Thursday, November 28, 2019

Realism, Naturalism, and Modernism Period

Realism, Naturism and Modernism period is one of the most fascinating elements of African American literature. Many of the writers of this period emphasize the harshness of African American life in their work. These writers are simply unapologetic in the way they view life. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Realism, Naturalism, and Modernism Period specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Writers of this period held that these three terms had outstanding differences. â€Å"Realism is a window by which to view the lives of ordinary people; naturalism examines the most raw and real variables of a culture while modernism is a contemporary form that allows artists to experiment with new styles† (Hakutani 5). Harlem Renaissance preceded the entry of these writers in literature scene, which happened between 1940 and 1960. Important writers of this era include Melvin Tolson, Ann Perry, Ralph Ellison, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Richard Wright among others. However, Richard Wright is the most important figure of this period; actually, the other writers were said to have attended â€Å"Wright School.† There are different reasons why these writers were said to have attended â€Å"Wright School.† Firstly, Richard Wright came before any other writer of this period; he lived between 1908 and 1960. The other writers emulated Wright and bought his theories. Wright never accepted most of the writings from Harlem Renaissance; therefore, he became a big critic of these writings. The other writers that came after Wright held his believes and became critics of Harlem Renaissance writings. This is the reason they were said to have attended â€Å"Wright School.† Moreover, Wright concerned himself with exposing the challenges that were facing black Americans in urban areas; something that the writers that came after him exposed and analyzed further. The description given to the writers of this age i s accurate. For instance, Ralph Ellison, in his book Invisible Man, talks of challenges that blacks were facing. The only difference between Ralph’s work and that of Wright is that, â€Å"Ralph’s characters were articulate, educated, and self-aware† (Hakutani 9). Change of characters does not change theme; therefore, Ralph emulated Wright. Gwendolyn Brook also touched on the challenges facing blacks through her poems. Her main agenda was to call blacks into social and economic awareness, something that was conspicuously missing during Harlem Renaissance. Maud Martha; one of Brooks’ outstanding poems is about life of a young black woman from her birth to marriage exposing the challenges that she went through.Advertising Looking for essay on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other writers like James Baldwin, â€Å"Spoke of pain and suffering of black Americans and saving power of bro therhood† (Hakutani 11). Baldwin’s writings were inspired by personal experiences that he went through under a strict father and a discriminating society. Finally, Lorraine Hansberry, â€Å"Explored African roots of African-American experiences especially the segregation issue her family dealt with in Chicago† (Hakutani 11). Taking a close look at the literature works of these writers, it is evident that they were unapologetic about their standpoint. They wanted the world to know the sufferings of blacks in America during those times. However, Wright was the ‘father’ of them all for he was the first to write about blacks and criticize Harlem Renaissance writings. Therefore, it is appropriate to say that writers of Realism, Naturism, and Modernism period attended â€Å"Wright School.† These writers matured under the intimidation of Harlem Renaissance; having been provoked by the same, the entry of realism, naturism, and modernism period offere d them an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings unapologetically and harshly. Works Cited Hakutani, Yoshinobu. â€Å"Richard Wright: Critical Perspectives Past and Present.† African American Review. Kent University, 1995. This essay on Realism, Naturalism, and Modernism Period was written and submitted by user Callen S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Project Planning Custom Woodworking Company Case Study

Project Planning Custom Woodworking Company Case Study A project plan needs to have a corresponding proposal. The latter is a summary of the whole project highlighting the tasks to be performed. It breaks down important tasks into stages giving details on the various activities to be carried out and requirements of each task. The project proposal can be used by the management to plan for the project and evaluate its progress. It helps the management to avert shortcomings in the project and development stages (Wideman, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Project Planning: Custom Woodworking Company Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Woody’s plan of managing the project was based on the wrong foundation. A project calls for the involvement of all stakeholders at all stages. The conception stage was in accordance with the provisions of project management, but the planning stage was left to one party only, who contracted an external company to implement th e expansion plan. This company had not participated in the development and conception stage, and so did not understand the requirements of the Woody Project. It had not been involved in budget estimation activities and in the determination of the project timeframe (Wideman, 2010). This was a setback to the project’s timeline and budgetary allocations. Lack of planning on handling of human resource for the project was evidenced by the fact that an inexperienced person was given the role of running the project. The professional services engaged lacked proper guidance from the management of Woody’s Company. If I were to be given an opportunity to run the project, I would not have contracted professional services to carry it out. I would have taken charge of the project as I would have been grounded on the project requirements. I would also have incorporated the stakeholders in the various phases of the project. All procurement and other requirements would have been superv ised and ran according to the proposed plan. The project plan had many loopholes, which led to inefficiencies. It did not address the aspect of changes and thus limited the development of the project. Inclusion of contingency plans and control structures to accommodate these changes is important (Wideman, 2010). When room is provided to accommodate the changes and appropriate structures put in place to respond to them effectively, the project development team will be able to analyse these changes and come up with appropriate actions. The team will also be better placed to determine whether the changes are necessary or not.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The final product of the project must be of the desired quality. To understand what quality is, one needs to analyse the project targets. If the targets are met successfully, then this is good quality. The targets of the project can be conceptualised as been SMART (Roberts, 2009: Par 3). The specific objective of the project has to be met and it should be clear and precise. The objectives define the direction of the project, and so a clear definition of the same is the first step in ensuring project quality and success. There should be a measure of the project achievements. For example, Woody’s project, if completed, should have renovated and improved the production space of the company. It would also have added value to the premises. The project objectives have to be attainable (Roberts, 2009: Par 3). They must be within the company’s budget and within a specified period of time. The financial allocation should also be realistic to ensure proper project development and completion. The company should ensure that the team has capacity to deliver the desired output (Roberts, 2009: Par 3). The relevance of the project is also a measure of its quality. The aim of the project should be tied to its objectives. The output needs to have significant impact on the company and worth the cost spent on the project. The allocation of the time period for the project also needs to be in relation to the amount of work to be carried out. Too little time may lead to hastened actions and decisions that may not be good for the project, whereas too much time may be costly. Thus, the timeline has to be right to enable the team achieve the project’s objectives (Roberts, 2009: Par 3). The quality requirements makes sure that the project team is keen when analysing the terms of the project, the time period, costs and allocated financial resources. The project head must ensure that these aspects are put into consideration before embarking on the project. There must be an individual designated to evaluate the quality of the outputs at different stages in relation to desired standards (Roberts, 2009: Par 3). In Woody’s project, Leadbetter lacked the understanding of qual ity of a project as interpreted in project management. This resulted to lack of objectivity in the project, requiring a rewrite of the software codes. This took more time than previously envisioned (Wideman, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Project Planning: Custom Woodworking Company Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The project concept is the initial stage in which the ideas of a project are first visualised. This is in regard to observations and requirements. Figure 1: Planning and Scheduling A good baseline plan would have provided an opportunity to change the time and also accommodate the delays in execution of tasks. This would have revealed to the team members the possibility of the project not being on schedule. If activities in the critical path had floats, it would have averted the delays and wastage of extra days that were needed (Wideman, 2010). The cost is likely to amount to $16 millio n. The guestimation is calculated by estimating the costs of the different tasks in the project. The different costs can be presented by the team members to the team leader who calculates a median of the values. After the project is completed, the real cost is compared to the estimates (Wideman, 2010). In this project’s life cycle, costing has not been taken as a factor. The costs have been derived from the different tasks. Mr Cashman had made a guestimation of the total cost and a rough estimate of the same, not exceeding $16 million. With the knowledge on these costs, he was sure that the contracted firm should have a lower price quotation than his figure because his estimates were on the higher side. By filing it away, he made it his own reference of the total costs. This was an opportunity to get the right market price for the project. The other option would have been to involve the contractors in the cost analysis and management process. This would have provided him with an opportunity to arrive at a more reasonable cost (Wideman, 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Woody’s should have contracted different companies for different tasks. For example, the building and construction would have been tendered to a single company, while the provision of materials would have been given to another company. This would have been cheaper and would have enabled the team members allocate tasks without any problem. Contracts are always awarded to companies that have a record of delivering and performing the contracts satisfactorily. The companies need to be vetted by considering their performance track record. The lack of coordination and inappropriate procedures in putting together a project in Woody’s resulted to the failure of achieving the main objectives of the project. The building was completed, more space was availed, but it was not put into proper use. This is due to lack of morale by the staff and also under utilization of the equipment as identified (Wideman, 2010). The deficiencies in the final output were an indication that the over all objective of the project was not achieved. This can be attributed to the improper procedures followed and lack of a good plan in the execution of the project. Lack of experienced project managers was also a factor in the derailment of the Woody’s project. The project failed to achieve the targets set. References Roberts, T. (2009). Project plans: 10 essential elements. Retrieved from https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-plans-10-essential-elements.php Wideman, M. (2010). Woodys 2000 Project: Expert project management case study. Web.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

ASTON MARTIN BRAND AUDIT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

ASTON MARTIN BRAND AUDIT - Assignment Example Moreover, the company holds various elements, which constitute its success factor in the highly competitive automobile industry. Such strengths define the resilience of the grand logo of the company, despite the weathering challenges in the markets. The founders of the corporation were Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, both of United Kingdom. However, over the years, it changed ownership with various parties buying shares in the company including the Ford brand among others. Today, the leading individual shareholders and owners are David Richards and Baimler AG (Dowsey, 2010). The other shareholders are companies with shares in Aston Martin. Aston Martin is a company whose existence now spans 100 years of operation. The company was established in 1914 and has been operating since its institution (Dowsey, 2010). Further, this forms a heritage factor for the company, which makes it a preferable choice for many of its consumers. Aston Martin is an automobile company whose operations focus solely on the manufacturing of vehicles and wares of vehicles. The company products feature in the motorsport industry, as well as, the personal car industry. The company also factors the production of cars for luxury purposes, a leading service that it facilitates to its consumers (Dowsey, 2013). The operational elements of its products and services entail the highly competitive automobile industry, where the company products feature as leading operator and identifiable market share leader. The company Aston Martin has its base in the UK market. The head office operations are in the UK. However, it also features its operations in other sections such as America and Asia. The notable market leader in the UK has its products across the globe; hence, its scope is global (Dowsey, 2013). The company utilizes its networking ability to venture into markets across the continent accordingly, incorporating its strategic marketing features and management

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Cold War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Cold War - Essay Example Moreover, the Soviet Union was very fearful of the American acquisition of atomic weapons, this led to its rush of building up its own arsenal, causing a nuclear arms race between these two states. In addition, these two states feared an attack from the other, which would lead to a mutual mass destruction due to their possession of nuclear weapons. The United States became very suspicious of the Soviet Union and its intentions when this state took over most of Eastern Europe leading to a rise of the tensions between them (McConnell 54). One of the factors, which determined the future relationship of these two states and the eventual policies towards one another, was the personal dislike, which the American president, Harry Truman had for the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin. There was also the constant fear by the Soviets that the United States would use Western Europe as a base for an attack against it, hence, the creation of the Iron Wall to separate completely the west of Europe from the Soviet occupied east. The Cold Car had some major effects on the United States and this was on the economic and political scene. The capitalist system, which was greatly depended upon by the United States, came to be greatly strengthened because it was used as a tool by the government as a counter to the Soviet ideal of communism. Furthermore, on the political scene, the United States invested heavily in the support of allied regimes all over the world and in some cases intervened militarily. While its involvement in Korea was largely considered a success, its military intervention in Vietnam was a disaster because thousands of American soldiers were killed in this war and America was forced to withdraw from Vietnam without achieving any of the goals it had set out to achieve. However, not all turned out badly for the United States because it managed, along with its allies, to form a defense pact (NATO) which came to ensure

Monday, November 18, 2019

Water and the Arab- Israeli Peace Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Water and the Arab- Israeli Peace Process - Essay Example After the war, a larger section of water resources was taken by Israel (Asser 1). The complete control of water resources has led to conflict. Israel has dominated 80 percents of the mountain aquifer leaving only 20 percent to the Palestinians (Asser 1). This leaves little water resources to the Palestinians. Moreover, the Palestinians complain of limited access to their water resources (Asser 1). They cite the Israel military as the one preventing them from using their own water resources. There has also been allocation of more water to Israel nationals as compared to Palestinians. This has been evident in West Bank. The issue of water has also led to increased tension in the area. The tension has been due to the effect on Palestinian agriculture. The little available water has negatively affected the Palestinian agricultural economy (Asser 1). The Palestinian are also subjected to water rationing as the reserves gets dry (Asser 1). Proper water management has been cited as necessary for peace in the region. In the 90s, water was viewed as being tricky point of discussion in Arab-Israel peacemaking (Asser 1). The continued settlement of Israel in sensitive water areas, in West Bank, has also been seen as a threat to peace and stability in the region. Additionally, some of the stalled negotiations on the peace process between Israel and other Arab countries have been based on water related issues (Asser

Friday, November 15, 2019

Professional values and ethics

Professional values and ethics Professional Values and Ethics Values and ethics are the cornerstone for both personal and professional success. The way an individual or group interacts with others exposes their genuine character because actions speak louder than words. Those with a strong values system and ethical standards of the highest degree are easily recognizable by their deeds and are intrinsically motivated to do the right thing, even when no one is watching. Values and ethics generally originate and grow from the same sources, family, spiritual beliefs, and school; professional values and ethics are mere extensions of what one learns prior to joining the work force. Therefore, the things one learns early in life follow into the professional world and have a positive, or negative, impact on career success. Values and Ethics Defined Values Before delving into the world of professional, or personal for that matter, values, one must first know exactly what a value is or values are. A value is, according to Ozmete(2007),â€Å"an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence† (p. 1). Furthermore, a value system is all these beliefs placed and utilized in order of precedence, serving as a guide for everything from decision making to conflict resolution. What one values provides answers to questions like, if one was stranded on a deserted island, what three things would he or she want to have? Professional values are basically the same as described above but in the context of a corporation, organization, or group and what they would like their desired end-state to be. The professional value system of group entities is revealed in their business practices; from their interaction with other companies to how well taken care of the employees are. Whether or not a business plays by the rules, win or lose, speaks volumes about the company and, more importantly, the people who work there. Ethics Ethics are usually described in relation to values, as they are the moral philosophy and implementation of ones values. Personal or professional ethical codes give the ability to recognize what is right, fair, honorable and righteous. Corporations and businesses have published codes of ethics by which they conduct business. The code of ethics sets forth the standards to which employees are expected to abide and will be held accountable. Far too many companies have failed not because they did not have ethical standards, but because they did not enforce them. It is incumbent upon every employee to ensure they familiarize themselves with their employers ethical code of conduct for the benefit of the employee and employer alike. Sources of Values and Ethics Family One source of professional values and ethics are parents or guardians. Ever since one can remember, one of the first places where values are taught is at home. Parents teach their children right from wrong, not to lie or steal, and may introduce them to a particular religion where values are reinforced. These are the values that stay with someone forever; not only does the individual use these values as guidelines in their lives, but they also teach their children the same values.   Besides moral values, families teach their children work ethic. They give children small chores to do, such as cleaning their room, taking out the trash, and general helping around the house.   If they complete the tasks in a timely fashion, they receive money for helping. These small jobs not only show children the value of earning money, but also show them that hard work is rewarded. School Another source of values and ethics is school. Children learn they must be on time, complete their homework, and study hard to earn good grades. Just as with chores and allowances at home, schoolwork teaches that by studying and working hard, one can achieve good grades and get into good high schools and universities. Being on time for school each day is the beginning of ones time management skills. Not only do they learn the importance of punctuality, but budgeting their after school activities, family time, and homework time teaches one to prioritize what he or she values. Conversely, one learns that there are consequences for not implementing his or her values, like detention or bad grades. The repercussions could be detrimental, with long-lasting effects such as limited college choices and in turn, limited professional choices. Professional Environment No matter the career one chooses, the values and ethical standards instilled as a youth will guide ones professional decisions, good or bad. Most corporations, companies or associations have a written set of values or ethical guidelines by which all are held accountable. The American Psychological Association focuses on five principles of ethical behavior. The first principle is Beneficence and Nonmaleficence, which states, â€Å"In their professional actions, psychologists seek to safeguard the welfare and rights of those with whom they interact professionally and other affected persons, and the welfare of animal subjects of research† (American Psychological Association, 2002, p. 3). The next principle is Fidelity and Responsibility, which reads, â€Å"Psychologists uphold professional standards of conduct, clarify their professional roles and obligations, accept appropriate responsibility for their behavior, and seek to manage conflicts of interest that could lead to exploi tation or harm† (American Psychological Association, 2002, p. 3). Integrity is the third principle stating, â€Å"Psychologists seek to promote accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness in the science, teaching, and practice of psychology. In these activities psychologists do not steal, cheat, or engage in fraud, subterfuge, or intentional misrepresentation of fact† (American Psychological Association, 2002, p. 3). The fourth principle deals with Justice and reads, â€Å"Psychologists recognize that fairness and justice entitle all persons to access to and benefit from the contributions of psychology and to equal quality in the processes, procedures, and services being conducted by psychologists† (American Psychological Association, 2002, p. 3). The final principle is based on Respect for Peoples Rights and Dignity, and states, â€Å"Psychologists respect the dignity and worth of all people, and the rights of individuals to privacy, confidentiality, and self-determina tion† (American Psychological Association, 2002, p. 4). The preceding guidelines are what many were taught as children; do not harm others, take responsibility for your actions, be honest and trustworthy, impart fairness, equality, and respect to all. Each is applicable, and most useful, throughout life and all are qualities of a civil society. Applying Professional Values and Ethics Not everyone, however, was raised with the same values and ethical standards. While some were taught to value the â€Å"Golden Rule†, others learned to value money, possessions and status over all else. Bernie Madoff is an excellent example. He swindled investors out of an estimated fifty billion dollars in a Ponzi scheme that lasted for years. Unscrupulously, he promised clients massive returns on their investments, which for some was their entire life savings. A judge recently sentenced him to over 100 years in prison and deservedly so; but the money, and consequently, many retirement funds and livelihoods are gone (Henriques, 2009). The Ponzi scheme mentioned above is named after its originator, Charles Ponzi. He was an Italian immigrant who, in the 1920s, deceived people to invest in mail coupons and promised returns eight times what banks were offering and in far less time. Even then, Ponzi received millions from investors looking to make quick, and large, sums of money. To establish legitimacy, Ponzi paid some of the earliest investors what he promised. Millions of dollars later, it turned out he was a conman and had only purchased less than fifty dollars worth of the investment he sold. He also went to prison (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,2001). Clearly, what these men valued was personal gain and money. Neither had any ethical standards and both preyed on other peoples value of getting rich quickly. Although these are extraordinary examples, the relative impact on ones career success from not applying good moral values and ethics could be just as damaging. Professional values and ethics are mere extensions of the values and ethics learned from family, spiritual leaders and teachers. What one is taught to value growing up will carry over in the professional world. Professionals with upstanding values and ethical standards are easy to identify, as is the company that employs them. Values based business decisions and ethical guidelines adhered to by all are the benchmark for success. Those who accept less can have a detrimental impact on their company and maybe, the rest of society.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Computers Mimic The Human Mind :: essays research papers

The mind-body problem has captivated the minds of philosophers for centuries. The problem is how the body and mind can interact with each other if they are separate and distinct. One solution to the problem is to replace any mental term with a more accurate physical description. Eliminative Materialists take this idea to the extreme by stating that everything that is believed to be mental will someday be explained in terms of the physical world. One way that people try to prove Eliminative Materialism to be true is through technology. Certainly if we are able to create computers and software that mimic the human mind, then Eliminative Materialism is a sound solution to the mind-body problem. In order to examine if computers actually do mimic the human mind then we must first look at the capabilities of the human mind. If one looks closely at the capabilities of the human mind and compares them to the most recent technological advances, then it would be obvious that computers and sof tware are beginning to mimic even the most advanced mental states. In the future, computers will be able to do anything the human mind is capable of thus proving Eliminative Materialism to be a sound solution to the mind-body problem. Most of the day the human mind is taking in information, analyzing it, storing it accordingly, and recalling past knowledge to solve problems logically. This is similar to the life of any computer. Humans gain information through the senses. Computers gain similar information through a video camera, a microphone, a touch pad or screen, and it is even possible for computers to analyze scent and chemicals. Humans also gain information through books, other people, and even computers, all of which computers can access through software, interfacing, and modems. For the past year speech recognition software products have become mainstream(Lyons,176). All of the ways that humans gain information are mimicked by computers. Humans then proceed to analyze and store the information accordingly. This is a computer's main function in today's society. Humans then take all of this information and solve problems logically. This is where things get complex. There are expert systems that can solve com plex problems that humans train their whole lives for. In 1997, IBM's Deep Blue defeated the world champion in a game of chess(Karlgaard, p43). Expert systems design buildings, configure airplanes, and diagnose breathing problems. NASA's Deep Space One probe left with software that lets the probe diagnose problems and fix itself(Lyons).