp lays choices and consequences that come as a result of making certain decisions. In the start of the story we meet Goodman Brown and his wife Faith who are saying their goodbyes to each other as Brown embarks on a journey through the forest. Faith begs Brown not to go because of the bad feelings she has been getting about this whole expedition, but Brown reassures her that everything will be alright, and he then leaves. This first choice of Browns is one of evil, because he still decides to go even though he knows of the wickedness that the forest withholds, instead of staying with his faith. Another aspect of evil in this decision is that we see the village as a light place, whereas the forest is known for being a dark and unpredictable place This is the case because in the village, people are normal, happy, everyday people going about their business, which is the light of his life. The forest on the other hand is a very dark ...

Maximising Project Value Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Maximising Project Value - Assignment Example Every business project is profit oriented and returns on capital employed stand as the main goal. That is why I consider that Finance perspective should focus on the cost control to ensure that in the long run income is more than the input. In a business process, the steps of what to do are provided to ensure that the end goal of profit making is achieved. It works with a target of minimizing cost so as to maximize returns. The ways of cost minimizing are wage cutting, reduction of advertising cost and reduction of employees. This is the level of deployment of the best practices an organization has defined for its Project Management process (Galliers & Leidner 2003). A lot of collaborative tools have to be designed in order to reach the recommended standard of Capability Maturity Model Integrated, a best practice framework for businesses dedicated to product development (Galliers & Leidner 2003). This part work with a clear set framework that covers areas like objectives, measures, target, and initiative. This gives everyone in the system a guide on what to do and the target goal is always indicated. For this case of study, I can bring out the best framework of a balanced scorecard as below. A balanced scorecard is used to evaluate the performance and future improvements of an organization. "Scorecard" signifies quantified performance measures in the process, financial performance, internal process, customers and learning, and growth. Balanced is an indicator showing if the system is balanced between short-term objectives and long-term objectives, financial measures and non-financial measures lagging indicators and leading indicators and internal performance and external performance perspectives (Goodpasture 2010).

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 71

Assignment - Essay Example a for irradiation, check for computer setup to ensure correct calibration for correct doses and do the actual operation of the radiation machine (â€Å"Radiation Therapists†). The radiation therapist will also observe the patient for any signs of reactions following therapy and keeps records for their clients. Although interested candidates may be considered qualified after a year’s certificate program completion, most of the employers will preferentially hire candidates with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in the field of radiation therapy. Radiation therapists should be Detail oriented. A radiation practitioner must be keen in following precise instructions and feed the machines with exact calibrations to ensure correct radiation dosing. They are also hypothetically supposed to have good interpersonal skills since they deal with patients who in most cases may be going through emotional and physical stress. Physical stamina comes as an added advantage since radiation therapists often have to stand for long hour and additionally aid in lifting and moving clients who require some assistance. Technical skills are a necessity since the also deal with large technological machines and computer. Being radiation therapist in most cases means you are on fulltime job. As such, it is often wise to leave somewhere near the work station. It is fully indoors and since radiations are booked prior, then there is need for a regular work schedule (â€Å"Radiation Therapists†) However, for anyone considering this line of work, most of the states will necessitate you to be registered to a professional board and have a valid license from regulatory bodies. Failure to uphold regulations of these bodies will often lead to cancellation of license making it hard to practice. The assignment made me realize that a profession is holistic. Being a radiation therapist will require good interpersonal skills to be able to deal with clienteles who are emotional beings. I discovered

Management Concepts Temasek Holdings Essay Example for Free

Management Concepts Temasek Holdings Essay 1.0 Introduction Temasek Holdings is a large investment company based in Singapore. It is an active participator in the investment game, holding shares and investments in a broad range of industries all over the world. As with many companies all over the world, Temasek Holdings was affected strongly by the Global Financial Crisis, losing more than 30 per cent of the value of their portfolio (Schmermerhorn, J. Davidson, P. Poole, D. Simon, A. Woods, P Chau, S.L. 2011). Temasek’s CEO Ho Ching has been criticised for the investment losses that occurred during the economic crisis, and must now lead the company through the increased turbulence that has been presented to them. In doing so, a potential issue that Temasek Holdings is currently facing is one of leadership. If correct management processes regarding leadership are not applied, the company could face even worse consequences. To ensure that leadership does not become an issue, Ho Ching must apply effective leadership techniques to Temasek Holdings. This report will investigate various leadership options, determining an adequate approach to leadership that will assist this company in being successful in the future. Two leadership models will be assessed in-depth. It is expected that both will assist the company in continuing in the long-term, however one option will be more suitable and beneficial to Temasek Holdings. 2.0 Literature Themes or Arguments As Temasek’s CEO has recently come under fire for her stability in leadership, it is apparent that a change must be made in the way the company is managed if they are to successfully remain with the same CEO. Leadership is fundamental in regular circumstances, but it is even more essential to the business through periods of instability, making it vitally important to the livelihood of the company to apply appropriate management procedures. It is impossible for a set of specific characteristics to define whether or not someone is a good leader, however some certain personal traits have been identified as being common among successful leaders: drive, self-confidence, creativity, cognitive ability, business knowledge, motivation, flexibility, honesty and integrity. (Schmermerhorn, J. Et al. 2011). Vision and power are also vital to good leadership; however all of these things are not achieved in the same way. Many different behavioural theories have been produced in an attempt to define good leadership styles. A widely used model of management is Fred Fiedler’s contingency model. Fiedler’s theory looks at matching various types of people to various situations, somewhat of an either/or concept. It is based on the fact that someone’s style of leadership is personality-based, thus making it difficult to change. Rather, the Fiedler model suggests putting people of specific leadership styles with situations that match that style, rather than trying to change their personal leadership style, to achieve success (Wang, Victor C X; Berger, Jim 2010, pg. 6). Fiedler classifies people into two leadership styles: relations-orientated and task-orientated. Relations-orientated people are defined as â€Å"a person who is motivated to seek prominence in interpersonal relations, who is concerned with good relations with others, who is considerate in his interaction with group members, and who tends to reduce anxiety and increase the personal adjustment of his co-workers,† (Hill, Walter. 1969, pg. 34) whereas a task-orientated person is characterised to be someone who â€Å"rejects those with whom he cannot work, and obtains need gratification and self-esteem from performance of the task. He is, therefore, concerned with performing the task and he is willing to relegate interpersonal relations to a secondary position† (Hill, Walter. 1969, pg. 35) Exhibit I (Hill, Walter. 1969, pg. 36) above shows how relations-oriented and task-oriented people are determined, through leader-member relationships, leader position power and task structure. It does this by determining how well a person interacts with people (relations) and how dedicated they are to tasks. According to Hill (1969), this model is effective and further tests done corroborate with Fiedler’s findings, making it an accurate model. Hill noted that there are so many variables that sometimes it is difficult to calculate the exact leadership style that is appropriate for someone; however it is useful as it helps to assign leaders to specific tasks and delegate how efficient leadership should be achieved. In regards to Temasek, it should be established what â€Å"type† of leader Ching is, and the company would need to work with that before any leadership goals should be established. Another common model is the Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership Theory (SLT). It is widely used in the business sector and was developed by Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. Blanchard. This model is based upon leaders adjusting their styles based on the maturity of their followers, which is indicated by the â€Å"readiness† (how able and willing or confident) of followers (Schmermerhorn, J. Et al. 2011). When maturity (psychologically and performance-wise) is reached, it means a reduction in support and guidance can occur, instilling a positive indication of trust and confidence. A manager must look at employees and evaluate how best to perform a certain task in a certain situation, and when the situation changes, the leadership style previously used may not be as successful in the new situation (Hambleton, Ronald K; Gumpert, Ray. 1982, pg 227). Again, leadership styles are defined as relationship-orientated and task-orientated, however in this model leadership styles are classified into four groups: delegating, participating, selling and telling. This model is beneficial to companies as it has various different types of stages based on top of the classification of relations-orientated and task-orientated leadership (Figure 1). It breaks down the two types further, into the four types above, thus making it easier to classify. Again, however, variables come into play, and it can be seen from various research that the SLT model does have its limitations. Goodson (1989) states that when further studies have been conducted on this model, the main classifier of groups (â€Å"maturity† or competence) makes almost no difference to the leadership style of a person (Goodson, Jane R; McGee, Gail W; Cashman, James F. 1989, pg. 446). Also, Goodson established that in these tests no actual measure of maturity and/or readiness was really possible when conducting research on the SLT model, making it difficult to say for certain whether the model can be effective. Furthermore, Blank (1990) makes further reference to the fact that there is little to no research supporting this model in his studies, saying that both basing the research on the main factor (maturity) as well as more complex methods, little support was found to corroborate with the main theorems of the model (Blank, Warren; Weitzel, John R; Green, Stephen G. 1990, pg. 579). false 3.0 Recommendations In the case of Temasek Holdings, it can be said that adopting a new leadership approach will be entirely beneficial for the company. No information is given as to what current leadership styles are used, but the amount of criticism being received currently illustrates that a change is needed. Of the two leadership theories discussed, it can be said that both have negative and positive points, as with any business directive. Fiedler’s model uses three determining factors: leader-member relationships, leader position power and task structure, to determine how a leadership style will work effectively. This is essentially beneficial to a business as it allows more than one factor to determine a leadership style, giving a more accurate description of what leadership style will fit a situation. This model was also corroborated with research conducted by Hill (1969) who conducted a study that demonstrated that Fiedler’s was almost always effective in the workplace. However, there were limitations in regards to variables. As every person is so different personality-wise there is a large number of variables, not all of which can be categorised. Because of this, some variables may be missed or excluded, but overall the final result does not change, making the model very effective. The second theory, Hersey-Blanchard’s SLT, uses maturity as the basis of calculating how a leadership style will be effective. This could be effective to some extent, however both Goodson (1989) and Blank (1990) argue that just one determining factor is not enough to warrant an effective model. The model is beneficial as it breaks down leadership styles into four obvious categories; the problem is determining which personality fits into these categories. No clear measure of maturity is possible, making it difficult to categorise leadership styles. Goodson (1989) also states that maturity and competence has no real effect on leadership styles. Looking at these results, it can be recommended that for Temasek Holdings to continue operating at a high level, the Fiedler model of contingency should be used as a model for assigning leadership tasks. Giving every leader in a business tasks based on their personality is advantageous as it means instead of the person working with something they are not specifically styled for, they are able to be fit with tasks that suit them. Overall, this will make a significant change both in employee satisfaction (workers are doing jobs that suit their personality style, thus making them more content) as well as production, as the leadership style they are assigned will work well for them. Models by Hill (1969) are further evidence that this model does indeed work, and that it can bring positive effects to Temasek in the future. If Temasek Holdings chooses to operate within this leadership model, criticism for the way the business is run will be lessened. Both in the short and long term this form of leadership will be beneficial to the company, affecting both large positions (for example, the CEO Ho Ching) as well as smaller managers within the company. The research shows that this is the best model for Temasek to use to bring it the most success in the future.

A Comparison Of Contemporary And Romance Literature :: essays research papers

A Comparison of Contemporary and Romance Literature   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Contemporary literature in the form of a short story consists of a plot, characters, point of view, setting, and theme (2). These elements can vary a great deal from one story to the next. An author of a short story also reveals a tone and a mood shown by his or her style of writing. Although romance literature contains the elements mentioned above, they are very different than those in short stories and are somewhat static from one tale to the next. Romance literature is about the adventures of knights and the organization of chivalry (794). A romance does not take place in a normal setting, but in idealized worlds such as imaginary castles, gardens, or forests (794). A romance contains mysterious and supernatural events (794). Although there are many differences between contemporary and romance literature, the one difference that distinguishes them the most is the characters. A main character in contemporary literature leads a very different life than one in romance literature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Neighbor Rosicky is a short story of an old farmer, Anton Rosicky, reflecting back on his life. Early in the story, when Anton Rosicky is in the doctor's office, he learns that he has a bad heart and doesn't have much time left to live. He then returns home, plunges into a chair, and begins to sew. While he sews, Rosicky lets his mind run back over his life. He has had many memorable experiences. Rosicky has lived in London, New York, and now in Nebraska. Rosicky, formerly a tailor, now makes a living farming with his children. Rudolph, Rosicky's oldest son, has some trouble supporting his wife, Polly. Rosicky makes many sacrifices to help Rudolph's marriage stay together. He loans the family car and gives some money to Rudolph, even though Rosicky is very poor himself. Spring arrives, and his children are busy working the fields. When no one else is around, Rosicky, disregarding his doctor's orders, rakes some thistle plants out of one of his alfalfa fields, but the work is too tough on his heart. Rosicky dies the next day (48-71).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets is another short story of someone analyzing his life. Tom Benecke is a workaholic who has a month's worth of his work scribbled on a yellow sheet of paper. The wind blows the sheet of paper out of his eleven story apartment window onto the ornate corner ornament of the ledge about five yards away. Tom climbs out of the window onto the ledge. Immediately after he reaches the sheet of paper, Tom looks down and becomes

Korean Clothing Shop in Auckland Am

Assignment 1 Organisation Background -Korean Cloth Shop- 21201043 Kendrick Oh [TABLE OF CONTENT] Headings Page 1. Introduction 1. 1 Organization & Product and Services 1. 2 Company’s Vision and Mission 1. 3 Market Profile 1. 4 Corporate Objectives 2. Contents 2. 1 Corporate Strategy 2. 2 Marketing Strategy 2. 3 Strategic linkage/relationship between corporate & marketing strategies 2. 4 Scope of Marketing Strategy 3. Summary 4. Reference 1. Introduction . 1 Organisation & Product and Services Source: http://www. google. co. nz/imghp? hl=en&tab=ii ‘AM’ was built by CEO Kim in the middle of Elliott Street, Auckland, New Zealand, started to build its reputation since 2003. It is a Korean fashion style cloth shop and Kim named it ‘AM’ because the word literally means ‘identity’. And now it became one of the most popular Korean cloths shop in Auckland city. ‘Am’ mainly sells Korean style fashion cloths in Auckland. However, they started to extent their range of products handling accessories such as bags, hats and shoesrecently.The range of their products is now targeting teenage groups and up to age of 30’smen and women who are interested in wearing fashionable cloths. The ownership belongs to CEO Kim and below theCEO, there is three Chinese staffs composited of one duty manager and 2 staffs who are operating the shop from 10:00am to 7:00pm. ‘Am’ does not have other franchise or partnership in Auckland however; they sell brand clothes and accessories from directly imported from Korea market. ‘Am’ values the quality of product and providing fashionable wearing in Auckland.It pays huge attention to the new fashion trends and trying to get high quality cloths from branding cloth companies with great reputation from Korea. 1. 2 Vision and Mission Vision According to Strategic Management-competitiveness and globalisation, (Hanson, Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2011, page 18) visio n is â€Å"A picture of what the firm wants to be and, in broad terms, what it wants to ultimately achieve†. It basically means that when a company has clear and good vision, the company is more likely to focus on achieving its goals. The vision of ‘Am’ is simple which is, To become a leader of fashion trend and introducing Korean fashion in NZ market. † Mission Below the vision, missions specify the business in which the firm intends to compete and the customers it intends to serve (Hanson, Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2011, page 18-19). In other words, they are bundles of objectives to achieve their vision. The Missions of ‘Am’ are; -To build cooperative relationships between the suppliers and the company. – To introduce Korean trends to young groups in NZ market. -To continue to develop markets and extend the company throughout NZ. 1. 3 Market profileAccording to statistics NZ, Asian ethnic group was New Zealand's fourth largest major ethnic group after European, Maori, and Other Ethnicity, totalling 354,552 people (9. 2 percent) in 2006. And Two-thirds of people (66. 1 percent or 234,222 people) who identified with one or more Asian ethnic group(s) usually lived in the Auckland Region(Statistics NZ, 2006). As you can see from the chart, there was huge change of number of Korean in NZ. Chinese were always number one group in NZ and both Chinese and Korean know well each other in culture, therefore the main target markets are Chinese and Koreans. lt;Source from Statistics NZ Census 2006; 1. 4 Corporate Objectives According to Jim Riley, Corporate objectives are statements of specific outcomes that the firms want to achieve in relation of business as a whole. (Tutor2u, 2012) The corporate objectives are similar to those missions of ‘Am’. -To increase sales by selling Korean fashion cloths through the Auckland market. – To increase the reputation of ‘Am’ among young international gr oup and become as a representative brand in NZ market. 2. Content 2. 1 Corporate StrategyCorporate strategy is the overall scope and direction of a company to achieve goals. (Business Dictionary, 2013) Stabilize the current position and build higher reputation in Auckland Market Make profit and survive in the market Hire more employees and extend the size of the shop 2003 2005 2007 Become a leading company in fashion industry in Auckland 2009 2. 2 Marketing Strategy Product Am’s products are composited of four main brands; ‘CC Collect’, ‘EnC’, ‘96ny’ and ‘Top girl’ which are famous brand among 20~30 aged woman in Korean market.These brands guarantee high quality and great fashion sense of cloths. For women, ‘Am’ provides -Skirt -Mink Coat -Jackets -Shirt -Shoes -Jeans -Skinny pants -One piece -Accessories (Hats, necklace and etc. ) For Men, -Pants -Jackets -Shoes -Shirts -Belts Distribution The distribution syst em of ‘Am’ is very distinctive compared to other shops in Auckland. Unlike other shops in Auckland clothing shops, the CEO of ‘Am’ Kim, goes to Korea four times a year to look at the products and visits four brands shops in the market.Whenever Kim visits Korea, he looks around at the trends of fashion air in market and analyzes it by running through the market and chooses his own products to sell with his 20 years of experience. If he finds the products among four brands which he think they have competiveness in market, he orders the products and sends them directly from Korea to Auckland. By the time when Kim comes back from Korea, within 1 or 2 week, products he ordered arrive to his shop and after that, staffs display them and sell the products to customers in the market.Look at the Market in Korea Order the products v Receive the Products Display the Products Sells the Products Choose the products Place ‘Am’ is located at Crown plaza, middl e of Elliot Street where most of young generation groups of people visit to shop for clothing accessories in Auckland. Target Market As mentioned above, ‘The Asian ethnic group was New Zealand's fourth largest major ethnic group after European, Maori, and Other Ethnicity, totaling 354,552 people (9. 2 percent) in 2006.And according to Statistics New Zealand, there was a high proportion of young adults in the Asian ethnic group, with 3 in 10 people (31. 0 percent) aged between 15 and 29 years. Am’ aims young Chinese and Korean men and women who are aged between 18~30 in Auckland. However, if we look at the chart below, most of the main customers who visit ‘Am’ are Chinese by 80% followed by Koreans 15 percent. 2. 3 Strategic Linkage According to statistics NZ Reference http://www. tutor2u. net/business/strategy/objectives. htm