Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Police Officers When Dealing With People With Mental...

How well prepared are the police officers when dealing with people with mental health illness. According to, the American Psychological Association (2013) define, â€Å"crisis intervention as the brief ameliorate, rather than specifically curative, use of psychology or counseling to aid individuals, families, and groups who have undergone a highly disruptive experience, such as an unexpected bereavement or a disaster† (p.148). The police officers are trained to observe, predict, and react. They maintain the order and reinforce the law in our society. It is estimated that as many as 10% of all police interactions involve persons with severe mental illness (SMI) and that of all incarcerated individuals, 14.5% males, and 31% females suffer†¦show more content†¦Certainly, during those cases the law enforcement officers do not have a psychology expertise to recognize some signs that might take more than just looking at an individual. Furthermore, individuals under the i nfluence of alcohol or drugs may behave similarly to a person with a mental illness. Moreover, to the setting of the behavior, if the individual has a firearm that could potentially hurt the law enforcement officer as well as any civilian around the perimeters, the officers can arrest the individual. In which case afterward he or she must then contact their crisis intervention team (CIT) and request a psych evaluation of the individual to determine what will be the best setting for arrested personnel. For example, Browning, Van Hasselt, Tucker, Vecchi, (2011) mentioned â€Å"such individuals in crisis may suffer from hallucinations and delusions. This may cause them to respond unpredictably to police, and can even cause them to react to internal auditory or visual stimuli that are not present to others† (p. 236). In contrast, if the law enforcement officer might does not has a psychological background then he will still have to undergo a forty hour training in mental illnesses. The issue is that forty-hours a week of training does not make up for four or six years of training as requested by the crisis intervention team, (Watson, Fulambarker, 2012). When law enforcement

Monday, December 16, 2019

Essay Animal Free Essays

Eating Animals by Jonathan Saffron Foyer’s he talks about his journey as a meat eater. Fore discuses his family eating styles and how he believe he will raise his son. Food is key for every person, but what you eat and what you don’t eat shapes who you are. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Animal or any similar topic only for you Order Now Fore and his wife both had very particular views on being meat eaters. In a way they both hated what they were doing, but because of they way they were brought up they could not stop them from doing so. For this same reason he started researching on how he should raise is unborn child, meat eater or vegetarian. Fore starts off by talking about his grandmother and how her eating habits and cooking methods affected them as children. The grandmother, also known as â€Å"Greatest Chef who ever lived†, had been threw the depression and many vulnerable times. Fore tells us she had very strict rules on letting food go bad and throwing away expired food. She had seen such harsh times that she mad sure she always made the right amount of food so nothing would ever go to waste. The grandmother had seen the worst oftentimes, but she made sure her family ate well but did not take what they have for granted. Fore believes many people do not understand what and whom they are eating. He also falls under this category; he does not count himself out. Offers talks about how people have pet dogs and view them as a part of family, but on the other hand cook and eat a chicken. He tries to grasp this idea that has been passed down generation after generation but he cannot come to a solid conclusion on why this happens. And with his new born on the way he is looking into if he wants to pass on these beliefs to his child or to change what has been passed down and start something new. How to cite Essay Animal, Essays

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Event Design Academic and Social Interaction

Question: Understand the integral role event design has on the success of an event.Identify a range of techniques an organisation could use when theming an event.Use a variety of methods to design an event catered for a target audience;Apply case studies take inspiration from other events that have been specific to a target audience.Work effectively as individuals and in groups through the development of appropriate key skills Answer: Introduction The management of the big events needs skills, expertise, knowledge and dedication for achieving true success (Getz and Page 2016). A number of film festivals are being hosted in London all throughout the year. This report would analyze the International Film Festival which is to be held Victoria Embankment Gardens in London. The event would be organised by ABC London Events Co. The participants must adhere to the film submission guidelines. In the event, two types of films would be screened- feature length films (minimum 60 minutes running time) and short films (maximum running time of 20 minutes). The original version of the films would be screened along with the English subtitles. This report would evaluate the purpose of the event and the theme of the event. The venue would be specified and the event plan would be designed. A strong social media message would be created which would capture the target audience. The other intricacies of the film festival would be discussed such as activities, menu, music, budget and any risk assessment issues. Purpose The cinema is considered as the most democratic art form and the film festivals maintain peace, freedom and democracy of the country. The purpose of the International Film Festival is to promote world culture and offer a platform to the film makers for discussing diverse work. The film festival aims to offer a meeting place for the audience and the film makers so that they can share the world history, culture and the art forms. Theme The theme of the International Film Festival would be Unity in Diversity. The film festival would screen a total of 53 documentary/short films and 194 fiction films from all over the world. There would be films from all over the world and hence there would be diverse films which would be screened in the film festival. In spite of the diversity, the film festival celebrates the world culture and presents them to the audience. There would be individual sections in the film festivals which would help the audience to choose the films which would be most appealing to them. Venue The venue of the film festival would be Embankment Garden Cinema which is located at the picturesque Victoria Embankment Gardens in London. This venue has 780 cinema style seats, Dolby 7.1 surround system, 4k digital projection and others which give breakthrough entertainment experience to the audiences. Event Design Plan It is important to have a proper event design plan for the smooth functioning of the International Film Festival. The various events in the Film Festival would comprise of- Planning of the film festival event- The detailed planning regarding the film events would be done in prior by deciding the budget, scheduling, invitation and the major attractions of the film event. Setting up of budget- The identification of the main events of the film festival is identified and the corresponding budget allocation for the same would be done. Scheduling of the film event- The scheduling of the main events during the film festival needs to be identified such as sending invitations, recruitment of manpower, main galas of the event and others. Sending invitations to the dignitaries Hiring of the film event crew- The key personnel of the event are being invited such as producers, directors, actors, audiences, critics and others. Setting up of necessary infrastructures such as lights, projectors, food, screen, bouncers, sofa, chairs and others. Promotion of the film event- Special focus should be on advertisements, hoardings, direct mail and social media network for promoting the film event. Opening Night Ceremony/Inauguration- Screening popular films from different film makers along with song and dance sequence. Red Carpet Galas- Segregation of galas by categories such as Love, Laugh, Debate, Thrill, Comedy, Action and Suspense Official Competition in Feature Film and Documentary Film category Special Presentations Closing Night Ceremony Social Media Message A strong message would be put on the social media network. Facebook and Twitter would be used to capture the audience and give them exhaustive information regarding the international film festival. The message would be- Inviting the international film fraternity and cinema- lovers for showcasing the extravagant international film festival that would be held in Victoria Embankment Gardens from 6 January 2017 to 10 January 2017. Activities This section comprises of the activities need to be planned for organizing the International film festival. As mentioned earlier the film festival is decided to be held in Victorian Embankment Garden and the further activities are as follow: Planning of the different teams Programming team, marketing team and event production team these teams are liable for the researching about the schedule for special events, promotion of the film festival and arranging decoration, posters for each event and catering arrangements respectively. Displaying film made by young people These activities comprise of showing a glimpse of the documentary film, animation, television, pop promos and filmed reports/records regarding the creative arts. Talks In this activity, directors have to say small talk regarding their movie or documentary and the concept of where they get the inspiration for making the film. Moreover, in this activity audience will ask a question to directors that may be regarding their film or future projects. Live performance This performance-related activity is mainly organized for promoting a movie that has some performance related movies or documentaries. Awards In this activity, the nomination for the movie under different criteria like best supportive character, best negative character, best animation, best direction, best critic and others. Hoffman (2015) defines hat award activities encourage the directors to present more best work in the future. Menu Montgomery (2013) depicts that food plays a crucial role in ensuring the engagement of the guests and thus, in this International Film Festival, a menu is provided to the honorable guests. Welcome drinks to the guests Lime Sorbet Margaritas Bourbon and Blood Orange Blast Red Wine Sangria Dinner for the guest after the film festival Main course Roast Beef Tenderloin with Cognac Butter Hereford Ribeye Grilled Native Lobster Tournedos Of Beef Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Slow-Fried Shallots Dessert Triple-Chocolate Cheesecake Banoffee Tiramisu Milk Chocolate Fudge Cake Music Stevens (2016) depicts that music plays a crucial role in improving the quality of the ambiance of the film festival. Thus, in this International Film Festival a mild music would play so that when there will be a gap the activities, the audience can get entertained by this music. The music that is selected for the background music will be from the nominated movies or documentaries for the film festival. The prime reason is that this relative music encourages the directors and the nominees that their work is valued. Budget Costs of the event Amount (in $) Cost for individual entry tickets 150*5000 = 750000 Cost for decoration of the Victorian Embankment Garden 2500 Cost for promotion of the International Film Festival through Social Media 660 Cost for furniture for accommodation 1250 Cost for stage arrangement and lighting for live performance 830 Cost for welcome drink and dinner party 2600*5 = 13000 Cost for installing screens and their supportive devices 700 Cost for the wages to the Crew Members, host and the jury members 1500 Additional cost for water supply maintenance, emergency services, ambulance for any emergency 300 Total cost 7,58,740 Table 1: Budget for the event (Source: Created by the author) Risk assessment issue Timing issue De Valck (2014) explains that timing plays a crucial role in planning a social event like Film Festival. Guest usually prefers the evening time for attending the evening until night. The season selected for conducting the festival is also an important aspect of planning and if not followed according to the audiences concern, the event may not be a success. Thus, in this context, this International Film Festival is conducted in the pleasing month of January. Conflict issues among the crewmembers Moreover, Adams and Hall (2015) moreover explain that, the more people are there to organize an event; there will be a high probability to raise a state of conflict. Conflict arises due to lack of meetings between the different team members while maintaining during event planning. Moreover, there are several activities managed by different teams and hence it is important for the managing authorities to resolve these conflicts for the successful event. Thus, proper planning in the initial stages like knowledge sharing and regular meetings and informal outing like dinner parties can solve this conflict. Burgess and Kredell (2016) thus depicts that effective planning for the winter International Film Festival should be planned from the mid of the year. Budgeting issue In addition to that, the planning of budget is also an important issue in event planning. It is evident that if proper budgeting cannot be formulated all the desired activities for the event cannot be accomplished. Gonzalez Zarandona (2016) furthermore explains that suggestion from experts on budget formulation will be effective as they can cover all the important aspect and divide the budget for all infrastructure, lightings, food arrangement and salary of the host and the crewmembers. Risk assessment checklist Activity/task/hazard Yes No / NA All crewmembers have been provided with induction guide All crewmembers were aware of event emergency Provision of Safe Work Method Statement All crewmembers have insurance All food suppliers have certified food license Availability of ambulance and physical practitioner on health hazards Provision of Adequate amenities for disabled guests All portable electrical equipment/tools and power boards are shock proof and are tested All the generators for electricity supply are placed in a safe position All the music and sound system should follow the least disturbance of other activities regulation Provision of Adequate bins for the film festival for waste management Table 2: Risk assessment checklist (Source: Created by the author) Conclusion It can be concluded that the International Film Festival is hosted in the Victorian Embankment Gardens. The prime objective of this event is to give recognition and awards to the best work of the directors and new learners in the field of photography and cinematography. The theme selected for the event is the Unity in Diversity and the open garden of the Embankment Park is selected as it can accommodate a significant number of guest and audience. In order to maintain the effectiveness, the activities selected for the event are the planning of the different teams so that each section can be effectively managed. In addition to that, displaying film made by young people and their story behind the selection of a particular event in covered in talks. Moreover, the live performance will also be organized for ensuring the engagement of the audience and then the activity of the awards will be conducted. A total sum of $20,740 is estimated to organize the International Film Festival. Menu for the guest will also be provided after the completion of the event that comprised of the main course and the dessert. Reference List Adams, R. and Hall, S., 2015. Family Film Festival: Academic and Social Interaction outside the Classroom with Retention Benefits.Family Science Review,20(1). Burgess, D. and Kredell, B., 2016. 9 Positionality and film festival research.Film Festivals: History, Theory, Method, Practice, p.159. De Valck, M., 2014. Supporting art cinema at a time of commercialization: Principles and practices, the case of the International Film Festival Rotterdam.Poetics,42, pp.40-59. Getz, D. and Page, S.J., 2016.Event studies: Theory, research and policy for planned events. Routledge. Gonzlez Zarandona, J.A., 2016. Making heritage at the Cannes Film Festival.International Journal of Heritage Studies,22(10), pp.781-798. Hoffman, R., 2015, April. 33rd Film Festival Reception and Awards. In2015 ASCRS ASOA Symposium and Congress. Ascrs. Montgomery, J., 2013. One Minute Film Festival 2003-2012.Afterimage,41(3), p.26. Stevens, K., 2016. From Film Weeks to Festivals: The Spread of the Urban Film Festival After 1980. InAustralian Film Festivals(pp. 79-104). Palgrave Macmillan US. Bibliography Bass, W.L., Goodrich, C. and Lindskog, K., 2013.From Inspiration to Red Carpet: Host Your Own Student Film Festival. International Society for Technology in Education. Bfi.org.uk. (2016).Homepage | BFI. [online] Available at: https://www.bfi.org.uk [Accessed 3 Dec. 2016]. Walsh, M., 2013. Last drinks in Brisbane: The Asia Pacific screen awards and the Brisbane international film festival.Metro Magazine: Media Education Magazine, (176), p.42. Reference List

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Mean Spirit Essays - Osage Nation, Mean Spirit, Osage Hills

Mean Spirit Mean Spirit/ Linda Hogan/ ?1990 Our story takes place on an oil-rich Native American town, called Watona, on a reservation in Oklahoma. The course of the story extends from 1918 to the mid-twenties. There is a multitude of characters that accompany this story. One of the most important characters is Nola Blanket, a young teenager who is a full-blooded Osage Indian. She is a very delicate girl but still very strong. Her mother, Grace Blanket, is a very beautiful, well-liked young woman who is very outgoing and fun-loving. Belle Graycloud is a feisty, strong-willed Indian woman. She is well respected and is the commanding grandmother of her household. Her family is very close to the Blankets, who are distant cousins. Belle's daughter, Lettie, is a close friend of Grace. Lettie's lover, Benoit, is an Osage man that is married to Grace's crippled sister, Sara Blanket; but he is more like a brother and caretaker to her than he is a husband. Michael Horse is the fire keeper of the Osage tribe, but he also writes in his spare time. He is an old man who observes everything around him and writes it down in his journals. Stace Red Hawk is a Sioux Indian that works for the FBI. He became a federal agent in hopes of helping the Native Americans and protecting them from being taken advantage of. John Hale is a tall, lanky white rancher and oilman. He is trusted by the Indians, and seems to be a generous and helpful person. Watona was a small Indian town that prospered due to the rich rivers of oil flowing beneath it. As part of the Dawes Act, each Indian was allowed to choose an allotment of land not already claimed by white Americans. Although the 160 acres of land per Indian seemed generous, the land was barren and dry. The government did not know, however, that black oil seeped up out of the earth, and many Indians became very wealthy because of their ?worthless? pieces of land. As a result of the Indians' wealth, hundreds of white businessmen, fortune-hunters, traders, thieves, and swindlers swarmed to the reservation to make cash. When Grace Blanket is murdered by John Hale on a warm summer morning, it is made to look like a suicide and the local law enforcement passes it off as such. Nola and her friend Rena saw Nola's mother chased down and shot, but the Indians know that they must not bring it to the law or they will risk Nola's life. Belle takes in Nola as her own and sees that Nola is safe. Mysteriously, men from the nearby Osage tribe appear to keep watch over Nola in her time of vulnerability. The story progresses as more murders occur and the situation gets more and more rotten. Sara Blanket is killed in an explosion and Benoit is framed as the culprit. Other local Osage people are found dead, inexplicably, and foul play is afoot. It is more than coincidence that many of these people had dealings with John Hale, who often benefited from their deaths. But nobody has any proof of the murders, so Mr. Hale gets away with his dirty deeds. Stace Red Hawk is sent down from Washington, D.C. by the FBI to investigate the murders. As he spends more time with the Indian people, he slowly loses the ways of the white world and becomes in touch with his real self. He meets Michael Horse, who is adding his own chapter to the Bible because he feels that it has left out crucial elements. Horse is a seer, and he often foresees events that nobody else knows about. Horse is also trying to uncover the mystery that is tearing the Osage community apart. After years of searching, the combined efforts of Stace, Michael, Belle, and Lettie yield enough clues to put John Hale on trial. John is convicted and it seems that everyone is finally safe. One night, Belle's husband Moses wakes up, and he knows right away that something is wrong with his twin sister. He finds that her husband was in on the conspiracy and that he has shot her. The family realizes that they are still in danger, and

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

THE NECESSITY OF EUDAIMONIA essays

THE NECESSITY OF EUDAIMONIA essays Defining the Good Throughout history, many people have attempted to define what it is to be good. They have tried to explain what it is like to live a good life and what it means to be a good person. Many have tried to offer their own insights into what being good really is. Some philosophers have spent most of their lives pondering and arguing their idea of what being good really is. Some philosophers are thick headed about the subject and will refute anyone else's idea of what being good is. Other philosophers were more open minded about what being good is and would accept other's ideas and maybe even include other people's ideas in their own hypothesis. But, there really is no real answer to what being good is. The philosophers who listened to others and accepted other people's ideas might get a little closer to describing good, but even they could not fully define it. The word good is far too obscure to give one true definition to. Instead it will always live as a word with no true meaning. In order to find what the good and apply this, the primary concern of political theorists such as Aristotle whom will be the subject of this research, is to determine by what form of ordinance or law, would succeed the state. And he claims that unity of the Polis really leads to the Eudaimonia, which is the real happiness. Aristotle saw the pursuit of the good of the polis, the political community, as a branch of ethics, the pursuit of the human good as a whole. He called this ultimate goal for human beings eudaimonia, which is often translated as "the good life." He begins the Nicomachean Ethics with the claim that all human activities and pursuits aim at the good. He means for this to be understood as a claim about how human activities contribute to the human function. Ethics is therefore dependent upon theory of human nature, for to be a good person is to succeed in making actual in one's character the unique potential of being human. Fo...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Volunteer Opportunities for Online High School Students

Volunteer Opportunities for Online High School Students Many online high schools require that students complete volunteer hours in order to be eligible for a high school diploma. But, finding a local volunteer opportunity can be difficult if your school does not have a counseling office. Fortunately, volunteer websites can help. If you need to find a volunteer opportunity in your area, try one of these sites. Common Volunteer Opportunities Volunteer Match – This growing database lists thousands of volunteer opportunities searchable by area code. Many listings specify whether or not a particular opportunity is suitable for teen volunteers. You can also search for virtual volunteer opportunities (such as writing web content or putting together newsletters) that can be done in your own home.Charity Guide – Use this site to find hundreds of flexible volunteerism projects that can be done at your own pace. Create a baby supply kit, plant a green roof, or host a bluebird house. You can find projects to rescue animals, help children, protect the environment, and promote safety. Some volunteer activities can be done in as few as fifteen minutes. (Full disclosure: I am also a writer for this non-profit website).The Red Cross – Almost everyone lives near a Red Cross center. Find a local Red Cross and ask what you can do to help. Volunteers prepare for disasters, staff offices, work in homeless shelters, and perform many other services that are valuable to the community. Does It Meet Your Requirements? Before deciding on any service project, check with your school to make sure the opportunity meets all requirements. Some online schools will allow you  to do individual volunteer projects on your own as long as a parent logs your volunteer hours. Other schools require that you work with a specific organization and send in a letter from a supervisor. If you choose a project that suits you, volunteering can be a rewarding experience. Not only will you finish your required hours, you will also get the sense of accomplishment that comes from knowing youve made a real difference in the world.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Marketing Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Marketing Research - Essay Example Because of this influence, the demand for such products increases manifold and the retailers can benefit from enhanced volumes of sales. They may also become capable of assessing the market trends and can offer valuable feedback to supplier and manufactures to modify or amend their marketing strategies. Thus it can be stated that endorsement by celebrities can have a strong impact on products and create a healthy demand that in turn will raise sales volumes resulting in increased profits for the retailers. â€Å"Celebrity marketing is also a valuable way to build instant name recognition, attaching yourself to a person who is well-known to achieve awareness that otherwise might have taken years of marketing.†1 Marketing Research is a scientific search for information especially in the areas related to functions of marketing. Marketing research as a separate department can be a source of valuable help to management’s decision making process. Today, the dynamic markets require numerous middlemen between producer and consumer. Each middleman provides flow of communication regarding consumer needs and dealer needs to the manufacturer. To evaluate and understand the size and specialization within the business unit and to determine the intervention of numerous middlemen between producer and consumer a company needs proper marketing research. In this context marketing research plays a very important role in the modern marketing system. Accurate information is a core factor in successful marketing research. There are two types of methods employed in data collection: primary data collection and secondary data collection. Primary data collection is facilitated by collecting information direc tly from the source. There are many tools used like observation, direct interview, telephone interview, mail survey, projective technique, etc used in primary data collection. Interview is

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Economics for Business and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economics for Business and Management - Essay Example The demand curve may take an unique shape like that in figure 3.5 for two major reason, firstly if the product is of an inferior nature. Secondly if the customer believe that even though the price is high the quality is worth it, hence they demand buying more. With respect to figure 3.6 The demand curve will happen to shift incase at every and each price the customers are prepared to buy more or less than before (GILLESPIE, 2011) Similarly supply curve combines all the goods produced and offered for sale in the market against given price (THOMPSON, 2010). Goods are only sold when profit of the producers equates costs or is greater than that which means supply curve can be indicated as social cost. People have to pay a certain cost to attain some benefit. The intersection of demand and supply provides market equilibrium at which equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity is determined (AFRIAT, 2003). Now if the equilibrium conditions are dismantled; the economic efficiency will also b e lost in the process such in the case of benefits and costs, there may be welfare loss or even welfare gain too. Assuming a condition where minimum price is set above the equilibrium prices indicate setting a price floor for a certain commodity. Suppose government introduces price floor on cotton to protect the small producer, this will result in increasing prices where consumers will be required to pay higher prices that the good’s actual worth. In an open competition the prices might have shifted down to equilibrium but due to price floor that won’t be possible. In Fig. 1, Pf price is set to be fixed at $4 where quantity supplied is 2kg Cotton and demand is 1.5kg while at equilibrium consumers might have 1.8Kg cotton at less price of $3.2. So, with an increase in price over equilibrium has reduced the social welfare as the surplus cotton is not demanded yet the consumers are required to pay higher for limited quantity (WESTON & TOWNSEND, 2009). The social cost of co tton is more than the social benefits which sums up the negative net welfare at large. Question 2 (Why a profit maximizing firm produces the output that equates marginal revenues to marginal costs? (MR=MC)) In monopoly or even in perfect competition, a firm optimizes its profit and output where marginal cost and marginal revenue are equal (GRIFFITHS & WALL, 2011). All approaches to analyse maximized profits end up at MR and MC. If we examine total revenue and total cost; they are also summed up by the marginal. Secondly marginal curves provide the slope of change by which accuracy can easily be maintained. In perfect competition firm has MR=MC at two point. First at output level 1 and at output level 7. Firms always prefer the highest output to be produced while secondly at output level 1, though MR=MC but the total cost is below total revenue and the profit at this point is also negative (GILLESPIE, 2011). Finally the maximized profit require the biggest gap and difference between revenues and costs which can only be attained at point where MC=MR as in Fig. 2, at max. profit Average Cost is farthest away from Average Revenue. Mathematically, when MR=MC, after taking 1st derivative the gap between Total Revenue (TR) and Total Cost (TC) is the positive highest. Which after 2nd derivative becomes negative indicating the maximum profit while no other

Saturday, November 16, 2019

RoseColored Glasses and The Glass Menagerie Essay Example for Free

RoseColored Glasses and The Glass Menagerie Essay The Glass Menagerie is about a dysfunctional family that consists of a mother, and her two adult children, Tom and Laura. All of them dream to seek comfort and to escape reality because none of them enjoys the life they lead. Similarly, in Rose-Colored Glasses, the narrator of the poem is inclined to dream rather than to face reality because she has not overcome the transition from one big happy family to getting kicked out of her old home and having divorced parents. These two families are reflections of each other because in both families, the characters rely on dreaming to overcome not only the fathers abandoning the family, but also to escape the financial and emotional despair in their livesboth of which are direct impacts from the fathers absence. Faced with disappointment because the fathers desert the family, the characters In Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie and Elizabeth Alexanders Rose-Colored Glasses, withdraw into their distinct worlds to escape the expectations that reality demands. Disappointment is a theme in both the story and the play and with similar impacts on the family. The first time the characters face disappointment is when the fathers leave the familyone through divorce, the other fell in love with long distances. The first impact is emotional despair for both families. In the Wingfield family, Amanda openly expresses her remorse and regret for marrying the absent father. Tom is emotionally distraught because he has to fill his fathers shoes in providing for the family when all he wants to do is to leave and become a sailor. The narrator in Rose-Colored Glasses experiences sadness because her family is broken apart. Besides emotional despair, both families are faced with financial problems. The narrator is kicked out of her apartment which is even more beautiful then it was then, and perfect. This shows how much she wants it back and how sad she must have been when she moved. As for the Wingfields, Tom makes so little money that he has to sacrifice the money for the light bill in order to pay for membership in the Merchant Marines. Laura is deeply disappointed when Jim tells her he is engaged that she may never have renewed hope for anyone again. Disappointment is a theme that partly drives the characters to retreat more so into their illusional worlds in order to escape emotional hurt and financial problems in the real world. The illusional worlds that the characters imagine themselves to be in are sometimes caused by the theme, expectations. Amanda expects Laura to be just like her and actually dreams Laura can be if she just develops vivacity and charm. Amanda fantasizes that these traits can easily be developed if one wills it. However, this is not an easy task for Laura because she is extremely shy. Although Laura is never expecting any gentlemen caller, Amanda never stops telling her to stay fresh and pretty because its almost time for our gentlemen callers to start arriving! 10 From this, we can tell that Amanda expects too much that in her mind, it becomes believable. In another scene, Amanda expects Tom to find Laura a husband in order to secure her future. Amanda so strongly expects Jim to be Lauras future husband that she actually begins to believe it. She ends up over preparing the house and over dressing Laura. She later accuses Tom of playing a joke on her when in fact, she never minded to ask him about it. Laura, on the other hand expects something to come out of her and Jims meeting because he kissed her. She sits dazed after he kisses her, possibilly imagining that he likes her when in fact, this is a false illusion created by her expectation. The narrator in Rose-Colored Glasses however, does not expect, but is expected from her mother to act grown up. When contrasting the time when she would Played checkers with a dolly being enough to be your sister and there was no desperation where one day [she] would cut off [her] tow long braids to now, she is obviously desperate to grow up because she is expected to be. during the years before the divorce she was still a child however the family breaks apart, she walks the passage to overcoming the impact of the divorce and during the process, matured. She feels obliged to deal with the divorce maturely, but at the same time does not want to stop being a child alotgehter, and so she retreats into her own illusional world where she can do whatever she wants. In order to escape disappointment and expectations in life, escapism is a theme in both Rose-Colored Glasses and The Glass Menagerie. Characters from both texts escape in one way or another in order to avoid confrontation with the harshness of reality. Tom goes to the movies to escape the mundane life he leads. Laura indulges in her glass menagerie and music to avoid her mothers expectations of her to socialize. Laura actually wants to be a part  of her glass menagerie and imagines herself to be. In fact, Lauras separation [from reality] increases till she is like a piece of her own glass collection. ixx Amanda and the narrator nostalgically reminisces their pasts as a way to escape. The narrator relives the past in her mind when there was no divorce and where you swung on a trapeze in the dining room archway and Plinked-plinked on the piano and Your little dogs nails scritch-scratching the hardwood floors when he heard you walking from the elevator. The narrator seeks comfort by immersing herself in her past, or perhaps she feels control over her life when she recalls these memories. Similarly, Amandas memories not only let her cling to another time, but also offer her escape from the blow to her self image when her husband deserted her. It is hard for any reasonable reader to believe that Amanda had 17 gentlemen callers in one day. She retreats so far into her world of illusions that this illusion becomes almost too real for her. She wears her yellow dress, believing that she can be just as youthful and vivacious as she was years ago when in fact, the dress is clearly out of place and time, and elicits surprise from both Jim and Tom. In both the novel and play, the theme disappointment leads the narrator in Elizabeth Alexanders Rose Colored-Glasses and Amanda, Tom and Laura in Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie to similar problemsthat is Amanda, Tom and Laura and the narrator become emotionally detached from the real world as they are left to cope with the disappointment that the fathers instill in them. Furthermore, the father leaves all his problems behind for the rest of the family which means every member of the family must fill new expectations in place of the father. Tom is expected to provide for the family, Amanda to care for her two children, Laura to get married so that she does not need to depend on Tom, and the narrator is expected to handle the divorce maturely. All of these expectations are against the wishes of the person expected to initiate them. Tom would rather become a sailor, Amanda to become youthful and to be given the chance to choose a new husband, Laura to become part of her glass menagerie world, and the narrator to live her childhood. All these expectations make reality hard to face and so the characters escape into worlds dreamt in their minds. Amanda and the narrator dream their old times, Tom dreams his sailing prospects, and Laura  dreams to be part of her glass menagerie world. Disappointment, expectation, and escapism are all central themes to both plays in order to convey the major theme that although the human need to dream may give one escape for a brief period of time, retreating too deeply into the dream can be harmful because you do not see reality as it is.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

American Masculinity: Defined By War Essay -- War and American Masculi

War has been a mainstay of human civilization since its inception thousands of years ago, and throughout this long and colorful history, warriors have almost exclusively been male. By repeatedly taking on the fundamentally aggressive and violent role of soldier, Man has slowly come to define Himself through these violent experiences. Although modern American society regulates the experiences associated with engaging in warfare to a select group of individuals, leaving the majority of the American public emotionally and personally distant from war, mainstream American masculinity still draws heavily upon the characteristically male experience of going to war. In modern American society, masculinity is still defined and expressed through analogy with the behavior and experiences of men at war; however, such a simplistic masculinity cannot account for the depth of human experience embraced by a modern man. Whether engaging in European trench warfare or fighting through the jungles of Vietnam, a soldier must learn to cope with the incredible mental stress brought on by the ever-present threat of a grisly death. The physical stress introduced by poor nutrition, a harsh and hostile environment, and the cumulative physical effect of emotional trauma only serves to make a trying situation even more taxing. It is out of this violently stressful environment that the coping mechanisms that characterize wartime masculinity arise. A natural response to such a violent environment is to simply behave in a way that portrays no weakness. If the soldier does not show any signs of weakness, he finds it much easier to convince himself that he can survive by his strength. In asserting his control over himself by hiding all of his weaknesses, h... ...y and war still abound; however, these analogies cannot capture the full masculinity of the modern man as they do not allow for the formation of intimate personal relationships, such as that between husband and wife, which lie at the heart of ordinary civilian life. Works Cited Kriegel, Leonard. â€Å"Taking It.† Reconstructing Gender: A Multicultural Anthology. Ed. Estelle Disch. New York: McGraw Hill, 2006. 194-196. Messner, Michael A. â€Å"Boyhood, Organized Sports, and the Construction of Masculinities.† Reconstructing Gender: A Multicultural Anthology. Ed. Estelle Disch. New York: McGraw Hill, 2006. 120-137. O’Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. New York: Broadway Books, 1990. Petrie, Phil W. â€Å"Real Men Don’t Cry†¦ and Other ‘Uncool’ Myths.† Reconstructing Gender: A Multicultural Anthology. Ed. Estelle Disch. New York: McGraw Hill, 2006. 221-226.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Goodner Brothers Case Study

Q1. Define SWOT analysis with appropriate examples using external resources (200 words) SWOT Analysis, technique credited to Albert Humphrey, is strategic planning method used to evaluate Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats involved in business ventures. 1 It involves 1) Specifying objective 2) Identifying internal and external factors favorable and unfavorable to achieve objective 1 Example – Healthcare Software Company selling high value products 2 Strengths : Internal Characterisitcs of Business that give it an advantage 1 †¢ Highly experienced team, well established, reputable company †¢ High Percentage of Sales from Exports †¢ Knowledge of Advanced technology †¢ Very efficient Processes †¢ Top class service Weaknesses : Internal Characteristics that place it at disadvantage 1 †¢ Customers slow to Upgrade †¢ Complicated Products – need lots of Customisation †¢ Products innovative and market needs to be educated †¢ Technology emphasis within company rather than Marketing emphasis Opporutnities : External chances to impove performance 1 New competitors entering markets †¢ Government spending cut backs †¢ Technology changing fast Theats : External elements that could cause trouble 1 †¢ Population ageing †¢ Environmental issues increasing profile †¢ Healthcare costs rises rapidly †¢ Increased Safety and Risk awareness in healthcare Possible Strategy 2 Invest in marketing skills and knowledge to find new markets for specialist technical knowledge Increase export market to give buffer to Local Government initiatives in healthcare Add more value to customers outbidding new competitors. Emphasis in sales materials to offset new competitors entering market. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/SWOT_analysis & http://www. managementstudyguide. com/swot-analysis. htm Copyright  © 2008 – 2012 managementstudyguide. com. All rights reserved. (1) |http://www. rapid-business-intelligence-success. com/sample-swot- analysis. html  © Copyright Syd Stewart 2008 (2)| | |

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Typology of Phraseological Units in English

Typology of phraseological units in English Difference in terminology (â€Å"set-phrases†, â€Å"idioms† and â€Å"word-equivalents† [1]) reflects certain differences in the main criteria used to distinguish types of phraseological units and free word-groups. The term â€Å"set phrase† implies that the basic criterion of differentiation is stability of the lexical components and grammatical structure of word-groups. There is a certain divergence of opinion as to the essential features of phraseological units as distinguished from other word-groups and the nature of phrases that can be properly termed â€Å"phraseological units†.The habitual terms â€Å"set-phrases†, â€Å"idioms†, â€Å"word-equivalents† are sometimes treated differently by different linguists. However these terms reflect to certain extend the main debatable points of phraseology which centre in the divergent views concerning the nature and essential features of phraseological units as distinguished from the so-called free word-groups [2, p. 100]. The term â€Å"set expression† implies that the basic criterion of differentiation is stability of the lexical components and grammatical structure of word-groups.The term â€Å"word-equivalent† stresses not only semantic but also functional inseparability of certain word-groups, their aptness to function in speech as single words. The term â€Å"idioms† generally implies that the essential feature of the linguistic units under consideration is idiomaticity or lack of motivation. Uriel Weinreich expresses his view that an idiom is a complex phrase, the meaning of which cannot be derived from the meanings of its elements. He developed a more truthful supposition, claiming that an idiom is a subset of a phraseological unit.Ray Jackendoff and Charles Fillmore offered a fairly broad definition of the idiom, which, in Fillmore’s words, reads as follows: â€Å"†¦an idi omatic expression or construction is something a language user could fail to know while knowing everything else in the language†. Chafe also lists four features of idioms that make them anomalies in the traditional language unit paradigm: non-compositionality, transformational defectiveness, ungrammaticality and frequency asymmetry [6, p. 1-3].The term â€Å"idiom†, both in this country and abroad, is mostly applied to phraseological units with completely transferred meanings, that is, to the ones in which the meaning of the whole unit does not correspond to the current meanings of the components. According to the type of meaning phraseological units may be classified into: †¢Idioms; †¢Semi-idioms; †¢Phraseomatic units (after Ryzhkova). Idioms are phraseological units with a transferred meaning. They can be completely or partially transferred (red tape [3, p. 740]). Semi-idioms are phraseological units with two phraseosemantic meanings: terminological and transferred (chain reaction [3, p. 10], to lay down the arms [3, p. 33]). Phraseomatic units are not transferred at all. Their meanings are literal. Other types of phraseological units are also distinguished: †¢Phrases with a unique combination of components (born companion [3, p. 138]); †¢Phrases with a descriptive meaning; †¢Phrases with phraseomatic and bound meaning (to pay attention to [3, p. 40]); †¢Set expressions (cliches) (the beginning of the end [3, p. 59]); †¢Preposition-noun phrases (for good [3, p. 311], at least [3, p. 414]); †¢Terminological expressions (general ticket [3, p. 755], civil war [3, p. 121]) (after Ryzhkova).Semantic complexity is one of the most essential qualities of phraseological units. It’s resulted from the complicated interaction of the component meanings (meaning of prototype, of semantic structure etc. ). All these components are organized into a multilevel structure [4]. Idioms contain all information in co mpressed form. This quality is typical of idioms, it makes them very capacious units (idiom is a compressed text). An idiom can provide such a bright explanation of an object that can be better than a sentence. We can compare idioms with fables (the Prodigal son [3, p. 571]).Idioms based on cultural components are not motivated (the good Samaritan [5], Lot’s wife [5], the Troy horse [5]). Phraseological meaning contains background information. It covers only the most essential features of the object it nominates. It corresponds to the basic concept, to semantic nucleus of the unit. It is the invariant of information conveyed by semantically complicated word combinations and which is not derived from the lexical meanings of the conjoined lexical components [4]. According to the class the word-combination belongs to, we single out: †¢idiomatic meaning; idiophraseomatic meaning; †¢phraseomatic meaning (after Ryzhkova). The information conveyed by phraseological units i s thoroughly organized and is very complicated. It is characterized by: 1) multilevel structure; 2) structure of a field (nucleus + periphery); 3) block-schema (after Ryzhkova). It contains 3 macro-components which correspond to a certain type of information they convey: †¢the grammatical block; †¢the phraseological meaning proper; †¢motivational macro-component (phraseological imagery; the inner form of the phraseological unit; motivation) (after Ryzhkova).Phraseological unit is a non-motivated word-group that cannot be freely made up in speech but is reproduced as a ready made unit. Reproducibility is regular use of phraseological units in speech as single unchangeable collocations. Idiomaticity is the quality of phraseological unit, when the meaning of the whole is not deducible from the sum of the meanings of the parts. Stability of a phraseological unit implies that it exists as a ready-made linguistic unit which does not allow of any variability of its lexical c omponents of grammatical structure.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Essay Sample on Biracialism The Identity Development

Essay Sample on Biracialism The Identity Development Essay on Explication from Two Themes: This novel is based mainly on the theme of biracialism. This theme has been clearly brought out in the fact that the novel is set in a family of parents from two different races. The main character in the story, Birdie, is a white girl whose parents are from different races. Her father is black, while the mother is white. She is confused to be of a Jewish-American origin. The theme of biracialism is contrasted with the theme of identity rationalization. This is well observed in the fact that the main character, Birdie, has no clear race due to the difference in the race of the parents. Her father, who is black, does not approve of her, since she is white, and often disregards her. Birdie is helped by Cole, who understands the difficulties she is going through identifying herself with her family and the rest of the world. A child identifies herself with her parent’s origins. If the parents are from different races, the child may identify herself with the race of one of the parents. Birdies mother on the other hand, is so involved with civil activities that she barely has time for her children. She is the white parent, and is the most suitable one to indentify herself with Birdie. Birdie in this case cannot be classified as an American or a Jew. She has to search for her own identity. They even go ahead and come up with their own language with her sister. They can communicate in the language very well but it cannot be understood by other people. It is in the search for her identity that one night her father, his black girlfriend and her sister leave, for a place they are later to understand to be Brazil. In the United States, interacialism is not supported. The Americans believe that the land is strictly for the whites and those from other races are considered to be evil people and may be arrest ed by the government on grounds of underground illegal activities. Biracialism in the States is often faced by many challenges. Those individuals from different races have troubles identifying themselves with the Americans. This is the reason as to why Birdie is forced to live a lie. She is forced to adopt a white identity in order to remain safe in America. The issue of biracialism in the states can be considered a disadvantage in the sense that parents from different races may be forced to separate in search of secure places where there is no racism, and where Biracialism is accepted. Biracialism often leads to individuals, especially children, lacking racial identity. This is what happened to Birdie. She does not have a race to identify herself with and is forced to adopt a different identity to be safe in the United States of America. IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT In the modern world, various different races have come in contact and have over the years learned to coexist together in a cosmopolitan world. However, this does not come or did not come without various challenges, which threatened the coexistence which many strived for. Even so, many people are faced with issues of identity and the roles that they should play in order to achieve their identity. In the novel, Caucasia by Danzy Senna, these issues are illustrated through a mixed family setting involving a mixed family in which the mother is white and the father being a black man. The white woman and the black man have got two daughters one named birdie while the other is called Cole. From this perspective, it is evident that this is a family, which is faced with a lot of racial and cultural issues, which are expressed throughout this book. The writer has illustrated the issues from one of the daughter’s perspective and managed to analyze them in an interesting way which grips the reader (Senna, 39). In the story, issues of race are outlined in various ways. As such, the novel talks of the two blood sisters who are very different in appearance. Although born from a white mother and a black father, birdie the younger sister looks white while her elder sister looks black. This fact has brought out various issues one being that people believe that birdie is an adopted child of the family. The book was set in the 1970s and 1980s a time where America was still struggling with racism issues. Such racial politics are seen to distort the lives of the two girls as they struggle with finding their own identity in a society with little or no mercy for other races. At the time, racial intolerance was still rampant, and the girls had to deal with racial politics every single day given the nature of their family. Birdie who looked white had to deal with the issue of having a black sister, as well as a black father. For birdie, it was rather difficult for her to commit to an identity since she was of mixed race but looked white. She had to also deal with her socially accepted identity on one hand and her psychological construction of her identity. The society identified birdie as a white person and for this reason she was said to be adopted by the family. To further highlight this, her sister Cole looked black in a way which did not raise any form of doubt. It was difficult for her to be able to relate with other people in society without having being declared a misfit one way or the other. It was a constant battle of family relations and identity issues over societal expectations. The family eventually splits under various racial issues as well as politics of race having the separation of the daughters when the family breaks apart. Cole goes with her father while birdie goes with her white mo ther. This shows the strain of maintaining a multiracial family at the time which is posed by society, as well as family individuals. The splitting of the family also posed a lot of strain on the two girls finding their own identity amidst social and personal expectations. Birdie is said to be like a chameleon that has to keep changing in order to fit in society. At one point Birdie in Caucasia asks â€Å"what is the point of surviving if you have to disappear?†(Senna 29). This line shows how issues eg identity will influence the lives of many people. The reason for this being that every person such as birdie in this novel will have to construct their own identity either based on societal expectations or in relation to personal and individual views. From the novel Caucasia, it is evident that multiracial marriages at the time were encountered with very many issues leading to such marriages being dissolved. Birdie and Cole’s parents split due to strained relations brought about by issues of race (Senna 55). This further brought about issues of identity confusion especially to children born the mixed families. Interracial differences at the time of setting the novel was highly magnified leading to rampant and reckless discrimination. Even multiracial families brought together by love seemed to crumble with time due to strained interracial relations affecting both parents and children alike. However from the novel it is evident that children in such families were much more tolerant of racial differences as opposed to their parents (Hooks, 66). Birdie lee and Cole lee despite their appearances were very close and were traumatized by their untimely separation. They also had to struggle to find their own identity amidst the racial tension evident in the book at the time. From this we learn that people have got different views about issues relating to identity and how to deal with role confusion due to construction of identity. CONCLUSION In conclusion, therefore, the novel has highlighted that identity issues will have to be determined by the person in relation to the social placing and in relation to societal expectations. The issue of man overcoming adversity shows how people will strive to overcome challenges in life. This has also been elicited well by the author.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Helping Students Move Beyond General Goals

Helping Students Move Beyond General Goals Once you have determined a general goal and you think you know why it appeals to you, you are ready to write it in a way that will help you make it happen. Goals Studies of successful people have shown that they write goals that contain similar elements. To write a goal like winners do, be sure that: It is stated in a positive way. (eg. I will... not, I might or I hope...It is obtainable. (Be realistic, but dont sell yourself short.)It involves your behavior and not someone elses.It is written.It includes a way to measure successful completion.It includes the specific date when you will begin working on the goal.It includes a projected date when you will reach the goal.If it is a big goal, it is divided into manageable steps or sub-goals.The projected dates for working on and completion of sub-goals are specified. Despite the length of the list, great goals are easy to write. The following are examples of goals containing the necessary components. General Goal: I will be a better basketball player during this year.Specific Goal: I will get 18 baskets in 20 tries by June 1, 2009.I will begin working on this goal January 15, 2009.General Goal: I will become an electrical engineer some day.Specific Goal: I will have a job as an electrical engineer by January 1, 2015.I will begin working on this goal February 1, 2009.General Goal: I will go on a diet.Specific Goal: I will lose 10 pounds by April 1, 2009.I will begin dieting and exercising February 27, 2009. Now, write your general goal. (Be sure to start with I will.) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Now make it more specific by adding the manner of measurement and projected completion date. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I will begin working on this goal on (date) _______________________________ Considering how completing this goal will benefit you is quite important because this benefit will be the source of motivation for the work and sacrifice needed to complete your goal. To remind yourself why this goal is important to you, complete the sentence below. Use as much detail as you can by imagining the goal completed. Begin with, I will benefit by meeting this goal because... _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Because some goals are so big that thinking about them makes us feel overwhelmed, it is necessary to break them into sub goals or the steps you need to take in order to meet your major goal. These steps should be listed below along with a projected date for completion. Creating Sub-Goals Since this list will be used to schedule your work on these steps, you will save time if you set up a table on another piece of paper with a wide column for listing the steps, and a number of columns to the side which will eventually be used to indicate time periods. On a separate sheet of paper, make a table with two columns. To the right of these columns, attach gridded or graph paper. See the image at the top of the page for an example. After you have listed the steps you will need to complete in order to attain your goal, estimate the date by which you can complete all of them. Use this as your projected ending date. Next, turn this table into a Gantt chart by labeling columns to the right of completion date with appropriate time periods (weeks, months, or years) and color in the cells for the times you will work on a particular step. Project management software usually contains features for making Gantt charts and make the job more fun by automatically changing related charts when you make a change in any one of them. Now that you have learned to write a great specific goal and to schedule sub-goals on a Gantt chart, you are ready to learn how to maintain your motivation and momentum. Back to Goals and Resolutions: Writing Great Goals

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Various Key Competencies of The Crocs Inc Shoe Company Case Study

Various Key Competencies of The Crocs Inc Shoe Company - Case Study Example Crocs Inc can employ this strategy through making shoes from foam clogs (a croslite material) manufactured by a Canadian company (Snyder, 2011). This material is a mixture of inexpensive ingredients from many suppliers. This material is very easy to wash with water and it does not slip on wet boat decks. It prevents bad odor because of the presence of large ventilation holes. The foam is closely celled in shape of the wearer’s foot to provide maximum comfort. These new designs of shoes may be sold to sailors from a leased warehouse. They can also have a brand name â€Å"clogs†, which can capture the attention of many sailors. Synder (2011) postulates that the company may also hire experienced consultants in combination with their own representatives and distributors who will be experienced in sales and marketing to manage its sales and control costs. A supply chain that provides a competitive advantage can also be developed by Crocs Inc managers. Through this supply chain, retailers can place bulk orders to be supplied during the selling season. These orders can be quickly manufactured and shipped to new retail stores. This will no doubt offer a competitive advantage over other manufacturers. Crocs Inc may also expand through acquiring ideas from executives, Flextronics, and built infrastructure. The shoe company can also launch their sales worldwide to increase profits. It can also be helpful in getting a brand name that would stand out in the competing market in Europe (Snyder, 2011). Funky looking shoes would then be introduced in the market. The company should buy most of the competitors’ stakes so as to take control of the market. The company should also consider increasing more shoe companies. This can be done by opening more branches in different territories around the world. These new companies will add more ideas to the business and increase the rate of growth.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Leading a turnaround Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leading a turnaround - Essay Example Another change made was to reinvest savings back into the business; this had the knock-on effect of raising the company’s EPS. However, perhaps the most successful change was to instill a new corporate culture that respected leadership; this was important if Loren was going to be able to pick the company up because he needed respect of his subordinates. After five years of Loren in charge, the company’s reputation and value grew enormously, with double-digit earnings growth year-on-year. In January of 2005, Loren stepped as CEO of the company and handed over the reins to Steven Alesio (this was planned for two years before it actually took place). For the few months following that move, Loren remained as chairman; he stepped down from this role in May of 2005 and was replaced once again by Steven Alesio. With the company heading in the right direction, it was the right time for Loren to retire and leave the company in the capable hands of someone who he has specifically chosen for the

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Most Significant Moment of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Most Significant Moment of Life - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the true essence of our life is exhibited through the little moments of joy or sorrow that are dear to us and are close to our hearts. These moments may be seemingly minor and trivial but become the most treasured and meaningful memories. These noteworthy moments adorn our past for our lifetime and have an evergreen effect on our future. Not just joyous incidents, some heart-wrenching episodes affecting our dear ones or our surroundings can also remain etched in our memories. Such incidents serve as reminders of the realities of life and the ups and downs it encompasses. On the other hand, the beautiful and worthwhile episodes shared with our family, favorite pets, colleagues, and friends prove to us every day the worthiness of life. These precious memories give us the necessary boost we need when we are drowned in the daily chaos and obligations. The researcher’s Granddad possessed a very full of life and admirable personality. The author enjoyed the most when she used to spend her time at her grandparent's house. Every single moment the researcher spent with her granddad was filled with affection and a feeling of warmth. Even now when she thinks of even the most inconsequential episodes she spent with her granddad, the author is reminded of his honesty and kindness that reflected her personality. Childhood is a part of your life where the tiniest of gestures have a deep impact on one’s personality. The researcher’s granddad showed the importance of family, the significance of kindness and gave her the confidence that is needed to become a self-assured young girl that she is today. The author always worshipped his lively personality, the way he laughed and made jokes with his companions. His authoritarian personality with the spirit of kindness and love that, he had in abundance, especially for the researcher. Her granddad always took special care of her and the author used to accompany him most of the time. One particular incident has left a deep impact on the author’s mind and she still finds that she related to it some way or another. During one particular summer vacations, when the author was in 6th standard she went to her granddad's house as a part of her usual annual routine. As usual, the author spent the bright lively summer days in her grandparent’s house cherishing each and every moment. Summer vacations were a time which she used to wait for eagerly. It was an occasion when the researcher got the chance to spend time with one person who made her feel special through his affectionate soul and kind gestures. Granddad brought home a little, frail puppy that looked scared and homeless. Its innocent round eyes stared at the author with fear in them. Granddad had found him on his way home in a deserted street without its mother. The researcher was amazed and quite amused by this little creature. The puppy was just like a little baby; small, fragile and completely dependent on others. Granddad gave the puppy to the author and told her to take special care of the little creature. That day he taught the researcher a lesson that she followed the rest of her life. It was something that was obvious from his way of life and his personality. He taught her love and affection for family. He told her that if today the author takes care of the little, defenseless creature, it will grow up tomorrow and return her the kindness and affection she showed to it.  

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Public Participation Planning

Public Participation Planning The purpose of this Literature Review is to establish a theoretical framework for my research proposal, specifically the theoretical aspects associated with public participation and collaborative planning. It aims to analyse and assess the various articles books and journals published and researched to date, while also identifying potential gaps in the research, which could be addressed by my research proposal. The literature review will take the form of an assessment of the emergence of public participation, the different types of participation and decision making models, followed by an analysis of the merits of collaborative planning as a tool for facilitating public participation within a development plan process. 2.2What is meant by participation? Although the merits of public participation have only begun to gain credence in recent times, the idea itself has been around for quite a while and literature on the subject can be found spanning back a number of decades. Public Participation has been defined as citizen involvement in making service delivery and management decisions (Langton, 1978). More recently it has been defined as ‘the process through which stakeholders influence and share control over priority setting, policy-making, resource allocations and access to public goods and services (Kende-Robb, 2005). Sanoff argues that it is advocated to reduce citizen cynicism toward government, build stakeholder consensus in government and enhance administrative decision-making. There remains a strong sense that the proper objective of participation is to ensure the ‘transformation of existing development practice, and more radically, the social relations, institutional practices and capacity gaps which cause social exclusion. This was central to many of the approaches to participation over the years including the community development approach from the 1940s to 1960s; political participation in the 1960s and 1970s; alternative development from the 1970s to the 1990s; social capital from the mid 1990s to the present and participatory governance and citizen participation from the late 1990s to the present day (Hickey Mohan, 2004). Other traditional participation mechanisms include public hearings, citizen forums, community or neighbourhood meetings, citizen advisory groups, individual citizen representation and focus groups (Wang, 2001). The focus on increasing public participation and citizen involvement in policy making has only begun to have a visible effect in recent times. It has been stated that direct, active citizen involvement in policy making has not always been a goal of civilised societies (Putnam, 1995). The reason is, to some extent a result of the enlarged role in society played by government bureaucracies (Davidoff, 1965). Habermas however states that individuals should be able to freely share their views with one another in a process, which closely resembles true participatory democracy. He states that the public sphere is â€Å"a discursive arena that is home to citizen debate, deliberation, agreement and action† (Habermas, 1981). By allowing every person the same opportunity to participate in discourse, Habermas hopes to eradicate the prejudices which limit marginalized groups from fully attaining their rights in a democratic society. The difficulty with recent models of participation is that citizens are more often reacting to plans rather than proposing what they see as appropriate goals for future action. This is certainly the case in Ireland, where participation is almost always reactive in nature. However, in the last decade this has begun to change and public participation is becoming an established part of planning and policy decision-making practice (Cameron Grant-Smith, 2005). Participation Versus Consultation Even though the term ‘participation is used to describe public involvement in policy and decision making, it must be recognised that there are various levels at which a person may participate and in many cases what is referred to as public ‘participation is not in fact participation at all. In the late 1960s, Sherry Arnstein developed an 8 rung ‘Ladder of Citizen Participation with each rung corresponding to the extent of the citizens power in influencing a final outcome (Arnstein, 1969). Arnstein developed this Ladder while involved in developing processes for citizen participation in planning and renewal projects in America (see figure 1). At the bottom of the ladder are rungs 1 (Manipulation)and 2 (Therapy). Both are non participative and the aim is to cure or educate the participants. The proposed plan is deemed best and the job of participation is to achieve public support by public relations. Rungs 3 (Informing), 4 (Consultation) and 5 (Placation) demonstrate slightly higher levels of tokenistic participation, however too frequently the emphasis is on a one-way flow of information with no channel for feedback. Rung 6 (Partnership) can be described as meaningful participation, as power is in fact redistributed through negotiation between citizens and power holders. Planning and decision-making responsibilities are shared e.g. through joint committees. It is at this partnership level that the collaborative planning model aims to operate. Rungs 7 (Delegated Power) and 8 (Citizen Control) affords ‘have-not citizens the majority of decision making seats or full power and is the holy grail in terms of citizen participation. Figure 1: If participation is to be real and effective there must be dialogue between the different stakeholders and between those who have power (those at the top of the ladder) and between those who have little or no power (those at the bottom of the ladder). There must be a two way flow of information between the parties involved. However there is no dialogue in consultation which is what has traditionally been considered ‘participation in a development plan process in Ireland. The planning authority consults the public normally after a plan has been prepared by seeking feedback through public meetings and public comment. ‘Participation in Ireland essentially consists of proposal and response the planning authority proposes a plan for a community and members of the public respond through making a submission. This submission is often made without any direct contact with officials in the planning authority so in effect there is no dialogue of any form, thereby illustrating that what is refered to as ‘participation in a development plan process in Ireland is in fact consultation. However, with public participation now becoming central to National, European and International policy, as well as being an important aspect of the sustainable development discourse, such tokenistic participation is no longer adequate. The introduction of the Planning and Development Act 2000 has resulted in a requirement on planning authorities to produce their statutory plans through a process that involves greater public input at the earlier stages. They are now required to develop a somewhat more participatory approach to planning than was previously the case. The Aarhus Convention, which took place in 1998, and the 2003 Public Participation Directive which followed on from the convention, also provide members of the public with opportunities for early and effective participation on plans or programmes relating to the environment. The increase in emphasis on public participation has meant that alternative models of planning need to emerge to facilitate and respond to this increas e and the collaborative planning model is one such response. 2.4Participation in Physical Planning Decision Making There has been much debate about the most effective methods of facilitating citizen involvement in policy formulation and decision-making. A useful approach that provides a basis for analysing processes of decision-making in planning is that developed by Innes and Booher (2000) and this will be discussed first, followed by an analysis of other participatory models of decision making that have emerged in recent times. The Innes and Booher approach identifies four different models of decision making technical/bureaucratic, political influence, social movement and the collaborative model as well as identifying when and where each model works best, which ultimately depends on the levels of diversity and interdependence present (see diagram). Source: (Innes and Booher, 2000) The technical/bureaucratic model works best where there is neither diversity nor interdependence among interests. A bureaucratic system is set up to implement known policy and the technical analyst is associated with rationality and bureaucracy. Technicians and bureaucracies essentially respond to a single set of goals and decision maker, and the typical practice is one where analyses are not focussed on interdependencies. Within this model, the focus of planning is on the achievement of the most efficient mechanism for reaching easily defined and identified needs. The political influence model works best where there is a high diversity of interests, however there is normally a low interdependence of interests, as each individual is focussed on their maximising their own interest only. In this model there tends to be a political bargaining approach that seeks to get an adequate number of interests to agree to a particular course of action in order for it to work. The social movement model recognises the importance of high levels of interdependence among a coalition of interests and individuals, but which does not deal with the full diversity of interests. Collaboration therefore is seen as the model that deals best with both diversity and interdependence ‘but is typically the least-used and least-institutionalised of the four models (Innes and Booher, 2000). Both the technical/bureaucratic model and the political influence models of planning and decision making, as proposed by Innes and Booher, reflect the lower levels of participation as identified by Arnstein, with the ‘convincing nature of the technical/bureaucratic model comparing significantly with need to ‘educate and ‘cure participants on Arnsteins tokenism rungs. The technocratic approach to planning which was the dominant planning model for much of the twentieth century has been severely criticised for its failure to adequately incorporate the values and interests of stakeholders into the decision making process. This criticism of technocratic planning was fuelled by the growing protests of stakeholders over expert-formulated plans in areas such as natural resource management, environmental regulation, transportation, and urban renewal, that were clearly contrary to the interests of large segments of society (Gunton and Day 2003). Planning theory responded to t he criticism and limitations of the technocratic approach by acknowledging the role of goals and objectives identified through democratic political processes (political influence model) to set the framework in which plans were prepared (Davidoff 1965). Planners, previously experts under the technocratic umbrella were relegated to determining optimal means to achieve politically set goals within this new participatory environment. The unresolved question in this new goals-based planning theory was how the goals should be determined. The initial and somewhat vague response was that goals should be determined by citizen participation in the planning process, however it was not clear how this was to be achieved (Gunton and Day 2003). Dahl suggested that pluralism was another vehicle that would allow individual citizens to have their concerns voiced in government, a concept developed by Davidoff in the 1960s interlinked with the idea of the planner as an advocate for the under-represented (Dahl, 1989). Unlike the ‘advocacy planning that Davidoff proposes (different planners acting as advocates for different interests), most city and town planning is performed by a single planning authority which develops plans, which it feels will best serve the welfare of the whole community, not of individual interest groups (LeGates and Stout, 2000). Davidoff argues that different groups in society have different interests, which would result in fundamentally different plans if such interests were incorporated into these plans. The articulate, wealthy and powerful groups have the skills and resources to influence plans to take account of their own interests while the poor and powerless do not. Advocacy Planning introduces the idea of planners acting as advocates, articulating the needs of the poor and powerless, the same way as a lawyer represents a client (Davidoff, 1965). The problem with advocacy planning, however, is that it did not provide a framework for resolving disputes among competing interest groups and therefore cannot be seen as an adequate method for dealing with the various conflicts that are emerging in modern day planning. Dahl sees pluralism as a situation where individuals join interests groups that represent their needs and wants. These interests groups then come together to debate their competing viewpoints and create a collective public policy that should reflect the common good. The more interest groups that exist, the greater the conflict, and the greater the likelihood that decision making will reflect that common good (Dahl, 1989). However, Lowi on the other hand argues that pluralism often fails to represent the collective good, and instead represents the needs and wants of special interest groups (Lowi, 1979). Davidoffs idea of pluralism is slightly different from Dahls, in that citizens or interest groups should go one step further and produce an alternative plan to what he sees as the ‘unitary plan prepared by the planning authority, and the advocate planner can be central to the process by representing certain interest groups. A final model, often referred to as alternative dispute resolution, also emerged as a way of engaging stakeholders in the development of plans by allowing stakeholders to negotiate a consensus agreement to resolve the dispute (Susskind and Cruikshank 1987). However the alternative dispute resolution does not appear to provide a satisfactory model either, as it is reactive in responding to disputes that have already arisen instead of proactive. In essence, this limits its effectiveness as a planning tool. It is evident therefore that to date, the existing models of decision making have had limited success with regard to facilitating public participation. However as our societies and communities are now becoming more diverse and less homogenous than ever before it would seem an alternative model is required to facilitate and acknowledge these changes. 2.5The Collaborative Planning Model Innes and Booher (2000) note that in situations where there is a clear interdependence between stakeholders interests and there exists a high diversity of such interests that a different model of planning and policy making is needed. This model is known as collaborative planning. It emerged as a distinct planning paradigm in the 1990s and is a logical extension of alternative dispute resolution (Gunton and Day 2003). ‘The collaborative model is about stakeholders co-evolving to a common understanding, direction and set of heuristics†¦. It is only the collaborative model that deals both with diversity and interdependence because it tries to be inclusive and to explore interdependence in the search for solutions. It does not ignore or override interests, but seeks solutions that satisfy multiple interests. For complex and controversial issues in rapidly changing and uncertain contexts issues that there is public pressure to address collaboration among stakeholders is likely to be the best approach indeed the only approach that can produce a satisfactory result. (Innes and Booher, 2000, p21) This model is a new framework for planning which proposes that spatial planning activity move from the traditional narrow, technical and procedural focus towards a communicative and collaborative model for achieving common purposes in the shared spaces of our societies (Healy, 1997). For Healy, collaborative planning seems not to be an end in itself, but a path to â€Å"co-existence in shared spaces.† Like Innes and Booher, Healy also believes that a collaborative approach can be successful only where there is a variety of stakeholders interests, because if all the interests are the same then no dialogue is required. Healys version of collaborative planning emerged after she analysed the shortcomings of conventional forms of governance and styles of planning, namely economic planning, physical development, public administration and policy analysis, advocacy planning, neo liberalism and utilitarianism. The conceptual base for collaborative planning as Healy sees it, consists of two theoretical strands, an ‘institutionalist sociology and ‘communicative dialogue. The institutionalist theory states that spatial planning processes need to be judged by the quality of the process, i.e. the way the decision is made is just as important as the actual decision. It also seeks to identify and analyze forms and relations of power between people, beyond that of class and categories. The communicative approach offers a way forward in the design of governance processes for a ‘shared world and takes an ethical commitment to enabling all stakeholders have a voice. It deals with the design of governance systems and practices, focusing on ways of fostering collaborative, consensus building processes. This approach outlines a number of necessary components for a collaborative model to be successful. Consensus building practices are important, as they help to ensure that no stakeholder finds a particular outcome intolerable. It is important that an individuals position at the top of the ladder is not maximized at the expense of the individual at the bottom; there should be equality. It recognizes three forms of reasoning instrumental/technical (the mechanisms for public decision making), moral and emotive/aesthetic. It argues that there has been a predominance of the first, at the expense of the other two. Within the public sphere, moral and emotive reasoning must be afforded an equivalent status, to achieve balance. There is also a need for recognition of the growing cultural differences that there now is. She also points out that polices and processes need to be designed to relate to the experience of globalization and multi-cultural societies, as older planning practices do not take these into account. Leadership is not about bringing stakeholders around to a particular planning content but in getting people to agree and ensuring that, whatever the position of the participants within the socio-economic hierarchy, no groups interests will dominate (Healy, 1997) Another approach to collaborative planning is that which emerges from the work of John Forester, an American planning theorist, who focuses on the communicative role of the planning analyst. His view is that planners within organizations do not work instrumentally towards the achievement of clearly distinguishable ends. Instead he sees the role of the planner to: ‘†¦work instead toward the correction of needless distortions, some systematic and some not, which disable, mystify, distract and mislead others: to work towards a political democratization of daily communications. (Forester, 1989, p.21) Forester also states that: ‘†¦problems will be solved not only by technical experts, but also by pooling expertise and non-professional contributions too; not just by formal procedure but by informal consultation and involvement; not mainly through formally rational management procedures, but through internal and external politics and the development of a working consensus; not by solving an engineering equation but by complimenting technical performance with political sophistication, support building, and liaison work (p. 152) Forester therefore recognizes the communication and negotiating elements of planning, as well as its technical elements. He also recognizes the political nature of planning and the extent to which the planner is engaged in value laden political action. 2.6Strengths and Weaknesses of Collaborative Planning Advocates of collaborative planning cite many advantages of the collaborative model relative to other models of planning. Firstly, the chances of reaching a decision on a plan are a lot higher, because stakeholders are incorporated in the process from the outset to help reach a solution, rather than remaining as critics outside the process (Gunton and Day 2003, Susskind et al. 2000). Secondly the dynamic interaction of the stakeholders is likely to produce a plan that is in the public interest as more alternatives are generated and the consensus decision rule ensures that the mutual interests of all parties are at least partially catered for in the plan (Frame et al, 2004). Thirdly, the plan produced at the end of the process has a greater chance of being implemented, because stakeholders who might otherwise attempt to block the implementation have developed the plan and will help implement it because they have a stake in the outcome. Finally, collaborative planning helps to create à ¢â‚¬Ëœsocial capital among the stakeholders, improving their skills, knowledge and stakeholder relationships which last beyond the process of creating a plan (Gunton and Day, 2003). However, the collaborative planning model also has its critics and a number of weaknesses and challenges to the approach have been identified. Firstly, collaborative planning is founded on the principle of stakeholders negotiating with one another to agree on an outcome. In some cases, more influential and powerful stakeholders will avoid or undermine the process by using delaying tactics, or pursuing alternative means to achieve their objectives if they do not like the outcome of collaboration (Frame et al, 2003). Secondly, the need to achieve consensus may encourage stakeholders to seek second best or vague solutions when they cannot reach the best possible agreement (Gunton and Day, 2003). Cooper and Mckenna (2006) and Fainstein (2000) also state that the need to achieve consensus has meant that participatory exercises often concentrate on issues where agreement is more likely to be achieved and avoids those which are likely to cause difficulties. Thirdly, the time and resources r equired to organise a process around large group of diverse stakeholders is quite substantial. This is compounded by the potential lack of support or interest from planning officials who are unwilling to delegate the decision-making responsibilities to outside stakeholders (Wondolleck and Yaffee, 2000, Fainstein, 2000). Also, established statutory fora comprising of local elected representatives are relatively neglected, while project staff must spend huge amounts of time, energy and money organising and servicing local public meetings, stakeholder meetings, public surveys and follow up consultation exercises. This often leads to a situation where projects become characterised by ‘consultation paralysis, a condition where nothing can be done because yet someone else must be consulted or re-consulted (Cooper and McKenna, 2006). Finally, relying on stakeholders that have little or no specialised training may lead to the exclusion of important scientific information in the decisi on making process, thus resulting in poor decisions being made. Fainstein (2000) also cites what she sees as a number of other weaknesses with the collaborative planning approach including: Action/implementation is often a problem, because parties in the process are not honest about their intentions and purposes It ignores the role of the powerful and their capacity to impede the implementation of agreed actions The process is usually too drawn out and resource hungry If the planner/expert acts as facilitator only, new and creative thinking can be stifled and only those that are incrementalist in nature will emerge There is evidence that experts acting on their own often come up with better solutions than stakeholders operating in a collaborative process It is evident from the above that collaborative planning approaches have many strengths and weaknesses, however it would appear that the potential benefits to the community from using such an approach outweigh potential negatives. COLLABORATIVE PLANNING IN IRELAND In the past number of years, there have been many attempts to develop models for community development and planning that aim to achieve higher levels of participation than previous models. Such models include the ADOPT model, the Bantry Bay Charter and Integrated Area Planning (IAP) to name but a few, while the Village Design Statement (VDS) could also be considered as an attempt at achieving higher levels of participation through a more collaborative approach. The ADOPT model, which was pioneered by Ballyhoura Development Ltd, is aimed at providing local area-based communities with a framework for participation in community development at a local level. The model also aims to tackle the lack of co-operation within the community sector, and weak research and planning by communities who are participating and contributing to local planning and development activities. It seeks to develop a strong community representative structure, an umbrella group that brings together representatives of the various bodies and groups within the community to ensure that activities are not being duplicated and that real needs are being addressed. This umbrella structure, along with the training and capacity building that the model promotes, supports communities and their representatives to play a meaningful role in partnership functions with Stage agencies and other bodies (Pobal, 2003). The Bantry Bay Charter was a project initiated by Cork County Council with the main objective being to develop a model and strategy for successful coastal zone management. By developing a stakeholders charter it was possible to develop an agreed approach to the management and development of the Bantry Bay area. In doing so, the process brought together the different stakeholders and interest groups of the area, as well as the agencies involved in regulating and developing the area. The Charter is based on the understanding that the regulatory agencies need to work in partnership with the local community for the successful management and development of the area. It explored the use of consensus, where all those who are stakeholders work together, to develop a single agreed approach to its development. Similar to these models is a model of collaborative planning developed by Tipperary Institute (TI), a third level education institution specialising in the area of Sustainable Rural Development called Integrated Area Planning. Integrated Area Planning is a concept that first emerged through the 1999 Urban Renewal Scheme, introduced by the Irish Government and which involved a more targeted approach to the award of urban renewal incentives. This model is multi-focused and is based on the premise that development of an area should emerge from a broadly based not take place in isolation but should emerge from a broadly based Integrated Area Plan (IAP), taking into account the social, environmental, economic and cultural needs of a community. Integrated Area Planning has been defined by TI as an empowering, practical and participatory process to collect, analyse, and compile information while developing the skills and structures needed to prepare and implement an inclusive and multifacet ed plan for a defined geographical area. The development of the IAP model was influenced to a great extent by planning theorist Patsy Healy and central to the model is the requirement for consensus to be reached on all issues before the process can be moved forward. The IAP model contains many key steps, which must be carried out including: Contracting Phase Pre-Development Phase Data Collection Establishment of a Steering Group Capacity Building of the Steering Group Establishment of Visions and Objectives Establishment of task groups Drafting Stage Validation Approval Implementation Using the IAP model, TI became involved in a number of community planning projects in Ireland including: Crusheen Co. Clare, Kinvara and Eyercourt Co. Galway, Ferbane Co. Offaly, Hacketstown Co. Carlow and Kilmacthomas in Co. Waterford. In each of these cases, the communities, in partnership with the relevant authorities prepared plans for their areas. Two of the key stages in the process are establishing the steering group and task groups. The steering group is elected by the community and it is contains a representative from the various different stakeholders in the process. The steering group plays an important role in the whole IAP process as they are responsible for driving the process forward. The task groups on the other hand are smaller groups, which are made up of members from the community and statutory agencies. The task groups are responsible for carrying out research on particular topics, such as the environment, infrastructure etc and they then report back their finding s to the steering group. The IAP process is quite resource demanding and generally takes over 12 months to complete. CONCLUSION It is clear from the above that the issue of participation and the models, which attempt to facilitate it, are central to the planning and environmental fields in both Ireland and abroad. Some of the collaborative planning models that have been developed in Ireland have multiple aims, one of which is to impact on the statutory Local Area Plan process and outcomes, including those implemented in Kinvara, Ferbane, Hacketstown and Kilmacthomas. However having reviewed the literature it is evident that there has been a clear lack of research focussing on the assessment of such collaborative planning models in Ireland. In order to assess the extent to which the IAP model in Kinvara was successful, an examination of the entire process is required. To this end, the examination required will entail more than just the IAP process itself, but also its impact on the LAP process as well as an assessment of the level of implementation that has taken place to date. Bibliography: Arnstein, Sherry R., (1969) A Ladder of Citizen Participation, Journal of the Institute of American Planners, Vol. 35 (4), pp 216-24. Connick, S., Innes J., (2001) Outcomes of Collaborative Water Policy Making: Applying Complexity Thinking to Evaluation, Working Paper 2001-08 Dahl R, (1989). Democracy and its Critics. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press. Davidoff, P, (1965) Advocacy and Pluralism in Planning, Journal of the American Institute of Planners DeSario, J. Langton S, (1987) Fainstein, S.S. (2000). ‘New directions in Planning theory, Urban Affairs Review, Vol.35, Issue 4, March, pp.451-78 Frame, Tanis M., Thomas I. Gunton, and J.C. Day. (2003). Resolving Environmental Disputes through Collaborative Planning. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. Frame, Tanis M., Thomas I. Gunton, an