The Cruelest Separation By Harriet Beacher Stowe Essay

The cruelest separation is that of a mother from her child. Not only does it destroy the emotional stability of the child, but it removes the God-given purpose of the mother. Unfortunately, this was a common practice used by slave owners in the United States. Several authors in the American Literary tradition have written about this subject in an attempt to prevent the horrific practice. Some such authors are, Harriet Beacher Stowe, Harriet Jacobs, and Frederick Douglass. In their writings, Stowe, Jacobs, and Douglass endeavor to portray the mental and emotional wounds created by separating a mother and child in order to combat the dispassionate destruction of human lives. While each author discusses this topic of mother-child separation, they argue for the removal of the practice in different ways. Influenced by their race, gender, and chosen genre, each author tackles this broad subject through a limited focus on the damages of it. In order to show the successes of their separate a pproaches, each text must be discussed independently. Harriet Beacher Stowe is known for her novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In Uncle Tom’s Cabin the reader follows several different stories of female slaves who are either threatened with separation from their child or who are separated. Through this variety of perspectives, Stowe argues the emotional damages of this practice. She uses pathos to convince the reader of her argument through specific descriptions of the women who loose their children. One

Horatian and Juvenalian Satire - 1884 Words

Horatian and Juvenalian Satire Satire has many definitions, but according to Merriam Webster satire can be defined as â€Å"A literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn† (Webster). This definition is likely used by many authors who exercise the application of satire. Satire has been in literature since ancient times; it is derived from the Latin satura, meaning dish of mixed fruits, (Weisgerber). Many satirists have shared a common aim: to expose foolishness in all its guises — vanity, hypocrisy, formalism, reverence, and the intolerance toward those who hold different opinions from oneself (Moyers). As previously mentioned, the term satire was originally derived from satura, defined by Quintilian, a roman†¦show more content†¦Often, characters in a Juvenalian narrative are concealed representations of public figures or archetypes of existing groups or modes of thought (Rankin). The characters are made to act in such a way that the be liefs or behaviors the satirist wishes to attack are made to appear evil or ludicrous (Rankin). Juvenalian satirists are generally very critical of their targets. They tend to see these targets as malicious or deliberately harmful to society (â€Å"What’s the Difference†). In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Juvenalian satire is used to mock societal structure, power, and civilization (Thomas). The plot’s strongest sociopolitical element Golding satirizes is the need for civilization against the need for power (Stratford). The main characters of the story bond over their hatred toward the opponents as they try to fight for their beliefs that civilization is far more valuable than power in their society. Throughout the book Juvenalian satire becomes apparent by how the characters show loathing toward their enemy and only showing the opponents flaws and none of their positive aspects (Stratford). Lord of the Flies is a great written piece of literature to represent Juvenalian satire because the plot is based on showing only the imperfections of the opposing side. Another example of Juvenalian satire is A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift (Thomas). Jonathan Swift is actually one of the mostShow MoreRelatedJuvenelian Satire in A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift Essay1052 Words   |  5 Pagesto the attention of indolent aristocrats. He accomplishes such criticism through satire, specifically Juvenalian satire. Swift’s A Modest Proposal stands as an example of the type of satire that plays upon the audience’s emotion by creating anger concerning the indifference of the voice created. He complements such criticism with sophisticated, clever language which may be mistaken for the more docile Horatian satire. Yet, this urbane voice, coupled with irony and the substance of the proposals accentuatesRead MoreSatire Essay1198 Words   |  5 Pagesthese questions? The answer is satire. Satire is a form of criticism that can be used in many ways and in many different situations. Sometimes satire is easy to spot, other times it may be incognito. Satire is commonly found in literary works, movies, cartoons, and even some news casts. The formal definition of satire is the use of humor to expose human follies. (Dictionary.com). Satire is mostly written because a certain issue bothered the author. Through satire, these issues are brought intoRead MoreSatire Modest Proposal Essay837 Words   |  4 Pagesthrough satire, specifically Juvenanlian satire. Swift’s A Modest Proposal stands as a perfect example of the type of satire that plays upon the audience’s emotion by creating anger concerning the indifference of the voice created. He complements such criticism with sophisticated, clever language which may be mistaken for the more docile Horatian satire. However, through his absurd proposals, stinging irony, and use of voice, Swift effectively portrays A Modest Proposal as a Juvenalian satire designedRead MoreTelevision Host, By Stephen Colbert : Satire And Satirical Techniques1453 Words   |  6 Pagesthis past election season and with Trump s new presidency. Stephen Colbert an American comedian, t elevision host, and author uses his spotlight in media as a way to attack President Trump and his administration within his comedy. Colbert uses Juvenalian satire and satirical techniques while discussing politics to reveal his opinions as a way to spread messages to society about the Trump Administration and uses his comedic platform to do so. Stephen Colbert the host of The Late Show, attains his popularityRead MoreSatire Essay1434 Words   |  6 PagesSatire is a great tool used by many writers and actors since ancient times. The earliest example that we know about is a script from 2nd millennium BC in Ancient Egypt (Definition: Satire) and since then has evolved into a great part of our society. Satire is used to point out the faults of human vice in order for change and reform in either of two ways. There is a very bitter Juvenalian or a mild and light Horatian. In order to fully understand these forms of satire, method, purpose, and applicationsRead MoreDissecting the Ideology of Satire Essay1294 Words   |  6 Pagespoint he brings up is the ideology of satire. Satire, by definition, is a technique utilized by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society. This can be done by using humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule (Satire - Definition and Examples, para.1). Often times, the humor used opens the audiences’ minds to the underlying problem that the writer is trying to reveal. By examining the purpose and methods of satire, dissecting literary works, and displayingRead MoreLast Week Tonight By John Oliver1446 Words   |  6 Pages With an English accent and a smize, John Oliver hosts the show â€Å"Last Week Tonight†, which features Oliver comedically attacking various people or organizations. With the use of rhetorical devices and satire, John Oliver comically conveys various ideas regarding politics, faulty companies, and beauty pageants. In explanation of his ideas, he frequently utilizes satirical techniques and rhetorical devices such as reductio ad absurdum, incongruity, caricature, invectiveness, false/weak analogies, andRead MoreSatire Found in Candiate by Voltaire, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervates, and A Modest Proposal by Jonathon Swift688 Words   |  3 Pages We often see satire in our everyday lives such as on televisions, novels, and music; but why is satire used? Satire is a form of writing used to denounce human vice, giving readers an insight on the flaws that the author sees in society. There are two different types of way to present satire: horation and juvenialian. In the three works: Candide by Voltaire, Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes, and A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift all demonstrate the use of satire. However, Don Quixote presentsRead More The Great Gatsby As A Satire Essay599 Words   |  3 PagesThe Great Gatsby as a Satire nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Satire is an implement used by authors to point out a flaw of society or group of people in general. There are different levels of satire that the author can use. For example, the author may employ a type a formal satire known as Juvenalian satire. Here, the writer points out a subject with anger and contempt for it in a bitter fashion. There is also the contrasting form of Juvenalian satire called Horatian satire. Here, the writer pointsRead MoreAudens The Unknown Citizen and Michies Dooley is a Traitor983 Words   |  4 PagesSatire is a common literary device used among authors and poets to indirectly criticize the stupidity and vices of a specific person or group of people. Satirical works typically involve tools of satire, such as symbolic characters, symbolism, and irony, to simplify the understanding of who this â€Å"satirical target† is. In â€Å"The Unknown Citizen† by W. H. Auden and James Michie’s â€Å"Dooley Is a Traitor,à ¢â‚¬  symbolic characters, symbolism, and irony are all used to indirectly criticize the target of each satirical

Ice in Dantes Inferno free essay sample

An analysis of the symbolic meaning of ice in the poem. This paper explores the symbolic meaning of ice and the concepts of Hell and Satan in Dantes `Inferno`. The qualities of ice are examined against many examples from the text. `Dantes Inferno describes an icy hell; the closer the Poets travel towards Satans lair, the icier Hell becomes, literally and metaphorically. Ice forms physically in the absence of the warm comfort of the sun; it is a symbol of winter. When Dante descends with Virgil into the levels of Hell, they travel through Circles that spiral farther and farther from the source of physical and spiritual warmth, the sun. In the Second Circle of Hell, Dante already refers to `the cold season,` (Canto V, 41). Winter sees days short, sunlight scarce and valuable. When nighttime rules, so do cold and ice. Qualities of ice such as coldness, hardness, and discomfort are apparent in the Third Circle: `In the third circle am I of the rain/Eternal, maledict, and cold, and heavy; Its law and quality are never new,` (Canto VI, 7-9)`

The Scarlet Letter - Scaffol Scenes Essays - English-language Films

The Scarlet Letter - Scaffol Scenes The scaffold scenes are by far the most popular means of pointing out the perfect balance and structure of Hawthorne's masterpiece. The first time we meet all the principal characters of the novel is in the first scaffold scene. The second of three crucial scaffold scenes appears exactly in the middle of the novel. Again, Hawthorne gathers all of his major characters in one place. Hawthorne brings all the principal characters together one more time in the third and final scaffold scene. This scene begins with the triumph of Dimmesdale's sermon and ends with his death. These scenes unite the plot, themes, and symbols of the novel in a perfect balance. The basic structure for the novel is provided by the scaffold scenes because everything else revolves around what happens during these scenes. The first scaffold scene focuses on Hester and the scarlet letter. Hester stands alone with Pearl in her arms, a mere infant and sign of her sin. Meanwhile, a crowd of townspeople has gathered to watch her humiliation and to hear a sermon. Two important people in the crowd our Roger Chillingworth and Arthur Dimmesdale. Chillingworth, Hester's husband just returned from his long journey to America. Her lover, Dimmesdale, shares her platform as a sinner but not her public humiliation. Dimmesdale is present throughout the whole scene but he is very hesitant to admit that his is the secret lover, although Mr. Wilson is pestering him to find out who it is. He doesn't admit because he is afraid if he does confess it will ruin his reputation as a person and as a minister. Chillingworth demands Hester to give him the name of her partner in sin but she will not do so. In this scene, we have Hester's public repentance, Dimmesdale's reluctance to admit his own guilt, and the beginning of Chillingworth's devilish plot to find and punish the father of Pearl. The second scaffold scene again provides a view of all the principal characters, a dramatic vision of the scarlet A, and one of the most memorable representations in American literature. In the covering of darkness, Dimmesdale made his way to the scaffold to perform a silent vigil of his own. Dimmesdale is having a difficult time dealing with his own guilt, the reasoning for his late night stand on the scaffold. In his torture he suddenly cries out a shriek of agony that is heard by Hester and Pearl on their journey home from the dying bed of Governor Winthrop. After hearing this shriek both Hester and Pearl join Dimmesdale on the scaffold. Pearl then asks Dimmesdale if he will be joining her and Hester there at noontime on the next day. Dimmesdale responds that their meeting will be on the great judgement day, rather than here in the daylight. Hawthorne describes the situation as such, ?And there stood the minister, with his hand over his heart; and Hester Prynne, with the embroidered letter glimmering on her bosom; and little Pearl, herself a symbol, and the connecting link between the two of them.? (Hawthorne 144). The cry of Dimmesdale was also heard by two other people, they were Mr. Wilson and Chillingworth. Mr. Wilson thought that Dimmesdale was upset about Governor Winthrop's death so he thought nothing of the incident. Chillingworth was spotted by Pearl when a large meteor burns through the dark sky. Although Chillingworth said nothing to the three, his reasoning for standing there staring at them is very mysterious. This is when Hester and Dimmesdale start to wonder if he knows the truth about them. The people of the town thought that the meteor symbolized the scarlet A. This scene flourishes with symbols. They include: the scaffold itself; Dimmesdale's silent vigil; the three observers that represent Church (Mr.Wilson), State (Governor Winthrop), and the World of Evil (Chillingworth); the connection between Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale; and the meteor. The final scaffold scene occurs after the procession on Election Day. In this powerful scene, Dimmesdale regains his soul, Pearl gains her humanity, Chillingworth loses his victim, and Hester loses her dreams. Here again, the main characters come together, and Dimmesdale reveals his ?scarlet letter?. After Dimmesdale delivered his Election Day sermon, he stood on the scaffold with his lover and his child and confessed his sin to everyone. Suddenly the minister sinks down on the scaffold and dies. Right before Dimmesdale died Pearl leaned down and kissed the minister, then she started to

Erik Satie Essays

Erik Satie Essays Erik Satie Essay Erik Satie Essay Before I became a leading figure of the French avant-garde, though, I was a simple boy that studied the beautiful piano. After I was born on May 17th, 1866, my family constantly moved around from Honfleur, a city located in Lower Normandy, to Paris, where I was primarily raised. At this time, the Wagnerian music model had already reached its zenith in Europe, but this meant nothing to me. After my mother unfortunately died when I was at the young age of six, I went to live with my grandparents back in my hometown. There, I began my first music lessons from Vinot, a local organist. Vinot was quite a kind fellow, and he introduced me to Gregorian plainsongs, which are monophonic religious chants from the Middle Ages. From dear Vinot’s teachings, I became very interested in medieval music, and I even incorporated some of these concepts to my later compositions. However, that was quite far away, for I was first forced to enter the Paris Conservatoire. In 1878, my father had remarried to Eugenie Barnetsche, a â€Å"musically gifted individual. † Of course, she was just another conservative musician that conformed to Wagnerism and other such musical forms. Because of her, my father sent me to the rigorous and old-fashioned Paris Conservatoire in 1879. I studied under the Mathias, Descombes, and Lavignac while I was there, but they weren’t exactly encouraging instructors. In fact, they were the ones who claimed that I was the â€Å"laziest student in the Conservatoire. † I even composed two songs there; one was called Valse-Ballet while the other was titled Fantaisie-Valse. However, all of those conservative professors called these compositions insignificant, laborious, and worthless. As a result, I was eventually expelled from the Paris Conservatoire in 1882, so I didn’t really receive a complete education. I didn’t mind, though, for that school was not to my liking anyway. After an unsuccessful entry into the French infantry- I had fallen ill with bronchitis- in 1886, I started my career of composition. In fact, just two years after I was discharged, I composed some of my most famous pieces, the Trois Gymnopedies. These pieces are a clear example of Vinot’s influence on my life, for the harmonies have a bit of Medieval music mixed in them. Around the same time, I composed Ogives (1886), Trois Sarabandes (1887), and Six Gnossiennes (1893), all of which began my career as a composer. My first three pieces leaned towards a more conservative style, although they did vary to some extent. For example, Ogives was based more upon gothic art, while Trois Sarabandes incorporated a solemn dance character. However, with Six Gnossiennes, I ultimately eliminated bar lines and time signatures from my work- until 1917, that is. In addition, I began to scribble in specific directions for the performer in my scores. For example, I liked to write things like â€Å"wonder about yourself† or â€Å"open your mind† to make whoever was performing to give the music some attitude! I mean, what is music without character and expression? During all of that time, I lived in a small apartment in Montmartre, mostly because I was so poor. But what do you expect from a musician like me? Other than composing various pieces, I also worked as a cafe pianist to get a regular income at Auberge du Clou, which is where I met Claude Debussy. He’s definitely a fine fellow, except for the fact that he claims that he is the father of modern music. Of course, we still became good friends, and we advised each other later on in our careers. In the following years, I began to come involved in religion. After meeting Josephin Peladan, the leader of the Rosicrucian (Rose et Croix) Order, I became the unofficial composer for the society, using my knowledge of medieval music and Gothic art to create a variety of religious pieces in the 1890s, such as Prelude pour la porte heroique du ciel and Messe des Pauvres. However, the Rosicrucians weren’t exactly the most interesting people. Thus, I created my own church and composed my own music, shunning the society around me and inspiring individuality. (I wonder why no one else joined it! That’s one thing I never comprehended. ) Although I became quite a familiar figure in the streets of Montmartre- especially because of my supposedly eccentric habits- I later moved to Arcueil, which is located in the Ile-de-France region of France, and became a cabaret pianist. From then on, I produced a few cafe songs and music hall pieces like Je te veux and Le Piccadilly. However, this period of my life was quite short-lived, for I then went on to complete my musical education. I simply could not deal with the constant criticism I was receiving, and I needed money to survive too! As a result, I enrolled in the Schola Cantorum de Paris at the age of 40. Even though I was surrounded by lads half my age, I still graduated with distinction. In contrast to what my teachers said at the Paris Conservatoire, the words â€Å"tres bien† were written on my diploma. After graduating from the conservative academy, I think my music became a little more rigorous and academic. However, being the eccentric man I was, I disliked conforming to regular behavior. As a result, from 1909 to 1914, all of my pieces were named beautifully and a lot differently from other mundane titles. For example, in 1912 I composed the piece Trois morceaux en forme de Poire (which literally means Three Pear-Shaped Pieces), and in 1913 I composed Embryons Desseches, which translates into Dried-Up Embryos. I also continued to write various instructions to the performer in my scores. Phrases like â€Å"to be jealous of one’s playmate who has a big head† and â€Å"the war song of the King of Beans† appeared throughout my music during that time, and I definitely take great pride in them. How else can one create successful and expressive music? Soon after, World War I was right around the corner, and my glorious days began to overwhelm me! Prior to WWI, various of my pieces began to be performed at various concerts. For example, French composer Maurice Ravel performed my Trois Sarabandes at the Societe Musicale Independante’s concert in 1911. Many of my works were finally published in the 1910’s as well, giving me a modest income. Then, with Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso, I composed Parade, a ballet that had a realistic setting and described anti-war sentiments. This was a huge breakthrough in my career, particularly because I was arrested afterwards after I sent an â€Å"impudent† postcard to one critic. I thought that it was simply outrageous, but I only had to endure the horrible conditions for eight days. After I was released, a new generation of composers and musicians began to gather around me! In fact, the Les Six proclaimed that I was their patron saint. After the composition of Parade, I didn’t really devote as much time to music as I did before. Recognition was surrounding me and cornering me from all sides, so what could I do? I composed a few Nocturnes as well as Socrate, one of my more celebrated pieces at the time. Finally, my career came to a close. Looking back at everything that has happened after I was expelled from the Paris Conservatoire, I think that my greatest accomplishment was undoubtedly the composition of Six Gnossiennes. Even though this piece was composed just years after I left the Paris Conservatoire, it set my career as an avant-garde into motion. Of course, Parade was the piece that gained me some recognition, and Trois Gymnopedies are my most famous pieces. However, Six Gnossiennes is the first successful piece of music. It doesn’t abide by anything that Wagnerism instructs, and it is so unique! In addition, that fellow Debussy can’t claim that he was the father of modern music with this piece, for I was able to sway him away from conforming to traditional using this piece as an example! Although I faced poverty all the way until World War I and other challenges (like getting arrested), my career as a phonometrician was sprinkled with successes from 1886 to 1920. Throughout this time period, I successfully challenged Romanticism and Wagnerism, bringing forth a new convention for music that still applies in the 21th century, even after my physical disappearance from this world. Looking at the world today, I have definitely served as an inspiration to many kinds of music. Bits and pieces of my brilliance seem to be everywhere! For example, my furniture music is still evident everywhere today! From the moment I spiritually wander into a store or a deli, I unconsciously hear some obscure background music. Being a forerunner to minimalism, I had experimented with this music, which is not supposed to be heard consciously, in my lifetime and it still survives to this day. Minimalism isn’t the only type of music I inspired, though. French Impressionism was a result of my teachings to Claude Debussy. After I forced Debussy into swaying away from conformity, I supported him as he continued down his route of impressionism- that is, until his music became conventional and mainstream. How can I support him when his music becomes like Wagnerism at the time of my birth? American Jazz and ragtime are also results of my eccentric music, for various elements of these types of music are in some of my compositions! My compositions also gave birth to some important musical trends, such as bitonality, polytonality, and non-triadic harmony. Brennan, Carol. Erik Satie Biography. 2010. 5 November 2010 . Classical Archives LLC. Composer: Erik Satie. 2008. 5 November 2010 . Furstner, Michael. Erik Satie. 2008. 5 November 2010 . Goldsmith, Kenneth. Flabby Preludes for a Dog: An Erik Satie Primer. 1997. 5 November 2010 . Minnesota Public Radio. Springtime in Paris: Erik Satie. 2005. 5 November 2010 . Solomon, Larry J. Satie, The First Modern. 2003. 5 November 2010 .

Definition and Examples of Theme-Writing

Definition and Examples of Theme-Writing Theme-writing refers to the conventional writing assignments (including five-paragraph essays) required in many composition classes since the late-19th century. Also called school writing. In his book The Plural I: The Teaching of Writing (1978), William E. Coles, Jr., used the term themewriting  (one word) to characterize empty, formulaic writing that is not meant to be read but corrected. Textbook authors, he said, present writing as a trick that can be played, a device that can be put into operation . . . just as one can be taught or learn to run an adding machine, or pour concrete. Examples and Observations: The use of themes has been maligned and vilified in the history of writing instruction. They have come to represent what was bad about the Harvard model, including an obsession with correcting the themes in red ink, but the womens colleges typically used themes to get students writing regular essays based on common topics. . . . Theme writing, as David Russell notes in Writing in the Academic Disciplines, 1870-1990, continued to be a model for required composition courses at small liberal arts colleges much longer than it did in the larger universities, in large part because the universities could no longer keep up with the labor-intensive practice of having students write multiple essays over the course of a semester or year.(Lisa Mastrangelo and Barbara LEplattenier, Is It the Pleasure of This Conference to Have Another?: Womens Colleges Meeting and Talking About Writing in the Progressive Era. Historical Studies of Writing Program Administration, ed. by B. LEplattenier and L. Mast rangelo. Parlor Press, 2004) Camille Paglia on Essay Writing as a Form of Repression[T]he present concentration on essay writing at the heart of the humanities curriculum is actually discriminatory against people of other cultures and classes. I think its a game. Its very, very obvious to me, having been teaching for so many years as a part-timer, teaching factory workers and teaching auto mechanics and so on, the folly of this approach. You teach them how to write an essay. Its a game. Its a structure. Speak of social constructionism! Its a form of repression. I do not regard the essay as its presently constituted as in any way something that came down from Mount Sinai brought by Moses.(Camille Paglia, The M.I.T. Lecture.  Sex, Art, and American Culture. Vintage, 1992)English A at HarvardHarvards standard, required composition course was English A, first given in sophomore year and then, after 1885, moved to the first year. . . . In 1900-01 writing assignments included a mix of daily themes, which were brief two- or three-paragraph sketches, and more extended fortnightly themes; topics were up to the student and thus varied widely, but the dailies usually asked for personal experience while the longer ones covered a mix of general knowledge.(John C. Brereton, Introduction. The Origins of Composition Studies in the American College, 1875-1925. Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 1995) Theme Writing at Harvard (Late 19th Century)When I was an undergraduate at Harvard our instructors in English composition endeavored to cultivate in us a something they termed The daily theme eye. . . .Daily themes in my day had to be short, not over a page of handwriting. They had to be deposited in a box at the professors door not later than ten-five in the morning. . . . And because of this brevity, and the necessity of writing one every day whether the mood was on you or not, it was not always easyto be quite modestto make these themes literature, which, we were told by our instructors, is the transmission through the written word, from writer to reader, of a mood, an emotion, a picture, an idea.(Walter Prichard Eaton, Daily Theme Eye. The Atlantic Monthly, March 1907)The Chief Benefit of Theme-Writing (1909)The chief benefit derived from theme-writing lies probably in the instructors indication of errors in the themes and his showing how these errors are to be corrected; for by these means the student may learn the rules that he is inclined to violate, and thus may be helped to eliminate the defects from his writing. Hence it is important that the errors and the way to correct them be shown to the student as completely and clearly as possible. For instance, suppose that a theme contains the sentence I have always chosen for my companions people whom I thought had high ideals. Suppose the instructor points out the grammatical fault and gives the student information to this effect: An expression such as he says, he thinks, or he hears interpolated in a relative clause does not affect the case of the subject of the clause. For example, The man who I thought was my friend deceived me is correct; who is the subject of was my friend; I thought is a parenthesis which does not affect the case of who. In your sentence, whom is not the object of thought, but the subject of had high ideals; it should therefore be in the nominative case. From this information the stud ent is likely to get more than the mere knowledge that the whom in this particular case should be changed to who; he is likely to learn a principle, the knowledge of whichif he will remember itwill keep him from committing similar errors in future.But the theme from which one sentence is quoted above contains fourteen other errors; and the forty-nine other themes which the instructor is to hand back to-morrow morning contain among them about seven hundred and eighty-five more. How shall the instructor, as he indicates these eight hundred errors, furnish the information called for by each one? Obviously he must use some kind of shorthand.(Edwin Campbell Woolley, The Mechanics of Writing. D.C. Heath, 1909)

Knowledge Management business and economy Essay

Knowledge Management business and economy - Essay Example Users can view information in a context they understand, providing a more efficient and intuitive way to communicate. To achieve this kind of enterprise-wide information integration, companies need to describe and share, in a common way, the data in their disparate data sources. This should include the business description associated with the information asset, as well as location, connection details, data type details, and the information's relationship with other resources. Sharing this information leads to an increased visibility of information across an enterprise, shorter development times, and reduced operational costs as the organization can discover and eliminate redundant information sources. The author explored in this paper how metadata repositories and data mining are used in knowledge management and how Metadata and Data Mining Management streamline the application development process by reducing the development, deployment, and maintenance costs. This is made possible by the use of Metadata Repositories and Data Mining for logical, physical, and process aspects of the application environment, when tracking versions of the code and documenting all aspects of the application development life cycle. According to Brackett (2000), by providing a complete, integrated view of the development environment, Metadata helps identify redundant processes and applications, thereby reducing duplicated efforts. Developers can share and reuse existing objects such as data structures, programs, model definitions, and more. In addition, enterprise impact analysis greatly reduces the analysis and maintenance phase of the development life cycle. In his paper, English (1999), stressed that "to achieve enterprise-wide information integration, companies need to describe and share, in a common way, the data in their different data sources. This should include the business description associated with the information asset, as well as its location, connection details, data type details, and the information's relationship with other resources. Sharing this information leads to an increased visibility across an enterprise, shorter development times, reduced operational costs as redundant information sources are identified and eliminated, and improved data quality as organizations begin to reuse approved information. The best way to manage and share this information is through a centralized Enterprise Repository that drives the connections between data, process, and applications, enforces standards, and is available to all employees". The need for a Metadata Repository is recognized when the number of applications in an organization increases and the time to design these applications decreases. However, most often they focus primarily on implementing a tool and neglect the Metadata Management aspect. This results in a Repository that is easily accessible, but not often used because the information lacks

Allegory of good and bad government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Allegory of good and bad government - Essay Example While depicting scenes from everyday life, Lorenzetti skillfully uses allegory to depict government and the effect it has on life of its people. Lorenzetti illustrates Justice, in  Allegory of Good Government, sitting under the presence of wisdom. She is represented by a woman who holds scales of balance to give out rewards or mete out punishments. The figure of Justice bares resemblance of Mary, a patron saint of Siena, also dresses in Siena’s black and white colors to also represent the Common Good and God. The Common Good figure is surrounded with different virtues, by which Lorenzetti clearly highlights the necessity for all society to believe and act for justice and impartiality to rule a city well. The three figures in  Good Government  symbolize the key virtues of faith, hope, and charity. They soar over the head of the sovereign of good government, a man dressed like a king and sitting on a throne. This royal figure is the way Lorenzetti physically creates a hear t of good government—a heart of common good. In this wisdom, he makes an unspoken equivocation between an authoritative yet kind central sovereign and the accomplishment of the common good.

IRAC Brief Essay Example for Free

IRAC Brief Essay According to United States District Court District of Massachusetts Civil Action 11-10313-GAO (2013), Anderson, Silva, Johnson and Funches contracted through a limited liability company by the name of SLS to perform delivery services work on behalf of HDA (United States District Court District of Massachusetts, 2013). Plaintiffs Case Each driver was provided with their truck Trucks provided to the contractors bore Sears Logo Uniforms bore both Sears and HDA logos Each driver hired their helpers and paid their helpers directly Drivers worked full-time and solely for HDA (while under contract) (United States District Court District of Massachusetts, 2013) HDAs Argument Plaintiffs contracted through SLS and not directly with HDA as individuals; therefore, HDA should not be a litigant in this case Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149,  § 148B is preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act, 49 U.S.C (See Case 1:11-cv-10313-GAO Document 99 Filed 12/30/13 Page 3 of 5) (United States District Court District of Massachusetts, 2013) IRAC Issue: The issues below are the reasons this case has been brought to court. The court must provide the answers to these reasons in order to begin the rule assessment portion of IRAC (1) Were the plaintiffs (Anderson, Silva, and Funches) misclassified as independent contractors by HAD? (2) Were deductions taken from plaintiff’s wages in violation of wage laws? Rules Below are the rules found in Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149,  § 148B. These rules must be applied to the facts of the case to assess the fault or culpability of the litigants. Below is cited via United States District Court District of Massachusetts Civil Action 11-10313-GAO (2013). (1) The individual is free from control and direction in connection with the (2) Performance of the service, both under his contract for the performance of service and in fact; and the service is performed outside the usual course of the business of the employer; and (3) The individual is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation; profession or business of the same nature as that involved in the service performed. (United States District Court District of Massachusetts, 2013) Application When looking at the mass general law 149 subsection 148B, we can apply the three stipulations of the law to the case against HDA violating this law. The plaintiffs in the case were acting solely for the purposes of HDA as a delivery service wearing both the seniors and HDA logos on uniforms provided to them. None of the drivers worked outside of the scope of work on subcontracts for any other provider other than HDA, and finally, each driver performed these duties under the direction of HDAs vision. It is clear in this case that circumstances are such that every appearance and performance of duties was done in a way to appear that they were solely employees of HDA in that HDA has violated Mass General Law on salary and wages (United States District Court District of Massachusetts, 2013). When applying this to business setting the business entity hiring subcontractors must stipulate in a written contract as to whether the employee is to be treated as a subcontractor under a 1099 tax form or as a subcontract employee for the business. Under the assumptions made in mass general law 149 subsection 148B, subcontractors are deemed employees if they meet certain criteria within the law. This criteria is easily determined under general operating practices and business owners should be aware of these criteria before hiring subcontractors (United States District Court District of Massachusetts, 2013). Analysis/Conclusion Plaintiffs (Anderson, Silva, and Funches) were misclassified as independent contractors by HDA. It was found that deductions were taken from plaintiffs wages in violation of wage laws. Thus, findings were established through determining that HDA violated the law in place (Mass General Law on Salary and Wages). For the foregoing reasons, the plaintiffs Motion for Partial Summary Judgment as to liability against HDA (dkt. no. 65) is GRANTED. It is SO ORDERED. Business Managerial Setting Application There are numerous torts to consider when reviewing Anderson v HDA: (1) Intentional Tort a civil matter resulting in an intentional act of damages. (2) Unintentional Tort civil matter unintentional acts that results in economic loss, property damage, or physical injuries. (3) Property Torts occur when ones enjoyment of their private property is interfered with by either acts of trespass or illegal conversion of the private property. (4) Negligence a civil matter resulting damages due to the lack of care or duty that is owed. (5) Strict Liability Torts can be criminal or civil and culpability or finding of fault is not a factor, to name a few. The tort that is evident in the case of Anderson v HDA is an Unintentional Tort resulting in an act of economic loss. The wage deduction and mis-classification of employment status have led to the loss of wages and possible benefits to the plaintiffs and their helpers. The issues that arose in the Anderson v HDA civil lawsuit could have been avoided by utilizing an effective risk management process for contracts review and management. Co-employment issues arise in the third party relationships due to the unknown, so it is beneficial to know as much as possible about all relationships that are encompassed for the work at hand. Understanding the Torts liabilities that can arise in the areas of contract language and negotiations will ensure that liabilities are managed early in the relationship building process. An effective way to manage this risk is to identify the gaps that may exist with employment status classification, ensure that necessary tax forms are completed, monitor direct partnership and obtain direct partnership attestations regarding their direct  relationship with their contractors. The next step is to have an ongoing control mechanism in place to monitor regulations and update business checklist and standard operation procedures. Reference United States District Court District of Massachusetts. (2013). Civil Action 11-10313-GAO. Retrieved from United States District Court District of Massachusetts, website.

The Future in Cyberpunk :: Genre Literature Science Fiction Essays Papers

The Future in Cyberpunk Works Cited Missing The defining characteristics of the cyberpunk genre have been debated since the beginnings of the literary movement. Some authors, classified as cyberpunk, question the very existence of this label, while others are in constant disagreement about the traits that make up the literature. Authors such as Bruce Sterling believe that cyberpunk is the integration of technology and literature in a world where the gap between science fiction and reality is rapidly closing; however, others such as Lewis Shiner have formed the opinion that this literature is merely a product of pop culture, hence it should not have any true literary importance. Furthermore, cyberpunk is said to be the voice of the underground in modern society, and the vision of a new technological world. These theories represent the different views of the major authors in this genre, thus it becomes difficult to define a literary style from such opposing views. A more constructive method is to analyze the major characteristic s and styles used in the stories considered as cyberpunk. The negative portrayal of the integration of technology and society is a fundamental tenet of the literature, because it presents a pessimistic vision of scientific advancement. The genre's dark tones, seen in the styles of it's major authors, emphasize the bleak images throughout the futuristic fiction. The constant conflict between the individual and a technologically advanced society is a major theme of the genre, for it stresses man's insignificance. These characteristics are interwoven into the fabric of cyberpunk and form a bleak image of science fiction and the future. The issue of technology and its integration into society is a major pillar of most science fiction; however, it is not an essential feature of cyberpunk. The concepts of cyberpunk literature are futuristic, but technology is not prevalent in the literature. In "Rock On" synthesizers, special effects, lasers, and other virtual objects bring forth images of the future and technology. But the major theme revolves around the fact that the main character is trapped in the constructs of this world. Another example is seen in "The Girl Who Was Plugged In", because the author took much care in trying to explain the possible scientific advances, yet again the major theme in the story is the character's struggle to find her individuality amongst the technology. Much of science fiction is about how the individual uses the technology to overcome the problems that confront him, conversely in the realm of cyberpunk the character's individuality is in conflict with the impersonalness of technology.

Problem Solving at Sun-2-Shade Using Maslow’s Motivational Theory Essay

In using Maslow’s motivational theory, I would observe where the employees at Sun-2-Shade were in comparison to the chart Maslow illustrates. According to â€Å"Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs† chart, â€Å"When one need is satisfied, another; higher need emerges and motivated us to satisfy it, (Nickels, McHugh, McHugh, 2013).† In taking notice that the employees come late to work, I feel they have satisfied the basic physiological needs. They no longer feel the need to focus on the basic survival needs such as food, water, and shelter. Therefore there is no need to start here because they are satisfied with their finances and being employed with Sun-2-Shade. So, I would go to the next level and examine safety needs, are they feeling secure at work, and based on the case study because they are coming in late they feel secure enough that they have no fear of being reprimanded for being late which also doesn’t affect their physiological or safety needs. So, based on that I assume that there is no need for motivation here, unless I decided to start writing them up to stir them to come on time. My desired goal is to make them feel like they are part of the team. I make a decision not to use this tactic now, because that’s minor, it is something I can fix quickly. I conclude that based in Maslow theory that the safety need is being satisfactorily met. Their complaint is not with the company, but the job is boring. I can assume that they are reasonably secure with benefits and feel they have a safe work environment at Sun-2-Shade. I would go on to the next level to analyze if their social needs are being appeased. Upon an carefully assessing the fact the they are complaining about their job as being boring, and taking into consideration that they resent that I am making the decisions to move this company ahead, I discern my employees are here at this level and have become disconcerted. I will organize here, because I sense they don’t feel valued or accepted or having a sense of belonging. Perhaps I can be more willing to include them on why we have developed what is the best way to do the job. I can assign or get volunteers more involved by allowing them to make sheets outlining standard operating procedures making it well-defined. They may be more apt to  accept and hopefully at the same time I can work to develop involvement that inspires them to take more interest and initiative helping them to be more committed and feel a personal link to the company. I believe this will be beneficial for both the company and employees. In using Herzberg’s theory because he suggests that the Hygiene (Maintenance) factors are in comparison to Maslow’s theory, he concludes that these may cause dissatisfaction on the job, but are not necessarily motivators, because in his research what motivates workers is a sense of accomplishments, and being recognized, having an opportunity to develop while learning, and having more responsibility given to them. In using Herzberg’s theory I would have to approach my employees from a similar but perhaps different angle. He categorizes things just a little different. He believes that motivation comes from within a person not from those unavoidably outside factors (Nickels et al, 2013). In using McGregor’s Theory X the perception here is that people do not like to work and therefore will avoid it and must be policed in order to bring about the targeted outcomes. This is an unhealthy blend having to become a manager who retorts to the environment at Sun-2-Shade, things will only get worse and some may get fired or even quit. For me, this theory is not one I would consider if I am trying to get my employees to feel like they are part of the team. McGregor’s Theory Y, in operating this theory, I believe it can inspire people by allowing them to be creative, and willing to be more flexible if I make available to them the tools they need to carry out the solutions to bring a proper balance into the workforce at Sun-2-Shade, because it makes them feel as if they are in charge by giving them this responsibility. But in the end, I’m still held responsible making sure we are making the required and necessary changes so that the company is profitable in our end obligations; even at striving to make employees feel like they are part of the Sun-2-Shade team.

Acre Woods Retirement Community

Acre wood retirement community case study Kimberly Woods HSM/230 Axia College at the University of Phoenix Acre wood retirement community case study he resident physical therapist Sara Armstrong manages the retirement communities activity programs, recently a pool was added to its rehabilitation center by they were some original design requests that were not met it has been brought to Sarah’s attention that the safety tread marks on the stairs and the improved wheelchair access to the pool area which were allotted for in planning cost have not been added, when she immediately brings it to the director of the acre woods Mark Adams he basically dismisses it by stating that the residents should simply be happy to have the pool, as well as bringing it to her attention that she has been hired to provide physical therapy only and not to worry about the budget. Question one: what are some of the potential legal and ethical issue’s present in this case study?Answer; Mark Adams should be held responsible for the negligence which has caused minor accidents to some of the residents he should also listen to and acknowledge the need to regulate the safety of equipment installed within acre woods, Sarah has a right to be concerned as part of her job is therapy for the patient’s physical well-being. The legal issues here could present multiple cases of unethical behavior by Mr. Adams part; the ethical issues would be his lack of concern of the well-being of the residents of acre woods which in turn could create multiple lawsuits. Question two: how would you characterize the director’s behavior? Answer to: by the way the paper reads Mark Adams attitude and behavior are unethical and uncalled for as he is the administrator for the facility he should maintain an attitude suitable to that station, his behavior is unjust and critical towards Ms. Armstrong and seemingly uncaring where the residents of the facility are concerned.Question three: Is the dir ector and ethical role model? Why or why not? Answer three: Mark Adams does not show the ethical behavior that would be expected of a role model in the position of director of any facility he seems to be uncaring as well as unconcerned about the well-being of the residents or the concerns of Sara Armstrong. Question four: Were the director’s messages congruent with the organization’s stated mission? Explain your answer. Answer four: No Mark Adams is not being congruent with the stated mission of the organization he does not show concern for the organization nor for its ideals however instead he shows arrogance instead of compassion.Question five: what impact did the director’s actions and attitudes have on the acre woods culture: the director’s actions did not show concerns or the culture of the facility but more towards self-preservation when Sara Armstrong product visitation that if you patients had concerns and were showing fear pertaining to the issue s of the pool wife Mr. Adam should’ve done was to investigate the concerns of the residents as well as ask why the safety equipment was not installed, instead his decision to take the word of Gene Levy who was also a physical therapist at acre woods over that of Sara Armstrong did give Sara cause to bring it into the forefront because of her suspicions of the missing funds where the from the pool project she did the right thing by relating the scandal or her is her opinion of it.

Religion Among Early American Immigrants essays

Religion Among Early American Immigrants essays For the first American immigrants, religion wasnt just an attribute, it was a way of life. It defined what kind of lives they lead and how they were viewed by others in their new community. In some cases, religion determined where people could live. It became a regular financial expense similar to paying taxes. Often, ones rights as an American citizen hinged on which faith he proclaimed, as did their political views. In essence, the immigrant experience was dramatically affected by religious attitudes in the country at the time of their coming. In the early years of Virginian immigration, the vast majority of the settlers held Protestant beliefs, though the varieties differed. After becoming a royal colony, Virginia became an example for England of ideal Anglican conformity. Sermons were administered every Sunday, communion given three times a year, responsibility was adopted to shape the behavior of the children, and to influence the people to lead what they considered to be pure lives. Church was not just a pastime, it was an expected ritual. Any parishioners absent from church on Sundays or holidays were forced to pay a shilling in addition to the tithes they owed already. People such as Sir William Berkeley focused their wills on their spiritual wealth more than their material. In a world that was haunted by death, religion became urgently important to the Virginiansmore urgent then their worldly business. Prejudice against certain religions incited a major change in the lives of their followers. In 17th century Massachusetts, Puritans and their descendants had tight control over the area. A control they would lose in 1642 when Governor William Berkeley created new laws that demanded all nonconformists...to depart the colony with all conveniency. Many nonconformist ministers served Puritan communities, which suddenly found themselves scattered and banishe...

The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution deals with several aspects of U.S. citizenship and the rights of citizens. Ratified on July 9, 1868, during the post-Civil War era, the 14th, along with the 13th and 15th Amendments, are collectively known as the Reconstruction Amendments. Although the 14th Amendment was intended to protect the rights of the recently freed slaves, it has continued to play a major role in constitutional politics to this day.   In response to the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment, many Southern states enacted laws known as Black Codes designed to continue to deny African Americans certain rights and privileges enjoyed by white citizens. Under the states Black Codes, recently freed slaves were not allowed to travel widely, own certain types of property, or sue in court. In addition, African Americans could be jailed for not being able to repay their debts, leading to racially-discriminating labor practices like the leasing of convicts to private businesses. The 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1866 Of the three Reconstruction amendments, the 14th is the most complicated and the one that has had the more unforeseen effects. Its broad goal was to reinforce the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which ensured that all persons born in the United States were citizens and were to be given full and equal benefit of all laws. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 protected the â€Å"civil† rights of all citizens, such as the right to sue, make contracts, and buy and sell property. However, it failed to protect â€Å"political† rights, like the right to vote and hold office, or â€Å"social† rights guaranteeing equal access to schools and other public accommodations. Congress had intentionally omitted those protections in hopes of averting the bill’s veto by President Andrew Johnson (1808–1875). When the Civil Rights Act landed on President Johnsons desk, he fulfilled his promise to veto it. Congress, in turn, overrode the veto and the measure became law. Johnson, a Tennessee Democrat and staunch supporter of states’ rights, had clashed repeatedly with the Republican-controlled Congress. Fearing President Johnson and Southern politicians would attempt to undo the protections of the Civil Rights Act, Republican congressional leaders began work on what would become the 14th Amendment. Ratification and the States After clearing Congress in June of 1866, the 14th Amendment went to the states for ratification. As a condition for readmittance to the Union, the former Confederate states were required to approve the amendment. This became a point of contention between Congress and Southern leaders. The 14th Amendment.   U.S. National Archives Connecticut was the first state to ratify the 14th Amendment on June 30, 1866. During the next two years, 28 states would ratify the amendment, although not without incident. Legislatures in Ohio and New Jersey both rescinded their states pro-amendment votes. In the South, Louisiana and North and South Carolina refused initially to ratify the amendment. Nevertheless, the 14th Amendment was declared formally ratified on July 28, 1868. The 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Cases of 1883 With its passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1875, Congress attempted to bolster the 14th Amendment. Also known as the â€Å"Enforcement Act,† the 1875 Act guaranteed all citizens, regardless of race or color, equal access to public accommodations and transportation, and made it illegal to exempt them from serving on juries. In 1883, however, the U.S. Supreme Court, in its Civil Rights Cases decisions, overturned the public accommodation sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1875 and declared that the 14th Amendment did not give Congress the power to dictate the affairs of private businesses.   As a result of the Civil Rights Cases, while African Americans had been declared legally â€Å"free† U.S. citizens by the 14th Amendment, they continue to face discrimination in society, economics, and politics into the 21st century. Amendment Sections The 14th Amendment contains five sections, of which the first contains the most impactful provisions.   Section One guarantees all rights and privileges of citizenship to any and all persons born or naturalized in the United States. It also guarantees all Americans their constitutional rights and prohibits the states from passing laws limiting those rights. Lastly, it ensures that no citizens right to life, liberty, or property will be denied without due process of law.    Section Two specifies that the process of apportionment used to fairly distribute seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the states must be based on the whole population, including freed African American slaves. Prior to this, African Americans had been under-counted when apportioning representation. The section also guaranteed the right to vote to all male citizens age 21 years or older. Section Three forbids anyone who participates or has participated in â€Å"insurrection or rebellion† against the United States from holding any elected or appointed federal office. The section was intended to prevent former Confederate military officers and politicians from holding federal offices. Section Four addresses the federal debt by confirming that the neither the United States nor any state could be forced to pay for lost slaves or debts that had been incurred by the Confederacy as a result of their participation in the Civil War.   Section Five, also known as the Enforcement Clause, grants Congress the power to pass â€Å"appropriate legislation† as necessary to enforce all of the amendments other clauses and provisions. Key Clauses The four clauses of the first section of the 14th Amendment are the most important because they have repeatedly been cited in major Supreme Court cases concerning civil rights, presidential politics and the right to privacy. The Citizenship Clause The Citizenship Clause overrules the 1875 Supreme Court Dred Scott decision that freed African American slaves were not citizens, could not become citizens, and thus could never enjoy the benefits and protections of citizenship. The Citizenship Clause states that â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.† This clause played an important role in two Supreme Court cases: Elk v. Wilkins (1884) which addressed citizenship rights of Native Americans, and United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898) which affirmed the citizenship of U.S.-born children of legal immigrants. The Privileges and Immunities Clause The Privileges and Immunities Clause states No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.  In the Slaughter-House Cases (1873), the Supreme Court recognized a difference between a persons rights as a U.S. citizen and their rights under state law. The ruling held that state laws could not impede a persons federal rights. In McDonald v. Chicago (2010), which overturned a Chicago ban on handguns, Justice Clarence Thomas cited this clause in his opinion supporting the ruling. The Due Process Clause The Due Process Clause says no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. Although this clause was intended to apply to professional contracts and transactions, over time it has become most closely cited in right-to-privacy cases. Notable Supreme Court cases that have turned on this issue include Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), which overturned a Connecticut ban on the sale of contraception; Roe v. Wade (1973), which overturned a Texas ban on abortion and lifted many restrictions on the practice nationwide; and Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), which held that same-sex marriages deserved federal recognition. The Equal Protection Clause The Equal Protection Clause prevents states from denying to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.  The clause has become most closely associated with civil rights cases, particularly for African Americans. In Plessy v. Ferguson (1898) the Supreme Court ruled that Southern states could enforce racial segregation as long as separate but equal facilities existed for blacks and whites. It wouldnt be until Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that the Supreme Court would revisit this opinion, ultimately ruling that separate facilities were, in fact, unconstitutional. This key ruling opened the door for a number of significant civil rights and affirmative action court cases. Bush v. Gore (2001) also touched on the equal protection clause when a majority of justices ruled that the partial recount of presidential votes in Florida was unconstitutional because it was not being conducted the same way in all contested locations. The decision essentially decided the 2000 presidential election in George W. Bushs favor. The Lasting Legacy of the 14th Amendment Over time, numerous lawsuits have arisen that have referenced the 14th Amendment. The fact that the amendment uses the word state in the Privileges and Immunities Clause- along with interpretation of the Due Process Clause- has meant state power and federal power are both subject to the Bill of Rights. Further, the courts have interpreted the word person to include corporations. As a result, corporations are also protected by due process along with being granted equal protection. While there were other clauses in the amendment, none were as significant as these. Updated by Robert Longley   Sources and Further Reading Baer, Judith A. Equality Under the Constitution: Reclaiming the Fourteenth Amendment. Ithaca NY: Cornell University Press, 1983.  Lash, Kurt T. The Fourteenth Amendment and the Privileges and Immunities of American Citizenship. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press, 2014.Nelson, William E. The Fourteenth Amendment: From Political Principle to Judicial Doctrine. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 1988

A critical evaluation of the role of Budgetting Essay

A critical evaluation of the role of Budgetting - Essay Example results in nothing more than dysfunctional behaviour has initially been proposed by Hope and Fraser (2003) as part of the Beyond Budgeting Round Table (BBRT). This report is a review of relevance of budgeting in contemporary business contexts and an attempt to suggest which one among ‘better budgeting’ or ‘beyond budgeting’ will be effective to the CFO of Halfords Group plc. This report is prepared to submit to the CFO as he asked me to review literatures and prepare a report based on ‘budgeting- lost relevance’ after he participated in a conference that made him concerned about the matter. In finance and accounting, budgeting is a formal plan expressed in monetary terms and is prepared in a current financial year to provide managers and other stakeholders with an estimate of the anticipated costs and revenues for the next financial year (Chandra, Menon and Mishra, 2007, p. 264). Traditionally, budgets served a number of useful purposes such as 1) planning annual business operations, 2) coordinating various activities in the organisation, 3) communicating these plans to various responsibility managers or departments, 4) motivating managers to achieve desired organisational goal, 5) controlling all activities in the firm and 6) evaluating managers’ performance (Drury, 2006, p. 426). Because of that budgeting looks both forward and backward, it identifies resources that the company is likely to generate and the need in its near future to serve as a measure of current and past performance of department and individual managers (Fabozzi and Drake, 2009, p. 334). Why budgeting has been traditionally considered as an effective strategic tool for management accounting was that it was nothing but a plan relating to future and it helped management take various critical decisions pertaining to strategic planning, budgetary planning and operational planning (Walker, 2006, p. 305). Budgeting has also played a very significant role in strategic and operational

Art joins poetry on the beach by Charles Donelan Essay

Art joins poetry on the beach by Charles Donelan - Essay Example They went against the grain of local opposition to foreigners photographing sacred building as well as the omnipresent dust, severe temperatures, and inclement light. Most of these early photographers made negatives on glass plates, which were delicate and cumbersome; however, they produced sharp images. Francis Frith (England 1822-1898) documented that the severe heat could boil photosensitive chemicals on his glass plates, and regularly the best accessible darkrooms were tombs and caves. Other photographers made collotypes’, the paper negatives from which positive photos are printed. There were more convenient than glass plates and the paper’s texture produced a positive photo with softer tones. Photographs of the holy locations, archeological places, and ruins authenticated the new field of archeology, liberated historians, and captivated those wanting romantic perceptions of alien lands. Photos offered foster experiences for Americans and Europeans put off by the vo yage, even after the Suez Canal opened in 1896. The exhibition installation offers classic images presenting a variety of themes and topics including city views, pictorial of holy places, ancient architectural allure, and assessment of essential artifacts. All images in this installation are derived from Leland Stanford Junior museum. Frith exceedingly explored the Near East during three long voyages, all taken between 1856 and 1860. In 1857 he photographed Cairo’s mosques, a daunting task because non-Muslims were not permitted inside them and he had to find vantage points away from the town’s throngs. Frith collected his photographs of architecture causally so that light and shadow assisted a feeling of spatial profundity and scope. Frith, a Quaker and flourished entrepreneur with a passion for expedition, became the most prominent English photographer of the Near East. He accomplished this aiming chic audience with his elegant photographs, stereo-view cards, and phot o-graphics publications featuring archeological and biblical locations. During his expeditions, Frith noted that tourists were the central audience of his photography collections. The most of the Mosque Emeer Akhor was of particular interest to me. Architecture is the art of construction. The art consolidates shapes, building techniques, and constructions of materials to create a building that is alluring to look at. This art as well works the means it requires to, and fits with what is around it. In these photograph we view a mosque with all its beautiful dome and striking patterns. It is shielded by a stonewall. The design of this mosque is an irrefutable Ottoman imperial style, likely as a challenge to the Sultan authority. The architecture of the mosque from the photograph yet has remained mostly faithful to its style accredited to the earlier dynasty. The stonewalls somehow gives one the feeling that the mosque was fortified by the then dynasty, to shield it from the crusaders. PART II Hank Pitcher’s paintings are founded in a certain feeling of place. He was born in Pasadena, California on July 20, 1949. Yet his parents relocated to Isla Vista, next to Santa Barbara. He was two years-old. Then, Isla Vista was a mere colony on the beach. On the other hand, Goleta was a farm town where kids rode their horses gown the street to buy chocolate at the store. At San Marcos High School, he was a coffee star and was hired by big-shot universities. Instead of soccer, he selected to attend the College of Creative Studies, an option program within the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he currently teaches painting. He divides his time between painting and surfing, engaging in each with devotion and

How do companies in the retailing industry use twitter to interact Dissertation

How do companies in the retailing industry use twitter to interact with their customers Is Twitter a good tool to interact with - Dissertation Example The notion of â€Å"going global† that was once considered as a prestigious strategic option and it was reserved for mighty organizations in the past (Hennig-Thurau 2010). But in the current scenario of the global economy all of the companies regardless of age and size have the option to serve globally. The common examples that started small and with the passage of time went global include the names of Microsoft and Wal-Mart. The former one has its roots in a small room and the other one started out as a tiny shop in the village. The only thing that has helped the process of evolution in the business world is known as entrepreneurial skills and instincts. The abovementioned attributes has the power to help the process of economic growth and the internet grew significantly because it subliminally fulfilled the purpose of the business that is to experience growth (Raacke & Bonds-Raacke 2008). The cliche is true that states that the company which is not growing then perhaps it is dying out. The global reach is going to be the decisive factor of success in the futuristic market conditions of the international economy in the near future. The internet’s role is increasing in driving the lives of humans (Baird & Parasnis 2011). The internet technology is a huge network of networks that has infiltrated every aspect of human life and the essence of social life is also being lost because it is a complete rarity to communicate face to face. Everyone is using Twitter as the source of socializing (Kaplan & Haenlein 2011). According to modern psychology, the practice of e-socializing is bad for community because in the practical sense, the practice is playing a very powerful role in terms of adding loneliness in the lives. Introduction The information technology has become an integral part of common man’s life throughout the world and therefore, the companies have to adapt their practices in order to accommodate changing and fluxing preferences of the cu stomers (Edvardsson & Gruber 2011). The internet has grown as a notable and major means of doing business in the modern era of the 21st century. The e-commerce is effectively allowing the smaller firms to compete the larger ones in the global marketplace and because of this reason, the playing field has been leveled and that is allowing the organizational and managerial focus to shift from growing in size to efficiency (Kima & Ko 2012). The core business philosophy that is currently being followed in all walks of life is to drive down the costs so that product and service quality can be improved while, experiencing significant growth in terms of profitability (Thackeray, Neiger, Hanson, & McKenzie 2008). The modern times have also witnessed a massive level of knowledge explosion that has indeed made all of the world’s knowledge available on the web and therefore, every business has the ability to avail the information against minimal costs and this information is then, implem ented in the several fields (Boulton & Panizzon 1998). The Chinese nation has developed as an economic superpower because it managed to gather the knowledge that was created and implemented in the west. After gathering the information, Chinese government provided an infrastructure that supported and helped the local scholars in the process of contextualizing the knowledge and that very

Human Resource Management At Mars Confectionery

Human Resource Management At Mars Confectionery This assignment will investigate how human resource management (HRM) contributes to the achievement of organisational goals and objectives, particularly looking at HRM activities such as staffing, performance management and change management. A discussion of several HR planning and development models will be presented including the model of traditional manpower planning, the integrated human resources planning framework and the systematic model of learning and training. Finally, an analysis of how appraisal systems are used to monitor performance in organisations will be undertaken, making suggestions on the shortfalls of this method and potential improvements. Discussions in this assignment will be retaliated to current information about Mars incorporated Ltd (Mars). Mars is a privately-owned, global fast moving consumer goods organisation specialising in confectionery, drinks and pet care. HRM Information of Mars was largely obtained from in interview conducted with a line manager in HRM at Mars. Information in this assignment obtained from the interview has not been referenced. Other information presented about Mars which has been obtained from other sources such as their website and books has been reverenced at the end of the assignment. Task 1: Human Resources Management Human resource management activities at Mars Confectionery This section will firstly discuss the HRM activity of staffing which is conducted at Mars. Staffing is the process of acquiring, deploying, and retaining a workforce of sufficient quantity and quality to create positive impacts on the organisations effectiveness (Burkholder, Edwards and Sartain, 2004). Secondly, the HRM activity of performance management will be discussed. Performance management can be understood as the process of creating a work environment or setting in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities (Bacal, 1999). Change management is the third main HRM activity conducted at Mars. Change management is a structured approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations from a current state to a desired future state (Cameron and Green, 2004). Staffing Human resource management at Mars is primarily concerned with ensuring that the organisation is appropriately staffed with the right people, with the right skills, at the right time. At the employee level, staffing has the objective of finding an employee who fits into the culture and value system and who is motivated and empowered to work for the organisation. Secondly, at the organisational level, staffing aims to maximise critical knowledge, skills and abilities within the organisation which contribute to its overall effectiveness and competitive advantage (Judge and Ferris, 1992). At Mars, these objectives are achieved through several means. Initially, a clear forecast on future staffing needs are established. These are determined at Mars by the organisational strategy and the predicted turnover rates based upon averages from previous years. Contracts for different groups of employees are then devised and employment packages are designed to attract the required employee skill levels. Relevant line managers who are familiar with the skills required for the certain role will be required to draw up role specifications addressing the certain skills and abilities needed. In addition to this, employees seen as no longer fitting into the organisations culture and value system are dismissed by HRM. Before dismissals occur at Mars, HRM places underperforming employees on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) to help monitor their performance and provide them with mentoring. Performance Management A second activity of human resource management at Mars is to ensure that employees are highly motivated and perform well within their roles. The main objective of enhancing motivation and performance is to maximise the effort employees put into their roles and to focus attention on performance targets. In addition to this, enhancing performance within the workforce also helps to raise levels of commitment and engage employees in developing new ideas (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005 p7). Enhanced employee performance is achieved by human resource management at Mars through employee training and development programmes which aim to increase employees capacity to adopt new technologies and methods. Training and development programmes allow employees to increase their career development through the organisation and reduce employee turnover through increased motivation and commitment. In addition to this, reward systems, such as promotion and bonuses, are also used at Mars to enhance performance through providing incentives and positive reinforcement. Change Management Another activity of human resource management at Mars is to make sure that organisational change interventions are successful and run as smoothly as possible. For example, Mars has recently implemented change programmes such as TQM and six sigma. These have required substantial changes to the organisations culture and work systems. It was HRs role to help with the planning of this implementation and to make sure that the necessary training and support was available to the workforce when implementation began. These objectives are achieved by HR at Mars through recruiting and developing people with the necessary leadership skills to help drive the change process. In addition to this, agents are also recruited by HR to encourage the acceptance of change by the workforce and construct reward systems to reinforce new behaviours. HR also takes a leading role in assessing the likely impact of change on employees as well as supporting them during the change programme. This is achieved through preparing information to help them cope with the process and developing a timeline for change. HR at Mars also has a critical role in assessing whether the change programme had been successful and monitoring whether it has produced the required return on investment. They achieve this objective through conducting employee survey to obtain feedback on employee perceptions regarding the change and how it was conducted. In summary, the three HRM activities of staffing, performance management and change management at Mars are essential for the smooth running and development of the Mars organisation. Theoretical models of human resource management This section will describe two influential models within HRM. Firstly, the Harvard model by Beer et al. (1984) is an analytical model which views employees as significant stakeholders within the organisation with their own needs and concerns (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005 p34). Secondly, the Michigan or Matching model will be addressed. The Michigan model states that the control of HRM is the responsibility of senior management and sees employees as resources in the same way as any other business resource (Price, 2007 p39). The Harvard Model The model acknowledges that management has the greatest power within an organisation but suggests that for effective HRM, the needs of employees must be always be considered. For example, the model shows HRM policies to be influenced by two significant considerations: situational factors (workforce characteristics, management philosophy and labour market) and stakeholder interests (employee groups, community and unions). This shows that effective HRM should not be a reactive function but continually help monitor and adjust the organisations policies to meet the forever changing needs of the workforce and environment in which it operates. In addition to this, the model also acknowledges the need for HRM mechanisms to reconcile the inevitable tension between employee expectations and management objectives. For example, the implementation of rewards and structured work systems allow for the organisation to nurture the values of commitment, competence, congruence and cost effectiveness within the workforce. To achieve long term HRM objectives of individual wellbeing, organisational effectiveness and social well being, the Harvard model suggests that it is essential that all must be responsible for human resource and consider issues such as delegation, leadership, participation and team building. The Michigan Model Unlike the Harvard model, the Michigan model (Fombrun et al, 1984 p41) takes a top-down approach suggesting that the control of HRM is the responsibility of senior management and sees employees as resources in the same way as any other business resource (Price, 2007 p39). For example, the model highlights areas such as selection, appraisal, rewards and development but ignores the influence of employee needs and situational factors upon the organisation. Instead, the model views that employees have to be managed like equipment; obtained as cheaply as possible, used sparingly, and developed and exploited as much as possible (Price, 2007 p39). The Michigan model also shows that employees must be selected and trained to fit the strategic requirements of the organisation and show behavioural consistency with their ways of thinking and operating (Price, 2007 p41). For example, if there is an organisational strategy of innovation, employees will be expected to show long term creativity and skill. This is displayed by the great emphasis upon selection, performance and appraisal within the model. In contrast to the Harvard Model, the Michigan model shows HRM to be a reactive organisational function which under-emphasises the importance of social and external factors. For example, the model places emphasis on the importance of selection, performance, appraisal, rewards and training, but make no reference to employee needs and interests, and environmental factors such as employee groups, community and unions. This means that the model would be unable to factor in current concerns such as employee work-life balance. In summary, the Harvard and Michigan models both show two contrasting perspectives of effective HRM. Although they are both highly applicable models in their own right, it could be suggested that Harvard model is the most applicable to the HRM of today, taking into consideration current concerns of work-life balanced. Task 2: HR Planning and Development Three HR planning and development models This section will describe the two HR planning models of Traditional Manpower Planning and Integrated Human Resources Planning Model; and the HR development model of Systematic Learning and Training. Human Resource Planning Human resource planning is the process of managing when people enter, move through and leave business organisations in accordance with the overall objectives of the business. HRM needs to assess the future demand for staff and the availability of suitable staff to meet their requirements (RDI, 2008 p2.3 ff). 1. Model of Traditional Manpower Planning The model of traditional manpower planning is a more traditional human resources planning model emphasising the importance of obtaining the right number of the right employees in the right place at the right time (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005 p51). The model suggests that demand for employees is strongly influenced by organisational strategies and objectives, the environment, and the way in which staff are managed and utilised (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005 p51). Environment Organisational objectives and strategies Analysis of internal manpower supply Analyses of external manpower supply Project manpower demand Project manpower supply Manpower plans Reconcile Figure 3: Model of traditional manpower planning. Adapted from (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005 p51). When applying the model of traditional manpower planning to Mars, it could be recommended that Mars begins by analysing the changing environment in which it operates. For example, the recent takeover of Cadburys by Kraft has meant that Mars strategy has become more defensive making sure that maintains its competitive advantage within the industry. Mars must begin to project manpower demand and supply to make sure it is able to recruit the right people with the right skills to facilitate its new defensive strategy. For example, one option for Mars is to target and recruit former Cadburys and Kraft managers to obtain important competitor information. Before it can fulfil this recruitment strategy, the model suggests that Mars must assess the availability of such knowledge within job the market. 2. Integrated Human Resources Planning Model Unlike the model of traditional manpower planning, the integrated human resources planning model brings together all aspects of HR planning and considers the effects of culture, systems and environment on employee demand (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005 p52). The model identifies where we want to be based upon the organisations strategy; where we are now; and what we need to do to get there. Environmental Influences Where are we now? Translate vision Where do we want to be? Design and use plans to achieve transition Strategic Vision Figure 4: Integrated Human Resources Planning Framework. Adapted from (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005 p52). When applying the integrated human resources planning model to Mars, Mars would firstly need to address where we are now; analysing the environment to determine what customers want and what competitors are doing. For example, from analysing the current confectionery market, Mars will determine that there is increasing competition from Cadburys due to its recent takeover by Kraft. Also, they would be able to determine from the analysis of customer requirements that there is a need for better customer service and lower prices. Based upon the model, Mars would then have to address where we want to be; translating environmental influences into strategic objectives which can be used to determine human resource goals. For example, for Mars to compete against Cadburys they must establish human resources goals to make sure that their hire talented managers who can bring new skills and capabilities to Mars. In addition to this, Mars should address what do we need to get there; addressing the resources and time-scales needed to fulfil the strategic objectives. Mars would need to decide on what type of skills and personalities they need to recruit, how many new employees they need to recruit and how they are going to advertise the positions. Human Resources Development HR development is a strategic approach used to invest in human capital. It draws on other HR processes including resourcing and performance assessment to identify actual and potential talent (RDI, 2008 p2.22). The systematic model of learning and training was developed to help organisations move away non-evaluated training, replacing it with a more orderly sequence of development. 1. Systematic Model of Learning and Training Environment Business Strategy People Development Strategy Identify development need Design development activity Carry out development Evaluate development Figure 5. A systematic model of learning and training. Adapted from demand (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005 p391). According to the model, the changing environment and business strategy help to shape the type of skills and abilities required in the workforce. These developmental needs can be identified by both the individual and organisation through a problem centred approach (where a new strategy may highlight a shortage of a particular skill within the workforce) and developing an individuals competency profile to meet the job requirements. For example, the changing business strategy at Mars to improve internal computer systems has revealed a potential gap IT technical skills. When a gap in skill has been identified, the model suggests that the development required needs to be planned and developed. The planning and design of the learning will be influenced by HR development strategy, which may determine who is involved in the training and type of methods used. For example, HR at Mars has planned and developed a learning programme with trained IT trainers to visit the business and develop employee IT skills whilst at work, but not divert too much of their time away from other more important tasks. In summary, when an organisation such as Mars adapts to changing environments through with new strategic objectives, it often requires new skills to be brought in or developed within the company. These changes in workforce requirements can either be planned and remedied through recruitment, or development can take place to enhance and build upon existing employee skills and abilities. Planning and development models that are most effective in helping an organisation to meet is objectives are these which take a more holistic approach and are able to adapt to changing organisational requirements. Effectiveness in achieving organisational objectives An organisational objective at Mars is to gain and maintain competitive advantage through a highly skilled and motivated workforce. Although the model of traditional manpower planning is effective in allowing Mars to plan for and fulfil future workforce needs, the model does not take into consideration the need for Mars to plan for issues such as employee behaviour, personality and fit within the organisations culture. In contrast to this, the integrated human resources planning model is very effective in allowing Mars to achieve this strategy. Unlike the model of traditional manpower planning, the integrated human resource planning model is able to integrate the need of the organisation to obtain highly skilled employees with the need for them to have the right fit within the organisational culture. In addition to this, the model is able to adapt to the continuous changes to Mars strategy which is central to the manpower planning framework. The systematic model of learning and training is also effective in allowing Mars to achieve its organisational objective to gain and maintain competitive advantage through a highly skilled and motivated workforce. The model provides an integrated framework to allow Mars to plan learning programmes and to develop workforce skill around organisational strategies and environmental changes. Despite this, the model has the limitation of being too systematic and potentially unable to relate to the fast pace of continuous change evident at Mars (Sloman, 2001). In summary, it could be recommended that Mars adopts a combination of the integrated human resources planning model and the systematic model of learning and training. Through using a combination of these two models, Mars would be able to adequately plan for and hire appropriate staff and then develop skills to meet their strategy needs. Task 3: Performance How HR performance is monitored at Mars This section will discuss how appraisal systems are used at Mars to monitor performance. Performance appraisal systems are a formalised process to review performance at work over a given period of time (Grote, 1996). Mars uses a method whereby role objectives or targets are established by the employee and line manager throughout the year and are later reviewed at the next appraisal. Assessments are made to measure the extent to which these objectives have been met throughout the year. Mars believes that performance expectations need to be understood and involve contribution from employees to allow for a greater degree of input and commitment. The objectives set by employees at Mars are closely monitored by the line manager to make sure that they appropriately stretch the individual and offer personal development as well as meeting the needs of the role. The objectives set by the employee and line manager are prioritised according to importance and how urgently they need to be addressed. Prioritising objectives in this manor allows the employees to manage their time more effectively through addressing the most important objectives first. In addition to this, Mars also uses the SMART system for describing individual targets and objectives. Before a target can be set by the employee, the line manager must make sure that the target is Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Relevant and Timed. Ensuring that the target meets these criteria means that the objectives are meaningful and reliably assessed. Regular brief meetings are set between employee and manager, as objectives are met, to discuss progress and decide on whether new objectives need to be added or whether some objectives need to be removed. Problem areas are highlighted and discussed, and ongoing coaching is given by managers to help guide employees by giving constructive feedback. 360 degree appraisals are used at Mars to allow for a more fair and stringent method of performance assessment. Performance is monitored and assessed by a variety of people in contact with the individual, including, line managers, peers, clients, suppliers. Obtaining appraisals from a variety of sources allows for a fuller picture to be built up of the performance and capabilities of the individual in many different areas of their work. The outcome of appraisal systems at Mars is directly linked to the salary and promotions. For example, if employees are rated during their appraisal as exceeds expectations, they will receive a 4% pay raise the following year. Employees rated as below expectations can be placed on a Performance Improvement Programme which means that their performance is closely monitored throughout the year and they are provided with mentoring to improve problem areas. Although it appears that Mars has a very stringent approach to performance appraisals, it is important to understand how Mars uses this information after it has been obtained and whether line managers have received the correct training to make sure they are collecting information fairly. Effectiveness of the appraisal system at Mars and potential improvements. The appraisal system at Mars is very effective in obtaining reliable and useful information regarding employee performance. One way in which Mars maintains the effectiveness of its appraisal system is through making sure that line managers are properly trained to conduct appraisals. Managers are required to attend a yearly training session supported by human resources where they informed about the most effective ways of monitoring process and supporting their employees through development. Training is also provided on how to record appraisal information efficiently and how to conduct 360 degree appraisals. Despite the stringent approach to performance appraisals at Mars, appraisal have been criticised for being too subjective (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2005). Sometimes appraisals can be unreliable through prejudice when the appraisers judgement is distorted because they dont like the appraisee. Also appraisals can be unreliable when the appraisers have insufficient knowledge of the appraisee. This is particularly the case when appraisers carry out appraisals due to their position in the company hierarchy rather than their knowledge of the appraisee. In addition to this, appraisals can cause a lot of anxiety and stress for all involved. Research about appraising performance has found that the appraisal itself was often accompanied by long periods of sickness absence due to stress (Grint, 1993). This is a potential problem at Mars because appraisals are directly linked to employee pay and promotion which may create a lot of stress for individual employee. Effectiveness of appraisals at Mars can be improved further making sure that all involved in the 360 degree appraisal understand what the system is for and the importance of accuracy. Research suggests that questions will be answered more accurately when participants understand the true purpose of the appraisal (Grint, 1993). In addition to this, plenty of feedback should be given to those involved in appraisals as research also suggests that feedback allows for the system to be better accepted and reduces anxiety (Grint, 1993). In summary, Mars has a very stringent approach to performance appraisals. They believe that it is important to obtain a full picture of the individual, from many different sources and allow the individual to play an active role in shaping their own objective and target setting. Despite this, improvements can be made to make sure that stress is kept to a minimum and proper training is provided to make sure that appraisals are not biased in anyway. Assignment Conclusion To be successful in a fast changing global economy, organisations must invest more time and resources into the acquisition and development of high calibre employees. HRM has a vital role to play in this strategy through performance management, recruitment and change management. In the example of Mars, HRM is continually facilitating an environment where employees can improve their skills and competencies through professional development programmes and performance appraisal. Although Mars has well developed HRM policies, to remain competitive, they must continue to invest time and resources into HRM to continue to obtain the right employees, with the right skills at the right time.

History of Psychology :: Historical Social Sciences Psychology Essays

History of Psychology In this essay I am looking at where Psychology as a discipline has come from and what affects these early ideas have had on psychology today, Psychology as a whole has stemmed from a number of different areas of study from Physics to Biology, But the first Psychological foundations are rooted in philosophy, which to this day propels psychological inquiry in areas such as language acquisition, consciousness, and even vision among many others. While the great philosophical distinction between mind and body in western thought can be traced to the Greeks, it is to the influential work of Renà © Descartes, French mathematician, philosopher, and physiologist, that we owe the first systematic account of the mind/body relationship. As the 19th century progressed, the problem of the relationship of mind to brain became ever more pressing. The word Psychology comes from two Greek words: Psyche and Logos. The term ?psychology? used early on described the study of the spirit. It was in the 18th century when psychology gained its literal meaning: The study of behaviour. In studies today psychology is defined as the scientific and systematic study of human and animal behaviour. The term psychology has a long history but the psychology as an independent discipline is fairly new. Psychology started, and had a long history, as a topic within the fields of philosophy and physiology. It then became an independent field of its own through the work of the German Wilhelm Wundt, the founder of experimental psychology and structuralism. Wundt stressed the use of scientific methods in psychology, particularly through the use of introspection. In 1875, a room was set-aside for Wundt for demonstrations in what we now call sensation and perception. This is the same year that William James set up a similar lab at Harvard. Wilhelm Wundt and William James are usually thought of as the fathers of psychology, as well as the founders of psychology?s first two great ?schools? Structuralism and Functionalism. Psychologist Edward B Titchner said; ?to study the brain and the unconscious we should break it into its structural elements, after that we can construct it into a whole and understand what it does.? (psicafe.com) Functionalism, an early school of psychology, focuses on the acts and functions of the mind rather than its internal contents. Its most prominent American advocate is William James. William James is the author of ?The Principles of Psychology? a book that is considered to be one of the most important texts in modern psychology.