The Importance of Being Ernest free essay sample

This paper looks at the social impact of Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Ernest . This paper takes a look at the contribution and effect that Oscar Wilde made to British society. In The Importance of Being Ernest a satirical view is taken on the Victorian society and expectations for men. It describes how the character leads a double life in order to live up to these expectations. Social commitments, the role of the female and other typical Victorian issues are examined in this paper. From the paper: Before Oscar Wilde became famous for his writing, he was famous for his tongue. In the early years of his career, Wilde was best known as an articulate and witty social gadfly. He was the fashion-whore of polite British society. He insinuated himself calculatingly into the social life of ?the beautiful people.? H!is reputation was built around an elaborately outrageous fashion sense, a shocking wit and amusing repertoire of behaviors, and his blatant self-stylings as an art critic and aesthete. We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Being Ernest or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Through-out his social career, Wilde alternately flaunted and denied his homosexual tendencies. They were a part of his carefully groomed artistic image, an image from which he occasionally worked to distance himself. He did get married and father two sons, and when he was finally accused of sodomy, he fought the charges as libelous. Yet the reality of his sexual orientation, and its natural at-odds-with-society status, was never far from his work. Even his most hetero-centric works, such as the romantic satire The Importance of Being Ernest, are informed by the daily social strains of his barely closeted double life. The Importance of Being Ernest is, in fact, in many ways a prophetic, though optimistic, metaphor for Wilde?s life. He deals w!ith the hypocrisy and shallowness that ?modern? women and ?modern? social etiquette require from men. The story at once critiques the institution of marriage and the institution of ?polite society.? This play deals explicitly with the sacrif ices and lies that must be committed in order to achieve acceptance in either marriage or society, and with the inevitable moment of truth when those lies are discovered.

Classic Cartoons essays

Classic Cartoons essays As a mother of a nine-year old daughter, I look back on how childrens television has changed since I was small. Growing up in the 1970s was vastly different from the high-tech world of the millenium. Due to being in a pre-cable era, television offered three basic network channels, limiting the number of cartoons on air. Saturday was the only day that children could watch hours of classic cartoons all morning. I consider a cartoon a classic by the ability of the program to stand the test of time, and leave memorable impressions on various generations of children. Cartoons featuring characters such as Bugs Bunny, Charlie Brown, Scooby Doo, and Mickey Mouse are just a few examples of shows that I deem classic. Bugs Bunny is definitely a memorable character. His signature phrase Whats up Doc? is instantly recognizable. My favorite show depicts Bugs as an orchestra conductor. In this episode he directs the symphony starring Porky Pig. Bugs forces Porky to hold the final note beyond normal capability, causing the pig to turn royal blue. The Bugs Bunny Show always made me laugh. One of my favorite cartoons is Peanuts. Originally a comic strip, the cartoon follows the life of a schoolboy named Charlie Brown, his friends, and his adventurous dog Snoopy. One of the most popular pastimes for the Peanuts gang was a game of football. During every game, it was inevitable that Charlie Brown kick the deciding field goal. Holding the ball for Charlie was the mischievous Lucy Van Pelt, who was notorious for pulling the ball out from under the doomed kicker. Children tuned in repeatedly, and hoped that poor Charlie Brown would finally score a field goal. Time after time, however, Lucy would move the ball just before the kick, leaving poor Charlie flat on his back. The show, as well as the comic strip, is still very popular today. ...

The Top 5 Coworkers You Want In Your Office

The Top 5 Coworkers You Want In Your Office While we all have coworkers we gripe about, try not to sit next to, and resent for their success (or lack thereof), satisfaction studies have shown that most of also value those relationships as much as any other in our lives. Full disclosure, I met my husband at work. When I told him about this post he asked what dream coworker category Id put him in, and was not pleased when I created Dream CoworkerThat being said, heres a list of the most in-demand employee archetypes to have on your roster.Dream Coworker  #1:  THE INTEGRATORConsulting and auditing firm Deloitte identified Integrator as a most desirable personality pattern; integrators are the ones who wrap their brains around an issue and gather the team they need to crowd source a solution. They are known for empathy, a nuanced understanding, and needing some quiet time to process.Dream Coworker  #2:  THE INNOVATORThe Innovator is the one whos constantly looking for a new way to do things; some employers find this type o f worker frustrating, because they have a system and its been proven.As a sometime innovator myself, I would suggest that once youve identified an innovated staff member, try to find some room to let them play. This may require some flexibility on your part, but if you can get them on your team, you may find efficiency and productivity are the positive results.Dream Coworker  #3:  THE ADVOCATEAdvocates are the ones who speak up- they identify needs, allocate resources, manage difficult circumstances, and probably belong in customer service. They also make great peer reviewers and mentors for younger employees, because they can see both sides of an issue and care about those they supervise.Dream Coworker  #4:  THE BRIDGEJokes aside, this is actually the category the  guy I married belongs in- he has a knack for keeping track of all the pieces of a project and knowing who should work on each piece, has a huge professional network, and is generous about connecting projects wi th freelancers. And hes not too hard on the eyes either.Dream Coworker  #5:  THE  PIONEERDo you need someone to generate new ideas? Adapt to evolving conditions? Do you always  keep the big picture in mind? Pioneers in the workplace are the ones who bring a lens of their own to their work- and the benefits for you may be exciting, fresh ideas. Try to recognize them when they cross your desk!The 5 Types of Coworkers Who Can Make Your Work Life Infinitely BetterRead More at Fast Company

Guide to a Business Entry in China Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Guide to a Business Entry in China - Assignment Example There are also other options available for Michael including an on line marketing, joint venture or wholly owned company. Whichever option Michael takes, the market is open for the cake industry. Michael’s Patisserie is a well-developed bakeshop in Australia and has a long experience in the business. The owner of the company is planning to expand the business to China. However, the company lacks the basic knowledge to guide the owner on the proper things to do for its entry to China. Moreover, the company needs additional resources to finance the export operations and is contemplating to apply for an export development grant from the government. The first thing to do is to assess the capability of the company to undertake foreign business. Generally, if a company is doing well in its own country, it can take a further step in foreign sales. The company must first learn the basic in exporting and should learn how the company can adapt to the international business environment. Upon having a basic understanding of the language of exporting, and you think that the company is ready, the next step is to develop a marketing strategy appropriate for the capital and structure of the business. An export strategy must be part of the business plan and everybody in the company should be aware of it. A well-developed export strategy identifies the export aims that match the capital resources required. It helps the company focus on the market identified and to respond to the quality service/product needed (Austrade) For example, the marketing strategy may begin with assessing why Michael’s Patissiere should export and what are the steps needed to achieve these goals. Now, you are about to be ready. The next thing is laying the groundwork by establishing the network of business contacts among export groups.

Refliction trip Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Refliction trip - Essay Example In fact a meeting will be held just shortly after you arrive referred to as A Welcome Aboard Meeting, whereby you are introduced to captain, staff captain and the hotel director. During this meeting you are informed about the rules and regulations followed by the board and also clarify any question you might have. In my case the leader was a Portuguese girl known as Sarah whereby she has worked for the company for two years. Sarah took the students through the bridge, that is the control room, whereby she introduced to us a girl who went ahead to explain to us how the captain of the ship works and how some of the devices he or she uses work. The girl also goes ahead and tells us how communication is carried on. For instance, she shows us how incoming private calls and also fax are forwarded to the crew member through the ships reception desk and also how the outgoing calls which can be either directly or indirectly can be forwarded through the ships radio station or any of the ships phone. In fact, she told us that outgoing faxes are usually handled through the ships radio station. In addition, she gave us a warning that cellular phones are not permitted on the ship that is, no one is suppose to use their phonecell. Moreover, she took us through the kids section where she went ahead to explain to us how they usually take care of them for instance, she told us the kids are given toys to play around with and their meals are served perfectly on time and also they are given snacks at specified hours. She took us to the pool side whereby we enjoyed a perfect swim. Sara also took us to the dinning room whereby it is referred to as the mess room. We were served with delicious meals, whereby each one eats the meal to their satisfaction. Shortly after our meal, Sara took us to the spa where we enjoyed the luxury. In fact, she told us that medical care was the most important benefit that

Study On Managing Organizational Change Management Essay

Study On Managing Organizational Change Management Essay 1.1 Introduction According to the Future Administrative systems Team (University of Houston, 2004), managing change is a systematic process of taking into account the global conditions affecting an organization, as well as specific conditions in the organization. The change management methodology examines the current environment with respect to organization culture, communication, organization design, job design, infrastructure, personnel, skills and knowledge, people/machine interfaces, and incentive systems. Organizations are defined as systems comprising elements of formal organizational management and operations as well as elements of more informal aspects of organizational life (Senior and Fleming 2006). Several definitions of organizational change have been presented over the years, For example, Burnes (1996)  suggests that organizational change means the understanding of alterations within organizations at the broadest level among individuals, groups, and at the collective level across the entire organization. Managing change requires Methods and processes that assist individuals in adjusting constructively to new systems, procedures, processes, workflow, organizational relationships and other differences as they occur. Three important factors are acknowledged in the above definitions of change management the organizations culture, the people and communication. Managing change and liaising with stakeholders in order to perform change are integral parts of good staff and project management, but change is never easy to manage. The adoption and implementation of a new system will bring about change to any organization. Sometimes the changes required by an organization are likely to have incited the acquisition of the new system. Adoption of a new system can support a changed approach, but the system itself is not regarded as the change. The organization has to be prepared for the change in order not to be seen as the cause of the change thus preventing resentment and resistance which may lead to the failure of the system implementation. An example of this is the implementation of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and Managed Learning Environment (MLE) in a university. Such environments are always part of an institutional strategy about learning and sharing knowledge, but a university cannot be converted to a different type of learning organization simply by implementing a VLE or MLE. The implementation of system projects must run in tandem with change projects. However, putting the responsibility on the implementers of the system is likely to result in the failure of the project. In the context of a system implementation, change management will require an institution to anticipate, prepare for, manage and undergo major organizational change from one state to a newer state. The change can be represented by: -The legacy system to the replacement system; -One organizational mission to extended institutional pursuits; -One infrastructure and set of skills to a different make-up; -Old business processes to new trading methods; -Decentralized ways of working to centralized functions; -One set of values to an adjusted collection of principles and standards; and/or -A known management approach to other styles of governance. Almost all people are nervous about change. Many will resist it consciously or subconsciously. Sometimes those fears are well founded the change really will have a negative impact for them. In many cases, however, the target population for the change will come to realize that the change was for the better (reference) The pace of change is ever increasing particularly with the advent of the Internet and the rapid deployment of new technologies, new ways of doing business and new ways of conducting ones life. Organizational Change Management seeks to understand the sentiments of the target population and work with them to promote efficient delivery of the change and enthusiastic support for its results. D.C. Brandenburg and C.V. Binder (1992) suggests that managing change requires Methods and processes that assist individuals in adjusting constructively to new systems, procedures, processes, workflow, organizational relationships and other differences as they occur. There are two related aspects of organizational change that are often confused. In Organizational Change Management we are concerned with winning the hearts and minds of the participants and the target population to bring about changed behaviour and culture. The key skills required are founded in business psychology and require people people. Organizational Design may be a specific objective of the project, for example where there is to be a reduction in the workforce, or it may just be a consequence of the changed business processes and technology. Organizational Change Management issues are often under-estimated or ignored entirely. Typically, the concept of organizational change is in regard to organization-wide change, as opposed to smaller changes such as adding a new person, modifying a program, etc. instances of firm-wide change might include a change in mission, restructuring operations (restructuring to self-managed teams, layoffs), new technologies, mergers, major collaborations, new programs such as Total Quality Management, re-engineering, etc. 2.0 Organisational Change and Transitions There are two approaches to organizational change, namely: Hard systems model for change Soft systems model for change The hard systems model for change (HSMC) definition of an organization is a stable, formal structure that takes resources from the environment and processes them to produce outputs (Laudon and Laudon, 2000) while the soft system model for change (SSMC) regard an organization as a collection of rights, privileges, obligations and responsibilities that are delicately balanced over time through conflict and conflict resolution (Laudon and Laudon, 2000). 2.1 Hard Systems Model for Change (HSMC) This approach has identified some classical schools. The classical school is a management perspective that emerged during the 19th and early 20th centuries that emphasized a rational, scientific approach to the study of management and sought to make organizations efficient operating machines (Daft, 2008). Some of the key players in the classical school include Frederick Taylor (1856-1915) who proposed the scientific management- a systematic method of determining the best way of getting a job done and specifying the skills needed to do it as well as the machine theory which dismissed the psychological aspects of behaviour because workers were regarded more like machines. The two methods had a clear division of tasks and responsibilities between workers and management. The scientific selection of people encouraged the selection of people with appropriate abilities to do newly designed job. Another major player was Henry, L. Gantt who developed the Gant chart used to measure planned and completed tasks at each stage of production. A good classical school is the Fordism. This involves the application of scientific management principles to workers jobs, installation of single purpose machine tools and assembly line with provision mass production and systems and control units. Other key players include Weber who identified bureaucracy as a legal rational type of authority and Fayol who listed planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling as the five basic management functions in administration. 2.2 Soft Systems Model for Change (SSMC) This approach has identified the problems with organizations, namely: Highly complex multi-dimensional have problems that are difficult to locate and define Need total solutions. Problems with organization can either be resolved, solved and dissolved (Ackoff, 1993). According to Ackoff, to resolve a problem involves the selection of an action that yields an outcome that is good enough. This approach relies on the use of common sense and to some extent, trial and error. This often used by most managers in decision making and is also called the clinical approach in dealing with messes because it involves reaching a consensus by a group of people on how to resolve a problem. This approach keeps most people happy and on board with the change but lacks analytical rigour in its formation of the objectives, thus, does not indicate how far the objectives of the change have been met. To solve a problem involves eschewing the use of common sense and base decisions on quantitative models like the use of scientific models rather than qualitative models. This is also called the research approach to mess management as it is likely to be used by scientific or technologically inclined managers. From the fore-going, the two approaches mentioned are limited in their capacity to plan and implement change hence, the suggestion of a third approach called the concept of dissolving a problem. To dissolve a problem involves changing the nature and/or the environment of the entity in which it is embedded so as to remove the problem (Ackoff, 1993). This approach is also called the design approach because problem dissolvers in addition to using the methods of problem resolvers and solvers seek to redesign the characteristics of the larger system containing the problem like changing the organizational structure, culture and processes. Only a few managers use this method and these are those that have the principal objective of development rather than growth or survival and who recognize it. 3.0 The Organizational development Process This approach identifies the importance of the people that make up the organization. It identifies that people at all levels of the organization are individually and collectively the drivers and engines of change. The assumption is that people perform better when they have high quality of life and that workers that are under-utilized are capable of contributing towards the goal of the organization if given the opportunity of taking more responsibilities. Paton and McCalman (2008) identified three concepts with respect to managing people and gaining their commitment to work in an organization: Organizations are about people Management assumptions about people often lead to ineffective design of organizations and this hinders performance. People are the most important asset and their commitment goes a long way in determining effective organization design and development. Total Systems Intervention (TSI), developed by Flood and Jackson (1991), is a meta-methodology that brings together a range of systems metaphors, a framework of systems methodologies, and various systems approaches to enable creative problem solving. In a process of TSI, systems metaphors are used to encourage creative thinking about organisations and the issues confronting managers. The discipline of Organizational Development has evolved over the past fifty years or so. Both French and Bell, describe organizational development asa long-term effort, led and supported by top management, to improve an organizations visioning, empowerment, learning, and problem-solving processes, through an ongoing, collaborative management of organization culture-with special emphasis on the culture of intact work teams and other team configurations-using the consultant-facilitator role and the theory and technology of applied behavioral science, including action research. (French Bell, 1999, pp. 25-26) On a practical day-to-day level, we think of OD as an ongoing, thoughtfully planned effort by all members of an organization to improve how that organization operates, serves its stakeholders, fulfills its mission, and approaches its vision. What are more compelling than the definition of Organizational Development are the underlying and continuously evolving philosophy and values of the discipline 3.1 Lewins three phase model of change Lewin (1951) proposed an extensively referred literature on change. It consists of three phases: Unfreezing Moving Refreezing Unfreezing involves shaking up of peoples habits of thinking and behaviour in order to create their awareness for need for change. This implies the change of the status quo by strengthening or weakening the forces that could push or maintain the change (Cummings and Worley, 2009). This might involve the selective promotion of employees or termination of employment (Goodstein and Burke, 1993). A good example is the case of Pitford College in Shire County. A member of staff was promoted to director of open and resource based learning (ORBL) while others had their responsibilities changed from teaching the students to tutoring students working in self service types of learning environment. Part of the unfreezing process was the consultation with the head of departments and decision makers to discuss new developments which were seen as challenging the status quo on education. Moving is the second stage of the Lewis change process and it involves making the actual changes that will move the organization to a new state. This includes the establishment of new strategies and structures to new ways of doing things. For example, In the Shire County, the ORBL involved a series of seminars on concepts of ORBL for staff. In addition, Pitford Collge, one of the other two colleges in the County, large new ORBL centres were built with multimedia teaching and learning facilities. Lewins final phase in the change process is the refreezing and this involves stabilizing or institutionalizing the changes. This involves making sure that new changes are secured and prevented from back sliding and may even involve the recruitment of new staff that are untainted with the old habits. The continual involvement and support of top management is very crucial and essential at this stage. Once the changes have been made, it is also important to reinforce the changes with symbolic actions and signs such as change of logos, building designs, forms of dress, and ways of grouping people to get work done. It is essential to continually collect data and feedback to track the progress of the change and to monitor the further change in the light of environmental changes. According to Senge (1990)  learning organizations  exists where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to see the whole together. The basic rationale for such organizations is that in situations of rapid change only those that are flexible, adaptive and productive will excel. For this to happen, it is argued, organizations need to discover how to tap peoples commitment and capacity to learn at all  levels

Mgt 500 Questions

Week 3 Discussion Questions: Personal Ethics Awareness Part 1: Mini-case Read the case provided at the end of this assignment. Then, answer the following questions based on this case. 1. The first step in ethical decision-making is recognizing an ethical issue. What are three questions that you could ask yourself to see if there’s an ethical issue at hand? Then, answer each of these three questions for the case provided. 2. The second step in ethical decision-making is getting the facts.What are three questions could you ask yourself to make sure that you have all of the facts? Then, answer each of these three questions for the case provided. Make sure that you include at least three courses of action. 3. The third step in ethical decision-making is to evaluate your three courses of action from various ethical perspectives. Pick any two of the ethical perspectives that are discussed in the text (e. g. , deontological, utilitarian, virtue). What does each of those perspectives say about each of your courses of action?Make sure to demonstrate that you understand the ethical perspective you are describing and to fully and clearly describe how each ethical perspective relates to each course of action 4. The fourth step in ethical decision-making is to make a decision and test it. Answer the following questions. 1. Given your assessment in Step 3, which course of action would you pick? Why? 2. If you told someone you respect why you chose this option, what would that person say? Part 2: Your Moral DNA Go to the webpage: https://profile. moraldna. org/user/register. php#. Take the Moral DNA test.Download your report and review it. In addition to your overall type (pg. 2), you will receive a score for Ethic of Care, Ethic of Obedience, and Ethic of Reason (pg. 4). 1. What type are you (e. g. , teacher, angel, enforcer, etc. )? What is your strongest moral philosophy (Highest score on Care, Obedience, or Reason)? Provide an example of a situation in which you fo llowed your strongest moral philosophy. Make sure to explain how your behaviors reflected your strongest moral philosophy. 2. What is your weakest moral philosophy (Lowest score on Care, Obedience, or Reason)?Your weakest moral philosophy is the philosophy that you are most likely to ignore when faced with an ethical dilemma. What are two questions that you could ask yourself to remind yourself to consider your weakest moral philosophy? 3. Review the three courses of action that you listed in Part 3 of the mini-case above. How do the three courses of action relate to the three different moral philosophies? Do they follow or ignore any of the moral philosophies? 4. Did you pick the course of action in Part 4A (above) that is most in line with your moral philosophy?Why or why not? Mini-Case You have worked for your boss for five years and he has become a trusted mentor and champion for you in the firm. Indeed, there is no one in the firm for whom you feel more respect or loyalty. You just met with him and, due to an unforeseen market downturn, he let you know of a proposed layoff that will affect one of the three people (Joe) who report to you. Because the decision has not been announced, and it will surely send shock waves through the firm, he asked that you absolutely not tell any of your subordinates.In fact, concerned that the information might get prematurely leaked he even says to you â€Å"it is critically important that no one know — can I count on you? ’ You agreed emphatically that he could. Unfortunately, the next morning you see Joe (who also coaches a little league team with you) and he is telling you that he and his wife had been accepted into an adoption process for a new child and he wanted to share his joy with you. He also had heard rumors of a layoff and says, sort of jokingly to you, I am not going to be laid off am I? We could never afford to take care of a new child without my income. What would you do?