The Analysis of Pips Characteristics Essay Example for Free

The Analysis of Pips Characteristics Essay The Analysis of Pip’s Characteristics Great Expectations is a novel,written by Charles Dickens. Charles Dickens is one of the great novelists in Britain. Born in a poor family,Dickens gains a great popularity by producing many excellent novels and becomes rich in his life. The story tells that the growth process of Pip. Pip, a poor, uneducated boy, is suddenly told that he can achieve his great expectations one day. From that day on, he changes a lot both in thoughts and behaviors. He is ashamed of inferior people. However, when he knows who makes him rich and educated, he feels frustrated. After that, he experiences a lot and he leads a new life. The analysis of Pip’s chracteristics: 1. the childhood of Pip Pip lives in a poor family. His parents died when he is a baby. Pip is raised by his sister ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€Miss Joe Gargery, a harsh and unkind woman. Miss Joe Gargery always gives less food than Pip really needs. What’s worse, she often beats Pip with a stick. Most people except Joe, is just like Pip’s sister—treating him badly. Joe ,a blacksmith and uneducated man, is a friend of Pip. Joe often help Pip and cares about Pip very much. Pip grows under the environment. But he is still innocent, kind boy. Once, Pip was afraid, but still helped a convict and brought him some food. 2. the adolescence of Pip (1)the period before Pip goes to London Pip is hired by Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham, an old lady with white hair, always wears the wedding dress which is yellow with years. She was cheated by a bad man—Compenson and doesn’t believe true love. She has an adopted girl—Estella, and mades her hurt other men, including Pip. After Estella’s leaving for France, Pip becomes Joe’s apprentice and learns to be a blacksmith and learns some wrings which is taught by Biddy. In this process, Pip has a desire to learn. He wants to be a gentleman. He thinks that only in that way can he match with Estella. (2)the period when Pip is in London One day, Pip is told he can go to London to achieve educations by an unknown man. Besides, he can get too much money in the future. He thinks his great expectations can come true. The people around him treat him politely, such as Mr. Pumberchook who didn’t like Pip and fawns on Pip. That makes Pip believe that being rich is good. When Pip is in London, he spends too much money on luxiries. Instead of being a true gentleman, he becomes snobbish and thinks money is almighty. He shows excessive adorations towards money. He even feels ashame of Joe, because Joy doesn’t read. 3. the period after Pip knows the truth One day, Magwitch, the convict Pip helped in his childhood, risks his life to meet Pip and tells Pip that it is Magwitch that helps Pip becomes what he is now. Pip feels surprised, frustrated and regretted. He doesn’t see any hope of his great expectations. However, he becomes a more pleasant man—a man who is happy to help others. He helps Herbert run a new business. He also helps Magwitch out of trouble, although Magwitch is caught by the police. On a whole, Pip becomes mature and kind. He knows what he really want and what he shoud do. 4. the causes of Pip’s characteristics (1)Environment affects Pip’s characteristics The surrounding people , their attitudes or behaviors affect Pip. When everyone is in the same position, either foolish or ignorant, he can realize nothing is wrong. Because he never knows that. But once he meets someone who is better or richer than him, he feels ashamed of himself. 2)Joe’s and Magwitch’s love revives Pip’s kindheartedness Joe always loves Pip no matter what position Pip is. Magwitch uses the money he earns in Australia by hard working to make Pip educated, only because Pip helped him long long ago. So, when Pip realizes love , not the other things ,is important, he becomes kindhearted. 5. the lesson from Pip The environment can affect people, but it is not crucial, if one can face up to the trouble and trys to change it and resolve it. What matters is that one knows what to do and what not to do. The future is within his own hands. True love can revolve love.

Strategy For Sustainable Competitive Advantage Management Essay

Strategy For Sustainable Competitive Advantage Management Essay Every organizations corporate strategies are focused at developing a sustainable competitive advantage that will allow the company to continuously maintain and improve the enterprises competitiveness in the industry it is in. This enables the organization to stand strong despite competition or saturation of the market over a long time. An organizations competitive advantage is said to exist if customers perceive the firms product or as superiors or better than that of its competitors. There are various sources of competitive advantage in organization. These sources revolve around an organization internal environment (Dess et al, 2005). Dyer and Singh (Oct 2005), point out technology as one of the sources of competitive advantage to an enterprise. If the company technology is superior to those of its competitors, then the company can offer quality services and better product at cost effective prices thus retaining its customers for a long time. Its infrastructure like machinery and other production facility likewise can position the company more competitively if they super than the competitors. Human resource is one of the tools of competitive advantage. When a companys employees understand and are committed to the vision and objectives of the organization, they will become agents of success in the company. The employees will always be devoted to making the vision and identity stronger for the stakeholders, the customers and themselves (Oliver, 1997). The quality and the uniqueness of the companys products can also be a source of competitive advantage. If customers prefer the companys products or services because of specific qualities such as style, taste, ingredients, comfort, production methods e.g. organic or inorganic then the organization t can utilize this loyalty for strategic purposes. The location of the company could also be a competitive advantage. Companies operating closer to their customers, suppliers or raw materials can be more competitive than their counterparts in the same industries (Dyer Singh, Oct 2005). Structural, leadership, and cultural considerations while expanding its global operations Leadership Leadership is one of the most fundamental tools for Wal-Marts long-term competitive strategy for. The corporate executives of the organization are critically responsible for the direction and successful operations of the all the companys units. According to Wood (2004), the knowledge economy is proving to be the most valuable and efficient approach for leadership founded strong organizational values that promote constancy in innovation and motivation across all unites of the firm units. The leaders must harness their skills and abilities to lead with their intellect, aligned to the Wal-Marts corporate mission and vision. The leaders must think innovatively about how the company can create a sustained business value even as it enters others foreign markets. The entire corporate leadership must search for synergies and pursue possible successes at the corporate level for new opportunities for growth and expansion (Soderquist, 2005). Cultural The Wal-Marts organizational  culture is another of the key competitive advantages. If the company is able to build and maintain a culture that promotes and appreciates innovativeness, commitment, Wal-Mart is strategically positioned for success. Dyer and Singh, (Oct 2005) describes corporate culture as term that refers to a collective behavior of people seen in the perspective of shared corporate of vision goals, work language, symbols, beliefs,  habits and systems. Interwoven with the company procedures and technologies, each person including the new employees contributes to this cultures own uniqueness and composition. The corporate culture includes moral, social, and behavioral norms. Structural When entering a new market, corporate bureaucracies often mar smooth expansion programs. Bureaucracy delays implementation of strategies thus becoming a competitive disadvantage. To avoids this situation, Wal-Mart structure of administration and procedures will needs constant review to check any unnecessary or irrelevant procedure that like become obstacles to smooth and successful expansion of company. As the business continues to grow larger and larger, leadership and administration get further. Wal-Mart, management must keep constant battles to keep bureaucracy at bay. They need to regularly scrutinize all branches departments to ensure that feedback mechanisms are affective as possible (Soderquist, 2005). Wal-Mart needs to audit its procedures and structural operations when expanding its Global growths, in order to the negative impact of possible bureaucracies. Decision-making should be process need to be made as short as possible. Marketing and operational tactics to execute this strategy With the considerations of leadership, cultural and structural factors, Wal-Mart like any other company ought to come up with supportive marketing and operational programs that execute the competitive strategies. Combining effective marketing programs with its internal strengths such as innovations and leadership, advantage that is more competitive can be created. For retail chain store such as Wal-Mart, it is important that marketing strategies are consistent to the overall strategies and goals of the company. According to Wood (2004), effective marketing strategies will present the products and services offered as delivering the required benefits to consumers making them purchase repeatedly that products or service. The marketing strategies should not only be consistent with the overall strategy while expanding to other global markets, but also meet the demands of the level of competition in each market. While developing these strategies therefore, Wal-Mart therefore must factor in demands for effective product positioning; the nature of each of the markets it is entering, and the levels of competition with which the organization has to contend. The successful of branding of Wal-Mart franchises and branches has been one of the best sustainable differentiating strategies required of any effective marketing program. Like branding, the, the support marketing programs must be difficult for competitors to match the applied strategies (Oliver, 1997). Positioning as one of the important strategies that can be utilized to create and sustain Wal-Marts competitive strategy involves identifying the targets markets and clearly positioning the brands, their retails stores in those markets. One of the methods the organization can use is the marketing mix, which entails use of the 4Ps to influences consumer behavior in favor of Wal-Mart Stores. Market segmentation and discriminations is another possible positioning strategy. In the methods, the company will avoid standardizing their brands in totality, but rather customizing them to suit the cultural, economic, or legal requirements in those markets (Wood, 2004). Revised organizational chart for Wal-Mart Stores Where: CEO:-Chief Executive Officer/president CFO:-Chief Finance officer COO:-Chief Operation Officer

Teamwork And Leadership Skills Management Essay

Teamwork And Leadership Skills Management Essay An organization is a formal group of people with one or more shared goals. Organisation has people working for them with the sole motive of making profits for the company. It is rightly said by Lewis B. Ergen, The ratio of Wes to Is is the best indicator of the development of a team. According to Henry Ford Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. The concept of two or more people working collectively is called a team. It is also define by the Websters dictionary that teamwork is a combined action by a group of people who keep their personal interest and opinions aside for the unity and integrity of the group. Though this is a definition but it does not imply that the individual people in the organisation are not important unless they are in a group. Meaning or definition of teamwork, in general terms means that efficient and effective team efforts are always ahead of the individuals reach. The best result of teamwork is produced when all individual in the group are focused towards one common objective or goal. In order to inspire the employees to a greater level, companies need a Leader. I believe in the saying that Leaders are made not born. Anyone who has the willpower and the desire can be a potential leader. Leaders can be developed by proper education, experience over the years and the right training. Over the period of time, the leaders also have to keep them up-to-date by the process of continuous learning. Thus, leadership is a process which is used to motivate other people in order to achieve the desired goals and objectives of the company. A perfect example of a leader is Mahatma Gandhi, who fought the non-violence fight for the freedom of his nation, India, having the entire nation as his follower. ROLE OF TEAMWORK Over the years, teamwork has become an extremely important term for any company. It has been laid down in the culture at workplace and hence making it a major and crucial part of the selection process for many companies. All companies understand the importance and the wonders what team can do. Organisations believer that nothing is impossible if all great minds, work together. There is a very famous saying that there is no I in the word Team. Having teams can result in faster and efficient outputs with better decision making skills. The various advantages of teamwork for all organisations are: It improves profitability as well as productivity as all the employees are highly motivated and skilled. There is a major reduction in wastage which in turn reduces the cost. A team leader constantly keeps a regular check on the quality of the products. The level of motivation within employees is also increased due to development of the personnel by exchange of great thoughts and idea within teams. Recognition of individual members within teams also motivates member to put more efforts. It also leads to low turnover rate of absenteeism is also reduced as employees develop a sense of belonging towards the company. All complex issues or decision are handled in a better manner and at a faster rate. Therefore, the all critical issues of the company are dealt with greater variety of knowledge experience and skill. ROLE OF LEADERSHIP A leader needs to perform the following to remain on his position. Encourages the heart   A leader should enjoy all the moment of glory with the followers whereas try to restrict the sad news away from them. Enable others to act   It is extremely important for a leader to provide other with all possible tools and ideas at the leaders disposal to the members which could help in quicker decision making. Model the way   the basic difference between a manager and a leader is that a manager will tell others what to do and how to do it , whereas a leader will actually perform the task himself and then ask others to follow by doing the same. Challenge the process   A leader also brings about change in the organisation. Since the managers role is to guide what he has bee told by the top management but leader, initiates new developments and seeks things for improvement. Inspire a shared vision   A good leader should never hide anything from his followers. The leaders should share all his ideas and plans with the followers. Leadership theory models can explain more Bass Theory of Leadership In order to understand, how normal people can become Leaders, we can analyse Bass theory of leadership which says there are three major theories which can explain this phenomena: People are born with difference in traits or personalities that may naturally take the individual to perform leadership role. This theory is known as the trait theory. In case of a crisis or a deadly situation, the person who stands up on that moment which brings out the astonishing qualities in a normal man is called the Great Events theory. Some people can choose to become leaders and learn the required leadership skills. This theory is called the transformational or process theory of leadership. It is widely used theory these days, universities and colleges are having special courses and lecture to guide students who plan to become great leaders of the future. CHARECTORSTICKS OF A TEAM IN A WORKPLACE Leadership- it is important for all teams to have a leader who could provide them with right direction and guide them. The leader of the team should not consider himself above the team members, A team leaders is the one who work as a part of team, keeping all members joined together. Clear goal- all members of the team should have a clear idea of what has to be done. The objectives should be SMART, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound. Results-driven structure- the teams should be given some freedom from the management in order to try different ways in which they feel that the output can improve. The team leader should have enough authority to change things around a little. All competent team members- it is vitially important for any team to have good team members. One bad fish can dirty the entire pond, similarly, if one member is not contributing as expected of him, the work is divided among other member of the team. Unified commitment- the member should only have one common goal and not few separate individual goals as difference in motives might lead to conflicts within teams. Collaborative climate- A team must posses a climate that has clouds full of trust, respect and honesty among the team members for each other as well as the team leader. High standards- it is very important for the leader to set a high standard for the members as they should know what is expected from them. Just by having bold meeting and saying big words wont make any difference, the leader has to perform his duty and demonstrate how are things needed to be done. External support and encouragement- A team comprises of many individuals, all oh who are thirsty for appreciation and encouragement from their managers and leaders for the efforts. Motivation also plays a key role in better output of a team. CHARACTERISTIC OR FACTORS OF LEADERSHIP Leader- A team leader should be honest, intelligent, and understanding person, who should know his capabilities and capacity. The level of success of the leader is determined by the followers and not the leader himself therefore, in order to be a good and successful leader, the person should be able to convince his followers about the things he can achiever by their support and hard work. Followers- different companies require different kinds of leaders and their abilities. A company like Anita Rodricks Body Shop requires a leader to be human oriented, who could lead the team by motivating them at every step and consider the followers as a part of the business, whereas in companies like MacDonalds, a followers are normal part time staff members, who learn the job in a day and thus need a leader with close supervision. Communication- two-way communication is the key for any successful teamwork in any company. Communication forms a very basis of any team, mostly the non-verbal form. It is very important that the leader communicates his vision across to all the members and the members in return communicate their responses to the change and how can they contribute towards it. Situation- it is extremely important for a leader to be able to adapt him-self according to the changing situations on a daily basis. For instance a people-oriented leader, who usually tends to soft towards employees, has to take a firm decision of telling some one they cant go on leave due to high work pressures, and deadlines. The situation normally has more impact on the leaders act rather than his traits due to the fact that, leaders can stabilise their inner traits over a period of time but difference in situations is the real test for any leader. Due to this reason many authors have claimed the situational theory more effective than the process or the trait theory. BELBINS TEAM ROLES If a team wishes to have 100% success, the members should have one of the following eight roles formulated by Dr, Meredith Belbin, called as the Belbin team roles. These roles are: The MONITOR-EVALUATOR, one who contributes a specific study by the help of objectivity and stops. The PLANT is a member who has original ideas, solutions, suggestions and plans. TEAM WORKER performs even if other members fail to contribute their respective part of the work and works even under immense work pressures. The IMPLEMENTOR is the person who, implements the taken decision into meaningful information and implements the decision into manageable tasks. The RESOURCE INVESTIGATOR is a member who thinks out of the box and gathers information from all possible sources and starts the discussion e.g. sales people of the team. The CO-ORDINATOR is the one who combine all the other members together and reminds the member of their task and set objectives on a daily basis in order to lay down the daily agenda. The SHAPER provides direction and shape to the team and their efforts, but does not really interfere in the discussion. The FINISHER is the one who keeps reminding all the member of the deadline and the urgency being a bit hard. Thus, as discussed above, that different situations require different team members contribution. For instance- all new teams would require a good shaper, competitive situations would require an innovator, who could provide innovative ideas to have a differentiated product or service. CRITICAL REVIEW The main reason that affect any team is its- Purpose and mission The most important and the basic requirement for any team for be successful is to have clear purpose and mission of the company which explains the team, what they have to do and then they make their own short and long term goals in order to decide how to achieve them. We can illustrate motivation by a simple hypothetical situation. In a construction company project, there are group of electricians hired to perform all the work related to making cable terminals. The company assumed they would work together, after two months, all the electricians were about to leave the job on asking the reason, they explained that they were having issues with maintaining their focus as they could not maintain their interest in their jobs because some of them were conduit specialist, some being good at cable trays while other who did not directly work with cable terminals. Thus the company got the problem and realised that is the purpose of any job is different between members they will tend to have conflicts and result in lack of motivation as well. Along with clear purpose and mission, motivation has also be described as a key element of the driving factors behind a successful team. If the teams are not fully motivated by their leaders, how ever the big company is, whatever the money involved is, without inner drive or the urge to attain something is missing, nothing could be achieved. It it is the prime duty of the team leader to keep his team highly motivated and make them ready to crack and hard rock that comes on their way to success. PRATICAL EXAMPLE Leadership I work in Mark Spencer for the past two years in London; we have a busy retail outlet. Recently, during the Christmas period, our Sales Team leader/ supervisor in the store had to take a leave for 2 weeks. Being the most experienced member after him, I had to take the responsibility on my shoulders and ensure that the targets of the team werent hampered due to his absence. At the beginning it all seemed out of place, i)various tasks needed to be completed for Christmas ii) I was the youngest member of the team yet the leader of the lot. This is where my degree in Business management came to be applied, through application theories and techniques learnt at University, I was able to become the leader of the team, having an approach of management of commitment and not management of control, along with other management skills like planning, implementation, delegation, control I was able to run the store smoothly for those 2 weeks. Teamwork: Working in MS, we mostly have a team of 15 employees working in a shift, along with 2 supervisors and 2 line managers. We are always busy during special days like Valentines and Christmas day, during Christmas time, our store was really busy and we were also short of staff being the festival season. There was a team of 7 employees and 3 being new Christmas staff. I was the most experienced staff at that point of time and all my supervisors assigned me work, so I had to co-ordinate that work among my team members and I had to act as a team leader. I asked them to divide the task in different sections and try to finish it as soon as possible and then let me know when they were done and by this we reached are daily targets and the managers appreciated my work and contribution towards sales. CONCLUSION Thus, teamwork is an essential feature for all modern companies. They believe if all their employees are equipped with good teamwork skills, it can also lead to their competitive edge and hence teamwork has been laid down in the recruitment and selection process of the workforce in order to get the right man, for the right job at the right place and at the right time. Teamwork, without a leader is like boat in the middle of the sea but have no idea where to float. The leader along with providing direction also binds the team together and aligns all the members towards the companys goal. A good leader and a strong team is all a company needs in order to capture any market in the modern world. Thought not always all members get along well, the problems with teams are, many a times not all members contribute equally and like to pas the buck onto other shoulders, thinking that they would not be caught by anyone. But due this reason there are taken out of the team and new member is introduced. It is the duty of the leader to make sure all members in the team are happy with each other and performing to a level that will take them towards success.

The Search for Truth in Anton Chekhovs The Cherry Orchard and Sophocle

The scholar is engaged in the interminable quest for truth. The knowledge that one can never understand everything makes a person wise. Ignorance is the assumption that one can understand all about the world around them. An ignorant person is so confident they comprehend the truth, that they are blind to the greater truth. Anton Chekhov and Sophocles deal with the idea of this sinful pride that leads to ignorance in their respective works, The Cherry Orchard and Oedipus Rex. In each drama, certain characters are slapped in the face with the truth; the light is revealed. However, these characters make the connection when it is too late. Their destruction is already destined to become a reality, a horrid fate that could have been prevented. Both Chekhov and Sophocles present the universal theme that an open mind, constantly in search for truth, is the mark of a worthy individual, and prideful stubbornness can only lead to demise. The question must then be asked, what truths are evident in these texts? Oedipus is the proud king of a county called Thebes. However, his country has fallen on hard times as a result of angry gods displaying their wrath. The oracle reveals to Oedipus that the curse shall be lifted when the murderer of the former king is put to justice. As the incriminating evidence piles up against Oedipus, he remains ignorant of the truth that he is the killer whom he seeks. He stubbornly refuses to believe that he cannot escape his fate. Sophocles presents this ironic truth in light and dark imagery. The chorus dramatically demands, â€Å"Artemis, Huntress, / Race with flaring lights upon our mountains / [†¦] Whirl upon Death, that all the Undying hate! / Come with blinding torches, come in joy!† (Sophocles l.198-204). The... ...hile she awaits the news of what happened to the cherry orchard, she is still kidding herself with false hope, ignorant hope. She did not want to see the truth, and now her fate is sealed. Had she opened her eyes, things might have ended up differently. Trofimov tells her to look the dreadful truth straight in the eye because she â€Å"served [her] own destruction† (Sophocles l.1468. 20). And yet, despite the wisdom of our predecessors, do we not still find our vision obscured by a prideful stubbornness, our eyes sealed against the light of truth? Works Cited Chekhov, Anton. The Cherry Orchard. Four Plays. Trans. David Magarshack. New York: Hill & Wang, 1969. Eekman, Thomas A. Critical Essays on Anton Chekhov. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co., 1989. Sophocles. "Oedipus Rex." An Introduction to Literature, 11th ed.Eds. Sylvan Barnet, et al. New York: Longman, 1997.

Aristotle :: essays research papers

To the modern reader, Aristotle's views on astronomy, as presented in Metaphysics, Physics, De Caelo (On the Heavens) and Simplicius' Commentary, will most likely seem very bizarre, as they are based more on a priori philosophical speculation than empirical observation. Although Aristotle acknowledged the importance of "scientific" astronomy - the study of the positions, distances and motions of the stars - he nevertheless treated astronomy in the abstract, linking it to his overall philosophical world picture. As a result, the modern distinction between physics and metaphysics is not present in Aristotle, and in order to fully appreciate him we must try to abandon this pre-conception. Aristotle argued that the universe is spherical and finite. Spherical, because that is the most perfect shape; finite, because it has a center, viz. the center of the earth, and a body with a center cannot be infinite. He believed that the earth, too, is a sphere. It is relatively small compa red to the stars, and in contrast to the celestial bodies, always at rest. For one of his proofs of this latter point, he referred to an empirically testable fact: if the earth were in motion, an observer on it would see the fixed stars as moving, just as he now observes the planets as moving, that is from a stationary earth. However, since this is not the case, the earth must be at rest. To prove that the earth is a sphere, he produced the argument that all earthly substances move towards the center, and thus would eventually have to form a sphere. He also used evidence based on observation. If the earth were not spherical, lunar eclipses would not show segments with a curved outline. Furthermore, when one travels northward or southward, one does not see the same stars at night, nor do they occupy the same positions in the sky. (De Caelo, Book II, chapter 14) That the celestial bodies must also be spherical in shape, can be determined by observation. In the case of the stars, Arist otle argued that they would have to be spherical, as this shape, which is the most perfect, allows them to retain their positions. (De Caelo, Book II, chapter 11) By Aristotle's time, Empedocles' view that there are four basic elements - earth, air, fire and water - had been generally accepted. Aristotle, however, in addition to this, postulated a fifth element called aether, which he believed to be the main constituent of the celestial bodies.

Social Issues in Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye :: Toni Morrison The Bluest Eye

The Bluest Eye Social Issues With The Bluest Eye, Morrison has not only created a story, but also a series of painfully accurate impressions. As Dee puts it "to read the book...is to ache for remedy" (20). But Morrison raises painful issues while at the same time managing to reveal the hope and encouragement beneath the surface. A reader might easily conclude that the most prominent social issue presented in The Bluest Eye is that of racism, but more important issues lie beneath the surface. Pecola experiences damage from her abusive and negligent parents. The reader is told that even Pecola's mother thought she was ugly from the time of birth. Pecola's negativity may have initially been caused by her family's failure to provide her with identity, love, security, and socialization, ail which are essential for any child's development (Samuels 13). Pecola's parents are able only to give her a childhood of limited possibilities. She struggles to find herself in infertile soil, leading to the analysis of a life of sterility (13). Like the marigolds planted that year, Pecola never grew. The concept of physical appearance as a virtue is the center of the social problems portrayed in the novel. Thus the novel unfolds with the most logical responses to this overpowering impression of beauty: acceptance, adjustment, and rejection (Samuels 10). Through Pecola Breedlove, Morrison presents reactions to the worth of physical criteria. The beauty standard that Pecola feels she must live up to causes her to have an identity crisis. Society's standard has no place for Pecola, unlike her "high yellow dream child" classmate, Maureen Peals, who fits the mold (Morrison 62). Maureen's influence in the novel is important. "She enchanted the entire school... black girls stepped aside when she wanted to use the sink in the girl's toilet... She never had to search for anybody to eat with in the cafeteria--they flocked to the table of her choice" (62-63). In contrast, Pecola's classmates insult her black skin by chanting "Black e mo Black e mo Ya daddy sleeps nekked/ stch ta ta stch ta ta" (65). The most damaging interracial confrontation related to color involves Pecola and an adult, Geraldine (Samuels 12). When Pecola enters Geraldine's home at the invitation of her son, Geraldine forces her to leave with words that hurt deeply, saying "Get out... You nasty little black bitch. Get out of my house" (92).

Is Management an Art or a Science Essay

One of the enduring questions in the field of management is whether it is an art or a science. In order to be able discuss whether management is an art or a science we need to define what ‘management’, ‘art’ and ‘science’ are. Management is a set of activities (including planning and decision making, organizing, leading, and controlling) directed at an organization’s resources (human, financial, physical, and information) with the aim of achieving organizational goals in an efficient and effective manner. In general an art defines as â€Å"skill in conducting any human activity† and science as â€Å"any skill or technique that reflects a precise application of facts or a principle. † Management as a science would indicate that in practice, managers use a specific body of knowledge consisting of principles, generalizations, approaches and concepts to apply in certain situations. That is, when faced with a managerial problem, the manager who believes in the scientific foundation of his or her craft will expect that there is a rational and objective way to determine the correct course of action. The principles of management have been developed and formulated on the basis of observation, research, analysis and experimentation and also based on relationship of cause and effect like other sciences. Another proponent of the management as science, many early management researchers subscribed to the vision of managers as scientists. The scientific management movement was the primary driver of this perspective. Scientific management’s emphasis on both reducing inefficiencies and on understanding the psychology of workers changed manager and employee attitudes towards the practice of management. These are the basic characteristics that can be proved management is a science, but not exactly. Management as an art requires no specific body of knowledge, only skill. Conversely, those who believe management is an art are likely to believe that there is no specific way to teach or understand management, and that it is a skill borne of personality and ability. One more reason for considering management as an art is that in many situations, practicing managers are unlikely to believe that scientific principles and theories will be able to implement in actual managerial situations. Instead, these managers are likely to consider a broad range of social and political factors, and likely to take different actions depending on the context of the problem. And application of management knowledge calls for innovativeness and creativity. In this case managers go on discovering new ideas, relationships and more efficient ways of doing things. Both views of management, as a science or as an art, can provide ample evidence to support heir viewpoints, and they all seem correct and reasonable from their perspective. But an efficient manager has to acquire a theoretical knowledge of management and subsequently, use it to develop it and, gather experience. Robert Hilkert has beautifully explained that â€Å"In area of management , science and art are two sides of the same coin† Thus, in my opinion I think that management is a combination of both science and art, because managing as practice is an art and the organized knowledge underlying the practice is a science.