Cross-Cultural Negotiations essays

Cross-Cultural Negotiations essays Cross-cultural negotiations is the interactions, typically in business, that occur between various cultures. These negotiations are typically viewed as occurring between various nations, but cross-cultural studies can also occur between different cultures within the same nation, such as between European-Americans and Native Americans. As the world becomes more and more interdependent as a result in the expansion of globalization and international business relations, cross-cultural negotiations are becoming a common feature in business and political transactions. This being the case, understanding how cross-cultural negotiations occur is an important skill to have. Thus, there has been an abundance of research and literature conducted and written on the topic. What follows is a brief review of the current literature available on the topic of cross-cultural negotiations. I.Hendon, Donald W., Herbig, Paul and Rebecca Angeles Hendon. (1999). Cross-Cultural Business Negotiations. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. This book focuses on cross-cultural negotiations as they apply to international business. Its premise is that many business opportunities have been lost due to cultural misunderstandings. To prevent this problem from occurring, special emphasis needs to be placed on adequate attention to details and a better understanding of the cultural heritage of the other negotiating team. What is most beneficial of this book is that it is written by international business practitioners and comes with a country-by-country profile containing relevant cultural advice. II.Magala, Slawomir. (2005). Cross-Cultural Competence. New York: Taylor This work focuses on successful cross-cultural management as being the key to international business. At the most basic level of cross-cultural negotiations is cultural competency, or a cultural literacy. In other words, the first step to successful cross-cultur...

Even Grammar Gurus Make Mistakes

Even Grammar Gurus Make Mistakes Even Grammar Gurus Make Mistakes Even Grammar Gurus Make Mistakes By Mark Nichol I’ve noticed that I’ve been overlooking more mistakes in these posts recently or perhaps it’s just that I haven’t been making fewer errors as I go along, as I would have expected after six months’ worth of almost daily submissions. Thanks to astute site visitors who (usually) politely point out typographical errors, I note that occasionally I type the wrong form of a word (necessary instead of necessarily, for example), or that, when I provide a sample sentence with an error and then provide an annotated correction, sometimes I forget to actually correct the sentence. (Does that jive I mean, jibe with your observation?) I’d like to be able to tell you, â€Å"I meant to do that I just wanted to see if anybody was paying attention,† but the truth is, I make mistakes. And, like most bloggers, I don’t have an editor to sweep up after me. And, as I’ve often said, especially to people unfamiliar with the professional publishing world’s writing-editing-proofreading protocol, everybody needs an editor even editors. But before you send me your resume, note that we’re not hiring blogs are, by their nature, a more or less spontaneous medium of communication (though I try to review my work carefully), and, anyway, DailyWritingTips.com doesn’t have the resources to implement a more traditional editorial procedure (not yet, at least). I realize all too well that in my advisory capacity, I have a responsibility to strive for rigorous flawlessness a nearly impossible task I will nonetheless continually attempt to accomplish, but I also thank you in arrears and in advance for your (good-natured, I hope) comments about each lapsus clavis. Speaking of slip-ups, there are mechanical errors, and there are errors of fact. I do not claim to be an unimpeachable authority on every topic I write about. But I have spent many years intensively acquiring a practical knowledge of language, and by teaching editing (which I used to do), writing about composition (which I do now), and researching language usage (which I have always done), I have learned and processed much about writing and editing. In this forum, I welcome the opportunity to share that knowledge and insight with you, and in this forum, you are welcome and encouraged to respond in kind. Note this well, however: If you disagree with anything I write about writing, that’s your prerogative. But don’t rely on your assumptions or your education. (Those influences often coalesce imperfectly, and educators make mistakes, too.) The best way to learn is to consult multiple sources and develop your own understanding at a point where those sources intersect and note that I didn’t refer to a fixed point. I endeavor to be consistent yet flexible, and I heartily recommend that attitude to all. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of Adjectives34 Writing Tips That Will Make You a Better WriterTypes of Plots

Andy Warhol and Yasumasa Morimura Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Andy Warhol and Yasumasa Morimura - Essay Example The essay "Andy Warhol and Yasumasa Morimura" discusses Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych and Yasumasa Morimura’s Self-Portrait (Actress)/ White Marilyn. Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych and Yasumasa Morimura’s Self-Portrait (Actress)/ White Marilyn depict the cult infatuation with Marilyn Monroe. This infatuation goes deeper than Monroe’s physical beauty. Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych and Morimura’s Self-Portrait (Actress)/ White Marilyn have the same subject; Marilyn Monroe. The works were done thirty-four years apart, Marilyn Diptych in 1962 and Self-Portrait (Actress)/ White Marilyn in 1996. Yet both have the same theme. Both are about Marilyn Monroe, but not about her as a whole person. The person portrayed in Warhol’s piece is â€Å"more than twenty silkscreen paintings of her, all based on the same publicity photograph from the 1953 film Niagara† (Tate Collection). Hollywood publicity photographs are airbrushed. They wanted to present the best makeup and hairstyle possible on Monroe. This was not the real Monroe. She did not always look perfect, because like everyone else, Monroe was human. Similarly Morimura’s photograph of three figures did not portray the real Monroe. His figures are posed like Monroe in The Seven Year Itch, where her white dress is following up at an air vent. This is once more a movie posed. Monroe had wardrobe, makeup, lighting, and other Hollywood magic. So the Monroe both artists wanted to capture were not realistic, but based on her Hollywood image.

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Group, Ltd. Case Study Research Paper

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Group, Ltd. Case Study - Research Paper Example One is to remember that it is difficult to make use of one particular leadership style for different types of contexts. However, the leader may demonstrate the best style or a combination of styles for each exclusive leadership context. From the case study, it has been apparent that Sir Richard Branson is one of the most influential, successful and enduring business leaders. Among numerous leadership styles such as autocratic leadership style, participative leadership style and laissez-faire style as well as in terms of authentic leadership model, expert power and referent power models, it can be analyzed that the leadership style demonstrated by Richard Branson is a laissez-faire leadership style. He has been successful in genuinely serving his employees and customers by means of his leadership. He has been interested in empowering the employees that he leads in order to make a vital difference. Richard Branson has natural leadership gifts and, thus, he makes use of his natural abil ities. It has been apparent from the case study that Richard Branson always believed in building long-term relationships with people. Authentic leaders generally learn from their failures. Richard Branson has focused on preparing himself to have another attempt at any failed activity with the required knowledge that he gained from his previous failure. One of the well known facts regarding authentic leaders is that they draw encouragement from their own lives. Richard Branson seems to be inspired by his mother who taught him not to look back in regret but rather to move on to the next task. An authentic leader is someone who is not frightened to admit his mistakes and, therefore, makes efforts to overcome his limitations. By facing weaknesses and declining to compromise with them, Richard Branson tends to identify ways to beat the weaknesses, which helps him to become a strong leader. Richard Branson also seems to possess expert and referent power. He has been capable of influencing others’ behaviors owing to the recognized competencies, talents and knowledge. He is capable of influencing others because his employees respect, admire and like him as a person. Whenever Richard Branson experiences any kind of setbacks, he chooses to pick himself up and try again. His principles are based on the belief that entrepreneurs will only succeed if they have good people around them and they listen to the superior’s advice. Authentic leaders such as Richard Branson care for themselves as well as the people that they lead, and their compassion is genuine (Harvard Business School, 2012). Richard Branson practices self-discipline by incorporating balance into his personal and professional lives. While most of the executives focus upon serving their customers as well as stockholders, Richard Branson believes that the correct hierarchical system in any organization is to have ‘employee at the first position’, ‘customer next’ and ‘s tockholders at the end’. It is because of the effectiveness of Richard Branson’s leadership style that Virgin Group Limited has been capable of becoming a multibillion-dollar worldwide conglomerate and one of the most recognized brands in the world. It has been identified that most of the US leaders tend to have participative leadership styles. Therefore, it can be stated that although Laissez-Faire leadership style tends to

The Validity of the Developmental Theories Essay Example for Free

The Validity of the Developmental Theories Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Human nature and its varying and complex behaviors fascinate almost everyone. Although not all are inclined to be able to understand and explicate the details of individual personalities those who do find themselves in confusion many times why some people do things that are at times difficult to comprehend. However, the science of human behavior has indeed helped facilitate thus far, an understanding of human conduct and its nature at various lengths through the theories of human development by prominent theorists (Plotnik, 1996). This paper attempts validate their works by citing the researcher’s own personal timeline and/or development. For a proper and organized treatment of this paper, it will answer the following problem statements: What are the descriptions of Freud (psychosexual), Erikson (psychosocial), and Piaget’s (Cognitive) stages for childhood and adolescent years of development? Are developmental theories applicable to real-life and if so, based on your personal timeline, how (and if not, how not)? Discussion What are the descriptions of Freud (psychosexual), Erikson (psychosocial), and Piaget’s (Cognitive) stages for childhood and adolescent years of development?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Development does not end once a person reaches maturity, but continues throughout life. Developmental psychologists seek to describe ad analyze the regularities of human development across the entire life span. It focuses primarily on these aspects of development that make us similar to one another (Atkinson et al., 1993).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sigmund Freud hypothesized that each of us goes through five psychosexual stages. These are five different developmental periods – oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages – during which the individual seeks pleasure from different areas of the body associated with sexual feelings. Freud emphasized that the child’s first five years are the most important to social and personality development (Atkinson et al, 1993). The stages of oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital stages are controversial and highly debatable concepts which Freud originated. Freud pointed out that satisfying one of the child’s needs becomes a source of potential conflict between the child, who wants immediate gratification, and the parent, who places restrictions on when, where, and how the child’s needs should be satisfied. Freud believed that interactions between parent and child in satisfying these psychosexual needs for example, during breastfeeding or toilet training – greatly influence the child’s social development and future social interactions. Freud’s psychosexual stages are part of his larger psychoanalytic theory of personality (Hilgard et al., 1983, Atkinson, 1993).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Secondly, the psychosocial stage of development is best explained through the theory developed by Erik Erikson. According to Erik Erikson, a child will encounter different kinds of problems in infancy and childhood, which will shape one’s social and personality development. Erikson gave eight psychosocial stages. A child according to Erikson will encounter a particular psychosocial problem at each stage. If he successfully resolves the problem, he will develop a good social trait that will help him/her solve the next problem. If he/she is unsuccessful, he/she will develop a bad social trait that will hinder his or her solving a new problem at the next stage (Atkinson, 1993). His stages include Trust versus mistrust, Autonomy versus Shame doubt, Initiative versus guilt, Industry versus Inferiority, Identity versus Confusion, Intimacy versus Isolation, Generativity versus Stagnation, Integrity versus Despair, comprise each of the description of the periods and the potential problems that may arise during each of the particular period (Halonen Santrock, 1996).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Piaget’s theory of cognitive development refers to how a person perceives, thinks, and gains an understanding of his or her world through the interaction and influence of genetic and learning factors. He has identified the cognitive stages and refers to four different stages – sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stages – each of which is more advanced than the preceding stage because it involves new reasoning and thinking abilities (Piaget, 1963; Hurlock, 1964). Piaget’s work led to the current view that children are actively involved in their own cognitive development. By active involvement, Piaget meant that children are constantly striving to understand what they encounter, and in such encounters, they form their own guesses or hypotheses about how the world works (Hurlock, 1964). Are developmental theories applicable to real-life and if so, based on your personal timeline, how (and if not, how not)?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This paper just briefly introduced three differing explanations of certain aspects of human development and these were the currently accepted theoretical perspectives of human-behavior development. Relating these with the author’s personal development, yes, I could say that the developmental theories are in most cases applicable. Looking at my personal timeline, the observations and generalizations made by Freud, where the struggles in later years such as getting married at an earlier age, joining the army etc., were concerned, many of his concepts had pointedly identified those that are linked with during the early years of my development as compared to Freud’s five psychosexual stages. Terms like fixation and those that may have something to do with his conceptualization of instincts helped me understand many of my personal confusions regarding certain inner/internal struggles in my life (Halonen Santrock, 1996). In addition, Erikson’s description of the psychosocial stages where these are best illustrated during the adolescent years such as identity versus confusion, remembering those carefree years and the subsequent important transition and decision making abilities that need be developed helped me relate a lot to many of my adventures and misadventures as a youth, His apt and keen analysis of these stages helped me then and makes me feel at ease concerning   the anticipated times or periods of years ahead (Atkinson et al., 1993; Hurlock, 1964). In addition, Piaget’s poignant attention to children’s cognitive development helped me realize why I was so interested in peewee wrestling at such a tender young age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is always worthwhile to spend ample time thinking and studying the many-faceted dimensions of human persona, from physical to cognitive and psychological areas among others. It has contributed a lot to my personal understanding of self-awareness and the development of the consciousness and sensitivity of what other humans like me are going through. It caters to a deeper understanding as well as acceptance of people’s frailties, and also their strengths. Freud, Piaget and Erikson’s theories indeed were validated basing on my personal timeline/story; no wonder that these three theories are almost forever cemented as classics in the understanding and predicting of human behavior.       Reference: Atkinson, R.L., R.C. Atkinson, E.E. Smith, D.J. Bem, and S. Nolen-Hoeksema. 1993. Introduction to psychology. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace and Company. Halonen, J.S. and J.W. Santrock (1996). Psychology: Contexts of behavior, Dubuque, IA: Brown and Benchmark, p.810. Hilgard, E.R., R.R. Atkinson, and R.C. Atkinson, (1979)1983. Introduction to psychology.7th Ed. New York: Harcourt brace Jovanich, Inc. Hurlock, E.B. 1964. Child Development. New York: Mc Graw-Hill Book Company. Piaget, J. 1963. The conception of reality in the child. New York: Ballantine Books. Plotnik, R. 1996. Introduction to psychology. 4th ed. Pacific Grove, California 93950: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. Appendix MAJOR POINTS ON MY PERSONAL TIMELINE: -Birth date is April 28, 1983 -start walking at 14 months; -Travel to Costa Rica with Grandparents at age 40; -start peewee wrestling at age 8 -graduate from junior high at age14/ enter high school; -Got license and buy own car at age 16 -graduated high school at age 18/start college; -Joined the army National Guard at age 19 -got married/have first child at age 21; -Deployed to Iraq at age 23- have twins at age 23 POSSIBLE FUTURE OUTCOMES (age represented is my possible age) Graduate and become nurse by age 27 -move to new city by age 30; -daughter start high school at age 35 -twins start high school at age 38 -daughter graduates high school/starts college at age 39; -Twins graduate high school/start college at age 42 -daughter gets married at age 45 -first grandchild at age 48

William Faulkner’s short novel, The Bear Essay -- Bear

William Faulkner’s short novel, The Bear "The Bear" is a short novel in an anthology that begins in Yoknapatwpha County sometime after the Civil War. The story deals with loyalty, honor, truth, bravery, courage, fear, nature, history and choices. Cleanth Brooks best described this story by saying, "Faulkner's villains do not respect nature and their fear of it has nothing in common with the fear of the Lord or with awe in the presence of the divine." (Brooks 149) In the story, we find a bear that has learned to outwit and survive hunters for years. It wasn't until they took a beast of the wild and tamed it before they could even come close to the bear. They took a beast of nature to kill a beast of nature for their own personal pleasure, for sport...a conversation piece. When looking into the history aspect of the story, think of human actions and how People make radical decisions that may affect the rest of their lives, or even the lives of others, not even giving a second thought to the consequences. This book deals with a radical decision made by one man that changed the lives of many. The author of this story, William Faulkner, was a white southern male born "September 25, 1897, in New Albany, Mississippi. He died July 6, 1962." (Compton's CD) Faulkner had a way with Christianity, but more with the nature of man. He believed that man was nature. We can see how this affects the story with the statement "It was of the men, not white nor black nor red but men, hunters, with the will and hardihood to endure and the humility and skill to survive..."(Faulkner 327) The story begins with Ike and C who are going on a hunting trip to try to catch Old Ben, t... ...ficient utilization of it, or when he ceases to love it and to carry on his contention with it in terms of some sort of code, then he not only risks destroying nature but risks bestializing his own nature. (270) This novel is a wonderful book to read for those who like nature and the wilderness. It is through nature that one can achieve their highest level of love for the world. Although it may be hard to get through a few of the chapters, once you truly understand the meaning of the book, it will stick in your heart forever. Work Cited Brooks, Cleanth. "On the prejudices, predilections, and firm beliefs of William Faulkner." [Baton Rouge] LSU Press, 1987. "Six great modern short novels." New York Dell, 1982. 328 Brooks, Cleanth. William Faulkner The Yoknapatawpha County. London Yale University Press, 1974

Big Ideas in Science Essay

Food, it has become the final frontier. No longer are the days where oranges come from Florida or California, and cheese from Wisconsin. We are a global society and can export and import food from anywhere. As you are reading this, you might be enjoying some grapes from Argentina or drinking water from Iceland. Let’s see where a couple of meals came from, shall we? I’m not much on breakfast, mostly because I don’t get up in time to eat anything. Today though, I had a bagel with cream cheese. There’s not a lot of information on where the cream cheese is made or where the ingredients come from. Its Wal-Mart brand, so I’m guessing they outsource to some local company. The bagels are from Lender’s, and there is some information on them. The wheat that is used in the bagel is from the Western prairies of the United States and the water is found locally at the plant (Lender’s, 2012). I have to have something to wash this down with, and my breakfast drink of choice is Sunny D. According to the website, Sunny D’s juice is sourced from Florida (Sunny D, 2012). So far, I seem to be having a pretty American day as far as meals are concerned. After breakfast, most of my day is spent at work. I normally have to include both lunch and dinner because I work twelve hours or more a day. I work at Pizza Hut, so getting something to eat is easy. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of information on the origins of the food. I know the wheat used in the pizza crust is from the Midwest and I believe the cheese is from California (Pizza Hut, 2012). My beverages are an assortment of Pepsi products that are bottled at different plants around the United States. I guess I’m not much of an international eater, but at times I can be, it’s just been a busy week. Since it seems that most of my meals are processed foods or from a restaurant, my food arrives about the same way. The wheat or fruit is harvested and loaded onto trucks. These trucks take the produce to the factory where it is milled or juiced and mixed with other ingredients and preservatives, until the final product is reached. It is then bagged or bottled and shipped to a warehouse. It sits in the warehouse until picked and delivered to the store where they can be purchased. When I was in college getting my business degree, we talked a lot about the global market and its benefits. One of these benefits is more competition. Yes, competition is a benefit. It not only provides more choices, but competition means that companies will try different things to keep its customers. This can range from promotions to new lines of product. Lender’s bagels for example, not only have plain bagels, but also blueberry, strawberry, and cinnamon raisin. Another benefit of a global market is that it gives companies a broader market size. With a bigger market, companies are able to receive income from multiple sources rather than just locally. The internet has really helped the global market. You can order products direct from Germany, even though they’re not sold at your local store. You have to love our digital age. Being a global market can also have its negative impacts. Being from the south, I can remember my mom telling me, â€Å"You’re getting too big for your britches.† I know, it’s a weird saying, but it holds true for a lot of things. Companies that try to be global can sometimes â€Å"get too big† and lose sight of what his happening locally. The expansion in China and Europe become such a priority, that their backyard gets overgrown with weeds. It can also produce poor products. How many times have you received something from overseas that breaks within its first week? Or, you call technical support for a company based in Dallas, TX and get someone in India? I’m not saying that to be racist or anything, but a local company should take care of its local people. â€Å"Think Globally, Act Locally†. This can be interpreted many ways because we all think differently. For me, it means that you should consider the â€Å"big picture† and the benefits of introducing your product or service to a broader base. While doing this, however, you should take care of those around you. I had a former supervisor that would tell us, â€Å"Dance with the one that brought you.† I don’t know where he got that phrase from, but he was trying to tell us that we may get promoted or moved to a busier store, but don’t forget what brought you to that point. Go ahead and expand your operations to Europe and Asia, but don’t forget the people of St. Louis (or wherever) that supported you while you were growing. After all this research, my way of choosing goods really hasn’t changed. Even after studying the global market back in business classes, I still looked at products the same. While I appreciate the local producers and will buy their stuff, I’m also a cheapskate that goes for the best deal. I am willing to pay more, for example, I’ll shop my hometown drug store before going to Wal-Mart, even though it might cost a little more. The service and convenience will make up for the slightly higher price. I also like to try new things. I’ll try a new beer that’s imported from Mexico or Australia, but I’ll still keep some Bud Light in the fridge. I will agree that we should buy American, but we don’t always make the best stuff. The global market has its ups and downs. It’s like a marriage, most of the time it’s a wonderful union that makes people happy and provides the needs for each other. Other times, it seems like mommy (global company) and daddy (local company) just can’t get along. If the children (consumers) make the right decisions and try to â€Å"Think Globally, Act Locally† themselves, it might help the marriage. Then again, maybe we should just cut ties with the rest of the world and â€Å"Think Locally, Act Locally†, what do you think about that?

Employee Portfolio: Management Plan Essay

Employee Portfolio Amy, one of the employees has a very negative outlook on usual daily basis. She is not very satisfied with her current job which prevents her from showing her full potential at work. Her personal emotions take over and carry on to any tasks. There is something preventing her from being satisfied in the work. From her assessment it seems as she feels it is hard to grown and show her real ability to work to satisfaction of the company. On the other hand, Daisy is very happy with her current position in the company she is working for. She is happy which reflects in her work because she is able to use her full potential. She is able to accomplish whatever comes her way and is always open to new things. Finally, Lynnet is in some way like the other employee Daisy. She as well is happy with her job and can use own methods on the job to grow. She is good at noticing mood changes between others and herself and can think clearly about how to manage emotions. My recommendations on future assessments for Amy might be taking are like one, she needs to find a way she can control her emotions and feelings. Another recommendation is she needs to know she can take break before starting just so she can refresh her mood and attitude. Sometimes since she lets things around her take control taking a walk can help before taking any kind of assessments. Assessments can be stressful to an employee especially if they are afraid it can affect their pay, work schedule and future promotions. Both Daisy and Lynnet, are able to handle their emotions and surroundings and does not affect or interfere when taking assessments, therefore; they can just keep doing the same things they are currently doing that is working just fine. When Daisy was taking the assessment I noticed she took her time and even talked to herself about certain things she even knew about how she is. Lastly, Lynnet was quicker at doing the assessments  because at the moment she was just g etting off work and I believe since she loves her job it was just really easy to answer the questions. I believe Daisy and Lynnet should keep up what they are doing and working for them.

15 Stock Characters †and How to Restock Them

15 Stock Characters - and How to Restock Them 15 Stock Characters and How to Restock Them 15 Stock Characters and How to Restock Them By Mark Nichol Does the cast of characters in your novel or short story fall under some of these categories? Take care that your characters don’t fall into the clichà © trap: If you find that they resemble one of the stereotypes below, reconsider your characterization or at least provide the dramatis persona with a distinguishing personality characteristic that’s a twist on the same old, same old. 1. Antihero: This character, a protagonist (typically seen in detective and adventure genres) whose personality flaws distinguish him or her from a standard hero, is inherently much more interesting than the upstanding counterpart. The key characteristic is usually misanthropy, but that’s not enough to round a character out. An antihero must have a solid foundation on which to stand. 2. Absent-minded professor: Perhaps Professor Fumblebuttons is just pretending to be a shock-haired scientist who can’t remember where he put his glasses (â€Å"Um, the glasses you’re wearing?†). What’s his motive for his deception? 3. Boy/girl next door: Is John or Mary really what he or she seems? What dark secret does that wholesome countenance conceal? This character easily pales in comparison with a complicated villain or sidekick, so make an extra effort to invest your protagonist with personality or relegate the squeaky-clean persona to a secondary role. 4. Clown/fool: Traditionally, the court jester often someone of fragile mental stability or feigning the same was the only person allowed to mock or question his powerful patron, and his antics involved not only lighthearted entertainment but also sometimes barbed satire or veiled criticism. A comic-relief character needs to be more than just a wisecracking or mischievous type. Perhaps he’s the omniscient narrator, or he’s pretending to be a smart-aleck to divert attention from his true purpose. 5. Damsel in distress: The helpless young maiden is one of the most tired tropes in storytelling and so is the helpless young maiden turned butt-kicking babe. Better yet, imbue your ingenue with the characteristics of another character type, either one on this list or another stock persona. 6. Everyman: The peril of presenting a character designed to represent everyone is that he will appeal to no one. Make sure your everyman (or everywoman, or boy or girl edition) possesses enough distinguishing characteristics to be interesting, even intriguing. Remember: Relentlessly virtuous characters are boring, and stories in which they have no real challenges fail to engage readers. 7. Femme fatale: The enduring appeal of the deceptive villainess is whether she is in fact aiding or thwarting the protagonist. It’s a balancing act to keep readers guessing to the very end of the story- and that may not be enough. What if your femme fatale is herself deceived, either by the protagonist or by a third character? Twists within twists keep this trope fresh. 8. Hooker with a heart of gold: The bad girl turned good girl is a nice repudiation of moral intolerance, but it’s a stale stereotype. As in the case of her sister the femme fatale, readers shouldn’t be able to predict how she will behave. Is a second-act act of kindness part of a climactic ruse? Is she pressured to betray the protagonist, or is it part of her own plot? 9. Knight-errant: This bright-eyed variant of the hero can drag down a story with him (or her) take care that the conscientious crusader is not too glistening of tooth and sparkling of eye. The most interesting knight-errant in literature is Don Quixote, who was an abject failure (and was all the more appealing for his indefatigable idealism). 10. Manic pixie dream girl: This phrase, coined relatively recently, refers to the offbeat and seemingly off-her-rocker character who upends the protagonist’s carefully ordered world. The problem? She’s done and overdone at least in films. For the stereotype to not be stale, there has to be more to her than quirk. Why is she such a goofball? 11. Nerd: Geek, dork, nimrod been there, done that. But, for example, in the brilliant film Brick (film noir meets adolescent angst), the school brain is not an object of scorn but an awkward, laconic human database for the teenage gumshoe and there’s a touch of empathy for him in the way the lead character keeps him at arm’s length. What makes a nerd a nerd? And what makes him (or her) interesting? Hints of depth, or of deviousness, or both. 12. Sidekick: The protagonist’s right-hand man or woman serves as a counterpoint: intrepid vs. timid, serious vs. silly, and so on, one way or the other. Make sure your lead character’s attendant complements him or her, but also keep their relationship fresh by introducing some vulnerability in the main character the subordinate can exploit. 13. Tomboy: The tomboy transformed is a tired trope, not much better than the mousy maiden who becomes a blithe beauty just by taking off her eyeglasses. Resist the urge to go the Cinderella route: If an androgynous or athletic woman or girl refuses to conform to societal standards for feminine appearance, go with it. But why does she rebel against such norms? That’s the key to her character. 14. Tortured artist: In literature as in real life, complicated creative types are tiresome. A broadly comic tortured artist may be an effective device, but the writer must handle this type with care. 15. Wise man: The scholarly mentor is a time-tested element of many classic stories (think Merlin, or Yoda), so any such character must possess distinct traits. Perhaps your story’s wise man is brilliant about some things but inept concerning others he needs his protà ©gà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s help in affairs of the heart, or, like the absent-minded professor, with whom he shares some characteristics, is a sage when it comes to intellectual areas but is at a loss when it comes to practical matters. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†Email EtiquettePredicate Complements

Causeway - Ancient Man-Made Ritual and Functional Roads

Causeway - Ancient Man-Made Ritual and Functional Roads A causeway is a human-constructed functional and/or ceremonial roadway or a set of roadway fragments. In ancient history they are made of earthen or rock structures that typically- but not always- bridged a waterway. Causeways may have been constructed to cross defensive structures, such as moats; irrigation structures, such as canals; or natural wetlands, such as marshes or fens. They often have a ceremonial element to them and their ritual significance can include symbolic passages between the mundane and the sacred, between life and death. Key Takeaways: Causeways Causeways are early types of human-made roads which have practical and ritual functions.The oldest causeways are about 5,500 years old, built to cross ditches and provide access to peat bogs.The Maya people created causeways up to 65 miles in length, crossing miles of forests in a nearly straight line. Causeways are remarkably different in function. Some (like those of the classic Maya) were almost certainly used for parades for diplomatic visits between communities; others such as the 14th-century Swahili coast were used as shipping lanes and ownership markers; or, in the European Neolithic, as trackways assisting navigation through uncertain landscapes. Some causeways are elaborate structures, elevated several feet about the ground such as at Angkor civilization; others are built of planks that bridge peat bogs, those of the Irish bronze age. But all of them are human-constructed roadways  and have some foundation in the history of transportation networks. Earliest Causeways The earliest known causeways are Neolithic bridges, constructed in Europe and dated between 3700 and 3000 BCE. Many Neolithic enclosed settlements had defensive elements, and some had concentric ditches or moats, generally with one or two at most bridges with which to cross. In some special cases, more causeways were built across the ditches then seems necessary, usually at the four cardinal points, allowing people to cross into the interiors from several directions at once. Since such configurations would not be easily defended, enclosed settlements with multiple causeway entrances are considered likely to have had a ceremonial or at least a shared communal aspect. Sarup, a Funnel Beaker site in Denmark occupied between 3400–3200 BC, had a ditch that encircled an area of about 21 acres (8.5 hectares), with several causeways which allow people to cross the ditches. Bronze Age Causeways Bronze Age causeways in Ireland (called tochar, dochair, or togher) are trackways which were built to allow access across and into peat bogs where peat might be cut for fuel. They varied in size and construction material- some were built as a line of planks laid end to end, flanked on each side by two round timbers; others were made of flat stones and gravel laid on a foundation of brushwood. The earliest of these date to about 3400 BCE. Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom pyramids in Egypt often were constructed with causeways connecting the various temples. These causeways were explicitly symbolic- there was no obstacle to be crossed- representing a route that people could use to travel from the Black Land (the land of the living and a place of order) to the Red Land (a place of chaos and the realm of the dead). Beginning in the Old Kingdoms 5th Dynasty, pyramids were built with an orientation following the daily course of the sun across the sky. The oldest causeway at Saqqara was paved with black basalt; by the time of Khufus rule, causeways were roofed and the internal walls were decorated in fine relief, frescos that depicted pyramid construction, agricultural scenes, craftsmen at work and themes of battles between Egyptians and their foreign enemies, and the pharaoh in the presence of gods. Classic Period Maya (600–900 CE) The sacbe (white lane) that leads to the Palacio, Labna, Puuc, Yucatan, Mexico. Mayan civilisation, 7th-10th century. De Agostini / Archivio J. Lange / Getty Causeways were a particularly important form of connection in lowland areas in North America such as those settled by the Maya civilization. There, causeways (known as sacbeob, singular sacbe, connected Maya cities for distances up to about 63 miles (100 kilometers) such as the Late Classic Yaxuna-Coba sacbe. Maya causeways were sometimes built from the bedrock up and can rise as high as 10 feet (3 meters; their widths range from 8 to 40 ft (2.5 to 12 m ), and they connect major Maya city-states. Others are barely above ground level; some cross wetlands and have bridges constructed to cross streams, but others are clearly only ceremonial. Medieval Period: Angkor and the Swahili Coast Short round pillars support the causeway leading to the Baphuon, in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Jeremy Villasis, Philippines / Moment / Getty Images At several sites of the Angkor civilization (9th–13th centuries CE), elevated causeways were constructed as later additions to the immense temples by king Jayavarman VIII (1243–1395). These causeways, perched above the ground atop a series of short columns, provided walkways connecting the major buildings of the temple complexes. They represent only one part of the enormous Khmer road system, a network of canals, pathways and roads which kept the Angkor capital cities in communication. During the height of the Swahili coast trading communities on the east coast of Africa (13th–15th centuries CE), numerous causeways were constructed out of blocks of reef and fossil corals along 75 mi (120 km) of coastline. These causeways were pathways, elevated just above sea level, that extended out perpendicularly from the coast into lagoons at Kilwa Kisiwani Harbor, ending in circular platforms at the seaward side. The fishermen today call them Arab Roads, which is a reference to the oral history which credits the founding of Kilwa to the Arabs, but like Kilwa itself the causeways are known to have been African constructions, built as navigational aids for ships plying the trade route in the 14th-15th centuries and complementing the Swahili urban architecture. These causeways are built of cemented and uncemented reef coral, up to 650 ft (200 m) long, 23–40 ft (7–12 m) wide and built up above the seafloor up to 2.6 ft. (8 m) high. Selected Sources Abdallatif, T., et al. Discovery of the Causeway and the Mortuary Temple of the Pyramid of Amenemhat Ii Using near-Surface Magnetic Investigation, Dahshour, Giza, Egypt. Geophysical Prospecting 58.2 (2010): 307-20. Print.Abramiuk, Marc A. The Discovery of an Ancient Maya Causeway System in the Southern Maya Mountains of Belize. Antiquity 91.357 (2017): e9. Print.Chase, Arlen F., and Diane Z. Chase. The Ancient Maya City: Anthropogenic Landscapes, Settlement Archaeology, and Caracol, Belize. Belize: Institute of Archaeology, NICH, 2016. Print.Chinchilla Mazariegos, Oswaldo Technologies of Urbanism in Mesoamerica: The Pre-Columbian Bridges of Cotzumalhuapa, Guatemala. Antiquity 92.362 (2018): 456-71. Print.Pollard, Edward. Safeguarding Swahili Trade in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries: A Unique Navigational Complex in South-East Tanzania. World Archaeology 43.3 (2011): 458-77. Print.Uchida, E., et al. A Reconsideration of the Construction Period of the Cruciform Terraces and the Elevated Causeways in the Angkor Monuments, Based on the Magnetic Susceptibility of the Sandstone Blocks. Archaeometry 55.6 (2013): 1034-47. Print.

Managing change by managing risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Managing change by managing risk - Essay Example The essay starts with the definition of change and ends with some recommendations on how to ensure successful change without risks. Keywords: change, risks, organisations, individuals, manage Table of Contents Page Executive summary 2 Introduction 4 What is change? 6 Why change is necessary? 8 Why risks are associated with change? 9 How to ensure successful change without risks? 10 Conclusion 11 References 14 Introduction In the advancement of almost everything today, change has become the fundamental issue in order to integrate better understanding on how situations have been created and on how to respond to them. In addition, how to cope with change in order to optimise productivity is another major consideration not just among individuals hooked on business, but every organisation trying to make sure of a continuing operation, competitive advantage and a remarkable market share through strategies for adapting, transforming and succeeding in the new business reality (Schoemer, 2009 ). Nokia for instance decides to jump off a burning platform right before it is too late for them to explore areas of possibilities where everybody seems to be moving around and embracing the need for change. Nokia has finally decided to initiate changes in its sales and marketing activities, which include the possibility of interacting with potential customers with its new Windows phones (Nokia Research Center, 2012, Reisinger, 2012). Today, almost everything around is changing and in the business environment this needs remarkable considerations. Let us cite the case of communication and technology advancement and the influence of the media on the business arena that has just headed to an upward spiral. As observed, it would now be much easier among companies to promote latest developed product offerings because of the increasing users of fast-speed internet connections having accessibility from almost everywhere, an event of the human history that could be ascribed to advanced mob ile gadgets that are able to surf the World Wide Web from roughly anywhere. Thus, it is clear that the information technology and communication system have altogether risen to a new level of applications. What is most important about these newly formed applications is the thought that individuals and even organisations are learning to rely on them on a daily basis. For instance, bank transactions are nowadays integrated with the fast-speed internet connections in order to serve more than the desired number of customers from across the world at a fast pace, which must be a move way much beyond compared from the past. With the advancement of technology that is integrated with information and communication system, organisations are finding the comfort of using these advancements for their advantage such as increased profitability. In fact, advancement strategies are proven to secure future profitability (Von Krogh et al., 2000, p.72). People from the past were bombarded with ideas abou t globalisation, but the actual face of it today is tantamount to creating one big market over the internet. This is a remarkable change in the century that everyone particularly those who are in the business realm have observed and considered both risky and an opportunity at the same time. These changes have indeed triggered corresponding opportunities to embrace change, but there are also some challenges and even risks involved. The business is faced with various