Stylistic Analysis of Ragtime Essays and Term Papers

The global environment protection Our earth is our home, so if we want to protect our home we should protect our environment from harmful effects of human activity. Some of these activities cause pollution. Pollution now is a very important problem. Some of these problem are : the ozone holes, global warming (or green-house effect), acid rain †¦ The ozone layer is a layer of gases which stop harmful solar radiation protecting the earth. Recent research shows that there is a hole in part of the ozone layer which is caused by smoke from factories, car exhaust fumes, aerosol cans ‘cause they contain CFC.Global warming is an increase in world temperature caused by the release of carbon. Such precipitation as acid rain contains dangerous chemicals, this is caused by smoke from factories. Another problem is poisons in foods. Farmer soften spray chemicals in crops to safe them from pests. These chemicals are called pesticides. Scientists have found that pesticides often end up in our food and they can cause health problems – especially for kids. The marine life or in other words ocean biota are in danger. They are filled with poison : industrial, chemical, nuclear waste.Every ten minutes one species of animal, plant or insect dies out for ever. The biodiversity is reduced to minimum, the extinction of animals and plants is a real problems nowadays and if nothing is done our earth will die in about 30 years from now. We face an ecological catastrophe. The humanity abuses nature. So what can we do to avoid the environmental degradation ? There must be more rainforests,  «green » belts on our planet, we should plant more trees, we should not waste resources but try save them, we also must make smoke from factories and car’s fumes more clean, we must not dump industrial waste to seas and rivers †¦Now people are beginning to realize that ecological disaster is not somebody else’s. They make different organization, whose aim is conse rvation. For example, â€Å" GREEN PEACE † , â€Å"FRIEND OF THE EARTH † and others. Everyday millions people from all over the world do everything to diminish harmful influence of human production on the global vegetation, mineral resources and animal kingdom, and they need for our help. Everyone must take part in it, to save our planet clean and prosperous. It`s a pressing necessity to change the character of interaction between man and nature, just to make our future better. Stylistic Analysis of Ragtime Essays and Term Papers The global environment protection Our earth is our home, so if we want to protect our home we should protect our environment from harmful effects of human activity. Some of these activities cause pollution. Pollution now is a very important problem. Some of these problem are : the ozone holes, global warming (or green-house effect), acid rain †¦ The ozone layer is a layer of gases which stop harmful solar radiation protecting the earth. Recent research shows that there is a hole in part of the ozone layer which is caused by smoke from factories, car exhaust fumes, aerosol cans ‘cause they contain CFC.Global warming is an increase in world temperature caused by the release of carbon. Such precipitation as acid rain contains dangerous chemicals, this is caused by smoke from factories. Another problem is poisons in foods. Farmer soften spray chemicals in crops to safe them from pests. These chemicals are called pesticides. Scientists have found that pesticides often end up in our food and they can cause health problems – especially for kids. The marine life or in other words ocean biota are in danger. They are filled with poison : industrial, chemical, nuclear waste.Every ten minutes one species of animal, plant or insect dies out for ever. The biodiversity is reduced to minimum, the extinction of animals and plants is a real problems nowadays and if nothing is done our earth will die in about 30 years from now. We face an ecological catastrophe. The humanity abuses nature. So what can we do to avoid the environmental degradation ? There must be more rainforests,  «green » belts on our planet, we should plant more trees, we should not waste resources but try save them, we also must make smoke from factories and car’s fumes more clean, we must not dump industrial waste to seas and rivers †¦Now people are beginning to realize that ecological disaster is not somebody else’s. They make different organization, whose aim is conse rvation. For example, â€Å" GREEN PEACE † , â€Å"FRIEND OF THE EARTH † and others. Everyday millions people from all over the world do everything to diminish harmful influence of human production on the global vegetation, mineral resources and animal kingdom, and they need for our help. Everyone must take part in it, to save our planet clean and prosperous. It`s a pressing necessity to change the character of interaction between man and nature, just to make our future better.

My Reading Autobiography Essay

Reading has been an important part in my life. I have always loved reading since reading entertains, educates and informs. Reading interesting novels such as fiction books has been part of the entertainment aspect of my reading history. I love the way stories are told in books and as I read, I often get overwhelmed and enter the scene being explained in the story. At times I feel I am watching live scenes. This entertains me! Books have educated me. Since I entered school, the most valuable friend I met in school was reading. Reading has been my greatest companion in education and through reading I have amassed a great deal of knowledge. When I was young, I was introduced to reading sciences and arts. I found it hard to read especially pronouncing words in the required manner. With interest, I gained a strong interest in reading. Reading has now made me understand, critically analyze and find solutions to most life problems. Apart from educating me, reading taught me how to get information and be informed. I always felt it was a bother being asked to read when I was first introduced to reading in school. My teachers could force me to keep repeating a word over and over if I made wrong pronunciations. My parents were not any soft to me. Everybody wanted to see me reading correctly and sacrificed their time ensuring that I made correct pronunciations. In school, I even became an expert in reading and I could assist other pupils in reading! The teachers who often pressed me to repeat the wrongly pronounced words became my best friends. Today, I encourage a reading culture among all people regardless they are students or not. I emphasize on the three roles of reading; informing, entertaining and educating. These catchwords have deeply sunk into people’s memory and a majority of them have embraced reading as the most beneficial culture.

Foundations of a common European home Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foundations of a common European home - Essay Example r doors to migrations of selective groups notably: southern Europeans including Italians, Spaniards and Portuguese, as well as the recruitment of Turks for work in West Germany, Magrebians in France, and West Indian and Asians in the UK.1 What this meant is that Europe, immigration and, most importantly, the rapid industrialization would lay the foundations for the concept of a â€Å"common European home† in the 1950s and 1960s. In a bid to reassert their power in the postwar setting, countries in Europe, particularly Germany, France and Great Britain encouraged immigration, as many jobs were needed to filled. Most of these were factory work – those who were avoided by the nationals. The source of immigrants came from the poorer European countries, initially, and when these countries closed the wage gap with its more affluent neighbors, immigration and labor recruitment started to be sourced from the European colonies such as in South Asia and Africa.2 As migrant laborers renew their working contracts time and time again, they eventually laid down roots and a sense of residential permanency that they strove to legalize. Because of this, European governments have devised ways to integrate these immigrants into their respective societies drafting legislation to the same effect. For instance, we have the case of the West Berlin’s policy during the 1950s where the city government espoused the self -help philosophy in political-cultural integration. The functional approach that the city adopted has downplayed ethnic differences and made the immigrant-origin population an integral part of all local departmental and institutional mandates.3 This has cultivated a multicultural society somewhat akin to a common European home for European nationalities. Later on, sometime in 1975, European countries such as France and West Germany would enact family reunification policies wherein foreigners could settle permanently in the country along with their families.4 Because of

Annotated bibliography Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Annotated bibliography - Assignment Example In the United States, a juvenile delinquent (offender), for example, is described as one below age 17 who commits a crime that would otherwise be punishable if they were adults. The factors that contribute to juvenile crime (more so underage drinking and illegal purchase of drugs) are extensively mentioned in this book. These factors are broken down into six different categories. Some of the physical factors for juvenile delinquency cited include lack of sleep, sensory defects, endocrine disorders, drug addiction, nervous diseases, weather effects, physical exuberance, deformities, speech defects, malnutrition, and so on, whereas, mental factors discussed include, among others, psychoses, psychoneuroses, suggestibility, contra-suggestibility, sex habits/ experiences, lethargy/ laziness, mental conflicts, mental defects, and superior intelligence. Under home condition factors, there are unsanitary conditions, broken homes, illegitimacy stigma, bad examples, immoral parents, ill treatment at homes, poverty, unemployment, excess in material possessions and material deficiencies. Also, some of the school conditions talked up include poor grades, peer influence, inadequate recreation facilities, poor teaching and bad attitudes towards teachers, while neighborhood conditions cited include loneliness, stimulating entertainment platforms, influence of gangs, and peer influence. Occupational conditions such as truancy, monotony, idleness, occupational misfits, apprenticeship system declines, influence, and irregular occupations (Bradshaw, 2003) are also noted by the author. Jefferson discusses some of the crime theories applicable to juvenile delinquency. Some of the theories emphasized include rational choice theory, social disorganization, strain theory, differential association theory, labeling theory and social control theory. These are discussed in view of achieving better understanding of the causes of juvenile delinquency. As per the labeling theory, for

Discussion Board 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion Board 1 - Essay Example Worth noting, unethical behavior is different from unlawful in the sense the former entails that which is not acceptable as per the stipulated rules by a firm. Conversely, unlawful behavior has to do with what is legally forbidden. For instance, an employee who physically attacks another at the workplace is engaging in an unlawful act; starting romantic relationships in the office is unethical. Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) has elicited mixed views since Milton Friedman asserted the essence of every business. Milton’s statement that the primary objective of every business is to make profit is often viewed negatively with some contesting these assertions. To some, businesses have a responsibility to the society around it. However, the position taken here is that the statement by Milton is correct and is strongly agreed with. First, hardly any business is conducted without employees meaning that the society already benefits through employment. In addition, many companies require materials, many of which are sourced near their stations (Lee & Kotler, 2013). This greatly influences the communities around because the business offers a market place for different materials. There is more than a business does to the society than monetary assistance including invention. For instance, Microsoft has caused a global impact simply by inventing interesting computer-related products. As a result, people from around the world have used some of these products to change their lives positively. In this case, the society has not directly benefited in monetary from Microsoft, but their lives are transformed tremendously. Hence, CSR is not compulsory for businesses since it is not the primary objective. Besides, by undertaking different projects, businesses affect the society in various

Industrial Relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Industrial Relation - Essay Example The findings of this research will provide insight about recruitment and related human resource practices that are largely influenced by internal as well as external factors. The internal factors affecting recruitment in Qantas include the recruitment polices of the company, its Human resource staffing plans, cost incurred in hiring an employee, the organizational culture, compensation packages, growth rate of a company, future plans and finally the size of operations of the organization. The internal factors assume considerable importance not only in recruitment policies but also in retaining the employees. Internal factors affecting employee retention include job satisfaction, effective compensation and reward system, benefits and a proper work culture. These aspects lead to job satisfaction and employee motivation thereby leading to organizational efficiency. External factors affecting recruitment and employee retention involve governmental regulations and legislations including l abor laws. In addition to this factor other important external factors include socio economic climate of a region, the job market and the nature of talent available in an area, aspect of demand and supply of skilled labor force, rate of unemployment in the society and finally the perceived image of the job seekers in the market. These external aspects in turn have affected internal factors as business profitability has declined. The summation of these effects has led to growing tensions between workers and the management with regards to human resource policies. ... The internal factors assume considerable importance not only in recruitment policies but also in retaining the employees. Internal factors affecting employee retention include job satisfaction, effective compensation and reward system, benefits and a proper work culture. These aspects lead to job satisfaction and employee motivation thereby leading to organizational efficiency (Hennig-Thurau & Hansen, 2000, p.161). External factors affecting recruitment and employee retention involve governmental regulations and legislations including labor laws. In addition to this factor other important external factors include socio economic climate of a region, the job market and the nature of talent available in an area, aspect of demand and supply of skilled labor force, rate of unemployment in the society and finally the perceived image of the job seekers in the market (Geet & Deshpande, 2008, p.5.4). All these factors hold immense importance for ensuring long term organizational efficiency of an organization. In case of Qantas the company management is facing considerable internal as well as external issues. As per the extracts from the interview with the company’s CEO the firm is faced with a high competition and turbulence in the internal environment such as rising oil cots, advent of low cost carriers and the stiff competition on international routes by state sponsored carriers like Emirates. These external aspects in turn have affected internal factors as business profitability has declined. The summation of these effects has led to growing tensions between workers and the management with regards to human resource policies. IR Issues and Challenges Australia

What stressors exist for incarcerated women Essay

What stressors exist for incarcerated women - Essay Example Religious groups have shown constant and persistent interest in working with the incarcerated people in jail to help bring about their rehabilitation. Evidently, this is evident as many terms that are currently associated with the prisons came about from the efforts made by the people of faith in the 18th century. These are terms like the reformatory, rehabilitation and the penitentiary. This was in an effort to ensure that the inmates fully reformed while serving their jail term (Lazzari, 2005). The faith-based organizations provide in-house ministries, mentorship of the inmates, bible studies and even preparing the inmates for their release. However, these faith-based organizations require volunteer ship and participation from the inmates. A study by Camp and Associates in 2006; however, revealed that females, blacks and Hispanics were less likely to volunteer in these organizations. Evidently, this is because of many challenges and stresses that these women undergo. Incarcerated women faced a lot of challenges and stresses during their imprisonment period. These challenges range from both physical and mental stresses. Evidently, women conditions and life at the prisons were characterized by unsafe environments, which ranged from lack of proper sanitation facilities. The prisons had inadequate or very few sewage and bathing facilities and systems (Cobbina, 2010). The incarceration period was also greatly marred with hard physical labor and in most cases; the women oversaw corporal punishment. In addition to this, there was no medical care for the offenders who posed a great risk and worried mostly to the pregnant offenders. The women with mental health problems were held in a solitary confinement something that posed a great stress to the offenders (Lazzari, 2005). To help the women deal with these problems, the authors stress on the need of the use of faith based organizations. The faith-based programs are seen to

BUS 499 MoD-5 (SLP) Integation Causal & Strategy Essay

BUS 499 MoD-5 (SLP) Integation Causal & Strategy - Essay Example ooking at this strategy and its impact on financial performance, it can be concluded that this strategy will lead to an increase in revenues, which in turn would lead to greater operating profits and net income. Since the company will add new competencies in its operations; these competences, presumably will enable it to achieve economies of scale in its operation and reduce unit price of the product. This coupled with an increase in sales volume will lead to an increase in the company’s profit margins, which ultimately will be reflected on the company’s annual profits. In this way, the balance scorecard approach enables the company to achieve its two foremost financial objectives: increasing the company’s profitability and maximizing the returns of stockholders of the company. By accomplishing both these objectives, the company will ensure future survivability and growth. Kaplan, R. S., and Norton, D. P. (1992). The Balanced Scorecard: Measures That Drive Performance. Retrieved May 17, 2012, from http://library.tmu.edu.tw/news/%5BHarvard%20Business%20Review%20-%20January-February%201992%5D%20-%20Kaplan%20&%20Norton%20-%20The%20Balanced%20Scorecard%20-%20Measures%20That%20Drive%20Pe.pdf Kaplan, R.S. and Norton, D.P. (2004). Measuring the strategic readiness of intangible assets. Retrieved May 17, 2012, from http://www.cma-slp.com/onlinelibrary/OL_English/Strategy%20Implementation/Management%20Accounting/MeasuringTheStrategicReadinessofIntangibleAssets.pdf   Lawrie, G., and Cobbold, I. (2004). Third-generation balanced scorecard: evolution of an effective strategic control tool. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 53(7), 611 – 623. Palladium. (2011, June 8).  Palladium balanced scorecard hall of fame for executing strategy. Retrieved May 17, 2012, from Roos, G., and Roos, J. (1997). Measuring Your company’s Intellectual Performance.

Business strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business strategy - Essay Example The country has high political stability. However, the government has imposed certain trade regulations. For example, there is a strict restriction on the import and export of raw materials used for automobile manufacturing. Economical Factors: - The economic factors play an important role in the success of an industry. The economy of Japan is said to be highly stable and the country is currently witnessing an economic boom. The current GDP of the country is $5.984 trillion and the per capita income is $36,200 (CIA, 2013). The figures clearly reflect the robust nature of the economy of the country. The strong economy of the country is a positive indication of further growth of Honda in Japan. Social Factors: - The total population of the country as of 2012 is 127,368,088 (CIA, 2013). The major religion of the country is Shintoism which nearly accounts for 83.9 %, while Buddhism and Christianity accounts 7.14% and 2 % respectively. The major language is Japanese. The literacy rate is 99 %. In addition studies suggest that people of Japan are extremely passionate about cars. Hence the societal factors of Japan are extremely favourable for Honda’s business. Technological Factors: - Technology is a crucial factor for every business. The importance is more when it comes to the automotive industry. Honda depends heavily on technology to manufacture its products and market its products. In addition, technology is playing a critical role in the research and development function of the company. However, the favourable factor is that Japan is a technologically developed country and offers a strong technical infrastructure for the companies doing business in Japan. Environmental Factors: - With increasing awareness of environmental sustainability, car manufacturers are forced to come up with products which are eco friendly. Moreover, due to global warming, the Japanese government has imposed several restrictions on the use of petroleum products. This is why Honda h as come up with eco friendly cars such as Honda Hybrid. Japan has a different weather pattern and climate, which can negatively affect the engines. Hence, the weather of Japan can be a possible threat to the company. Legal Factors: - There are strict regulations imposed by the Japanese government on the automobile industry. Most of them are related to the safety of passengers, and welfare of the employees. In addition, there are some restrictions with import and export products to USA. Porter’s 5 Force Analysis Porter’s 5 forces model is another strategic management tool used to analyze the attractiveness of an industry. In this context of the study, Honda belongs to the automobile industry of Japan; hence the automobile industry of Japan will be evaluated. The analysis is presented below: - Force Density Properties Bargaining Power of Buyers High The principal reason behind this is the availability of a large number of car manufacturer and marketer in Japan Bargaining Power of Suppliers Low Suppliers of raw materials of the automobile industry are in large numbers. However, there are certain accessories which can be imported from some other parts of the world but due to stringent trade regulations; companies are bound to dependent on local suppliers. Threat of New Entrants Low The initial investment required to set up an automobile business is very

The HR Consultant Essay Example for Free

The HR Consultant Essay Introduction Texas Roadhouse is a chain restaurant throughout the United States. There are approximately 340 locations in over 46 states, and they are quickly expanding. Its menu specializes in steaks and ribs, as well as adding a western atmosphere for guests to enjoy. In the restaurant business, there are many different positions held by a variety of different people. There are cooks, dish washers, bus boys, hostesses, bartenders, servers, and also nightly management. On average each night, there are approximately 19 servers, 6 bus boys, 6 hostesses, 3 bartenders, and large amount of kitchen staff. All of these different positions are crucial in the nightly success of the company. Without any of these positions, the restaurant would not be able to run as smoothly. Objectives of The study In this report we are trying to find out the way to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the restaurant using five models:- 1) Self-Efficacy Model 2) LMX Model 3) Job Characteristics Model 4) Goal Setting Model Strategic Mapping Using Models Self-Efficacy Model The term self-efficacy is used to describe an individual’s perception of how competent they find themselves and their abilities to achieve complex tasks. People with strong self-efficacy are more likely to accept more responsibility and accept more challenging tasks. They also believe that no obstacles can get in the way from stopping them achieve their goals. Individuals with low self-efficacy are more apt to looking as difficult tasks as intimidating and do not believe they that are capable of achieving personal success. Overall, self-efficacy plays an important role in influencing the tasks that people perform and how well they perform them. The most important factor that is impacting through self-efficacy is persistence. This is found important because the higher the person perceives themselves on the scale, the more persistent that they will be with performing a complex task. Analysis and Recommendations as per Self Efficacy model Self-efficacy is something that is important in any organization. However, it is important at Texas Roadhouse to hire individuals who have a High level of self-efficacy so that employee perceives themselves capable of achieving many complex tasks. This could prove to be an issue within the organization because individuals could become bored or feel not challenged by the tasks designated in their position, which could lead to frustration for the employees and employer. Hence, Challenging tasks should be given to such individuals. 1) The individuals with moderate level of self-efficacy provides opportunity for the organization to designate tasks to that are challenging but also still attainable. It is good to hire large no. of employees in this category. There were three individuals who scored close to the lower end of the self-efficacy scale. 2) The individuals with low self-efficacy can pose a problem for Texas Roadhouse as they might hinder the productivity and success of the organization. Hence, in order to ensure more confident and driven individuals, Texas Roadhouse could moderately delegate more difficult tasks to these individuals in order to boost their confidence and the way they perceive themselves. Also, they could provide more positive feedback in their jobs and reinforce that the individual is doing well at their job. 2) Leader-Member Exchange The leader-member exchange (LMX) is a model that suggests that leaders develop different relationships with each of their subordinates through a series of work-related transactions. There are two important groups to consider that a subordinate may fall under depending on which phase they fit into. The in group is defined as a low number of subordinates with high LMX relationships. The second group is known as the out group in which the number of subordinates is large and contains relatively low level LMX relationships. Employees who find themselves in the out-group are likely to face high job turnover. This should be important to all management because high turnover is a very large investment for the organization. The level of LMX has a significant relationship to subordinates satisfaction with their manager. Employees with low-quality LMX are more likely to become dissatisfied, less motivated, and more prone to quitting. Whereas employees with high level LMX are likely to be satisfied with their work, more motivated, and committed to staying and contributing to the organization. LMX has three critical components which are mutual affection, contribution to work activities, and professional respect. When a subordinate has high mutual affection for a superior, the subordinate likes the superior as a person and will often come to the superior’s defense if attacked. High contribution to work activities comes into play when a subordinate goes above and beyond their job description to help the superior out. High Professional Respect is when the superior admires the subordinate’s knowledge and competence of the job. Analysis and Recommendation as per LMX 1) The Texas Roadhouse management does take steps to increase the mutual affection score of its staff else they will likely to enter the realm of the out group which could potentially lead to the employee leaving the organization because Why stay at an organization if you’re not happy with your manager? 2) One way management can increase the mutual affection is to take a more active role and listen to the complaints of the employees and to take the time to establish supportive and trusting relationships with the employees. 3) Another suggestion might be to engage the staff in team building activities and icebreakers. We can conclude that the superiors and managers of Texas Roadhouse are not providing proper support to their staff and needs to make a drastic change soon because the organization as a whole could be affected. 4) Some possible solutions include taking the time to reassess what kind of support is needed for staff. One way to do this is anonymous comment cards. Have all the employees fill out comment cards anonymously and identify specific instances where an employee failed to receive support. This must be down anonymously by the employer because the employee might be unwilling to respond for fear of termination. 5) The manager may have a tendency to interact with other employees in an unprofessional manner. The manager can decrease this perception by keeping to policy or by adjusting his/her interactions in front of employees. 6) Management needs to do a better job of developing better relationships with its employees. Some improvement strategies include the use of assertive communication, appropriate communication openness, and constructive feedback with all of the subordinates. Job Characteristics Model The job characteristics model has to do with the idea of increasing the amounts of five job characteristics: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback in a job. Skill variety can be defined as the degree to which a job requires an assortment of skills in order for an employee to carry out the task at hand. Task identity is the extent to which a job requires an employee to complete a task from beginning to end with a visible, tangible outcome. Task significance is the extent to which an employee perceives the job as having an impact on the lives of other individuals, if it makes a difference in society, within or outside of the organization. Autonomy is the level to which a job provides empowerment and discretion to an employee by choosing their own way to complete and schedule a task. Job feedback is the clear information about how effective an employee’s performance is. The different levels of these five job characteristics affect three important psychological states. The first, to experience meaningfulness of the tasks performed, second, to experience personal responsibility for results of the task at hand, and last is the knowledge of the results of task performance. If all three psychological states are positive, strong work motivation based on self-generated rewards is triggered. If they are in the negative zone, meaning the job is not meaningful, lacks responsibility or feedback, the job is incomplete, which does not strongly motivate an employee. This model can be related to Texas Roadhouse since it looks into how well an employee has the opportunity to be motivated to work in the restaurant. It highlights the areas that need work in the restaurant and what the employees enjoy or dislike about working there. It also demonstrates which employees are content with working there for a while and which view it as a stepping stone towards another opp ortunity that has not yet befallen upon them. Analysis and Recommendations as per Job Characteristic Model 1) The model demonstrates a need for change in the structure of Texas Roadhouse in order to increase their employee’s motivation to continue their work there. Generally, there are two main approaches recommended to superiors for designing/redesigning jobs which are vertical loading and the formation of natural work teams. Vertical loading is when tasks that were considered reserved for management level staff are delegated to all employees. It includes the power to set schedules, decide work methods, breaks, and seek solutions to their own problems. Natural work teams combines individual jobs into a unit which are logical and meaningful including geographic location, types of business, organizational, alphabetical or numerical, customer groups. If Texas Roadhouse implemented vertical loading into their structure and gave their employees the opportunity to decide their own breaks and more flexible schedules, it could aid in their desire to maintain their positions at the restaurant. Most of the employees are pretty satisfied with the way things are run at Texas Roadhouse, however, according to the data, one of the biggest issues the employees have with Texas Roadhouse is the lack of variety, out of twenty surveys; eleven scored less than a four on the scale. The employees also feel that they do not have the opportunity to see projects through to completion which affects their task identity characteristic. This can be fixed with a simple solution, which is to allow employees to complete a task before assigning them another. Goal Setting Model Goal setting is a very integral part of any job. Whether you are attempting to better yourself or complete a project, setting goals is one of the most helpful tools to assist you throughout the process. Goal setting can definitely help a business such as Texas Roadhouse in raising their standards for employees which will end up helping the bottom line. The goal setting model that we used for our survey seems to have a big impact on job performance. According to the model, if employees felt good about the goals they set, they were better at their jobs. Five essential pieces must come together in order for the managers to gain benefits of a goal setting program. The first piece is that the person must be knowledgeable about the topic of the specified goal and have the sufficient capacity to attain the goal. The second step is that the person must be committed to the goal, especially if the goal is difficult. The third step is that people need feedback on their goals. According to the text, employees will raise their performance because they are afraid they will have past performance. The forth step is that complex tasks must be broken up into simpler more short term goals so that the goals can be attained. It is stated in the text that employees are more responsive when they know about their progress. The fifth and final piece is to have a situation constraint. One of the most important aspects of a leader is to ensure that employees have the resources to attain their goals and to help eliminate any troubles that may lie in the way. Now to discuss some of the benefits that goal setting can have on performance. One of the consequences of goal setting is that it motivates individuals to achieve high performance. Some of the benefits stem from developing difficult goals. When it comes to Texas Roadhouse, such goal setting can be setting goals for a certain dollar amount each table waited on per person. The benefits can be such as encouraging people to develop action plans to reach a goal, focusing people’s attention on goal-relevant action, and encouraging people to develop action plans to reach these goals. Having such goal setting systems in place, you will have to be able to adequately reward your employees. Such reward systems could be like the high-performance work system which is used to describe a well-established method of motivation with new technology that links pay and performance. This isn’t very easy to do, especially when considering the many factors. Such factors could ask questions such as, do you reward individually or as a team. Analysis and Recommendation as per Goal Setting Model Going through a few of the steps that go into goal setting and based on the results provided from the study, we have developed some recommendations for the restaurant. The first recommendation is to put groups of waiters and hostesses into teams in order to create an atmosphere of meritocracy. When there are teams, it’s easier to have tasks done and team members will have the mentality of â€Å"if I scratch your back you scratch mine.† Going along with more of the recommendations through the analysis of the process of effective goal setting, a proper high performance work reward system must be put into place in order to motivate employees. Our recommendation for the work reward system is a system that rewards waitresses on the amount of money per person that they serve. So for example if a team earns on average $15 per customer and another team earns $20 per customer, we reward the team with the $20 per customer with a bonus on top of their normal tips. To further develop their goals, we can get input for the teams on how they would like to improve the model because it is stated that the more input the employees feel like they are giving, the more they would buy into the program. To improve on that, we would also make the goals a little bit more challenging. For example we could expect a higher dollar amount per customer over last month. For example a ten percent increase could be viable. The last of our recommendations is to give each employee a step by step plan on how to achieve their goals and to give them a monthly review. These recommendations would help Texas Roadhouse by improving their trust between one another, their individual and team goals by giving them more input which leads to more buy-in and lastly, it helps them raise their revenue by setting higher goals for each customer. Works Cited Bernardin, H. John, Joyce E. A. Russell. Human Resource Management: An Experiential Approach. McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2013.

Postmodernism and Hyper-Reality in Architecture

Postmodernism and Hyper-Reality in Architecture Introduction This essay will address architecture’s position in a consumer society. Consumer society can be described as the outcome of modernism where consuming material goods is the paramount feature of its balance and values. It is the result of the escalation in manufacturing and rapid industrial developments. It is also the outcome of the immense pace of diversification and growth of culture, creativity, technology and urbanism as a way of life. I will use the concepts of semiotic philosopher Jean Baudrillard’s as a basis in understanding the implications of this culture on the built environment, urban design and technology. I will also examine the desire for fantasy realms that mirror reality by examining Baudrillard’s three orders of simulacra and the â€Å"hyperreal†. To understand the expression of this phenomenon in our consumerist culture I have chosen to examine its manifestation in the urban context of Montecasiono and also virtual environment of Second Li fe. My aim is to better understand the architects’ position in this current culture and what it could mean for the future of architecture. Postmodernity and Hyper-reality The postmodern condition does not simply replace modernity but it rather opens up a new and complex layer of meaning of the modern by emphasizing its paradoxical aspects. Modernity has become deeply rooted in contemporary societies and thus it is almost impossible to find a condition where it has had no influence. Post-modernity by default cannot be separated from modernity as emancipation and liberation are inherent to the modern. In the post-modern era the electronic picture is the predominant force defining its figurative character. It is saturated with pictures in the degree which was not observed in history. (Asanowicz, 2014) To understand some of the complexities of our image driven culture I will first be exploring the writings of Jean Baudrillard. According to â€Å"Simulacra and Simulation† (Baudrillard, 1994) in our post-modern society, â€Å"It is no longer a question of imitation, nor duplication, nor even parody. It is a question of substituting the signs of the real for the real†. Baudrillard suggests that postmodern culture is not merely artificial, because the notion of artificiality still involves some sense of reality against which to identify it. What he conveys is that we cannot recognize the distinction between artifice and nature. Baudrillard then argues that there are three orders of simulacra. Simulacra (Simulacres in French means: stereotype, a pseudo-thing, an empty form, a blank form) is one of the key concepts of postmodern aesthetics. (Asanowicz, 2014). The first order of simulacra is related to the pre-modern period where the image is a clear imitation of the real. Baudrillard associates the second order of simulacra with the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century where mass product ion and the increase of copies break down the differences between the representation and the image. The third order of simulacra is specifically associated with the postmodern age. It suggests that the representation precedes and determines the real. The distinction between reality and its representation is has disappeared and there is only the simulacrum. Baudrillard defined this distortion of the lines between the original and its copy as the ‘hyperreal’ (Baudrillard, 1994). Not only does the simulacrum simulate the original but the simulacrum of truth is truer than true and thus the hyperreal is realer than real. (Horrocks Jevtic, 1999) This kind of simulated image is all around us, nature reserves are constructed to disguise the absence the natural environment in urban areas. Reallity TV programs are edited to romanticize the mundane. Baudrillard uses the example of Disneyland, â€Å"Disneyland is presented as imaginary in order to make us believe that the rest is real, whereas all of Los Angeles and the America that surrounds it are no longer real, but belong to the hyperreal order and to the order of simulation. It is no longer a question of a false representation of reality (ideology) but of concealing the fact that the real is no longer real, and thus of saving the reality principle.† (Baudrillard, 1994). To relate this theory to a South African context I will use the example of Montesasino. While the simulated environment is patently false, guests at Montecasino buy into the â€Å"reality† of fantasy because society will continually absorb simulacra and its preference for it over reality. Offerin g a surplus of services and entertainment options in a Tuscan themed environment, Montecasino disorientates and mesmerises its guests in a world of fantasy where spending money enhances participation in, and enjoyment of the retail and leisure experience. Baudrillard comments on the blurred distinctions between culture, consumerism and identity: â€Å"Work, leisure, nature and culture, all previously dispersed, separate, and all more or less irreducible activities that produced anxiety and complexity in our real life, and in our ‘anarchic and archaic’ cities, have finally become mixed, massaged, climate controlled and domesticated into the simple activity of perpetual shopping. All these activities have finally become desexed into a single hermaphroditic ambience of style† (Baudrillard, 2001). Another example of hyperreality is that of Multià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ User Virtual Environments. This has fascinated me since I engaged my first multi-player role-playing computer game and recognized the addictive qualities it stirred. Today these virtual environments are much more sophisticated with virtual worlds like World of Warcraft and Second Life simulating not only of our physical world but also of our social, political and economic condition. Second Life has an active socialist party, an opposing Marxist party and even an anarchist group. Prostitution, gambling and consumerism are central to the simulation. Users of these environments create avatars which they define as the most accurate reflection of theirrealself. Aside from hyperreality, many of the concepts Baudrillard postulates in Simulacra and Simulation are present. It is a semiological perfect world, where the users are deprived of the ability to move, eat and drink. The avatars have nothing else to consume but â€Å"sign s† of the real. Avatars can rent prostitutes to have sex which is devoid of human contact or experience consequently consuming the â€Å"sign† of having sex. The avatars buy expensive virtual clothes to express the distinction against the avatars wearing free clothes. No actual clothes have changed hands, but people spend real that they have actually earned to consume â€Å"signs† of goods. From a modernist this would seem irrational but Baudrillards states that, â€Å"Nothing resembles itself, and holographic reproduction, like all fantasies of the exact synthesis or resurrection of the real (this also goes for scientific experimentation), is already no longer real, is already hyperreal† (Baudrillard, 1994) , therefore it could be argued that there is no difference in consuming something â€Å"real† or a â€Å"sign of the real†. The newest phase of consumer society is accordingly concerned with the effect of digital consumption. This is intensified by globalisation, new information technologies and real-time communication. In the next section I will discuss the implications of society’s preoccupation with consumption and hyperreality on Architecture. Post-Modern Architecture in a consumer society Frederic Jameson suggests that Postmodernism replicates or reproduces and reinforces the logic of consumer capitalism. Thus when we study a consumer society we should focus on the seductive and alluring as this is inherit to the consumer lifestyle. In architecture terms such as image, ambience and enchantment of appearance are more important than modern notions of individualism, rationalism, naturalism and functionalism (Jameson, 2002). Few contemporary architects have consciously thought of their works with consideration to our image driven culture. In â€Å"Visions’ Unfolding: Architecture in the Age of Electronical Media†, Peter Eisenman postulates that by using computer programs which randomly fold surfaces and connect the building and landscape into one continuous whole, the architecture does not surrender to any particular explanation, but continuously disrupts what is defined as architecture (Eisenman, 1999). This does address the idea of surface being the most important aspect of design but the problem is that the works is possibly not seductive enough, rather the work is merely fascinating. On the other hand the work of Jean Nouvel is shrouded in the enchantment of appearance. In Jean Nouvel in Conversation: Tomorrow Can Take Care of Itself, he says that â€Å"image is the matter of architecture and thus the future of architecture is not architectural in the tectonic senseâ€Å". Nouvel emphasises that his architecture is not composed of space but of communicative surfaces, which he calls interfaces. He is not interested in details but only in images. Koolhaas and Tschumi are two other architects that have based their works on a conscious study of atmosphere rather than functions or meanings in architecture. Lastly one cannot forget to mention Bernard Tshumi. After the vertical, modern, in La Villette we have the horizontal, minimal, conceptual and postmodern hyperrealism. The â€Å"cinematic† adaptations in the architecture enable â€Å"events† and are said to provide new freedom for the visitor when choosing routes and viewpoints. Lastly the famous â€Å"congestion† in Koolhaas’ works can be recognised as an atmospheric effect created by â€Å"programming†. Koolhaas tries to create architecture congested with the masses in diverse actions. These actions have typically not been assigned a specific place. Rational individualism must be abandoned when interpreting mass society. Conclusion In its most recent forms, architecture is already becoming transparent, mobile, flexible and interactive. It almost tries to disappear in order to let a hypothetical mass creativity show through. It replaces the immaterial with floating rules of the game, a screen of deconstruction which leaves the subjects quite free to invent their own game rules. Besides, architecture is not the only thing to give way to this interactive utopia of exchange and playful recreation: all art, politics and virtual technology is going in this direction. These tendencies manifest themselves in contemporary architecture in the new possibilities for pluralism, â€Å"open† architecture, the flexible interrelationship between producers and consumers, interactivity, and â€Å"the innovative consumers†. Moralism against consumer society and commercial architecture does not work because it is characteristic of consumer society itself that it spreads moralities concerning how people should live and which kind of buildings they should have. These moralities concerning consumers are disguised in the form of â€Å"choices†. Neither building without architects nor pragmatist architecture can make the position of architects better in society, because these phenomena are already included in the mythologies of consumer society. As concerns the relevance of Baudrillard’s theory in architecture, it has become apparent through my theoretical work that this makes impossible such traditional architectural concepts in general as creativity, the fulfilling of needs and functionality. Architects can only speed up or slow down interpersonal socio-economic processes and in this way increase social reciprocity and cohesion. According to Baudrillard’s analysis of the present socio-economic patterns in society, it has become almost impossible to make truly seductive and reciprocal architecture. Baudrillard’s theory does not leave very much for architects to lean on, up to the question of asking whether architecture can at all be designed under Baudrillard’s terms, however believable he is in pointing out the crucial problematics of culture in consumer society. Source List HILDE HEYNEN, 2000, Architecture and Modernity: A Critique, Massachusetts, MIT Press, 8-24 JEAN BAUDRILLARD, 1994. The precession of simulacra, Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press, 1-42. JEAN BAUDRILLARD, 1982, Modernità ©,† in La modernità © ou l’esprit du temps, Biennale de Paris, Section Architecture, Paris, L’Equerre, 27-28. PETER EISENMAN, 1994, Visions’ Unfolding: Architecture in the Age of Electronical Media, Michigan, A+U Publishers, 2-5. REM KOOLHAAS SANFORD KWINTER, 1996, Conversations with Students, New York, Princeton Architect ural Press, p 5-6.