Re-reading of ‘A Birthday Present’

Re-read ‘A Birthday Present'. By means of close analysis of the language of this poem, demonstrate how Plath achieves her effects in this poem, and by means of BRIEF reference to one or two other poems, say how typical of her writing you find it. Plath's poem ‘A Birthday Present' creates binary oppositions of images by using antithesis. An example of antithesis in this poem is when the narrator asks, â€Å"is it ugly, is it beautiful?† The adjectives ‘ugly' and ‘beautiful' are opposing images. The structure of this phrase is mirrored in the line below when the narrator asks, â€Å"has it breasts, has it edges?† These two images are opposite as when we imagine ‘breasts' they are round and smooth and not sharp like an ‘edge'. By using this linguistic device Plath creates a ‘seesaw' effect between positive (‘beautiful') and negative (‘ugly') lexis. Plath uses this device of conflicting lexis throughout the poem creating a tension. Furthermore, it can also be said that Plath uses these binary oppositions on a more subtle level to create the theme of good vs. evil. This theme can be seen in some of Plath's other poems. Take ‘Face Lift' or ‘Morning Song' for example, the theme of good and evil is represented by the images of babies she juxtaposes with those of death. The same binary opposition of images is used in ‘A Birthday Present' when the narrator says, â€Å"White as babies' bedding and glittering with dead breath.† Again the two juxtaposed images are of death and babies. It can therefore be said that this theme is typical of Plath's writing and is probably influenced by the miscarriage she suffered prior to writing these poems. Another device that Plath employs for a specific effect in this poem is her use of the personal pronoun ‘you'. The narrator questions, â€Å"Is it impossible for you to let something go and have it go whole?† and, â€Å"Must you kill what you can?† Many other writers use this device to achieve the desired effect of involving the audience as it addresses them directly. However Plath also has another motive. On first glance one may assume that the narrator is questioning the present as it is the apparent focus of the narrator throughout the poem. However, considering the number of references to God throughout the poem, (â€Å"My God what a laugh!†, But my god, the clouds are like cotton.†) one could assess that the question is actually aimed at God. Moreover, the theme in ‘A Birthday Present' of questioning God can be linked to some of Plaths other poetry. Plath's father died when she was a young child. From studying her life I found out that she loved and idolised her father. In her poems ‘Daddy' and ‘Full Fathom Five' Plath makes subtle suggests that she now sees her father as a God-like figure. In ‘Full Fathom Five' she writes, â€Å"You defy other Godhood. I walk dry on your kingdom's border†, when talking to her father. This could therefore be evidence that although she may seem to be addressing the birthday present with questions in this poem she is really questioning to her Dad. The theme of Dad arises in many of Plath's poems and so this poem is typical of her writing. Like many of Plath's other poems she uses personification in ‘A Birthday Present' to make an inert object appear to have a life of its own. The narrator is describing the present when she says, â€Å"I feel it looking. I feel it thinking†. The two verbs are actions that only a living person could do. Plath, however uses them to make the present in the poem come alive. The literary device of personification is typical to some of Plath's other poems. One example is in her poem ‘Cut' where she personifies her thumb by referring to it as ‘Little pilgrim', ‘Saboteur' and ‘Kamikaze man', before reminding us at the end of the poem that it is just a ‘Thumb stump'. This is therefore a device that Plath uses typically in her writing. In conclusion, many of the themes and ideas found in ‘A Birthday Poem' can also be found and mirrored in Plath's other poetry. She also uses a range of literary and linguistic devices in this poem that is typical of her writing.

Jetstar Airways Essay

Jetstar Airways is an Australia low-cost carrier airline based in Melbourne, Australia. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Qantas Group. Qantas established Jetstar in 2003 as a response to main competitor airline Virgin Australia (formerly known as Virgin Blue). Despite its low cost, Jetstar operates an extensive domestic network and is the world’s largest long-haul low cost carrier. Jetstar operates to destinations in Asia the Pacific Ocean, with future plans of expanding their services throughout Europe. Jetstar currently offers a limited number of connecting services without through baggage checking, and it became the first Australia airline to allow customers to select their seat upon booking. The airline, which participates in the Qantas Frequent Flyer Programme, operates a fleet of Airbus A320-family and A330 aircraft. Mission Statement Jetstar’s mission is to offer all day, every day low fares to enable more people to fly to more places, more often (Jetstar, 2012). Company Objectives  Jetstar is part of the Qantas Group’s two-brand growth strategy, where Qantas competes at the premium and business market and Jetstar focuses on leisure markets. The Jetstar Group is a value based, low fares network of airlines operating in the leisure and value based markets. Jetstar aims to have Australia’s lowest fares on all the routes it operates on. Jetstar has backed its airfares with a Price Beat Guarantee. If any customers find a lower fare elsewhere online, provided it is on the same day, the same route and at a within the same time frame, Jetstar will beat the quoted fare by 10 per cent. Slogan – Low fares, all day, everyday Market Overview Definition of the market Jetstar operates in the low-cost carrier market within Australia. Their target market is the general public, who seeks cheap and accessible airfares and flight availability to travel within Australia. Major competitors include Virgin Australia and Tiger Airways Australia. Market Size Jetstar is currently the third largest domestic Australian airline (by market share) and fifth largest international airline (by capacity share) serving international routes to-and-from Australia (Jetstar, 2011). Jetstar shares its parent’s strong competition with Australia’s biggest low-cost carrier Virgin Australia. Domestic travel accounts for 75% of the airline industry revenue in Australia (Taylor Woodings, 2011) Market Potential The market is currently in the decline stage. From 2007, Australian domestic air travel started with buoyant demand for air travel and high fuel prices boosted ticket prices. However, domestic airlines faced major hurdles when the global economic downturn hit. Higher unemployment and a decline in discretionary income slowed demand for air travel in Australia. In particular, business travellers abandon air travel in favour of teleconferences and e-mail. Demand also weakened as Australians have started to plan travelling internationally. Market Structure The domestic flights market can be considered as an oligopoly. The 3 main companies that have the most market share are Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Tiger Airways Australia. Trends Demographic: Australia is an underpopulated country and is also an ageing. However, over the years the numbers of migrants have been increasing. With the rising number of migrants, there will most likely be an increase in the number of domestic flights demanded since they may want to visit other cities Economic:  Australia currently has the strongest economy in the developed world and it is expected to outperform all comers for at least the next two years, according to the International Monetary Fund (2012). The IMF also forecasts Australia’s unemployment rate to remain low at 5. 2 per cent in both 2012 and 2013. With the Australia having an unemployment rate of only 5. 2%, it can be assumed that people are more likely to have surplus cash and may have plans of flying domestic, whether it be for a holiday or business. Natural: Australia’s changing natural environment has had an impact on the customers, nvestors and Jetstar. Jetstar is committed to minimising its impact on the environment and has introduced various initiatives to address this important issue. On 19 September 2007, Jetstar introduced a passenger Carbon Offset scheme facilitated through the Australian Government’s Greenhouse Friendlyâ„ ¢ initiative. Through the Carbon Offset scheme, Jetstar’s passengers can choose to make their journey carbon neutral by purchasing carbon offsets on all domestic and international services via a seamless single step process at the time of booking at Jetstar. com. Jetstar’s Carbon Offset program is now one of the most successful programs in the Australian airline industry and has raised almost $600,000. About 12 per cent of all passengers booking at Jetstar. com currently choose to offset their share of flight emissions. Jetstar’s Carbon Offset program has proven to be particularly successful on a number of domestic routes, including Sydney-Ballina Byron, which in 2008 has averaged 24 per cent of passengers booking via the web opting to carbon-offset their flight, Melbourne-Ballina Byron (20%), Adelaide-Melbourne Avalon (16%), Melbourne- Hobart (15%) and Sydney-Melbourne Avalon (14%). Our carbon offsets are purchased through Climate Friendly, who has been ranked as the number one carbon offset provider in Australia by the Carbon Offset Watch and is a founding member of the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA). Technological: Technology plays a vital role in both the airline industry. In order to have a competitive advantage, it is required that the technology used is up to date. Jetstar is equipping its fleet of A320 and A321 aircraft with the latest satellite-linked navigation system to improve safety and on-time performance. Aircraft fitted with the system known as Required Navigation Performance (RNP) can safely navigate around cloud-shrouded mountains, through valleys and over high terrain when low visibility would increase the chance of flight disruptions. Air Services Australia reported those 4,200 minutes of flying time and 17,300 nautical miles was saved during 1,612 RNP assisted approaches. As a result more than 200,000 kg of jet fuel was saved and carbon emissions were reduced by 650,000 kg. The new navigation aid reduces the time spent circling due to bad weather, which helps passengers arrive on time and cuts our fuel use. Political/Legal: Over the years the rising carbon tax in Australia has affected future plans of Jetstar. Maintaining and running an aircraft is bound to produce a lot of carbon dioxide. As a result Jetstar has started to reduce the amount their carbon footprint by introducing new technology.

Wikipedia

Wisped is a valuable research tool for university students How do I do my research: Online source Firstly, I opened Google Search Engine and printed there the key words: Wisped – valuable – research. Then I used related terms as reliable, credible, source. My next step was to read background information on different sites and look for main ideas and issues being discussed, the terminology is being used. I built my statements: 1) Wisped AND credibility; 2) Value no Wisped; 3)Wisped AND credible OR valuable OR reliable OR trustworthy AND source OR resource.I used the sites of different universities, because I consider them as the most suitable and credible. The main reason why Wisped isn't a valuable research tool is: anyone who wants can post material, and the expertise of the posters is not taken into consideration. How do I do my research: Offline source To start with, I should find some articles on the following topic. First source I found is the article of Thomas Che ney, 2006. â€Å"An empirical examination of Wisteria's credibility,† First Monday, volume 11, number 11 (November), where he states that Wisped hasn't got ‘high' credibility, but it certainly is not ‘low'.His survey shows that 13 percent of Wisteria's articles have errors. Then I searched for another article to have a wider view on this theme. I took a look at the work of Magnums, P. D. , Assistant Professor at the University at Albany, (2008), â€Å"Early response to false claims In Wisped† ; First Monday, 13(9). There he points that Wisped Is a reliable research tool because even If there are some Inaccuracies they are being deleted within 3 hours or less.

Promotional Budget-Magic knife Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Promotional Budget-Magic knife - Essay Example The heat produced, therefore, has the capability of melting butter in seconds during when it is spread on the bread slices. This makes it easy and simple for butter application process to occur. The knife can also cut ice cream cakes, cupcakes and many others, very simply and in a very easy and efficient way. It makes the cutting process simple and very easy to occur. Being a new product in the market, I will be faced with the challenge of ensuring that the product and its brand penetrate the market and gain popularity among consumers. The only way to do this will be through carrying out promotional services to ensure that the information about the knife and its capabilities and workability is spread to the targeted audiences. The major promotional services or strategies will include the use of radios, television, roadshows, online advertising, print advertising, trade shows, publications, and catalogues and brochures. The choice of the right promotional channel will depend on the prevalence of the targeted audience in that channel. Knives are used by every family households, but it becomes the responsibility of the parents, more so, mothers to purchase them. However, restaurants, butcheries, ice cream parlors, fruit parlors, and food courts also use the knives a great deal. The above chosen media for promotional services will, therefore, be appropriate as they are all accessible to the targeted groups mentioned. However, allocation of funds in the promotional budget will depend on the extent of promotional services in that particular medium as well as the effectiveness of advertising in such a medium (Bizmove, 2013). The promotional budget will be considered to be 23% of the total sales realized. However, as the sales increase due to more awareness creation by advertising, the budget will be increasing. It will, therefore, mean that, if more sales are realized, there will be more investment in

Tobacco Companies and Product Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Tobacco Companies and Product Safety - Essay Example The unethical activities by a firm appear in different forms and nature (Curwen and Whalley, 2005). In this report, analysis of one such case will be carried out. Hence, a brief overview of the case chosen for this study is detailed below. The case entails about the significance of product safety and the role played by companies in managing these safety standards. The case highlights a real life incident of 2004 where the US district court ruled eminent tobacco manufacturing and marketing companies such as Liggett, Philip Morris and Reynolds to pay a hefty fine of $ 280 billion if the US Department of Justice (DOJ) proves that these companies are continually deceiving the customers despite knowing the risks of smoking and its addictive nature. The case also highlighted about the fact that tobacco manufacturing companies have formed a committee so as to carry out research and developmental works on the adverse effects of Tobacco. However, the committee deceived people by denying the f act that smoking causes cancer or any other type of health effects. Ironically, research carried out by other researchers clearly showcased that smoking did causes cancer. Furthermore, the case also made it evident that Tobacco companies advertised that nicotine is not an addictive material and even campaigned to target teenagers. One of the key findings from the case was that tobacco is a product that kills around 400,000 American people in a calendar year. Regarding this matter, DOJ claimed that it is the duty of the firms to design a safe product and at the same time test its quality before launching in the market. Even these companies have also intentionally not warned the customers about the ill effects of nicotine consumption. Hence, the case makes it evident that it is a sheer violation of the ethical norms and morality of business for such kind of finds is a subject of question. This report seeks to investigate the ethical and moral issues associated with the selling of good s in the market and along with that moral and ethical issues will also be highlighted. The duty of a company towards its customer is another vital area which will be covered during the course of the study. In addition, theories and literature pertaining to this area will be highlighted in the study in order to strengthen and justify the claims made in the study. The study will begin with a brief summary of the duties that a company has towards its consumers. Duties to Consumer Ethics have been defined as one branch of philosophy that deals with the systematization and recommendations related to the conception of right or wrong. It helps in addressing to the issues that are arising in moral diversity. Now the question arises that what is morality. Morality can be described as a systematic procedure that helps to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong. Moral theories provide exact framework for analysing, discussing and finally evaluating all the moral disputes in very reasoned manner. As mentioned earlier, it is the emergence of globalization which has lead to increase of the need of business ethics. Generally an organization has three main goals: One being incur of high profits, the second being responsible environmentally and the third one being responsible socially. In order to attain such goals, it is significant that the organizations perform certain responsibilities

Condition monitoring, fault diagnosis, fault classification or fiding Dissertation

Condition monitoring, fault diagnosis, fault classification or fiding fault for machenary - Dissertation Example In recent years, there has been a growing trend to introduce more intelligent methods in order to deal with condition monitoring and fault classification for machines (Mills, 2010). The realm of artificial intelligence and its application may be infant as yet but still involves the application of various methods and techniques for achieving desired ends. The current research will look into various artificial intelligence methods that have been applied to the condition monitoring and fault diagnosis for a reciprocating air compressor based on emerging and already developed methods and techniques. 1.2 Artificial IntelligenCe Based Methods It is possible to solicit problems in plant machinery using vibration signals that can be processed to reveal a multitude of information relating to the machine and its components as well as their operation (Wang & Chen, 2011). Given that condition monitoring and diagnosis relies largely on vibration feature analysis, it is important to extract the vi bration signals at every state change that the machine experiences (Lin & Qu, 2000) (Wang & Chen, 2007). Extracting vibration features can often be difficult since the measured vibration patterns tend to contain a large amount of noise that must be filtered out (Wang & Chen, 2011). ... The application of these techniques would allow for both pattern recognition as well as automated fault diagnosis. A number of different researches have been carried out in order to deal with condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of plant machinery that relies on discriminating fault types from a common pool of fault types based on the available vibration data. Theoretically, such an approach may make a lot of sense but practical application of such techniques is hindered by ambiguous diagnosis problems. It is possible that first layer symptoms may be similar for a number of different faults and it is also possible that first layer symptoms may have similar values in different states. The situation is complicated by the fact that there are no definite relationships between symptoms and fault types for plant machinery. The added complexity of plant machinery and the various interacting components means that the overall fault states are enormous to say the least. It is not possible to rely on one or on a number of different symptom parameters that could be utilised to track down faults, supposing that each fault occurs independent of others. This situation is complicated all the more when faults tend to occur simultaneously and the application of theoretical frameworks tends to fail altogether or in large part (Mitoma et al., 2008) (Wang & Chen, 2008). A number of different methods and techniques have been applied in recent researches in order to solicit vibration feature extraction and analysis for accurate and reliable condition monitoring and fault diagnosis. These techniques and methods could be classified as (Wang & Chen, 2011): wavelet transform; rough sets; neural networks; sequential fuzzy inference;

Knowledge mangemen assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Knowledge mangemen assignment - Essay Example Of the numerous activities constituting the knowledge management process, the most commonly discussed is knowledge transfer or knowledge sharing (Al-Alawi et al, 2007). Hislop (2009) observes that in the first generation of knowledge management literature, organisational socio-cultural factors were marginalised, and were not taken into consideration. However, the significance of organisational culture in knowledge sharing behaviour has now been established. Employees’ motivation and willingness to share knowledge emerges from the organisational culture, which is defined as the shared, basic assumptions that an organisation learnt while coping with the environment and solving problems of external adaptation and internal integration, taught to new members as the right way to solve those problems (Park et al, 2004). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how organisational culture can influence knowledge sharing behaviour in the workplace. Organisational Cu lture Influences Knowledge Sharing Behaviour While the strategies and the technologies for knowledge management enable the proper channelisation and dissemination of knowledge, the culture of the organisation directly influences knowledge sharing among employees. Knowledge sharing is also related to the importance given to intellectual capital in an organisational culture. In a rapidly developing economy such as India there is considerable emphasis on intellectual capital in various spheres including organisational knowledge management. Cheema (2010) asserts that education in knowledge management is critical for organisational managers and human resource personnel, and their leading with knowledge helps the organisation to achieve sustained competitive advantage in the growing global market of today. The key debates and the various perspectives in organisational knowledge management begin with the origins of the study of knowledge, or its epistemology, argues Hislop (2009). The proc essing of knowledge within the organisation, and its connection to human motivation are also essential factors. Social and cultural issues particularly those pertaining to the workplace, play vital roles in knowledge management and in the sharing of knowledge. Organisational knowledge is of a collective and shared nature, and its different dimensions are reflected in the dynamics of knowledge production and dissemination. Further, knowledge processes pertain to conflicts and politics at the workplace , which are inherent parts of organisational culture. They reveal the ways in which knowledge and power are mutually related, states Hislop (2009). Each organisation has a distinctive culture which reflects the organisation’s identity both in the visible and in the invisible dimensions. The visible aspect of culture is found in the values, philosophies and mission of the company, while the invisible dimension is formed by the unspoken set of values directing employees’ act ions and approaches in the organisation, state McDermott and O’Dell (2001). The critical success factors in organisational culture that influence knowledge sharing included mutual trust between employees, with a high expectancy of reliability of the promise or actions of other individuals or groups. Only when there is trust do team members respond openly and share their knowledge (Politis, 2003). Further, top

Case Study analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis - Case Study Example It is an evident fact that communication is very important in a relationship. In such situations, in most cases, it has been observed that men communicate to achieve problem solution. This is similar in the case of western women but again the percentage is relatively low. Women are more likely to avoid the problem solving function of the communication between both the partners. In the chosen case of the marital couple, it becomes easy to understand that female partner is trying to discuss the issue with aggression (Broughton, 2008). The case also notes that both the partners are trying to set scores with each other which indicates the condition of conflict. It should be noted that if conflict resolution is not undertaken then it can lead up to complicated crisis between the couple. This is the situation where the Sum Zero concept is introduced which means that one of both the parties have to lose it to find out a resolution. This gives a lead to other situation where one party can ex pect a balance of score in any forthcoming conflict (Pappalardo, 1995). It should also be noted that the case under review is a conversation between a marriage couples who has egalitarian manner of relationship in which both the partners are empowered but the economic responsibilities of man makes him dominant in the relationship. The female oriented families (matriarchal couple) are those where a woman’s right must be completely considered as supreme. But in the case, it is to be noted that the male’s job is much important than the woman because of his limited scope of job (Hitch & Youatt, 2001). The conversation between the couple has been noted to be of less abusive language. There is no indication of abusive words used at regular interval showing that the couple is not from a very low socio-economic status. But it would be better to mention that the female partner needs to calm her tone so that the discussion between the couple can be taken easily so that they can find out the solution (Broughton, 2008). Recommendations: It is being suggested that women playing an emotional part in a relationship needs to evaluate communication function. At times, it is better to listen to the other partner when you do not seem to find out the relationship. In the evaluated case, it can be observed that male partner suggested her to have a new workplace to work because teaching is a very diverse field of interest. This notes that at least the male partner suggested a solution to the problem rather than just beating about the bush. Another situation analysis clause would be to let the other partner win. This does not make one lose it forever. A marital relationship is for life where one win can transform into another loss. This loss is not about property or possession but rather an argument or conflict. This practice is suggested to be solved through zero sum strategy. The use of power needs to be exercised when the family type is completely understood. Consid ering the fact that the couple is an egalitarian marriage bonded, it is suggested to the male partner to exercise his power for the need of elaborating decision making process to the female partner. And also, the woman partner needs to understand the imperativeness of the job of the man because he is the sole and base responsible end of the relationship in terms of

Thesis driven essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Thesis driven - Essay Example However, both of them are brief and to the point. Each segment of their discussion is terse and economical. They both present their ideas to the human race with a biblical tone. Although Machiavelli suggests that it is hopeless to change a rotten human society, Lao Tzu asserts that humanity can be modified for the better by following a natural moral view of life. Machiavelli quoted that any man who wished to pursue goodness at all times will not succeed when he is among evil people (224). Machiavelli claims that although a man may desire to be always good, he will not succeed given the multitude of the evil people. Instead of the person becoming better and changing others, the others will choke his goodness. The rotten society in which people live thus devours any good intention of an individual. However, Lao Tzu would respond differently to this statement. Lao Tzu explicitly says that a country should be centered around the Tao and render evil powerless. He says that although evil will always be there, people will be able to avoid its way. Evil will thus disappear if people do not give it something to oppose (Lao Tzu 208). A Tao is a way of becoming attuned to cycles of change. It is a state where one becomes consciously aware of his or her place in the life’s web. The person acts as per the principles of naturalness, spontaneity, and ease. Lao Tzu thus claims that even though evil is here to stay, people can escape from it by believing and acting according to Tao. Lao Tzu holds onto a belief that it is possible to change the atmosphere by centering people around Tao (208). Machiavelli, on the other hand, is of the opinion that this is not true. Machiavelli believes that people are naturally evil. When one man tries to be good, others become comparatively bad. Eventually, the world tends to be shaped by the society. If Lao Tzu stumbled upon Machiavelli’s quote, he would persuade him that people can embrace change if someone begins to

Training in Banking Sector Essay Example for Free

Training in Banking Sector Essay Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the training needs among employees of Public sector bank. In the current dynamic business environment training has become indispensable. The biggest challenge of human resource managers is to train the employees to produce desired results. In the cyclical process of training, training needs analysis is the first step which analyses the areas where training is essential. Total 100 respondents responded to the pre-tested questionnaire, for which Cronbach’s Alpha was calculated to confirm its reliability, which resulted in the score of 0. 860. The major findings and evaluation have been done by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).The findings can be used to design future competency based training programs. Keywords: Performance, Skills, Training, Training needs. I. Introduction The banking sector in the recent years has been undergoing intense structural and organizational changes, globally. The trend towards globalization of financial markets and services and deregulation of domestic banking systems has been the driving forces behind the drastic change in this sector. The Information technology era has enabled development of new financial instruments, decentralization of work and decision making responsibilities. The extensive competition, greater demand for providing better product and services, dynamic business environment prevailing in the commercial banking sector has increased more demand from employees in order to meet the requirements the above all has posed critical challenges for employees and HR managers in particular. Thus, training is no longer considered a casual phenomenon or holiday for a selected few; instead it ought to be a process of human resource development for fulfillment of defined objectives (Khandelwal, 1978). And to achieve the desired results transformation in the context and mechanism of training programs becomes indispensable (Lynton and Pareek, 1990).â€Å"Training† refers to a systematic approach to learning and development to improve individual, team, and organizational effective-ness (Goldstein Ford 2002). Denby (2010) explains that training helps to expand the scope of available skills within the workforce and improve expertise and adds enhancing the capabilities of the team supports retention. Every organization strives to achieve their objectives, and in banking sector the major goals include maximizing funds and improve the level of services. And the most desirable goal is to improve employee’ performance which results in overall organizational performance. In current scenario, to achieve sustainable competitive advantage, sustaining customers by delivering high quality service becomes essential. To achieve all the above mentioned objectives training the bank employees becomes vital. Every training program starts with an analysis of training needs. Identifying training needs of employees is considered to be an essential requirement to design an effective training program and it also contributes to the training strategy of an organization. II. Purpose And Importance Of Identifying Training Needs In the stages of the systematic training cycle, Identifying training needs and its analysis is the important first stage and following stages of the cycle are training design, training delivery and training evaluation respectively. Identifying training needs must be carefully planned, conducted and have clear outcomes to ensure that training interventions are implemented effectively and that they lead to meaningful changes in service delivery(Gould D, Kelly D, White I, 2010). Training can be considered successful only it is implemented to match and complement the business needs and objectives. The assessment begins with a needs which can be identified in several ways but is generally described as a gap between what is currently in place and what is needed, now and in the future. ). â€Å"The rationale for developing a training program relies heavily on identifying training needs, and justifying the costs and benefits to the organization. Without a clear understanding of needs, training efforts are at best randomly useful or at worst, useless. The trainer will only be successful and perceived as such to the extent that needs are carefully assessed, and programs developed and carried out that meet those needs† (Brown, 2002). Identifying the training needs serve as the key to cost effectiveness, and it also serve as valuable part of the development and growth of a business (Andy Taylor, 2009). Identifying and Analyzing training needs is a part of an ongoing cyclic process (Andrew Knowles, 2009) and also states that with clear understanding of what is to be achieved and some knowledge of organization itself, training needs analysis on staff can be performed within the organization to identify learning needs. In a very recent study Stanley (2010) states that common types of needs analysis focus on surveys, collecting questionnaires, data from supervisors, observing and formally or informally interviewing employees and analyzing employee’s performance tests and productivity reports. Thus, surveying, interviewing and testing the employees can help to determine the training needs and in this study we attempt to identify training needs of clerical staff employees of public sector banks through a well-constructed questionnaire. III. Review of Literature Human resource development is defined as ‘the process of increasing the capacity of the human resources through development. It is thus a pro cess of adding value to individuals, organization as a human system’ (Mclagan, 1989). Though all practices of personnel management results in development of human resources, but to prepare qualified, flexible, and well prepared employees training is considered as the central activity (Bartel, 1994). Training, in this regard, is seen as a very much useful among all human resource management practices for coping with ever increasing expectations of various facets of customers in retail banks. Noe (2009) states that training is a planned effort by a company to facilitate employees learning of job-related capabilities. These competencies include knowledge, skill, or behaviours that are critical for successful job performance. Donald Kirkpatrick (1994) classical model which has acquired wide acceptance over the years identifies four level of training evaluation; Level One – Reaction, Level Two – Learning, Level three – Behaviour and Level Four – Result. The training system comprises of inputs, process and outcomes (Ziderman, 1997). Training-related changes should result in im-proved job performance and other positive changes (e.g., acquisition of new skills; Hill Lent 2006, Satterfield Hughes 2007) that serve as antecedents of job performance (Kraiger 2002). Leigh, et al., (2000) stresses that assessing and analysing training needs is important because this builds the foundation by identifying the kinds of HRD intervention needed for an effective effort.â€Å"Analyzing training needs provides a focus and direction for the investment an organization has to make in its people† (Bartram Gibson, 1994). â€Å"Many businesses face the prospect of wasting valuable training budget because they do not know how to accurately identify what their internal needs are, and thus cannot design the most suitable training and enhancement program† (Denby, 2010).Success of training depends on positive attitude of the employees about participating in the training activities (Noe Colquitt, 2002). Additionally, Reid (1986) states â€Å"The quality of training can be no better than the quality that the analysis permits† IV. Objectives of the study The research objective of this study includes: * It collects and analyse the various views expressed by bank employees in favour of training needs. * Identification of degree to which employee’s need training on certain factors. * Examination of the differences in training needs between male and female employees. V. Study Hypothesis H1: There is an association between the Number of training programs attended by employees and their view that analytical skills require high degree of importance from the aspect of training. H1: There is statistically significant difference between the length of service of the respondents in the preference towards training on advanced computer skills, planning skills and perpetual skills respectively. VI. Methodology A pre tested questionnaire was administered to 100 public sector bank employees of clerical grade in Chennai, Tamilnadu .The response received from the employees through the questionnaire were analysed using simple percentage analysis, chi square test, one way ANOVA test and inter correlation analysis. VII. Results and analysis In relations to the objective of the study, questions in the questionnaire were designed to recognize to what degree the employees think the training program provided by the bank should focus on following factors ;Interpersonal skills, Oral communication skills, Written communication skills, Public speaking skills, Mentoring skills, Teaching/Training skills, Supervising skills, Leadership skills, Negotiating skills, Client service skills, Analytical/logical thinking skills, Creativity, Decision making, Planning skills, Administrative/Clerical skills, financial skills, Advanced Computer skills, Technological skills, Performing skills, Perceptual skills, Stress Management Skills. In the following analysis we use chi-square and one way ANOVA to prove the formulated hypothesis mentioned above.

The effect of training and development on employee Performance

The effect of training and development on employee Performance Human Resource Management employs training and development as its feature that enables an organization to train its employees according to the requirement of the organization and polish the skills. Training activities are designed to improve human performance on the job the employee is presently doing or is being hired to do (Nadler, 1970). Development is concerned with the overall growth of the employee. The employees in an organization need to understand the job and its importance. Many a times learning occurs simultaneously with the job, but it is the obligation of the employer to provide on the job training to improve the skills of the employee as well as improve overall performance. Training and developmental activities in an organization affect the work performance of the employee and ultimately the firm. Infosys is a company that efficiently manages its employees and provides training for its employees different areas like the technical training, induction training, leadership training, cross cultural training etc. Leonard Nadler, (1970), Developing human resources, Gulf Pub. Co, pp.76-79 Research background The study proposes to understand the impact of training and development on employee performance with special reference to Infosys Technologies Limited. Training helps an employee acquire more skills and capabilities that help improves their performance in the job; training also makes them proficient in the job (Dahama, 1979). While developmental activities focus on learning new things which provide them new options to grow in the organization. Training and development models are explained with the help of learning theories viz. behaviorist theory, cognitive theory and humanist theory (Mowrer Klein, (2001). All these theories are concerned with the teaching and learning process of the employees. There are three main approaches to training which are adopted by organizations while deciding on the type of training delivered to the employees namely, traditional, experiential and performance based approach  (Rama et.al, 1993). The continuous learning activities, professional and personal development in Infosys makes the company become successful in the IT industry and marks its presence in the world. The company gives due consideration to its employees and provides training in areas that make the employees well versed in their field. Infosys makes a framework for the continuous improvement of the employee and provides opportunities for their growth. They have incorporated many programs that mostly focus on the learning and development of the employees. Dahama, O. P, (1979),  Extension and rural welfare, New Delhi: Ram Parsad and Sons, pp.45-48 Rama, B. R, Etling, A. W, Bowen, B. E, (1993), Training of farmers and extension personnel, New Delhi: Mittal Publications, pp. 47-48 Mowrer R Robert, Klein B Stephen., (2001), Handbook of contemporary learning theories, Routledge, pp.16-19 Infosys Technologies Company description Infosys Technologies is a company that was established in the year 1981 by seven people. Infosys is one of the largest IT companies in India with more than US $5.4 billion revenue. Kris Gopalakrishnan is currently the CEO and MD of Infosys that delivers technology enables solutions to clients in different parts of the world. The company has 114,822 employees who work in the different parts of world and the company has its office in 33 countries. Even though the employee turnover in the IT industry is high the company is able to sustain its employees because of the efforts taken to provide growth and motivation through training and developmental activities. The company is considered to be one that provides the best kinds of training to its employees. They are well known for the training and developmental initiatives taken up to improve the performance of its employees. Infosys conducts training and development programs for the new recruits and also for the existing employees. Infosys has the following departments that provide different trainings to the employees: Education and research department this department provide technical training for the new recruits and the training lasts for about 14 weeks. This department also provides training for the middle level employees. Quality process training- the company is keen on making its employees understand their role in the organization; this department provides training clarifying the roles. Managerial programs and personal effectiveness- This department provides training to the managers in improving their skills and capabilities as managers, improves their leadership skills and induce team spirit in the organization. Infosys leadership system (ILI) The company has an institute called the Infosys leadership institute which is catered to bring growth to the employees and enhance their leadership abilities thus giving them the opportunity to improve themselves. http://www.infosys.com/about/what-we-do/pages/index.aspx (accessed on 3/12/2010) http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/HROB%20Mini/CLHR016.htm(accessed on 3/12/2010) https://careers.infosys.com/infyrms/infycareers/careers/training.asp(accessed on 3/12/2010) Rationale for the research topic The research work will throw light on the importance of training and development activities on improving employee performance. The study aims to evaluate the various training methods and models adopted by Infosys that motivate its employee to work towards the goals of the organization. Research will highlight the contributions of the developmental initiatives of Infosys on the growth and development of the employee. The study will focus on the effect of training and development on employee performance in Infosys. Literature review Training and development Training and development is essential part of the Human Resource Department in any organization. According to Van (1962) training is the process of teaching, informing, or educating people so that they may become as well qualified as possible to do their job, and become qualified to perform in positions of greater difficulty and responsibility. The staff in an organization is trained in different areas so that they become efficient in performing their activities. Inservice training is provided to employees so that their performance in the job increases as well as equips them to hold the responsibilities well. This training provides a development and growth for the individual. On the job training helps develop new core competencies and capabilities of the worker (Malone, 1984). There are various types of training that an employer needs to provide to the employee so that they are capable and competent enough at different stages of their work in the company. Following are the types of training: Orientation training or induction training: this is a training that most companies provide to a new employee. A new recruit will be unaware of the rules and work culture of the company, thus familiarizing them with the company is the responsibility of the HR department so that the employee is at ease and able to work effectively in the new environment (Rogers Olmsted, 1957). Foundation Training- This training is given to the employees to improve their overall skills like communication skills, coordination skills, leadership skills and also to understand their profession well and to gain knowledge regarding the administration. Technical training in companies in Infosys they provide their employees with the technical training that suits their work. This is provided to enhance their technical knowledge and make them professional in their area work. This is provided both to the new recruits as well as to the existing employees. Refresher training this is another type of training were the skills and abilities are updated. The employees need to be up-to-date with the changing scenario especially in the technology sector. The employees cannot work with obsolete skills, thus they are giver refresher training to improve their productivity (Van Dersal, 1962). On the job training- This kind of training is mostly provided to the employees by their superiors. The superiors do give formal instructions, presentations and involve the subordinated in discussions. By this way the employee gets an opportunity to gain more knowledge regarding their work and develop new skills. Developmental training- Training that helps an employee develop and grow in the organization. This type of training will help him take up more responsibilities and hold higher positions Malone (1984). This training will give the employee the professional skills, technical skills and more knowledge that will cater to their development and support them in climbing up the ladder of hierarchy in the organization and promote career development. Benefits of training and development There exist a relationship between training and development and employee performance. Training is the method of learning new things through education, practice and experience (Armstrong, 2000). An effective training can make the employees more competent and efficient and contribute to the growth of the organization (Ginsberg, 1997). A well trained employee will always be aware of his abilities, duties and responsibilities. The skills acquired can be efficiently utilized which will enable him to work towards the goals of the organization. Training is beneficiary to both the employees and the company in a lot of ways. Training makes an efficient and thus increases productivity More production leads to increased sales Wastage is reduced Employees will be more satisfied thus turnover and absenteeism will be reduced Efficient employees will produce more quality products Training is also a means of motivating the employees, the performance level of the employees also increases which acts as a pillar for the growth of the organization. Training and development in Infosys Infosys ensures that the employees are given the right kind of training thus contributing to the growth of the employees. Infosys has a well structured training process which is divided into many steps. Step1. Analyzing the training needs of the organization Step2. Objective of the training are formulated Step3. The already existing training methods are reviewed Step4. Develop a new method or select the already present method Step5. Training evaluation method has to be understood Step6. Implement the training program developed Step7. Measure the results obtained after training implementation This shows that the company has plan regarding the different training provided to the employees and they ensure that the results are obtained (Kumar, 2009). Infosys has a Training and development department that has many teams which take up the responsibility of managing the training activities in the organization. The teams include corporate training teams, teams for organizational development etc. Infosys follows certain methods like presentation, conferences, seminars, role playing, on the job training, case study, simulation, mentoring, in order to impart training to its employees. Some of the important types of developmental and training initiatives of Infosys include: Induction for new recruits, buddy programs to make the new employees familiarize with the organization, leadership, appraisal and quality training. They have adopted certain employee development methods that include, career pathing, options for higher education, plans for performance improvement, giving more projects to work on (Koontz, 1990). Infosys is keen on providing leadership training to its employees and they have set up the leadership institute that provides leadership development program (Durai, 2004). Armstrong Michael, (2000), Understanding training, Human Resource Management Practice, 8th Edition, Kogan page limited, London pp:543 Durai, (2004), Human Resource Management, Pearson Education India, pp.200-203 Koontz, (1990), Essentials of management, Tata McGraw-Hill, pp.218-220 Malone, V. M, (1984), Inservice training and staff development, Agricultural extension: A reference manual,  Rome: FAO, pp.12 Kumar Nirmalya, Mohapatra K Pradipta, Chandrasekhar Suj, (2009), Indias global powerhouses: how they are taking on the world, Harvard Business Press pp.70-72 Rogers, F. E., Olmsted, A. G, (1957),  Supervision in the  cooperative extension service, WI: National Agricultural Extension Center for Advanced Study, pp.23 Van Dorsal, W. R, (1962),  The successful supervisor,  New York: Harper and Row, pp. 23-26 Ginsberg, L, (1997), Training for the long haul, Computer Shopper, Vol: 17, pp: 4 Research Questions What are the effects of training and development on employee performance in Infosys Technologies Limited would be the foremost and the most relevant question related to the topic. Some other questions that can be put forward in relation to the topic are: How will training bring about a change in the productivity of the employees? What are the important developmental initiatives taken up by Infosys to provide its employees the opportunity to grow? In what way is effectiveness and performance of the employees linked to the training and developmental activities in the company? Research objectives Primary objective To study the effect of training and development on employee performance in Infosys Specific objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of training and development on employee productivity To understand the training and development models of the company that contributes to the growth of the employees To study of there is a relationship between employee performance and training and development in Infosys Methodology Research design and design adopted A research is the process of findings answers to certain problems that are carried out within a framework of philosophies, procedures, approaches, and techniques which are tested for reliability (Kothari, 1985). A research methodology is the process of systematic way of collecting and analyzing information related to a topic. This study follows a method of problem identification in the company related to the topic and then finding solutions to the problems and issues (Kumar, 2005). For the purpose of problem diagnosis and testing relevant data are collected and analyzed. Kothari, C.R., (1985), Research Methodology- Methods and Techniques, New Delhi, Wiley Eastern Limited, pp.2-5 Kumar, Ranjit, (2005), Research Methodology-A Beginners, (2nd.ed.), Singapore, Pearson Education, pp. 38-40 8.2 data collection methods 1. Sampling Methods The sampling method chosen in this study is convenient sampling were the author distributes questionnaires to the employees. The population chosen for the study is the employees of the company, under the category of trainers and trainees Infosys. Samples are chosen according to the convenience of the author from both populations. 2. Sample size Sample size is the number of employees chosen for the study from the total population of employees in the company. The number of employees chosen among whom questionnaire will be distributed in Infosys is 100 which include 25% trainers and 75% the trainees. 3. Sampling technique Sampling techniques is the method by which the researcher chooses samples from the total population. The categorization of the sampling is also important. In this particular study the researcher will choose samples from both the trainer population and employee population who undergo training in Infosys. This is done in order to analyze the effectiveness of training and development from two angles namely from the point of view of the trainers and the trainees. The questionnaires are distributed among these groups thus retaining valuable information regarding the training and development activities of the organization. Questionnaires Questionnaires are a means to collect relevant data from the group under study. This study carried out with the help of structured questionnaires that contain questions related to the topic. It will include questions regarding training and development and employee performance in the company. Questionnaire help the researcher get direct responses of the employees who are associated with the training and development activities of the company. While using questionnaires there are chances that the responses obtained may be biased and not the real response of the respondent. In this research the researcher needs to prepare 2 types of questionnaires one for the trainers and another one for the trainees. Thus he can obtain the response from both these groups regarding the topic. Interview The various drawbacks of questionnaires can be overcome using the interview method as it provides an opportunity for researcher to have a face to face interaction with the employees. Interview method is relevant as the interviewer can include more interactive and open ended questions. This will help obtain more specific information related to the topic. Interview method can be used in cases where the sample size is low. In this study the researcher can interview the trainers and other employees and get their personal opinions and suggestions on training and development followed in the company and how it has brought about a change in them. Data Analysis Data analysis is the process of converting the collected raw data into a polished form which can be easily interpreted and understood to give relevant conclusions. There are various data analysis techniques that can be used in different types of researches according to the requirements (Nolan Bryan, 1994). Empirical data are analyzed using statistical tools which provide reliable and accurate results. In this particular study the data analysis method that can be used are the percentage analysis and Chi-square test. These tests will help obtain accurate results for the study and prove or disprove the objectives formulated.   Nolan Bryan, (1994), Data analysis: an introduction, Wiley-Blackwell, pp.134-136 Resource Requirements The author needs different types of data and resources to carry out the study effectively. The data are collected by primary and secondary means. In this study the author obtained primary data by way of questionnaires which when distributed among the respondents give relevant responses which can be used in the study. Secondary data are collected from books and journals, articles, magazines, websites and other media. The author can make use of libraries to collect information from books; World Wide Web is also means for obtaining information related to the topic. Time scale EXERCISE WEEKS One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight   Selection of research proposal Decision on topic title Working on research background Rationale Execution on research objectives Formulation of research questions Working  Ã‚  on literature review Knowing research methodology Elucidating data collection method Working on data analysis Clarification with the lecturer Time spectrum Bibliography

Toni Morrison Post Colonial Feminism

Toni Morrison Post Colonial Feminism The author is of the view that third wave feminism which includes black feminism is a speaking back to the white Westerns. The African American writers by writing back to the ideologies set by the colonizers did well in their works of fiction. Toni Morrison, an African American novelist in her novels did a wonderful job of writing back. The present author defined first of all the ideas of culture and imperialism discussing the conceopt of Edward Said, Homi K. Bhabha and many other intellectuals who strove hard to produce marvelous works of criticism in which they pointed out the ideologies structured by the West. Gayatri Spiviks Subalterns study is also discussed. and applied to Morrisons selected works of literature. The author pointed a few key point of postcolonial feminism and tried to show them in Toni Morrisons novels in order to prove his agenda that Morrison is a really a leading figure whose works show Feminist Postcolonial Approach. Fore Word -A Writing back by an Afrcian child I want to begin my paper with a poem which was written by an African child, and was nominated for the Best Poem of 2008. The title of the poem is Color which is a speak back attitude to the white: When I born, I black; When I grow up, I black; When I go in sun, I black; When I scared, I black; When I sick, I black; And when I die, I black; And you white fellows; When you born, you pink, When you grow up, you white, When you go in sun, you red, When you cold, you blue; When you scared, you yellow; When you sick, you green; When you die, you grey; And you call me coloured. Chapter One: Introduction The present paper is an analysis of colonialism, imperialism, feminism, and postcolonial feminism. Postcolonial feminism is also called as Third World Feminism or Black Feminism. The author first of all explains the idea of colonialism according to the Professor Edward Said that he discussed in his work Colonialism and Imperialism in which Said defines the colonialism and imperialism. Said gives in detail the ideology of the West how they structured the binaries oppositions and gave the concept of Orientalism by suggesting the idea of educating the others. Homi K. Bhabha gives the concept of hybridity and Gayatari Spivik s famous work of Subaltern can speak are discussed in the following research paper. The author also explained the key points of postcolonial feminism in this paper and then with the reference of different writers discussed Toni Morrisons novels in the light of these salient features of postcolonial feminism. First of all the author analyzed Toni Morrisons novel The Bluest Eyes and showed the elements of postcolonial feminism race, gender , and identity in this novel. The author is of the view that Pecolas wish to have Blue eyes is an escape from racism and to wipe out all ugliness not only from her community but from all the world. The next novel that is analyzed is Sula in which again the author tried to show the salient features of postcolonial feminism that is to speak back or showing the importance of female characters in the form of Sula and other female characters. The author from the original text proved that the white folk in fact brought all the blackness. The third novel which is discussed with reference to the postcolonial feminism is The Beloved, in which the key concept of postcolonial feminism is discussed is mother-daughter relationship and idea of mothering which is discussed with the reference of Morrisons theory of Mothering taken from her interviews is discussed. Finally the author concludes the paper in which he gives his finding about Toni Morrison and her novels that her works are true representative of postcolonial feminism. Chapter Two: Colonialism and Postcolonial Explained PROFESSOR SAID says that his aim is to set works of art of the imperialist and post-colonial eras into their historical context. My method is to focus as much as possible on individual works, to read them first as great products of the creative and interpretive imagination, and then to show them as part of the relationship between  culture  and empire.(Said, 22) If we observe the basic theory behind the postcolonial feminism we will come to the point that this theory itself is supported by the theories of psychoanalysis, Marxist-feminism and post-colonialism. In this paper I am going to trace out the Feminist Postcolonial Approach in Toni Morrisons novels. The author is of the view that Toni Morrison being an African American writer focused her work on the above mentioned approach. Before we progress it is necessary to go through the main idea and the main points which are the backbone of the postcolonial feminist approach and before that we have to discuss in detail the features of colonialism, post-colonialism and feminism. If we try to find out the roots of Postcolonialism we will come to the point that postcolonialism is specially a postmodern intellectual discourse consisting reactions to and analysis of cultural legacy of colonialism and imperialism. In anthropology it can be defined as the relations between nations and areas being colonized and ruled. It comprises a set of theories that are found amongst history, anthropology, philosophy, linguistics, film, political science, architecture, human geography, sociology, Marxist theory, feminism, religious and theological studies, and literature. To destabilizing Western ways of thinking in order to create space for the subaltern, or marginalized groups, to express and produce substitutes to overriding discourse is the critical nature of postcolonial theory. Often postcolonialism as a term is taken to mean just a time span after colonialism. This thing creates a problem because the once colonized world is full of contradictions, of half-finished processes, of confusions, of hybridity, and liminal ties. In order words, it is suggested that the word postcolonialism has plural nature as it does not simply refer to the period after the colonial ear. The goal of a theorist is to find out the residual effects of colonialism on cultures and hence the main objectives of such theorists are to account for and combating these effects on the cultures. It does not simply mean to find out the historic aspects of these areas but it also comprises how these areas can move beyond this period together, towards a place of reciprocal respect. The main objective of these theorist is make clearing space for the multiple voices of these areas and these were the voices which were previously silenced by the dominant ideologies-subalterns and among these discourses as is recognized this space should be cleared within the academia. In his book Orientalism, Edward Said explained very clearly that scholars who studied what used to be called the Orient (mostly Asia) totally overlooked the assessments of those they actually studied while preferring instead to rely on the intellectual superiority of themselves and their peers which was the approach forged by the European imperialism. It is recognized by many of the post-colonial thinkers that there are many assumptions which are underlying the logic of colonialism and these are the forces which are active today. This is also argued by many of the thinkers that studying both the knowledge sets of the dominant groups and those who are marginalized as binary opposites maintains their presence as homogenous objects. Homi K. Bhabha thus emphasized his agenda that only hybridity can offer the most profound challenge to colonialism. He thinks that the postcolonial world should valorize spaces of mingling; spaces where fact and legitimacy move aside for ambiguity. (Bhabha, 1994). What is left by Bhabha is offered by Spivaks as the agenda of usefulness of essentialism. Chapter Three: African American Studies and Postcolonialism A Need To Talk Back Colonial racism is no different from any other racism. says   Frantz Fanon and if we compare African American Studies and postcolonial studies we will come to know that though they belong to different fields but they share a lot concerning a goal of destabilizing racial hierarchies and debates concerning the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized is exactly the same as that of between masters and slaves in a bondage. Even within the United States and other area which are known as postcolonies we find the current reality of discrimination and racism towards minorities or populations of minority joins these two studies together through neocolonialism. Precarious of current American educational policy, a prominent black feminist Bell Hooks states, I believe that black experience has been and continues to be one of internal colonialism (148). The necessity to decolonize the attitude of present-day America fuels existing efforts in regaining and convalescing minority history and literature. Hazel Carby in her Reconstructing Womanhood: The Emergence of Afro-American Woman Novelist points New sociological and literary approaches to history become beneficial methods for reclaiming the past and imitating culturally sensitive paradigms for the futureCritics like Henry Louis Gates, Barbara Christian, Ella Shohat and Homi K. Bhabha are associated through a need to talk back. Another key question in postcolonial feminism is who speaks for whom and whose voices are heard in discussions of Third World womens issues. The lack of voice given to Third World women remains a problem as does the failure of Western women to problematise the role of the West in the issues discussed. The question of voice was raised by Gayatri Spivak in her influential essay Can the Subaltern Speak? (1988) in which she analyses the relations between the discourses of the West and the possibility of speaking of (or for) the subaltern woman (Spivak : 271). Race and Multiculturalism in Academia: Writing Back Toni Morrison, Marlene van Niekerk, and Anthony Appiah are considered to be the Pen World voices in the PEN WORLD VOICES FESTIVAL 2010. The issues such as representation, nationalism and essentialism are fleshed out from African American Studies and Postcolonial studies and hence literature and literary theory under the core of these disciplines become sources of for such social commentary. Nation-making and redefinition of nation, along-with the obscuring between public and secluded spaces are among common subjects, critics in both fields are fast to point to the hazards of hurriedly discharging this literary work as political. Gates writes of a need to dissipate the myth of supposed primacy of Western tradition over the so-called non-canonical tradition such as that of the Afro-American. Especially cognizant of the dangers of essentialism in his book The Signifying Monkey, Gates studies the need to create a new narrative space for representing the recurring referent of Afro-American literature, the so-called Black Emperience( Gates ,111). Similarly, critical of essentialism , Homi Bhabha, a projecting Cultural Studies and Postcolonial critic, connects the two fields together as he remarks: The intervention of postcolonial or black critique is aimed at transforming the conditions of enunciation at the level of the signà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦not simply setting up new symbols of identity, new positive images that fuel an unreflective identity politics'(Bhabha, 247) Bhabha and Toni Morrison Bhabha even conducts a detail reading of Toni Morrisons Beloved in the introduction of The Location of Culture. Scholarship does indeed overlay in stimulating ways between these two fields. Much in the same way Toni Morrisons Playing in the Dark examines and counts the ways in which white selfhood in literary America is further established by actualizing black occurrence. Edward Saids Orientalism seek to show that European culture gained in strength and identity by setting itself off against the Orient as a sort of surrogate and even underground self(Said,3) Gender The juncture of race, ethnicity and gender politics has shaped challenging debates in the works of Bell Hooks, Barbara Christian, and Shirley Anne Williams as well as in the work of Gayatri Spivak and Chandra T. Mohanty. Patriarchy often becomes a symbol, a trope of power inequity and the offender for the ills of colonialism and neocolonialism. Bell Hooks states in Outlaw Culture, For contemporary critics to condemn the imperialism of the white colonizer without critiquing partriarchy is a tactic that seeks to minimize the particular ways gender determines the specific forms oppressions may take within a specific group(Hooks, 203) There is also a risk of totalizing along with this intersection. Barbara Christian in Race for Theory that attentions against essentialist constructions of black womanhood, equates the dangers of an excessively rigid black feminism to the colossal, monotheistic Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 70s. Chardra Mohantly needs against the same essentializing exercise in the growing discourse on Third World feminism. Negotiations of class are similarly called for in both fields of study. Remarkably, Hooks remarks upon what she sees as an ignored problem in cross-cultural feminist discussion in Yearning: Race, Gender, and Cultural Politics. She states, We often forget that many Third World nationals bring to this country the same kind of contempt and disrespect for blackness that is most frequently associated with white imperialism. (Hooks, 93) Chapter Four: Postcolonial Feminism and Black feminism Postcolonial Feminism is also called as Third World Feminism which is a form of feminist philosophy and is concerned about the idea that colonialism, racism and long lasting effects of colonialism in the postcolonial settings, are bound up with the unique gendered realities of non-white and non-Western women. Postcolonialism criticizes Western feminists as they have a history of universalizing womens issues, and their discourses are often misunderstood to represent women world-widely. Black Feminism  argues that sexism, class oppression, and racism  are inextricably bound together.  The way these relate to each other is called intersectionality. Forms of feminism that strive to overcome sexism and  class  oppression but ignore race can discriminate against many people, including women, through racial bias. The Combahee River Collective  argued in 1974 that the liberation of black women entails freedom for all people, since it would require the end of racism, sexism, and class oppression.(Wikipedia) Postcolonialism gives the idea that the term woman is used as a universal group and that they are only described by their gender and not by social classes and ethnic identities. It is also believed that the mainstream Western feminists ignored the voices of non-white, non-western women for many years, thus creating resentment feminists in developing nations. Postcolonialism involves the descriptions of many experiences endured during colonialism which include migration, resistance, slavery, difference, gender, race, place, representation, suppression, and responses to the influential discourses of imperial Europe. Postcolonial feminists observe the parallels between recently decolonized nations and the state of women within patriarchy-both take the perspective of a socially marginalized subgroup in their relationship to the dominant culture. Postcolonial feminist have had strong ties with black feminists because colonialism usually contains themes of racism. Both groups have struggled for recognition, not only by me in their own culture, but also by Western.(Wikipedia). Thus it can be said that Postcolonialism discusses the issues of the women of those areas which were once the colonies of the West and it lumps up together all the women of the world. Feminism raises this agenda that all the women of the world have their own special identity and they should be regarded as independent personality apart from their sex and sexuality but postcolonial feminist also see that the fate of non-white and non-western women is different from the women of the west as theses non-white and non-western women are not enjoying the rights as the women of mainstream are enjoying . Postcolonial feminist approach gives rights of raising their voices which were once silenced by the colonizers. It can be inferred that as women were doubly colonized in the era of colonization by their own male members of the society, and these non-white and non-western women were thrice colonized as they were considered less than the white women.(Web) Chapter Five: Postcolonial Feminist Approach in Toni Morrisons Novels Larry Schwartz in his essay compares Toni Morrisons art of writing with William Faulkners art of writing although in her interview Toni Morrison claimed that she is not like Faulkner but the deep study of her novels prove this fact. Toni Morrison being an African American writer is considered to be one of the renowned postcolonial feminist writers who touched the very idea of raising voice of repressed group of the black women. Her novels Beloved  is considered by many to be her most impressive work of literature to date (winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1988), she has also written many award-winning novels including  The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song of Solomon, Jazz, Tar Baby,  and  Paradise. Like  Beloved, most of Morrisons work deals with the struggles of African Americans, especially women (web). The Bluest Eye (1970) Toni Morrison in her novel The Bluest Eye highlights the idea of racism. In the colonial period the legacies of colonialism were consistently bound with racism. In this novel Morrison very clearly depicts the effects of the legacy of 19th century classical racism for poor black people in the United States. In the novel the daughter of a poor black family, Pecola Breddlove, internalizes white standards of beauty to the extent that she become crazy about it and bore a wish to have blue eyes. The idea is very clear that binary oppositions structured by the Western White class concerning the beauty and ugliness are still at work. Even today we people think to be white is the standard of beauty. In the binary oppositions like man/woman, white/back, Occidental/Oriental, Rich/poor and such like those all the elements on the left of the bar are considered to be the supreme while the elements on the right are marginalized or rendered as Others. Pecola is seen so influenced by these binaries that she tries to escape from this so called or structured ugliness of her own society or race of colour. Her ardent wish for blue eyes comes to stand for her wish to escape the racist, unloving, poor environment in which she lives. For a long time mainstream white Western feminism paid negligible attention to the problem of race. Racism was considered secondary to patriarchy and had been one of the biggest problems of the non-white women. Many white women were of the claim that they did not see dissimilarity or to act upon it. It took a long, hard scuffle by black women to have racism included on the feminist agenda. One of the most moving and influential critiques of white satisfaction came in 1980 from the radical black lesbian feminist Audre Lorde: By and large within the womens movement today, white women focus upon their oppression as women and ignore difference of race, sexual preference, class and age. There is a pretense to a homogeneity of experience covered by the word sisterhood that does not in fact exist(Lorde, 116) Morrison in the novel tries to explain why Pacola wanted to have blue eyes, let us see the following lines which are taken from Chapter  3  of the Autumn section: It had occurred to Pecola some time ago that if her eyes, those eyes that held the pictures, and knew the sights-if those eyes of hers were different, that is to say, beautiful, she herself would be different Here the narrator tells about Pecola not only wanted to have blue eyes to look beautiful but in fact it was her thinking that with blue eyes everything will also change. These blue eye speak about her wish to have liberty not from ugliness of blackness but the ugliness of the dark thoughts and her desires to bring in a change in her black society. Toni Morrison is of the view that beauty and ugliness are the matters of seeing and to be seen and both are linked with eyes. It is a famous saying : When you look with loving eyes all the world looks lovely. The same idea is discussed in The Bluest Eyes where Pecola wants to look everything beautiful and to be looked beautifully. Her own community that was colonized are not colonizing Pecola due to her blackness though her internal portion was not black as she totally internalized whiteness. The idea is also seen in the Heart of Darkness where the symbols of black and white colours depict Conrads point of inward blackness and whiteness. Morrison uses the same technique by showing Pecolas internalizing whiteness. Here it is also clear that solid propensity of white women to disrespect racism was an effect of white privilege- a point women of colour were forced to make repeatedly: As Third World women we clearly have a different relationship to racism than white women, but all of us are born into an environment where racism exists. Racism affects all of our lives, but it is only white women who can afford to remain oblivious to these effects. The rest of us have had it breathing or bleeding down our necks. (Moraga and Anzaldà ºa 1981: 62) There is another key factor of postcolonial feminism in the novel as Pecola is raped by her own father who did all this in the result of that humiliation that he suffered when he was having sex first time and was humiliated by two white men. Thus patriarchy is seen in this violence which is done to Pecola as she is colonized by her own father. Pecolas rape is the depiction of destruction of cultural identity of the Black community. Similarly, the seeds of marigold which did not bloom is also a depiction of colonization as their own soil did not permit those seeds to bloom as was commented by Claudia, Frieda and hence Pecola which is also a proof of ineligibility of their own black community. Pecola is a hope of decolonization as she wanted to be heard, to be seen beautiful and her illegitimate progeny is a symbol of her wish which was not allowed to be born. Toni Morrison here wants to depict that Black society was week at that as they did not allow Pecola to flourish and this thing compares the novel with Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart where Okonko was not supported by his own clan. All what is done with Pecola is true picture of Black feminism. Sula (1974) In the present novel the female characters are the embodiments of the matriarchal authoritative of women. The novel depicts the social problems that were and are present in the society. Morrison tries to depict that these female characters attenuate the male characters. Eva, Helene, Hannah and Sula all represent such figures which are the driving forces which precede the plot of the novel. Morrison wants to show that all the members of the society are the important ingredients who add flavor to the society. All the female characters are made central in the novel hence this novel proves to be a pure example of novels of postcolonial feminist novel. According to the post colonial theory the female part must speak back to the so called norms which are carved out by the males. The novel gives an exact example of subaltern can speak as the main character Sula is the symbol of such a person who being a female has power to chose her own way of living as she went away and comes back and proves herself such a person which is needed by the society. The novel shows that all the female characters of the novel are so important part of the Black community and their existence is necessary for bonding the society together. Sula also maintains the interdependence and closeness of the society with its members. Sula will open your eyes to social problems which exist in the present day. The women in the book such as Eva, Helene, Sula and Hannah represent the matriarchal authoritative women, weakening the male characters. Women drive the action in the story and give their importance in the family. They present their importance in the Black community and their existence in bonding it together. Morrison also shows in the novel the dying of blackness when Sula says: You think I dont know what your life is like just because I aint living it? I know what every colored woman in this country is doing. Whats that? Dying., Just like me. But the difference is they dying like a stump. Me, Im going down like one of those redwoods. I sure did live in this world.'(143) These words spoken by Sula on her deathbed which she expressed to Nes her thoughts concerning her thoughts about the life styles that was accepted and the positions of women in Medallion. The line speaks dying old system.   Sula also establishes the closeness and interdependence of the community with its members. The novels shows that each and every member is just like a spice that gives special flavor and odour to the community and which is essential for the society. In Sula all the characters including Shadrack and the Deweys give every individual importance in the community. Thus Sula proves to be full of such evidences which proves that there are elements of third world feminism in the novel as Suals actions are the alternates of her voices which were silenced before. Chris Weedon in her article Key Issues in Postcolonial Feminism: A Western Perspective writes that: in 1984 Black American feminist Barbara Smith spoke of being part of a Third World feminist movement: And not only am I talking about my sisters here in the United States-American Indian, Latina, Asian American, Arab American-I am also talking about women all over the globethird World Feminism has enriched not just the women it apples to, but also political practice in general'(Smith:27). Thus the Third World Feminism is giving all the women especially the Black ones power and confidence to speak and now they are not silenced as were before.(Weedon). The Beloved (1987) The depiction of Morrisons theory of African American mothering articulate in her novels, essays and interviews Mothering is considered to be one of several key points of ideas of postcolonial feminism which is highlight in the present novel The Beloved. The novels is set after the  American Civil War  (1861-1865), it is inspired by the story of an African-American  slave,  Margaret Garner, who temporarily escaped slavery during 1856 in Kentucky by fleeing to Ohio, a  free state. A posse arrived to retrieve her and her children under the  Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which gave slave owners the right to pursue slaves across state borders. Margaret killed her two-year-old daughter rather than allow her to be recaptured. (Wikipedia). In the novel Sethe in an attempt to save her children from slavery slaughters her eldest daughter and it is assumed in the novel that her daughter return as a ghost named Beloved because the same word was inscribed on the head stone of her grave. The novel depict the mother daughter relationship which is the one of the central key points of postcolonial feminism. The maternal bonds between Sethe and her children inhibit her own individuation and prevent the development of her self. Sethe develops a dangerous maternal passion that results in the murder of one daughter, her own best self, and the estrangement of the surviving daughter from the black community, both in an attempt to salvage her fantasy of the future, her children, from a life in slavery. However, Sethe fails to recognize her daughter Denvers need for interaction with this community in order to enter into womanhood. Denver finally succeeds at the end of the novel in establishing her own self and embarking on her individuation with the help of Beloved. Contrary to Denver, Sethe only becomes individuated after Beloveds exorcism, at which point Sethe can fully accept the first relationship that is completely for her, her relationship with Paul D. This relationship relieves Sethe from the ensuing destruction of herself that resulted from the maternal bonds controlling her life.( Deme trakopoulos, pp. 51-59) Motherhood , in Morrisons view, is fundamentally and profoundly an act of resistance, essential and integral to black womens fight against racism and sexism and their ability to achieve well-being for themselves and their culture. The power of motherhood and the empowerment of mothering are what make possible the better world we seek for ourselves and for our children. This, argues OReilly, is Morrisons maternal theory-a politics of the heart.(OReilly) In spite of the mothering, the novel also depicts the theme of slavery and its havoc which is seen as destruction of identity. It also shows the importance of language and community solidarity. Toni Morrison also depicts the blackness hidden under the white skins of the White people which is evident from the following line taken from Chapter 19, at the beginning of Part II,   White people believed that whatever the manners, under every dark skin was a jungle. Swift unnavigable waters, swinging screaming baboons, sleeping snakes, red gums ready for their sweet white blood. In a way . . . they were right. . . . But it wasnt the jungle blacks brought with them to this place. . . . It was the jungle whitefolks planted in them. And it grew. It spread . . . until it invaded the whites who had made it. . . . Made them bloody, silly, worse than even they wanted to be, so scared were they of the jungle they had made. The screaming baboon lived under their own white skin; the red gums were their own. Stamp Paid here consider the ways in which slavery in fact corrupts the identity and he it was the jungle whitefolk planted in them. And it grew and spread. The idea is very clear as is evident in Heart of Darkness where Joseph Conrad tried to say the same thing that the white were black from within and the same idea we find in Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare where Portias picture was in Lead, a black material, and in Othelo , Iago was white from without and was black from within. Here Morrison tells the same thing that only white fellows were in fact black from within. It is an apt writing back to the White colonizers which is a salient feature of postcolonial feminist writing. Conclusion: It is evident from the above going discussion that Toni Morrisons works are based on the postcolonial feminism in which she very skillfully highlighted the idea of gender, race, sex and identity and similarly she also highlights the concepts of talking back and making a space among white feminism. As the mainstream white feminism at first could not give proper position to non-white and non-Western women , black feminism became able to raise their voice and were able to even write back and hence succeeded in making their own identity. Toni Morrison hence secures a very apt position among the postcolonial feminist who helped these thrice colonized black women to stand up for making their own identity. The above mentioned three novels also show the death of the protagonist. The death in also a theme of Toni Morrisons novels which is also meaningful as the slavery is the destruction of identity which is depicted by death of the characters. The above discussed novels cover show many key points of postcolonial feminism.

Cloning :: essays research papers

Cloning humans is a threat to our society. It presents a vast number of problems that arise with each new discovery. The first is the decrease in distinct genetic make-up. Cloning also brings up many ethical points dealing with creation and psychological well being of clones. Cloning is such a new area of study that it requires a large amount of money and offers a lot of room for mistakes. The biggest problem with the use of cloning is the decline in genetic diversity. The biological definition of a clone is "an organism that has the same genetic information as another organism or organisms". This means that gene donors would obviously have the exact same DNA as their clones. If large groups of people have the same genetic information, a disease could instantaneously wipe out the entire population. Our genetic make-up is what makes us unique. It gives us a sense of individuality and distinctiveness. If many people had the same DNA, how would we preserve our diversity and sense of self? Human cloning also raises many ethical and moral issues. Different religious groups regard cloning in different ways, but most agree on one point. Cloning puts the work of God into our own hands. The creation of life then becomes a manufacturing of duplicates instead of a "creative act of God". It is also important to consider the repercussions of cloning on the cloned individual. Numerous psychological problems may arise if a person discovers that he or she was cloned. How would a child feel if they found out that they were created to be used to donate organs or replace a lost loved one? A cloned child may also feel obligated to follow the pre-determined path of their gene donor. This would bring about a lot of confusion and emotional damage for the individual. There is a great margin of error in the new technology of cloning. Because we are still developing these scientific procedures, there is a lot of room for mistakes. This means that in the process of experimenting, clones with great genetic abnormalities could be created. What would happen to these degenerate individuals? Should they live life as rejects of society or be disposed of as mistakes? Cloning is currently a very expensive process. It requires large amounts of money and biological expertise. It took 277 tries to create Dolly, the first successfully cloned sheep. New techniques are constantly being developed, but even they have a success rate of 2-3%.

A few words on Dantes Inferno Essay -- essays research papers

A Few Words on Dante’s Inferno  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Like in the Inferno, where the gates of Hell begin the journey to the bottom, so life is began by birth, and the journey to Eternity begins. Some lives are more easily lead than others, like some of the punishments in Dante’s version of Hell are worse than others. Although in Hell, there is no hope, not even the hope of hope, the journey that Dante and Virgil take can be compared with the journey of life. Just the fact that Dante has someone to guide him can be comparison, everyone in life has a Guardian Angel assigned to them, as Dante had his own guide in his journey. But to compare all parts of life to the Inferno, one must start at the beginning to realized the end. The birth of body, and the death of the soul.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Midway on his journey through life, Dante realizes he has taken the wrong path. He is lucky. Many of those on the wrong path in their own lives have started on that same path on which they will also end; Dante realizes his error and, in attempting to set himself back on the right path, he goes on an important journey. Like those who also stray from their â€Å"right† path, this poet must embark on a fantastic and terrifying journey of exploration and self discovery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Inferno, the circle of Hell is determined by the sins the person (soul) committed while still alive on earth. For their deeds, they suffer eternally according to Divine Justice. The people one sees in life can already have chosen their eternal fate. Their outward actions may determine which part of Hell they are sent to, if indeed they are fated to go there and if Hell is the way Dante puts it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first Canto, Dante realizes he is lost. He says that he does not remember how he lost his way, but he has wandered into a fearful place, a dark and tangled valley. Above, he sees a great hill that seems to offer protection from the shadowed vale. The sun shines down from this hilltop, and Dante attempts to climb toward the light. As he climbs, however, he encounters three angry beasts: a leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf—which force him to turn back. Returning in despair to the dark valley, Dante sees a human form in the woods, which soon reveals itself to be the soul of the great Roman poet Virgil.   &nbs... ... in the trials that lurk ahead, and the reward lost unless it is remembered. But the journey alone is not enough. Choices must be made upon this journey, and blinded by distractions, wrong choices are often made. Many are afraid of where their trip will take them, whether or not they will make the right choices, and like those in the ante Inferno, they make the choice not to make a choice and receive a punishment appropriate to their crime, and are forever tormented by their own indecision. But there are far worse punishments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Dante and Virgil go through Hell, Dante observes the different punishments of the souls for the corresponding crimes that they committed while still on earth. This raises a question: was Dante biased in his placement of the souls in Hell? Did his own personal experiences with people he placed in Hell affect the way they were punished in his story? Would someone else put it differently?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To answer this question, yes. Based on the personal opinions of many asked, Dante did put people he disliked in certain lower circles of Hell than he did of other well known people. But this raises more questions.

Cmt Communications Essay

The success of any organization is determined by managers being able to plan, set goals, and make decisions. Decision making is the primary function of management and this task should not be taken lightly. Decisions are made to achieve goals and tie them to company actions and outcomes. According to Peter Drucker, â€Å"Whatever a manager does, he does through decision-making.† When making a decision, managers must take all alternatives into consideration and although one may not have all the answers, a manager must be able to move forward, sometimes immediately, in order to be successful and effective in their decision making process. According to Trewatha & Newport, â€Å"Decision-making involves the selection of a course of action from among two or more possible alternatives in order to arrive at a solution for a given problem.† This is a continuous process that requires managers to have specific knowledge, skills and intellectual abilities. Some managers find this t ask challenging as seen in the case of CMT Telecommunications. In the case of CMT Telecommunications, Manager Dave has been selected to take charge temporarily while his boss is on vacation. His issue is that he has to make a decision to select and assign one of two key managers to take the lead of a new project which entails developing a new CD-ROM self-study course for new software. One manager has extensive experience on the technical side of the house and is in charge of the technical publications department. This manager is skilled in developing detailed manuals on how to use the company’s equipment and software. The other manager oversees the software training department. He is especially skilled in designing training courses that effectively communicate the technical information from the publications department’s manuals. He is known for his excellent presentation skills and for the information being customer friendly and easy to follow. This decision is difficult for Dave because he is friends with both managers but also knows that his decision will reflect his managerial competencies which in the long run can affect his opportunities for advancement. There are three models that decision making fall under: Classical, which is based on rational assumptions and managers beliefs; Administrative Model, which is based on human and environmental limitations and is known to be the most effective model; and the Political Model, which allows collaboration amongst and between managers to facilitate the decision making process when there is uncertainty (Daft, 2013). In this case, the political decision making model is evident in the uncertainty of his ability to make a quick decision. This can be due to his diverse interests in both of the manager’s abilities and past experiences. This is a non-programmed type of decision that Dave needs to make in that it is unique. This is a new project that no one has experienced in the company, let alone Dave as a new project manager having to take the lead and make a difficult decision. There are consequences will play an important role for him personally and professionally. Another aspect of the political model is that Dave realizes he has to get both managers to talk to one another and form a coalition however he fears that this may not be possible given that both managers declared openly that the other department lacked the skills needed to ensure project success. Because both managers are highly skilled and each have a powerful team of employees that can assist with the details and tasks required to ensure the success of the project, they need to be able to work together and form an alliance. By using the political decision making model a manager would engage his team to collaborate and share their diverse ideas, interests and skills, while understanding there are conflicting goals and inconsistent viewpoints. The team would work together towards strategically developing specific goals and in this case, each group could take a certain area of the project to work on then bring them together in hopes to acquire a successful cohesive project outcome. The work of Herbert A. Simon proposes that the two concepts: bounded rationality and satisficing are instruments that shape the administrative model of decision making. Satisficing is when managers choose the first alternative that satisfies the minimum criteria of the decision. Bounded rationality is the concept that managers have to be rational when making decisions based on the amount of time and ability to process all of the information needed to make the decision (Daft, 2013). In the case of David, he does have to make a quick decision mostly because the equipment that needs to be purchased for the project has to be placed immediately. Although Dave understands the differences in opinions from both managers, he has to consider his alternatives in a timely fashion for long-term benefits. He also does not come with much project management experience so his ability to make these types of decisions is limited. As Dave, my plan of action would include the following: * Follow the six steps in the Managerial Decision-Making Process * Discuss project plans with each manager, gather their ideas and perspectives * Brainstorm ideas and develop alternatives that meet both managers needs and that allows for collaboration but at the same time allow for some constructive debate * Use the analytical style of decision making first while considering all the alternatives however switch to the directive style when ready to make the decision * Use intuition and trust in my experience, background, and skills * Take a risk in making the best decision possible without being influenced by emotions or friendships built with the other managers, without thinking too much on past decisions and doubts of my decision making capabilities, have some self-efficacy, and think outside of the box to gather the best ideas and develop strategies to move the project planning phase forward. Every problem can be solved differently depending on the manager, their personality, past experience, education, upbringings, but most importantly their intuition and the risk taking abilities they bring. When making decisions, managers must consider the type of decision that needs to be made, their own managerial style when it comes to making decisions, as well as how rational one can be depending on the decision that needs to be made. One should always consider all the alternatives presented to them as well as the time needed to make a decision. As a manager, one should not be afraid to take risks however should understand the levels of risk depending on the alternatives presented. Being true to what one believes is also important and should always play a part of a manager’s decision making process. References: Kalyan City Life Blog. Decision Making Process in Management-Problem Solving. Retrieved from http://kalyan-city.blogspot.com/2010/06/decision-making-process-in-management.html