Contract Performance Essay

The allegation that the bidder cannot perform contract involves bidder responsibility, affirmative determination of which is not reviewed by GAO except in cases of fraud of misapplication of definitive responsibility criteria set forth in solicitation. Since neither exception is applicable, protest is dismissed (1981. pp 1-2). Explicate the regulatory provision (FAR) pertaining to contract performance in general. Contract performance first lies the early stages of interpreting the contract. Marshall Engelbeck states â€Å"The cardinal rule of contract interpretation is to â€Å"carry out the original intent of the parties. This rule is founded in common law. † (Engelbeck, 2002, p. 339) The first step in understanding a contract is interpreting the contract by finding the â€Å"plain meaning of the words, if the words are clear and unambiguous. † (O’Connor, 2007, p. 119) to help with this Marshal Engelbeck lays out six presumptions upon which a contract is founded. These are used to help interpret the contract to ensure the objective intent is understood and that no ambiguity exists between the contracting parties. They are: (1) Performance feasibility: there is a presumption that it is possible to perform the work. 2) Competency: The seller has an obligation to perform the work satisfactorily. (3) Document soundness: The contract is the plain meaning between the buyer and the seller, and should be a complete and accurate expression of the original intent of both parties. (4) Cooperation: This presumption enforces the duty on both parties to cooperate. (5) Absence of mistake: In a contract, mistakes can occur that are classified as mutual or unilateral. The burden of resulting from a mistake can be substantial, and the parties must resolve the situation quickly. 6) Conscionability: misunderstandings, and optimistic analysis can create contract requirements that impose an obligation on the performing party to operate contract to its best interest, the cost of performance is not proportional to the benefits. (2002, pp. 328-329) Also both parties are subject to the â€Å"duty to inquire rule, this applies only to obvious errors, gross discrepancies, or inadvertent and glaring gaps. This is not to focus on intent but whether either party, failing to divulge mistakes, stands to profit from the failure. † (Engelbeck, 2002, p. 339) The question stated in plain words: What does the contract say? To understand this possible additional layer in the contract, we need to use the secondary rules of contract interpretation. They are as follows: â€Å"Requirement 1: For words to be ambiguous, there must be two reasonable interpretations of the words† O’Connor (2007, p. 123), which means â€Å"the party must read the contract as a whole, words and meanings should remain consistent. † Engelbeck (2002, p. 340) â€Å"Requirement 2: The ambiguity must be hidden (patent)† (O’Connor, 2007, p. 123) which Engelbeck states as where â€Å"express language rule prevails; this rule assumes that the professionals understand the language of their own specialties. (Engelbeck, 2002, p. 340) â€Å"Requirement 3: The contractor did not know that the government had different interpretation. If a bidder knows its interpretation is in conflict with government’s at the solicitation stage, the bidder is must resolve it. † (O’Connor, 2007, p. 125) this is reinforced by Engelbeck (2002, p. 341) â€Å"knowledge of the other party’s interpretation: Entering into a contract knowing the other party’s interpretation was objectionable means that other party’s interpretation is the one that is binding. If the parties still have not resolved the inconsistencies of the contract the FAR has established and Order of Precedence to help mitigate any ambiguity that may arise from the objective intent of a contract: FAR 52. 215-8, Order of Precedence – Uniform Contract Format (October 1997), â€Å"Any inconsistency in the solicitation of contract shall be resolved by giving precedence in the following order: (a) The schedule (excluding the specifications). b) Representations and other instructions. (c) Contract clauses. (d) Other documents, exhibits, and attachments. (e) The specifications. † (O’Connor, 2007, p. 127) The Post-Award Conference is should be established by the Contracting Officer or to help â€Å"establish the communication protocol, and define the focal points for specific tasks and to ensure the contractor has a complete understanding of the scope, technical requirements, and obligations under the contract. The orientation should be held as soon after the award of the contract. † Engelbeck (2002, pp. 336-337) Engelbeck further states this is not the time to rewrite the requirements or the contract. Based off my experience as a procurement manger this is the time where possible concerns are raised by the contractor, and the task orders are issued by the contracting officer to clarify the contract, and at times modifications are issued to the contract to reflect the elucidation of the objective of the client. Explicate the regulatory provisions (FAR) that apply to the particular contract performance issue of the report chosen. The regulatory provisions that apply to this contract based off Lancer Clothing Corporation’s protest would be the following presumptions as identified by Engelbeck (1) performance feasibility, would go the argument that Lancer Clothing Corporation protests on the this issue as â€Å"the procurement objective would not be fulfilled and the significant financial lost on the part of the client could occur. (Engelbeck, 2002, p. 329) (2) competency, this would apply as the company pointed out that â€Å"bidder does not have a commitment for the lining material, from a reputable suppler and thus lacks sufficient production capacity† Van Cleve (1981, p. 1) to deliver the full product line. Explicate whether the report gives adequate information to form an opinion about the recommendations.

The Native American Struggle

The Native American Struggle The way of life for the Native Americans changed greatly when the settlers arrived but they fought strongly to hold onto their sacred beliefs. No amount of influence or interference from the Europeans could change what the American Indians believed in. The natives fought long and hard to try to preserve their heritage and their lifestyles. While they are still given a small portion of land to live on, the plight of the Native American people has been going on since the settlers first set foot upon this land and continues to this day. Largest TribesAlthough they are all considered Native Americas or American Indians, there are over 550 different tribes in the United States. According to Time For Kids (2008), â€Å"Nearly 1 out of every 100 people in the U. S. is a Native American. Most live in areas west of the Mississippi. Native Americans belong to 561 tribes. The Cherokee tribe of Oklahoma is the largest. † (para. 1). The five largest tribes are; 1. Cherokee 308,000 2. Navajo 219,000 3. Chippewa 104,000 4. Sioux 103,000 5. Choctaw 82,000 Figure 1. The above shows the top five largest American Indian tribes in the Untied States.As one can see, the populations are large, yet still the American Indians do not have enough land to sustain their tribes and heritage. Note: From Time For Kids (2008). The Cherokee tribe or rather Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe, often referred to as the most advanced tribe among the American Indians. As stated on Cherokee Nation (2009), â€Å"Since earliest contact with European explorers in the 1500’s, the Cherokee Nation has been identified as one of the most advanced among Native American tribes. Cherokee culture thrived for thousands of years in the southeastern United States before European contact.After contact, Cherokee society and culture continued to develop, progressing with acquisitions from European settlers. Soon, we had shaped a bicultural government and a society that mat ched the most ‘civilized’ of the time† (para. 1). The Navajo Nation, most known for their language, is the second largest Native American tribe, located mostly in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. The language of the Navajo people was often considered a mystical language. According to Navajo Nation (2005), â€Å" Visitors from around the world are intrigued and mystified when they hear the Navajo language – so, too, were the enemy during World War II.Unknown to many, the Navajo language was used to create a secret code to battle the Japanese. Navajo men were selected to create codes and serve on the front line to overcome and deceive those on the other side of the battlefield. Today, these men are recognized as the famous Navajo Code Talkers, who exemplify the unequaled bravery and patriotism of the Navajo people† (para. 2). During World War II the Navajo men who used that secret code were known as Wind Talkers. The third largest tribe in the United Sta tes and probably the least known, are the Chippewa Indians.In Access Genealogy (2009), â€Å"One of the largest tribes North of Mexico, whose range was formerly along both shores of Lake Huron and Superior, extending across Minnesota Turtle Mountains, North Dakota. Although strong in numbers and occupying an extensive territory, the Chippewa were never prominent in history, owing to their remoteness from the frontier during the period of the colonial wars† (para. 1). The last two tribes in the top five are the Sioux Indians and the Choctaw Indians. The Sioux people were among the most powerful within the Native American tribes.The Sioux was also home to one of the most popular Indian chiefs, Sioux Chief Sitting Bull. The Choctaw Indians are located mostly in Oklahoma. According to Choctaw (2008), â€Å"The Choctaws were one of the largest and most advanced tribes in all of North America† (para. 1). Early Life Before the arrival of the settlers, Native Americans lived a peaceful life, hunting and living off the land. The were dependant on the resources of the land. The plains Indians in the west were around for many centuries before the settlers arrived. Most American Indians are a deep spiritual people.According to _ (2003), â€Å"The natural environment helped to shape the people's thinking and cultures as they viewed the world and the Universe in a native perspective of a physical and metaphysical reality† (para. 2). Believing in the deep powers of the land, the plains Indians were very loyal to the environment. As stated on _ (2003), â€Å"The natural environment of the Great West provided life to American Indians. It also took life! People learned that working together, and hunting together, was extremely important! Living alone on the plains meant certain death.It was a hard life, taught by Nature†(para. 3). They survived by depends and respecting the land, and together as a people. Oftentimes the men of the tribes would leave for days at time to hunt and gather food, leaving the women to farm and care for the children and elders of the tribe. The Settlers Life for the Native Americans change dramatically once the settlers landed. At first Indians greeted the settlers in Jamestown with hostility just based on the treatment they received from the Spanish, but soon after they started sharing their food.According to The Library of Congress (2003), â€Å"At first, Powhatan, leader of a confederation of tribes around the Chesapeake Bay, hoped to absorb the newcomers through hospitality and his offerings of food. As the colonists searched for instant wealth, they neglected planting corn and other work necessary to make their colony self-sufficient. They therefore grew more and more dependent on the Indians for food† (para. 1). With Captain John Smith leading the settlers in Jamestown, trade relations did not always work with the Indians.The Library of Congress (2003) states, â€Å"Unfortunately for the Indians, Smith believed that the English should treat Indians as the Spanish had: to compel them to ‘drudgery, work, and slavery,’ so English colonists could live ‘like Soldiers upon the fruit of their labor. ’ Thus, when his negotiations with Indians for food occasionally failed, Smith took what he wanted by force† (para. 2). After the Native Americans knew the English settlers were here to stay, they began to attack. Powhatan was disappointed that the settlers were not as friendly and forthcoming as the Indians were.As stated in The Library of Congress (2003), â€Å"He knew that the English â€Å"invade my people, possess my country. † Indians thus began attacking settlers, killing their livestock, and burning such crops as they planted. All the while, Powhatan claimed he simply could not control the young men who were committing these acts without his knowledge or permission† (para. 3). Soon the settlers began fighting the American In dians, forcing them of their land and more west. Once the Indians started moving west, the English and French settlers laid stake to the land. Present DayEven today the tribes struggle to maintain their heritage. They remain a highly spiritual people. Most tribes however are plagued by poverty, high rates of teen suicide, and alcoholism. Under constant scrutiny for their beliefs and religious practices, up until 1978 the were forced to either convert to Christianity or be jailed (Wikipedia 2009). Even still, as recent as 1993 the Peyote Indians were denied certain parts of their religious practices. According to Wikipedia (2009), â€Å"However, despite the passing of the Freedom of Religion Act in 1973, several practices of Native American religion were still being stifled.For example, the Peyote Indians named their tribe after the peyote cactus, which is central to their religious practices. The peyote cactus was banned by the government, however, due to its powerful hallucinogeni c effects, and thus was still outlawed to be used by the Native Americans. It was not until the Native American Free Exercise of Religion Act of 1993 was passed that the Peyote Indians could lawfully use the peyote cactus in their religious celebrations† (para. 25). Figure 2. The pie chart illustrates the top five Native American tribes that had families living in poverty in 1989. Note: From U. S.Bureau of the Census (1990). Even in recent memory the amount of Native American families that lived in poverty was very high. Native American families that live in poverty rates among the higher than any other American ethnic group in the nation. Still today, most Native American Indians face discrimination on a daily basis. According to About. com (2009), â€Å"In the U. S. , Native Americans are a â€Å"minority† racial group, and as such, they continue to face discrimination. In fact, prior to the civil rights laws, once could find three separate drinking fountains labeled â€Å"Whites,† â€Å"Colored† and â€Å"Indian† in certain states.Movie theaters were similarly split into three separate sections† (para. 3). Even though most of the land that the Native American occupies is federally protected, the American Indians have a constant struggle with the government to protect their rights as a people. About. com (2009) states, â€Å"they continue to fight to protect their rights and religious freedoms, both of which have repeatedly been threatened over the years through denial of access to religious sites, prohibitions on the use or possession of sacred objects, and restrictions on their ability to worship through ceremonial and traditional means† (para. ). In summary, even though the Native American Indians way of life has changed drastically, their beliefs and lifestyle remain the same. The European settlers made a large impact on the American Indians but it was the they that helped the early settlers truly settle in to the new land and survive the harsh weather conditions of their first few years on the new continent. Native American Indians are of strong will and deep beliefs, they still fight for their rights as a people.Even in this new century of technological advances, the Native American Indians work hard every day, from their small Indian Reservations that they call home, to preserve their heritage and their way of life.References About. com (2009). Native American Indian History and the Native American's Ongoing Fight. Retrieved February 17, 2009, from http://racerelations. about. com/od/thehierarchyofrace/a/nativeamericans. htm Access Genealogy (2009). Chippewa Indian History. Retrieved February 16, 2009, from http://www. accessgenealogy. com/native/tribes/chippewa/chippewahist. tm Cherokee Nation (2009). A Brief History of the Cherokee Nation . Retrieved January Day, 2009, from http://www. cherokee. org/Culture/57/Page/default. aspx Choctaw Indians (2008). On the Genealogical Choctaw Trail. Retrieved February 14, 2009, from http://www. choctaw. org/History/Genealogy/Genealogy. html Navajo Nation (2005). Navajo Nation History. Retrieved January 2009, from http://www. navajo. org/history. htm The Library of Congress (2003). Virginia's Early Relations with Native Americans. Retrieved February 17, 2009, from http://memory. loc. ov/learn/features/timeline/colonial/indians/indians. html Time For Kids (2008). Top 5 Largest Native American Tribes. Retrieved February 6,2009,from http://www. timeforkids. com/TFK/teachers/wr/article/0,27972,96120,00. html U. S. Bureau of the Census (1990). Characteristics of American Indians by Tribe and Language. Retrieved February 7, 2009, from http://www. census. gov/population/socdemo/race/indian/ailang2. txt Wikipedia (2009). Americanization (of Native Americans). Retrieved February 15, 2009, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Americanization_(of_Native_Americans)

Analysis Of genres Essay

‘Genre’ is a French term meaning â€Å"type† or â€Å"kind†. Putting things into categories is useful in any form of study; it’s a way of establishing some kind of control over an amorphous mass of information. Each medium in the mass media has its own kinds of language, characteristic signs and sign systems. Genre is part of the Key Concept of Language, and can be applied to all kinds of media text. Putting media texts such as film, television programmes, print media, or music into categories is useful as a way of establishing some kind of control over an amorphous mass of information. Each genre follows its own kinds of conventions – language, characteristic signs and sign systems. However, genres are fluid and not fixed and under constant renegotiation between media industry and audience through the combination of the familiar and the unexpected. The standard approach to teaching genre in film and television is to focus on the common codes and conventions. Looking at film posters, trailers or short scene extracts will quickly enable students to identify similarities and differences in characters, location, stories and familiar objects (the iconography). Repeated narrative patterns can be observed and beyond this the recurring theme which leads to exploration of shared ideological messages. For the study of magazines the categorisation might be based on definitions of target audiences – age, gender, ethnicity, class etc. The History and Evolution of Genres Genre analysis also includes understanding the evolution of a genre over time. Genres change and develop because of changes in the culture or historical period in which the genre is being produced. The Western solo hero who was popular in the 1940s and 1950s evolved into the group of heroes in the 1960s and 1970s with Rawhide and Bonanza—shows that reflected a shift in the workplace to that of the group in the corporation or company during that time. And, with the increasing interest in urban crime and international espionage in the 1970s and 1980s, the Western was replaced by the police/detective and the spy/thriller genres. Genres also gain popularity with certain audiences who seek out these genres given the historical or cultural forces operating in a certain period. During the Great Depression, audiences flocked to movie houses to view Hollywood romantic comedies as a way of escaping the grim realities of everyday lives characterized by poverty and deprivation. The nature of the threat in science fiction movies also shifts to reflect changes in fears or threats facing societies. During the 1930s and 1940s, Americans expressed racial fears, as manifested in the rise of the Klu Klux Klan, and in the film, King Kong. During the 1990s, with the increased production of films and the control of media conglomerates over the types of films being made, an increasing number of formulaic genre films were produced. Film studios needed to attract large audiences in order to make a return profit on the millions they invested in high-production, special-effects films, so they turned to safe, familiar genres and sequels. As Wheeler Dixon (2000) argues: What audiences today desire more than ever before is â€Å"more of the same,† and studios, scared to death by rising production and distribution costs, are equally loathe to strike out in new generic directions. Keep audiences satisfied, strive to maintain narrative closure at all costs, and keep within the bounds of heterotopic romance, no matter what genre one is ostensibly working in. Yet, at the same time, the studios must present these old fables in seductive new clothing, with high budgets, major stars, lavish sets, and (if the genre demands it) unremitting action to disguise the second-hand nature of the contemporary genre film (p. 8). Film versus television genres. There are some important differences between film and television genres. Film genres (see list below) tend to be more general, for example, the western, action/adventure, comedy, horror, science fiction, etc., while television genres (see list below) are often specialized, for example, cooking shows, sports-talk shows, children’s animation, etc. A film that is representative of a certain film genre also tends to be selfenclosed—the conflicts are often resolved within the film, even with film sequels. In contrast, a television genre program tends to be part of a serial, in which a storyline may continue and develop or characters may evolve across different programs. There are a wide range of different types of film genres: detective, action/adventure, mystery,  science fiction, horror, gangster, romance, comedy, musical, comedy, animation, detective, spy thriller, as well as specific television genres: game show, prime-time drama, sports broadcast, soap opera, musical, medical drama, news, pro-wrestling, reality-television, talkshow. It is often difficult to identify a particular movie or television show as a primary example of a particular genre because a movie or show may contain elements reflecting different genres. 1. Soap operas: Soap-opera is the most popular form of television programming in the world. A large proportion of television viewers watch and enjoy soap-operas. Soap-operas dominate the national audience ratings over other programmes that are telecast. Soaps in general have a predominantly female audience, and in fact at least 30% of the audiences for this soap are male. The main interest for men was in business relations and problem and the power and wealth shown, whereas women were more often interested in the family issues and love affairs. Soaps appeal to those who value the personal and domestic world. There is no doubt that viewing and talking with family and friends about soap operas is experienced by many women as a pleasurable experience. Women are stereotyped in soap operas but the image of the modern women has changed. From being a submissive, quiet, obedient housewife, she has grown and evolved into a strong individual. She not excels in her profession but is also an able homemaker. Soaps create a world dominated by interpersonal relationship, where characters discuss marital, romantic and family problems. There is little physical violence or crime. The soap opera world seems emotionally hazardous-mainly because of the continual sorting and resorting of relationships. PORTRAYAL IN SOAP OPERAS Though not as strongly as in earlier years, the portrayal of both men and women on television is largely traditional and stereotypical. This serves to promote a polarization of gender roles. With femininity are associated traits such as emotionality, carefulness, cooperation, a shared sense, and obedience. Masculinity tends to be associated with such traits as wisdom,  efficiency, competition, individualism and ruthlessness. Most significantly though, soap opera’s concern with the everyday lives of everyday people and their problems, big and small, appears to be one of the main reasons why this genre is so popular. 2. The Talk Show: The television talk show consists of four different subgenres: 1) The morning talk shows 2) The day-time talk: some of which are characterized as â€Å"tabloid† or the â€Å"confessional† talk show, as well as â€Å"courtroom† shows. 3) prime-time/late-night talk show 4) Political talk shows 1. The morning and prime-time/late shows retain a consistent format established by early hosts in the 1950s through 1970s: for the morning shows identifies five characteristics of this subgenre: †¢ The centrality of the host. The program revolves around the host as the central figure of the program. The host often has control over the show’s content and guest selection. The host is often supported by others who laughed at his jokes and provided an immediate conversational audience. The hosts often serve as commodities for their networks—functioning to promote not only their shows, but also the network itself and other products. †¢ The present-tense flow. Even though the shows are pre-taped, they are highly structured in ways that create the illusion that they are occurring â€Å"live† in present time for the viewer audience. †¢ Varied modes of address. The host is simultaneously addressing a range of different audiences: the immediate audience on stage (guests, co-hosts), their studio audience, and the viewer audience, all in ways that serve to engage the viewer audience as the intimate â€Å"you. † †¢ The commodity function. The show serves not only as an advertising vehicle, but it also serves to promote the celebrities who appear on the show. Stars of television programs on the same network often appear as guests to promote those network programs. †¢ Structured impulsiveness. Despite the seemingly spontaneous nature of the program, a large cast of writers, producers, celebrating agents, and technical people construct a scripted, semi-rehearsed production that adheres to time constraints and certain publicity messages they wish to convey. Recently talk show hosts have functioned to provide their own versions of daily news events for their relatively younger audiences who may not be acquiring news from other sources. 2. The day-time â€Å"tabloid†/†confessional† shows are often organized around particularly themes or topics often related to interpersonal conflicts, health, beauty—and, on the tabloid shows. The increased popularity of â€Å"courtroom† shows dramatizes personal or family conflicts within a seemingly legal area. These shows attempt to actively promote conflicts between participants, often resulting in arguments, taunts, and physical fights. They also engage audience members as players in these conflicts, asking them to create alliances between the conflicting participants. These shows’ focus on dramatic conflict between participants serves to overlap with the conflicts portrayed in soap opera (see soap opera) and reality television. The â€Å"confessional† shows focus more on having participant’s articulate personal problems that are then addressed by an â€Å"expert† or by the host as a moral guide . The prevailing discourse of these shows is healing—the assumption that through â€Å"talking-out† issues and improving interpersonal relationships, problems can be solved, a discourse that masks the influence of institutional forces. 3. The political talk show often features competing political perspectives from what is described as the â€Å"liberal† and the â€Å"conservative† side, in which participants argue with each other in a highly dramatic, combative manner with little contextualization or development of ideas. Moreover, the â€Å"guests† who appear on Sunday morning talk shows generally represent status quo institutional perspectives and are largely white males. 3. Advertising: Media employ specific techniques to construct believable stories. They hook our attention through psychological devices and technical effects. The techniques are vast and many, but some common ones are easily recognizable and are identified here. Remember, advertisers will use many techniques not listed. Add to this list as needed. Technical effects: †¢ Camera angles enhance perspective, such as low angles that give the subject power. †¢ Close-ups provide emphasis. †¢ Sound effects animate products, giving them emotion. †¢ Mise-en-scene (set and setting inside camera frame) creates cultural and ideological context. Is the set a concert, a hall, a shopping mall? †¢ Accessories enhance the product. What’s being associated with the product, such as clothes, props, models? †¢ Lighting is used to draw your eye to certain details. †¢ Happy and attractive people are made-up and constructed to enhance the message. What kinds of people are in the ad? †¢ Music, popular songs and jingles create pneumonic devices to program or trigger your memory (some songs are used for nostalgic reasons, while others are used to cross promote products, i. e. cars and latest album). †¢ Products are sold using three main emotions: fear, sex and humour. Ads appeal to our emotions through emotional transfer and are rarely dependent on intellectual analysis. †¢ Special effects bring inanimate things to life and make them exciting. This is especially true with children-targeted ads. †¢ Editing is used to pace and generate excitement. Notice how military and video game ads have very fast cuts, usually a scene change every second. Common Attention-Getting Hooks: †¢ Emotional Transfer is the process of generating emotions in order to transfer them to a product. For example, a Coke ad shows happy, beautiful people but tells us nothing about the product. The point is to make you feel good and to transfer that feeling to the brand or product. This is the number one and most important process of media manipulation. †¢ Fear messages are directed at our insecurities, such as â€Å"no one will like you if you have dandruff,† or â€Å"bald people are losers. † This is a very common technique and extra attention is required to resist these messages. †¢ Symbols are easily recognized elements from our culture that generate powerful emotions, such as flags and crosses. †¢ Humour is often used because it makes us feel good and is more memorable. †¢ Hype, don’t believe it. Be skeptical of exaggerated claims. Statements like these are meaningless and vague, but sound good. †¢ Fitting In is a very common technique that tries to influence us by stating that if everyone else is buying the product, so should you. †¢ Cute. Children and animals always steal the show. †¢ Vague Promises like â€Å"might,† â€Å"maybe,† and â€Å"could† divert our attention. â€Å"Super Glue may heal cuts better than Band-Aids,† sounds absurd, but you will often hear claims as absurd as this and it would still be true (because it can’t be disproved). †¢ Testimonials are statements by people explaining why certain products are great. Famous or plain folk or actors can do them. This is more powerful when someone we really like or respect endorses a product. â€Å"Beautiful† people are usually used to glamorize merchandise, especially unhealthy products like alcohol, tobacco and junk food. Models and actors generally don’t represent average people, but idealized notions of beauty that are constantly changing. †¢ Famous People such as Michael Jordan make products appealing and attractive through association. †¢ Ordinary People are people that might be like you or me. This is common in ads that stress community or family. †¢ It’s Easy. Simple solutions are often used to convince us that a product will solve our problems. †¢ Macho is generally used to appeal to males, but not exclusively. It demonstrates masculinity and male stereotypes; these are common in military and tobacco ads. †¢ Femininity is another gender stereotype used in a variety of ads, from teen make-up commercials to alcohol ads. †¢ Repetition is done to reiterate a sales pitch over and over again, like the phone ads that repeatedly display and annunciate the phone number to access their service †¢ Big Lies are exaggerated promises that are impossible to deliver. †¢ Exotic. This is the appeal of the â€Å"other†; it could be a beach location, tribal person, something strange or unknown. This is often meant to hook you through presenting something that is out of the ordinary or beyond our everyday experience. †¢ Flattery is used to make you feel good about you as a consumer and that you are making the right choice when you chose a product. † †¢ Social Outcasts generally represents a put-down or demeaning comment about a competing product or cultural group. This is not limited to ads, but is common in propaganda as well (â€Å"they don’t believe in God,† etc. ). †¢ Free Lunch offers you something in addition to the product such as â€Å"buy one, get one free† or tax cuts. Freebies constantly hook us, but there are always hidden costs. Rarely is a thing truly free. †¢ Surrealism. Commercial media employ some of the brightest minds of the media world and often require cutting edge artists to keep their material fresh (e. g. MTV). Often, as a reflection of how unreal the fantasy world of media is, you will see juxtapositions and dreamlike imagery that make no sense because the advertiser is trying to get your attention by presenting something strange and different. †¢ The Good Old Days. Images, fashion, film effects and music depicting specific eras or subcultures are meant to appeal directly to the demographic represented in the ad. †¢ Culture. Niche marketing is more common as advertisers hone their messages for specific cultural groups. Latino-targeted ads, for instance, might have family scenes or specific uses of language. 4. Music: Form – most (not all) music involves some repetition, and we find some patterns recurring in many pieces. In other words, you will need to consider the elements below for EACH melody in your song (i.e. , the elements that characterize the A melody, again for the B melody, etc. ) Be aware that even if a melody (tune) is repeated, there may be changes – a chorus might sing what a soloist sang the first time, etc. , and a good analysis will account for those changes. †¢ Melody (Melodies) †¢ Tempo(s) – literally ‘speed. ‘ Using Italian terminology, how fast or slow is this tune? Are there changes in the tempo? Are they gradual or abrupt changes? Do you feel the tempo in this particular performance is appropriate for the lyrics or mood? If not, should it be faster or slower? Who seems responsible for establishing the tempo? †¢ Dynamic level(s) – literally ‘volume’—how loud (forte) or soft (piano) is this piece? Dynamics tend to fluctuate a lot in music, so how does this particularly piece progress? Are changes sudden or gradual? †¢ Mood – the â€Å"emotional† atmosphere of the song. This is a subjective assessment, but it should be supported by some of your other answers on this page. Sad songs, for example, usually aren’t very fast! †¢ Lyrics – how would you describe the poetry? Is it continually changing, or do you hear a lot of repetition of text? Do the words seem ‘important,’ or is the emphasis on the melody? How frequent are the rhymes? Is there patter singing? †¢ Medium – the performers needed for the piece (both vocal and instrumental! Don’t forget to notice any instruments or voices used in the accompaniment! ) †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Text Setting Text Expression – has the composer crafted the music (tempo, dynamics, etc. ) to be appropriate to the meaning of the poetry? Does s/he use any devices such as wordpainting? Rhythm – Is the rhythm prominent? (Are your toes tapping? ) Can you tell what the meter is? What is the subdivision? Why might the composer have chosen this meter or subdivision? Do you notice other rhythmic devices, such as dotted rhythms or syncopation? Texture(s) – Does the texture change at any point in the piece? What’s the most prominent texture in the song? Mode – is the mode major or minor at the beginning of this piece? Does it change at any point? Is the mode appropriate for the poetry? Style – does the music seem to fall under a particular style label (i. e. jazz, swing, rap, ballad, rock, operatic, blues, gospel, etc. )? What other elements create this style? (Text setting, instrumentation, etc. ) Type – some songs can be classified as functioning in a typical way—such as soliloquies, charm songs, comedy songs, vision songs, challenge songs, â€Å"I want† songs, love songs, patriotic songs, etc. Does this song belong to a recognizable category? (Not all songs fit into these sorts of classifications. ) Action/Dance – does this song structured so that it contains some sort of staged action or dance? Is the action in the background, or does the singer(s) participate? Describe the setting as best you can.

Why being an active member of the ASRT is important Essay

Why being an active member of the ASRT is important - Essay Example One of the major tasks undertaken by the radiologic technologists is to ensure high quality diagnostic image. For this, they should be well trained to position the patients in the right manner so that imaging examination brings about the best possible result that is 100% accurate. The correct interpretation of the received images also necessitates specialized skills. Similarly, the radiologic technologists on the Radiation Oncology Team do have pivotal roles to play while they administer proportionate doses of radiation to the patient’s body to treat cancer or other diseases. For this, one should have specialized education and practical skills in physics, radiation safety, patient anatomy and patient care. I am sure that being an ASRT member would help me to enhance my potentialities, as there will be opportunities for me to attend advanced training programs in the areas of MRI and CT for registered technologists. It also provides challenging and rewarding opportunities to work with other allied health professionals in establishing interdisciplinary training. The job provides one to learn as well as teach something all the time. The opportunity to work using the most advanced technology under the guidance and supervision of experienced professionals in the field is an added advantage. The work under such an organization like ASRT offers one great job satisfaction as there is a significant reward when one can directly contribute to the diagnostic care of an individual who is in need of his/ her service. The vision and mission of ASRT convinces any dedicated radiologic technologists, who wants to achieve professional growth and fulfill his aspirations, of the necessity and significance of being an active member of this world reputed association. The ASRT rightly believes that by 2012, radiologic technologists all over the

Answer questions related to psycholgy subject Coursework

Answer questions related to psycholgy subject - Coursework Example According to the video, a teenager needs more than nine hours of sleep for his well-being. My parents always made sure that I get enough sleep especially during my exams. Although the quantity of time they spent with me in my teenage was less as they were both working; still, the quality of time they spent communicating with me was high which compensated for their not being present 24/7. Sometimes, I wished they could talk to me more often when I would feel stressed out or emotionally disturbed. The only thing that I wish my parents would have done in my teenage is taking me out so that we could spend some time together outdoors as well. I have learned that, in order to reduce stress, it is important to drag myself to relax physically and mentally. I should do meditation or yoga function to de-stress myself. I should calm down my muscles and tell myself to relax no matter how much stress I am into. Since stress affects one’s ability to increase blood pressure and shut down pregnancy, it is something I should manage to save future inconveniences. High blood pressure cause cardiac problems which I definitely would not like to have, thus I will learn stress management techniques. How much control should parents have over their child’s genetic makeup is decided by Nature and not by the parents. No parents till date have been able to create the best baby according to their desires by manipulating with the genes, as the video says. Scientists believe that man knows very little of the complex machine that carries genes, and playing with genes is rather more complex. Man has been able to genetically modify animals and plants, but making changes to the genetic makeup of a child has not been possible as yet. Parents might want to operate with their unborn child’s genes but Nature has not given them full control over the genetic machinery. To foster healthy relationship with children, parents need to enjoy the bonding they share with them, play with them,

Healthcare Delivery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Healthcare Delivery - Essay Example In most situations, nurses take the big role of consoling patients as they patiently wait for the doctor. This issue can arguably said to be contributed by the fact that doctors are not well paid thus, they go abroad to seek for greener pastures where they can get good salary (Lundy and Janes 121). In addition, it is also evident that due to low remuneration form in the public sector, many doctors opt to operate private clinics where they have potential of earning good money. As a result, public hospitals record shortage of doctors. On the other hand, it is evident that due to shortage of doctors in public hospitals, the few available doctors are overwork as a result of attending to many patients without enough rest. When this happens, studies have documented that employees who overwork tend to offer poor quality services to their clients. In this regard, it is evident that the doctors would not be in a position to offer quality care to the patients due to exhaustion. In another dime nsion, current studies have also shown that motivation is a crucial element required for employees to produce quality work. Nevertheless, when employees are not motivated, they end not giving top results. In light of this, the bottom line is that since the few available doctors in the public hospitals receive low salaries and few incentives to motivate them, they feel not motivated to devote all their professionalism when attending to patients (Lundy and Janes 121). In addition, although some of the few available doctors in public hospitals may be seen in the office, most of them just appear there for a few hours and leave for their other assignments which include attending to their patients on their private clinics of other businesses that would help in supplementing the deficit they feel exists as a result of low salary by the government. The latter is that many patients will spend many hours queuing as they wait to see the doctor only to be turned down when the doctor walks away. Some doctors keep on changing or postponing patients’ appointments due to their busy schedule. The end result of all these deliberations is the provision of low quality services in the healthcare delivery. The other important issue of concern is the high cost of medical. Medical processes including diagnosis, testing, emergency care, specialist, admission costs and prescriptions have been a challenge to many people in the United States. For instance, some tests are considered costly to middle class and poor people in the United States. A specialised test that requires special machinery and chemicals may be expensive for ordinary people. In addition, some diseases require specialist to attend. The problem is when such specialists are few in the public hospitals (Lundy and Janes 122). In fact, most of the specialist operates private clinics. Therefore, the cost of seeing and getting help from them becomes high for ordinary people. It is also evident that staying in hospital fo r a long time translates to more money required to settle the hospital bills. This would be a problem to people who are not enrolled to any of the healthcare programs subsidized by the government. On the same note, even after being dispatched from the hospital, some people may not be able to take care of themselves due to high cost of after care services and other prescriptions required for recovery. In this regard, they are bound to look for cheap alternatives that do not lender good and quality services. Conclusion It

The importance of profound leadership & organization management in Essay

The importance of profound leadership & organization management in these outsourcing transitioning times - Essay Example Therefore, it is necessary to use outsourcing as a vital partner in competitive business and hence, succeed in them. In today's world of competitive nature and globalizing world, everything is available to everyone at the cost of something though the whole world is messed up with confusing or labyrinthine solutions. But what is this world based on to meet up to the globalization and services its offering Its motherboard is business and business ideals complete all desires at some cost. Business has its ideals and etiquette backed upon by effective management with recent techniques and better leadership. Managers employ shrewd business techniques to manage the income of the company as well as to satisfy customers. The recent and well known business methodology is outsourcing. Outsourcing, in short is a subcontract, to a third-party company. In other words, outsourcing involves transfer of processes of a business function to an external service provider. The outsourcing is often made to lower firm costs, conserve energy or to make more efficient use of labor, technology and resources. Successful outsourcing hinges on consistency, competency, continuity and contract. Consistency is that the company should get continuous orders; competency is the need for the company to maintain and recruit intellectual persons of right standard very much suitable to sustain better outsourcing. Continuity is getting outsourcing contracts regularly or else the client may look in for some other company or change its management ideal itself. Every individual or a concern needs to face considerable problems. Management Maestros are no exception to these fatal problems. Also the same challenges mean different to various levels of competitors. Maestros too need to concentrate on their challenges and they strike them at different angles. One such Maestro is Exxon Mobil, the world's largest oil company. It faced a grave disaster when the oil tanker Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef on 24th March 1989. Problems like this make the company devise some methods to continue their usual processes and also tackle the challenge. This demands a great job for the manager. Still more different was the challenge that stroke it later, it was its implicit incapability to tackle problems in relation to outsourcing and transitions. A problem with respect to economy would just lead to economic instability, but more profound is the problem concerning employee stability. The company seemed to face challenges in this front. Dallas, the third largest city in Texas, has many business leaders like Exxon Mobil providing employment to thousands of highly skilled Dallasites. Some Argentinean employers who came to Dallas DFOC to obtain training were considered being an effective substitute for the Dallasites as they offered to work for nearly a 13th of the salary. This behavior matured into a more meaningful form of outsourcing. This outsourcing grew stronger with the support of the Dallasite's experienced personnel who trained the Argentineans. But soon Dallasites began to realize the approaching misfortune, a potential risk of losing their jobs. The workers would turn against

Celiac's Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Celiac's Disease - Essay Example "The incidence of auto immune disorders in the general US population is 3.5 % (The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center 2)." As per some well informed estimates, nearly 3 million Americans suffer from celiac disease. An average healthy person in the US has roughly 1 in 133 chances of being affected by this disorder. Persons having a first-degree or second-degree relative suffering from celiac disease do often have a more then average probability of being affected by this disease. Most of the patients suffering from celiac disease develop related complications owing to a delayed diagnosis. Thus an early diagnosis of celiac disease is very important as this may significantly reduce the risk of developing further complications (The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center 2). Though the etiology of celiac disease has not conclusively been established till date, environmental, immunologic and genetic factors have been found to be significant contributors to the disease. The most prominent environmental factor is the association of this disease with gluten. Not only does gluten restriction plays a central role in the treatment of this disease, but the insertion of gluten in the normal appearing rectum and distal ileum of the affected patients results in discernable morphologic changes (Kasper, et al. 1771). An immunologic component to this disease is strongly suspected because of the presence of "serum antibodies- IgA antigliadin, IgA antiendomysial and IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTg) (Kasper et al. 1771)" in the affected patients. Also the patients treated with prednisolone have been found to respond favorably. A genetic factor is certainly associated with this order, since the Caucasians have been found to have a higher prevalence of celiac diseas e as compared to blacks and Asians (Kasper et al. 1771).Though the symptoms of celiac disease may vary from patient to patient, the common symptoms may involve: bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, discolored teeth or loss of enamel, joint pain, significant unexplained weight loss, delayed growth, fractures or thin bones, bulky or loose stools, fatigue, tingling or numbness in the limbs, canker sores, irritability or behavior changes, poor weight gain and missed menstrual periods (National Foundation for Celiac Awareness). Illnesses like: Anemia, depression, Type I diabetes, Sjogren's syndrome, dermatitis herpetiformis, infertility, IBS, peripheral neuropathy, Turner Syndrome, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, intestinal cancer, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, may also be linked to celiac disease (National Foundation for Celiac Awareness).The most credible way of diagnosing celiac sprue is a small intestine biopsy. A biopsy should unexceptionally be performed on the patients exhibiting distinct symptoms of celiac disease, like nutrient deficiency and malabsorption (Kasper et al. 1772). Many a times the patients suffering from celiac disease fail to exhibit any distinct or conspicuous symptoms of this malady. In the recent years, the incidence of asymptomatic cases of celiac disease has been on the rise (Craig et al 1). Thus it is imperative for a

St. Jude's Children Research Hospital Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

St. Jude's Children Hospital - Research Paper Example These organizations range from government bodies, insurance companies, charities to religious authorities. However, in United States of America, there is no universal health care system. The health care system in the US has always been under debate. In such a scenario, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is one of its unique kinds whose main aim is to perform vast clinical research in the quest of finding new treatment options and providing free medical care to children (Sisk, Elizabeth, Clare, Belinda, and Shawna). The research hospital was funded by independent individuals as well as organizational charities. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is not only one of the largest charitable hospital’s in United States but also among the pioneers in cancer research. St. Jude Children’s Research hospital treats the children from United States as well as from other parts of the world. Above all, the families in the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospita l do not have to give any money for the treatment of a disease that they cannot afford ("St. Jude Children Research Hospital†) The organizational structure of St. Jude research Hospital is run by highly effective team from different disciplines of health care system. The whole team is proactively dedicated to increase the work efficiency and developing Quality Improvement plans. St. Jude Children’s Research hospital leadership is very focused in monitoring the survival rate after the treatment. Within the hospital St. Jude Research Hospital has a Research Community that focuses on the survival rate of the patients. They have set different committees at organizational levels that perform their respective roles which are as follows, Steering Committee: Is the higher management committee that includes the leaders of investigators, head of the projects and chief executive officers. Their main role and duty is to

Fine Tuning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Fine Tuning - Essay Example The key findings will demonstrate how ‘Accounting Ratios’ for August, ‘Analysis of History’ and ‘Recommendations’ on improving the situation can positively impact the company. It will have three main bodies such as Accounting Ratios, History, and Recommendations. The structure of the assignment envisages a main body, which will be divided into different sections based on the topic to be covered and each section will be arranged under a separate subheading. This way, it will become clear as to who is required to read the report. Activity 2 encompasses an analytical and in-depth research on accounting ratios for December. This has then been compared and contrasted with data pertaining to August. An analytical review of the history of trading from August-December has been conducted with the aid of graphs, tables and the relevant evidence has been shown by referring back to the graphs and tables. Subsequently, based on the recommendations endorsed in Activity 1, clear evidence is presented to show the effectiveness of the action plan was. This, again, will be divided into three main bodies including Accounting Ratios, History, and the evidence of successful Action Plan. An investigation of this nature will help the company to determine its current organisational and operational anomalies that have contributed to a fall in their profitability. An analysis of various accounting ratios spanning over several months, which is one of the aims of this study, will help them to identify problems that have contributed to this phenomenon. In addition, it will also enable them to pinpoint the source of the problems so that they can take appropriate measures to address them adequately. Therefore, this study envisages a thorough analysis of various financial statements of the company right from January to June by applying an analysis of various ratios. Once the relevant ratio analyses are undertaken

Chapter 2 Quiz + Answers Essay Example for Free

Chapter 2 Quiz + Answers Essay 1. When companies adopt the strategy-making and strategy execution process it requires they start by developing a strategic vision, mission and values 2. The strategic management process is shaped by external factors such as the industrys economic and competitive conditions and internal factors such as the companys collection of resources and capabilities 3. When a company is confronted with significant industry change that mandates radical revision of its strategic course, the company is said to have encountered a strategic inflection point 4. A companys strategic plan consists of a vision of where it is headed, a set of performance targets, and a strategy to achieve them 5. Top managements views about where the company is headed and what its future product-customer-market-technology will be constitutes the strategic vision for the company 6. Well-conceived visions are distinctive specific to a particular organization free of generic, feel-good statements not innocuous one-sentence statements All of these 7. Effectively communicating the strategic vision down the line to lower-level managers and employees has the value of  not only explaining where we are going and why but, more importantly, also inspiring and energizing company personnel to unite to get the company moving in the intended direction 8. A companys mission statement typically addresses which of the following questions Who we are, what we do, and why we are here 9. A companys values relate to such things as  fair treatment, integrity, ethical behavior, innovativeness, teamwork, top-notch quality, superior customer service, social responsibility, and community citizenship 10. The managerial purpose of setting objectives includes  converting the strategic vision into specific performance targets  using the objectives as yardsticks for tracking the companys progress and performance  challenging the organization to perform at its full potential and deliver the best possible results  establishing deadlines for achieving performance results 11. A company needs financial objectives  because without adequate profitability and financial strength, the companys ultimate survival is jeopardized 12. Strategic objectives  relate to strengthening a companys overall market standing and competitive vitality 13. A balanced scorecard for measuring company performance entails striking a balance between financial objectives and strategic objectives 14. A balanced scorecard that includes both strategic and financial performance targets is a conceptually strong approach for judging a companys overall performance because financial performance measures are lagging indicators that reflect the results of past decisions and organizational activities whereas strategic performance measures are leading indicators of a companys future financial performance 15. A company needs performance targets or objectives for its operations as a whole and also for each of its separate businesses, product lines, functional departments, and individual work units 16. Business strategy concerns ensuring consistency in strategic approach among the businesses of a diversified company 17. In a single-business company, the strategy-making hierarchy consists of business strategy, functional strategies, and operating strategies 18. Functional strategies concern the actions, approaches, and practices related to particular functions or processes within a business 19. Operating strategies concern the relatively narrow strategic initiatives and approaches for managing key operating units within a business and for performing strategically significant operating tasks 20. Management is obligated to monitor new external developments, evaluate the companys progress, and make corrective adjustments in order to decide whether to continue or change the companys strategic vision, objectives, strategy and/or strategy execution methods

Successful student Essay Example for Free

Successful student Essay To become a successful college student, college students must first learn how to make sacrifices. In simpler terms, college students must make sacrifices, such as going out; instead, they should stay in and study. It is very important because college students need to learn that they cannot always go out and have fun; they have to stay home and study. Of course, they can go out and enjoy themselves just not as much as before. By staying home and studying, they will be able to pass their classes and understand what the professor is talking about when he lectures. Furthermore, college is definitely not cheap and not everyone is lucky enough to have parents who can afford to pay for all their classes, so students should get a job. When students get a job, they will be able to pay for gas, classes and anything else they might need. And that way they will not be stressing over money. College is expensive, but by having a job, college students will be able to afford supplies that are necessary for classes. Point in fact, All college students must make sacrifices, and losing social time to be able to go to work happens to be one of those sacrifices. Another new habit college students must create is becoming organized; it will make college much easier. In brief, students must learn how to become organized if they want to be successful at all in college. Once students become organized, they will not lose any paper work, and they will know exactly where everything is at. Being organized is probably one of the most important habits students must become, by becoming organized, they will always turn in their work on time without having to look everywhere for it. In other terms, being organized is definitely something students should consider; if they just put their papers anywhere, they will eventually lose them. Why would college students want everything to be cluttered and all over the place? Instead, if they just become organized, they will find everything much faster. If they ever needed to look back to their notes, they would know exactly where to look because they know exactly where they had put them. Point in fact, if students want to get through college successfully, they must be organized; not only that, but they must also learn how to manage their time! It might be frustrating at first, but students must learn how to manage their time; that way, they are never in a rush to class or work. Point in fact, by managing their time correctly; they will be successful in college. Unlike in high school, College students are not allowed to turn in work late; they must make time to study and get their work done, if they do not manage their time they will feel overwhelmed by all their work. By managing their time, they will get their work done quicker; they will not feel rushed to finish, and it will make work much simpler. To put it differently, if students do not manage their time correctly they will end up being late, and being late over and over again is not appropriate at all. College students are going to have to pay for college supplies and if they are constantly late for work, they will eventually get fired, but once they manage their time correctly, they will not need to worry about that. Managing their time will help teach them responsibility, without responsibility, they will not go far in college or even in life! In other words, students must learn how to manage their time, to study and have a social life, to be successful, and also enjoy college. In college, there is no doing the bare-minimum, and there is definitely no slacking off. Once in college, students have to do everything they can to be the very best, even if they have to create new habits. One of the many new habits students must create is learning how to make sacrifices; they must learn that if they want to become the very best, sacrifices must be made. Not only that, but they must also become organized; it might take time to get used to it, but it will be a huge factor in helping students become successful. Surely they will not get far they do not learn how to manage their time, and that is one of the most important habits so students should learn how to do that first. Even though college can be tough, creating and following these new habits will help students become successful.

The Effectiveness Of Performance Related Pay Commerce Essay

The Effectiveness Of Performance Related Pay Commerce Essay Impressive levels of staff performance are difficult to for many organizations to attain. Maintaining desirable levels of personnel performance is central to the objectives of most organizations. This is imperative as employee performance often translates to aggregate organizational performance. In a situation where employees are less motivated or less engaged to their job functions, there is a risk that such low employee morale will be reflected in an organizations overall performance. There are two main types of motivational mechanism that can be employed to induce staff to desired levels of performance namely; intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Perkins White (2008:8) defined extrinsic motivation as motivation that is derived from the use of tangible or transactional reward. Financial reward and incentive pay are examples of extrinsic motivation. Perkins White (2008:8) defined intrinsic motivation as the motivation of staff that is derived from the nature of the work itself. Armstrong (2010) added that intrinsic motivation is intangible in nature. Examples of intrinsic motivation are career development, career progression, training and development e.t.c. Armstrong (2002) argued that while intrinsic motivational mechanisms tends to have a sustained and positive impact on personnel morale, extrinsic motivational mechanisms tend to have minimal impact on personnel morale. For some organizations, they focus of their process of motivating staff is mainly extrinsic, while for some others, the focus is on use of mainly intrinsic motivational variables. In spite of this, Armstrong (2010) contended that both types of motivation can together be used to design mechanisms and processes for motivating important personnel. The use of performance-related pay (PRP) as a tool for motivating staff within organizations is what this research will be about. Before proceeding, it is essential to point out that PRP is an extrinsic motivational variable. Many firms, specifically firms that deal with financial services, use performance-driven pay to reward personnel for enviable performance. Before going into in-depth explanation of what PRP is, it is essential to gain an understanding of what employee reward is. In the words of White Drucker (2009), employee reward involves the tools used to compensate employees for their contributions to the achievement of organizationa l objectives. Employee takes into consideration how important it is to use the right reward schemes to compensate personnel, especially where there is above average performance. While employee reward mechanisms can be both tangible and intangible in nature, tangible reward schemes will act as the main emphasis of this research, most notably pay. The challenge of using pay to motivate staff is the difficulty of determining the right application of pay structures in a way that it enhances sustained and desired levels of staff performance. This difficulty has led to increased innovation in the use of pay to motivate staff. One of such innovations is the development of performance-related pay. Thorpe Homan (2003) suggested that PRP deals with the correlation of personnel performance with financial rewards. Again, IDS (1998) defined PRP as the different types of incentive mechanisms, in exclusion of direct payments based on outcomes achieved. Some of these incentive arrangements are pro fit sharing, employee share ownership arrangements, bonus arrangements e.t.c. PRP is widely used in the financial services industry in the United Kingdom. Bonus schemes are usually used to reward for employees for additional business or revenue generated. The recent liquidity crisis in the UKs financial services industry, in the wake of the subprime economic disaster, has stimulated a widespread debate on the effectiveness of (PRP) as an effective tool for influencing personnel behaviour. Most of these debates arose because of the role of bankers in fuelling the liquidity crisis which culminated into the recent global economic recession. Based on these observations, this emphasis of this study will be on assessing the usefulness of PRP as a mechanism for motivating employees, especially from the ethical perspective. 3. Preliminary Review of Literature PRP acts as an added way that can be used by firms to reward their employees in tangible terms. Again, performance-related pay also refers to individualized mechanisms or processes in which pay rises are relative to the outcomes of performance appraisal (Heery Noon, 2001). This is why CIPD (2009) referred to performance-related pay as appraisal-related pay or merit pay. A great deal of debate has arisen in recent times about the usefulness of performance-related pay as a tool for motivating staff to sustained and desired levels of performance. Most of the recent debates have been fuelled by the role of rogue bankers in the recent global economic crisis. While money or pay provides an avenue through which an employees value is assessed, there is a failure by most organizations to recognise that people tend to differ when it comes to being motivated by pay. Human beings are complex creatures and as such will respond to motivation through the use of pay in differing ways (Corby et al., 2009). Another problem derived from the application of PRP is the failure of most organizations to distinguish between awarding financial rewards based on behavioural criteria or based on the achievement of results. There is a broad difference between these two criteria. In most cases, the application of PRP by most organizations is more focused on the achievement of results and less focused on behavioural criteria. While result-oriented performance-related pay can be effective in terms of the achievement of an organizations objectives, there are pitfalls in the use of this particular approach. The role of bankers in the recent economic crisis acts as a useful example of how result-oriented performance-related pay can be damaging to overall organizational performance especially in terms of the intrinsic worth of a firm. The use of bonus schemes led to excessive risk-taking by most bankers, especially bankers in the investment trading arm of most banks. Such excessive risk taking wa s largely driven by the desire to earn bonus payments; as a result, proper risk management mechanisms were often ignored as most banks became excessively leveraged. The decision by RBS to acquire Dutch bank, ABN Amro, was done in ignorance of appropriate corporate governance mechanisms; a decision that would not have been taken in retrospect as it led to accumulation of huge losses by RBS in the wake of subprime bust in America (Owen, 2009). Most of the criticisms against PRP is derived from its failure to recognise the significance of the need to control behaviour. This is because the application of result-oriented performance-related pay process tends to encourage employees to engage in discretionary efforts and behaviours that are mainly based on their desire to earn additional pay incentives as opposed to engaging in behaviours that bring about added value for shareholders. Kessler (2005) noted that another problem with the proper implementation of performance-related pay mechanisms is the difficulty of measuring inputs as they are generally more qualitative in nature. On this specific note, performance-related pay is more likely to be based on individual targets than team or group targets. Another issue with the implementation of PRP is that since in most cases, it is reliant on individual targets, there is a potential for it to become discriminatory in nature. The banks in the United Kingdom again act as useful exa mples; bonus schemes tend to be given to bankers in the investment banking and trading arm of most banks while back office staffs seldom have access to such bonus schemes. What makes this appalling is the fact that most of the ill decisions taken by the bailed out banks was done by bankers in the trading arm of most these banks (FSA, 2009). Armstrong (2007) noted that discriminatory application of performance-related pay systems only leads to decreased intrinsic motivation and decreased co-operation between employees. This undermines every sense of an equality-based organizational culture. Again, Perkins White (2008:165) were quick to point out that discriminatory bonus schemes only leads to low aggregate employee morale. Such a scenario only serves to undermine overall intrinsic interests within the organization. These observations help to highlight the undemocratic nature performance-related pay schemes especially as it tends to leave little room for the protection of entrenched collective employee interests. In spite of the multiple criticisms against performance-related pay (PRP), it is only fair to acknowledge that there are also perceived benefits that can be derived from using PRP schemes. For one, Lawler (2005) argued that relating individual pay tom performance possesses a potent motivational effect since it creates room for differentiating between the behaviour of employees and how they are rewarded. 3.1 Need for this research Firstly, I decided to conduct this research because of one of the subjects of my international human resource management module. That topic, in particular, was about how culture determines the way people react to financial rewards and non-financial rewards. Again, this research will help to examine the rationale for use of PRP schemes as a way of influencing personnel behaviour. 4. Research Questions 1.) Can performance-related pay be used to create a dichotomy between the need to protect collective employee interests and the need to inspire above-average of performance among personnel? 2.) What are the most effective ways that organizations can employ to reduce the pitfalls of performance-related pay? 3.) Why did use of performance-related pay schemes fail to control the excessive ris taking attitudes of personnel in the investment banking arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)? 5. Research Objectives 1.) To establish the best way of implementing performance-related pay in such a manner that entrenched collective employee interests will always remain protected. 2.) To establish the value of performance-related pay as a tool for enhancing performance of key personnel. 3.) To establish veritable options to the application of performance-related pay systems as a tool for motivating personnel to sustained and desired levels of personnel performance. 4.) To ascertain reasons for broad criticisms against use of performance-related pay to reward employees, especially personnel in financial services institutions in the United Kingdom. 6. Research Perspectives The research philosophy that I will use in this research is interpretivism. Collis Hussey (2003) posited that, interpretivism suggests a broader philosophical paradigm and avoids misunderstanding with the phenomenological research paradigm. In some aspects, there appears to be a like for like similarity between interpretivism and phenomenology. Any research that employs interpretivism is often times than not inductive. The subject of pay-driven performance is a subject that entails qualitative information as both direct and indirect observations both by the researcher and other researchers will form the basis for most of the information collected by the researcher. The study of the effects of financial rewards on personnel performance, to a lesser degree, involves quantitative information except when measuring output-driven target for target-oriented jobs. Such measures can apply to certain jobs in the financial services sector, like investment banking jobs. The potential lack of ac cess to such quantitative or target-driven information has informed the decision to use more qualitative-oriented information. Previously conducted empirical research on this researchs subject matter will be used to create the theoretical framework for this study. 7. Research Design Collis Hussey (2003) noted that the research design serves the main purpose of giving focus and direction when conducting a research. The research design forms the skeletal framework of the different methodologies applied during the conduct of a particular research. The research design that will be used in this research is the case study research design. Saunders et al., (2003) noted that the usefulness of the case study research design is that it enables the researcher to narrow the focus and scope of a research such that unnecessarily work is prevented. In this research, the case study for examining the effectiveness of performance-related pay is the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). This bank will form a useful case for investigating the key variables of this study especially when taking note of the fact that the actions of some of its employees were culpable in some of the excessively risky decisions that almost contributed to its demise in the wake of the subprime market disaster ( Owen, 2009). As a result, findings from the cross-examination of RBSs PRP arrangements can be used to determine the best ways of implementing PRP schemes in other similar organizations. 8. Data Collection Methods In order to achieve the necessary requirements for this particular research, data or information will be obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Under-listed is a concise description of some of the tools that will be used to gather both forms of data. 8.1 Primary Data Collis Hussey (2005) defined primary data as raw data or information. The usefulness of primary data stems from the fact that it provides the researcher with original perspectives when investigating a particular problem. Primary data will be used to a considerable degree in this research. There are different ways for gathering primary data. In the context of this particular research, the researcher will gather primary data through three anonymous open-ended interviews with personnel of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). The researcher expects that the interviews will take approximately forty minutes for each of the proposed interviewees. One of the proposed interviewees is a friend of mine and has promised me access to the other two interviewees. This friend of mine is a customer service representative in one of RBSs offices in London. Feedback from these three open-ended interviews will help the researcher to meet most of the objectives of this research and also conclude this resear ch. 8.2 Secondary Data Secondary data, on the other hand, will be obtained from academic textbooks and academic journals. Collis Hussey (2005) noted that secondary data is information assembled by other researchers and are available in public domains. Some of the peer reviewed academic journals that will be used in this research are the human resource management journal, CIPD articles and the reward management journal. These journals will be accessed from academic databases like the CIPD website, Ebscohost, and Emerald. Journal entries sourced from these databases will help to create the theoretical framework of this research. The value of the secondary data to be utilized in this research is derived from the assumption that it will also be used by the researcher as a support mechanism during analysis of the primary data gathered by the researcher for this researcher. 8.3 Analysis of Data Gathered by the Researcher Most of the data that will be analysed in this research will consist of the primary data gathered by the researcher. As mentioned earlier, the primary data for this researcher consisted of feedback from the three open-ended interviewees that will be carried out. The researcher will make use of content analysis during analysis and interpretation of feedback from the three interviewees. The content analysis will involve using the secondary data gathered as a support mechanism for analyzing feedback from the three interviewees. The use of secondary data during analysis of the primary helped to reduce subjectivity, which is one of the main limitations of the qualitative research approach. 9. Limitations of this Research One of the main limitations of this particular research is the fact that the researcher will only use one research approach as opposed to use of a mixed-methods research approach; in this case, only the qualitative research approach will be used. The qualitative research approach is not without its limitations. One of the main limitations of this particular research approach is that analysis of data gathered tends to be subjective since it is largely based on the researchers perspectives and viewpoint (Collis Hussey, 2005). To reduce subjective analysis and interpretations, the secondary data gathered will be used during analysis of feedback from the interviews that will be carried out by the researcher. Another constraint of this research is the fact that the sample size of just two interviewees may be regarded as too small to generate considerable primary data. To address this particular constraint, the researcher will ensure that considerable secondary data will be gathered so as to ensure that a concise analysis is conducted. Another constraint of this research is the use of just one case study; in this case, the Royal Bank of Scotland. The use of just one case study may make it challenging to generalize findings or results from this research. This is where the secondary data gathered by the researcher will be crucial; the secondary data will offer further perspectives on the underlying subject matter of this research, especially where the primary data appears deficient. 10. Ethical Considerations The process of conducting this research will be based on the stipulated requirements of Coventry University. In this regards, the Coventry University Ethics Manual will be studied by the researcher before inception of the research. All external information that will be utilized in this study will be properly referenced using Coventry Universitys recommended referencing style; in this case, the Harvard referencing style will be used by the researcher. The use of this particular referencing style appears to be in accordance with the plagiarism regulations of Coventry University.

Analysis of Shelleys Ode To the West Wind :: Ode to the West Wind Essays

Analysis of Shelley's Ode To the West Wind In "Ode to the West Wind," Percy Bysshe Shelley tries to gain transcendence, for he shows that his thoughts, like the "winged seeds" (7) are trapped. The West Wind acts as a driving force for change and rejuvenation in the human and natural world. Shelley views winter not just as last phase of vegetation but as the last phase of life in the individual, the imagination, civilization and religion. Being set in Autumn, Shelley observes the changing of the weather and its effects on the internal and external environment. By examining this poem, the reader will see that Shelley can only reach his sublime by having the wind carry his "dead thoughts" (63) which through an apocalyptic destruction, will lead to a rejuvenation of the imagination, the individual and the natural world. Shelley begins his poem by addressing the "Wild West Wind" (1). He quickly introduces the theme of death and compares the dead leaves to "ghosts" (3). The imagery of "Pestilence-stricken multitudes" makes the reader aware that Shelley is addressing more than a pile of leaves. His claustrophobic mood becomes evident when he talks of the "wintry bed" (6) and "The winged seeds, where they lie cold and low/ Each like a corpse within its grave, until/ Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow" (7-9). In the first line, Shelley use the phrase "winged seeds" which presents images of flying and freedom. The only problem is that they lay "cold and low" or unnourished or not elevated. He likens this with a feeling of being trapped. The important word is "seeds" for it shows that even in death, new life will grow out of the "grave." The phrase "winged seeds" also brings images of religions, angels, and/or souls that continue to create new life. Heavenly images are confirmed by his use of the word "azure" which besides meaning sky blue, also is defined, in Webster's Dictionary, as an "unclouded vault of heaven." The word "azure," coupled with the word "Spring," helps show Shelley's view of rejuvenation. The word "Spring" besides being a literary metaphor for rebirth also means to rise up. In line 9, Shelley uses soft sounding phrases to communicate the blowing of the wind. This tercet acts as an introduction and a foreshadow of what is to come later. Shelley goes on to talk of the wind as a "Destroyer and Preserver" which brings to mind religious overtones of different cultures such as Hinduism and Native Indian beliefs. The poem now sees a shift of the clouds which warns of

Lenonard Bernstein :: essays research papers

Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrence, just north of Boston, on Sunday, August 25, 1918. Bernstein was named Louis at birth, after his mother’s grandfather, but at the age of sixteen he had it formally changed to Leonard, or Lenny. As a child, Bernstein was sick very often with asthma and hay fever. Perhaps due to these and many other medical conditions, Bernstein preferred to be alone. He didn’t care to spend much time with his family or even with his peers. Most likely because of this self-isolation, Bernstein’s passion for music developed at a young age. At the age of ten, Leonard’s family received a piano from an aunt who no longer needed it. She knew of Leonard’s love for music, but I doubt she knew what a great impact this gift would have, not only on Leonard, but also on the world of music. After the young boy began to show an interest in the instrument, a neighbor offered to give him lessons, which lasted for about a year. After that year, Bernstein was no longer satisfied with his teacher, so he went out to find another one. He was referred to a teacher by the name of Miss Susan Williams and despite his father’s protest, this teaching relationship with Miss Williams lasted for two years. When Bernstein decided that he needed a more professional teacher, he went under the education of Helen Coates, who would later become a life long friend and secretary. After four years of working under Helen, he was accepted as a student of Heinrid Gebhard, who was the best piano teacher in Boston. At the age of seventeen, Bernstein was accepted at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was interested in many other things other than music. For example, philosophy and history were both subjects of great importance to him. After graduating from Harvard cum laude in 1939, Leonard spent a year in New York City. He met many influential people throughout the course of this year, including Aaron Copland. Aaron Copland is regarded as being Bernstein’s composing mentor. In fact, Copland was probably the most important influence on All-American music at this time. Bernstein and Copland had many similarities that may have enabled them to create the very strong bond between them. They both came from Russian/Jewish families; both men were raised in urban areas; both became involved in left wing politics; and both were homosexual.

Polar ice palace :: essays research papers

Polar Ice Palace What Bill needs to do is restructure the weekend and evening public skating sessions. Its is clear that he will be more profitable with public skating that hockey skating, and this is a numbers game. If he were to weave the hockey times with the public skating times he may find himself in a better position. For example, if he were to add an early morning hockey game in on Sundays and have open skating for the â€Å"kid-sitting† group in the afternoon, during the winter, this would be a solid investment. Although come the summer and fall, limit the â€Å"kid-sitting† ice time and have more hockey league play. To contend with the Friday-Saturday dating market, what Bill might want to do is enforce a strict 18 or 21 age requirement by serving alcohol and marketing this age concept through advertisement to this target market. It may be very difficult to get the same age market 2 nights in a row, so he may want to have one night for adults and the other for teens/ young-adults. The idea of creating a nightclub atmosphere is excellent and should be done, on both nights and the implementation of â€Å"party games† is a great way to bring people together, especially â€Å"adult† games. As far as the young boys feeling threatened by the â€Å"couples only† music, this might be addressed by adding a â€Å"singles† party every now and then so he can diversify his audience. Bill cannot see his investment of $2000 into lighting as a loss or his advertisement to the youth; both are long term investments that may take a while to see returns. In conclusion, he must do market research in order to justify the need to target certain groups at specified times and the financial research that will grow the greatest returns. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  a) Susan is purchasing the fax machine for her home while Greg’s is for business. Susan may purchase hers to send a receive faxes at home for both work and pleasure, and Greg needs several machines for all the offices at his large work place. Susan may purchase hers through a retailer or wholesaler and Greg will purchase through a corporate B2B contractor or directly from the producer. Susan can purchase any time she is ready, Greg may be waiting for proposals from vendors and approval of the purchase order. Susan may purchase through any form of payment, and Greg will most likely do this on credit (accounts payable)

Nike Inc: Cost of Capital Essay

The Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) is the overall required rate of return on a firm as a whole. It is important to calculate a firm’s cost of capital in order to determine the feasibility of a particular investment for a firm. I do not agree with Joanna Cohen’s WACC calculation. She calculated value of equity, value of debt, cost of equity, and cost of debt all incorrectly. For value of equity, Joanna simply used the number stated on the balance sheet instead of multiplying the current stock price by the number of outstanding shares. The correct calculation is $42.09 x 271.5M = $11,427.435M. The correct method of calculating the value of debt is to multiply the price of publicly traded bonds by the amount of debt outstanding. This calculation results in 95.60% x $1296.6M = $1,239.550M. The sum of debt and equity is equal to $12,666.985M. Therefore, the weight of equity is 0.902 and the weight of debt is 0.098. In order to determine the cost of debt, the yield to maturity of the debt must be calculated. Using a financial calculator (N=30, PV=-$95.60, PMT=$3.375, FV=$100), the YTM is equal to 7.24%. This is the cost of debt. The cost of equity can be determined using the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). Joanna was correct in using the 20-year yield on U.S. treasuries as her risk-free rate and was also correct in using 5.90% as her risk premium. However, she should have only used the most recent year’s beta instead of using an average of multiple years. The correct calculation is 5.74% + 0.83(5.90%) = 10.64%. This is cost of equity. Using a 38% tax rate, we can now calculate the WACC. WACC = 90.2%(10.64%) + 9.80%(7.24%)(1-38%) = 10.03% Using the Dividend Discount Model, the cost of equity can be calculated as the sum of the dividend yield and the dividend growth rate. In this case, it is ($0.48/$42.09) + 5.50% = 6.64%. Using the earnings capitalization ratio, the cost of equity can be arrived at by dividing the projected earnings per share by the current market price of the stock. Therefore, $2.32/$42.09 = 5.51% is the cost of equity using this model. The advantage of using CAPM is that it is relatively easy to calculate, but a disadvantage is that it assumes perfect asset valuation, which does not always happen in reality. An advantage of the dividend discount model is that it allows investors to value stocks based on the dividends they pay and it is also easy to calculate. However, not all companies pay dividends so another method would have to be used for those firms. Kimi Ford concluded that at discount rates below 11.17%, Nike’s stock would be undervalued. At Nike’s cost of capital rate of 10.03%, Kimi Ford should invest in the company.

The Devil in the Shape of a Woman

The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen (1987) astutely focuses attention upon the female as witch in colonial New England, thus allowing a discussion of broader themes regarding the role and position of women in Puritan society. Karlsen's work, which has been well-received, focuses on the position of accused witches as largely females placed in precarious social and economic positions, often because they stood to inherit, had inherited, or lost an inheritance in property.Karlsen departs from the idea that women accused of witchcraft were boisterous beggars, a depiction â€Å"tantamount to blaming the victim† (Nissenbaum) and instead points to these â€Å"inheriting women† as being socially vulnerable in a patriarchal culture. Karlsen's work is not merely of historical significance to the Salem outbreak of 1692. In fact, â€Å"that year remains something of an anomaly† (Nissenbaum) as one-third of the accused witches then were male compared to less tha n one-fifth of accusations made otherwise in colonial New England.Instead, Karlsen's study brings â€Å"women strongly back to center stage, locating them in a rich patriarchal matrix that integrates it with class and family. † (Nissenbaum). One reviewer notes that within this context, Karlsen offers significant insights. The first is a look at the â€Å"ambivalent assessment of women within New England's culture. † (Gildrie). Karlsen finds a scenario marked by its time and place in which women embodied the â€Å"Puritan ideal of women as virtuous helpmeets† (Boyer).In an odd duality, women were both the new stewards of God's spiritual leadership on earth, while subservient to a Medieval, misogynist gender role which largely placed their fate at the hands of men. Secondly, Karlsen focuses attention on the accusers and finds that they were engaged in a â€Å"fierce negotiation†¦ about the legitimacy of female discontent, resentment, and anger. † (Karl sen; see Gildrie). Accusations of witchcraft were often an outlet where this negotiation boiled over into violence, as men persecuted female neighbors who threatened an established, but precarious, social order.The crucial thesis on which much of the book rests is that witchcraft accusations were most often made against women who threatened the orderly transfer of land from father to son – a process at best fraught with tension and anxiety and at worst marked by the shift of scarce, valuable properties from one family to another by way of an intervening woman in a patriarchal inheritance system. The possessed girls played a dual role in this â€Å"symbolic cultural drama† in which they rebelled against the social role to which they had been predestined at birth by simultaneously acquiescing in that role by resisting the â€Å"witch. If nothing else, Karlsen's recent work proves that there is still room for substantial study and scholarship surrounding witchcraft, gend er, and other issues in colonial New England. One commentator writes, â€Å"Karlsen's study is provocative, wide-ranging, accessible, and frank. † (Lindholt). Another, that the book's â€Å"descriptions and analyses stand on their own as valuable contributions to our knowledge of witch lore and the ambiguous status of women in early New England. † (Gildrie).Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum, whose Salem Possessed set the standard for social histories of the outbreak in Salem, find that Karlsen's work is one of â€Å"formidable intellectual power† and â€Å"a major contribution to the study of New England witchcraft. † It places the central role of women as witches under the microscope and â€Å"for the first time as the subject of systemic analysis† a considerable 300 years after the events transpired. Karlsen's work is required reading for the student, scholar, or general reader seeking to understand and interpret the broad picture of colonial wit chcraft in New England.

How does Steinbeck Present Slim from the Extract

Slim, on his first appearance, is described as moving with a â€Å"majesty only achieved by royalty or master craftsmen†. With this descriptive phrase, Steinbeck immediately establishes Slim as someone who is confident in himself that is admired by others. To move like majesty, it requires one to move with graceful fluency without seeming effort. This is a man who is comfortable in his own persona. Continuing with the comparison to royalty, Steinbeck describes Slim as â€Å"the prince of the ranch†. Slim has such an authority on the ranch that his word was golden.If Slim said that something was to be done, everyone on the ranch went along with it and no one rebelled against it. This is not because the other characters on the ranch are scared of him by rather the fact that he is portrayed to the Readers as the being very respected. Slim is the voice for justice within the novel. This shows that he is wise and all the other ranch workers looked up to him as a role model s ince he is like a father figure to all the ranch men with his words of wisdom being the words they live by.Steinbeck describes his manner as having â€Å"gravity† and â€Å"a quiet so profound that his word was taken on any subject. † Slim was not someone who had to raise his voice to be authoritative. His presence spoke for itself. Slim serves as an annoyance to the character of Curley, since he really should be the â€Å"prince of the ranch† as the boss’s son. The use of this metaphor implies that Slim has a higher social status than the other ranch workers. Additionally it is important to understand that he has t assigned himself with the label as curly no doubt wouldHe is described as having a â€Å"hatchet face† which goes along with the name of Slim. Together the name and the description of his face give the reader the sense of someone who is very lean. Along with this, he is described as being actually being between the ages of 35-50 but sug gested as an ageless character. Also when talking about his appearance he is described with â€Å"His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer. † In this simile the word ‘large’ suggest that they are masculine and strong but the phrase ‘temple dancers’ implies they are skilful and tender.Similarly at the beginning of the extract his strength is mentioned – saying he is ‘capable of driving ten, sixteen and even twenty mules', which also expresses his strength and importance on the ranch as he is able to carry out jobs, which was of great value during the Great Depression. Another key descriptive phrase for Slim is that â€Å"His ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought. †. With this descriptive phrase Steinbeck artfully portrays that Slim is able to read into people and what they say.He is not someone who tak es things people say at face value. He also understands that there is often more to the story. The word ‘beyond’ suggests that he is omniscient which again depicts the connotations of Slim being like God and king of the ranch. This also is what leads to Slim’s word being gospel on the ranch. Everyone knows that he gives everything a fair hearing. Slim renders a decision much like a judge would do. This links to Slim natures as Judges are well-respected ad distinguished as is he.Right away when Slim began to talk to George about working on the ranch, he used a tone which was friendly, encouraged confidence without demanding. It is this friendly tone that allows George to develop a similar friendship with Slim and allows him later to confide in Slim about Lennie. Steinbeck portrays that despite being thought higher by everyone he doesn’t let this get to his head since he has a lot of general decency. While Slim is certainly modelled as a friend and upstandin g character, as one can see from this extract he is one of the characters who plays a pivotal role in the plot in Of Mice and Men.