A Theory Of Human Motivation By Abraham Maslow - 911 Words

In my English 101 class, we as a class were asked to read the passage, â€Å"A Theory of Human Motivation,† by Abraham Maslow, and then write an analysis of the film, Homeless to Harvard: The Lizz Murray Story (The Analysis Assignment Instructions). We were told to use Maslow’s theory as an analytical tool and apply what he states in regards to human motivation to the characters in the film (201-205). Mr. Barrera, my English professor, helped with additional amplification and illustration in showing the connection of the film to Maslow’s theory. The study of this film has become a trigger in how I am able to compare Maslow’s theory in showing what motivates us and how to achieve it. The film did show me that there is nothing ever too impossible to achieve as long as we stay persistent in reaching our final levels of self-actualization and transcendence. By sharing this with you my hopes is to show that even though some claim that this is a failed theory, i t may not work for the many, but it has proven to work for the few. Abraham Maslow is an American psychologist that is known as â€Å"one of the most influential humanistic psychologist† and founder that put forward the discussion of the humanistic approach. His approach demonstrates the hierarchy of needs in order to achieve the top level of fulfilling ones personality. There are 8 stages of needs as shown in the figure provided by Education Psychology Interactive: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: â€Å"Maslow posited a hierarchy of humanShow MoreRelatedAbraham Maslow : The Theory Of Human Motivation1356 Words   |  6 PagesAbraham Maslow: The Theory of Human Motivation Abraham Harold Maslow was an American psychologist, born on April 1st 1908 in Brooklyn New York City, N.Y. Maslow is better known for the creating of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which I believe to be human motivation. This is considered to be a theory of psychological health predicted on fulfilling human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization. Maslow being ranked as the 10th most cited psychologist of the 20th century; from a book whichRead MoreA Theory Of Human Motivation By Abraham Maslow1157 Words   |  5 Pagesreason for the actions and behaviors they execute daily, those reasons are their motivations. These motivations are unique to the individual, as Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, wrote in his 1943 paper, A Theory of Human Motivation, in which he describes the hierarchy of needs, generalizing what every human requires for life. He describes these needs as a five-tiered hierarchy system and are what motivates each human in their life and is st ructured so that an individual cannot reach the nextRead MoreAbraham Maslow s Theory Of Human Motivation1670 Words   |  7 PagesAbraham Maslow Abraham Maslow was always visually examining the greater scope of human nature. Whereas most of his counterparts of his day seemed to be more concerned with a narrower scope, Maslow s own vision was far-reaching. His lifetime of revelations in motivation and personality transcended academic psychology, and extended into the major business fields of management and marketing. Maslow additionally explored how and individual perceives their existence and beginning to display signs ofRead MoreEssay on Maslow Hierarchy of Needs1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe Study of Maslow Hierarchy of Needs This essay study is about Maslows school of thought. Maslows hierarchy of needs is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels. I liked the way he differed from traditional psychologists. For example, he studied happy, high performing people to learn more about what they had in common. Maslows main contributions to psychology were the founding of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology in 1961. There were many occurrences during his lifetime thatRead MoreAbraham Maslow Life Span Development and Personality1082 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham Maslow Life Span Development and Personality Abraham Maslow was born April 1, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York. Abraham Maslow grew up in Brooklyn, New York, the first of seven children born to his Jewish parents who emigrated from Russia. His parents were uneducated, but they insisted that he study law. Maslow later described his early childhood as unhappy and lonely, and he spent much of his time in the library immersed in books. At first, Abraham acceded to their wishes and enrolled in theRead MoreBiography of Abraham Maslow867 Words   |  4 Pagesdepth and thoroughly as the ones above mentioned is Mr. Abraham Harold Maslow. Out of all psychologists in the known world, there has never been and never will be anyone who comes close to his ideas, thoughts, actions, and psychoanalyses of the human mind. Maslow was born on April 1, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the oldest of seven children born to his Jewish parents that emigrated from Russia. They had no education and wanted Maslow to get as much education as he could while living hereRead MoreA Comparison of Theorist1317 Words   |  6 Pagesmost talented theorists of the time. Abraham Maslow and B.F. Skinner are just two of the many theorists that have formed the organization in today’s classrooms. This paper will address the differences in the theories and the similarities. It will describe how each theory can be implemented in the learning environment of an early childhood classroom. Lastly, it will describe each theory that will be compared supported by research. Comparison of two Theories Operant Behavior Conditioning of BurrhusRead MoreMaslow s Motivation And Personality1604 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to Robert Frager, editor of the third edition of Maslow’s Motivation and Personality, the theorist Abraham Maslow was born in 1908 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the first of seven children born to Russian - Jewish immigrants. While Maslow’s father was uneducated, he pushed his son academically and encouraged him to become a lawyer. Maslow began his extensive education at City College of New York but later told his father that he did not want to study law. In 1928, after marrying hisRead MoreMaslows Essay1160 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham H Maslow was a psychologist who developed a theory that sought to explain human behaviour in terms of basic needs for survival and growth. (www.enotes.com. 2002). This paper will define Maslow’s theory (a ‘hierarchy of needs’) and explain how differences in priorities influence and inform upon consumer behaviour. Maslow developed his ‘hierarchy of needs’ in an attempt to describe patterns of human behaviour, and to try to understand the processes behind the actions of consumers. In essenceRead MoreAbraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Essay1019 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Abraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs is one of the first theories of motivation and probably the best-known one. It was first presented in 1943. in Dr. Abraham Maslow’s article A Theory of Human Motivation in Psychological Review, and was further expanded in his book â€Å"Toward a Psychology of Being†. Maslow tried to formulate a needs-based framework of human motivation. His research was based upon his clinical experiences with humans, rather than prior

A Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition - 1491 Words

SCADA/ Stuxnet Worm A Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system consists of both hardware and software that collects critical information to keep a facility operating (Johnson Merkow, 2011, p. 227). SCADA system vulnerabilities include the lack of monitoring, slow updates, lack of knowledge about devices, not understanding traffic, and authentication holes (Adams, 2015). When an organization doesn’t monitor the network, it makes it impossible to notice suspicious activity. System updates are a very important part of protecting against vulnerabilities, even though it may be seen as an inconvenience. The lack of knowledge about the devices is somewhat due to the fact that the SCADA systems change over time. Therefore,†¦show more content†¦This put other organizations that used equipment from the same SCADA system supplier in jeopardy. It also raised awareness of possible collateral damage (Chung, 2013). The Stuxnet worm infected a significant amount of co mputers. Additionally, it changed part of the security infrastructure of the United States. Stuxnet didn’t prove that cyber-attacks are low-risk operations. â€Å"Rather, it suggests that the effects, and thus the risks, of cyber-attacks are unpredictable (Manzo, 2013)†. There are vulnerable computer networks and systems that support U.S. economic activities, military capabilities, and societal services such as critical infrastructure (Manzo, 2013). U.S. officials came to the conclusion that the effects and risks of the Stuxnet operation were proportionate to the payoffs, other countries might reach similar conclusions about cyber-attacks against the United States (Manzo, 2013). â€Å"Improving cyber defenses, attribution capabilities, and developing credible retaliatory options will play an important role in deterring and mitigating direct cyber-attacks, but cascading viruses launched at other countries could eventually penetrate and damage U.S. networks (Manzo, 201 3)†. ICS-CERT released ICSA-10-201-01 - Malware Targeting Siemens Control Software (including Updates B C) and ICSA-10-238-01 - Stuxnet

Future of English Free Essays

Future of English as a global language â€Å"A language achieves a genuinely global status when it develops a special role that is recognized in every country† (Crystal 1997). In the 21st century, English is increasingly becoming the dominant language in global communication. However, the question of where the future of English lies remains unclear. We will write a custom essay sample on Future of English or any similar topic only for you Order Now Will English in the future increase in popularity or should we adopt a better alternative? English is undoubtedly one of the most influential languages in the world as more and more people use English as their official or second language. It has been given a variety of labels to represent its popularity. However, social inequalities and injustices have also emerged in the same process, revealing the controversial role English has had internationally. In order to critically examine the future of English as a global language this essay will discuss the following topics in this literature review. 1. Rise of English World-wide 2. English as the language of Science and Technology 3. English language teaching world-wide The number of English speakers in the world has increased at an astonishing rate throughout the last few centuries. According to Crystal he states that by 1983, the number of people speaking English as an official language was over 1,400 million world wide. Moreover in India and its subcontinent, the English language has an official standing. In the late 1990’s the number of English speaking citizens in China was approximately 220 million. The Olympics provided the motivation for an increase to double these numbers. English has brought benefits, social inequalities and injustices. It remains questionable as to whether or not English would remain a global standard language. Tsuda discuss how the political and cultural neutrality of the common language used internationally is extremely important and is required within the English language. By incorporating English into any society, countries are able to have some share of the globalization benefits but this necessitates the force of implementing English. If this way is adopted, the independence and uniqueness of other cultures will diminish because of one language dominating other ways worldwide and homogenize them into a Western and more particularly an American way of life. Esperanto has been suggested by Tsuda is a language that could be used for the purpose of an equal communication. The Esperanto movement has its philosophy as peace. The author questions whether English has a similar philosophy. THE RISE OF ENGLISH WORLD ·WIDE English has undoubtedly dominated other languages in the past 20 years. How it came to be so is another story altogether, although some stress it on historical or political spurs while others believe that modern-day socio-economic and scientific motivations led to its popularity. However in my opinion and with some research it is believed that the popularity of English began by the end of World War II. The only major industrialized country unaffected by war was the United States. The United States rapidly began working on scientific discoveries, such as the computer, this led to an increase in exchange of information globally, by design English became the source language for storage of information and its retrieval. The United States spent 40 years, after the war, working on setting up research universities, research and development departments, economic stability and computer networking. Hence becoming the supreme user of information technology as well as its biggest contributor. When you contribute towards something you eventually become its manager, similarly the United States began managing information such as its categorization, storage as well as operating languages and computer system designs. And the only medium it knew best to manage was in the programmer’s natural language i. e. English. So now English not only became the global language of Science but also ecame the global language of Information Technology. The position of English as a dominant language in areas of science and Technology is now quiet secure since most of the modern-day information assemblage are English based. English as the language of Science and Technology: Over the last 20 years, the spread of English has been enormous. Developing Countries desires for economic development, their need for information access and transfer of technology have been the key catalyst behind this domina nce. Although some might see this dominance as a negative impact that will not last for long, in Baileys 1983 article he states: â€Å"People bent on imposing their ways on others have no difficulty in contriving arguments to justify their doing so. The historical and present-day spread of English is no exception to that principle. Also â€Å"The hegemony of English that has steadily grown with the increase in global communication is now beginning to diminish and will shrink further in the immediate future† Although such a notion puts forward that English does represent part hegemony, it is the sort of hegemony that will not fade away or diminish in the near future due to some revolution but if it does it will not be as most have expect. However if evidence to date is considered, English is far from being diminished, it is now more than ever still expanding and continuing to secure its role as a global language hence further emphasizing the importance of English in our modern day lives. It should be made clear that any country that wishes to modernize itself and grow in the areas of science and technology and eventually com pete in global markets cannot show a resistance towards English. It is imperative for any country wishing to make its place in the world for any form of trade to communicate in English. Such will be the case until a time comes in the future when other languages are able to provide access to larger information and better technological development, or until a computer’s ability is developed to such an extent that it becomes independent of any specific natural language. Many have termed this statement as an argument for English for Science and Technology (EST) instruction. Of late Garfield (1987) pointed out that 88% of articles present in the Science Citation Index were in English, and from 1978 till 1982 data indicates that this development has been quiet consistent. He further adds that if citation data is to be considered then the dominance of English is seen at large. Around 96% of all citations, from 1978 to 1982, present in the index journal are written in English. Garfield also surveyed that most countries that had an option to publish in their language or a foreign language often chose to publish in English as frequently as in their own language. For example according to Garfield’s research, from 1978 to 1982, the Japanese Scientists cited their own publications 3 times as much as their Japanese publications. While according to Swinburne (1983) the French scientists cited their publications in English four times as much as their French publications. In the same way the Russian Scientists cited their publications quiet often in English as well. All this suggests that even those countries that value their natural language more are now giving a lot of importance to the use of English as a global language as well as a medium for scientific progression. The major reason behind this acceptance of English is due to the fact that 80 to 85% of all information stored in a computerized data bases around the world are written in either English or in some way abstracted in English. (Kaplan 1980-1982) and (McCrum et al 1986) English is not only the language for Technology but now is widely being used in Medical publications, in a study by Maher(1986) it is pointed out that from 1966 to 1980 a 19% increase in use of English in medical publications can been seen, from 53% to 72% respectively. In more recent research Maher shows that, with Japan being an exception, there is an incline towards the trend in general rather than a decline. English is undoubtedly the prevailing and widely used language of Science and Technology. Therefore it must be understood that for any country to ecome modernize and industrialize and technologically competitive, it is imperative that they access or use information that has been written in English. In the past 20 years the exponential growth in publications, the need for even faster retrieval and access of information and the stark demands generated by private multinational corporations and government industries have created a competition amongst countries to an extent that t he only access to information they have, technological or otherwise is basically in English. So any public or private modern day business or industries wanting to compete in the global markets and magnify their production need to have access to some form of information, latest researches and technological applications. And in order to utilize the research, applications or information the managers or administrators must be able to use English because English will be the language used to acquire information out of a system. This competition and the need for latest information make the position of English as a global language unwavering and steadfast for years to come. According to Forey Nunan â€Å"Hong Kong is a major international trading, business, banking, and communications center, and English is seen as a key to maintaining its position in these areas. †(Forey Nunan, 2002) ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING WORLD ·WIDE In extension to the above rationale that English is the language of Science, it won’t be wrong to say that wherever a need exists English is to be taught. Over the past 20 years this awareness has grown world-wide and more and more countries are giving English a great deal of importance in their school curriculum. Although the level of English being taught and the measures to be taken for its proper learning is a different issue altogether. Asian countries like China, Honk Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Philippines and Malaysia have added English language in their school curriculum at an early age, with teaching time ranging from minimum 4 hours a week to maximum 50 hours a week. Also a shift in the age at which English is taught is seen, from secondary classes to primary classes. It should be made clear that not all citizens of a country need to understand English, although in doing so they are denying themselves the access to the enormous information available world-wide. Even a country like Japan that holds a strong resistance towards English has introduced the language at high school level. English in China is in some way considered or has become the language for the elite; those who are unable to learn proper English in schools and have a sound family background begin taking private tuitions in order to learn English. This introduction of English in schools at such primary level, as well as the steps various governments have taken to ensure its proper learning of the language simply shows the dominance and importance of English world-wide. CONCLUSION To draw a conclusion that English is indeed a global language and will likely remain one in the near future seems reasonable. English plays a vital role is areas of information retrieval and its access, as well as in Science and Technology. Any country wishing to explore or expand in these areas will need to understand English. Although coming to such a conclusion is not as simple as it may seem, there are many complex issues at stake here but nevertheless, in light of the evidence provided in this paper it will not be wrong to say that English has clearly achieved world dominance and will continue to maintain its position not only as the language for Science and technology but also as world language in general. As Kaplan (1983b) has noted in an editorial in Science: â€Å"It seems reasonable to assert, however difficult it may be to accept, that knowledge of a world language, especially English, is essential to the welfare of the new nations . . New nations must find a balance between the cultivation of indigenous culture-rich language and the need for a world language . . . Any other course is tantamount to restricting their capability for modernization. † Reference List ? Bailey, R. W. (1983) Literacy in English: an international perspective. In Literacy for Life. Edited by R. W. Bailey and R. Fos heim. New York: MLA. pp. 30-44. ? Crystal, D. (1997). English as a global language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ? Crystal, D. (2000). Language death. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Curriculum Development Council. (1999). Syllabuses for secondary schools Englishlanguage (Secondary 1–5). Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China: Hong Kong Education Department. ? Education Commission. (1990). Education commission report number 4. Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China: Hong Kong Education Department. ? Forey, G. , Nunan, D. (2002). The role of language and culture within the accountancy workforce. In C. Barron, N. Bruce, D. Nunan (Eds. ), Knowledge and discourse: Towards an ecology of language. London: Longman/Pearson. ? Garfield, E. (1987) English spoken here. The Scientist, 1, 9 (7 September). ? Graddol, D. (1997). The future of English. London: British Council. ? Kaplan, R. B. (1980) A language-planning rationale for English for special purposes. In Language Policy and Language Teaching: Essays in Honor of Clifford H. Prator. Edited by J. Povey. Culver City, CA: ELS. pp. 53-64. ? Kaplan, R. B. (1982) Information science and ESP. Paper presented at the 16th Annual TESOL Convention, Honolulu, HI, May 1982. Kaplan, R. B. (1983b) Language and science policies of new nations. (Editorial) Science, 221,4614 (2 September). ? McCrum, R. , Cran, W. and MacNeil. R. (1986) The Story of English. New York: Viking. ? Maher, J. (1986) The development of English as an international langiage of mine. Applied Linguistics, 7, 206-218. ? Swinburne, J. (1983) Information use and transfer by British and French scientists: a study of two groups. Journal of information science 6, 75-80 —à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 2010 How to cite Future of English, Essay examples

Role of Leadership Styles and Team Building in Project Management

Question: Discuss about theRole of Leadership Styles and Team Building in Project Management. Answer: Introduction Leadership is about influencing others to integrate and channel their efforts towards achieving a common goal(Bolden, 2004, p. 2; Winston Patterson, 2006, p. 6). Through the authority vested in their position, leaders establish direction, inspire and help their team members in developing their potential. To perfect their leadership, leaders should supplement their leadership styles with outstanding communication, decision-making, and delegation skills as well as adopting the situational and contingency leadership approaches(Bass, 2000, p. 20). Leaders get the things done through the efforts of the other people( Ivancevich, et al., 2007 , p. 45). Therefore, they should ensure their leadership styles are in alignment with the interests of the people as well as with the interests of the organizations they lead. The performance of the team will greatly depend on the style of leadership adopted by the manager as well as motivation at hand (Tarricone Luca , 2002, p. 38). In support (Fish er, et al., 1997, p. 235) noted that the ability of the leader to set up and lead a team of performers is very crucial in determining the success of the task at hand. Similarly, when the managers have engaged it the task of the project management, they need people to work with to realize the desired goals of the organization. The project manager has to select the appropriate team which has the portfolio of the required skills and expertise. However, all this will be futile if the manager lacks proper leadership skills which can get each team member to the common course of achieving the objectives of the project. Defining Leadership and Team (Furash, 2004, p. 40), defined team as the group of people who works in unison towards the accomplishment of the common goal. Similarly,(Northouse, 2007, p. 3) defined leadership as the act where a person influences a group of people with the aim of achieving a common goal. From the two definitions, it is clear that the leader gets his or desired goals achieved through the efforts of the group of people. Leadership is the process whereby a person gets things done through the efforts of the others by influencing them to act in a particular manner(Sharma Jain, 2013, p. 310). This group of individuals is the one which is referred to as a team. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the manager to get on board the of team members who possess the essential skills and knowledge in executing the task in hand. To achieve this, the leader has first to define his her team to ascertain whether all the members are characterized by the traits that make them to be group in the same class. For exa mple, the leader can check out some of the common characteristics of the teams such as joint accountability, common goals, and required interdependence. Leadership Theory and Styles Different individual managers apply different leadership styles when managing people (Furash, 2004, p. 43). However, there are leadership styles that are predominant within the organization. It is the duty of the manager to adopt the appropriate leadership style which will ensure improved employee performance. Some of the leadership styles commonly in the organizations are based on the behaviorist theories and they include democratic, autocratic and laissez-faire( Ivancevich, et al., 2007 , p. 23). However, other transformational and transactional leadership theories have become dominant in the modern project management(Kelchner, 2013). This paper addresses the effectiveness of each style concerning the performance of the team in project management. Democratic Leadership: This leadership style focuses on the team participation in the decision-making process(Bolden, et al., 2003, p. 6). This is achieved through consultation and consensus. Once the leader involves the team in decision-making, their input improves. Additionally, democratic leadership improves the team performance because they feel empowered as well as bestowed with the responsibility to the decisions made by the management(Bass, 2005, p. 25). Employees normally provide the manager with the different perspectives due to their daily involvement in the work. Autocratic Leadership: This style entails directing and controlling the team. The leader is the sole maker of the decision without consulting the views of the team members(Bolden, et al., 2003, p. 8). Besides, the leader also dictates the employee roles. This style of leadership limits the employee participation in the decision-making as well as their freedom of expression(Bolden, 2004, p. 12). It usually alienates the team members from the leadership and thus creates a poor relationship between the management and the subordinate staff. Laissez-Faire Leadership: This leadership style requires a lot of communication between the management and the team members. This style makes employees responsible for most of the decisions made and therefore they are less supervised(Bolden, et al., 2003, p. 10). However, this leadership style holds that employees have the responsibility of motivating and managing themselves on the daily basis(Batista-Tara, et al., 2007, p. 19). Laissez-faire leadership style is most suitable when the team members have the expertise and knowledge need to execute the task at hand. Transformational Leadership: Leaders who adopt this style of leadership have a clear vision of improving the welfare of each in the project management team(Lim Cromartie, 2001, p. 113). The leader allows all the team members to participate in the decision-making process as well as availing them with an opportunity to learn from others and grow their skills and expertise as individuals(Bolden, et al., 2003, p. 11). To perfect this, transformational leaders spent most of their time training their subordinates as well as learning from them. Transactional Leadership: The core attribute of this leadership style is centralized control of the team members(Bolden, et al., 2003, p. 12). Project managers adopting this style ensures the control of the project results by ensuring the behavioral compliance by all the team members. Transactional leaders motivate their teams through promise, reward or praise. Team Building The team is the group people working together with the sole purpose of achieving a common goal(Bradley Frederic, 2007, p. 345). The team members work is mutually responsible for execution of their assigned tasks to ensure that the objective of the project is attained. Organizations always build the teams with the aim of improving the performance, communication and cooperation (Scarnati, 2001, p. 8). Companies majorly use teams to improve productivity, enhance decision-making process, enable the less experienced to learn from others, to boost morale and improve communication between the employees as well as the management. Team building activities are not limited to the particular type of business, but they can be used by both managers and business owners(Bradley Frederic, 2007, p. 348). For managers to be effective in team building they must define the type and nature of the activities to be executed by the team. This helps the management in coming up with the team that has got des ired skills and expertise for the stipulated work. Relationship Between Leadership Styles and Team Building Leadership and teamwork are the central points of the strength of the organization(Sohmen, 2013, p. 1). This is because the organization cannot exist without the leadership as well as without the employees. Similarly, in the project management there should a solid and robust relationship between the project manager and the team members for the efficient and effective realization of the project objectives(Sirota Meltzer, 2005, p. 9). Alternatively, the organizational objectives cannot happen accidentally but only with the team efforts in addition to organizational resources. Therefore, this relationship provides a guide to ensure that the success of the organization is in alignment with the team members success. In support (Sohmen, 2013) argued that with poor leadership despite how the team is motivated the success in achieving project goals will be in futile. Similarly, with strong leadership in place working with the unmotivated and incompetent team will be a huge drawback to the s uccess of the project(Kelchner, 2013). The team comprises of different people who are endowed with the different set of skills(Kelchner, 2013). Therefore, it is crucial for the project managers to adopt mechanisms and strategies that will ensure optimum utilization of the diverse skills and experience among the team members. To achieve this, the leader should come up with the ways of identifying and understanding the different cultures of the team members(Batista-Tara, et al., 2007). This will ensure the strengthening of the natural changes among the team members as well as in the entire team. Effective leadership is the foundation of the teams success(Jing Avery, 2008, p. 135). For example, in the military, the success of the units depends on the leadership of the commander. Similarly, in the football sports, the variations portrayed by various football teams is highly attributable to the leadership effectiveness. These two examples serve as the evidence that project management success is a determinant of the project ma nager. With the effective leadership, synergized, motivated and competent team the successful outcomes of the project management is a guarantee(Maak, Pless, 2006). Role of Leadership in Team Building in Project Management Today, team building and motivation are an essential ingredient for the success of the organizations(Abgor, 2008, p. 42). For example, the achievement of the company goals will require continuous nurturing and communication between the management and the team. The motivation of the team should be achieved using the necessary tools which are not commonly used in other organizations. This will create a perception from the perception of the team members that their interests are being addressed. However, if the normal and common facilities of the motivation are used, the team will assume them as their right and may not end up putting their maximum effort in the project execution. For example, if the project manager will consider motivating the employees through bonuses or allowing them some days off during the week they may end up terming the benefits as their rights rather than a motivation. (Patterson, 2010, p. 75), noted that for the team to be sensitized to success various attributes that include: trust between the team and the leader; mutual encouragement; interdependent members; clear responsibilities and roles; shared leadership and clear objectives must be allowed to prevail. This was supported by(Whetten Cameron, 2011) who argued that leadership factors that are core in the effective team building include: team participation in the decision-making process; team members' cohesion; communication of team goals and team motivation. However,( Schmid Adams, 2008, p. 63) argued that the most important aspects in influencing the team performance during project execution process are motivation and communication. Leadership Motivation The main objective of each leader is to get all the team members channeling their total efforts and energies towards the achievement of the project goals( Schmid Adams, 2008, p. 61). There are several means which goes beyond monetary compensation that the leaders can use to motivate the employees. Motivation drives and influences the team to work in line with the project strategies to achieve its objective(Bass, 2005, p. 14). For example, a project manager should be able to motivate his or her team by identifying the different needs of the team members. This should be accompanied by the understanding of the basic needs among the superiors, peers as well as other employees who are not part of his or her team. According to (Maslow, 1970) in his work on the Hierarchy of needs theory argued that the human needs should be fulfilled starting from the basic, and the process should continue consistently up to the top most needs to ensure the continuous motivation among the employees. Theref ore, the project managers should not only focus on the team's basic needs but also should continue identifying their needs and establishing the necessary motivation strategy(Johns, 2006, p. 12). This technique will help in securing their continuous engagement and total devotion to the activities of the project. However, the motivation in the project management varies according to the various stages of the project. This calls upon the project managers to understand the status of the condition as well as the suitable forms of motivation to adopt at different cycles of the project(Almansour, 2012, p. 162). Leadership Communication Successful management of the project entails more than just paperwork, templates, and schedules(Jing Avery, 2008, p. 135). It is an application of robust interpersonal, managerial expertise and skills to work harmoniously and efficiently with the team in a variety of tasks. Strong project management leadership is built on the clear and extensive communication about the project goals, feedback, expectation, performance, and responsibilities(Patterson, 2010, p. 77). Again, the leader acts the link between the team and the organization and thus effective communication from both sides should be maintained(Whetten Cameron, 2011, p. 32). Communication is a vital aspect of project management as it ensures the resolving of the differences that may occur during the lifecycle of the project. The project manager should be able to negotiate and communicate effectively to ensure success in the team performance.(Verzuh, 1999, p. 38), acknowledged that team members have core communication needs w hich should be fulfilled through effective communication from the management. For example, communication needs that include harmonization of decisions from the key stakeholders; updates of the project current condition; effective coordination among the team members as well as the leader and responsibility parameters need to be availed to the team members. All the leaders should apply adequate and sufficient communication bearing in mind that communication is not only essential and necessary in ensuring the enhancement of team performance but also it is the primary aspect of effective leadership(Sirota Meltzer, 2005, p. 19). Similarly, as different forms of motivation are applied at various cycles of the project, so the different communication techniques and strategies need to adopted. Leadership Motivation and Communication in the Project Life-Cycle. Motivation and communication are majorly associated with the leadership and power(Baldoni, 2005, p. 23). The findings indicate that the use of laisses-faire or autocratic leadership styles may have a negative impact on motivation. This sensitizes the leaders to adopt appropriate leadership skills that can suit with the different forms of motivation. For understanding of various forms of motivation this report seeks to discuss how the leaders can motivate their team members at the different stages during the life-cycle of the project. Motivation is the major element in the success of any project( Schmid Adams, 2008, p. 60). Therefore, project managers should include and involve motivation in each phase of the project management. Project Initiation This is usually the first phase of the project, and the core objective of this stage is to analyze and evaluate the project. This is stage where the research on the project is made to ascertain its feasibility in relation to the organization resources. At this cycle, it would be appropriate to involve some of the team members in the research whom leader anticipates he or she can work with, in the execution of the project activities( Schmid Adams, 2008, p. 67). Alternatively, the research findings should be communicated to those who did not take part in the research. This technique serves as the motivation to those who were given the privilege of participating in the research as well to the ones who were communicated with the research findings(Johns, 2006, p. 17). Project Planning Once the decision has been made about the project in phase one the next stage that follows suit is project planning. This an essential stage that determines the success or the failure of the project(Patterson, 2010, p. 83). It involves establishing the path which each concerned party should follow. Given the fact that the project manager has not yet defined the team he or she will work with, it will be vital for him or her to involve some of the employees who seem to be having the potential of being part of the project management team in the planning process. This will be a great sign of motivation to the team who at the later stage end up being the part of project team(Sohmen, 2013, p. 12). This is because they will feel that they are part of the project, and also their morale can influence other team members to behave the same. Project Execution This stage is the center of all the project activities. It is in this phase where the project team is developed, resources necessary for the feasibility of the project are assigned, task are allocated for execution, and the project manager exercises his or her leadership and managerial skills. This is phase were the total participation of the team is needed(Jing Avery, 2008, p. 142). This stage calls upon the project manager to apply suitable leadership style depending on the circumstances of the project. At this phase, there is no single leadership style which the leader can strictly uphold due to the fluctuations involved. Again, it is at this phase where the motivation is highly needed. The leaders can try to adopt various forms of motivation ranging from rewards and appreciation to the challenging tasks(Tarricone Luca , 2002, p. 7). In addition to effective leadership and motivation, also effective communication is highly needed. The team leader needs to be provided with the fe edback about the progress of the project activities. Similarly, the project manager needs to coordinate the activities and operations of the project to ensure everything is on the roadmap as per the laid down plans. Project Monitoring The performance of the project needs to be monitored to determine whether it is on the right course of achieving the desired project goals. If the deviation between the actual performance and the standard performance are identified, appropriate corrective actions should be established to return the project to the right path. If the performance is good, the leader should continue using the similar motivation techniques among the team members. However, if the targeted performance as per timeframe has not been attained, the project manager should consider changing his or leadership styles as well as motivation mechanisms(Maak, Pless, 2006, p. 12). Project Closure This marks the end of the project. The services of the team members are no longer needed. However, at this final stage, it is very important to recognize the efforts of all team members(Patterson, 2010, p. 77). For example, the project manager can do so by organizing a work event for a team which was involved in the execution of the project as a way of showing appreciation. Again, the leader can organize a post closure meeting to analyze and evaluate the process of the project. Conclusion Leadership style has the great impact on team building for the project management. A project shrewdness in management and leading teams is the core determinant factor of the success or failure of the project. The leader must support the team through all the phases of the project management. In addition to effective leadership communication and motivation should be adopted to ensure each member of the team is in line as with the activities of the project. Moreover, motivation should be highly embraced to get the total support of the team throughout the entire process of project management. The leader should not only base his or her motivation only at the certain phases of the project but in all stages as a way of ensuring the total participation of a team from the first phase to the last phase. Therefore, with effective leadership, communication and motivation of the team the project management is deemed to achieve its desired goals successfully. References Abgor, E., 2008. Creativity and innovation: the leadership dynamics. Journal of Strategic Leadership, 1(1), pp. 39-45. Almansour, Y. M., 2012. The Relationship Between Leadership Styles And Motivation Of Managers Conceptual Framework. International Refereed Research Journal, 3(1), pp. 161-166. Baldoni, J., 2005. Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders. New York: McGraw-Hill. Bass, B. M., 2000. The Future of Leadership in Learning Organizations. Journal of Leadership Organizational Studies, 7(3), pp. 18-40. Bass, B. M., 2005. Leadership and performance beyond exceptions. New York: Free Press. Batista-Tara, L. C., Shuck, M. B., Gutierrez, C. C. Baralt , S., 2007. The Role of Leadership Style in Employee Engagement: Proceedings of the Eighth Annual College of Education GSN Research Conference. Miami, Florida International University. Bolden, R., Gosling, J., Marturano, A. Dennison, P., 2003. A Review of Leadership Theory and Competency Frameworks , Exeter: University of Exeter . Bolden, R., 2004. What is Leadership? , South West: Leadership South West. Bradley, J. H. Frederic, J. H., 2007. The effect of personality type on team performance. Journal of Management Development, 16(5), pp. 337-353. Cohen, V. S., 2013. Leadership and Teamwork: Two Sides of the Same Coin. Journal of IT and Economic Development, 4(2), pp. 1-18. Fisher, S. G., Hunter, T. . A. Macrosson, W. D., 1997. Team or group? Managers' perceptions of the differences. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 12 (4), pp. 232-242. Furash . E., 2004. Leadership = Culture (Management Strategies).. RHA Journal, 86(4), pp. 39-56. Ivancevich, J., Konopaske, R. Matteson, M., 2007. Organizational Behavior and Management. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Jing, E. F. Avery, G. C., 2008. Missing Links In Understanding The Relationship Between Leadership And Organizational Performance. International Business Economics Research Journal. , 7(5), pp. 130-149. Johns, G., 2006. Theories of Work Motivation Leadership Organizational Behaviour: Understanding and Managing Life at Work. New York: Harper Collins College Publishers. Kelchner, L., 2013. Strengths and weaknesses of cross-functional teams. [Online] Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/strengths-weaknesses-cross-functional-teams-24653.html [Accessed 12 August 2016]. Lim, J. Y. Cromartie, F., 2001. Transformational Leadership, organizational culture, and organizational effectiveness in sports organizations. The Sports Journal, 4(2), pp. 111-169. Maak, T. Pless, N. M., 2006. Responsible Leadership: A relational approach. In Maak, T. Pless, N.M. (Eds.), Responsible Leadership. New York, Routledge. Maslow, H. A., 1970. Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper Row. Northouse, G., 2007. Leadership theory and practice. Thousand Oak, London, New Delhi: Sage Publications, Inc. Patterson, J. H., 2010. Leadership: the project management essential. Production and Inventory Management Journal, 46(2), pp. 73-89. Scarnati, J. T., 2001. On becoming a team player. Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 2 (5-10.), p. 7. Sharma, M. K. Jain, S., 2013. Leadership Management: Principles, Models, and Theories. Global Journal of Management and Business Studies, 3(3), pp. 309-318. Schmid, B. Adams, J., 2008. Motivation in Project Management: The Project Managers Perspective. Project Management Journal, 69(2), p. 6071. Sirota, D. M. Meltzer, M. I., 2005. The enthusiastic employee: How companies profit by giving workers what they want. Upper Saddle River: Wharton School Publishing. Sohmen, V. S., 2013. Leadership and Teamwork: Two Sides of the Same Coin. Journal of IT and Economic Development , 4(2), pp. 1-18. Tarricone, P. Luca, J., 2002. Successful teamwork: A case study, Perth: Edith Cowan University. Verzuh, E., 1999. The fast forward MBA in Project Management. New York: Wiley Sons. Whetten, D. A. Cameron, S. K., 2011. Developing management skills. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall/Pearson. Winston, B. E. Patterson, K., 2006. An Integrative Definition of Leadership. International Journal Of Leadership Studies, 1(2), pp. 6-66.

Red Tsar Essay Example

Red Tsar Paper When Stalin rose to power in 1929 he claimed to the Russian public that he was a devote follower of Leninism; his slogan Lenin is always with us1 meant that Stalin wanted to show how similar he was to Lenin. However Stalin asserted his power at the head of government much like the Tsars by employing tactics of fear and propaganda. Stalins personal dictatorship meant he had strong elements of being Red Tsar as he established unquestionable rule, this idea of being a Red Tsar came from the belief that Stalin wasnt committed to communism, as his traditional ideas were reminiscent of Tsarist autocratic rule, so effectively he was a fusion between the two ruling styles. As Stalin wished to portray himself as a God-like figure; this made him an isolated leader who tolerated no criticism, similar to the style of ruling under the Tsars, as both leaders dismissed ministers at their own will and chose to act on their own personal feelings, for example like the Russification policy of employed by all the Tsars, but in particular Alexander II and the nationalistic policies of Stalin. Stalins government was top-down2, and unlike Lenin and Khrushchev, Stalin was very wary of how much his fellow party members knew. Therefore he employed a clear hierarchy, where information was withheld from lower members. We will write a custom essay sample on Red Tsar specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Red Tsar specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Red Tsar specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Tsars relied on loyalty of elites to strengthen government, in particular the nobility and the Russian Orthodox Church, who helped to keep firm control over the Russian people. Although it is true that both Lenin and Stalin surrounded themselves with loyal i lites called nomenklatura, these elites became more important under Stalin, as the influence of the wider CCP was reduced he descended into his personal dictatorship. The growth under Stalin of the Party Secretariat, which was created under Lenin, meant there was a growth in bureaucracy, something which communist ideology disapproved of. As the General Secretary of the CCP Stalin had influence over all areas of the party, whilst the Politburo became the most influential body, as it controlled the actions of all government departments. Therefore the party became more centralised, as the influence of the grass-roots became less significant. Hence historians such as Richard Pipes claim that Leninism caused Stalinism, as Lenins party resembled a more secret order than a party in the normally accepted sense3, this led to an elitist structure, meaning that Stalins dictatorship was unavoidable. Although some disagree with this view as they understand we could never have predicted the extent to which Stalin employed a personal dictatorship. The democracy strived for during the revolution4 and declined into a dictatorship laced with censorship and nationalism reminiscent of Tsarist autocracy, as only views complementary of the regime were allowed and media from outside Russia were prohibited for fear of radicalisation. Therefore concerning the type and running of government Stalin appears more similar to his Tsarist predecessors than any of his Communist comrades, as he relied on elites, bureaucracy, elitism and a tightly controlled government, therefore this makes him a Red Tsar. Both Lenin and Stalin believed in a strong internal state, in which the party had complete control in the running of government. However Lenin did not believe in a creation of a cult of personality as Stalin did, as Stalin established himself as the fount of all wisdom5, this glorification as the Fa ther of Russia6 never appeared in such extreme force under Lenin nor Khrushchev. Therefore historian Moshe Lewin argues that Stalins system of government was a hybrid of Marxism and Tsarism7, as a creation of a cult of personality contains few Marxist-Leninist roots, but harkens back to the Russian tradition of leader worship. However Stalin and Khrushchev can be seen as similar as both leaders employed cunning8 and spin-doctoring. But there are clear differences, as Khrushchev lacked the temperamental nature of Stalin and the Tsars. He claimed Stalin was a litsedi meaning a man of many faces9, therefore there is a parallel between Stalin and the Tsars, as both made rash decisions out of spite, in particular the weak Tsar Nicholas II, who left his wife Alexandrina in charge of Russia in 1915 when he took direct charge of the army. Moreover Khrushchev denounced Stalin and his methods of Terror in his de-Stalinisation speech when he rose to power in 1956. Similarities between the Tsars and Stalin can also be drawn between the bad temper and brutal natures of both rulers. This is illustrated by when servants discovered Stalins wifes death they were reluctant to tell him, these Little People had a reasonable aversion to breaking bad news to the Tsars and Stalin, and they fell faint with fear10. Therefore both rulers commanded and frightened the Russian people with their tempers, making Stalin a Red Tsar. The fear that Stalin implemented was reinforced by his use of use of ideology, which was reminiscent of the religious attitudes under the Tsars, as his use of glorification kept a tight reign on the Russian people. This use of ideology led to his unquestionable rule like that experience under the Tsars, but Stalin emphasized separation of the state from the Church, unlike The Tsarist autocratic rule was strengthened by the support from the Russian Orthodox Church. The Tsars and the Church supported each other for mutual interest, and the teachings of the Church favoured autocracy11, since the majority of the population was religious, opposition to the government was seen as a direct challenge to God and the Divine Right of the Tsar, this made any opposition unpopular. Although this makes Stalin different from the Tsars, it does not make him like the other communist leaders, as Stalin embraced a marginal increase in religious tolerance, and did not campaign against religion nor advocate atheism like Lenin or Khrushchev. Stalins repressive methods align him with the Tsars, particularly Alexander III, whose rule was known as The Reaction, he favoured modernisation and the belief that education was dangerous12. Like Stalin, Alexander III believed that education should be strict and formal, whereas Marxist-Leninism which showed less regard for formal education. Even though Lenin and Stalin were very similar in some of their beliefs such as the belief in a monopolistic party, a strong state, the need for dramatic transformations within society13 to make Russia a socialist state. However unlike Lenin, Stalin did not believe that the communist movement should spread into the West outside the USSR. Despite this Stalin did export communism during the Cold War, encouraging the spread of communism to the East in countries like China and Korea. This also continued into Khrushchevs rule, when he showed support for the development of communism in Cuba. But at first Stalins policy of Socialism in one country set him aside from the majority of communists and showed a complete betrayal of Marxist beliefs. As Marxism was a international movement empowering all the workers of the world, and a movement which denounced nationalism. But Stalins nationalism in form, socialist in content14, harkened back to the Great Russian Empire under rulers such as Peter the Great and Ivan the Terrible15, this nationalism forced the Russian population into patriotism, like that experienced under the Tsars, which was never experienced to the same extent under Lenin or Khrushchev. This is an explanation for Stains belief that non-Russians should be moulded into Russians. Whereas Marxist-Leninism stated that non-Russians should remain in Russia un-disturbed, Lenin enforced this through his Decree of Nationalities in 1917. Therefore Stalins nationalism aligns him with the Tsars policy of Russification16, which forced all those nationalities living in Russia to speak Russian. Despite Stalins nationalist beliefs, Stalinism was still derived from Leninism, and they had some similarities such as distrust of bureaucracy, the belief the achievement of a utopian Russia and both having had a hatred of adulation at close quarters 17 . Although Lenin and Stalin had some similar values, as their core beliefs were derived from the teachings of Marx. However Lenin never attempted to build a cult of personality and disliked the term Leninism, as he thought of himself as a Marxist unlike Stalin, who wanted to develop the personalities of the population under his own glorification. Therefore McCauley argues that Stalin manipulated Marxism and Leninism for his own means18 as McCauley believes Stalin was not a true communist as he did not properly embrace the ideology. Moreover his focus on traditional beliefs such as family values, the importance of marriage, and the implementation of policies such as making divorce difficult and outlawing abortion. These beliefs made Stalin more traditional in his values than Khrushchev and Lenin who both believed conventions such as marriage were outdated in society. While the style and ceremonies of High Stalinism in 1930s seemed less Leninist and more a reversion to the past, as Stalins semi-religious imagery, crude nationalism and parables with the great state of building Tsars like Ivan the terrible19 make him seemingly Tsariest. Therefore although Stalin may have shared some ideologies in common with the communists, many of his key values made him very different, as although Marxism initiated most of their beliefs Stalin had many traditional beliefs that neither Lenin nor Khrushchev held. Stalins outright brutality, not only surpassed the Tsars but also his communist comrades, as E. H Carr claims Stalin revived and outdid the brutalities of earlier Tsars20, showing a difference between Stalins methods of repression and the methods used by the Tsars. Consequently some historians claim that Stalins brutalities must have stemmed from a source, as Simon Hartfree claims that High Stalinism appears as the logical and inevitable outcome of Leninism21 as he argues that Lenins actions such as the use of Terror and purges, paved the way for the brutalities of Stalinism. This is reinforced by R Medevev, who argues that although there was little continuity between Lenin and Stalin, as Stalin abolished the NEP, forced collectivisation, employed mass-terror and administrative rather than economic methods for industrialisation, Stalin saw himself as a disciple of Lenin22. Stalin implemented much of Lenins domestic and foreign policy, as he rid the party of factions, removed the intelligentsia, collectivised agriculture and created a Red Army. All these were all Leninist policies; however the implementation of these polices may have not been to Lenins taste. This shows that Stalinism was built on the foundations of the Leninist state, although it may have taken a shape Lenin would not have approved of. However historians such as Robert Service argue that the passage from Leninism to the worse horrors of Stalinism was neither smooth nor inevitable23. Although Service claims that Lenin was more ruthless than originally percieved, particularly as he crushed his enemies, waged class warfare and had unpleasant attitudes towards peasants and the Church. However Service also claims that Lenin ultimately wanted to abolish the secret police, the army and eventually the whole state. Therefore Lenins oppressive methods are dwarfed by the High Stalinism of the 1930s, when Stalin implemented methods of totalitarianism. Stalin used a regime of Terror to stay in power much like the Tsars, but his creation of a highly centralised state means that historians such as Schapiro hold Stalin personally responsible for high levels of human suffering24 during his rule. Furthermore Robert Conquest claims that the Great terror emanated from the top, he claims that Stalin planned the purges, directed the NKVD and organised the apparatus of terror, to control his own party as much as the country. 25 Whereas J. Arch Getty claims the Cold War distorted the western view of the Soviet Union and we must distance Stalin from sole responsibility26 for the horrors of the Great Terror. Getty claims that Stalin had no plans the Terror experienced in the Soviet Union at this time, and despite his position of power his personality faults do not help to explain what happened, in fact Stalin may have not even known what was going on. Getty also claims that officers in the NKVD acted on their own will, due to chaos of the Soviet Union and fear of Stalins temper. Getty claims that the randomness of attacks and irrational fear within the population, shows that there was a lack of tight central control. Gettys view is extreme, because although the scale of the terror, thoroughness of targeting and executions can be partly put down to a tumult within the Soviet Union at this time, Stalin must still be regarded as a deeply suspicious character, who saw enemies everywhere, therefore he must be more than partially responsible. Consequently the most convincing view is that Stalin was not solely responsible for the Terror experienced, but that his position within the country meant he knew the majority of what was happening and exercised significant power over the NKVD. The atrocities experienced did not happen without a great deal of central orchestration because the sheer scale, cannot simply be put down to civil unrest. The repressive methods of Stalins regime such as show trials, secret police and labour camps can seem out of character in context of this 100 year period, but these methods were used during the rule of the Tsars and were used under both Lenin and Khrushchev. However George Leggett claims27 these methods were never used to the same extent by other rulers, although Lenin, and Khrushchev seem similar concerning their repression of opposition. However Stalin was set aside from other communist leaders by the killing of his own communist comrades, as Lenin would have never have that gone as far, Khrushchev denounced this shortly after Stalins death in his de-Stalinisation speech. Leggetts view is particularly convincing as Stalins brutalities can not be compared to anybody in Russian history. Moreover the sheer scale of Stalins terror particularly during the Purges of 1928 to 1934 and show trials used throughout his rule surpass Lenin and Khrushchev and his brutality demonstrates his Red Tsar nature. Stalins killing of Lenins i lite, his brutal secret police (NKVD) and the rise in fascism led to High Stalinism, where Stalin resorted to extraordinary measures28 to control his party and the population. Although some of these methods continued under Khrushchev, they were comparatively less horrific. Even though grain seizures were common to all communist leaders, it is important to recognise that all communist leaders were against the forced collectivisation experienced under Stalin, which led to widespread famine in Russia. Although it is unfair to say there was no famine was suffered under Lenin or Khurschev, especially as millions died during the Civil War. Around 20 million Russians died during Stalins rule, 1. 5 million executed, 2 million died in camps, and 7 million died in famine29. This sheer scale of death came from use of terror methods such as slave labour camps in which at least 30 million may have served in. These huge totals surpass any under both Lenin and Khrushchev, even despite Lenins harsh treatment of opposition. Lenin also lacked the understanding of political pluralism and a multi-party system30, which led to his banning of factions in 1921 and his latter use of purges. However Lenin did not have the same distrust of members of his own party as Stalin did, as Stalin executed 98/139 members of the Seventeenth Party Congress, whilst 1,100 out 1,96631 party delegates were arrested. Although there is much evidence of violence under the Tsars, such as the repression of opposition after the assassination of Alexander II, Stalin is not like a Red Tsar, as Stalins brutalities surpass and dwarf any under the Tsars. However the truly autocratic natures of the Tsars, particularly Alexander III allow some similarities between Stalin and the Tsars. For example both Stalin and Alexander III had a distrust of giving others power, thus they both made the function of local government very difficult32. Both also of increased censorship and government control over universities. Stalin also enforced totalitarianism in all areas of life such as education, youth movements, culture, media, information, armed forced, government and administration33. This lead to a period known as Socialist Realism, an artistic style depicting happy workers, which was reminiscent of old Russian exclusiveness 34experienced under the Tsars. This was a highly censored period, in which the image of Stalin and the party was carefully arranged to show the country and the leader in their best light. Although both Lenin and Stalin had elements of vanity, Stalins image appeared everywhere portraying him as a heroic saviour and towering leader. This idea of exclusiveness was rejected by Marxism and Leninism, meaning Stalins portrayal of himself through the censored media allows basis to claims of him being a Red Tsar. The original literary and artistic freedom allowed by the Provisional Government following the revolution, came to a bitter end under Stalin, but had a limited revival under Khrushchev. This censorship extended to education, as the whole system became dominated by industrialisation, meaning foreign influence was limited, whilst strict government attitude towards workers meant social benefits were cut and education fees increased35. Also history books were re-written to suit Stalins taste, meaning that Stalins people may have been better educated than under the Tsars, but they naively regarded Stalin as their knight in shining armour, holding like an icon in their homes, much like the old Tsars, allowing Stalin to appear a Red Tsar. Moreover Stalin waged war on the Kulaks; a class of wealthy peasants created by Lenin and Stolypin in a hope that at some point in the future social class would be eradicated. However Stalin sought to eliminate this class by waging class warfare and controlling discontent through purges of the population, the Kulaks were denounced and wiped out by Stalin. As anger in the provinces over wages, working conditions, long hours, forced collectivisation and the brutality of the NKVD, led to distress, Stalin crushed any unrest and able farmers, ruling strata and old intelligentsia were also removed. Although this distrust of the masses and strict government control was reminiscent of the Tsars, Stalin out-did their autocratic control and his forced industrialisation led to a decline in living standards, which then rose after his death. This shows his Red Tsar nature, as both the Tsars and Stalin maintained a poor standard of living throughout their ruling. Stalins central control of the economy during his reign was based on traditional Marxist principals, making him unlike a Red Tsar as the planning he enforced was unlike any of the Tsars. However economically during this 100 year period Russia made dramatic progress. The key economic comparison is between the rulers, is the Great Spurt under Sergi Witte during Alexander III reign, versus the Great Turn under Stalin. Stalins Great Turn brought many changes both economically, politically and culturally, and his forced industrialisation36 and focus on heavy industry was driven by the need to catch up with the rest of the world, particularly the West and America. This need was also a feature of Tsarist rule, in particular Alexander III who favoured modernisation and industrialisation to make Russia a world power37. However the core ideologies of the Tsars were different to Stalins, as his communist beliefs favoured rapid industrialisation which appealed to Marxists as it showed a commitment to modernisation. In particular for Lenin who employed the NEP, and Stalin and Khrushchev who supported a socialist planned economy38, as the idea of planned improvement was a key part of Marxist ideology, therefore commitment to modernisation was a theme across the whole period but for different motives. Stalins command economy makes him unlike a Red Tsar, as it was more state lead than the economy under the Tsars. Moreover Lenins refusal to pay any foreign debts, meant that Stalins economy had to survive without any foreign loans, expertise and investment, which during the Great Spurt allowed the Tsars to make tremendous economic progress39. The creation of the Soviet Union as a world power was both important to Stalin, and the Tsars such as Nicholas II, who believed economic modernisation would strengthen Russias position in the world. The deliberate modernisation40 experienced under these leaders was an attempt to reform Russias backward economy, although it still remained just as insufficient and wasteful41 under Stalins rule. Stalins centralised economy was concentrated on his 5 year plans, although economic planning was important in all soviet economies these plans were a landmark in soviet history42. However these plans were harsh on the peasants, and like many economic policies of the Tsars. Stalin and the Tsars exploited the peasants for their own economic gain, the seizure of grain and limited rights put the rulers at an economic advantage, while both Lenin and Khrushchev refrained from exploiting the peasants to the extent which Stalin did and Lenin in particular believed that peasants should not be forced into collective farms. Therefore in theory Stalins planning aligns him with both Lenin and Khrushchev, but his practices such as the recognition for the need of wage differentials and exploitation of the peasants show a betrayal of Marxism, although there is some exploitation of the peasants under during NEP, but not as extreme. As a result, in practice Stalin may have appeared economically a Red Tsar, but in theory and policy he is similar to the other communist leaders. To conclude, whilst on the surface many of Stalins similarities with the other communist leaders appear only to be ideological, it is important to note that Lenin laid the foundations for the development of Stalinism through his use of purges and class warfare. It must be clearly recognised that features such as economic planning, reliance on i lites and grain requisitioning were common to all three of the communist leaders in this period. However despite this, Stalins image as a Red Tsar is particularly apt with relation to due to his traditional beliefs, his creation of a cult of personality and harsh treatment of peasants. Although there was an atmosphere of fear within the population of Little People under both Stalin and the Tsars, it is unreasonable to compare the brutalities of Stalins regime to those committed by the Tsars. Therefore whilst Stalin has many elements to show how similar he was to the Tsars, Lenins state allowed for these to form, distancing Stalin from his title of Red Tsar. Hence concluding that autocracy was inevitable in Russia during this period due to the situation in Russia and that Stalinism was effectively a fusion of communism and Tsarism.

Babettes Feast essays

Babettes Feast essays The first part of the film describes how Babette settles into this small town. But the main story builds twelve years after her arrival. Babette receives notification from France that she has won the lottery, ten thousand francs. With her winnings she resolves to help two sisters, Martina and Phillipa, and the congregation celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late pastor by preparing a feast, not just any feast, a real French feast. But in seeing the elaborate preparations for the meal, the sisters grow alarmed and fear the strange food by the Catholic Babetter. Also, the members of the congregation all resolve to say nothing about the food placed before them, except General Loewenhielm, Martina ¡Ã‚ ¯s old suitor, who returned after 30 years of army career. Yet as the meal progresses, the pleasures these pious people have never even imagined begin to entice them in spite of themselves. Loewenhielm praise the food, and he interprets to the assembly the unique magnifi cence of the grand dinner. In the end Babetter ¡Ã‚ ¯s feast has its way even with old people. The final scene takes place inside, in the wreck of a kitchen piled high with unwashed dishes, greasy pots, and empty bottles. The two sisters tell Babette how great the meal was, and they will remember this evening after she has gone back to Paris. But Babetter tells them that she is not going to go back to Paris, because it is too expensive. She tells them that she had spent all of her winnings on preparing for the feast. Then, she reveals her identity to sisters that she was a renowned chef in Paris. Further, this most applauded chef has used her entire lottery prize. Her five-star feast, prepared for people who didn ¡Ã‚ ¯t trust her and who were determined not to enjoy it, had cost her everything she had won to give this obscure village a banquet they did not want, and in the process to bring about ...

The debate between pro-choice and pro-life Essay

The debate between pro-choice and pro-life - Essay Example The author of this paper believes that neither of these two candidates has thus far been able to sway those individuals who were pro-choice or pro-life to change their fundamental belief to a new or different philosophical standpoint. Clearly this debate is a lifelong and never-ending deliberation. Therefore should the individuals who are pro-choice just submit to those who are pro-life and accept defeat? You, the reader, be the judge. The Toulmin Model of Argumentation posits six primary elements in the course of an argument, namely, claim, grounds, warrant, backing support, rebuttal/reservation and clarification. Firstly, the claim is the statement of the argumentation. The second element of an argument is the grounds which are substantiated explanation for the claim. The third element is the warrant which refers to theory or the series of analysis that unite the grounds to the claim. The backing is the fourth element and its main purpose is to support the warrant. Rebuttal or reservation is the fifth factor and it gives an account of ‘counter-examples and counter-arguments’ which are two major components of the Toulmin model. The final ingredient is qualification which asserts a boundary to the claim, warrant and backing. This essay is an attempt to utilize the Toulmin model of argument to analyze the various arguments submitted to question pro-choice versus pro-life. Is there a difference between the human and an animal? The author of this paper believes that the animal level belongs to some dogs and other animals that would eat or kill their own offspring immediately upon delivery. The human element in us is that we have a choice- a choice to eat or kill the child or to allow the child to live to develop into all that it was meant to become. The author of this paper claims that the mere fact that a sperm and an egg were allowed to germinate should be basis enough to allow the new life that is been conceived to

Bureaucratic and Normative Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Bureaucratic and Normative Control - Essay Example Actually hierarchy in general (in the sense of levels of authority) is to be found in any administration which has a certain degree of magnitude and complexity. The feudal type of administration had a complicated hierarchical system. (Davis, 1994, p73) 'There is hierarchy of a social rank corresponding to the hierarchy of fiefs through the process of sub-infatuation...' 6 But the difference between the two kinds of hierarchies, according to Weber, is to be found in the type of authority relations. In the feudal case the relationship between inferior and superior is personal and the legitimating of authority is based on a belief in the sacredness of tradition. In a bureaucracy, authority is legitimised by a belief in the correctness of the rules and the loyalty of the bureaucrat is oriented to an impersonal order, to a superior position, not to the person who holds it. So what makes an administration more or less bureaucratic from the hierarchical point of view is not the number of le vels of authority, or the size of the span of control; the decisive criterion is whether or not the authority relations have a precise and impersonal character, as a result of the elaboration of rational rules. Concerning first the criterion of meaningful adequacy, it does not necessarily make sense to someone that a type of organisation having the Weberian characteristics to an extreme degree should yield maximum efficiency. One could equally well imagine such an organisation as being extremely inefficient. For example, some of these characteristics, even from a common sense point of view, seem to promote administrative inefficiency rather than efficiency (e.g. promotion by seniority). As to the criterion of objective possibility, in the light of the empirical research done since Weber, one can argue that a perfectly rational-efficient organisation having Weber's ideal characteristics is not objectively possible, in the sense that it runs against the known laws of nature -- in this case, against recent empirical findings. Such findings rather indicate that the more accentuated some characteristics of the ideal type are, the more inefficient the organisation becomes. In one sense, a great part of the literature on bureaucracy since Weber

Strategic briefing paper Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic briefing paper - Case Study Example Analyzing the history of Euro Disney, one can draw connections between the financial issues of Euro Disney and its name, which its bosses were forced to change from Euro Disney to Disneyland Paris because people in Europe linked a word euro with business and finance. In addition, the company was also forced to overturn an alcohol ban as French admired wine and thus, it led to a huge bank bailout in the 90s. The company had also difficult relations with its staff, which protested against a payment freeze and went on striking and marching through the park that caused the first ever cancellation of the famous daily parade (Losing the magic: How Euro Disney became a nightmare, 2010). One of the ways out of such complicated situations is the proposal about recapitalization in order to improve Euro Disney financial position. It will also enable the company to continue making investments in the resort thus increasing the guest experience. In addition, shareholders will have the opportunity to purchase shares issued in the debt conversion and the companys debt will fall taking Euro Disney’s balance sheet from a negative to positive equity position. Disney finance director states, that such operation will strengthen Euro Disney, not de- listing it from the stock market (Holton, 2014). For Disneyland Paris it is essential to formulate a new strategy by setting fresh goals and values, search for the new resources and capabilities, and revise the company’s structure and system. For this purpose, the company should understand how its current structure drives competition, whether it is a changing customers’ demand, changing prices or certain technological change. With the help of diagnostic strategic capability that may be performed by means of value chain analysis or SWOT analysis, the company would consider the development of its availabilities. Besides, the

Employee Development Case Study

Employee Development Case Study Companies of the 21st century have to engage in Employee Development, in order for the organisation to achieve its goals. It has to develop its main core of the company which is the employees which are the assets that drives the company to its goals. Therefore it is important to place employee development in the context of the business strategies. Employee development includes training and skill development of the employee, an emphasis on the internal advancement of the entry-level or low-skilled workers (Insight 2009). Encouraging employees to acquire new or advanced skills, knowledge and viewpoints by providing learning and training facilities and avenues where new ideas can be applied. Development is a specific state of growth or advancement. Employee development or career development is an on-going refinement of job mastery and professional development coupled with career planning activities. Job mastery is necessary skills to successfully perform one job. (Guide to Human Managing Resources) Learning is the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study experience or taught. Information is knowledge and knowledge requires learning. In this era of the century, there is a strong emphasis on human capital despite financial and physical assets. Training means giving new and current employees the skill they need to perform their jobs (Human Resource Management Text Book) Training are able to improve employees efficiency and motivation leading the organization to gain productivity and job satisfaction. Chapter Two Company background Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad (Dutch Lady Malaysia) the leader in branded quality dairy business in Malaysia. Incorporated in 1963, Dutch Lady was the first milk company in Malaysia to be listed on Bursa Malaysia, the local Stock Exchange in 1968. Its holding company is Royal Friesland Campina, a Dutch multinational corporation and one of the largest milk companies in the world. Permodalan Nasional Berhad is the second largest shareholder in the Company. (Figure 1) Dutch Lady Malaysia manufactures and sells a variety dairy products and fruit juices for the home and export market such as Infant Formula, Growing-up Milk, Powdered Milk, Condensed Milk, UHT Milk, Sterilised Milk, Pasteurised Milk, Cultured Milk, Yoghurt and Fruit Juice Drinks. The Companys dairy products have a strong consumer following and are represented by strong brands such as Dutch Lady, Frisolac, Friso, Completa, Omela and Joy. Dutch Lady motto is Great ready for Life as it applies to the products that they carry is also applies to the employees of Dutch as they use employee development to build the employees. At Dutch Lady Office in Malaysia, the 600 employees continue to discover ideal environment for lively, approachable team players who combine initiative with a genuine enthusiasm to learn. In Dutch Lady Human Resource faces challenges from all levels from executives to managers, and these employees are being challenged daily by frustrated employees. Human resource challenges is costing the company time, money, resources, lost opportunities, and reduced productivity, (taken from www.dutchlady.com.my) Chapter Three Literature Review In order for the organization to perform effectively training needs analysis (TNA) needs to assist in identifying the needs of the employee that needs to be trained is it at departmental or organizational level. Training needs analysis need to ensure that training addresses existing problems, and is tailored to organisational objectives, delivered in an effective and cost efficient manner. (Chartered Management Institute 2005) Training is one of the most important strategies for organizations to help employees gain proper knowledge and skills needed to meet the environmental challenges. (European Journal of Social Science 2010) Employee development program and activities can be costly in terms of time and resources that organizations devote to them. Often such programs and activities must be justified by demonstrating their potential for adding value to the organization. (Employee Perceived Cost, 2008) This will help strengthen the organization by increasing motivation and current information about the organization, helps employees makes their career development goals more realistic. Opportunities for promotion and/or lateral moves contribute to the employees career satisfaction and attention to career development helps you attract top staff and retain valued employee (Guide to Human Managing Resources). It can also be looked into another direction whereby the organization will create a condition where employees believe that their organization value their contribution and care about their employment. It creates an obligation by the employees towards the organization and in turn willingness by employees to work hard to increase the organizations effectiveness (International Journal of Human Resource Management). (Arthur 1994; Woods and de Menezes 1998). According to Grawitch, et al. (2006), the practices that contribute to employee development have been linked to employee commitment to the organization, increased productivity and decreased absenteeism and turnover. Skill development contributes to learning opportunities. (Guide to Human Managing Resources) The disadvantage of development is performance pay which is based on individual performance rating, and not the group coordination or organizational productivity (Kerr, 1995; Kohn, 1993) Journal of Human Resources Education Performance Appraisal Reappraised: Its Not All Positive 2007 The challenge that is always encountered is retaining employees. In order to in still commitment the employees, organizations have resorted to promoting long term career path through development programs. (SAM Advanced Management Journal 2001) Previously, it was common to have in-house training or reimbursing employees for the cost of taking classes at the school. But such general skills acquired were not enough for employees to perform specific jobs or future jobs in the future. By General Motors and McDonalds pioneering the university concept allows employees to access their skills and compare them against organization and industry standards. This encourages the employees to cultivate skills in both their current employment and future employment. With this employees appreciate the ability to improve their skill, but for much discipline are difficult to maintain. (SAM Advanced Management Journal 2001) Knowledge is regarded as key asset of employees and ability to acquire and use it as a core competence. (New Zealand applied business journal) (Argyris, 1991; Drucker 1992; Ulrich, 1998) A learning organization works in an environment in which 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 how to learn together. (Journal of Workplace Learning 2008) Peter Senge (1990, p. 3), the learning organization concept in his book, The Fifth Discipline, Those who are learning oriented will find great value in activities that will assist them in developing and improving their skills. (Journal of Management Development 2008) (Dweck and Leggett, 1988 The negative employees with a low learning-orientation do not value this kind of emphasis on growth and learning, and as a result are not highly committed to the organization. (Journal of Management Development 2008) Challenges that were encountered with learning are that computer based training programs tend to be entirely self-directed. The program results to have low rate of success. Experts believe that the human element needs to be involved. (SAM Advanced Management Journal 2001) In technology-based training several companies, like Honeywell, and QUALCOMM employees tend to resist technology based training as the employees do not understand the method it is conducted and fair returns will not be possible. Example, some employees are hand-on learners and do not adapt to computer-based training, when developing a training program, keep in mind that the workforce has many different types of learners. (SAM Advanced Management Journal 2001) In a relationship between commitment and training a sample of the numerous possible backgrounds that have been explored include perception, and benefits such as career, job related, personnel (Mathieu and Martineau,1997), satisfaction (Tannenbaum et al,1991), self-efficacy (Saks,1995), individual variables, such as age, education level , and gender (Meyer and Allen ,1984; Collarelli et al,1987;Mathieu and Zajac,1990) European Journal of Social Science Vol 14 No 1 2010 Training can also be considered as employee turnover. If the new skills that have been acquired by the employee and the skill are of high value to other organization, the organisation will risk losing their trained employee. (European Journal of Social Science Vol 14 No 1 2010) The ability to manage the cost of training and keep within the budget of the organization proves to be a challenge. Trying to prove to the management that training is part of the organization even when organization is not into training. (European Journal of Social Science Vol 13 2010) In today fast pace technology era, technology is changing the way the organization is operated. Technology devices that employees are trained to use today will be obsolete tomorrow. The organization has to train the staff to keep abreast with the changing technology. (European Journal of Social Science Vol 13 2010) In order for training to be a success in the strategic human resource management literature, training is an important factor for lowering turnover and improving organizational performance (Richard Devinney, Yip, and Johnson, 2009). One way in which this can be achieved in the provision of training and fostering high organizational commitment to enhance the retention of employees and customers. Schlesinger and Heskett (1991) views high employee turnover as a factor of cycle of failure. The result of it is that discourages management from investing in hiring, training, which leads to ineffective performance and it, will also affect service quality and customer loyalty. Chapter Four Proposed Employees Development Plan The reason for conducting a TNA is to ensure the training effectiveness (Blanchard and Thacker, 2003; Goldstein and Ford, 2002; and Noe, 2005), ensure return of investment in the training, minimise errors made in the training programs (Elbadri, 2001)., try to solve performance problems and in the absence of TNA the training program will have little or no contribution to the achievement of the organization objectives. (International Review of Business Research Papers 2007) The systematic method of conducting needs analysis is that the process is based on specific method of information gathering technique whereby it is conducted in stages with one affecting (Directory Journal 2007) another and helping to shape the next stage, there is no short-cut is available to carry out the process because every situation requires observing, probing, analysing and deducting. When completed, needs analysis would be a wise investment for the organization by saving time, finance and resources on solving the right problems. Organizations that do not support needs analysis make costly mistakes training is either used in an effective, non-effective manner or too little or there is no follow up. (Directory Journal 2007) The data collection method can be divided into two categories quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative will be the using of survey questionnaire; where else qualitative will involve interviews. (Wagonhurst 2002). Questionnaire is an interview on paper (Figure 2). Advantages of conducting a questionnaire is that every person input can be included. Employees can complete the questionnaires as and when they choose to. The data that is compiled and analyse is easily done because every employee are asked the same question (Directory Journal 2007) Interviews (Figure 3) are able to ensure that the types of data collected from all sources are consistent and this information can be one persons opinion, or the entire organization. Questions that are selected help the organization to understand what they are trying to learn (Directory Journal 2007). In order to obtain a full understanding of the performance deficiencies it is important to obtain the employees comments. By asking intelligent questions and listening to them will build credibility from your interviewees. Personal involvement and commitment would be able to establish personal relationship with potential trainers that will be important to succeed as an analyst and trainer (Directory Journal 2007). This will be a four step process using Task Analysis (Figure 4) The analysis stage which is the first step involves accessing new employees training needs. The aim is to give new employees the skill and knowledge to do the job. Job description and job specification are important here as it will list the specific duties and skill which will be the reference points in determining the training required. By uncovering the training needs by reviewing the existing performance standards, performing the job and question the current job holders. The instructional Design, second step will consist of the duration which will take 4-12 weeks depending on size of the department. Involvement will be HR executives and manger conducting the ground work together with HR director at the final stage before feed back to the management on the result of each department. Cost will be minimal as the process of the data collection will conducted by the Human Resources department. The third step, program Implementation method that I would recommend for the different types of training methods is On the job training is the most popular or widely used method in todays organizations, it is the most familiar method whereby the experienced worker or trainee supervisor trains the employee. Job Instruction training Informal training, covers 80% of what employees learn on the job is not through formal training but informal means on a daily means while in collaboration with their colleagues Lecturers, lectures can be boring but it is a quick and simple way to present knowledge to a large group of trainees or when the sales force is being introduced to a new product. Computer based training, trainers use interactive computer systems to increase the knowledge or skills. By using an interactive multimedia training which uses text, video, graphics, photos, animation and sound to allow the employee to interact. Evaluation is the final or fourth step. This process will involve determining the participant reaction to training program, how much participants have learned and transfer of the training back to the job. This information gathered is then used in the next cycle of training needs assessment. Ranking, the approach is relatively simple and if there are few jobs involved it tends to work. Identify the key jobs and interpolate where each is in ranking order. Job ranking will be difficult in large organizations because of unfamiliarity of the job. Grading is another form of ranking. Defined as a predetermined classification system in rising order of importance. It is widely used, simple to understand and simple to administer and implement. Point assessment developed to evaluate managerial and technical jobs. Popular and wide used because of its points factor, whereby enables inter-company job and pay comparison. Job analysis also identifies the expertise and experience required, accountabilities, freedom to decide and act, number of staff supervised and position within the organization (Managing People Manual) Chapter Five Critical Success Factors As Dutch Lady continue to create awareness as a collective responsibility, that its employees will continue to practice prevention of injuries and occupational health hazard as an assurance to the public when carrying out business activities. Talent Assessment Programme continues to identify and develop future leaders, therefore results obtained from TNA will assist to identify and develop young employees into Dutch Lady Graduate Trainee Programme that will have excellent leadership and managerial qualities. Long term service appreciation will continue to be practised at Dutch Lady for employees that served for 10 to 25 years. Moreover special retirement awards are also handed out to retiring employees. As an organization with diversity in its employees Dutch Lady believes in strengthening bonds of friendship and relationship creating a sense of belonging among the employees. Annual Dinner, Family Day and Sports Club are some of the many ways of bringing families of all hierarchy in the organization to commune together as a family are some of the objectives that are achieved. Conclusion Employee development will always be an on-going process for the organization. In order to continue to retain employees, the organization has to make employee development part of its core objectives and also to keep ahead of the business environment. A learning organization is always a fruitful and ever evolving in its industry and worldwide.

A Structuralist Reading of Austens Sense and Sensibility Essay example

A Structuralist Reading of Austen's Sense and Sensibility The fundamental structural dynamic underlying the whole manifested universe, much less literature, is duality; therefore, Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility is easily analyzed from the structuralist perspective. Each of us is a complex mixture of polar opposites, the most primary of which being the division between right brain and left brain, or, more commonly, "heart and mind." Austen's technique in this novel is that of eliminating altogether the corpus callosum, thus juxtaposing the two halves into a "binary opposition," a split between the heart that throbs and exults and the mind which ascertains and evaluates. Marianne is, of course, the heart of the novel, Elinor the mind. Moreover, the remaining characters, too, fall within one of these two categories. I have arranged the most important figures of the novel in this way: SENSE SENSIBILITY Elinor Marianne Edward Mrs. Dashwood Lucy &nbs... ...novel can stand alone from its constituent elements, to be used and reused again and again by simply replacing different characters, different circumstances. Hesse's Narcissus and Goldmund is a perfect example. In this novel, the exact same dualism of heart and mind is explored (and far more interestingly, in my opinion) in the experiences of the two title characters. In closing, it must be stated that there are certainly other structural dichotomies within the novel, contrasts of high and low which bisect the lateral distinctions upon which I have focused. These involve the shifts in social stations experienced by various characters such as Elinor, Marianne, Lucy, and Edward. These are, however, secondary to the primary theme, the seemingly impassable, yawning chasm which separates those with sense from those possessed by mere trivial sensibility