Sunday, October 6, 2019
Great Pyramid of Khufu Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Great Pyramid of Khufu - Personal Statement Example I hope to be an architect one day, and seeing these marvelous wonders first hand would be an experience like no other. I would be able to marvel at the complexity and genius that went into building them, and actually get to be there, an experience that could not be attained simply by reading a book or looking at a picture. I have estimated that the air fare for the trip will be around $2800.00 for round trip tickets; the hotel would cost around $500 dollars a night, for a total of 5 nights. I would also allow myself 100 dollars. The only other small cost would be the cost of admission to the pyramid. The Great Pyramid at Giza is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is also the only of the seven that has survived the test of time and remains today ( http://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/pyramid.html). This not only shows the monument's unique look back into an ancient time, but also its uncanny ability to resist time, and to withstand each and every century as if it were nothing. This is a tribute to the hard work and time that went into building this great marvel of the world. The pyramid is "756 feet long on each side, 450 high and is composed of 2,300,000 blocks of stone, each averaging 2 1/2 tons in weight. Despite the makers' limited surveying tools no side is more than 8 inches different in length than another, and the whole structure is perfectly oriented to the points of the compass."( http://www.unmuseum.org/kpyramid.htm). These figures show how much work and care must have gone into the completion of this great work of art, and how advanced the methods of this structure must have been. It is because of how intricate and advanced this structure is, as well as its height and history, that I feel it is important to get to see as part of growing as an artist, architect, and person. Despite the enormous size and history of the project, how exactly that Great Pyramid was completed is a riddle that time may never answer for us. "Herodotus said that it would have taken "30 years and 100,000 slaves to have built it."(http://interoz.com/egypt/cheops.htm). However, exactly how long it took, and how many people it took is a question still debated by scholars and historians. However, many historians believe that Herodotus got many of his numbers wrong, and that it took less workers and less time that Herodotus recorded for us. It is not far fetched to think this, as by the time Herodotus visited the Great Pyramid, it was already 20 centuries old, and many of the information may have been lost of mixed up already (http://www.unmuseum.org/kpyramid.htm). The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest pyramid ever built, and, "it incorporates about 2.3 million stone blocks, weighing an average of 2.5 to 15 tons each. It is estimated that the workers would have had to set a block every two and a half minutes."( http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pyramids/khufu.html). The immensity and hard work that went into this monument are just two of the factors that make it resistant to time, and also make it an invaluable work of art to visit on my trip to Egypt. The precision and care that went into this work of art was also great. Perhaps to combat problems that had happened with other pyramids being built around this time, great care was given to the detail and measurements of the pyramid, which is an achievement in itself with the primitive tools the Egyptians would have had to
Friday, October 4, 2019
MRSA Infection Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
MRSA Infection - Research Paper Example Antibiotics used to treat ordinary S. aureus infections are rendered useless in case of MRSA. Infection occurring in healthcare settings is called health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) while that occurring in the community, among healthy individuals, is called community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) (mayoclinic.org 1). HA-MRSA infections are generally acquired through invasive procedures or clinical devices such as artificial joints, surgeries, intravenous tubings, and catheters while CA-MRSA generally spreads through skin contact among child care workers, high school wrestlers and people living in crowded areas (mayoclinic.org 1). MRSA infection occurs in various parts of the body and owing to its antibiotic resistance, it is difficult to treat. Mild infections result in boils and sores on the skin. MRSA can also infect lungs, urinary tract, and bloodstream (webmd.com 1). There has been an alarming spread in the incidence of tough MRSA strains and because of its antibiotic resistance, MRSA is also called superbug (webmd.com 1). As per CDC, less than 2% of the US population carries MRSA (mayoclinic.org 3). MRSA was discovered in 1961 and research has shown that, like ordinary strains of S. aureus, it is also carried by many healthy people on their bodies, especially their noses (Matheson et al. 299). MRSA infection is common among those with a weaker immune system and while it is commonly a hospital-acquired the infection, its incidence in people who have not been hospitalized has become recently significant (webmd.com 1).
Greasy lake and the three immature teenagers Essay Example for Free
Greasy lake and the three immature teenagers Essay Greasy Lake by T. Coraghesan Boyleââ¬â¢s is the story of a group of adolescents, searching for the one situation that will proclaim them as bad boys and how their minds change. The greasy lake is a short story which the narrator uses details, imagination and language to describe and represent the moral condition of each character. Also, during the story the narrator shows us how each character becomes closer to maturity after facing a crazy and unexpected night in a local lake, where we are all witness to and extreme change in their lives causes by immature action. Three young men, who considered themselves bad, were out looking for trouble and excitement on their summer break. One of the most interesting things was the perception they had about being tough or being cool at the time. It is very interesting how the three young showed his toughness throwing eggs at the houses of their neighbors. They were acting irresponsibly, drinking too much alcohol and doing drugs, which caused errors in their decision. This was the way of thinking of the three young men ââ¬Å"we wore torn-up leather jackets, slouched around with toothpicks in our mouths, sniffed glueâ⬠. The bad choices they made would somewhere along the line cause their fate to step in, but no one knew what is going to happen that night. The boys must face their reality of becoming responsible adult men. For example, whether someone chooses to be responsible and do their homework that kind of actions determines if the three young men are capable to be responsible. The actions the boys took and the words they said eventually determined their immaturity. ââ¬Å"On this, the third night, weââ¬â¢d cruised the strip sixty-seven times, been in and out of every bar and club we could think of in a twenty ââ¬âmile radius, stopped twice for bucket of chicken and forty-cent hamburgers, debated going to a party at the house of a girl Jeffââ¬â¢s sister knew, and chucked two dozen raw eggs at mailboxes and hitchhikers.â⬠If they would have chosen to go to the party at Jeffââ¬â¢s sisterââ¬â¢s friendââ¬â¢s house then none of the trouble at Greasy Lake would have happened. The whole scene is dark to begin with the irresponsible choice they made to drink alcohol ultimately affected the rest of their choices andà actions. Alcohol may have distorted their judgments, which may have lead them to believe they saw Tony Lovettââ¬â¢s car, causing them to honk, flash their bights and press their faces on his window on the wrong car. Alcohol also may have affected the narratorââ¬â¢s agility, causing him to drop his keys in the dark. These actions leave them unprepared, when they end up in trouble with a big greasy character, as they call him. They begin to fight and one of them hits the guy with tire iron on the head while the adrenaline starts to rise in each of them, begin tearing the clothes off the girl in the car when they try to abuse of the young girl, they are interrupted by another car, which was approach to the scene they believe the other car have seen them. They start running away from the scene to avoid getting caught. The three boys were fri ghtened by the consequences that can bring them for their immaturity acts. During the story at this point At this point the narrator is not bothered about his moms car, because he is now safe in the lake behind trees where no one could find him. Once the narrator continues to find a safe place he runs into something that looks like something strange emerges from the lake and realize that it is a body of a man. Then the narrator thinks its very scary evil character found in lake and lifeless. The narrator is very scared by what he discovered runs where his friends were. Very afraid the only thing you want is to get home and forget everything that happened that night. Finally find the car keys and see that everything is in perfect condition, but have a final approach with two young girls who ask if they have seen the friend, who have not seen since last night they stay silent without express what really wanted and they lie and say no. During that time the one of the girls offers them to go home and have fun drinking alcohol and use drugs. After that episode t he three young men begin to experience inner change, to say no and see that they are not as bad as they believed or they could be, and all they want is to leave everything bad that experienced last night and be able to do positive things for their lives. In brief, Coming of age seems to be a problem. When I first felt the teenagers as adults and to take very risk decision to grab the tires iron and after trying to rape a woman every wrong decision have their consequences. However, they are very willing to face the adult outcomes.à Perhaps the lesson here is do not try to grow too fast. The point of view is in first person, from the point of view of narrative and Teenagers. The environment plays a role in the story. Also, during the story the narrator shows us how each character becomes closer to maturity after facing a crazy and unexpected night in a local lake, where we are all witness to and extreme change in their lives causes by immature action.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Observation, Assessment and Planning Cycle in Childcare
Observation, Assessment and Planning Cycle in Childcare Gurcharan Pall Explain the observation, assessment and planning cycle. The process of effective planning observation and assessment is a vital factor in identifying childrenââ¬â¢s individual needs interests and abilities. In order to plan for their learning and development. This process has been recommended by Early Years (2013) and this involves the practitioners following a three step cycle which consists of planning, observation, and assessment. The practitioner will discuss each stage of the cycle and its practical application to the childââ¬â¢s individual needs. Every child whatever their background or circumstances has the right to support, which they need to enjoy and achieve and make a positive contribution. (Every Child Matters 2003.) With the use of planning observation and assessment the practitioner can support the learning and development requirements for each child in their care. The cycle follows three steps. STEP 1 PLANNING Planning every area of learning and development is important to ensure the child`s achievement The Practitioner should follow identified observation and assessment of the child through relevant play through a range of mixed adult ââ¬âled and child initiated activities. Step 2 Observation The second stage is of observation which looks at the part of process that helps practitioners learn about the individual children .Observation may also identify the delayed areas of the childââ¬â¢s development which would signal that additional support may be required. A good point. There are two types of observations which are formal and spontaneous. More information can be collected from spontaneously observing the child, as without prior warning, the child will be playing naturally. Formal observation may find the child nervous and self-conscious and they may not play or interact, therefore no observation can then take place. Formal observation is more directed towards observing the childââ¬â¢s development of a particular task/skill or the child understands and knowledge. Step 3 ASSESSMENT Assessment plays an important part in helping parents, carers and practitioners to recognise childrenââ¬â¢s progress, understand their needs and to plan activities and supportâ⬠(Early Years 2013) The two types of assessment use are; formative assessment and summative assessment. Firstly formative assessment is an on-going childrenââ¬â¢s assessment. (CHILD DEVELOPMENT) This is gone by the practitioner observing the child on a regular basis for example playtime on a weekly basis. The second assessment is the summative assessment and this is the evidence that is collected though the formative assessment over a period of time. These assessments are used to review the development progress of children against meowed development on milestones REF For example, the child is formatively assessed a weekly basis dewing play and building blocks. The summative assessment will be that the childââ¬â¢s development has improved, as the child can now not only connect the building blocks together but over a period of time the building blocks have progressed and the child can now build wallââ¬â¢s to make a building. There are showing their development. EFFECTIVE PLANNING (WRITE IN ESSAY FORM) > is based on regular, a curate assessment of childrenââ¬â¢s learning, Knowledge and skills > reflects supports and challenges childrenââ¬â¢s current interest, Enthusiasms and their learning and development > is a flexible, working document, which is responsive to spontaneous events > enables all practitioners to contribute, understand and articulate why experiences have been planned > enables children, parents and practitioners to have a voice in the planning process PLANNING IN PRACTICE- KEY ELEMENTS; Provide opportunities for individual childrenââ¬â¢s emerging needs, interests and stage of development based on previous observations and evaluations Identify appropriate links between experiences and EYFS development statements (learning intentions) Provide interesting and challenging experiences for all children within the seven areas of learning and development Outdoor activities are planned and taken on a daily basis Identifies differentiation for individual children or groups of children Provides a range of child initiated and adult-led experiences Identify high quality teaching strategiesââ¬â¢ together with support and intervention that mach individual childrenââ¬â¢s needs (next steps) to ensure good progress Evaluate planned and unplanned learning Reflect on learning environment to adapt and enhance provision DESCRIBE HOW TO DEVELOP PLANNING FOR INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN Planning when being arranged should be flexible to take into account different age group children`s different background the weather and the unexpected. The child`s planning should be based upon your assessment and observation of the individual child so you can take the best steps for their further learning and development. The Development Matters guidance is and can be a very useful tool in planning successfully the child`s ability to move on to the next stage of development. There are 3 steps of planning. Long term. Providing you with themes and topics you may cover over the term. All links to learning and development areas, a balance of indoor, and outdoor activities. Periods of rest and being quite are also required. Medium term. A better detailed plan of topics and themes to be covered. Consideration of other routines such as mealtimes babies sleeping times. All main resources within your setting`s as play areas, equipment storage areas, book corner. A observation area for you to identify the child`s needs. Short term. A weekly plan of plans, observational findings and activities to be carried out. Making reference to the child`s interest .The particular piece of equipment or resource that may be needed the area or amount of room required, health and safety issues that may arise. Ensure you have made arrangements for all the different age groups, and children with disabilities and special educational needs. A good outline of the different types of planning. Long term planning will provide an overview of topics and themes practitioner will cover for children in their care however long term planning will not identify which interest children will have so any planning should be flexible to be able to adapt at last minute if required. Spontaneous activity is one of the most effective learning experiences. Weather is a very strong interesting subject for the children i.e. rain , snow, winds and sunshine many points of interest can be made from the weather many activities can be made use of, Rain, flooding control of water what rain stops you doing, Snow, melting snow building objects snowball fights to began. Wind, power of wind, moving objects leaves trees people movement, flags, sun, heat outdoor activities. The Main difference between formative and summative assessments methods is primarily the time scale involved in each of the assessment types. Formative Assessment is the process of obtaining factual information. Based on firsthand knowledge, gathered by the practitioner whilst spending time with the child, observing the habits and routines of the child. The Sources of information can range from photographs, videos or even conversations with the childââ¬â¢s parents as this can highlight things that otherwise could be missed as behaviour at home can be very different for some children. The process of assessing what young children know and can do poses particular challenges for young learners. Assessing children is often ââ¬Å"unreliable,â⬠as young childrenââ¬â¢s performance is not necessarily consistent over even short periods of time. Contextual influences and emotional states can affect how they perform on assessments. Moreover, young children develop at vastly different rates and their developmental and learning patterns can be episodic, uneven, and rapid. Understanding what children know is important for tea chers, since childrenââ¬â¢s new knowledge builds on prior knowledge. Given these factors, teachersââ¬â¢ use of formative assessment to inform instruction is an essential piece of effective pedagogy. Formative assessment is much more than repeated assessment measures over time. Formative assessment is a process, which includes a feedback loop to assist children in closing the gap between current status and desired outcomes, milestones, or goals. It informs and supports instruction while learning is taking place, by having children receive feedback from the instructor. It also includes multiple sources of evidence gathered over time. The formative assessment process is not a single event or measurement but rather an ongoing planned and intentional practice to evaluate learning with teaching. Formative assessments yield descriptive dataââ¬ânot necessarily judgments. It often takes the form of observational protocol using evidence collection as a means to examine childrenââ¬â¢s cognitive processes. Formative assessment may be defined in different ways in state regulations and interpretations. The definition best captures the essence of formative assessment for the purposes of this brief focused on young children. It is defined as, ââ¬Å"a process used by carers for children during instruction periods that provide feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning, to improve childrenââ¬â¢s achievement of intended instructional outcomes.â⬠Summative Assessment is almost a conclusion of your collective knowledge gained from doing your Formative assessmentââ¬â¢s, this is obviously an assessment that is done over a longer period of time as all the prerequisite Formative assessments need to be completed. This knowledge gives the practitioner the ability to make an educated verdict on the achievements of the child. The EYFS Profile is the summative assessment used to review childrenââ¬â¢s progress along the early learning goals. Summative assessment also employs a variety of tools and methods for obtaining information about what has been learned. In this way, summative assessment provides information at the early yearââ¬â¢s levels. Defining characteristics of effective summative assessment include a clear alignment between assessment and instruction, as well as the use of assessments that are both valid and reliable. When objectives are clearly specified and connected to instruction, summative assessment provides i nformation about a childrenââ¬â¢s achievement of specific learning objectives. Individual Learning Programmes can be formed from using these particular assessments, these assessments should also, supports and endeavour to comply with the ethos devised through ââ¬Å"Every Child Mattersâ⬠. Conclusion I can conclude that itââ¬â¢s a vital part of the process between carer/care organisationââ¬â¢s to stringently follow the observation assessment and planning cycle as this can effectively show any pitfalls in the learning and development process of the children. With formative and summative being the most useful and statutory assessments in situ, the only problem I find, is they can be restrictive or to slow in fully identifying issues and vital time can be lost to the carer/ organisation and the child. Flexibility by that carer/organisation is crucial to the learning development of the children and individual learning programmes can be a good guideline to promote the weaknesses and turn them into strengths through focused sessions which should be reviewed as frequently as possible to ensure the childââ¬â¢s learning does not become static and too focused on any one particular set of problems or issues, learning the childââ¬â¢s strengths through the formative and summative methods can genuinely help create Individual learning programmes tailored to the child allowing you to improve their weaknesses through their strength i.e. a young person learns through music quicker than reading so using songââ¬â¢s to remember the alphabet (using strength to overcome a weakness) this is the main focus of correctly using the above mentioned methods and adhering to the observation, assessment and planning cycle. Reference www.barniesdaynurseries.com, http://ceelo.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/ceelo_policy_report_formative_assessment.pdf, Department of Education (2013): Improving the functionality and range of education and childcare from birth to 5 years, www.gov.uk/government/ Updated 1st Sep 2014 Accessed 27th Oct 2014 http://www.education.com/reference/article/formative-and-summative-assessment/ Every child matters 8th September 2003 (from HM Treasury ââ¬â www.gov.uk/government/uploads (Presented to parliament by the chief secretary to the treasury by command of her majesty September 2003) Observation, Assessment and planning cycle Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage DFE 2014 Ref united nations (1989)convention on the rights of the child, united nations, network Childeminding and Ofsted effective practice: observation, planning
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
The Tao-te Ching by Lao-Tzu and The Prince by Machiavelli Essay
ââ¬Å"The Tao-te Chingâ⬠by Lao-Tzu and ââ¬Å"The Princeâ⬠by Machiavelli Throughout history, it can be argued that at the core of the majority of successful societies has stood an effective allocation of leadership. Accordingly, in their respective works ââ¬Å"The Tao-te Chingâ⬠and ââ¬Å"The Princeâ⬠, Lao-Tzu and Machiavelli have sought to reach a more complete understanding of this relationship. The theme of political leaders and their intricate relationship with society indeed manifests itself within both texts, however, both Lao-Tzu and Machiavelli approach this issue from almost entirely opposite positions. Lao-Tzu appears to focus the majority of his attention on letting problems or situations take their course and allowing good to prevail. On the contrary, Machiavelli advocates the necessity for a successful leader, or prince, to take control of his endeavors, and the skills or qualities necessary to maintain power, at any cost. Since these thinkers both make an inquiry to what is essentially the same dilemma of effective leadership, it becomes almost a natural progression to juxtapose the two in an effort to better understand what qualities a prosperous leader must possess. In this sense, when we utilize the rhetorical strategy of compare/contrast as a vehicle to transport us to a more enlightened interpretation of Lao-Tzu and Machiavelliââ¬â¢s conclusions, it becomes apparent that Machiavelliââ¬â¢s effort is much more successful as his practicality serves its purpose much more effectively. à à à à à Although they share some similarities in ideology, these parallels are greatly overshadowed by the concepts in which Lao-Tzu and Machiavelli diverge. Their primary distinction lies within their view of human nature and itââ¬â¢s role in governing. Lao-Tzu maintains that if we promote a system of governing to the least possible extent, then human nature should manifest a favorable temperance and dictate the direction of society. In fact, Lao-Tzu asserts numerous attempts to illustrate his point that if leaders, ââ¬Å"Stop Trying to controlâ⬠(à § 57, 35), then there is no desire (à § 37, 24), he dwells in reality (à § 38, 29), and ââ¬Å"the world will govern itself.â⬠(à § 57, 35) Although this is an extremely optimistic and beneficial ideal, the main problem with Lao-Tzuââ¬â¢s entire philosophy is exactly that, it can only be viewed as a philosophy. Because it appears under the section entitled ââ¬Å"Government,â⬠I... ...d this consequently deducts from the validity of his advice. As he begins to conclude, Machiavelli states that the prince: ââ¬Å"should think about avoiding those things which make him hated and despised.â⬠(Mach 48) Although these lack any withstanding moral values, they are effective in the sense that they better serve their purpose. Machiavelli was seeking to display a way to hold political power by any means possible not a utopian state. This may mean malicious acts, imprisonment, and torture, or it may mean the utilization of power to achieve a common good. Machiavelli doesnââ¬â¢t elaborate on this. He concentrates on a realistic approach towards government, as he remains concerned with the establishment and protection of power. Works Cited Boltz, William G. Lao tzu Tao te ching. In Early Chinese Texts: A Bibliographical Guide, edited by Michael Loewe. Berkeley: University of California, 1993. Kaltenmark, Max. Lao Tzu and Taoism. Translated by Roger Greaves. Stanford: Stanford University Press. 1969. Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Trans. Hill Thompson. Norwalk: The Easton Press, 2002. The Prince, and Other Political Writings, tr. Stephen J. Milner, London, 1995
The Standards and Values by which the Court of Malfi Lives Essays
The Standards and Values by which the Court of Malfi Lives The values that govern character's decisions in The Duchess of Malfi are diametrically opposed to the modern day ethos by which we are accustomed to live. The play is set in a time and society where today's basic sociability, fairness and freedom from oppression were completely unheard of and unprecedented. Those in power saw no point to their authority if they did not take full advantage of their influence, nobody would lookout for anyone else and people's livelihoods depended on kings' fickle whims. Corruption was rife, fuelled by the ruthless backstabbing and do-or-die attitude. In fact, the play starts by amalgamating and spotlighting the flaws with the court system by referring to Antonio's recent excursion and comparing Malfi with the vastly different French court. Antonio is clearly a newly-converted Francophile and describes his experiences in glowing terms, emphasising its superiority with a pithy, italicised aphorism to show that the French head-of-state fully understands how his decisions affect the people - should someone "poison't near the head, Death and diseases through the whole land spread" (I, i, l. 14-5). Coining a superb simile in describing the court as "like a common fountain" (I, i, l. 12), the French communal spirit and sharing lifestyle is drawn to the audience's attention. Unlike the Duke of Calabria, the King does not punish freedom of speech and feels duty-bound to deracinate the inveterate "corruption of the times" (I, i, l. 18). Antonio is one of the most admirable characters and one of the few in the play's opening who displays an attractive side to their personality. He clearly has positive values, as shown by... ...her classes sufficiently, and several characters such as Rodgerigo and Castruchio seem to favour following this method. The Cardinal looks as though he has reached his elevated position only by extirpating himself from his conscience and things such as respect and position are clearly very important in court society. A moral character that would stick to ethical beliefs would not last long in this world of corruption and mercilessness. Right and wrong (only in respect to what is owed to you) is a vital issue and it is very important to learn to mix with the right people in order to rise to the highest echelons of the court. Overall, the emphasis in the Italian court of Malfi seems to rest on material worldly goodness such as money, appearance and status rather than aspects some would consider more important - spiritual well-being, conscience and morals. The Standards and Values by which the Court of Malfi Lives Essays The Standards and Values by which the Court of Malfi Lives The values that govern character's decisions in The Duchess of Malfi are diametrically opposed to the modern day ethos by which we are accustomed to live. The play is set in a time and society where today's basic sociability, fairness and freedom from oppression were completely unheard of and unprecedented. Those in power saw no point to their authority if they did not take full advantage of their influence, nobody would lookout for anyone else and people's livelihoods depended on kings' fickle whims. Corruption was rife, fuelled by the ruthless backstabbing and do-or-die attitude. In fact, the play starts by amalgamating and spotlighting the flaws with the court system by referring to Antonio's recent excursion and comparing Malfi with the vastly different French court. Antonio is clearly a newly-converted Francophile and describes his experiences in glowing terms, emphasising its superiority with a pithy, italicised aphorism to show that the French head-of-state fully understands how his decisions affect the people - should someone "poison't near the head, Death and diseases through the whole land spread" (I, i, l. 14-5). Coining a superb simile in describing the court as "like a common fountain" (I, i, l. 12), the French communal spirit and sharing lifestyle is drawn to the audience's attention. Unlike the Duke of Calabria, the King does not punish freedom of speech and feels duty-bound to deracinate the inveterate "corruption of the times" (I, i, l. 18). Antonio is one of the most admirable characters and one of the few in the play's opening who displays an attractive side to their personality. He clearly has positive values, as shown by... ...her classes sufficiently, and several characters such as Rodgerigo and Castruchio seem to favour following this method. The Cardinal looks as though he has reached his elevated position only by extirpating himself from his conscience and things such as respect and position are clearly very important in court society. A moral character that would stick to ethical beliefs would not last long in this world of corruption and mercilessness. Right and wrong (only in respect to what is owed to you) is a vital issue and it is very important to learn to mix with the right people in order to rise to the highest echelons of the court. Overall, the emphasis in the Italian court of Malfi seems to rest on material worldly goodness such as money, appearance and status rather than aspects some would consider more important - spiritual well-being, conscience and morals.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
United Kingdom – Cultural Leadership Style
A wise Professor named Geert Hofstede established one of the best studies that put into account a countries culture and how values in the workplace can affect them. Today I will look at a particular country that is quite similar to the United States. The country I have chosen is the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom encompasses England, Wales, and Scotland (which combined make up Great Britain) and Northern Ireland. Before looking at how United Kingdom numbers there first needs to be a description of what is in fact being numbered. Hofstede created five cultural dimensions. In each dimension whether it marked high or low can help a business determine how it should operate in that specific country. The first Hofstede dimension is the Power Distance Index. The Power Distance Index has to do with the inequality that not only is accepted but the inequality in existence between individuals of power and also to those without it. There will always be some kind of level of power in all societies and although some may be very unequal this measure simply shows the level of inequality they really are. A low Power Distance Index would mean that power and equality are shared. Society may view them as being a society where power is well dispersed among each other. In a high Power Distance Index however there is an unequal distribution of power and people simply understand their place in the society. When it comes to the United Kingdom though the Power Distance Index is relatively low and has a thirty PDI. This number is an indicator that the ranking of a person or the status in conjunction with their inequalities are low. When relating to more of the office structure this can be more illustrated when looking at the relationship between the superiors and the subordinates. The relationship is more casual like and not as structured and strict as in a high power distance would have been. The second Hofstede dimension is Individualism. Individualism refers to the community and all the ties that link people to them. If there is a high individualism score than there is a loose connection which only means that sharing of responsibilities are low and a lack of interpersonal connection nless of course it is between family and a few close friends. It also means that an individualââ¬â¢s rights are quite dominant. If there is a low individualism score than there is a strong group bond in which there is much respect and loyalty for all members of that group. The group itself would be much larger in comparison to a high score and would take more responsibility for each person making it more collective. In the Uni ted Kingdom they score a quite high one with eighty nine being there IDV number. Therefore there is a need of peopleââ¬â¢s freedoms and the valuation of their time. They enjoy challenges and expect some sort of reward for their accomplishments. There is also more of a respect for their privacy. In this sense the United Kingdom has a nuclear family that is the more leading form of basic social structure. When you think of this on more of a business aspect having a high score would also mean that individuals would be thinking about themselves more instead of the group. High scores would promote individual success but may affect the group which should be monitored. The third Hofstede dimension is Masculinity. Masculinity refers to the traditional roles of a male and female and how much they are valued and stuck to within a society. Having a high Masculinity score would mean that these countries have males that have high expectations to being tough and being the provider for the family as well as being assertive and strong. When pertaining to females in a high context score if they worked would be doing a profession that men did not. There would also be a distinction between men and womenââ¬â¢s work. In a low masculinity score for a country you would see more of a balance when it came to jobs and skills. Women would be able to have success doing the exact same thing as a man. The role of both genders just becomes a bit blur where women work equal across professions with men. Men are also allowed to be sensitive. The United Kingdom had a score of about sixty two. Therefore they try to be somewhere in the middle. Men and women can work equally with each other although a bit of gender bias may still exist. This bias may not be as apparent if the score was a fifty but because it exceeds a little more than fifty it shows that it is an underlying bias maybe just below the surfaces. When relating this to a more business aspect in a high masculinity score the leader of the team should be a male if you wanted to obtain greater success however in a low masculinity score the team should be more balanced with a greater emphasis on skill instead of on gender. The fourth Hofstede dimension is Uncertainty/Avoidance Index. Uncertainty/ Avoidance Index refer to the degree that society members may feel while being in an anxious or uncertain situation. This can also relate to whether or not a person is comfortable or uncomfortable within a certain situation. In a high uncertainty/avoidance index country avoidance of ambiguous situations is a must with the creations of lots of rules and regulations. There is much order with a collective type of truth that is held. Business is also very formal with the need for structure and differences are highly avoided. If there is any level of nervousness it creates high levels of emotion mixed with high levels of expression. In a lower uncertainty/avoidance index the society will enjoy surprises and the differences between individuals are highly valued. They are actually encouraged to seek for their own truth. The United Kingdom has an Uncertainty/Avoidance index of about thirty which means in a more business aspect that they have a more informal business attitude. There is also a more concern on the long term goals and strategies instead in comparison to the more daily happenings. There is a far greater acceptance of change and this society is more prone to taking a few risks unlike a high UAI group which would avoid risk taking. Conflicts and disagreements would also be seen as a healthy relationship amongst workers even at times superiors with different views taken into account to conclude with a better outcome. The last Hofstede dimension is Long Term Orientation. Long Term Orientation refers to how society views the long term standing of traditions and values in comparison to the short term traditions and values. In a high long term orientation score the individuals in a society would refrain from losing face and have social obligations. Traditions are valued to the extreme and family is the basis of the society. Parents and men are seen in these societies to have far more authority than women and young adults. There are very strong work ethics and a high value is placed on the education that is obtained as well as any training. The United Kingdom has a long term orientation score of about twenty. Being that it is very low in comparison to Asian cultures this just means that much can be expected when discussing the creative expression that is in the United Kingdomââ¬â¢s culture. Traditions may not be valued here as much as they would be valued in other societies. This then ust sums that they would be more likely to help when it came to the business aspect of innovating any sought out plans. There would be an execution of those plans as well with the compromise that there will be full participation. In a low long term orientation there is also promotion of equality. Creativity and individualism is also a definition of a low long term orientation where what is strived for is self actualizati on. Although some may see the United Kingdom as being more traditional with all its associations it still promotes equality which in the end makes it different from other cultures or societies. The five dimensions that Geert Hofstede established were one being Power Distance Index (PDI), two being Individualism (IDV), three being Masculinity (MAS), four being Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI), and five being Long Term Orientation (LTO). Each one looked at in pertaining to the United Kingdom gives more of an insight on how the societies culture is and how a business can benefit better if in the United Kingdom. Although many cultural norms play a huge part in the procedure and interpersonal associations at work all these things may seem to just be. Each and every norm just comes natural to the society that you live in. However, when you move outside your norms and are found in a new society knowing what to do or how to run a business may be very intimidating without knowing how that societyââ¬â¢s culture may behave. Once you step foot in a foreign place everything may seem different with completely different norms that are followed. Hofstedeââ¬â¢s five dimensions can thus be a starting position for one to use in determining how to act when comparing what the reactions might be and how that society might think about how you just acted. It would also help in evaluating your approach and the decisions that you make in an organization or business. There may be other deviations from all the norms that may make up a society but having a guide like Geert Hofstedeââ¬â¢s five dimensions will help to not feel completely off guard when encountering new societies. Sometimes not knowing what to expect can be very threatening and not knowing how to act or not knowing how your actions will be perceived can be scary. However, using Hofstedeââ¬â¢s five dimensions can bring new light on any society. When looking at the United Kingdom it is quite similar to the United States so intimidations can be a little lower but taking into account every dimension will help in creating a successful business.
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