Maggie Lena Walker

Maggie Lena Walker once said, I am of the opinion [that] if we can catch the vision, in a few years we shall be able to enjoy the fruits from this effort and its attendant responsibilities, through untold benefits reaped by the youth of the race. Walker was the first American woman--of any race--to be a bank president and inspired African-Americans to become  self-sufficient entrepreneurs. As a follower of Booker T. Washington’s philosophy of cast down your bucket where you are, Walker was a lifelong resident of Richmond, working to bring change to African-Americans throughout Virginia. Achievements First American woman to establish and be appointed as a bank president.  Established the St. Luke Herald, a local African-American newspaper.   Early Life In 1867, Walker was born Maggie Lena Mitchell in Richmond, Va. Her parents, Elizabeth Draper Mitchell, and father, William Mitchell, were both former slaves who were emancipated through the thirteenth amendment. Walkers mother was an assistant cook and her father was a butler in a mansion owned by the abolitionist Elizabeth Van Lew. Following the death of her father, Walker took on a number of jobs to help support her family.   By 1883, Walker graduated at the top of her class. That same year, she began teaching at the Lancaster School. Walker also attended the school, taking classes in accounting and business. Walker taught at the Lancaster School for three years before accepting a job as a secretary of the Independent Order of St. Luke in Richmond, an organization that assisted sick and elderly members of the community. Entrepreneur   While working for the Order of St. Luke, Walker was appointed secretary-treasurer of the organization. Under Walkers leadership, the organizations membership increased tremendously by encouraging African-American women to save their money. Under Walkers tutelage, the organization purchased an office building for $100,000 and increased the staff to more than fifty employees. In 1902, Walker established the St. Luke Herald, an African-American newspaper in Richmond. Following the successes of the St. Luke Herald, Walker established the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank. By doing so, Walker became the first woman in the United States to found a bank. The goal of the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank was to provide loans to members of the community. In 1920, the bank helped members of the community purchased an estimated 600 houses. The success of the bank helped the Independent Order of St. Luke continue to grow. In 1924, it was reported that the order had 50,000 members, 1500 local chapters, and estimated assets of at least $400,000. During the Great Depression, St. Luke Penny Savings merged with two other banks in Richmond to become The Consolidated Bank and Trust Company. Walker served as chairperson of the board. Community Activist   Walker was an avid fighter for the rights of not only African-Americans but for women as well. In 1912, Walker helped establish the Richmond Council of Colored Women and was elected as the organizations president. Under Walkers leadership, the organization raised money to support Janie Porter Barretts Virginia Industrial School for Colored Girls as well as other philanthropic endeavors. Walker was also a member of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), the International Council of Women of the Darker Races, the National Association of Wage Earners, National Urban League, the Virginia Interracial Committee and the Richmond chapter of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Honors and Awards Throughout Walkers life, she was honored for her efforts as a community builder. In 1923, Walker was the recipient of an honorary Masters degree from Virginia Union University. Walker was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 2002. In addition, the City of Richmond named a street, theatre and high school in Walkers honor. Family and Marriage In 1886, Walker married her husband, Armistead, an African-American contractor. The Walkers had two sons named Russell and Melvin.

The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe and Eveline by...

The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe and Eveline by James Joyce The Tell Tale Heart and Eveline are stories based around the circumstances, which surround a central character. Both protagonists are portrayed in totally different ways. The characters in both stories are quite different. Eveline is the image of a girls failure to become a woman. She tells herself that she would not be treated as her mother had been, but she isnt aware that such treatment offers her the only kind of security she knows. She has had to endure violence at the hand of her father, and she has let herself believe that she is in love with Frank when she isnt really. In The Tell Tale Heart, the story contains a nameless narrator who is†¦show more content†¦In Eveline, the story covers the whole of her life but is set in two different times. The reader knows she had suffered in her past and that she still suffers, so sympathises with her. If Eveline had been written in the same style of time like The Tell Tale Heart, where it would be set in a small period of time, then the reader may think Eveline is being selfish by leaving her old father, as the reader will not know about the torment she has received under her fathers hand. Tension is built in both stories in different ways. In The Tell Tale Heart, tension is felt in the first sentence. True!-Nervous-Very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am. The reader wants to know what the narrator is nervous about. Edgar Allen Poe has been very consistent with the use of structural devices to create a sense of dramatic exaggeration. A series of hyphens, question marks, exclamation marks and commas, all work well together to build pauses, momentary breaks and silences, which effectively lend to the dramatic tension at the opening of the story. Poe has also built tension with varied sentence structure. He uses long sentences to produce a great deal of momentum, while the short sentences quicken the pace of reading, at which the reader can understand and involve themselves in the plot. James Joyce writes the first paragraph of Eveline to be slow and calm. There isnt much action and we are unable to engage ourselves in the text

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 39 Free Essays

string(54) " me really sad because Danny was a good friend to me\." An Episode Seems Inevitable I rise before dawn on Christmas morning and begin my weight-lifting routine. I am nervous about being reunited with Nikki today, so I double-time my exercises in an effort to work off my anxiety. I realize the note Tiffany gave me last night suggests that Nikki might not be interested in meeting me at that special place once dusk rolls around, but I also know that in the movies, just when the main character is about to give up, something surprising happens, which leads to the happy ending. We will write a custom essay sample on The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 39 or any similar topic only for you Order Now I’m pretty sure that this is the part of my movie when something surprising will happen, so I am trusting in God, who I know will not let me down. If I have faith, if I go to that special place, something beautiful will happen when the sun sets – I can feel it. When I hear Christmas music, I stop lifting and go upstairs. My mother is cooking eggs and bacon. Coffee is brewing. â€Å"Merry Christmas,† Mom says, and gives me a little kiss on the cheek. â€Å"Don’t forget your pills.† I take the orange bottles from the cabinet and twist off the lids. As I swallow my last pill, my father comes into the kitchen and throws the newspaper’s plastic cover into the waste bucket. When he turns and heads for the family room, my mother says, â€Å"Merry Christmas, Patrick.† â€Å"Merry Christmas,† Dad mumbles. We eat eggs and bacon and toast together as a family, but no one says much. In the living room we sit around the tree. Mom opens her present from Dad. It’s a diamond necklace from some department store – tiny diamonds in the shape of a heart on a thin gold chain. I know for a fact that Mom has a similar necklace, because she wears it almost every day. My father probably gave her the same thing last year, but Mom acts really surprised and says, â€Å"Patrick, you shouldn’t have,† before she kisses my father on the lips and then hugs him. Even though Dad doesn’t hug Mom back, I can tell he is happy, because he sort of smirks. Next, we give Dad his present, which is from both Mom and me. He tears off the wrapping paper and holds up an authentic Eagles jersey, not one with iron-on decals. â€Å"Why doesn’t it have any numbers or a name on it?† he asks. â€Å"Since McNabb went down, we thought you’d want to pick a new favorite player,† Mom says. â€Å"So when you do, we’ll have the correct number and name sewn onto the jersey.† â€Å"Don’t waste your money,† Dad says, putting the jersey back into the box. â€Å"They won’t win today without McNabb. They’re not going to make the play-offs. I’m done watching that lousy excuse for a football team.† Mom smiles at me because I told her that Dad would say as much, even though the Eagles have been playing pretty well. But Mom and I both know Dad will be watching the Eagles play the Cowboys later today and will pick a new favorite player late next summer – after watching one or two preseason games – at which time he will say something like, â€Å"Jeanie, where’s my authentic Eagles jersey? I want to get those numbers sewn on before the season starts.† A few dozen presents are for me, all of which Mom bought and wrapped. I get a new Eagles sweatshirt, new running shoes, workout clothes, dress clothes, a few ties, a brand-new leather jacket, and a special running watch that will help me time my runs and will even calculate the calories I burn while running. And – â€Å"Jesus Christ, Jeanie. How many presents did you buy the kid?† Dad says, but in a way that lets us know he is not really all that mad. After we eat lunch, I shower and put on underarm deodorant, some of my father’s cologne, and one of my new running outfits. â€Å"I’m going to try out my new watch,† I tell Mom. â€Å"Caitlin and your brother will be here in an hour,† Mom says. â€Å"So don’t be too long.† â€Å"I won’t,† I say just before I exit the house. In the garage, I change into the dress clothes I hid there earlier in the week – tweed pants, a black button-down shirt, leather loafers, and the expensive overcoat my father no longer wears. Next, I walk to the Collingswood PATCO stop and catch the 1:45 train to Philadelphia. It begins to rain lightly. I get off at Eighth and Market, walk through the drizzle to City Hall, and catch an Orange Line train headed north. Not many people are on the train, and underground it does not feel like Christmas at all. But the trash-smelling steam that wafts in at every stop when the doors open, the marker graffiti on the orange seat across from me, the half-eaten hamburger lying bunless in the aisle – none of it brings me down, because I am about to be reunited with Nikki. Apart time is finally about to end. I get off at Broad and Olney and climb the steps up into North Philly, where it is raining a little harder. Even though I remember being mugged twice near this subway stop when I was a college student, I do not worry, mostly because it’s Christmas and I am a lot stronger than I used to be when I was an undergraduate. On Broad Street I see a few black people, which gets me thinking about Danny and how he always used to talk about going to live with his aunt in North Philly just as soon as he got out of the bad place – especially whenever I mentioned my graduating from La Salle University, which is apparently close to where Danny’s aunt lives. I wonder if Danny ever made it out of the bad place, and the thought of him having Christmas in a mental institution makes me really sad because Danny was a good friend to me. You read "The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 39" in category "Essay examples" I stick my hands into my dad’s overcoat pockets as I walk down Olney. With the rain, it is sort of cold. Soon I am seeing the blue-and-yellow flags that line the campus streets, and it makes me feel happy and sad at the same time to be back at La Salle – almost like looking at old pictures of people who have either died or with whom you have lost contact. When I get to the library, I turn left and walk past the tennis courts, where I make a right and stroll past the security building. Beyond the tennis courts is a walled-in hill, with so many trees you’d never believe it was in North Philly if someone had led you here blindfolded and then removed the blindfold and asked, â€Å"Where do you think you are?† At the bottom of the hill is a Japanese teahouse, which is as picturesque as it is out of place in North Philly, although I have never been inside to have tea – because it is a private teahouse – so maybe the inside has a city feel to it; I don’t know. Nikki and I used to meet on this hill, behind an old oak tree, and sit on the grass for hours. Surprisingly, not many students hung out in this spot. Maybe they did not know it was there. Maybe no one else thought it was a nice spot. But Nikki loved sitting on the grassy hill and looking down at the Japanese teahouse, feeling as though she were somewhere else in the world – somewhere other than North Philadelphia. And if it weren’t for the occasional car horn or gunshot in the distance, I would have believed I was in Japan when I was sitting on that hill, even though I have never been to Japan and don’t really know what being in that particular country is like. I sit down under a huge tree – on a dry spot of grass – and wait. Rain clouds swallowed the sun a long time ago, but when I look at my watch, the numbers officially make it dusk. My chest starts to feel tight; I notice that I am shaking and breathing heavily. I hold my hand out to see how bad the shakes are, and my hand is flapping like the wing of a bird, or maybe it is as if I am hot and trying to fan myself with my fingers. I try to make it stop, and when I can’t, I shove both hands into my father’s overcoat pockets, hoping Nikki will not notice my nervousness when she shows up. It grows darker, and then even darker. Finally, I close my eyes, and after a time, I begin to pray: Dear God: If I did something wrong, please let me know what it was so I can make amends. As I search my memory, I can’t think of anything that would make You mad, except for my punching the Giants fan a few months ago, but I already asked for forgiveness regarding that slip, and I thought we had moved on. Please make Nikki show up. When I open my eyes, please let her be there. Maybe there was traffic, or she forgot how to get to La Salle? She always used to get lost in the city. I’m okay with her not showing up exactly at dusk, but please let her know that I am still here waiting and will wait all night if I have to. Please, God. I’ll do anything. If You make her show up when I open – I smell a woman’s perfume. I recognize the scent. I breathe in deeply to ready myself. I open my eyes. â€Å"I’m fucking sorry, okay?† she says, but it’s not Nikki. â€Å"I never thought it would lead to this. So I’m just going to be honest now. My therapist thought you were stuck in a constant state of denial because you were never afforded closure, and I thought I might afford you closure by pretending to be Nikki. So I made up the whole liaison thing in an effort to provide you closure, hoping you would snap out of your funk and would be able to move on with your life once you understood that being reunited with your ex-wife was an impossibility. I wrote all the letters myself. Okay? I never even contacted Nikki. She doesn’t even know you’re sitting here. Maybe she doesn’t even know you are out of the neural health facility. She’s not coming, Pat. I’m sorry.† I’m staring up into Tiffany’s soaking-wet face – wet hair, runny makeup – and I can hardly believe that it’s not Nikki. Her words do not register at first, but when they do, I feel my chest heating up, and an episode seems inevitable. My eyes burn. My face flushes. Suddenly I realize that for the past two months I have been completely delusional, that Nikki is never coming back and apart time is going to last forever. Nikki. Is. Never. Coming. Back. Never. I want to hit Tiffany. I want to pound her face with my knuckles until the bones in my hands crumble and Tiffany is completely unrecognizable, until she no longer has a face from which she can spew lies. â€Å"But everything I said in the letters was true. Nikki did divorce you, and she is remarried, and she even took out a restraining order against you. I got all the information from – â€Å" â€Å"You liar!† I say, realizing that I am now crying again. â€Å"Ronnie told me that I shouldn’t trust you. That you were nothing but a – â€Å" â€Å"Please, just listen to me. I know this is a shock. But you need to face reality, Pat. You’ve been lying to yourself for years! I needed to do something drastic to help you. But I never thought – â€Å" â€Å"Why?† I say, feeling as if I might vomit, feeling as though my hands might find Tiffany’s throat at any moment. â€Å"Why did you do this to me?† Tiffany looks into my eyes for what seems like a long time, and then her voice sort of quivers like my mom’s does when she is saying something she really truly means. Tiffany says, â€Å"Because, I’m in love with you.† And then I am up and running. At first Tiffany follows me, but – even though I am in my leather loafers and it is raining pretty steadily now – I am able to find the man speed she does not have, running faster than I ever have before, and after taking enough turns and weaving through enough traffic, I look back and Tiffany is gone, so I slow my running a bit and jog aimlessly for what seems like hours. I sweat through the rain, and my father’s overcoat becomes very heavy. I can’t even begin to think about what this all means. Betrayed by Tiffany. Betrayed by God. Betrayed by my own movie. I’m still crying. I’m still jogging. And then I’m praying again, but not in a nice way. God, I didn’t ask for a million dollars. I didn’t ask to be famous and powerful. I didn’t even ask for Nikki to take me back. I only asked for a meeting. A single face-to-face conversation. All I’ve done since I left the bad place was try to improve myself – to become exactly what You tell everyone to be: a good person. And here I am running through North Philly on a rainy Christmas Day – all alone. Why did You give us so many stories about miracles? Why did You send Your Son down from heaven? Why did You give us movies if life doesn’t ever end well? What kind of fucking God are You? Do You want me to be miserable for the rest of my life? Do You – Something hits my shin hard, and then my palms are sliding across the wet concrete. I feel kicks landing on my back, my legs, my arms. I curl up into a ball, trying to protect myself, but the kicking continues. When it feels as though my kidneys have exploded, I look up to see who is doing this to me, but I only see the bottom of a sneaker just before it strikes my face. How to cite The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 39, Essay examples

Human Resource Management Leading Retail Store

Question: Describe about the Human Resource Management for Leading Retail Store. Answer: Introduction: Woolworths Limited is a leading retail stores with its presence in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. It is a part of the fiercely competitive grocery and supermarket industry in Australia. The other top three players in this industry are ALDI, Metcash and Coles. The advent of the German based ALDI and its cost cutting strategies has forced the top players to adopt new strategies to maintain its hold on the consumer base. The changing lifestyle of the consumers and the transformation of the marketing trends have influenced the strategies of the organizations ("Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia Market Research | IBISWorld", 2016). However, the recent market analysis has seen the downfall of Woolworths and it is taken as one of the most shorted stocks in the S P ASX200 index. Nonetheless, this might prove to be beneficial for Woolworths as it is expected to turnaround ("Woolworths is being hammered and everything that can wrong, is going wrong. But that's exactly what you want with a turnaround.", 2016). Under such conditions, the HRM plays a vital role in improving the strategies and policies of Woolworths to improve its position in the market. Review Methodology: The review methodology deals with the review of the current strategic Human Resource Management (HRM) of the Australia based company Woolworths Company and helps in giving an overview of the strategic tools implemented for HRM. The report will start with the context of Woolworths and the methodology would also involve getting to know the background and context of the chosen organization, that is, Woolworths. The key managers would be interviewed in the process and the annual report of the organization would be analyzed. The HRM audits and other sources would also be studied in detail in order to reach a conclusion regarding the strategies of the Woolworths Company. The review methodology would also require a SWOT analysis of Woolworths and the teams perception of the HRM challenges and opportunities would be looked in to. The methodology would end with the other observations and conclusions that are gathered during the investigation. Case organization description: Woolworths Limited is one of the foremost Australia based retail stores that can be found throughout the nation and also in New Zealand. The Sydney Morning Herald holds that it is the second largest organization in Australia by revenue coming straight after Wesfarmers ("Coles puts Wesfarmers on top", 2016). It was founded in the year 1924 by Percy Christmas, Stanley Chatterton, Cecil Scott Waine, George Creed and Ernest Williams. Its headquarters is at Bella Vista at New South Wales and it has ever been considered as one of the biggest retail outlets in Australia ("Who We Are - Woolworths Limited", 2016). They specialize in food, liquor, petrol, general merchandise, home improvement and hotels ("Who We Are - Woolworths Limited", 2016). Background and Context: Woolworths is a New South Wales based company in Australia whose farsighted founding CEO Percy Christmas had a vision in mind: to provide a store where the people can get good things at a cheap rate ("Who We Are - Woolworths Limited", 2016). The employers and employees have maintained this vision even after 90 years of their establishment. They serve about 28 million customers each week and they have more than 198,000 people working in their organization ("Who We Are - Woolworths Limited", 2016). Nonetheless, the year 2016 is proving to be full of turmoil for Woolworths as the Moodys has depicted a decrease in market shares being in competition with Aldi, David Jones and Aldi. The general perception that the consumers are viewing the products of Woolworths as costlier as opposed to other retail stores has been the reason behind the downfall ("Businessfirstmagazine.com.au", 2016). Current strategic HRM plan: By interviewing key managers In an interview, Matt Keogh reveals the HR strategies, challenges and the successes achieved at Woolworths. Matt Keogh is the divisional Director for HR of Woolworths. He was asked about the biggest challenges for Woolworths ("Human Capital Review - Interview with Matt Keogh - Woolworths Divisional Director for HR", 2016). He replied that the biggest challenge that he faced in terms of the HR is the appeal and retention of the talents that would enable Woolworths to realize its dreams and visions. The key goal of this organization is to provide innovative and premium service to its customers and hence, it was dependent on the talented employees acquired by the Company ("Human Capital Review - Interview with Matt Keogh - Woolworths Divisional Director for HR", 2016) The other major challenge faced by Woolworths was the question of sustainability in their organization, particularly in the South African context. They want to work keeping in mind the best interests of the community and t he environment at large. They just do not want to bask in profits and successes pertaining to their organization. They also want to be embracing the benefits of diversity and renovate the organizational culture for the better ("Human Capital Review - Interview with Matt Keogh - Woolworths Divisional Director for HR", 2016). When asked about the response of the HR department to those challenges expressed by Matt Keogh, he expressed a list of focus areas which will help in retaining the best talent of the industry. The purpose of the HR department is to implement an employee value proposition required to attract the prospective employees. Those points of importance include the improvement of the capability of the workforce and to augment the growth of the future employees. It also includes the system of giving rewards to employees who succeed in observing the rules and regulations of the company and also aid in following the strategies formulated by the Company ("Human Capital Review - Interview with Matt Keogh - Woolworths Divisional Director for HR", 2016). This approach would create an environment of encouragement and motivation in the workforce which would ultimately prove beneficial for the company in the long run. The HR policies also aim to establish a loyal bond between the employee and the employer so that the Company does not fail to deliver its promises to the customers. Matt Keogh was also asked about the position of HR department as a true business partner to which he answered that the HR has the important role to play as a business partner. The HR team needs to make sure that the strategies developed should reveal an understanding of the business orientation and Hr proficiency ("Human Capital Review - Interview with Matt Keogh - Woolworths Divisional Director for HR", 2016). Annual report of Woolworths: As per the People Policy Committee Charter, Woolworths has formulated certain policies and performance with regards to the HRM department ("www.Woolworthslimited.com.au", 2016). The HR department has the responsibility to review the policies of the Company and accordingly, the HR must make the rules to keep itself in align with the Company strategies. The HR department has to comply with the legislature sand the Government policies inclusive of policies pertaining to the Equal opportunity for women in the organization, sexual harassment, diversity and unjust dismissal ("www.Woolworthslimited.com.au", 2016). The HR department is in sync with the Board of Directors of the Company regarding the objectives of Woolworths. They are also supposed to keep track of the progress of the company and also make relevant recommendations. The concept of gender diversity has gained immense movement in the market and the government has also taken positive steps towards promoting gender diversity in th e upper echelons of the Company (www.Woolworthslimited.com.au", 2016). Woolworths Limited has also positive steps towards implementing the same and hence it boasts of 50 % women employees on board ("Number of women on ASX 200 boards soars: report", 2016). Woolworths has established a People Policy Committee which oversees the HRM strategies on behalf of the shareholders and the management Board ("www.Woolworthslimited.com.au/annualreport", 2016). The activities that would constitute the important activities of the Committee are related to acquiring an effective strategy that would enable the company to acquire the best talent to fulfill the goals and visions of the company. The committee is also responsible for the protection of the safety and the health of the employees, consumers and the suppliers. The committee has to assume the appropriate performance management and plan activities and policies ("www.Woolworthslimited.com.au/annualreport", 2016). The HR policies should also involve remuneration policies for the shareholders and the remuneration market outside the organization. The committee also makes sure that the policies are complying with the policies of the Australian Government and are fulfilling the requirements of the good governance. The HR department also has to ensure about its regular reports to the shareholders by following the required standards ("www.Woolworthslimited.com.au/annualreport", 2016). Corporate Governance Statement: The ASX has released the corporate governance statement of Woolworths which spoke of the HRM policies and responsibilities ("www.asx.com.au", 2016). The People Policy Statement has the responsibility of handling the HR policies and the people relations. The People Policy Committee consists of at least three independent directors and the rest of the directors were responsible to the Board of management. The Chairman of the Committee must be an independent director and he is appointed by the Board of Management on the condition that the Chairman is not the Chairman of the Board. The current members of the People Policy Committee are Ms C Cross (chairman), Mr. R G Waters, Ms C J Hrdlicka and Mr. A D D Mackay ("www.asx.com.au", 2016). Their roles have been under the strict observation of the Fair Work Ombudsman whose task is to make sure that the government regulations are maintained in the organization ("Welcome to the Fair Work Ombudsman website", 2016). The Fair Work Ombudsman lay out the National Employment Standards which the HR department of every organization in Australia has to follow and formulate the strategies and policies accordingly ("Welcome to the Fair Work Ombudsman website", 2016). Teams perception of HRM policies Woolworths has an enviable position in the market as the second largest retail outlet across the nation and also worldwide. However, in the year 2014 this retail outlet has been in the midst of a scandal related to the trolley contractors ("Woolworths under fire as Workplace Ombudsman takes on big chains", 2016). Natalie James of Fair Work Ombudsmen has launched an inquiry into the physical harassment of the workers by the trolley contractors. Natalie connected this issue with the Company sliding down from 17th to 40th position on the AMRs 2016 Corporate Reputation Index ("Woolworths under fire as Workplace Ombudsman takes on big chains", 2016). Woolworths, however, has rejected such allegations and made a statement that they were aware of the rights of the workers and they were not going to support such practices. They have made sure that the trolley contractors are paying the worker fair price as they do not tolerate such malpractices ("Woolworths under fire as Workplace Ombudsman takes on big chains", 2016). SWOT analysis of Woolworths: Strengths: The SWOT analysis is generally conducted to reveal the internal and external environment of the organization and its impact on the organization. Hence the importance of the SWOT analysis is undeniable and yet it has been often seen that the organizations have not given this analysis its due respect. In the case of Woolworths, its strengths have resulted in making it the second most important retail outlet of Australia and New Zealand ("Coles puts Wesfarmers on top", 2016). Woolworths has occupied the position of a market leader in the retail industry of Australia which has given it an edge in the highly competitive market. The Company is able to utilize its resources for the achievement of its goals and visions. The company is also known for its technological advancement in the domain of the retail marketing and has been able to connect to the thousands of customers through its innovative strategies. Woolworths has also given importance to the significance of sustainability by adopti ng cost effective measures and implementing ways to reduce carbon footprint. Woolworths has also taken responsibility of minimizing wastage in case of packaging ("Unglobalcompact.org", 2016). Weaknesses: One of the weaknesses that the company Woolworths has is its over reliance on the domestic market in Australia for its revenues. In the year 2013, the company made about 92.3percent of its revenues from the domestic market. In New Zealand also, its revenues is quite marginal amounting to 7.9percent of the total revenues ("Annual Report 2013 | Woolworths Limited 2013 Annual Report", 2016). This over dependency on only the domestic market for the bulk of its revenues will make the company more country oriented. Hence, any kind of market fluctuations will inadvertently affect the financial status of Woolworths. The trolley contractors scandal also landed the company in the bad books of the Fair Work Ombudsman after Natalie James conducted an inquiry into the exploitation of the workers. Such an allegation was rejected by the Company although the scandal had resulted in the tarnishing of the brand in the market ("Woolworths under fire as Workplace Ombudsman takes on big chains", 2016). W oolworths also has the reputation for higher prices of products compared to the other retail stores lies with Coles ("Price war: Woolworths vs Spar vs Pick n Pay vs Checkers", 2016). Opportunities: The overall change in the retail market may prove to be beneficial for Woolworths. The technological advancements of this retail outlet have shown promises in Australia and New Zealand. There has been an increase in the sales of Woolworths by 4.5 percent compared to the week following December in the previous year. The supermarket made revenue of around $10.35 billion in Australia and New Zealand and it was quite ahead of its rival Coles ("Woolworths posts 'solid' $15b quarterly sales", 2013). The change in consumer lifestyle has also affected the sales and growth of Woolworths positively and this change has brought about new opportunities for the Company. The new marketing scheme of Woolworths called everyday-low-value pricing (ELDP) strategy has proved to be fruitful in attracting the attention of the consumers. This strategy has created opportunities of the company to win the trust of its customers. This will enable the company to defeat its close rivals Coles and Audi (Mitchell, 2015). Woolworths also has the capability to penetrate into foreign markets in Africa with the help of product designing and other technological advancements ("Woolworths to target growing market share", 2016). Threats: The key threat of Woolworths in the Australian market is its rival Coles and also the German retail store Aldi ("Aldis mighty challenge to big two", 2016). According to the leading newspaper Herald Sun, Aldi is all out to take on 10percent of the market share in Australia by the year 2020. In terms of the retail analyst Thomas Kierth, the battle of the supermarkets has started with the rise of the leading retail outlets in the market like Coles and Aldi. The newspaper also predicts the growth in the share of the grocery sector from 6 percent to 10 percent by 2020 ("Move over Woolies and Coles...", 2016). With the rise in the market share of Coles to 2.8 percent, Woolworths experienced a downfall of about 1.1 percent ("Worries over Woolies sales", 2016). Rating agency Moody also spelled doom for Woolworths as the German based Aldi has expanded its customer base at an alarming rate and is posing as an imminent threat for all the established retail businesses of the country. The market shares of Aldi has also increased from 11.6 percent in March, 2015 to 12.1 percent in December ("Moodys rings Aldi alarm bell for Coles, Woolies", 2016). Conclusions: The strategies and policies adopted by Woolworths to gain market shares in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are effective and innovative. The policies and regulations formulated by the People Policy Committee are in compliance with the government rules and regulations. The Australian retail market has grown competitive with the entry of German based Aldi into the market and the analysts have predicted lowering of the shares of the existing players in the retail market. However, these big companies like Woolworths and Coles have made sure that their marketing strategies are in keeping with the needs and demands of the consumers. The changing lifestyle and market scenario have caused the retail stores also to transform their policies. The HRM department has to bear the responsibility to keep track of these changes and formulate new policies accordingly. The SWOT analysis has helped in scanning the external and internal environment of the organization. The main advantage of Woolw orths is its long standing prestige in Australia and the organization can bank on its brand image to keep its consumer base intact. Its large and satisfied workforce also contributes to its effective functioning effectively in its long 90 years journey. Hence the contribution of efficient HRM policies is undeniable in the making of Woolworths limited. Though there was a hit at the public image of Woolworths when the Fair Works Ombudsman accused its trolley contractors of physically abusing the workers. However, its CEO has made it clear that such malpractices were not tolerated in their organization. The effectiveness of the marketing strategies of Woolworths can be ascertained through its rise and position in market. The departmental store chain has been responsive to the market changes though it faces stiff competition from Coles. In fact, in terms of gender diversity and sustainability report also, Woolworths is ahead of many of its competitors. It boasts of about 50 percent female workers on board and has made a name in the market for its fair work practices. The progress report of Woolworths also reflects this positivity in the organizational culture and hence it stands as a motivation for every other organization in the domain. Summary: One of the key aspects for the success of any organization is the policies and programs adopted by the HR department. The HRM makes the rules in accordance with the visions and goals of the organization. In case of Woolworths, the People Policy Committee has the responsibility of overseeing the HR policies in the organization. They have formulated such practices which would enable the company to acquire the best talents available in the industry. Such policies have proved to be fruitful in keeping up strict rivalry with the other retail outlets like Coles and Aldi in terms of sales and market shares. References: Aldis mighty challenge to big two. (2016). Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/aldi-to-seize-more-market-share-from-coles-and-Woolworths/news-story/ac33ebe273f607e214a0d034701fcae0 Annual Report 2013 | Woolworths Limited 2013 Annual Report. (2016). Woolworthslimited.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.Woolworthslimited.com.au/annualreport/2013/ Bruce, V. (2016). Restructuring challenge on the cards for Woolworths HR. HR Online. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.hcamag.com/hr-news/restructuring-challenge-on-the-cards-for-Woolworths-hr-210692.aspx Businessfirstmagazine.com.au. (2016). Businessfirstmagazine.com.au. Retrieved 13 September 2016, from https://www.businessfirstmagazine.com.au/coles-Woolworthss-market-share/9986/ Businessfirstmagazine.com.au. (2016). Businessfirstmagazine.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.businessfirstmagazine.com.au/coles-Woolworths-market-share/9986/ Coles puts Wesfarmers on top. (2016). The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/coles-owner-wesfarmers-moves-up-to-australias-top-company-by-revenue-20160306-gnc449.html Human Capital Review - Interview with Matt Keogh - Woolworths Divisional Director for HR. (2016). Humancapitalreview.org. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.humancapitalreview.org/content/default.asp?Article_ID=930 Mitchell, S. (2015). Woolworths kicks off new marketing campaign. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/Woolworths-kicks-off-new-marketing-campaign-20151019-gkd4dl.html Moodys rings Aldi alarm bell for Coles, Woolies. (2016). NewsComAu. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/moodys-rings-aldi-alarm-bell-for-coles-woolies/news-story/5fa28b85abb45c9e06b89b1c9f502fea Move over Woolies and Coles.... (2016). Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/aldi-to-seize-more-market-share-from-coles-and-Woolworths/news-story/3e20c6923aeef635e351119a6e1c13cc Number of women on ASX 200 boards soars: report. (2016). ABC News. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-16/number-of-women-on-asx-200-company-boards-increasing/7517156 Price war: Woolworths vs Spar vs Pick n Pay vs Checkers. (2016). Businesstech.co.za. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/97161/price-war-Woolworths-vs-spar-vs-pick-n-pay-vs-checkers/ Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia Market Research | IBISWorld. (2016). Ibisworld.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.ibisworld.com.au/industry/default.aspx?indid=1834 Unglobalcompact.org. (2016). Unglobalcompact.org. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.unglobalcompact.org/system/attachments/21191/original/Woolworths_Corporate_Responsibility_Report_2012.pdf?1365046180 Welcome to the Fair Work Ombudsman website. (2016). Fair Work Ombudsman. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.fairwork.gov.au/ Welcome to the Fair Work Ombudsman website. (2016). Fair Work Ombudsman. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employee-entitlements/national-employment-standards Who We Are - Woolworths Limited. (2016). Woolworthslimited.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.Woolworthslimited.com.au/page/Who_We_Are/ Woolworths is being hammered and everything that can wrong, is going wrong. But that's exactly what you want with a turnaround.. (2016). Financial Review. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.afr.com/markets/Woolworths-could-be-the-next-big-turnaround-stock-20160505-gon09u Woolworths posts 'solid' $15b quarterly sales. (2013). ABC News. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-31/Woolworths-increases-sales/4492952 Woolworths under fire as Workplace Ombudsman takes on big chains. (2016). The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace-relations/Woolworths-under-fire-as-workplace-ombudsman-takes-on-big-chains-20160526-gp4xkl.html Worries over Woolies sales. (2016). Theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/market-worried-about-Woolworths-sales/news-story/bcb24f877634ffe57515f9e3e957cab9 www.asx.com.au. (2016). www.asx.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20150911/pdf/43184bkk8d2jjr.pdf www.Woolworthslimited.com.au. (2016). www.Woolworthslimited.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.Woolworthslimited.com.au/icms_docs/130482_People_Policy_Committee_Charter.pdf www.Woolworthslimited.com.au/annualreport. (2016). www.Woolworthslimited.com.au/annualreport. Retrieved 10 September 2016, from https://www.Woolworthslimited.com.au/annualreport/2012/pdf/WW_AR12_CorpGovStatement.pdf

Alzheimers Disease Essays - Cognitive Disorders, Health, Psychiatry

Alzheimer's Disease Essays - Cognitive Disorders, Health, Psychiatry Alzheimer's Disease Dementia is the loss of intellectual and social abilities severe enough to interfere with daily functioning. For centuries, people called it senility and considered it an inevitable part of aging. It is now known that dementia is not a normal part of the aging process and that it is caused by an underlying condition. People with this condition need special assistance to carry on with their normal lives. This paper will explain some of the social services that are helping to combat this disease and an analysis of the services effectiveness. More than four million older Americans have Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia. And that number is expected to triple in the next 20 years as more people live into their 80s and 90s. Still, there's reason for hope. There are as yet no cures, but researchers studying Alzheimer's have made progress, especially in the last 5 years. New drugs that can temporarily improve mental abilities in some people with mild Alzheimer's are now available, and more drugs are being studied. Researchers also have discovered several genes associated with Alzheimer's. Furthermore, scientists are defining subgroups of dementias and their distinguishing characteristics in the hopes of refining treatments. Although Alzheimer's disease is the most common of the dementias, there are many types, even hundreds, of dementias some reversible, and others, like Alzheimer's disease irreversible. What is Dementia? Dementia is the loss of intellectual and social abilities severe enough to interfere with daily functioning. For centuries, people called it senility and considered it an inevitable part of aging. It is now known that dementia is not a normal part of the aging process and that it is caused by some underlying condition. Symptoms of dementia vary in severity, order of appearance and with the type of dementia. But all dementias involve some impairment of memory, thinking, reasoning and language. Personality changes and abnormal behavior may also occur as dementia progresses. Of the diseases that produce dementia, Alzheimer's is the most common. The disease was named after Alois Alzheimer, a German physician. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. He found abnormal clumps (plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (tangles). Other changes in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease include a loss of nerve cells in the areas of the brain vital to memory and other mental functions, and lowered levels of chemicals in the brain that carry complex messages back and forth between billions of nerve cells important to thinking and memory. The first sign of Alzheimer's disease may be mild forgetfulness. The disease progresses to affect language, reasoning, understanding, reading or writing. Eventually, people with Alzheimer's disease may become anxious or aggressive, and may even wander from home. The problem of Alzheimers disease is considered a growing problem in the United States. As our population gets older our need for elderly services increases dramatically. This means that healthcare costs are on the rise and we need more care facilities for our aging elderly. As we all know in this election year prescription drug prices are a hot topic. Prescriptions for the elderly are getting so expensive that they cannot afford them anymore, therefore relying on some other source to help buy the prescriptions. The toll is not only financial, but proves to cause emotional turmoil for the families dealing with an aging relative. Some of the goals and values of society that are affected by this problem are: the rising costs of healthcare, prescription drug prices, and the toll on the individual and their family. This presents a problem for those who cannot afford it and therefore rely on society for help. It is also hard for a family to put a loved one in an institution. Alzheimers disease is non-discriminatory. It can affect any race or nationality. It does not matter if you are rich or poor, male or female. It can happen to anyone, there are some younger cases of the disease but it remains most common in the elderly population. Alzheimer's disease affects brain tissue directly, causing progressive brain deterioration in middle or late life. So far, only age and heredity are proven risk

Free Essays on Lady With The Ped Dog

. Oates creates Anna as a simple woman without respect for herself, a woman insane with love. Chekhov and Oates’s approach towards this point of view were both convincing and realistic. Chekhov’s ability to place all the emphasis on the emotional stability and instability of Gurov’s thoughts and emotions give the reader a more in-depth sense of the confusion involved in his situation. Chekhov’s use of the third person narrator enhanced the story. If Chekhov had approached this story from a different perspective, we would not have the full effect of the masculinity involved in the emotional bondage between a man and woman. For example, if Gurov’s wife would have been the consciousness of the story we would have felt her pain and suffering, thus leaving us with more despise for Gurov. However, only given Gurov’s perspective we can empathize with his innocent love for this woman Anna. Oates approach also would not have... Free Essays on Lady With The Ped Dog Free Essays on Lady With The Ped Dog Point of View in Chekhov’s and Oates’s â€Å"The Lady with the Pet Dog† Anton Chekhov and Joyce Oates both approached this short story from the third-person narrator. The main difference is how Chekhov entertained the male perspective of love while Oates indulged in the weakening aspect of the feminine side. Chekhov used a limited omniscient narrator who only knows Gurov’s inner thoughts and feelings. He reveals the point of view by not including any feminine thoughts and emotions throughout the story only a mere poetic aspect of Anna. Chekhov tells his story from the eyes of a man looking at a beautiful woman, smart, with a soft voice. He makes her so perfect that you forget that their love was sinful, but more innocent. On the same aspect, Oates uses a limited omniscient narrator who focuses on Anna as being the center of consciousness. She reveals the point of view by alienating the thoughts to only Anna. The reader is only able to interpret the thought s and emotions of the lover only through his own words. Oates creates Anna as a simple woman without respect for herself, a woman insane with love. Chekhov and Oates’s approach towards this point of view were both convincing and realistic. Chekhov’s ability to place all the emphasis on the emotional stability and instability of Gurov’s thoughts and emotions give the reader a more in-depth sense of the confusion involved in his situation. Chekhov’s use of the third person narrator enhanced the story. If Chekhov had approached this story from a different perspective, we would not have the full effect of the masculinity involved in the emotional bondage between a man and woman. For example, if Gurov’s wife would have been the consciousness of the story we would have felt her pain and suffering, thus leaving us with more despise for Gurov. However, only given Gurov’s perspective we can empathize with his innocent love for this woman Anna. Oates approach also would not have...

Excel-based Candidate Short-lister Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Study Research - Essay Example Mcmahon-Parkes et al. researched the outlooks and beliefs of patients who were resuscitated and those never resuscitated as well. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. argue that nurses always fear that family members may obstruct efforts to resuscitate their relatives (Mcmahon-Parkes et al., 2009). This fear is the key reason they do not tolerate them during resuscitate procedures. Nurses today also fear that family members who see their relatives undergo resuscitation processes might be harmed mentally. Mcmahon-Parkes et al justify this study by pointing out that there are no past qualitative literatures on the perceptions of nurses towards the company of families during the resuscitation of patients (Schmidt, 2010). In addition, few research works ever examined what patients preferred when it came to their families witnessing their resuscitation. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. explained the perspectives of patients who were revived successfully and patients taken to the ER but not requiring resuscitation (Mcmahon-Parkes et al., 2009). These perspectives examined whether both types of patients preferred their relatives present during resuscitation or not. The methodology used by Mcmahon-Parkes et al involved a sample of 21 revived patients and 40 patients taken to the ER. All patients were from 4 hospitals in two big cities in Southwest England. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. used a myriad of reviewers and uniform decision-making techniques (Schmidt, 2010). These methods proved effective for gathering perspectives from both types of patients regarding the company of their relatives during resuscitation. Findings showed that most patients preferred the company of their relatives while being resuscitated. Mcmahon-Parkes et al. discovered that both types of patients had three common themes in their preferences. The first theme was positive. Both types of patients understood that the company of their relatives meant that they were

Global Media Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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Group Theory Elements And Dynamics Management Essay

Group Theory Elements And Dynamics Management Essay Importance of Groups and Team has become a major focus in the business world. Organizations have well realized that the evolution from individual to team management approach is a priority in current time. The reality is that much of the organizations work is accomplished directly or indirectly through teams. Teams are used as means of growing effectiveness and efficiency in many organizations. Group procedure and conflicts directly impact the choice of team member selection and required results. Creating an effective team is an art and a science. Any organization is constantly changing and evolving. Change is good and the ability of an organization to adapt and be flexible helps stimulate the organizations growth (Mukherjee and Mukherjee, 2001). The use of teams to administer various undertakings and projects are utilized increasingly by organizations with hopes that the performance and creativity of these teams will take them to the next ladder to success in the business world. This explains the words of H.E. Luccock No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it. Definition A work group is a number of persons, usually reporting to a common superior and having some face-to-face interactions, who have some degree of interdependence in carrying out tasks for the purpose of achieving organizational goals. (Wendell L. French, Cecil H. Bell Jr., p. 155). A team on the other hand has some distinctiveness higher to that of an ordinary group, including higher degree of symbiosis and interaction and higher commitments to achieve organization goals. Therefore, according to Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith, a team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. Working in groups generates work relationships among individuals who get tied to one another with personal and social ties, which makes them an informal organization. An informal organization consists of relationships that emerge and persist as a result of workers existing in the same workplace and having common objectives and similar problems. An informal organization emerges as a result of a formal organization because it is the latter that gathers workers in the same place to perform certain duties and reach specified objectives. Besides, it represents the formal centers, relations and channels of communication between the workers and the rules that govern their behaviors and relations. Basic elements of the group Work teams and informal organization are based on the following elements: Relations among members: This consists of the daily dealings between individuals regarding their work and personal aspects. The relations of members are among the indices used to find out how far the group is holding together. Roles These constitute roles given to team members can be similar to or different from their roles in the formal organization. One member may be assigned the task of solving work problems; another undertakes the groups recreational and social activities. Role assignment depends upon many factors such as the individuals position in the group, his age, experience, ability and interests and personal characteristics, the extent of his being tied to the group and love for its members. Values There are certain social values prevailing within the group from which members are inspired in their work. The group may follow the values of honesty and integrity at work, competition and production at the best possible levels. The members love for their group can be induced from their compliance with the values prevailing within it. Behavioral rules There are certain behavioral rules dictated by the group upon its members such as helping one another, correcting someone when he makes an error. There are a lot of rules that have to be observed by group members. Feelings Some feelings arise among group members as a result of their daily encounters and continuous relations. These are the same feelings as those found in the bigger society such as love and hatred, acceptance and rejection, peace and dispute, etc. If the group is settled and the informal organization persists, it can serve many major purposes, for it provides the chance of the workers acquaintance with one another and their subsequent cooperation and mutual assistance. Factors that affect the groups behavior The individuals objectives and the extent of their conformity or contradiction with those of the group. The values and principles held by individuals and the degree of with their consistency with the organization values and principles. The nature of work performed by individuals and the degree of it consistency with their interests and abilities. The technological means used at work and the degree of their being modern or old. Technical and social training received by the individual. Ways of superiors and supervisors in dealing with their subordinates. The policies of the organization. The services provided by the management or organization to the individual. Disciplinary and punitive regulations and the procedures of their implementation. Group Theory Elements and Dynamics According to Johnson Johnson there are five major elements that must be present for a group to successfully reach a goal. The five elements are positive interdependence, individual accountability, primitive interaction, appropriate use of social skills, and group processing. One of the factors established in group dynamics is that to have a group, two or more must be present and in like mindset of achieving a common goal. For this goal to be achieved certain skills must be present for a successful outcome.   The skills required to have a successful group, and  certainly to have a successful outcome, involve every group member and certainly his or her participation and commitment. As listed by the authors one of the elements, positive interdependence of group members is necessary to have a successful group. This particular element ensures that one member cannot succeed without coordinating his or her efforts with all the other group members to complete the task. This specific element also helps to eliminate diffusion of group responsibility. Each group member must partake equally and effectively in achieving the set goal so all members must have the same set of motivational factors. First and foremost to be successful the group must achieve its goals, maintain a good working relationship among its members, and lastly be able to adapt to the changing conditions it meets during the process of accomplishing the goal (Johnson Johnson, 2000 P. 12).   Clear, relevant and concise goals must be established and agreed upon by group members as such that a high level of commitment is evoked insuring completion of every group members interdependent contribution to the goal. Two-way communication is paramount for the group to be a success and all members should be aware that each and every one is to assume and participate in the role of leader. There should be a balance in power and decision-making, usually the preferred method being by consensus. According to Johnson and Johnson controversies are certainly going to arise in the group process. When this occurs group members should challenge conclusions and reasoning, resulting in creative decision-making and problem solving. This particular group dynamic presents an opportunity for growth for the group members. Group members should face conflicts which will be promoted by incompatibilities and engage in problem-solving negotiations to resolve such conflicts. Several strategies can be use d including withdrawal, forcing, smoothing, compromising and problem solving. Conflicts arising are an important factor and tend to increase group effectiveness (Johnson Johnson, 2000).   The importance of team work Teamwork is important for an endless amount of reasons. There are so many things that are virtually impossible to take on without the use of a team that knows how to work together. The importance of teamwork is something that should be touched on during team building events. If this concept is not understood and carried out at work, your team will not be running as a solid unit. Understanding your team and the many facets of it is just the beginning. The main reason to form a team is to accomplish something intense that cannot easily be achieved by just one person. People need to rely on each other sometimes and understanding that is the start to a potentially great working relationship. When we all come together with one specific shared goal, success is that much easier to obtain. Its also much more efficient and effective than trying to tackle a huge challenge by one member. Nothing great was ever achieved by one person alone. It took many to build the pyramids so why should it take only one to build your ideal business? Understand that you can only benefit from working as a team. Compromise is the secret weapon of strong team that knows where their priorities lie. Nobody can be right all the time. Working as a team means understanding that compromise is essential for everyone to have their say and input. In order to unite for the purpose of success and forward progression, some will have to concede that their way is not the best. And that is what working with others is about. Learning from each other is a great way to grow as an individual and as a whole. When you work closely with others, you tend to spend just as much time with them as you do with your own family. This can make for intimate working relations where you cant help but get to know others well. Breaking down these barriers and really getting to know each other will improve the quality of your team. By removing the stiff or formal element and working in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere, teams get to know one anothers skills and talents. This makes it easy to select people for roles that you know they are capable of handling. Create a Culture of Teamwork To make teamwork happen, these powerful actions must occur. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Executive leaders communicate the clear expectation that teamwork and collaboration are expected. No one completely owns a work area or process all by himself. People who own work processes and positions are open and receptive to ideas and input from others on the team. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Executives model teamwork in their interaction with each other and the rest of the organization. They maintain teamwork even when things are going wrong and the temptation is to slip back into former team unfriendly behavior. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The organization members talk about and identify the value of a teamwork culture. If values are formally written and shared, teamwork is one of the key five or six. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Teamwork is rewarded and recognized. The lone ranger, even if she is an excellent producer, is valued less than the person who achieves results with others in teamwork. Compensation, bonuses, and rewards depend on collaborative practices as much as individual contribution and achievement. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Important stories and folklore that people discuss within the company emphasize teamwork. (Remember the year the capsule team reduced scrap by 20 percent?) People who do well and are promoted within the company are team players. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The performance management system places emphasis and value on teamwork. Often 360 degree feedback is integrated within the system. Skills for High Performance Teamwork Basic Communication à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn how peoples perceptions and viewpoints differ. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn the basics of face-to-face communication. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Analyze the difference between one-way and two-way communication. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Understand the skill of listening. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Improve active listening skills. Giving and Receiving Feedback Learn what feedback is. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Discover how open or closed to giving and receiving feedback. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn to give effective feedback to others. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn how to receive live feedback from others. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Practice giving and receiving live feedback from team members. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Make a personal improvement plan to respond to team feedback. Group Dynamics Learn what group dynamic is. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Experience and discuss group dynamics in action. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn about group process and shared leadership. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Determine what you can do personally to improve group process skills. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rate the teams group process. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identify how the team will improve its group process. Team Decision-Making à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Discuss barriers to group decision-making. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn about methods of group decision-making. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Practice consensus decision-making. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Practice a group decision-making model. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identify how the team will improve its group decision-making. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Review who is responsible for current team decisions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identify team decision issues to be addressed. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Discuss shifting to ideal team decision-making responsibilities. Team Problem Solving à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn the challenges of group problem solving. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Gain a working definition of problem solving. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Create a model for group problem solving and how to use it. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn how to do creative brainstorming. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn how to use cause and affect diagrams to analyze problems. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Analyze how well your team is set up for effective problem solving. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn the areas of group problem solving in which the team will improve. Conflict Resolution à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn a definition of unhealthy conflict and how to keep from crossing over into it. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn about the different conflict management styles. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Use a model to help choose a response to potential conflict situations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Assess which conflict styles the most often use. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Practice Step Model for resolving conflict. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Decide how to modify your conflict style and how you will better handle your current conflicts. Time Management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn how currently using the time. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn the barriers which keep from managing the time more effectively. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn the difference between the important and the urgent, and how to schedule time for the important. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn to set professional goals to guide your use of time. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Create a systematic approach to managing daily events. Enhanced task performance and synergy Synergy is the effect that the combined return whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts (Sebastian Knoll, Cross-Business Synergies, page 14) The phenomenon of Synergy within a Group or Team has become one of the most vital parts for an organization. People who work in groups are able to produce more efficiently and they confer greater quality of output than that produced by an individual and their productivity combined. Joint problem solving, variety in ideas and knowledge, different views towards an issue and accomplishing difficult tasks are some of the factors added by synergy in groups. To make utilize of synergy in groups managers need to make sure that, the group they put together comprise a variety of skills and talents which are diverse and corresponding but still relevant to the task, and being certain that these skills are coordinated efficiently. Managers should make sure that the groups achieve goals for the organization in their own way and enough independence is provided to solve problems. Case studies about group dynamic and teamwork In todays competitive world where every organization is striving to gain the best position in the market the concept of Group Development and Teamwork are steadily gaining importance. Individual decision making has taken a back stage and paved the way for team management approach for problem solving and decision making which has been productive for the organizations. This strategy not only benefits the organization but also the individual employee, hence its been rapidly adopted by businesses. McDonald Management Professor Tracy McDonald also endorses the above facts that groups and teams take an organization to the next level of high performance and output through motivation, creativity and responsiveness and states that The teamwork push probably started in business in the late 1970s or early 80s with the advent of quality circles [employee problem-solving teams], she says innovation, creativity and change have been some of the main drivers of team success and since the past 10 years, organizations have embraced this concept with welcoming hands. Toyota motor Yuki Funo the Chairman and CEO of Toyota motor, states that the Toyota way is the way to number 1. One of the principles of the Toyota way is to add value to the organization by developing your people and people can be developed by molding them into exceptional individuals and teams to work within the corporate philosophy. Facebook Nippard B. creator a Facebook group (teamwork ladder) on teamwork states that more than 80% of fortune 500 companies subscribe to teamwork. Teamwork brings success no matter how you define victory. Conclusion Team oriented approach is the order of the day when it comes to successful organizations who have empowered their employees, motivated them and involved them in such a way that the existence of the organization wouldnt have been possible without the existence of teams of such highly motivated individuals. Teamwork has bought the employee and the organization closer than ever. Problem solving, creativity, innovation and shared vision are as synonymous to teamwork as teamwork is to success. Although team building is a complex process and there are many challenges that hinder a teams success, it can be concluded that the team is the right organization for every task, the new orthodoxy and a reincarnation of the one-best-way. (Drucker P. 1999)

Soulless Humanity in George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) :: Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984 Essays

Soulless Humanity in 1984    The year 1984 has since passed but George Orwell's prophetic vision of the future could still happen.   1984   portrays a society that has lost all trace of individuality, love, and critical thought.   George Orwell's "Negative Utopia" depicts the despair of the future of humans and also serves as a warning about fascism.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Orwell's sets the mood of the book as one of hopelessness for the future of humans.   He contrasts this mood with a popular philosophy: belief in the progress of humanity and the ability of people to institute peace and justice in the world.   These contrasting views set up the premise for the life of Winston Smith, who is one man caught in a society devoted to conformity.   Orwell's warning to this is that if people cannot change the way things are going, our society will lose their human qualities.   They will become soulless machines and not have a clue as to their new world they created.   This is the world in which Winston Smith is caught in.   He is different from the others and in a civilization which does not approve of individuality, Winston is targeted by the government from the beginning.   Being different in this populace only means rebellion and that exactly is what Winston sets out to do.   Winston believes that although he must conform on t he outside, that no one can take his individual thought away.   Winston's individuality is the only hope for human nature for he questions the most basic principles of the regime, a thoughcrime.   One doctrine Winston questions is the concept of freedom-    "How could you have a slogan like 'freedom is slavery' when the concept of freedom has been abolished?"    Winston goes on to say there will be an end to thought.   "Orthodoxy means not thinking..."   "Orthodoxy is unconscienceness."   Ã‚  Ã‚   The belief that humanity is progressing while they are really losing their individuality is actually halting human progress.   Every aspect of life is changing for the worse while people believe humans are advancing.   One example is Newspeak.   As Syme put it, "You don't grasp the beauty of the destruction of words."   The destruction of words is seen as progress while in actuality, it is another step in destroying individuals and creating a hopeless future.   Once this happens, Orwell warns, all hope is lost.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Currently, Winston lives in a world filled with the ravishes of war.

Palazzo Art History Essay

Context Few windows overlook the inner courtyard (â€Å"cortile†); the colonnaded walls are decorated on all sides by deep niches and blind windows, and the intervening surfaces are spattered by ‘spezzato’ (broken and blemished plaster) giving life and depth to the surfaces. Function pleasure palace, or Villa Suburbana Description terms four exterior faà §ades have flat pilasters against rusticated walls Intent pleasure palace, or Villa Suburbana Palazzo del Te or Palazzo Te is a palace in the suburbs of Mantua, Italy. It is a fine example of the mannerist style of architecture, the acknowledged masterpiece of Giulio Romano. The official name, and by far the most common name in Italian, is Palazzo Te, but this may be a relatively recent usage; Vasari calls it the â€Å"Palazzo del T† (pronounced as â€Å"Te†), and English-speaking writers, especially art historians, continue to call it the Palazzo del Te. In Italian this now suggests use for tea-drinking, which may account for the divergence in usage. HideDescription Palazzo del Te is a square building, constructed 1524-1534 for Federico II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua. He decided in 1524 to build a pleasure palace, or Villa Suburbana. The site chosen was that of the family’s stables at Isola del Te on the fringe of the marshes just outside Mantua’s city walls. The architect commissioned was Giulio Romano, a pupil of Raphael. The shell of the palazzo was erected within 18 months. It is basically a square house built around a cloistered courtyard. A formal garden complemented the house. This was enclosed by colonnaded outbuildings terminated by a semi-circular colonnade known as the ‘Esedra’. Like the Villa Farnesina in Rome, the suburban location allowed for a mixing of both Palace and Villa architecture. The four exterior faà §ades have flat pilasters against rusticated walls, the fenestration indicating that the piano nobile is on the ground floor with a secondary floor above. The East faà §ade differs from the other three by having Palladian motifs on its pilaster and an open loggia at its centre rather than an arch to the courtyard. The facades are not as symmetrical as they appear, and the spans between the columns are irregular. The centre of the North and South facades are pierced by two-storey arches without portico or pediment, simply a covered way leading to the interior courtyard. Few windows overlook the inner courtyard (â€Å"cortile†); the colonnaded walls are decorated on all sides by deep niches and blind windows, and the intervening surfaces are spattered by ‘spezzato’ (broken and blemished plaster) giving life and depth to the surfaces. Once the shell of the building was completed, for ten years a team of plasterers, carvers and fresco painters laboured, until barely a surface in any of the loggias or salons remained undecorated. Under Giulio Romano’s direction, local decorative painters such as Benedetto Pagni and Rinaldo Mantovano worked extensively on the frescos. These frescoes remain today and are the most remarkable feature of the Palazzo. The subjects range from Olympian banquets in the Sala di Psiche and stylised horses in the Sala dei Cavalli to the most unusual of all — giants and grotesques wreaking havoc, fury and ruin around the walls of the Sala dei Giganti. Mannerism’s most famous fresco: Giulio Romano’s illusionism invents a dome overhead and dissolves the room’s architecture in the Fall of the Giants. These magnificent rooms, once furnished to complement the ducal court of the Gonzaga family, saw many of the most illustrious figures of their era entertained such as the Emperor Charles V, who, when visiting in 1530, elevated his host Federico II of Gonzaga from Marquess to Duke of Mantua. One of the most evocative parts of the lost era of the palazzo is the Casino della Grotta, a small suite of intimate rooms arranged around a grotto and loggetta (covered balcony) where courtiers once bathed in the small cascade that splashed over the pebbles and shells encrusted in the floor and walls. In 1630 Mantua and the palace were sacked by invading forces, the remaining population fell victim to one of the worst plagues in history. The Palazzo was looted from top to bottom and remained an empty shell: nymphs, god, goddesses and giants remain on the walls of the empty echoing rooms. Part of the Palazzo today houses the Museo Civico del Palazzo Te, endowed by the publisher Arnoldo Mondadori. It contains a collection of Mesopotamian art.

Success is an Individuals Secret

Success is an Individuals Secret Introduction Student’s giftedness is a measure of their outstanding ability, which allows them to interact freely with their environment leading to high levels of achievement, performance, and/or creativity.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Success is an Individual’s Secret specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although many people view giftedness as largely dependent on inherent and inborn factors playing a focal role in success of the gifted students, others still view success as something that does not come easily but requires motivation and commitment to achieve a relatively difficult task. Other than the outstanding abilities of gifted students, they have the capability to higher academic performance and therefore, require distinguished educational curricula beyond those provided by regular education for full realization of their potentials. To safeguard the gifted students, the incorporation of the spe cialized curricula needs participation of their parents in the decision-making concerning their children. This facilitates the identification of the student’s need and taking of appropriate action. However, it is important for parents and professionals to understand the procedural safeguards of gifted students in order to help them fully achieve their potentials for self and society benefit. Procedural safeguards for gifted students The safeguards entail the processes involved in the development and integration of the differentiated educational curricula for the gifted students after the identification and evaluation of such students by a qualified professional. The students identified as gifted show an increased ability and potential in general intelligence, creativity, productive reasoning, psychomotor ability, and leadership ability among others (Clark, 2002, p. 4). It therefore becomes of necessity to inform the parents of the affected students, through a legal process, t o safeguard the rights of the students and parents in relation to notice, consent, education evaluation and hearing. Prior notice It is important to notify the parents of the gifted students of any changes in educational programs aimed at suiting their requirements as talented students and the notices require proper communication using native language understood by all; therefore, it calls for formal communication in written form. The notification bears a detailed description of the actions taken after the identification of the needs of the gifted students.Advertising Looking for report on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The essence of the prior notification is to facilitate rational decision making by the parents about whether to adopt the actions taken or to reject them, as it seems fit for their students (Ashbridge, Mckee, Sanders, 2005, p. 34). For parents with little or no knowledge on written commun ication, the notice requires translation into verbal communication using the native language but the written notice kept as a record. Full description of the provisions of the safeguards as stipulated by the rule provides an understanding of the safeguards by the parents before making their final decision concerning their gifted children. Parental consent Before making their final consent on the decision reached concerning their gifted children, parents need to have adequate information relevant to the action taken after the identification of the specific needs of their gifted children. This ensures that the parents consent to an action they clearly know and helps to alleviate any future doubts and criticisms of an action taken. Furthermore, parental consent helps to affirm the appropriateness of an action adopted and integrated in the curricula of exceptional gifted students (Clark, 2002, p. 5). Inculcation of the special programs in the educational course content shields the gifte d student from under utilization of their potentials and creative ability. Parental consent protects the school institutions from any possible negative outcomes after the integration of the differentiated education programs to carter for the gifted children. Educational records inspection In accordance to the Florida laws and statutes, the parents of students identified as gifted are allowed to examine their children’s educational records. The inspection of the educational documents and records of one’s child extends to the inspection of the child’s educational placement. Prior inspection of the educational records by the parents provides a good understanding of the student’s potentials and abilities necessary in developing educational plan.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Success is an Individual’s Secret specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The statutes also allow parents to partici pate in meetings and contribute in the planning of the education programs relating to gifted students all focusing in protecting the students from under development of their naturally endowed potentials and capabilities (Ashbridge, Mckee, Sanders, 2005, p. 35). Decisions made based on prior knowledge of the student’s educational performance bears a positive influence in the subsequent performances of the students and thus safeguards the students from spending time in unnecessary educational courses. Complaint procedure In cases where the parents of the concerned student have a complaint, the laws provide for a procedure through which the complaint is heard and determined. The laws allow for the solution of allegations by parents towards schools violating the requirements and regulations concerning education of gifted students. In line with the legal requirement, the department of education takes a maximum of ninety calendar days from the date of reporting the case to do inve stigations and allows the complainant to give further information concerning the case before giving a written decision concerning the issue raised (Ashbridge, Mckee, Sanders, 2005, p.45). This act safeguards the parents from having their children getting unworthy education. Moreover, it provides a participatory framework through which the parents can monitor the quality of education given to their children and through the department of education; it ensures the implementation of the education plan as proposed by the affected parents. Hearing process The Florida statues on education for the gifted students provide for the due process of hearing of all the complaints presented by the parents of the gifted students on their evaluation, identification, and placement. During the hearing process, the parents may opt to propose a change in the criteria of identification, evaluation, or educational placement of their children or may choose to refuse any changes (Clark, 2002, p. 6). The hea ring process requires a judge to conduct the proceedings. The judge ensures that all parties involved get fair and impartial hearing. After hearing the complaints presented by the parents of the gifted students, the judge makes the final decision in writing details of the facts, findings, and the decision made.Advertising Looking for report on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This safeguards the parents, students, and the learning institutions, as there is maintenance of a record of the education program agreed upon by the parents and the school administration offered to the gifted students. Conclusion In the pursuit of understanding the difference between the gifted students and the normal students, one would require to consider diverse aspects of the students’ behaviors, intelligence, social orientation, and educational performance. The identification of these students necessitates the quest for the meeting of their differentiated educational requirement, which is usually more specialized than the normal ordinary education program. The specialized form of education for the gifted justifies the necessity for both parents and professionals to understand the procedural safeguards in meeting the needs of the gifted students for their own benefit and for the benefit of the community at large. Reference list Ashbridge, S., Mckee, C., Sanders, P. (200 5). Nature and needs of gifted students. New York: Clearing house information centre. Clark, B. (2002). Growing Up Gifted. New York: Merrill Prentice Hall

Tourettes essays

Tourettes essays TS is an inherited disorder characterized by multiple involuntary movements and uncontrollable vocalizations call tics. Tics come and go over years. Tics are sounds of movements that are repeated over and over again. To be diagnosed with TS a person must have both multiple motor and one or more vocal tics for a period of at least one-year, beginning before the patient is age 21. The tics do not have to occur at the same time. They can vary in frequency and they can disappear for weeks or even months at a time. TS symptoms range from very mild to quite severe, the majority of cases fall in the mild category. The first symptom of TS are usually facial tics. The most common is eye blinking. Some people have vocal tics such as clearing the throat or sniffing. Their tics or behavior does not disable most people, but some do need medication. A few patients with severe TS demonstrate self-harming behaviors such as lip and cheek biting and head banging against hard objects. However, these behaviors are extremely rare. What should you know about Tourette Syndrome? Its cause is believed to be in the brain and how two parts of the brain communicate. The defect that causes TS has not been established. Tics include eye blinking, neck jerking, facial grimacing, grunting, sniffing, snorting, hitting oneself, and uttering words or phrases out of context. The tics associated with TS are often treated medically, not because they hurt the patient, but because they may be embarrassing. Symptoms of TS begin before the age of 21, usually between the ages of 2 and 15. 200,000 Americans are estimated to have TS. More have yet to be diagnosed. A person with TS has a 50% change of passing the gene to his or her children. If a child inherits the gene, a son will have a 3 to 4 times higher chance of inheriting the disorder. Ten percent ...

The killing of U.S resident Anwar al-Alwaki Research Paper

The killing of U.S resident Anwar al-Alwaki - Research Paper Example The American government tried to keep the matter a secret but the choice to hunt and murder Anwar became an issue of public debate and scrutiny. Some American wondered the limitation of the powers of the president if he can order the killing of Americans abroad based on secret intelligence. It is significant to note that the killings of Anwar in Yemen brought in new information about the intelligence, military and legal challenges that the U.S government faced. This is because it shows the risks or perils of war, depending on missile strike from drone rarely recognized by the U.S citizens and intricate justifications written for only a selected few officials to read (The New Times, 2013). Â  It is believed that Anwar al-Alwaki and Samir Khan who killed in the drone strike were al-Qaeda operational leader in Yemen. The two were U.S citizens who had never been accused by the American government nor indicted with any crime. The secrecy behind such drone strikes emerged as major issue b ecause of the legal and ethical issues involved in the killings (Wilson Center, 2012). Â  Information from the U.S department of Justice asserted that the drone missile strike that killed Anwar, an Al-Qaeda affiliate whose death was justified by the government, also murdered Samir Khan, who the officials had asserted was a real danger capable to warrant being specifically aimed or targeted. The killing of Anwar in Yemen was justified and ethical because Anwar was an evolving danger or threat in that by the moment the U.S. and Yemen intelligence found him, he had been under the watch list of the C.I.A for more than ten years. For instance, in 1999, he was the first to appear on the F.B.I list because of his link with militants and in 2001, after the attacks in the U.S, he interrogated by U.S officials about his association with the hijackers at his mosque in Virginia and San Diego. In addition, when Anwar left the U.S in 2001, he supported the idea that the United States was officia lly at war with the Muslim community. In Yemen and Britain where he was jailed for eighteen months, Anwar hinted closer to a full support of terrorist activities and the use of violence (Mazetti & Scott, 2013). In 2008, the F.B.I asserted that their investigations have revealed that Anwar al-Alwaki was growing up as a radicalizer. In 2009, when Nidal Malik Hasan serving as a psychiatrist in the U.S army opened fire, murdering thirteen people in Texas, Anwar found his popularity when investigators found out that he been occasionally communicating with Anwar al-Alwaki. After four days,

Elisabeth Vigee Lebrun's Humanization of Marie Attionette Research Paper

Elisabeth Vigee Lebrun's Humanization of Marie Attionette - Research Paper Example Le Brun is the Queen’s confidant ii. Le Brun attempted to save Marie Antoinette from guillotine through propaganda letters and portraits IV. Marie Antoinette’s Portraits by Le Brun: â€Å"An Average Woman† i. Marie Antoinette en chemise ii. Marie Antoinette and Her Children V. Conclusion Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun's Humanization of Marie Antoinette Introduction Eighteenth Century Europe is no place for a woman. Ranging from ruling the household to ruling the state, men had become beings of ultimate idealism that it overshadowed the importance of women. In a time and space where men are kings, it is notable to recognize two women who made their mark in history and found intimacy in friendship despite the disparity of their social status. It was art why the painter Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun and the French monarch Marie Antoinette established a close relationship and saw each other not according to their social roles, but women who have equal needs and challenges, in tha t male-dominant society they have to endure; especially for Elisabeth’s part, she humanized Marie Antoinette through the portraits she made for her and the genuine friendship she had established with her. Le Brun and Marie Antoinette: Meeting of Two Worlds Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun came from a humble family of artists, and having inherited her father’s talent, she embarked a road less traveled by women in her time: painting. Being unique and creative in her style, she was initially rejected by the artists’ community. It was not until 1776 when she finally had her opportunity of becoming a full-fledged artist, when she was summoned to make a portrait of the then Queen of France, Marie Antoinette (Bietoletti 76). Although Le Brun noted that she was intimidated by the queen, she was able to diminish this feeling through Marie Antoinette’s grace and kindness towards her, perhaps because â€Å"they were [of] the same age† (Rafter). On the other hand is a French monarch who was known of her stylish, beautiful and admirable countenance, Queen Marie Antoinette. Tracing back to her roots, she was basically a foreigner and her marriage with Louis XVI was part of a peace-making strategy of her native land Austria and its eternal rival, France. However, the purpose was not fulfilled to its fullest, and instead of reconciling the two nations, the Queen always had an awkward situation with the rest of the French royal family and developed â€Å"tensions and suspicions† among them (Goodman 4). In Marie Antoinette’s tumultuary political life and social stature, she became at least an ordinary woman, with the help of her official portraitist Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun. Imprisoned by the standards of a typical French monarch, Le Brun released her from the bars by seeing through her more than that of the King’s wife, but first of all, a mother and a woman, just like her. Le Brun’s Friendship to Marie Antoinette As stated previously, Le Brun and Marie Antoinette crossed each other’s path when the painter was ordered to paint the French queen. On that day, they were able to establish a relaxed emotional connection which soon became a close